Education leaders, not technology alone, will determine the success of digital transformation in East Asia's classrooms, according to a new UNESCO report released this week during the Global Smart Education Conference 2025.
\n
"East Asia: Lead for Technology", a regional edition of the 2024/25 Global Education Monitoring Report, said school principals, education officials and teacher leaders — or their representatives — are central to ensuring that technology adoption in classrooms improves future learning and focuses on students.
\n
The report highlights how countries across East Asia have become pioneers in incorporating digital education: China has advanced a unified national smart education platform through its Digital China Initiative; Japan has rolled out a one-device-per-student policy; and South Korea is developing AI-powered textbooks for nationwide use by 2028.
\n
However, the report cautions that devices and networks alone will not bring meaningful change, and collaboration among education leaders is essential in digital reform efforts.
\n
Manos Antoninis, director of the Global Education Monitoring Report, said digital education technology is evolving at a rapid pace, and it is necessary to inject human-centered care into reforms to ensure that the interests of students remain at the core.
\n
"School and education system leaders play a crucial role in this process, but their importance may not be fully recognized," he said.
\n
In China, digital learning has been regarded as a cornerstone of the country's education modernization drive, said Huang Ronghuai, dean of the Smart Learning Institute at Beijing Normal University.
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The country has consolidated 32 provincial platforms into a single national smart education public service system, which categorizes resources by school level and curriculum to reduce duplication and ensure equal access.
\n
As part of its Digital China Initiative, the government has set a target to introduce artificial intelligence education in all primary and secondary schools by 2030.
\n
Local education authorities have been facilitating collaboration between schools. Qinghai province, for example, has built partnerships with education institutions in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces.
\n
Huang, a co-author of the report, said the Global Smart Education Conference in Beijing, which ran from Monday to Wednesday, provided a platform to share experiences and address common challenges in advancing inclusive and equitable education in the digital era.
\n
The report said principals, teachers and local officials carry the responsibility of ensuring that digital transformation is more than a technical exercise. Principals are expected not only to manage digital resources and cybersecurity, but also to guide teaching innovation and protect student well-being.
\n
Teacher leaders embed reforms at the classroom level by experimenting with new methods and sharing best practices, while local education officials oversee implementation and provide crucial feedback to policymakers, it said.
\n
Stefania Giannini, UNESCO's assistant director-general for education, said East Asia offers a compelling example of how leadership roles are evolving in response to new technologies.
\n
"School principals can no longer be seen as mere administrators," she said, adding that it is critical to empower education leaders with training.
\n
According to the report, countries should establish systematic training programs to raise the digital literacy and leadership capacity of education administrators. It called for investing in technical support workers to ease the burden on schools.
\n
In addition, the development of collaborative systems and cross-regional partnerships among different levels of education authorities is encouraged.
\n
The future of smart education depends not only on the technology itself, but also on whether education systems and leaders can drive reforms toward quality and sustainability, the report said.
\n
zhaoyimeng@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
- "content": "
Education leaders, not technology alone, will determine the success of digital transformation in East Asia's classrooms, according to a new UNESCO report released this week during the Global Smart Education Conference 2025.
\n
"East Asia: Lead for Technology", a regional edition of the 2024/25 Global Education Monitoring Report, said school principals, education officials and teacher leaders — or their representatives — are central to ensuring that technology adoption in classrooms improves future learning and focuses on students.
\n
The report highlights how countries across East Asia have become pioneers in incorporating digital education: China has advanced a unified national smart education platform through its Digital China Initiative; Japan has rolled out a one-device-per-student policy; and South Korea is developing AI-powered textbooks for nationwide use by 2028.
\n
However, the report cautions that devices and networks alone will not bring meaningful change, and collaboration among education leaders is essential in digital reform efforts.
\n
Manos Antoninis, director of the Global Education Monitoring Report, said digital education technology is evolving at a rapid pace, and it is necessary to inject human-centered care into reforms to ensure that the interests of students remain at the core.
\n
"School and education system leaders play a crucial role in this process, but their importance may not be fully recognized," he said.
\n
In China, digital learning has been regarded as a cornerstone of the country's education modernization drive, said Huang Ronghuai, dean of the Smart Learning Institute at Beijing Normal University.
\n
The country has consolidated 32 provincial platforms into a single national smart education public service system, which categorizes resources by school level and curriculum to reduce duplication and ensure equal access.
\n
As part of its Digital China Initiative, the government has set a target to introduce artificial intelligence education in all primary and secondary schools by 2030.
\n
Local education authorities have been facilitating collaboration between schools. Qinghai province, for example, has built partnerships with education institutions in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces.
\n
Huang, a co-author of the report, said the Global Smart Education Conference in Beijing, which ran from Monday to Wednesday, provided a platform to share experiences and address common challenges in advancing inclusive and equitable education in the digital era.
\n
The report said principals, teachers and local officials carry the responsibility of ensuring that digital transformation is more than a technical exercise. Principals are expected not only to manage digital resources and cybersecurity, but also to guide teaching innovation and protect student well-being.
\n
Teacher leaders embed reforms at the classroom level by experimenting with new methods and sharing best practices, while local education officials oversee implementation and provide crucial feedback to policymakers, it said.
\n
Stefania Giannini, UNESCO's assistant director-general for education, said East Asia offers a compelling example of how leadership roles are evolving in response to new technologies.
\n
"School principals can no longer be seen as mere administrators," she said, adding that it is critical to empower education leaders with training.
\n
According to the report, countries should establish systematic training programs to raise the digital literacy and leadership capacity of education administrators. It called for investing in technical support workers to ease the burden on schools.
\n
In addition, the development of collaborative systems and cross-regional partnerships among different levels of education authorities is encouraged.
\n
The future of smart education depends not only on the technology itself, but also on whether education systems and leaders can drive reforms toward quality and sustainability, the report said.
Shoulder to shoulder with strangers on a swaying subway car, Li Zining plugs in her earbuds, and as the narrator of the sci-fi epic The Three-Body Problem begins, the clang of doors and hum of conversation fade, leaving her adrift in a quiet, otherworldly realm of her own.
\n
Across China, millions of Generation Z readers are seeking the same hush, their glowing screens now serving as the new parchment. "Just got into sci-fi, so I started with the classics," Li said, noting that whether cooking or running, she's always got an audiobook playing, and before she knew it, she'd plowed through several hefty sci-fi titles.
\n
China's digital natives born between 1995 and 2009, also known as "Generation Z", have rewritten the rules of how stories are discovered, consumed and shared.
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Making up nearly one-fifth of the country's total population, they are more likely to download e-books onto their phones and tablets than to visit bookstores or libraries for physical copies. They consume vast amounts of online literature, share reviews and annotations on social media platforms, follow "book bloggers", and seek out "reading buddies".
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Data from WeChat Reading shows that 6.56 million, or 46 percent, of its monthly active users belong to Gen Z. On Zhangyue, the iReader Technology platform, about one-third of monthly active users are Gen Zers, who spend an average of 120 minutes per day on the platform.
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Chen Wenting, who holds an annual subscription to a reading app, believes that e-reading allows for "reading whenever and wherever you want" and is relatively cost-effective.
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A survey by the Chinese Academy of Press and Publication shows that last year, 38.5 percent of adult citizens engaged in reading through audiobooks.
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For the youngsters, books are not only read but also experienced through others' interpretations.
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Cheng Nan, a college student, has recently become engrossed in watching explanatory videos of the Nobel Prize-winning novel One Hundred Years of Solitude on the video-sharing platform Bilibili. "I found it hard to muster the courage to read such a classic, but the explanatory videos were quite engaging," she said.
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These videos not only cover the plot but also provide background and extended insights, often accompanied by animations or clips from TV adaptations, making them very appealing, Cheng added.
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When a content creator drops a video clip on social media with illustrations about the Chinese novel White Deer Plain, the view counter races past 20 million more quickly than most first printings sell out.
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In 2024, the number of reading videos longer than five minutes on the Douyin platform increased by 336 percent year on year, with a 137 percent increase in their views. Meanwhile, book review videos and images saw a 135 percent increase in views and a 518 percent jump in cumulative shares.
\n
Some Gen Z readers also enjoy finding like-minded "reading buddies". According to Xiao Xia, a college student, reading with a "buddy" not only helps keep schedules on track and encourages timely completion of books, but also offers fresh perspectives and knowledge, uncovering blind spots in one's thinking.
\n
On the WeChat Reading platform, users can interact with others by highlighting and commenting on specific sentences. "You can record your thoughts when reading a book or a particular sentence. When you don't understand something in the book, you can see what others think and sometimes have an epiphany," Chen Wenting said.
\n
Reading weighty volumes becomes more interesting when you can read along with comments from other readers, Chen added.
\n
Traditional publishers are now chasing the digital glow, using big data to target readers and livestreaming to launch new titles. "We are in a critical period of redefining product forms and industry rules," said Huang Zhijian, chairman of the China Publishing Group. "The core of the publishing industry is knowledge sharing, which should not be limited to physical books."
\n
Cong Ting, a professor at the School of Publishing, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, said, "The publishing sector must actively use new technologies to make quality content more accessible and perceptible to the young population."
US authorities have recently adopted more covert measures to enforce semiconductor export controls, secretly embedding location-tracking devices in high-risk shipments of advanced chips to prevent their illegal diversion to China, Reuters reported. The move, revealed in late August, marks a sharper turn in Washington's tech rivalry strategy, complementing earlier licensing curbs while Beijing continues to counter with restrictions on critical mineral exports such as gallium, germanium and antimony.
\n
Neither country is associating their respective move with a trade war. Both insist the measures have been taken to safeguard national security. Yet semiconductors, once treated as quiet workhorses of global commerce, have become a symbol of power and self-reliance.
\n
Few technologies reveal the stakes of this major-power competition more clearly than advanced chips. These technologies drive the growth of artificial intelligence, next generation telecommunications, missile systems and even quantum research. Whoever holds the upper hand in these technologies gains, not just an economic edge, but also strategic weight.
\n
For Washington, keeping Beijing away from top-tier chip-making is a way to check any potential military leap by China. For Beijing, the restriction on the export of key raw materials to Washington and investing increasing amounts of resources to promote innovation at home are aimed at avoiding a future where outside powers can hold it back.
\n
The more important story is not who lands the sharper blow in each round. It is what this steady escalation is doing to the way technology is developed and traded around the world. Semiconductor production is sprawling — a single advanced chip might rely on US design tools, Dutch lithography machines, Japanese chemicals, Taiwan's factories and minerals accumulated from across continents. Every new restriction, whether on supply of equipment or raw materials or on sharing of intellectual property rights, forces the entire network to adjust. Companies change production plans, renegotiate contracts and still have to bear higher costs.
\n
This, however, does not mean a total break between the world's two largest economies, at least not for now. What it does mean is longer timelines, higher prices and increasing possibility of two parallel systems emerging. One will be anchored around the US, the other will depend on China. For companies caught in the middle, learning to comply with competing standards and export rules is fast becoming part of the cost of staying in business. For governments, keeping industries secure without suffocating them will need new regulations, more than money.
\n
There is another risk that is harder to quantify. These rolling restrictions could slow down innovation which both Washington and Beijing want to accelerate. Big breakthroughs in technology usually depend on scale, open talent pools and the free exchange of ideas and components. If those connections fray seriously, innovation could slow down despite both sides continuing to invest heavily to speed it up.
\n
The contest over chips is much more than about trade numbers or quarterly profits. It is about deciding which economy sets the rules, which country controls the key tools and how much countries will rely on each other in the future.
\n
Governments can build barriers, and markets tend to find ways around them. So the real question is whether the world's two strongest economic players, policy on one side and commerce on the other, can coexist without breaking the system that has powered decades of technological progress and economic growth globally.
\n
Semiconductors are no longer unseen components powering our devices. They now stand as a measure of influence, determining which economy or economic bloc will command the supply chains, set standards and drive investment flows. The struggle is less about cutting ties than about deciding whose rules will anchor the connections that have survived decades of ups and downs.
\n
However it unfolds, the outcome will not just define the future of technology. It will also reveal how power is organized in a world where economic and strategic interests are no longer easy to separate.
\n
The views don't necessarily reflect those of China Daily.
\n",
- "content": "\n
US authorities have recently adopted more covert measures to enforce semiconductor export controls, secretly embedding location-tracking devices in high-risk shipments of advanced chips to prevent their illegal diversion to China, Reuters reported. The move, revealed in late August, marks a sharper turn in Washington's tech rivalry strategy, complementing earlier licensing curbs while Beijing continues to counter with restrictions on critical mineral exports such as gallium, germanium and antimony.
\n
Neither country is associating their respective move with a trade war. Both insist the measures have been taken to safeguard national security. Yet semiconductors, once treated as quiet workhorses of global commerce, have become a symbol of power and self-reliance.
\n
Few technologies reveal the stakes of this major-power competition more clearly than advanced chips. These technologies drive the growth of artificial intelligence, next generation telecommunications, missile systems and even quantum research. Whoever holds the upper hand in these technologies gains, not just an economic edge, but also strategic weight.
\n
For Washington, keeping Beijing away from top-tier chip-making is a way to check any potential military leap by China. For Beijing, the restriction on the export of key raw materials to Washington and investing increasing amounts of resources to promote innovation at home are aimed at avoiding a future where outside powers can hold it back.
\n
The more important story is not who lands the sharper blow in each round. It is what this steady escalation is doing to the way technology is developed and traded around the world. Semiconductor production is sprawling — a single advanced chip might rely on US design tools, Dutch lithography machines, Japanese chemicals, Taiwan's factories and minerals accumulated from across continents. Every new restriction, whether on supply of equipment or raw materials or on sharing of intellectual property rights, forces the entire network to adjust. Companies change production plans, renegotiate contracts and still have to bear higher costs.
\n
This, however, does not mean a total break between the world's two largest economies, at least not for now. What it does mean is longer timelines, higher prices and increasing possibility of two parallel systems emerging. One will be anchored around the US, the other will depend on China. For companies caught in the middle, learning to comply with competing standards and export rules is fast becoming part of the cost of staying in business. For governments, keeping industries secure without suffocating them will need new regulations, more than money.
\n
There is another risk that is harder to quantify. These rolling restrictions could slow down innovation which both Washington and Beijing want to accelerate. Big breakthroughs in technology usually depend on scale, open talent pools and the free exchange of ideas and components. If those connections fray seriously, innovation could slow down despite both sides continuing to invest heavily to speed it up.
\n
The contest over chips is much more than about trade numbers or quarterly profits. It is about deciding which economy sets the rules, which country controls the key tools and how much countries will rely on each other in the future.
\n
Governments can build barriers, and markets tend to find ways around them. So the real question is whether the world's two strongest economic players, policy on one side and commerce on the other, can coexist without breaking the system that has powered decades of technological progress and economic growth globally.
\n
Semiconductors are no longer unseen components powering our devices. They now stand as a measure of influence, determining which economy or economic bloc will command the supply chains, set standards and drive investment flows. The struggle is less about cutting ties than about deciding whose rules will anchor the connections that have survived decades of ups and downs.
\n
However it unfolds, the outcome will not just define the future of technology. It will also reveal how power is organized in a world where economic and strategic interests are no longer easy to separate.
\n
The views don't necessarily reflect those of China Daily.
A worker welds at a steel manufacturing facility in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, on July 16.
\n
WASHINGTON — The United States has broadened the reach of its steel and aluminum tariffs, the Commerce Department said on Tuesday, affecting hundreds more products that contain both metals, such as child seats, tableware and heavy equipment.
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The Bureau of Industry and Security said in a recent notice that it was adding 407 product types to a list of items considered steel and aluminum "derivative products".
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This means a 50 percent tariff on both metals — imposed by President Donald Trump's administration earlier in the year — will apply to their steel and aluminum content.
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The widened scope took effect on Monday, and the notice detailing the changes was published in the Federal Register on Tuesday.
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"Today's action covers wind turbines and their parts and components, mobile cranes, bulldozers and other heavy equipment, railcars, furniture, compressors and pumps, and hundreds of other products," the Commerce Department said on Tuesday.
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The department is also adding imported parts for automotive exhaust systems and electrical steel needed for electric vehicles to the new tariffs, as well as components for buses, air conditioners and appliances, including refrigerators, freezers and dryers.
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A group of foreign automakers had urged the department not to add the parts, saying the US does not have the domestic capacity to handle current demand.
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Jeffrey Kessler, US under secretary of commerce for industry and security, said the move "shuts down avenues for circumvention", reiterating the aim of boosting the US steel and aluminum industries.
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Since returning to the presidency, Trump has imposed a 10 percent tariff on almost all US trading partners, alongside varying steeper levels on dozens of economies such as the European Union and Japan.
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Certain sectors have been spared from these countrywide tariff levels but were instead targeted under different authorities by even higher duties.
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In the case of steel and aluminum, the administration initially unveiled a 25 percent tariff on imports of both metals before doubling this to 50 percent in June.
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Although the influence of the tariffs on consumer prices has been limited so far, economists warn that their full effects are yet to be seen.
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For now, some businesses have coped by bringing forward purchases of products that they expected would encounter tariffs. Others have passed on additional costs to their consumers or absorbed a part of the fresh tariff burden.
\n
However, analysts note that importers and retailers will unlikely be able to bear these costs indefinitely, and could eventually raise consumer prices.
\n
Some economists argue that the inflation hit will be one-off, but others are wary of more persistent effects.
The footage of Black Myth: Zhong Kui was released at an exhibition center in Cologne, Germany, on Tuesday. The game features Zhong Kui, a legendary demon-queller of Chinese folklore. It is the second in the Black Myth series, after Black Myth: Wukong, which attracted worldwide attention.
The footage of Black Myth: Zhong Kui was released at an exhibition center in Cologne, Germany, on Tuesday. The game features Zhong Kui, a legendary demon-queller of Chinese folklore. It is the second in the Black Myth series, after Black Myth: Wukong, which attracted worldwide attention.
Employees prepare tea for customers at a store in Huangshan, Anhui province, on July 15.
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With consumers' pursuit of wellness, variety and refinement, China's tea beverage brands are exhibiting inspiring trends.
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According to Coffee and Tea Observation, a market information platform on WeChat, in July, the top 10 tea beverage brands launched 43 products in total, including six relaunched products and 37 brand new items.
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In terms of brands, Guming Holdings Ltd owns the most number of new products, with eight new products and one relaunched product hitting the market. ChaPanda ranked second, with four new items and four repeats.
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In terms of timing, brands tend to roll out new products at the beginning and end of a month.
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At the beginning of the month, brands typically launch monthly marketing strategies. By introducing new products, they attract both existing and new consumers and lay the foundation for the whole month. At the end of the month, brands adjust their marketing strategies according to market responses, and may launch more new products, experts said.
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According to Coffee and Tea Observation, in July, the top three sellers among new tea beverage brands were fruit tea, light milk tea and vegetable tea, taking up a combined 73.7 percent of all drinks sold. As temperatures soar in the summer, consumers prefer lighter and healthier drinks.
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From the survey, fruit teas are the top sellers, quenching thirst on scorching days. The popularity of fruit teas, light milk teas and vegetable teas suggests that consumers are increasingly aware of the health benefits of such beverages.
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Specifically, Shuyi Grass Jelly and Tea sold 200,000 cups of its newly launched green grape and kale drink in a span of just three days, using over 10,000 kilograms of kale.
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In terms of flavor popularity among new tea beverage brands, according to Coffee and Tea Observation, flower teas were the most common, followed by green teas, matcha and black tea.
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Flower tea has become the most commonly used tea base with an absolute advantage of 20 new products launched, among which jasmine tea performs particularly well. A total of 15 new products use it as a tea base, accounting for up to 75 percent, while gardenia and camellia are less commonly used. Next is green tea, which has been applied to 17 new products. Matcha follows closely behind, with a usage of eight types of new products, with oolong tea and black tea trailing, having only two and one products represented, respectively.
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Also, among new products launched, new tea beverage brands use large volumes of fruit — 30 types in total. There are significant differences in the frequency of application of different fruits. Lemon is the most frequently used fruit, with 11 new products using fragrant lemon flavoring. Green grape and apple are the second and third most often used fruits, followed by strawberry, blueberry, raspberry, orange, honey orange and cherry.
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Zhan Junhao, founder of Fujian Huace Brand Positioning Consulting, said: "This summer, the new tea beverage industry has shown a trend toward better healthiness, variety and refinement. The launch of fruit tea, light milk tea and vegetable tea is the mainstream, taking up over 70 percent. This reflects consumers' dual pursuit of refreshing taste and healthy attributes.
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"In the future, business opportunities for new tea beverages lie in deepening healthy innovations, such as developing functional ingredients, expanding categories such as dessert-based tea drinks, accelerating globalization through supply chain localization and product customization, deeply cultivating potential markets such as Southeast Asia and North America, and promoting sustainable and healthy industry development."
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Gao Chengyuan, president and CEO of TY Marketing, said, "In the future, there will be less sugar used in new tea beverages, conforming to Gen Z's pursuit of health and wellness."
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In terms of digitization, AI customization and full chain management will enhance efficiency and personalized experience. In addition, cultural empowerment and "China-chic" intellectual property can strengthen emotional connections. The sinking market — a Chinese concept referring to smaller-sized urban markets — and county-level shopping venues are also incremental spaces, and policy support can accelerate channel penetration, Gao said.
Casper Ruud of Norway (right) plays a shot as partner Iga Swiatek of Poland covers during a mixed doubles match at the US Open tennis championships in New York on Tuesday.
\n
Carlos Alcaraz (right) of Spain and Emma Raducanu of Britain celebrate during a US Open mixed doubles match on Tuesday.
\n\n
NEW YORK — The new US Open mixed doubles tournament drew plenty of criticism for everything from its format to its field.
\n
With mostly singles players, some who rarely play doubles at all, it felt less like a Grand Slam championship than an exhibition — which is what one player referred to it as on Tuesday.
\n
The fast-paced event, with shorter matches and a smaller field, is already down to its final four. Whoever wins the trophy Wednesday night — and a $1 million prize — won't apologize for the way they got it.
\n
"This is the official mixed doubles. If we get to the final tomorrow, I'm sure everyone is going to be pretty determined to try to win this thing," Casper Ruud said.
\n
Ruud and Iga Swiatek, the No 3 seeds, easily won their two matches and will face the top-seeded duo of Jessica Pegula and Jack Draper in one semifinal. Defending champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori, the only traditional mixed doubles team in the 16-team field, meet Danielle Collins and Christian Harrison — who weren't even the draw until Jannik Sinner and Katerina Siniakova withdrew Tuesday morning because of Sinner's illness — in the other.
\n
Carlos Alcaraz and Emma Raducanu were quickly eliminated. So were the No 2 seeds, Taylor Fritz and Elena Rybakina. Novak Djokovic and teammate Olga Danilovic also were one-and-done.
\n
Those types of Grand Slam singles champions are exactly the sort of players the US Tennis Association was seeking when it revamped the tournament and cut it down from 32 teams.
\n
Now played over two days, mixed doubles starts well before the singles tournaments begin on Sunday, with organizers believing singles stars would be more interested in playing if it didn't interfere with their rest and recovery during that event.
\n
Traditional doubles specialists like Errani and Vavassori were among the biggest critics of the changes. Even Karolina Muchova referred to the event as an exhibition during the postmatch interview after her team's opening victory over Venus Williams and Reilly Opelka.
\n
The prize of $1 million to the winning team would be a huge boost to doubles players, but most of them never had a chance of competing for it this year. Errani and Vavassori said they were playing for those teams, but also acknowledged the potential benefit of the new event.
\n
"I have to say that, as with everything, there are always positives and negatives, but the positives are, for sure, that the stadium was packed in the second match," Vavassori said. "It's a great thing for doubles to be seen by more people. I have to give them credit. I also said it before, playing this format is great for doubles and mixed doubles to develop in the future."
\n
Errani and Vavassori didn't even know originally if they would get a chance to defend their title in the new format, which gives eight teams automatic spots based on the players' combined singles rankings. The other spots are wildcards awarded by the USTA.
\n
The Italians were given one, and they showed off their skills in a first-round victory over Fritz and Rybakina that took just 42 minutes. The shortened format allows the matches to speed by, knowing winning teams would have to play twice on the first day, and potentially twice again Wednesday night.
\n
When Errani and Vavassori won the title last year in Flushing Meadows, it was late in the second week of the tournament in a stadium with plenty of empty seats.
\n
The new schedule has mixed doubles now being played when, usually, the only competitions taking place are the qualifying events for the singles tournaments. Admission onto the grounds during what the USTA calls "fan week" is free, so Louis Armstrong Stadium was packed for the opening match, a far bigger crowd than mixed doubles generally draws.
\n
Some fans may not have even realized that the match was headed to a second set after Errani and Vavassori took the opener in just 19 minutes. In traditional tennis scoring, they would have had to win six games instead of four to win the set.
\n
"I think some people could easily view it as they had to do less work to win the match. Stamina's definitely less of a factor now that sets are only to four in the first two rounds, but I think it's good," spectator and New York native Jay Maresco said after watching the Italians' second-round victory. "It keeps the pace going. It's definitely better for the US Open to keep the matches faster, and people coming in and out of Armstrong."
\n
The sets to four games with a 10-point match tiebreaker instead of a third set were used through the semifinals. Only the final will resemble a regular match, with sets to six games, tiebreakers at 6-all and a 10-point tiebreak for a third set.
\n",
- "content": "
Casper Ruud of Norway (right) plays a shot as partner Iga Swiatek of Poland covers during a mixed doubles match at the US Open tennis championships in New York on Tuesday.
\n
Carlos Alcaraz (right) of Spain and Emma Raducanu of Britain celebrate during a US Open mixed doubles match on Tuesday.
\n\n
NEW YORK — The new US Open mixed doubles tournament drew plenty of criticism for everything from its format to its field.
\n
With mostly singles players, some who rarely play doubles at all, it felt less like a Grand Slam championship than an exhibition — which is what one player referred to it as on Tuesday.
\n
The fast-paced event, with shorter matches and a smaller field, is already down to its final four. Whoever wins the trophy Wednesday night — and a $1 million prize — won't apologize for the way they got it.
\n
"This is the official mixed doubles. If we get to the final tomorrow, I'm sure everyone is going to be pretty determined to try to win this thing," Casper Ruud said.
\n
Ruud and Iga Swiatek, the No 3 seeds, easily won their two matches and will face the top-seeded duo of Jessica Pegula and Jack Draper in one semifinal. Defending champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori, the only traditional mixed doubles team in the 16-team field, meet Danielle Collins and Christian Harrison — who weren't even the draw until Jannik Sinner and Katerina Siniakova withdrew Tuesday morning because of Sinner's illness — in the other.
\n
Carlos Alcaraz and Emma Raducanu were quickly eliminated. So were the No 2 seeds, Taylor Fritz and Elena Rybakina. Novak Djokovic and teammate Olga Danilovic also were one-and-done.
\n
Those types of Grand Slam singles champions are exactly the sort of players the US Tennis Association was seeking when it revamped the tournament and cut it down from 32 teams.
\n
Now played over two days, mixed doubles starts well before the singles tournaments begin on Sunday, with organizers believing singles stars would be more interested in playing if it didn't interfere with their rest and recovery during that event.
\n
Traditional doubles specialists like Errani and Vavassori were among the biggest critics of the changes. Even Karolina Muchova referred to the event as an exhibition during the postmatch interview after her team's opening victory over Venus Williams and Reilly Opelka.
\n
The prize of $1 million to the winning team would be a huge boost to doubles players, but most of them never had a chance of competing for it this year. Errani and Vavassori said they were playing for those teams, but also acknowledged the potential benefit of the new event.
\n
"I have to say that, as with everything, there are always positives and negatives, but the positives are, for sure, that the stadium was packed in the second match," Vavassori said. "It's a great thing for doubles to be seen by more people. I have to give them credit. I also said it before, playing this format is great for doubles and mixed doubles to develop in the future."
\n
Errani and Vavassori didn't even know originally if they would get a chance to defend their title in the new format, which gives eight teams automatic spots based on the players' combined singles rankings. The other spots are wildcards awarded by the USTA.
\n
The Italians were given one, and they showed off their skills in a first-round victory over Fritz and Rybakina that took just 42 minutes. The shortened format allows the matches to speed by, knowing winning teams would have to play twice on the first day, and potentially twice again Wednesday night.
\n
When Errani and Vavassori won the title last year in Flushing Meadows, it was late in the second week of the tournament in a stadium with plenty of empty seats.
\n
The new schedule has mixed doubles now being played when, usually, the only competitions taking place are the qualifying events for the singles tournaments. Admission onto the grounds during what the USTA calls "fan week" is free, so Louis Armstrong Stadium was packed for the opening match, a far bigger crowd than mixed doubles generally draws.
\n
Some fans may not have even realized that the match was headed to a second set after Errani and Vavassori took the opener in just 19 minutes. In traditional tennis scoring, they would have had to win six games instead of four to win the set.
\n
"I think some people could easily view it as they had to do less work to win the match. Stamina's definitely less of a factor now that sets are only to four in the first two rounds, but I think it's good," spectator and New York native Jay Maresco said after watching the Italians' second-round victory. "It keeps the pace going. It's definitely better for the US Open to keep the matches faster, and people coming in and out of Armstrong."
\n
The sets to four games with a 10-point match tiebreaker instead of a third set were used through the semifinals. Only the final will resemble a regular match, with sets to six games, tiebreakers at 6-all and a 10-point tiebreak for a third set.
Staff load parcels onto a high-speed train at Hengdian railway station in Jinhua, Zhejiang province on Aug 11.
\n
Workers load parcels onto trucks for dispatch to various provinces at ZTO Express' Shanghai transit hub on Aug 5.
\n
A drone carrying parcels arrives at a landing pad in Jinhua, Zhejiang, as part of the province's first regular operation combining specialized rail and drone services on July 31.
\n
Workers put packages onto an automated sorting line at the ZTO Express' parcel-sorting center in Shanghai.
\n
ZTO Express workers sort newly arrived parcels from other regions and reload them onto trucks bound for express delivery stations in Shanghai on Aug 5.
\n\n
Each day, more than 500 million parcels are collected nationwide, meaning that every second nearly 6,000 items are shuttled into the express delivery process.
\n
These statistics, showing average daily operations, were released by the State Post Bureau in July, and reflect the staggering size and progress of the industry in China.
\n
The sector, which has maintained its position as the world's largest express delivery market for 11 consecutive years, is another hallmark of the country's efficiency and technological innovation, experts said.
\n
From 2014 to 2024, China's express delivery volume leaped from 14 billion to a whopping 174.5 billion parcels, accompanied by a significant drop in the average delivery price from over 14 yuan ($1.95) to 8 yuan per parcel.
\n
Behind such colossal volume is efficient resource allocation and technological prowess, with the industry evolving from labor-intensive operations to technology-driven processes.
\n
"The moment a user places an order to send a parcel on his or her mobile phone, the smart system of a courier company activates a chain of automated responses, including which courier will be assigned to pick up the parcel, which outlet the parcel will go to, which vehicle it will be on, and its scheduled arrival time at various points along the route," said Yang Qingyue, a public relations manager for delivery company ZTO Express.
\n
"The entire process is automated, with heavy human intervention only required at the sending and receiving ends, including interactions with the clients," Yang said.
\n
Zhao Chongjiu, director of the State Post Bureau, attributed the acceleration of express deliveries in the first half of this year to the expanded use of air services and high-speed rail, and a wider application of unmanned vehicles and stations, together with artificial intelligence technologies.
\n
"All of this resulted in more areas being included in service circles, where customers can receive their parcels the next day," said Zhao.
\n
The bureau aims to further improve the industry through intelligent sorting, encrypted transportation, real-time tracking, AI-powered anomaly detection, and the expansion of unmanned delivery stations, industry experts said.
\n
Automated, intelligent
\n
At the Shanghai sorting center of YTO Express in Qingpu district on the municipality's outskirt, Qian Yi and his colleagues deal with parcels arriving from outside the city.
\n
Under the scorching summer sun, conveyor belts that are part of the smart sorting system are extended into delivery trucks.
\n
Workers place parcels on the conveyor belts one after another, ensuring that the electronic waybills face upward. This allows the automated sorting system to scan the barcode, identify the parcel's destination, and direct it to the correct location after it runs through a complex network of conveyor belts.
\n
The cross-belt sorter consists of interconnected sections, akin to train compartments, with each section processing a single parcel. As a parcel reaches its correct position, the belt shifts and guides it into a collection bag below.
\n
When the bags are full, workers seal them and place them on conveyor belts that carry them to trucks bound for distribution outlets.
\n
"The conveyor belts move at a speed that can carry 240 packages per minute, which is a dizzying speed but accurate, and requires no human intervention or secondary verification," said Qian, the 29-year-old leader of the parcel-sorting team at the center.
\n
"Sorting centers were not like this a decade ago. Manual sorting used to be labor-intensive. Workers were stationed on either side of straight conveyor belts, with each person responsible for parcels destined for a district of Shanghai. They had to be swift in both their mind and hand movements," said Qian.
\n
Manual operations sometimes collapsed if the workload was too heavy during periods such as the "Double 11" shopping festival. "However, with the current system, the center can process up to 5 million parcels a day," he said.
\n
Covering an area of roughly 2.5 standard soccer fields and equipped with five cross-belt sorters, the sorting center epitomizes the evolution of China's express delivery industry. "Today, most industry players headquartered in Qingpu boast an average delivery time within 45 hours nationwide at a cost of just a little more than 3 yuan per parcel. There is a saying among us: 'It costs only half a dollar to deliver a parcel nationwide'," Qian said.
\n
Qingpu, the only Shanghai district connecting to both Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces and adjacent to the Shanghai Hongqiao international transportation hub, has become home to the national and regional headquarters of many courier companies. Of every 10 courier parcels delivered nationwide, seven are handled by Qingpu-headquartered express delivery companies.
\n
Major players have established large technology divisions to serve as the brain of their operations. Most have automated sorting lines and remote visual management systems that connect their headquarters with business outlets nationwide.
\n
At the big data center of YTO Express' national headquarters in Qingpu, a huge screen shows busy scenes at parcel-sorting centers nationwide, the status of thousands of moving trucks, as well as real-time tracking of the entire delivery process of all parcels from collection to dispatch.
\n
Unmanned vehicles
\n
The integration of new technologies, such as unmanned vehicles and drones, is reshaping courier services.
\n
In March, a drone carrying imported goods took off from a bonded zone in Qingbaijiang district, Chengdu, Sichuan province, and landed at a ZTO Express' parcel-sorting center in the city's Xindu district after a 20-minute flight.
\n
Unmanned vehicles then took over to deliver the parcels to an outlet. ZTO Express has reported a 50 percent increase in delivery efficiency and a nearly one-third reduction in operating costs since adopting a transportation model combining drones and unmanned vehicles.
\n
"The use of unmanned equipment is also intended to complete the last mile of express transportation in complex road conditions, such as mountainous and rural regions. So far, about 1,000 unmanned vehicles have been put into operation across the ZTO Express network, covering more than 180 cities," said Yang, the manager.
\n
Yunda Express is also rapidly introducing unmanned vehicles, with over 2,000 operating in urban communities and rural areas. In Tongxiang, Zhejiang province, the company's local branch has deployed 30 unmanned vehicles, with each able to send up to 2,000 parcels per day, enhancing logistics efficiency and reducing costs by 30 percent compared with traditional methods.
\n
In Baoji, Shaanxi province, a Yunda outlet uses 10 unmanned vehicles for short distance transportation between its warehouse and a district branch. The daily delivery volume of the outlet has reached 70,000, with around 50,000 done by the unmanned vehicles.
\n
Yunda is also expanding its use of drones, with five drone routes already in operation. The drones are used for high-value deliveries — such as fresh food and medical supplies — in cities including Hangzhou and Jiaxing, significantly reducing delivery times and labor costs.
\n
The rapid progress in high-tech applications has been continuously supported by local governments eager to encourage digital technologies, such as intelligent warehousing, scheduling based on big data, and route optimization.
\n
Around a decade ago, when the industry faced large-scale equipment upgrades and transformation, the Qingpu district authority established a special fund to subsidize intelligent technological improvements and construction of digital platforms. It also facilitated green channels for banks and other investment and financing platforms.
\n
Data from the district authority showed that last year, the transportation cost of express delivery companies headquartered in Qingpu dropped to around 0.41 yuan, a year-on-year fall of 10 to 30 percent.
\n
"Only with such affordable logistics costs can the rise of numerous 'Taobao villages' in China be possible," said Yang from ZTO.
\n
In 2016, Qingpu was designated as the sole national demonstration zone for the transformation and development of the express delivery industry. Three years later, the modern logistics industry became the first 100-billion-yuan industrial cluster in the district.
\n
However, Liu Jingjun, deputy head of Chonggu town in Qingpu, said that the volume of express deliveries is already at a high level and is unlikely to further rise significantly. The focus, therefore, will be on high-quality development and seeking productivity from technology, he said.
\n
"For example, technology can play a part in further reducing deliveries that go missing and increasing loading efficiency. If a vehicle can carry 10 boxes, it shouldn't drive off with nine boxes loaded," said Liu.
\n
Overseas expansion
\n
In recent years, many leading domestic express delivery companies have decided to expand overseas. Part of the objective was to replicate China's successful experience in developing countries.
\n
ZTO Express' Yang said his company had transplanted a model similar to the one in China in some African nations and Cambodia. "Having the electronic delivery waybills with a barcode was a major shift for them. Machine recognition and the corresponding automated sorting only become possible when handwritten waybills are not in use anymore," he said.
\n
Courier company J&T Express has also been pushing its presence in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, North Africa, and Latin America. Its express network now covers 13 countries.
\n
In Southeast Asia, the company has maintained the top market share in the express delivery sector for five consecutive years. In the second quarter of this year, it reported year-on-year growth of nearly 66 percent in parcel volume, with a daily average parcel volume of 18.5 million. In emerging markets, including the Middle East, North Africa, and South America, parcel volume increased by 23.7 percent year-on-year to 89.4 million daily.
\n
Meanwhile, YTO Express has opened more than 150 airfreight routes worldwide, and established overseas end-to-end delivery capabilities in more than 10 countries and regions.
\n
In June 2024, the company joined hands with Kazakhstan's national postal service to launch cross-border express services between the countries. They also established a joint venture to start building a parcel-sorting center in Almaty.
\n
This facility will not only serve as an overseas warehouse for YTO to launch into the Central Asian market, but also develop into a trade center integrating functions, such as bonded warehousing, exhibitions, and commodity trading, said the company.
\n
Another landmark for YTO is a cargo airport in Jiaxing city, Zhejiang province, positioned as a global aviation logistics hub, which will begin operations this year.
\n
Jiang Ze, director of media affairs at the company, said the project covers 1 square kilometers, and will integrate airfreight and intelligent warehousing. "The airport will make sure that Chinese goods reach Europe and the United States in a little more than 10 hours, supporting the realization of YTO's vision of buying and selling globally," Jiang said.
\n
Yunda Express is also helping cross-border e-commerce enterprises establish international logistics in important overseas markets, providing services such as warehouse management and system development.
\n
Yunda, for example, has achieved a single express waybill from China to South Korea. The company has also established direct service networks in Seoul, Incheon, and Busan, capable of stocking and moving 300,000 parcels a day, said Guo Pengcheng, the company's head of media affairs.
\n
"Chinese products enter Yunda's overseas warehouse in South Korea in advance, which allows buyers to get their parcels within two to three days after they place orders," Guo said.
\n
The courier industry sees the upgrade from express operators to supply chain integrators as the next major growth point.
\n
In June, YTO's international supply chain reached a cooperation agreement on cross-border supply chain service with Chinese tech company Xiaomi Group, becoming its supply chain logistics service provider.
\n
Under the agreement, YTO will provide one-stop, end-to-end logistics supply chain services for Xiaomi electronic components exported to the South Asian market.
Huajiang village, Guizhou province, lies near the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge.
\n
Villagers near the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge in Guizhou province are anticipating a tourism boom as the world's highest bridge prepares to open.
\n
In about a month, the bridge, with a height of 625 meters from deck to water, will open as part of the local expressway system and cut travel time between the two banks from about one hour to just 90 seconds.
\n
Huajiang village in Zhenfeng county sits about 1 kilometer from the span. The village, listed among China's traditional villages, has seen the promise of improved access quickly turn into preparations for incoming tourists.
\n
"We are the village closest to the bridge, and we have the best view," said 35-year-old resident Lin Guoquan. Three years ago, when he learned the massive project would be built on his doorstep, Lin — who had worked in the tourism sector in Yunnan province — returned home and launched a homestay business.
\n
In May 2024 Lin began converting old village houses into guest rooms decorated in Bouyei ethnic style. The homestay opened in October the same year and now offers 27 rooms.
\n
"You can see the bridge directly from your bed," Lin said.
\n
As the opening date approaches, Lin's homestay has become popular. Occupancy rates are high and the rooms often sell out.
\n
"With the bridge opening in September, rooms are filling up fast," he said.
\n
Lin also posts videos of the bridge, the gorge and the surrounding sea of clouds on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok. Several of his accounts tied to the project have attracted more than 1 million followers.
\n
Some villagers are recording daily construction progress on their phones as the structure rises. One blogger who documents the work almost every day on Douyin has drawn more than 240,000 followers, attracting more visitors from nearby areas.
\n
At present, Huajiang village has only Lin's homestay and two or three farm restaurants, but more renovations are already underway. Official plans released in July incorporate the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge and roughly 50 square kilometers around it into a coordinated tourism development scheme designed to turn distant check-ins into immersive, zero-distance experiences.
\n
"The bridge's opening is an important milestone," Lin said. "Via ferrata, paragliding and other outdoor attractions are expected to arrive here. The focus will not be limited to the bridge itself; it will drive development across the surrounding area and help retain visitors."
\n
In July the bridge's viewing corridor, high-speed racing track and viewing platforms were completed.
\n
Visitors can test their driving skills on a 1,411-meter-long racetrack situated about 600 meters above the ground. Earlier plans also call for glass sightseeing elevators and a cafe.
\n
"Not a day can be wasted and nothing can be sloppy. We are now completing the final painting and other finishing work," said Wang Songyu, deputy project manager for the contract section. He added that overall progress has surpassed 99 percent, and the bridge is expected to open to traffic by the end of September.
\n
Contact the writers at liuboqian@chinadaily.com.cn
Huajiang village, Guizhou province, lies near the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge.
\n
Villagers near the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge in Guizhou province are anticipating a tourism boom as the world's highest bridge prepares to open.
\n
In about a month, the bridge, with a height of 625 meters from deck to water, will open as part of the local expressway system and cut travel time between the two banks from about one hour to just 90 seconds.
\n
Huajiang village in Zhenfeng county sits about 1 kilometer from the span. The village, listed among China's traditional villages, has seen the promise of improved access quickly turn into preparations for incoming tourists.
\n
"We are the village closest to the bridge, and we have the best view," said 35-year-old resident Lin Guoquan. Three years ago, when he learned the massive project would be built on his doorstep, Lin — who had worked in the tourism sector in Yunnan province — returned home and launched a homestay business.
\n
In May 2024 Lin began converting old village houses into guest rooms decorated in Bouyei ethnic style. The homestay opened in October the same year and now offers 27 rooms.
\n
"You can see the bridge directly from your bed," Lin said.
\n
As the opening date approaches, Lin's homestay has become popular. Occupancy rates are high and the rooms often sell out.
\n
"With the bridge opening in September, rooms are filling up fast," he said.
\n
Lin also posts videos of the bridge, the gorge and the surrounding sea of clouds on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok. Several of his accounts tied to the project have attracted more than 1 million followers.
\n
Some villagers are recording daily construction progress on their phones as the structure rises. One blogger who documents the work almost every day on Douyin has drawn more than 240,000 followers, attracting more visitors from nearby areas.
\n
At present, Huajiang village has only Lin's homestay and two or three farm restaurants, but more renovations are already underway. Official plans released in July incorporate the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge and roughly 50 square kilometers around it into a coordinated tourism development scheme designed to turn distant check-ins into immersive, zero-distance experiences.
\n
"The bridge's opening is an important milestone," Lin said. "Via ferrata, paragliding and other outdoor attractions are expected to arrive here. The focus will not be limited to the bridge itself; it will drive development across the surrounding area and help retain visitors."
\n
In July the bridge's viewing corridor, high-speed racing track and viewing platforms were completed.
\n
Visitors can test their driving skills on a 1,411-meter-long racetrack situated about 600 meters above the ground. Earlier plans also call for glass sightseeing elevators and a cafe.
\n
"Not a day can be wasted and nothing can be sloppy. We are now completing the final painting and other finishing work," said Wang Songyu, deputy project manager for the contract section. He added that overall progress has surpassed 99 percent, and the bridge is expected to open to traffic by the end of September.
\n
Contact the writers at liuboqian@chinadaily.com.cn
President Xi Jinping, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, attends a grand gathering on Thursday at the Potala Palace square in Lhasa, capital of the Xizang autonomous region, to mark the region's 60th founding anniversary.
\n
Residents at a mass parade during the grand gathering in Lhasa on Thursday.
\n
Thousands take part in the celebrations with the Potala Palace in the background.
\n
President Xi Jinping joined around 20,000 local officials and people from all ethnic groups and all walks of life in a grand gathering on Thursday at the Potala Palace square in Lhasa to mark the 60th founding anniversary of the Xizang autonomous region.
\n
Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, arrived in the regional capital on Wednesday with a central delegation to attend the festivities.
\n
It was the first time in the history of the Party and the country that a leader attended such an event in the capacities of general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, Chinese president and chairman of the CMC.
\n
The gathering commenced at 10 am, with all attendees standing to sing the national anthem. The bright five-starred national flag was hoisted solemnly at the site.
\n
A congratulatory message from the CPC Central Committee, the National People's Congress Standing Committee, the State Council, the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee and the CMC was read out.
\n
Wang Huning, chairman of the CPPCC National Committee and head of the central delegation, then presented a plaque bearing Xi's inscription, "Jointly building a community for the Chinese nation, writing a new chapter for a beautiful Xizang," as a congratulatory gift.
\n
Cai Qi, director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee, was also present at the gathering.
\n
Addressing the event, Wang said the founding of the Xizang autonomous region in September 1965 marked an epoch-making event.
\n
Over the past six decades, Xizang has made significant strides in economic and social development, fully demonstrating the strong leadership of the CPC and the clear political strength of China's socialist system, he said.
\n
Wang said that since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, Xizang has entered its best period of development and made the most substantial progress, with people of all ethnic groups benefiting more than ever before.
\n
He emphasized that Xizang is an inalienable part of China, and its affairs are purely China's internal affairs, which brook no interference from external forces.
\n
Any attempt to split the motherland and undermine Xizang's stability is doomed to fail, he said.
\n
Wang also called for efforts to consolidate and develop ethnic solidarity, promote high-quality socioeconomic development, and continuously improve people's well-being to advance common prosperity in Xizang.
\n
Drolma Renzin, a 73-year-old Lhasa resident, gave a speech as a representative of the local people, saying that she still remembered how the news of the autonomous region's founding spread swiftly across the plateau.
\n
"Sixty years may be just a fleeting moment in the long river of history, but for the people of Xizang, it has been an epic of endeavor and transformation," she said.
\n
The ceremony concluded with a vibrant mass parade in an auspicious and festive atmosphere with music and dance. Twenty-six formations of floats, including seven representing Xizang's seven prefecture-level cities, and performers marched past in colorful costumes, expressing joy over their new lives and gratitude to the Party and the country. Xi and other leaders waved to the crowds.
\n
When the float from Shigatse passed, performers in traditional attire moved in the bold and vigorous steps of Gyashe, a traditional Tibetan dance, to the beat of drums and music, showcasing the unity and vitality of people living at the foot of Qomolangma, known as Mount Everest in the West.
\n
The audience waved their flags to cheer and show support for the prefecture, which had endured a magnitude 6.8 earthquake earlier this year.
\n
Meanwhile, in Zingkar village of Dingri county, one of the hardest-hit areas, residents watched the celebration from their new homes. Last week, the village, with 126 households, completed its resettlement with government support.
\n
"With the care of General Secretary Xi and help from the Party and government, all of our villagers have moved into new houses," said Nyima Tsering, the village head.
\n
"From here on, we will continue to build a better life with our own hands under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee."
\n
Xi left Xizang after attending the founding anniversary celebrations.
\n
Following Xi's instructions, the central delegation headed by Wang Huning will visit various parts of Xizang from Thursday to Saturday to extend greetings and support to people of all ethnic groups and sectors.
\n
Xi's entourage, including senior official Cai Qi, returned on the same flight.
\n
Contact the writers at mojingxi@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
+ "content": "
President Xi Jinping, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, attends a grand gathering on Thursday at the Potala Palace square in Lhasa, capital of the Xizang autonomous region, to mark the region's 60th founding anniversary.
\n
Residents at a mass parade during the grand gathering in Lhasa on Thursday.
\n
Thousands take part in the celebrations with the Potala Palace in the background.
\n
President Xi Jinping joined around 20,000 local officials and people from all ethnic groups and all walks of life in a grand gathering on Thursday at the Potala Palace square in Lhasa to mark the 60th founding anniversary of the Xizang autonomous region.
\n
Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, arrived in the regional capital on Wednesday with a central delegation to attend the festivities.
\n
It was the first time in the history of the Party and the country that a leader attended such an event in the capacities of general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, Chinese president and chairman of the CMC.
\n
The gathering commenced at 10 am, with all attendees standing to sing the national anthem. The bright five-starred national flag was hoisted solemnly at the site.
\n
A congratulatory message from the CPC Central Committee, the National People's Congress Standing Committee, the State Council, the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee and the CMC was read out.
\n
Wang Huning, chairman of the CPPCC National Committee and head of the central delegation, then presented a plaque bearing Xi's inscription, "Jointly building a community for the Chinese nation, writing a new chapter for a beautiful Xizang," as a congratulatory gift.
\n
Cai Qi, director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee, was also present at the gathering.
\n
Addressing the event, Wang said the founding of the Xizang autonomous region in September 1965 marked an epoch-making event.
\n
Over the past six decades, Xizang has made significant strides in economic and social development, fully demonstrating the strong leadership of the CPC and the clear political strength of China's socialist system, he said.
\n
Wang said that since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, Xizang has entered its best period of development and made the most substantial progress, with people of all ethnic groups benefiting more than ever before.
\n
He emphasized that Xizang is an inalienable part of China, and its affairs are purely China's internal affairs, which brook no interference from external forces.
\n
Any attempt to split the motherland and undermine Xizang's stability is doomed to fail, he said.
\n
Wang also called for efforts to consolidate and develop ethnic solidarity, promote high-quality socioeconomic development, and continuously improve people's well-being to advance common prosperity in Xizang.
\n
Drolma Renzin, a 73-year-old Lhasa resident, gave a speech as a representative of the local people, saying that she still remembered how the news of the autonomous region's founding spread swiftly across the plateau.
\n
"Sixty years may be just a fleeting moment in the long river of history, but for the people of Xizang, it has been an epic of endeavor and transformation," she said.
\n
The ceremony concluded with a vibrant mass parade in an auspicious and festive atmosphere with music and dance. Twenty-six formations of floats, including seven representing Xizang's seven prefecture-level cities, and performers marched past in colorful costumes, expressing joy over their new lives and gratitude to the Party and the country. Xi and other leaders waved to the crowds.
\n
When the float from Shigatse passed, performers in traditional attire moved in the bold and vigorous steps of Gyashe, a traditional Tibetan dance, to the beat of drums and music, showcasing the unity and vitality of people living at the foot of Qomolangma, known as Mount Everest in the West.
\n
The audience waved their flags to cheer and show support for the prefecture, which had endured a magnitude 6.8 earthquake earlier this year.
\n
Meanwhile, in Zingkar village of Dingri county, one of the hardest-hit areas, residents watched the celebration from their new homes. Last week, the village, with 126 households, completed its resettlement with government support.
\n
"With the care of General Secretary Xi and help from the Party and government, all of our villagers have moved into new houses," said Nyima Tsering, the village head.
\n
"From here on, we will continue to build a better life with our own hands under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee."
\n
Xi left Xizang after attending the founding anniversary celebrations.
\n
Following Xi's instructions, the central delegation headed by Wang Huning will visit various parts of Xizang from Thursday to Saturday to extend greetings and support to people of all ethnic groups and sectors.
\n
Xi's entourage, including senior official Cai Qi, returned on the same flight.
Earlier this week, I arrived in Lhasa to cover the 60th founding anniversary of the Xizang autonomous region. It was my third journey to the plateau, and as always, I was reminded of the same piece of advice: Walk slowly, speak slowly.
\n
But as I interacted more and more with the locals, I discovered that while their steps may be measured, their words are quick, direct and utterly unadorned.
\n
At the Potala Palace square on Thursday morning, after the grand celebration, I spoke briefly with a student who had been waving national flags so enthusiastically that she kept them raised even as we talked.
\n
Seventeen-year-old Tsering Wangmo told me that her favorite part was the float parade, especially the one representing her home prefecture, Nagchu. "The float showcased Nagchu's yak industry while also reflecting the simplicity of its people. It made me feel the breath of home," she said.
\n
Two years ago, Tsering Wangmo left Nagchu to study at Lhasa Middle School. Since preschool, she has benefited from Xizang's "Three Guarantees" policy — covering food, accommodations and school expenses for children of farmers, herders and impoverished urban families — easing the burden on her family, which mainly relies on cordyceps, a medicinal fungus, for a living.
\n
Now a senior preparing for the college entrance exams, she told me her dream is to study at Beijing Normal University.
\n
"And then?" I asked.
\n
"First I have to get admitted," she replied.
\n
Her bluntness startled me, but she was right. As long as one works steadily, the future may be beyond imagination.
\n
Back in 1965, when the Xizang autonomous region was founded, few could have foreseen that in just a few decades it would achieve what elsewhere might take centuries: socioeconomic progress and historic accomplishments across various sectors.
\n
Education, in particular, has transformed lives. Sixty years ago, there were fewer than 100 schools across the region. Today, there are over 3,600, with nearly 1 million students enrolled — more than a quarter of Xizang's entire population. Tsering Wangmo is just one of them, with her path shaped by opportunities unimaginable to her grandparents' generation.
\n
During my stay in Lhasa, I got the chance to visit the home of He Xiuying, a longtime resident. We talked about lingka — the Tibetan custom of spending a day outdoors, in parks, gardens, or by riversides, with friends and family.
\n
"When I was little, there was no lingka. We didn't even have enough to eat — how could we think of lingka?"
\n
Born in 1958, He was only 7 years old when the Xizang autonomous region was established. At the time, annual disposable income was counted in mere hundreds of yuan — only tens of US dollars. Her childhood was stitched together with patchwork clothes and bowls of barley flour mixed with wild vegetables.
\n
Six decades on, everything looks different. Average disposable income has risen more than a hundredfold — to 55,444 yuan ($7,724) for city dwellers and 21,578 yuan for farmers and herders.
\n
For He, lingka is now a part of everyday life, something to enjoy with friends on a whim. When I asked her favorite pastime during lingka, she lowered her gaze, broke into a shy smile, and said, "Drinking beer."
\n
I couldn't help but laugh with her. So ordinary, so unpretentious — and yet it revealed a truth I would hear again and again: Happiness often hides in the most familiar moments.
\n
Her candor reminded me of another woman I met, Lhagdron, from Lhasa's Chushul county. The 62-year-old never had children, and for years depended on her niece's care. That changed in 2020, when her village established an eldercare center called the Haven of Happiness, built with funds from the village's collective economy, pairing assistance program from Jiangsu province and money allocated by the civil affairs authorities.
\n
Now, every morning, she walks there to spend her day with other seniors, enjoying free meals, health checkups and companionship.
\n
"Every night before I fall asleep, I feel happy knowing that tomorrow I can go to the center again," she told me, smiling all the time during our conversation.
\n
Happiness, I realized, is not only freedom from burdens — it is also the simple joy of having tomorrow to look forward to.
\n
Her village, Sanyou, was the first relocation site in Xizang, built in 2016 for families who once lived deep in impoverished mountain valleys. I can't help but wonder: When Lhagdron was still there, could she have ever dreamed of a life like this?
\n
Such moments were far from rare. Time and again, it was this unadorned sincerity that moved me. Here, where feelings are never dressed in polished words, I believe their happiness is true.
\n
This year marks the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Xizang autonomous region. In Lhasa's streets, colorful flags ripple in the mountain winds, their colors as bright and unguarded as the smiles of the people who live beneath them.
\n
When a central delegation led by President Xi Jinping arrived in Lhasa on Wednesday, nearly 1,000 local residents in festive attire welcomed them at the airport with flowers and white hada scarves, singing and dancing in celebration.
\n
It was the second time that 65-year-old Pema had come to the airport to greet the central delegation. Seeing President Xi again, he said, felt warm and familiar, like meeting a family member.
\n
"The people of Xizang have experienced transformative changes," he told me. "Just as one won't lose their way by following the Big Dipper, following the Communist Party of China leads to happiness."
\n
mojingxi@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
+ "content": "
Mo Jingxi
\n
Earlier this week, I arrived in Lhasa to cover the 60th founding anniversary of the Xizang autonomous region. It was my third journey to the plateau, and as always, I was reminded of the same piece of advice: Walk slowly, speak slowly.
\n
But as I interacted more and more with the locals, I discovered that while their steps may be measured, their words are quick, direct and utterly unadorned.
\n
At the Potala Palace square on Thursday morning, after the grand celebration, I spoke briefly with a student who had been waving national flags so enthusiastically that she kept them raised even as we talked.
\n
Seventeen-year-old Tsering Wangmo told me that her favorite part was the float parade, especially the one representing her home prefecture, Nagchu. "The float showcased Nagchu's yak industry while also reflecting the simplicity of its people. It made me feel the breath of home," she said.
\n
Two years ago, Tsering Wangmo left Nagchu to study at Lhasa Middle School. Since preschool, she has benefited from Xizang's "Three Guarantees" policy — covering food, accommodations and school expenses for children of farmers, herders and impoverished urban families — easing the burden on her family, which mainly relies on cordyceps, a medicinal fungus, for a living.
\n
Now a senior preparing for the college entrance exams, she told me her dream is to study at Beijing Normal University.
\n
"And then?" I asked.
\n
"First I have to get admitted," she replied.
\n
Her bluntness startled me, but she was right. As long as one works steadily, the future may be beyond imagination.
\n
Back in 1965, when the Xizang autonomous region was founded, few could have foreseen that in just a few decades it would achieve what elsewhere might take centuries: socioeconomic progress and historic accomplishments across various sectors.
\n
Education, in particular, has transformed lives. Sixty years ago, there were fewer than 100 schools across the region. Today, there are over 3,600, with nearly 1 million students enrolled — more than a quarter of Xizang's entire population. Tsering Wangmo is just one of them, with her path shaped by opportunities unimaginable to her grandparents' generation.
\n
During my stay in Lhasa, I got the chance to visit the home of He Xiuying, a longtime resident. We talked about lingka — the Tibetan custom of spending a day outdoors, in parks, gardens, or by riversides, with friends and family.
\n
"When I was little, there was no lingka. We didn't even have enough to eat — how could we think of lingka?"
\n
Born in 1958, He was only 7 years old when the Xizang autonomous region was established. At the time, annual disposable income was counted in mere hundreds of yuan — only tens of US dollars. Her childhood was stitched together with patchwork clothes and bowls of barley flour mixed with wild vegetables.
\n
Six decades on, everything looks different. Average disposable income has risen more than a hundredfold — to 55,444 yuan ($7,724) for city dwellers and 21,578 yuan for farmers and herders.
\n
For He, lingka is now a part of everyday life, something to enjoy with friends on a whim. When I asked her favorite pastime during lingka, she lowered her gaze, broke into a shy smile, and said, "Drinking beer."
\n
I couldn't help but laugh with her. So ordinary, so unpretentious — and yet it revealed a truth I would hear again and again: Happiness often hides in the most familiar moments.
\n
Her candor reminded me of another woman I met, Lhagdron, from Lhasa's Chushul county. The 62-year-old never had children, and for years depended on her niece's care. That changed in 2020, when her village established an eldercare center called the Haven of Happiness, built with funds from the village's collective economy, pairing assistance program from Jiangsu province and money allocated by the civil affairs authorities.
\n
Now, every morning, she walks there to spend her day with other seniors, enjoying free meals, health checkups and companionship.
\n
"Every night before I fall asleep, I feel happy knowing that tomorrow I can go to the center again," she told me, smiling all the time during our conversation.
\n
Happiness, I realized, is not only freedom from burdens — it is also the simple joy of having tomorrow to look forward to.
\n
Her village, Sanyou, was the first relocation site in Xizang, built in 2016 for families who once lived deep in impoverished mountain valleys. I can't help but wonder: When Lhagdron was still there, could she have ever dreamed of a life like this?
\n
Such moments were far from rare. Time and again, it was this unadorned sincerity that moved me. Here, where feelings are never dressed in polished words, I believe their happiness is true.
\n
This year marks the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Xizang autonomous region. In Lhasa's streets, colorful flags ripple in the mountain winds, their colors as bright and unguarded as the smiles of the people who live beneath them.
\n
When a central delegation led by President Xi Jinping arrived in Lhasa on Wednesday, nearly 1,000 local residents in festive attire welcomed them at the airport with flowers and white hada scarves, singing and dancing in celebration.
\n
It was the second time that 65-year-old Pema had come to the airport to greet the central delegation. Seeing President Xi again, he said, felt warm and familiar, like meeting a family member.
\n
"The people of Xizang have experienced transformative changes," he told me. "Just as one won't lose their way by following the Big Dipper, following the Communist Party of China leads to happiness."
Yangzom (left) and her sister Zhoigar are given a national flag that flew on Kaishan Island, an outpost in the Yellow Sea by national role model Wang Shihua (right) in 2019.
\n
The two sisters pay their respects to their father.
\n
Zhoigar holds her grandson and talks to her daughter via a WeChat call on Oct 15 in Yulmed.
\n
The owner of a convenience store arranges the goods on a shelf.
\n
Tourists admire the beautiful scenery of Yulmed from the roadside in Shannan, Xizang autonomous region in 2023.
\n
Wei Xin, a representative of the Hunan aid team, presents Children's Day gifts to students at the primary school in Yulmed on June 1, 2022.
\n
Pan Long (left), a doctor from Chuzhou, Anhui province, provides medical checkups to a Tibetan resident in Yulmed on July 20, 2020.
\n
When Pasang Tsering took a teaching job at the school in Yulmed, Xizang autonomous region, in 2007, he was warned by many people that the living conditions in the township located in the southern foothills of the Himalayas were very tough.
\n
But he was still surprised by the reality of everyday life in what was once the least-populated township in China.
\n
"Surrounded by mountains on three sides at an average altitude of more than 5,000 meters, it took me about four days to get to the township from the county seat of Lhunze due to the poor condition of the road," Pasang Tsering said. "I literally had to traverse steep slopes and rugged paths on foot to get to Yulmed. I will never forget that trip."
\n
With an unstable electricity supply from a small hydropower station, even watching TV was a luxury back then. In Yulmed, located in the remote area near the China-India border, communication with the outside world was often cut off, he added.
\n
But things are completely different today. A three-person township decades ago, it is now home to over 200 people and oversees two villages. Pasang Tsering has become the Party chief of one village, also called Yulmed.
\n
With improved infrastructure, such as roads and telecommunications, the locals can access the latest information via social media and have online orders delivered to their doorstep, just like people in Beijing, Pasang Tsering said proudly.
\n
"If a place like Yulmed can thrive so much in less than two decades, the development of Xizang as a whole is even more extraordinary," he said.
\n
People have to get through two mountain passes at an altitude above 5,000 meters to get to Yulmed from Lhunze, Shannan city. Besides the stunning view of the snow-capped mountains and grand valleys, the 10-kilovolt power transmission line extended by the State Grid to Yulmed in 2019 along the well-paved road is also hard to miss.
\n
The reconstruction of a 50-kilometer paved road connecting Yulmed to a neighboring township was completed in the same year with investment of over 500 million yuan ($69.67 million) by the state, which stopped it being snowbound every year.
\n
"Before the reconstruction of the road, Yulmed would become inaccessible to vehicles when it started to snow in October, until at least the following June. The widened and hardened road has fundamentally changed people's life," Pasang Tsering said.
\n
Since 2018, Yulmed has built itself into a prosperous border township with steel-framed houses, an electricity grid, roads, a 5G network, medical care and financial services facilities.
\n
"As life in Yulmed has become more convenient than ever, more young people are willing to come and run businesses including shops, restaurants, family inns and teahouses," he said. "The children can also receive good education via online courses, which is something I wouldn't even dare to dream about when I was a teacher."
\n
Family patrols
\n
Tenzin Samdrup came to Yulmed about 10 years ago, married and had children. The couple run a courier business, which has become increasingly busy.
\n
Delivery services can now reach Yulmed after roads were improved, and it's very convenient for residents to buy things online. In the past, people had to travel for days to buy daily necessities from nearby townships, Tenzin Samdrup, 31, said.
\n
"Nowadays, there are hundreds of express parcels arriving in Yulmed every day. More and more people are shopping online. It's quite something considering how remote Yulmed is."
\n
With improved infrastructure, tourism is also booming, especially between June and September. By the end of 2024, a total of 55 families in the township had set up homestays to accommodate tourists.
\n
Rinchen Phuntsog, the township head, said a tourist service and reception center has been built and is expected to begin operating by the end of this year. "It will be helpful to attract tourists and increase the income of our village collective."
\n
Although the population in Yulmed has continued to grow, between 1964 and 1996 only three people lived in the township — Yangzom, her sister Zhoigar, and their father Sangye Chopa, the former township head.
\n
The family was determined to protect a total of 3,644 square kilometers of township land on the border between China and India.
\n
Yangzom, 62, began patrolling the border with her father when she was 16 years old. He passed away in 2001, but he instilled in her the attitude that protecting the land beneath your feet is to protect your country, she said. Their old residence has been turned into a museum that faithfully recreates the former poor living conditions of the family.
\n
"Many people moved away because life in Yulmed was too tough to endure back then," Yangzom said.
\n
"I asked my father why we must stay. He said if people all moved away, the land beneath would be lost, which is something he wouldn't allow. They were his exact words," she said.
\n
Father's legacy
\n
Zhoigar married a herdsman named Pasang who took on the family responsibility of patrolling the border while also herding his yaks. From the outset, he upheld the traditions established by his wife's father.
\n
"We wanted people to see that there are Chinese people guarding the border. We all do it from our heart and proudly," he said. "As shown to us by Sangye Chopa, we put the Chinese national flag at key intersections near the border to show our presence, which is very important.
\n
"We had to make those flags all by ourselves. Even the red cloth for the flags was hard to source back then, so they were the most valuable things," said Pasang.
\n
A giant slogan in red on a hillside that reads our "Home is Yulmed, country is China" once uttered by Sangye Chopa, is now the most famous landmark in the township.
\n
"Everyone in the village knows the family and its story. Those words still represent the spirit of the Yulmed people," Pasang Tsering, the teacher, said.
\n
Since setting foot in Yulmed, Pasang Tsering has also been taking border patrol trips regularly in the mountains lasting three to five days.
\n
The family's legacy has become well known in China after President Xi Jinping replied to the letter they wrote to him in 2017 introducing Yulmed.
\n
Xi, who is also general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and chairman of the Central Military Commission, acknowledged the family's efforts to safeguard the territory, and thanked them for the loyalty and contributions they have made in the border area.
\n
"Without the peace in the territory, there will be no peaceful lives for the millions of families," Xi wrote.
\n
Xi also expressed his hope that the family would motivate more people to set down roots in the border area and become guardians of the Chinese territory and constructors of a happy hometown.
\n
In 2021, Zhoigar was awarded the July 1 Medal, the highest honor in the Party established by the CPC Central Committee, for her decades-long guarding of the country's territory.
\n
Since 2018, Xizang has launched a campaign to develop its 624 villages along the 4,000-kilometer border with India, Nepal, Myanmar and Bhutan, which is of great significance to the long-term peace of the region and China's sovereignty.
\n
The region has ramped up policy support for the project, sped up construction in those border areas, and made extensive efforts to improve the livelihoods of residents living there.
\n
Nowadays, the border villages in Xizang have been provided with paved roads, while all the border townships in the region are now connected to power networks and mobile internet services.
\n
Furthermore, local people's access to safe drinking water has been guaranteed, and public facilities have been further improved to make sure local residents can enjoy education and medical care. Specialty industries have also been developed in the region's border areas to promote prosperity for rural residents.
\n
Yangzom now mainly runs a homestay and takes care of her naughty grandson who she believes spends too much time watching cartoons on an electronic tablet.
\n
"I am sure my father would be very happy to see how Yulmed has been developed and transformed," she said, "and I have nothing to worry about now since the younger generation of villagers can have a good life here."
\n
"More importantly, they all understand the importance of protecting the homeland, just like we do," she said.
\n
cuijia@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
+ "content": "
Online See more by scanning the code.
\n
Yangzom (left) and her sister Zhoigar are given a national flag that flew on Kaishan Island, an outpost in the Yellow Sea by national role model Wang Shihua (right) in 2019.
\n
The two sisters pay their respects to their father.
\n
Zhoigar holds her grandson and talks to her daughter via a WeChat call on Oct 15 in Yulmed.
\n
The owner of a convenience store arranges the goods on a shelf.
\n
Tourists admire the beautiful scenery of Yulmed from the roadside in Shannan, Xizang autonomous region in 2023.
\n
Wei Xin, a representative of the Hunan aid team, presents Children's Day gifts to students at the primary school in Yulmed on June 1, 2022.
\n
Pan Long (left), a doctor from Chuzhou, Anhui province, provides medical checkups to a Tibetan resident in Yulmed on July 20, 2020.
\n
When Pasang Tsering took a teaching job at the school in Yulmed, Xizang autonomous region, in 2007, he was warned by many people that the living conditions in the township located in the southern foothills of the Himalayas were very tough.
\n
But he was still surprised by the reality of everyday life in what was once the least-populated township in China.
\n
"Surrounded by mountains on three sides at an average altitude of more than 5,000 meters, it took me about four days to get to the township from the county seat of Lhunze due to the poor condition of the road," Pasang Tsering said. "I literally had to traverse steep slopes and rugged paths on foot to get to Yulmed. I will never forget that trip."
\n
With an unstable electricity supply from a small hydropower station, even watching TV was a luxury back then. In Yulmed, located in the remote area near the China-India border, communication with the outside world was often cut off, he added.
\n
But things are completely different today. A three-person township decades ago, it is now home to over 200 people and oversees two villages. Pasang Tsering has become the Party chief of one village, also called Yulmed.
\n
With improved infrastructure, such as roads and telecommunications, the locals can access the latest information via social media and have online orders delivered to their doorstep, just like people in Beijing, Pasang Tsering said proudly.
\n
"If a place like Yulmed can thrive so much in less than two decades, the development of Xizang as a whole is even more extraordinary," he said.
\n
People have to get through two mountain passes at an altitude above 5,000 meters to get to Yulmed from Lhunze, Shannan city. Besides the stunning view of the snow-capped mountains and grand valleys, the 10-kilovolt power transmission line extended by the State Grid to Yulmed in 2019 along the well-paved road is also hard to miss.
\n
The reconstruction of a 50-kilometer paved road connecting Yulmed to a neighboring township was completed in the same year with investment of over 500 million yuan ($69.67 million) by the state, which stopped it being snowbound every year.
\n
"Before the reconstruction of the road, Yulmed would become inaccessible to vehicles when it started to snow in October, until at least the following June. The widened and hardened road has fundamentally changed people's life," Pasang Tsering said.
\n
Since 2018, Yulmed has built itself into a prosperous border township with steel-framed houses, an electricity grid, roads, a 5G network, medical care and financial services facilities.
\n
"As life in Yulmed has become more convenient than ever, more young people are willing to come and run businesses including shops, restaurants, family inns and teahouses," he said. "The children can also receive good education via online courses, which is something I wouldn't even dare to dream about when I was a teacher."
\n
Family patrols
\n
Tenzin Samdrup came to Yulmed about 10 years ago, married and had children. The couple run a courier business, which has become increasingly busy.
\n
Delivery services can now reach Yulmed after roads were improved, and it's very convenient for residents to buy things online. In the past, people had to travel for days to buy daily necessities from nearby townships, Tenzin Samdrup, 31, said.
\n
"Nowadays, there are hundreds of express parcels arriving in Yulmed every day. More and more people are shopping online. It's quite something considering how remote Yulmed is."
\n
With improved infrastructure, tourism is also booming, especially between June and September. By the end of 2024, a total of 55 families in the township had set up homestays to accommodate tourists.
\n
Rinchen Phuntsog, the township head, said a tourist service and reception center has been built and is expected to begin operating by the end of this year. "It will be helpful to attract tourists and increase the income of our village collective."
\n
Although the population in Yulmed has continued to grow, between 1964 and 1996 only three people lived in the township — Yangzom, her sister Zhoigar, and their father Sangye Chopa, the former township head.
\n
The family was determined to protect a total of 3,644 square kilometers of township land on the border between China and India.
\n
Yangzom, 62, began patrolling the border with her father when she was 16 years old. He passed away in 2001, but he instilled in her the attitude that protecting the land beneath your feet is to protect your country, she said. Their old residence has been turned into a museum that faithfully recreates the former poor living conditions of the family.
\n
"Many people moved away because life in Yulmed was too tough to endure back then," Yangzom said.
\n
"I asked my father why we must stay. He said if people all moved away, the land beneath would be lost, which is something he wouldn't allow. They were his exact words," she said.
\n
Father's legacy
\n
Zhoigar married a herdsman named Pasang who took on the family responsibility of patrolling the border while also herding his yaks. From the outset, he upheld the traditions established by his wife's father.
\n
"We wanted people to see that there are Chinese people guarding the border. We all do it from our heart and proudly," he said. "As shown to us by Sangye Chopa, we put the Chinese national flag at key intersections near the border to show our presence, which is very important.
\n
"We had to make those flags all by ourselves. Even the red cloth for the flags was hard to source back then, so they were the most valuable things," said Pasang.
\n
A giant slogan in red on a hillside that reads our "Home is Yulmed, country is China" once uttered by Sangye Chopa, is now the most famous landmark in the township.
\n
"Everyone in the village knows the family and its story. Those words still represent the spirit of the Yulmed people," Pasang Tsering, the teacher, said.
\n
Since setting foot in Yulmed, Pasang Tsering has also been taking border patrol trips regularly in the mountains lasting three to five days.
\n
The family's legacy has become well known in China after President Xi Jinping replied to the letter they wrote to him in 2017 introducing Yulmed.
\n
Xi, who is also general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and chairman of the Central Military Commission, acknowledged the family's efforts to safeguard the territory, and thanked them for the loyalty and contributions they have made in the border area.
\n
"Without the peace in the territory, there will be no peaceful lives for the millions of families," Xi wrote.
\n
Xi also expressed his hope that the family would motivate more people to set down roots in the border area and become guardians of the Chinese territory and constructors of a happy hometown.
\n
In 2021, Zhoigar was awarded the July 1 Medal, the highest honor in the Party established by the CPC Central Committee, for her decades-long guarding of the country's territory.
\n
Since 2018, Xizang has launched a campaign to develop its 624 villages along the 4,000-kilometer border with India, Nepal, Myanmar and Bhutan, which is of great significance to the long-term peace of the region and China's sovereignty.
\n
The region has ramped up policy support for the project, sped up construction in those border areas, and made extensive efforts to improve the livelihoods of residents living there.
\n
Nowadays, the border villages in Xizang have been provided with paved roads, while all the border townships in the region are now connected to power networks and mobile internet services.
\n
Furthermore, local people's access to safe drinking water has been guaranteed, and public facilities have been further improved to make sure local residents can enjoy education and medical care. Specialty industries have also been developed in the region's border areas to promote prosperity for rural residents.
\n
Yangzom now mainly runs a homestay and takes care of her naughty grandson who she believes spends too much time watching cartoons on an electronic tablet.
\n
"I am sure my father would be very happy to see how Yulmed has been developed and transformed," she said, "and I have nothing to worry about now since the younger generation of villagers can have a good life here."
\n
"More importantly, they all understand the importance of protecting the homeland, just like we do," she said.
An increasing number of Chinese universities are explicitly stating that they will not implement the controversial "up-or-out" tenure-track policy for incoming faculty, signaling a potential shift away from the high-pressure academic employment practice. Under the policy, new faculty members can be demoted, transferred or even dismissed if they fail to earn a promotion within a certain period of time.
\n
In an announcement in August, the Ocean University of China in Qingdao, Shandong province, made it clear that it would not implement the policy for recruited high-level talent. Successful candidates will be appointed as professors under the university's high-level talent program, incorporated into the establishment's permanent job system and granted doctoral supervisor status.
\n
Meanwhile, higher education institutions — including Hangzhou Dianzi University, the Shenyang University of Technology's Liaoyang campus and the School of Marxism of the Guangxi University of Science and Technology — have recently emphasized in recruitment announcements that positions come with establishment posts and are exempt from the up-or-out requirement.
\n
Cai Zhenhua, an associate professor at Xiangtan University's School of Public Administration, said the up-or-out policy, widely adopted in recent years, typically targets new faculty — especially young doctorate holders — who sign fixed-term contracts.
\n
The policy imposes strict performance targets primarily focused on research achievements such as publishing papers and receiving grants. Failure to meet these goals within the contract period results in dismissal, demotion or transfer, he said.
\n
Originally designed to incentivize high performance and prevent complacency, the policy was mainly implemented by top universities with strong platforms and attractive benefits to foster competition, he said.
\n
However, the policy has generated significant controversy. Cai argues it exacerbates an already competitive job market for the expanding pool of doctoral graduates.
\n
"Furthermore, its rigid application fails to account for disciplines requiring long-term research investment, such as humanities, archaeology and foundational bottleneck technologies, potentially stifling genuine innovation in favor of short-term, sometimes lower-quality outputs," he said.
\n
The policy has also been linked to an intensely stressful and competitive environment, where young scholars endure excessive workloads to meet demanding quantitative targets, affecting their wellbeing, he said.
\n
Last year, Song Kai, an associate professor at Nanjing Forestry University, was believed to have died by suicide due to the academic pressure from the up-or-out policy, which attracted widespread public scrutiny of the policy.
\n
According to Sanlian Lifeweek magazine, before his death, Song told his family members that he was "extremely busy" and "too late" for a grant application. When he was feeling down, his family told Song that he should not "walk that path" (take his own life), and even though he said he would not, he eventually did so.
\n
However, a university official said he was not demoted but was rather asked to return the 10,000 yuan ($1,393) the university had given him because he did not meet the university's requirement, which was written in his contract. The university also said he suffered from depression.
\n
Cai said the recent abandonment of the up-or-out policy by some universities appears driven by dual objectives: directly addressing the intense pressures faced by young academics by offering greater job security, and enhancing institutional competitiveness in attracting top talent who increasingly prefer universities without such policies.
\n
The shift away from up-or-out aligns with national policies advocating against the sole reliance on papers, titles, degrees, awards and projects in talent evaluation, which emphasize reducing burdens on young researchers and encouraging long-term, innovative research, he said.
\n
Additionally, young talent are increasingly seeking stable positions with good benefits and manageable pressure to help them settle down after graduation, he added.
\n
A new teacher surnamed Liang at a university in Jiangxi province said his institution does not implement the up-or-out policy as it is not a well-known university.
\n
Liang, who has worked at the university since obtaining a doctorate in engineering last year, said competition for young teachers is already intense without the policy as they often lack the resources and experience to get projects, national funds and publish papers.
\n
"Without the policy, young teachers' lives are already hard enough as they try to balance pressure from teaching and academic research," he said. "With the policy, it would be unbearable for us."
\n
Meanwhile, Liang said his university just stopped offering lifelong tenure to professors, so he is worried that policies will be implemented for young teachers as well to push for academic output.
An increasing number of Chinese universities are explicitly stating that they will not implement the controversial "up-or-out" tenure-track policy for incoming faculty, signaling a potential shift away from the high-pressure academic employment practice. Under the policy, new faculty members can be demoted, transferred or even dismissed if they fail to earn a promotion within a certain period of time.
\n
In an announcement in August, the Ocean University of China in Qingdao, Shandong province, made it clear that it would not implement the policy for recruited high-level talent. Successful candidates will be appointed as professors under the university's high-level talent program, incorporated into the establishment's permanent job system and granted doctoral supervisor status.
\n
Meanwhile, higher education institutions — including Hangzhou Dianzi University, the Shenyang University of Technology's Liaoyang campus and the School of Marxism of the Guangxi University of Science and Technology — have recently emphasized in recruitment announcements that positions come with establishment posts and are exempt from the up-or-out requirement.
\n
Cai Zhenhua, an associate professor at Xiangtan University's School of Public Administration, said the up-or-out policy, widely adopted in recent years, typically targets new faculty — especially young doctorate holders — who sign fixed-term contracts.
\n
The policy imposes strict performance targets primarily focused on research achievements such as publishing papers and receiving grants. Failure to meet these goals within the contract period results in dismissal, demotion or transfer, he said.
\n
Originally designed to incentivize high performance and prevent complacency, the policy was mainly implemented by top universities with strong platforms and attractive benefits to foster competition, he said.
\n
However, the policy has generated significant controversy. Cai argues it exacerbates an already competitive job market for the expanding pool of doctoral graduates.
\n
"Furthermore, its rigid application fails to account for disciplines requiring long-term research investment, such as humanities, archaeology and foundational bottleneck technologies, potentially stifling genuine innovation in favor of short-term, sometimes lower-quality outputs," he said.
\n
The policy has also been linked to an intensely stressful and competitive environment, where young scholars endure excessive workloads to meet demanding quantitative targets, affecting their wellbeing, he said.
\n
Last year, Song Kai, an associate professor at Nanjing Forestry University, was believed to have died by suicide due to the academic pressure from the up-or-out policy, which attracted widespread public scrutiny of the policy.
\n
According to Sanlian Lifeweek magazine, before his death, Song told his family members that he was "extremely busy" and "too late" for a grant application. When he was feeling down, his family told Song that he should not "walk that path" (take his own life), and even though he said he would not, he eventually did so.
\n
However, a university official said he was not demoted but was rather asked to return the 10,000 yuan ($1,393) the university had given him because he did not meet the university's requirement, which was written in his contract. The university also said he suffered from depression.
\n
Cai said the recent abandonment of the up-or-out policy by some universities appears driven by dual objectives: directly addressing the intense pressures faced by young academics by offering greater job security, and enhancing institutional competitiveness in attracting top talent who increasingly prefer universities without such policies.
\n
The shift away from up-or-out aligns with national policies advocating against the sole reliance on papers, titles, degrees, awards and projects in talent evaluation, which emphasize reducing burdens on young researchers and encouraging long-term, innovative research, he said.
\n
Additionally, young talent are increasingly seeking stable positions with good benefits and manageable pressure to help them settle down after graduation, he added.
\n
A new teacher surnamed Liang at a university in Jiangxi province said his institution does not implement the up-or-out policy as it is not a well-known university.
\n
Liang, who has worked at the university since obtaining a doctorate in engineering last year, said competition for young teachers is already intense without the policy as they often lack the resources and experience to get projects, national funds and publish papers.
\n
"Without the policy, young teachers' lives are already hard enough as they try to balance pressure from teaching and academic research," he said. "With the policy, it would be unbearable for us."
\n
Meanwhile, Liang said his university just stopped offering lifelong tenure to professors, so he is worried that policies will be implemented for young teachers as well to push for academic output.
Tourists ride a speedboat through the waves as dozens of professionally trained wild geese soar gracefully alongside in Shendu town, Huangshan, Anhui province, on Wednesday. This picturesque scene of birds and the boat against clear waters paints a vivid picture of harmony between humans and nature.
\n",
+ "content": "
Tourists ride a speedboat through the waves as dozens of professionally trained wild geese soar gracefully alongside in Shendu town, Huangshan, Anhui province, on Wednesday. This picturesque scene of birds and the boat against clear waters paints a vivid picture of harmony between humans and nature.
A docent discusses exhibits with visiting journalists at an exhibition on the role of China's procuratorial agencies in investigating and prosecuting Japanese war criminals in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) in Beijing, on Thursday.
\n",
+ "content": "
A docent discusses exhibits with visiting journalists at an exhibition on the role of China's procuratorial agencies in investigating and prosecuting Japanese war criminals in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) in Beijing, on Thursday.
Doctors in Shanghai have successfully performed an ultra-complex surgery on a man with a severe neck injury akin to an "internal decapitation" after he was struck by a mechanical arm, saving his life.
\n
The 55-year-old patient, surnamed Li, suffered a rare and severe cervical vertebra fracture and dislocation. He underwent reduction and fixation surgery at Shanghai Changzheng Hospital and was discharged in July. Upon release, he was able to move his shoulders and lift his wrists, doctors said.
\n
The accident occurred on May 31 in Changshu, a city in neighboring Jiangsu province, when Li was hit from above by a mechanical arm. The blow caused catastrophic damage to his cervical spine. He immediately suffered high-level paralysis and cardiac arrest at the scene. His weak vital signs were restored only after receiving CPR.
\n
On June 3, Li was transferred to Shanghai Changzheng Hospital. Imaging showed an extremely rare and extensive cervical dislocation, with a severe spinal cord contusion and tearing of critical nerve and vascular structures.
\n
The patient was at a high risk of severe bleeding and vertebral artery injury, potentially causing shock or a fatal stroke. A massive hematoma had formed at the site, causing dangerous drops in blood pressure. He relied on high doses of vasoactive drugs to maintain circulation.
\n
Doctors said any attempt at surgery carried enormous risks, including uncontrollable bleeding, vertebral artery damage and severe cerebrospinal fluid leaks. Many of the challenges had no precedent in medical literature.
\n
Chen Huajiang, deputy director of orthopedics at the hospital, described the case as the most dangerous of his decades-long career.
\n
"My colleagues and I reviewed extensive medical literature, but found no precedent for such a severe cervical separation case, let alone a successful treatment that allowed the sufferer to survive," said Chen, who also heads the hospital's cervical spine surgery unit.
\n
"Various challenges during the surgery were undoubtedly unprecedented and could have potentially led to situations that are hard to manage. However, the certainty of no recovery without surgery left no other option," he said, adding that the determination of the patient's family motivated the medical team to proceed.
\n
The surgery took place on June 18. Using advanced microsurgical techniques, the team removed the hematoma, overcame severe adhesions and deformities, and precisely realigned the severed cervical structures.
\n
Chen said the team also applied an innovative "satellite plate" fixation technique — adding auxiliary plates to the conventional method — to provide extra stability. It was the first use of the technique in such an extreme case.
\n
Before surgery, the team carried out a comprehensive evaluation of the injuries and drafted detailed contingency plans for possible complications such as circulatory collapse. The operation concluded within three hours without any major incidents.
\n
Afterward, Li's condition steadily improved. After he regained consciousness, his vital signs stabilized and the tracheal tube was removed. He was able to sit up with assistance, showing signs of neurological recovery.
\n
Li was discharged on July 9 and is now in rehabilitation to restore upper limb function.
\n
The case has drawn wide attention in China's spinal surgery community, with experts praising the hospital's handling of the unprecedented challenge.
\n
"Our team aims to continue expanding the frontiers of cervical spine surgery and challenging the limits of technology, offering hope to more patients facing life-threatening conditions," Chen said.
\n
zhouwenting@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
+ "content": "
Doctors in Shanghai have successfully performed an ultra-complex surgery on a man with a severe neck injury akin to an "internal decapitation" after he was struck by a mechanical arm, saving his life.
\n
The 55-year-old patient, surnamed Li, suffered a rare and severe cervical vertebra fracture and dislocation. He underwent reduction and fixation surgery at Shanghai Changzheng Hospital and was discharged in July. Upon release, he was able to move his shoulders and lift his wrists, doctors said.
\n
The accident occurred on May 31 in Changshu, a city in neighboring Jiangsu province, when Li was hit from above by a mechanical arm. The blow caused catastrophic damage to his cervical spine. He immediately suffered high-level paralysis and cardiac arrest at the scene. His weak vital signs were restored only after receiving CPR.
\n
On June 3, Li was transferred to Shanghai Changzheng Hospital. Imaging showed an extremely rare and extensive cervical dislocation, with a severe spinal cord contusion and tearing of critical nerve and vascular structures.
\n
The patient was at a high risk of severe bleeding and vertebral artery injury, potentially causing shock or a fatal stroke. A massive hematoma had formed at the site, causing dangerous drops in blood pressure. He relied on high doses of vasoactive drugs to maintain circulation.
\n
Doctors said any attempt at surgery carried enormous risks, including uncontrollable bleeding, vertebral artery damage and severe cerebrospinal fluid leaks. Many of the challenges had no precedent in medical literature.
\n
Chen Huajiang, deputy director of orthopedics at the hospital, described the case as the most dangerous of his decades-long career.
\n
"My colleagues and I reviewed extensive medical literature, but found no precedent for such a severe cervical separation case, let alone a successful treatment that allowed the sufferer to survive," said Chen, who also heads the hospital's cervical spine surgery unit.
\n
"Various challenges during the surgery were undoubtedly unprecedented and could have potentially led to situations that are hard to manage. However, the certainty of no recovery without surgery left no other option," he said, adding that the determination of the patient's family motivated the medical team to proceed.
\n
The surgery took place on June 18. Using advanced microsurgical techniques, the team removed the hematoma, overcame severe adhesions and deformities, and precisely realigned the severed cervical structures.
\n
Chen said the team also applied an innovative "satellite plate" fixation technique — adding auxiliary plates to the conventional method — to provide extra stability. It was the first use of the technique in such an extreme case.
\n
Before surgery, the team carried out a comprehensive evaluation of the injuries and drafted detailed contingency plans for possible complications such as circulatory collapse. The operation concluded within three hours without any major incidents.
\n
Afterward, Li's condition steadily improved. After he regained consciousness, his vital signs stabilized and the tracheal tube was removed. He was able to sit up with assistance, showing signs of neurological recovery.
\n
Li was discharged on July 9 and is now in rehabilitation to restore upper limb function.
\n
The case has drawn wide attention in China's spinal surgery community, with experts praising the hospital's handling of the unprecedented challenge.
\n
"Our team aims to continue expanding the frontiers of cervical spine surgery and challenging the limits of technology, offering hope to more patients facing life-threatening conditions," Chen said.
Earlier this week, I arrived in Lhasa to cover the 60th founding anniversary of the Xizang autonomous region. It was my third journey to the plateau, and as always, I was reminded of the same piece of advice: Walk slowly, speak slowly.
\n
But as I interacted more and more with the locals, I discovered that while their steps may be measured, their words are quick, direct and utterly unadorned.
\n
At the Potala Palace square on Thursday morning, after the grand celebration, I spoke briefly with a student who had been waving national flags so enthusiastically that she kept them raised even as we talked.
\n
Seventeen-year-old Tsering Wangmo told me that her favorite part was the float parade, especially the one representing her home prefecture, Nagchu. "The float showcased Nagchu's yak industry while also reflecting the simplicity of its people. It made me feel the breath of home," she said.
\n
Two years ago, Tsering Wangmo left Nagchu to study at Lhasa Middle School. Since preschool, she has benefited from Xizang's "Three Guarantees" policy — covering food, accommodations and school expenses for children of farmers, herders and impoverished urban families — easing the burden on her family, which mainly relies on cordyceps, a medicinal fungus, for a living.
\n
Now a senior preparing for the college entrance exams, she told me her dream is to study at Beijing Normal University.
\n
"And then?" I asked.
\n
"First I have to get admitted," she replied.
\n
Her bluntness startled me, but she was right. As long as one works steadily, the future may be beyond imagination.
\n
Back in 1965, when the Xizang autonomous region was founded, few could have foreseen that in just a few decades it would achieve what elsewhere might take centuries: socioeconomic progress and historic accomplishments across various sectors.
\n
Education, in particular, has transformed lives. Sixty years ago, there were fewer than 100 schools across the region. Today, there are over 3,600, with nearly 1 million students enrolled — more than a quarter of Xizang's entire population. Tsering Wangmo is just one of them, with her path shaped by opportunities unimaginable to her grandparents' generation.
\n
During my stay in Lhasa, I got the chance to visit the home of He Xiuying, a longtime resident. We talked about lingka — the Tibetan custom of spending a day outdoors, in parks, gardens, or by riversides, with friends and family.
\n
"When I was little, there was no lingka. We didn't even have enough to eat — how could we think of lingka?"
\n
Born in 1958, He was only 7 years old when the Xizang autonomous region was established. At the time, annual disposable income was counted in mere hundreds of yuan — only tens of US dollars. Her childhood was stitched together with patchwork clothes and bowls of barley flour mixed with wild vegetables.
\n
Six decades on, everything looks different. Average disposable income has risen more than a hundredfold — to 55,444 yuan ($7,724) for city dwellers and 21,578 yuan for farmers and herders.
\n
For He, lingka is now a part of everyday life, something to enjoy with friends on a whim. When I asked her favorite pastime during lingka, she lowered her gaze, broke into a shy smile, and said, "Drinking beer."
\n
I couldn't help but laugh with her. So ordinary, so unpretentious — and yet it revealed a truth I would hear again and again: Happiness often hides in the most familiar moments.
\n
Her candor reminded me of another woman I met, Lhagdron, from Lhasa's Chushul county. The 62-year-old never had children, and for years depended on her niece's care. That changed in 2020, when her village established an eldercare center called the Haven of Happiness, built with funds from the village's collective economy, pairing assistance program from Jiangsu province and money allocated by the civil affairs authorities.
\n
Now, every morning, she walks there to spend her day with other seniors, enjoying free meals, health checkups and companionship.
\n
"Every night before I fall asleep, I feel happy knowing that tomorrow I can go to the center again," she told me, smiling all the time during our conversation.
\n
Happiness, I realized, is not only freedom from burdens — it is also the simple joy of having tomorrow to look forward to.
\n
Her village, Sanyou, was the first relocation site in Xizang, built in 2016 for families who once lived deep in impoverished mountain valleys. I can't help but wonder: When Lhagdron was still there, could she have ever dreamed of a life like this?
\n
Such moments were far from rare. Time and again, it was this unadorned sincerity that moved me. Here, where feelings are never dressed in polished words, I believe their happiness is true.
\n
This year marks the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Xizang autonomous region. In Lhasa's streets, colorful flags ripple in the mountain winds, their colors as bright and unguarded as the smiles of the people who live beneath them.
\n
When a central delegation led by President Xi Jinping arrived in Lhasa on Wednesday, nearly 1,000 local residents in festive attire welcomed them at the airport with flowers and white hada scarves, singing and dancing in celebration.
\n
It was the second time that 65-year-old Pema had come to the airport to greet the central delegation. Seeing President Xi again, he said, felt warm and familiar, like meeting a family member.
\n
"The people of Xizang have experienced transformative changes," he told me. "Just as one won't lose their way by following the Big Dipper, following the Communist Party of China leads to happiness."
Earlier this week, I arrived in Lhasa to cover the 60th founding anniversary of the Xizang autonomous region. It was my third journey to the plateau, and as always, I was reminded of the same piece of advice: Walk slowly, speak slowly.
\n
But as I interacted more and more with the locals, I discovered that while their steps may be measured, their words are quick, direct and utterly unadorned.
\n
At the Potala Palace square on Thursday morning, after the grand celebration, I spoke briefly with a student who had been waving national flags so enthusiastically that she kept them raised even as we talked.
\n
Seventeen-year-old Tsering Wangmo told me that her favorite part was the float parade, especially the one representing her home prefecture, Nagchu. "The float showcased Nagchu's yak industry while also reflecting the simplicity of its people. It made me feel the breath of home," she said.
\n
Two years ago, Tsering Wangmo left Nagchu to study at Lhasa Middle School. Since preschool, she has benefited from Xizang's "Three Guarantees" policy — covering food, accommodations and school expenses for children of farmers, herders and impoverished urban families — easing the burden on her family, which mainly relies on cordyceps, a medicinal fungus, for a living.
\n
Now a senior preparing for the college entrance exams, she told me her dream is to study at Beijing Normal University.
\n
"And then?" I asked.
\n
"First I have to get admitted," she replied.
\n
Her bluntness startled me, but she was right. As long as one works steadily, the future may be beyond imagination.
\n
Back in 1965, when the Xizang autonomous region was founded, few could have foreseen that in just a few decades it would achieve what elsewhere might take centuries: socioeconomic progress and historic accomplishments across various sectors.
\n
Education, in particular, has transformed lives. Sixty years ago, there were fewer than 100 schools across the region. Today, there are over 3,600, with nearly 1 million students enrolled — more than a quarter of Xizang's entire population. Tsering Wangmo is just one of them, with her path shaped by opportunities unimaginable to her grandparents' generation.
\n
During my stay in Lhasa, I got the chance to visit the home of He Xiuying, a longtime resident. We talked about lingka — the Tibetan custom of spending a day outdoors, in parks, gardens, or by riversides, with friends and family.
\n
"When I was little, there was no lingka. We didn't even have enough to eat — how could we think of lingka?"
\n
Born in 1958, He was only 7 years old when the Xizang autonomous region was established. At the time, annual disposable income was counted in mere hundreds of yuan — only tens of US dollars. Her childhood was stitched together with patchwork clothes and bowls of barley flour mixed with wild vegetables.
\n
Six decades on, everything looks different. Average disposable income has risen more than a hundredfold — to 55,444 yuan ($7,724) for city dwellers and 21,578 yuan for farmers and herders.
\n
For He, lingka is now a part of everyday life, something to enjoy with friends on a whim. When I asked her favorite pastime during lingka, she lowered her gaze, broke into a shy smile, and said, "Drinking beer."
\n
I couldn't help but laugh with her. So ordinary, so unpretentious — and yet it revealed a truth I would hear again and again: Happiness often hides in the most familiar moments.
\n
Her candor reminded me of another woman I met, Lhagdron, from Lhasa's Chushul county. The 62-year-old never had children, and for years depended on her niece's care. That changed in 2020, when her village established an eldercare center called the Haven of Happiness, built with funds from the village's collective economy, pairing assistance program from Jiangsu province and money allocated by the civil affairs authorities.
\n
Now, every morning, she walks there to spend her day with other seniors, enjoying free meals, health checkups and companionship.
\n
"Every night before I fall asleep, I feel happy knowing that tomorrow I can go to the center again," she told me, smiling all the time during our conversation.
\n
Happiness, I realized, is not only freedom from burdens — it is also the simple joy of having tomorrow to look forward to.
\n
Her village, Sanyou, was the first relocation site in Xizang, built in 2016 for families who once lived deep in impoverished mountain valleys. I can't help but wonder: When Lhagdron was still there, could she have ever dreamed of a life like this?
\n
Such moments were far from rare. Time and again, it was this unadorned sincerity that moved me. Here, where feelings are never dressed in polished words, I believe their happiness is true.
\n
This year marks the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Xizang autonomous region. In Lhasa's streets, colorful flags ripple in the mountain winds, their colors as bright and unguarded as the smiles of the people who live beneath them.
\n
When a central delegation led by President Xi Jinping arrived in Lhasa on Wednesday, nearly 1,000 local residents in festive attire welcomed them at the airport with flowers and white hada scarves, singing and dancing in celebration.
\n
It was the second time that 65-year-old Pema had come to the airport to greet the central delegation. Seeing President Xi again, he said, felt warm and familiar, like meeting a family member.
\n
"The people of Xizang have experienced transformative changes," he told me. "Just as one won't lose their way by following the Big Dipper, following the Communist Party of China leads to happiness."
President Xi Jinping, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, attends a grand gathering on Thursday at the Potala Palace square in Lhasa, capital of the Xizang autonomous region, to mark the region's 60th founding anniversary.
\n
Residents at a mass parade during the grand gathering in Lhasa on Thursday.
\n
Thousands take part in the celebrations with the Potala Palace in the background.
\n
President Xi Jinping joined around 20,000 local officials and people from all ethnic groups and all walks of life in a grand gathering on Thursday at the Potala Palace square in Lhasa to mark the 60th founding anniversary of the Xizang autonomous region.
\n
Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, arrived in the regional capital on Wednesday with a central delegation to attend the festivities.
\n
It was the first time in the history of the Party and the country that a leader attended such an event in the capacities of general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, Chinese president and chairman of the CMC.
\n
The gathering commenced at 10 am, with all attendees standing to sing the national anthem. The bright five-starred national flag was hoisted solemnly at the site.
\n
A congratulatory message from the CPC Central Committee, the National People's Congress Standing Committee, the State Council, the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee and the CMC was read out.
\n
Wang Huning, chairman of the CPPCC National Committee and head of the central delegation, then presented a plaque bearing Xi's inscription, "Jointly building a community for the Chinese nation, writing a new chapter for a beautiful Xizang," as a congratulatory gift.
\n
Cai Qi, director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee, was also present at the gathering.
\n
Addressing the event, Wang said the founding of the Xizang autonomous region in September 1965 marked an epoch-making event.
\n
Over the past six decades, Xizang has made significant strides in economic and social development, fully demonstrating the strong leadership of the CPC and the clear political strength of China's socialist system, he said.
\n
Wang said that since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, Xizang has entered its best period of development and made the most substantial progress, with people of all ethnic groups benefiting more than ever before.
\n
He emphasized that Xizang is an inalienable part of China, and its affairs are purely China's internal affairs, which brook no interference from external forces.
\n
Any attempt to split the motherland and undermine Xizang's stability is doomed to fail, he said.
\n
Wang also called for efforts to consolidate and develop ethnic solidarity, promote high-quality socioeconomic development, and continuously improve people's well-being to advance common prosperity in Xizang.
\n
Drolma Renzin, a 73-year-old Lhasa resident, gave a speech as a representative of the local people, saying that she still remembered how the news of the autonomous region's founding spread swiftly across the plateau.
\n
"Sixty years may be just a fleeting moment in the long river of history, but for the people of Xizang, it has been an epic of endeavor and transformation," she said.
\n
The ceremony concluded with a vibrant mass parade in an auspicious and festive atmosphere with music and dance. Twenty-six formations of floats, including seven representing Xizang's seven prefecture-level cities, and performers marched past in colorful costumes, expressing joy over their new lives and gratitude to the Party and the country. Xi and other leaders waved to the crowds.
\n
When the float from Shigatse passed, performers in traditional attire moved in the bold and vigorous steps of Gyashe, a traditional Tibetan dance, to the beat of drums and music, showcasing the unity and vitality of people living at the foot of Qomolangma, known as Mount Everest in the West.
\n
The audience waved their flags to cheer and show support for the prefecture, which had endured a magnitude 6.8 earthquake earlier this year.
\n
Meanwhile, in Zingkar village of Dingri county, one of the hardest-hit areas, residents watched the celebration from their new homes. Last week, the village, with 126 households, completed its resettlement with government support.
\n
"With the care of General Secretary Xi and help from the Party and government, all of our villagers have moved into new houses," said Nyima Tsering, the village head.
\n
"From here on, we will continue to build a better life with our own hands under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee."
\n
Xi left Xizang after attending the founding anniversary celebrations.
\n
Following Xi's instructions, the central delegation headed by Wang Huning will visit various parts of Xizang from Thursday to Saturday to extend greetings and support to people of all ethnic groups and sectors.
\n
Xi's entourage, including senior official Cai Qi, returned on the same flight.
\n
Contact the writers at mojingxi@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
+ "content": "
President Xi Jinping, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, attends a grand gathering on Thursday at the Potala Palace square in Lhasa, capital of the Xizang autonomous region, to mark the region's 60th founding anniversary.
\n
Residents at a mass parade during the grand gathering in Lhasa on Thursday.
\n
Thousands take part in the celebrations with the Potala Palace in the background.
\n
President Xi Jinping joined around 20,000 local officials and people from all ethnic groups and all walks of life in a grand gathering on Thursday at the Potala Palace square in Lhasa to mark the 60th founding anniversary of the Xizang autonomous region.
\n
Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, arrived in the regional capital on Wednesday with a central delegation to attend the festivities.
\n
It was the first time in the history of the Party and the country that a leader attended such an event in the capacities of general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, Chinese president and chairman of the CMC.
\n
The gathering commenced at 10 am, with all attendees standing to sing the national anthem. The bright five-starred national flag was hoisted solemnly at the site.
\n
A congratulatory message from the CPC Central Committee, the National People's Congress Standing Committee, the State Council, the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee and the CMC was read out.
\n
Wang Huning, chairman of the CPPCC National Committee and head of the central delegation, then presented a plaque bearing Xi's inscription, "Jointly building a community for the Chinese nation, writing a new chapter for a beautiful Xizang," as a congratulatory gift.
\n
Cai Qi, director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee, was also present at the gathering.
\n
Addressing the event, Wang said the founding of the Xizang autonomous region in September 1965 marked an epoch-making event.
\n
Over the past six decades, Xizang has made significant strides in economic and social development, fully demonstrating the strong leadership of the CPC and the clear political strength of China's socialist system, he said.
\n
Wang said that since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, Xizang has entered its best period of development and made the most substantial progress, with people of all ethnic groups benefiting more than ever before.
\n
He emphasized that Xizang is an inalienable part of China, and its affairs are purely China's internal affairs, which brook no interference from external forces.
\n
Any attempt to split the motherland and undermine Xizang's stability is doomed to fail, he said.
\n
Wang also called for efforts to consolidate and develop ethnic solidarity, promote high-quality socioeconomic development, and continuously improve people's well-being to advance common prosperity in Xizang.
\n
Drolma Renzin, a 73-year-old Lhasa resident, gave a speech as a representative of the local people, saying that she still remembered how the news of the autonomous region's founding spread swiftly across the plateau.
\n
"Sixty years may be just a fleeting moment in the long river of history, but for the people of Xizang, it has been an epic of endeavor and transformation," she said.
\n
The ceremony concluded with a vibrant mass parade in an auspicious and festive atmosphere with music and dance. Twenty-six formations of floats, including seven representing Xizang's seven prefecture-level cities, and performers marched past in colorful costumes, expressing joy over their new lives and gratitude to the Party and the country. Xi and other leaders waved to the crowds.
\n
When the float from Shigatse passed, performers in traditional attire moved in the bold and vigorous steps of Gyashe, a traditional Tibetan dance, to the beat of drums and music, showcasing the unity and vitality of people living at the foot of Qomolangma, known as Mount Everest in the West.
\n
The audience waved their flags to cheer and show support for the prefecture, which had endured a magnitude 6.8 earthquake earlier this year.
\n
Meanwhile, in Zingkar village of Dingri county, one of the hardest-hit areas, residents watched the celebration from their new homes. Last week, the village, with 126 households, completed its resettlement with government support.
\n
"With the care of General Secretary Xi and help from the Party and government, all of our villagers have moved into new houses," said Nyima Tsering, the village head.
\n
"From here on, we will continue to build a better life with our own hands under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee."
\n
Xi left Xizang after attending the founding anniversary celebrations.
\n
Following Xi's instructions, the central delegation headed by Wang Huning will visit various parts of Xizang from Thursday to Saturday to extend greetings and support to people of all ethnic groups and sectors.
\n
Xi's entourage, including senior official Cai Qi, returned on the same flight.
Actresses perform a traditional dance for visitors at the Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar in Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, on Wednesday. The bazaar has become a popular destination during the peak tourism season, attracting crowds for sightseeing, shopping, dining, and local culture experience.
\n
At the bustling Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar in Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, Wasina Nititawan was struck by a vibrant scene: vendors hawking rows of traditional goods in ornate packaging, and flocks of visitors that included both ethnic minority residents and Han tourists from across China.
\n
The scene bore little resemblance to what she had envisioned.
\n
"As I walked past stalls of dried fruits, handicrafts and cultural performances, I felt how diversity and harmony can strengthen growth," said Wasina, a Thai doctoral candidate at the Institute of South-South Cooperation and Development at Peking University.
\n
The bazaar is a marketplace where the nation, the community and the market come together to create a lively hub of trade, tourism and culture, she said.
\n
Wasina was one of eight representatives of the Youth Leaders' Community for Global Development who traveled to Urumqi and Kashgar as part of the 2025 China Tour. The event was organized by the Global Development Promotion Center of the China International Development Cooperation Agency.
\n
For most in the group, Xinjiang had been a place known only through news reports. But their visits to a local community, an ancient town, a bustling market, an agricultural park and a research center allowed them to experience a region far more thriving and dynamic than many had expected.
\n
Omar Mohamed Nagy Hussein Bauomy, an Egyptian graduate student in international education at the Minzu University of China, said he saw the same things in Xinjiang as he has seen in the rest of China.
\n
"It is very convenient in every aspect of daily life, with well-developed transportation systems, as well as easy access to food delivery and shopping. The experience here is no different from living in Beijing," he said.
\n
For Felix Michael Baitz, a German undergraduate student at the Frankfurt School of Finance and Management, the visit was also different from what he had heard in European media reports.
\n
"People are very happy here. They don't feel any mistreatment, and they continue to keep their language, traditions and religion."
\n
Baitz admitted that he had worried Xinjiang might lag behind other parts of China due to imbalanced economic development.
\n
Instead, the 20-year-old student found rapid growth and a sense of shared progress.
\n
"Locals told me that many of the buildings I see today weren't here when their parents were my age. They've witnessed poverty alleviation firsthand. The government is really putting an eye on the people," he said.
\n
That people-centered approach to development is fully demonstrated in grassroots governance in the Guyuanxiang community of Tianshan district in Urumqi.
\n
Established in 2001, the community has 5,046 residents from 14 ethnic groups, according to Zhang Yaowen, director of the neighborhood committee.
\n
The community provides services to residents such as employment training, dispute mediation, day care for the elderly, convenience shops, and activities for retired residents and juveniles, Zhang said, adding that it also encourages local residents to participate in the management of the community.
\n
During their visit, the delegation watched dances performed by senior residents as well as a cheerleading squad of several children.
\n
Small events like these, Wasina said, increase real happiness and satisfaction at the grassroots level.
\n
She found that local authorities and residents maintained close communication, with community centers actively listening to people's needs and organizing diverse activities accordingly.
\n
"Before visiting Xinjiang, I associated Chinese modernization mainly with high-tech breakthroughs such as artificial intelligence, robotics, electric vehicles, renewable energy and the digital economy," she said. "But being here has shown me that modernization is also about building the foundations that allow people and communities to thrive."
\n
Nadia Maunsell, an Australian student studying economics at Peking University, said that as someone working on development studies, she saw ongoing efforts in community cohesion and social development.
\n
"One thing that really touched me was the public mechanism where people of different cultures are able to speak and solve problems together," she said. "This model of development is something that is not only relevant for China, but also globally and even for my home country in Australia, where we also have very multicultural societies and there's an importance in finding social harmony."
\n
Agricultural innovation
\n
In addition to grassroots governance, the group also learned about the region's innovations in science and technology during a visit to an intelligent modern agricultural pavilion, where they saw how technology can enhance vegetable growth while protecting the environment.
\n
Inside the pavilion, more than 30 kinds of vegetable plants stretched upward in climate-controlled chambers, with auto-adjusted irrigation and sensors monitoring soil moisture and light levels. In a region with dry weather, cultivating vegetables in this way saves 95 percent of water usage.
\n
Strolling through the park and tasting fresh, pesticide-free cucumbers, the young representatives saw modernization with a green heart.
\n
Thinh Raksmey from Cambodia, who is also a doctoral candidate at the Institute of South-South Cooperation and Development at Peking University, said: "From planting to cultivation, the entire process incorporates environmental considerations that are really parallel to the ESG of the United Nations."
\n
Luise Scholz, an assistant to the CEO of the dfv Euro Finance Group, said she was surprised at how advanced the technology is.
\n
"I have the feeling that things are simply implemented and done here. In Germany, everything takes much longer because of regulations and rules," she said, adding that Germany can also learn from China in this area.
\n
Anti-desertification efforts
\n
At the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, part of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the group visited an exhibition on the region's natural history and discussed combating desertification with researchers.
\n
Xinjiang has long stood at the forefront of China's fight against desertification. Home to the Taklimakan Desert — China's largest and the world's second-largest drifting desert — the region has seen nearby communities grapple with frequent wind and sandstorms.
\n
In November 2024, after decades of effort, China completed a sand-blocking green belt stretching 3,046 kilometers, fully encircling the desert.
\n
As a researcher in arid lands, Akash Tariq, an associate professor at the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, highlighted capacity building as a particularly effective approach in desertification control.
\n
He explained that desertification problems are often linked with unsustainable agriculture in these arid regions, and capacity building is one of the most effective ways to ensure local people understand its importance.
\n
"The tackling of desertification is not only a job for scientists. Instead, it involves a social ecological approach that integrates scientific expertise with community participation," he said.
\n
Maunsell, the Peking University student from Australia, noted that Xinjiang uses the best technical expertise of scientists to deploy green development solutions according to local realities.
\n
Scientists have developed unique solutions such as planting trees along highways to prevent sandstorms, she said, adding that these technologies could also benefit neighbors in Central Asia or Africa.
\n
Global insights
\n
From multi-society cohesion to green development, from keeping traditions alive to seeking innovation, the journey reshaped the young representatives' understanding of Xinjiang's modernization experience.
\n
"Chinese modernization is not a single blueprint. It adapts to local strengths, embraces diversity and seeks harmony between people, the economy and the environment," Wasina said. "For me, as a Thai, where agriculture and tourism are also central pillars, these lessons feel especially relevant. They show that development endures when it builds on a country's comparative advantages, unites all key actors and commits to long-term goals that serve both present needs and future generations."
\n
Thinh, from Cambodia, said that by leveraging advanced technology and innovation, the region has been able to modernize production, enhance efficiency and create new value chains.
\n
"This transformation stands as a remarkable milestone in Xinjiang's development journey and serves as compelling evidence of the success of the pairing-off cooperation between the region and more developed provincial regions in other parts of China," he said.
\n
zhoujin@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
+ "content": "\n
Actresses perform a traditional dance for visitors at the Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar in Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, on Wednesday. The bazaar has become a popular destination during the peak tourism season, attracting crowds for sightseeing, shopping, dining, and local culture experience.
\n
At the bustling Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar in Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, Wasina Nititawan was struck by a vibrant scene: vendors hawking rows of traditional goods in ornate packaging, and flocks of visitors that included both ethnic minority residents and Han tourists from across China.
\n
The scene bore little resemblance to what she had envisioned.
\n
"As I walked past stalls of dried fruits, handicrafts and cultural performances, I felt how diversity and harmony can strengthen growth," said Wasina, a Thai doctoral candidate at the Institute of South-South Cooperation and Development at Peking University.
\n
The bazaar is a marketplace where the nation, the community and the market come together to create a lively hub of trade, tourism and culture, she said.
\n
Wasina was one of eight representatives of the Youth Leaders' Community for Global Development who traveled to Urumqi and Kashgar as part of the 2025 China Tour. The event was organized by the Global Development Promotion Center of the China International Development Cooperation Agency.
\n
For most in the group, Xinjiang had been a place known only through news reports. But their visits to a local community, an ancient town, a bustling market, an agricultural park and a research center allowed them to experience a region far more thriving and dynamic than many had expected.
\n
Omar Mohamed Nagy Hussein Bauomy, an Egyptian graduate student in international education at the Minzu University of China, said he saw the same things in Xinjiang as he has seen in the rest of China.
\n
"It is very convenient in every aspect of daily life, with well-developed transportation systems, as well as easy access to food delivery and shopping. The experience here is no different from living in Beijing," he said.
\n
For Felix Michael Baitz, a German undergraduate student at the Frankfurt School of Finance and Management, the visit was also different from what he had heard in European media reports.
\n
"People are very happy here. They don't feel any mistreatment, and they continue to keep their language, traditions and religion."
\n
Baitz admitted that he had worried Xinjiang might lag behind other parts of China due to imbalanced economic development.
\n
Instead, the 20-year-old student found rapid growth and a sense of shared progress.
\n
"Locals told me that many of the buildings I see today weren't here when their parents were my age. They've witnessed poverty alleviation firsthand. The government is really putting an eye on the people," he said.
\n
That people-centered approach to development is fully demonstrated in grassroots governance in the Guyuanxiang community of Tianshan district in Urumqi.
\n
Established in 2001, the community has 5,046 residents from 14 ethnic groups, according to Zhang Yaowen, director of the neighborhood committee.
\n
The community provides services to residents such as employment training, dispute mediation, day care for the elderly, convenience shops, and activities for retired residents and juveniles, Zhang said, adding that it also encourages local residents to participate in the management of the community.
\n
During their visit, the delegation watched dances performed by senior residents as well as a cheerleading squad of several children.
\n
Small events like these, Wasina said, increase real happiness and satisfaction at the grassroots level.
\n
She found that local authorities and residents maintained close communication, with community centers actively listening to people's needs and organizing diverse activities accordingly.
\n
"Before visiting Xinjiang, I associated Chinese modernization mainly with high-tech breakthroughs such as artificial intelligence, robotics, electric vehicles, renewable energy and the digital economy," she said. "But being here has shown me that modernization is also about building the foundations that allow people and communities to thrive."
\n
Nadia Maunsell, an Australian student studying economics at Peking University, said that as someone working on development studies, she saw ongoing efforts in community cohesion and social development.
\n
"One thing that really touched me was the public mechanism where people of different cultures are able to speak and solve problems together," she said. "This model of development is something that is not only relevant for China, but also globally and even for my home country in Australia, where we also have very multicultural societies and there's an importance in finding social harmony."
\n
Agricultural innovation
\n
In addition to grassroots governance, the group also learned about the region's innovations in science and technology during a visit to an intelligent modern agricultural pavilion, where they saw how technology can enhance vegetable growth while protecting the environment.
\n
Inside the pavilion, more than 30 kinds of vegetable plants stretched upward in climate-controlled chambers, with auto-adjusted irrigation and sensors monitoring soil moisture and light levels. In a region with dry weather, cultivating vegetables in this way saves 95 percent of water usage.
\n
Strolling through the park and tasting fresh, pesticide-free cucumbers, the young representatives saw modernization with a green heart.
\n
Thinh Raksmey from Cambodia, who is also a doctoral candidate at the Institute of South-South Cooperation and Development at Peking University, said: "From planting to cultivation, the entire process incorporates environmental considerations that are really parallel to the ESG of the United Nations."
\n
Luise Scholz, an assistant to the CEO of the dfv Euro Finance Group, said she was surprised at how advanced the technology is.
\n
"I have the feeling that things are simply implemented and done here. In Germany, everything takes much longer because of regulations and rules," she said, adding that Germany can also learn from China in this area.
\n
Anti-desertification efforts
\n
At the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, part of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the group visited an exhibition on the region's natural history and discussed combating desertification with researchers.
\n
Xinjiang has long stood at the forefront of China's fight against desertification. Home to the Taklimakan Desert — China's largest and the world's second-largest drifting desert — the region has seen nearby communities grapple with frequent wind and sandstorms.
\n
In November 2024, after decades of effort, China completed a sand-blocking green belt stretching 3,046 kilometers, fully encircling the desert.
\n
As a researcher in arid lands, Akash Tariq, an associate professor at the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, highlighted capacity building as a particularly effective approach in desertification control.
\n
He explained that desertification problems are often linked with unsustainable agriculture in these arid regions, and capacity building is one of the most effective ways to ensure local people understand its importance.
\n
"The tackling of desertification is not only a job for scientists. Instead, it involves a social ecological approach that integrates scientific expertise with community participation," he said.
\n
Maunsell, the Peking University student from Australia, noted that Xinjiang uses the best technical expertise of scientists to deploy green development solutions according to local realities.
\n
Scientists have developed unique solutions such as planting trees along highways to prevent sandstorms, she said, adding that these technologies could also benefit neighbors in Central Asia or Africa.
\n
Global insights
\n
From multi-society cohesion to green development, from keeping traditions alive to seeking innovation, the journey reshaped the young representatives' understanding of Xinjiang's modernization experience.
\n
"Chinese modernization is not a single blueprint. It adapts to local strengths, embraces diversity and seeks harmony between people, the economy and the environment," Wasina said. "For me, as a Thai, where agriculture and tourism are also central pillars, these lessons feel especially relevant. They show that development endures when it builds on a country's comparative advantages, unites all key actors and commits to long-term goals that serve both present needs and future generations."
\n
Thinh, from Cambodia, said that by leveraging advanced technology and innovation, the region has been able to modernize production, enhance efficiency and create new value chains.
\n
"This transformation stands as a remarkable milestone in Xinjiang's development journey and serves as compelling evidence of the success of the pairing-off cooperation between the region and more developed provincial regions in other parts of China," he said.
Dzhovid Yogibekov delivers a speech on anti-desertification at a symposium held by the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
\n
For nearly 10 years, Tajik geologist Dzhovid Yogibekov has made his life in Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, where his studies have grown into a deep connection with local society.
\n
In 2016, at the suggestion of his professor in Tajikistan, Yogibekov applied to study for a master's degree in geology at the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, part of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. It was his first time setting foot in the region.
\n
Xinjiang, which borders Tajikistan, is easily accessible from his home country. Yogibekov said he could reach Tajikistan in just a few hours via the Karasu Port in Kashgar, which makes it more convenient for him to study in the region.
\n
After completing his master's degree, Yogibekov decided to remain in Xinjiang to pursue a doctorate.
\n
"There is no restriction to study, the experiment facilities are well-equipped and the research team is well-organized," he said.
\n
Since 2016, he has witnessed rapid urban growth and technological advances, particularly in the fight against desertification.
\n
"One of the main aspects that surprised me was how fast China is developing and how people are devoting themselves to the popularization of science, technology and the landscaping of desert regions," he said.
\n
He credited these efforts with helping control sandstorms and improve air quality, which in turn has created better living conditions.
\n
Yogibekov noted that international students and teachers are increasingly coming to Xinjiang to share knowledge, further enriching the academic environment.
\n
Outside of research, he took part in tree-planting efforts in Urumqi for three years.
\n
"I was amazed by the way people are afforesting deserts," he said, emphasizing that ecological transformation requires a multidisciplinary approach, including geology.
\n
He pointed to China's "Great Green Wall" — the Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program designed to slow the Gobi Desert's expansion — as a model that could benefit other countries, including Tajikistan.
\n
Yogibekov's life in Xinjiang has also been shaped by cultural ties. While Tajikistan's Persian-Tajik language and traditions differ from those of Uygur and Han communities, he has connected closely with Xinjiang's ethnic Tajik population.
\n
"Their languages are identical to those of Tajikistan's Pamir region, and their dress and dance styles are exactly the same," he said.
\n
China is making efforts to preserve the cultures of all its ethnic groups, he added.
\n
Yogibekov said he sees himself as a bridge between China and Tajikistan.
\n
"Student exchanges are key to mutual understanding," he said.
\n
Despite differences among countries and ethnicities," human nature is the same," he said, adding that learning local languages and cultures is vital to reducing misunderstandings.
\n",
+ "content": "\n
Dzhovid Yogibekov delivers a speech on anti-desertification at a symposium held by the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
\n
For nearly 10 years, Tajik geologist Dzhovid Yogibekov has made his life in Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, where his studies have grown into a deep connection with local society.
\n
In 2016, at the suggestion of his professor in Tajikistan, Yogibekov applied to study for a master's degree in geology at the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, part of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. It was his first time setting foot in the region.
\n
Xinjiang, which borders Tajikistan, is easily accessible from his home country. Yogibekov said he could reach Tajikistan in just a few hours via the Karasu Port in Kashgar, which makes it more convenient for him to study in the region.
\n
After completing his master's degree, Yogibekov decided to remain in Xinjiang to pursue a doctorate.
\n
"There is no restriction to study, the experiment facilities are well-equipped and the research team is well-organized," he said.
\n
Since 2016, he has witnessed rapid urban growth and technological advances, particularly in the fight against desertification.
\n
"One of the main aspects that surprised me was how fast China is developing and how people are devoting themselves to the popularization of science, technology and the landscaping of desert regions," he said.
\n
He credited these efforts with helping control sandstorms and improve air quality, which in turn has created better living conditions.
\n
Yogibekov noted that international students and teachers are increasingly coming to Xinjiang to share knowledge, further enriching the academic environment.
\n
Outside of research, he took part in tree-planting efforts in Urumqi for three years.
\n
"I was amazed by the way people are afforesting deserts," he said, emphasizing that ecological transformation requires a multidisciplinary approach, including geology.
\n
He pointed to China's "Great Green Wall" — the Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program designed to slow the Gobi Desert's expansion — as a model that could benefit other countries, including Tajikistan.
\n
Yogibekov's life in Xinjiang has also been shaped by cultural ties. While Tajikistan's Persian-Tajik language and traditions differ from those of Uygur and Han communities, he has connected closely with Xinjiang's ethnic Tajik population.
\n
"Their languages are identical to those of Tajikistan's Pamir region, and their dress and dance styles are exactly the same," he said.
\n
China is making efforts to preserve the cultures of all its ethnic groups, he added.
\n
Yogibekov said he sees himself as a bridge between China and Tajikistan.
\n
"Student exchanges are key to mutual understanding," he said.
\n
Despite differences among countries and ethnicities," human nature is the same," he said, adding that learning local languages and cultures is vital to reducing misunderstandings.
Tourists visit the Matian Eighth Route Army Headquarters in Zuoquan county, Shanxi province.
\n
An aerial photo shows Matian village, home to the Matian Eighth Route Army Headquarters zone.
\n
Visitors admire a statue of Zuo Quan at the Zuoquan County Shiziling Breakout Battle Memorial Park.
\n
In the heart of the Taihang Mountains in northern China, the memory of General Zuo Quan (1905-42) has remained vivid and been cherished for over 80 years.
\n
During the full-scale outbreak of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression (1931-45), Zuo served as the deputy chief of staff of the Eighth Route Army, assisting in directing guerrilla warfare behind enemy lines in North China. His grandson, Sha Feng, told China Daily how his strategic brilliance and bravery were instrumental in the fight against the invaders.
\n
On May 25, 1942, the Japanese launched a massive offensive against the revolutionary base in the Taihang Mountains. Near Matian in Liaoxian county, Shanxi province, Zuo personally led his troops to protect the North Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the headquarters of the Eighth Route Army during their breakout and retreat. Tragically, in the heat of battle, he was struck by shrapnel from a Japanese artillery shell and died at the age of 37.
\n
"My grandfather fought for national independence until his last breath," Sha said. "It was just two days before my mother Zuo Taibei's second birthday. She spent only three months with her father."
\n
To Sha, his grandfather was not only a valiant warrior but also a brilliant military strategist. His writings on ambush and assault tactics were crucial in guiding the Eighth Route Army's operations. The general also dedicated significant effort to the regularization of the army and the establishment of military factories.
\n
As the 80th anniversary of the victory in the war and World Anti-Fascist War approached, Sha expressed a desire to write a letter across time to his grandfather, telling him about the prosperous New China, a realization of his dreams.
\n
Shanxi, a major battlefield during the war, was home to the headquarters of the Eighth Route Army and several revolutionary bases. Zuo was the highest-ranking commander of the Eighth Route Army to be killed in action. In his honor, Liaoxian county was renamed Zuoquan county in September 1942, forever linking his name to the land he fought to protect.
\n
Wu Xinyi, an 18-year-old who grew up in Zuoquan and recently graduated from high school, spoke of her pride in her hometown's name. "Every time I leave home and people hear 'Zuoquan', they are curious to learn more about our Red history and current developments," she said.
\n
Zuoquan, known nationwide as an old revolutionary base, is now home to 269 revolutionary sites, earning it the title of an "open-air museum of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression", said Guo Fenghui, head of the county.
\n
In the summer of 2024, the Zuoquan County Shiziling Breakout Battle Memorial Park opened, marking the site where Zuo fought and fell, with a memorial pavilion quietly recounting the poignant history.
\n
Tour guide Yang Zhenyu shares the story of Zuo's sacrifice, emphasizing the importance of passing down this history to younger generations. "There was a group of brave predecessors who bled and sacrificed for our happiness. It's something to be forever proud of," he said.
\n
In recent years, leveraging its rich Red cultural heritage, Zuoquan has developed key attractions like the Matian Eighth Route Army Headquarters zone and the Tongyu 1941 Town project, establishing itself as a key destination for Red tourism in Shanxi.
\n
To further preserve and teach this Red culture, a Red Culture Study Base was inaugurated in the county. The base aims to use the area's rich resources as educational tools, providing immersive experiences that allow young people to understand the depth of the revolutionary spirit and the warmth of history.
\n
As summer unfolds, the historical sites, including the Matian Eighth Route Army Headquarters and Tongyu 1941 Town, bustle with visitors eager to engage in Red-themed activities. Since its premiere on June 1, the interactive Red drama Tongyu Defense Battle has become a hit, allowing visitors to don period costumes and participate in battle reenactments, experiencing firsthand the courage and conviction of the revolutionaries.
\n
Liu Xiaodong, the 27-year-old director of the play, said: "Participants are no longer mere spectators; they are deeply immersed, fighting alongside actors. Through this interaction, they can truly feel the steadfast faith and bravery of the revolutionary forebears."
\n
Ren Yingying, the operations manager at Zuoquan Cultural Tourism Development Company, expressed a commitment to making Red culture more engaging and accessible. "We aim to bring Red culture into everyday life in a vivid and experiential way, enhancing Zuoquan's reputation and influence."
\n
Contact the writers at zhuxingxin@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
+ "content": "
Tourists visit the Matian Eighth Route Army Headquarters in Zuoquan county, Shanxi province.
\n
An aerial photo shows Matian village, home to the Matian Eighth Route Army Headquarters zone.
\n
Visitors admire a statue of Zuo Quan at the Zuoquan County Shiziling Breakout Battle Memorial Park.
\n
In the heart of the Taihang Mountains in northern China, the memory of General Zuo Quan (1905-42) has remained vivid and been cherished for over 80 years.
\n
During the full-scale outbreak of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression (1931-45), Zuo served as the deputy chief of staff of the Eighth Route Army, assisting in directing guerrilla warfare behind enemy lines in North China. His grandson, Sha Feng, told China Daily how his strategic brilliance and bravery were instrumental in the fight against the invaders.
\n
On May 25, 1942, the Japanese launched a massive offensive against the revolutionary base in the Taihang Mountains. Near Matian in Liaoxian county, Shanxi province, Zuo personally led his troops to protect the North Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the headquarters of the Eighth Route Army during their breakout and retreat. Tragically, in the heat of battle, he was struck by shrapnel from a Japanese artillery shell and died at the age of 37.
\n
"My grandfather fought for national independence until his last breath," Sha said. "It was just two days before my mother Zuo Taibei's second birthday. She spent only three months with her father."
\n
To Sha, his grandfather was not only a valiant warrior but also a brilliant military strategist. His writings on ambush and assault tactics were crucial in guiding the Eighth Route Army's operations. The general also dedicated significant effort to the regularization of the army and the establishment of military factories.
\n
As the 80th anniversary of the victory in the war and World Anti-Fascist War approached, Sha expressed a desire to write a letter across time to his grandfather, telling him about the prosperous New China, a realization of his dreams.
\n
Shanxi, a major battlefield during the war, was home to the headquarters of the Eighth Route Army and several revolutionary bases. Zuo was the highest-ranking commander of the Eighth Route Army to be killed in action. In his honor, Liaoxian county was renamed Zuoquan county in September 1942, forever linking his name to the land he fought to protect.
\n
Wu Xinyi, an 18-year-old who grew up in Zuoquan and recently graduated from high school, spoke of her pride in her hometown's name. "Every time I leave home and people hear 'Zuoquan', they are curious to learn more about our Red history and current developments," she said.
\n
Zuoquan, known nationwide as an old revolutionary base, is now home to 269 revolutionary sites, earning it the title of an "open-air museum of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression", said Guo Fenghui, head of the county.
\n
In the summer of 2024, the Zuoquan County Shiziling Breakout Battle Memorial Park opened, marking the site where Zuo fought and fell, with a memorial pavilion quietly recounting the poignant history.
\n
Tour guide Yang Zhenyu shares the story of Zuo's sacrifice, emphasizing the importance of passing down this history to younger generations. "There was a group of brave predecessors who bled and sacrificed for our happiness. It's something to be forever proud of," he said.
\n
In recent years, leveraging its rich Red cultural heritage, Zuoquan has developed key attractions like the Matian Eighth Route Army Headquarters zone and the Tongyu 1941 Town project, establishing itself as a key destination for Red tourism in Shanxi.
\n
To further preserve and teach this Red culture, a Red Culture Study Base was inaugurated in the county. The base aims to use the area's rich resources as educational tools, providing immersive experiences that allow young people to understand the depth of the revolutionary spirit and the warmth of history.
\n
As summer unfolds, the historical sites, including the Matian Eighth Route Army Headquarters and Tongyu 1941 Town, bustle with visitors eager to engage in Red-themed activities. Since its premiere on June 1, the interactive Red drama Tongyu Defense Battle has become a hit, allowing visitors to don period costumes and participate in battle reenactments, experiencing firsthand the courage and conviction of the revolutionaries.
\n
Liu Xiaodong, the 27-year-old director of the play, said: "Participants are no longer mere spectators; they are deeply immersed, fighting alongside actors. Through this interaction, they can truly feel the steadfast faith and bravery of the revolutionary forebears."
\n
Ren Yingying, the operations manager at Zuoquan Cultural Tourism Development Company, expressed a commitment to making Red culture more engaging and accessible. "We aim to bring Red culture into everyday life in a vivid and experiential way, enhancing Zuoquan's reputation and influence."
\n
Contact the writers at zhuxingxin@chinadaily.com.cn
Yuan Xiaoping (left) demonstrates how thin he can cut traditional Chinese herbs into pieces at Tianqitang pharmacy in Zhangshu, Jiangxi province.
\n
Each morning, the soft sound of slicing fills the air at a processing workshop in Zhangshu, Jiangxi province.
\n
Yuan Xiaoping, 69, stands by his workbench, skillfully slicing white peony root into translucent pieces. The technique may seem effortless, but it is the result of more than 50 years of disciplined practice.
\n
Yuan is a nationally recognized inheritor of the Zhangshu traditional Chinese medicine processing technique, a form of craftsmanship designated as national intangible cultural heritage in 2018.
\n
For over 1,800 years, Zhangshu — known as China's medicine capital — has perfected the art of traditional herb processing, transforming raw plants into precise medicine.
\n
This craft, known as Zhangbang techniques, relies on four signature tools: razor-sharp knives for paper-thin slicing, copper pots for controlled heating, mineral-rich local water, and secret methods passed from master to apprentice.
\n
Born into a family with a tradition in Chinese medicine, Yuan began working as an apprentice at the old Tianqitang pharmacy at the age of 16.
\n
He later studied under master craftsman Yu Shouxiang, known locally as the "First Blade of Zhangshu", who was renowned for his expertise in medicinal cutting.
\n
Yuan dedicated decades to mastering core skills of the craft, including specialized methods such as wine-steaming and honey-frying.
\n
For him, the heart of the craft lies in two skills: cutting and processing.
\n
"Whether stir-frying, soaking, steaming, or curing — even drying, sun-baking, slicing, or storing — every step demands precision. But it's the knife work that truly stands out: each slice cut to perfect thickness, almost like art.
\n
"Processing is not just about preparing herbs," Yuan said.
\n
"It demands reverence for the innate properties of medicinal materials and the application of precise methods to unlock their therapeutic value."
\n
In 2002, Yuan Xiaoping founded the Tianqitang Decoction Pieces Company, integrating TCM processing techniques with standardized modern production protocols. That same year, he established a dedicated training workshop to cultivate the next generation of TCM technicians.
\n
By creating the company and cultivation bases, Yuan has built a complete industrial chain — from herbal cultivation and harvesting to processing, production, and sales of TCM decoction pieces.
\n
By the end of 2024, Tianqitang Decoction Pieces reported annual revenue of 323 million yuan, driving a big growth in Zhangshu's traditional medicine industry.
\n
To sustain the tradition, Yuan organizes regular skills competitions and invites retired master workers to teach apprentices on-site. Nearly 40 percent of his technicians are under the age of 25.
\n
"Young people can carry the tradition forward if given the chance," he said. His students include Zhu Fulin and Liu Honglian, who now take on leadership roles themselves.
\n
Yuan's efforts are supported by local government initiatives.
\n
Zhangshu has introduced subsidy programs for certified heritage bearers and their apprentices. Yuan himself was named a TCM processing master of Jiangxi province, and his workshop was designated as a provincial intangible cultural heritage studio.
\n
In addition to training, Yuan has partnered with vocational colleges to build hands-on training centers in recent years.
\n
Students in TCM programs now visit regularly to learn slicing, roasting, and pill-making techniques in a real production environment. He has also contributed to the drafting of technical manuals and participated in regional research projects aimed at systematizing traditional practices.
\n
Despite modern production technologies, Yuan believes many essential steps remain dependent on experience.
\n
"Machines can cut, but they can't read the color, smell or texture of herbs," he said.
\n
His workshop has slowly become a space for education, exchange, and even tourism, attracting visitors — including students, researchers and herbal medicine retailers — who are curious about a tradition that continues to inform modern pharmaceutical practices.
\n
So far, Yuan has conducted 23 consecutive training workshops for specialized TCM technicians, educating over 1,500 practitioners.
\n
"Some techniques are simple in appearance, but they require years of repetition to do well," Yuan said. "And only when passed down can they truly stay alive."
Yuan Xiaoping (left) demonstrates how thin he can cut traditional Chinese herbs into pieces at Tianqitang pharmacy in Zhangshu, Jiangxi province.
\n
Each morning, the soft sound of slicing fills the air at a processing workshop in Zhangshu, Jiangxi province.
\n
Yuan Xiaoping, 69, stands by his workbench, skillfully slicing white peony root into translucent pieces. The technique may seem effortless, but it is the result of more than 50 years of disciplined practice.
\n
Yuan is a nationally recognized inheritor of the Zhangshu traditional Chinese medicine processing technique, a form of craftsmanship designated as national intangible cultural heritage in 2018.
\n
For over 1,800 years, Zhangshu — known as China's medicine capital — has perfected the art of traditional herb processing, transforming raw plants into precise medicine.
\n
This craft, known as Zhangbang techniques, relies on four signature tools: razor-sharp knives for paper-thin slicing, copper pots for controlled heating, mineral-rich local water, and secret methods passed from master to apprentice.
\n
Born into a family with a tradition in Chinese medicine, Yuan began working as an apprentice at the old Tianqitang pharmacy at the age of 16.
\n
He later studied under master craftsman Yu Shouxiang, known locally as the "First Blade of Zhangshu", who was renowned for his expertise in medicinal cutting.
\n
Yuan dedicated decades to mastering core skills of the craft, including specialized methods such as wine-steaming and honey-frying.
\n
For him, the heart of the craft lies in two skills: cutting and processing.
\n
"Whether stir-frying, soaking, steaming, or curing — even drying, sun-baking, slicing, or storing — every step demands precision. But it's the knife work that truly stands out: each slice cut to perfect thickness, almost like art.
\n
"Processing is not just about preparing herbs," Yuan said.
\n
"It demands reverence for the innate properties of medicinal materials and the application of precise methods to unlock their therapeutic value."
\n
In 2002, Yuan Xiaoping founded the Tianqitang Decoction Pieces Company, integrating TCM processing techniques with standardized modern production protocols. That same year, he established a dedicated training workshop to cultivate the next generation of TCM technicians.
\n
By creating the company and cultivation bases, Yuan has built a complete industrial chain — from herbal cultivation and harvesting to processing, production, and sales of TCM decoction pieces.
\n
By the end of 2024, Tianqitang Decoction Pieces reported annual revenue of 323 million yuan, driving a big growth in Zhangshu's traditional medicine industry.
\n
To sustain the tradition, Yuan organizes regular skills competitions and invites retired master workers to teach apprentices on-site. Nearly 40 percent of his technicians are under the age of 25.
\n
"Young people can carry the tradition forward if given the chance," he said. His students include Zhu Fulin and Liu Honglian, who now take on leadership roles themselves.
\n
Yuan's efforts are supported by local government initiatives.
\n
Zhangshu has introduced subsidy programs for certified heritage bearers and their apprentices. Yuan himself was named a TCM processing master of Jiangxi province, and his workshop was designated as a provincial intangible cultural heritage studio.
\n
In addition to training, Yuan has partnered with vocational colleges to build hands-on training centers in recent years.
\n
Students in TCM programs now visit regularly to learn slicing, roasting, and pill-making techniques in a real production environment. He has also contributed to the drafting of technical manuals and participated in regional research projects aimed at systematizing traditional practices.
\n
Despite modern production technologies, Yuan believes many essential steps remain dependent on experience.
\n
"Machines can cut, but they can't read the color, smell or texture of herbs," he said.
\n
His workshop has slowly become a space for education, exchange, and even tourism, attracting visitors — including students, researchers and herbal medicine retailers — who are curious about a tradition that continues to inform modern pharmaceutical practices.
\n
So far, Yuan has conducted 23 consecutive training workshops for specialized TCM technicians, educating over 1,500 practitioners.
\n
"Some techniques are simple in appearance, but they require years of repetition to do well," Yuan said. "And only when passed down can they truly stay alive."
TAIYUAN — In recent years, courts in North China's Shanxi province have intensified their efforts to build specialized judicial capabilities for environmental and resource-related trials, aiming to better safeguard the fragile ecosystem of the Yellow River Basin.
\n
On the dusty banks of the Fenhe River, the defendants, following the court's order, released a bucket of fish. A total of 35,000 carp fry splashed into the river, restocking what their illegal nets once emptied. Welcome to Shanxi's courtroom of the green future, where justice is measured not only in convictions but in clear water and new grass.
\n
Shanxi has cultivated a team of judges who are not only proficient in environmental adjudication but also well-versed in ecological and resource-related expertise. Concurrently, "expert jurors" from diverse fields have been enlisted to offer scientific consultations during trials.
\n
Situated on the Loess Plateau, Shanxi confronts formidable ecological protection challenges. The Yellow River traverses four cities and 19 counties of the province, covering areas where over 65 percent of Shanxi's population resides. Its major tributary, the Fenhe River, serves as a vital water conservation zone and ecological barrier in the middle reaches of the Yellow River.
\n
Protecting these river basins is crucial for Shanxi's ecological governance and high-quality development. However, environmental and resource-related cases are often complex, extensive and highly technical.
\n
"In illegal fishing cases, sentencing may be straightforward, but the real challenge lies in enforcing ecological restoration," said Bian Junmei, deputy head of the environmental and resource tribunal of the Shanxi Provincial Higher People's Court. "For instance, which fish fry released into the Yellow and Fenhe rivers can generate the greatest ecological value? Judges don't always have the answers."
\n
In November 2024, under the guidance of experts from the local aquaculture research station, the People's Court of Yongji City recommended that the defendants release 35,000 fingerlings of red-eyed trout and Yellow River carp into the Yellow River as part of the penalty for ecological resource restoration.
\n
Red-eyed trout, being filter-feeding fish, can clean organic debris and plankton in the water, contributing to the maintenance of water cleanliness and health. These two species also hold high market value, providing fishermen with a significant economic return, according to local experts.
\n
Shanxi established its provincial-level environmental and resource tribunal in 2019. By the end of 2020, every intermediate court across the province had set up such environmental divisions, and each county-level court had formed specialized trial teams.
\n
By June 2025, Shanxi courts had handled over 22,000 cases involving environmental pollution, ecological damage, natural resource utilization, climate response and ecological governance.
\n
In a civil public interest litigation case filed by a Beijing research institute against a Shanxi aluminum company, the Xinzhou Intermediate People's Court facilitated a mediation agreement.
\n
With the support of technical experts, the company converted a dust-laden site into a lush grassland spanning more than 66 hectares, boosting its green production capacity.
\n
Through on-site circuit trials, ecological restocking, technology-upgrade-for-penalty mechanisms and volunteer services, Shanxi courts have encouraged the defendants to shift from "offenders" to "guardians", providing both education and deterrence for the public.
TAIYUAN — In recent years, courts in North China's Shanxi province have intensified their efforts to build specialized judicial capabilities for environmental and resource-related trials, aiming to better safeguard the fragile ecosystem of the Yellow River Basin.
\n
On the dusty banks of the Fenhe River, the defendants, following the court's order, released a bucket of fish. A total of 35,000 carp fry splashed into the river, restocking what their illegal nets once emptied. Welcome to Shanxi's courtroom of the green future, where justice is measured not only in convictions but in clear water and new grass.
\n
Shanxi has cultivated a team of judges who are not only proficient in environmental adjudication but also well-versed in ecological and resource-related expertise. Concurrently, "expert jurors" from diverse fields have been enlisted to offer scientific consultations during trials.
\n
Situated on the Loess Plateau, Shanxi confronts formidable ecological protection challenges. The Yellow River traverses four cities and 19 counties of the province, covering areas where over 65 percent of Shanxi's population resides. Its major tributary, the Fenhe River, serves as a vital water conservation zone and ecological barrier in the middle reaches of the Yellow River.
\n
Protecting these river basins is crucial for Shanxi's ecological governance and high-quality development. However, environmental and resource-related cases are often complex, extensive and highly technical.
\n
"In illegal fishing cases, sentencing may be straightforward, but the real challenge lies in enforcing ecological restoration," said Bian Junmei, deputy head of the environmental and resource tribunal of the Shanxi Provincial Higher People's Court. "For instance, which fish fry released into the Yellow and Fenhe rivers can generate the greatest ecological value? Judges don't always have the answers."
\n
In November 2024, under the guidance of experts from the local aquaculture research station, the People's Court of Yongji City recommended that the defendants release 35,000 fingerlings of red-eyed trout and Yellow River carp into the Yellow River as part of the penalty for ecological resource restoration.
\n
Red-eyed trout, being filter-feeding fish, can clean organic debris and plankton in the water, contributing to the maintenance of water cleanliness and health. These two species also hold high market value, providing fishermen with a significant economic return, according to local experts.
\n
Shanxi established its provincial-level environmental and resource tribunal in 2019. By the end of 2020, every intermediate court across the province had set up such environmental divisions, and each county-level court had formed specialized trial teams.
\n
By June 2025, Shanxi courts had handled over 22,000 cases involving environmental pollution, ecological damage, natural resource utilization, climate response and ecological governance.
\n
In a civil public interest litigation case filed by a Beijing research institute against a Shanxi aluminum company, the Xinzhou Intermediate People's Court facilitated a mediation agreement.
\n
With the support of technical experts, the company converted a dust-laden site into a lush grassland spanning more than 66 hectares, boosting its green production capacity.
\n
Through on-site circuit trials, ecological restocking, technology-upgrade-for-penalty mechanisms and volunteer services, Shanxi courts have encouraged the defendants to shift from "offenders" to "guardians", providing both education and deterrence for the public.
Fully demonstrating the effectiveness of the strong leadership of the Communist Party of China and the strengths of China's socialist system, people of all ethnic groups in the Xizang autonomous region have benefited more than ever before from development since the 18th National Congress of the CPC in 2012. The new development philosophy that was adopted and has been enriched ever since enabled Xizang, along with the rest of the country, to win the battle to eradicate extreme poverty and realize a moderately prosperous society in all respects in the new era.
\n
This was the culmination of decades of dedicated efforts to promote the autonomous region's development after its establishment in 1965. Between that year and 2024, the central government invested a total of 2.6 trillion yuan ($362.3 billion) in Xizang. A further 64.3 billion yuan was invested in the region since the 1990s through the paired-up assistance system in which 17 provinces and municipalities, central enterprises, and central financial institutions provide targeted support for counties and districts in the autonomous region that they are respectively assigned to assist. This system has also sent over 14,000 selected civil servants, professional and talents to work in Xizang for about three years in 11 batches by now.
\n
Yet the region cannot rest on its development achievements. Promoting the high-quality socioeconomic development of Xizang should always be the focus of local authorities, which should apply to the letter the new development philosophy of innovative, coordinated, green and open development that is for everyone.
\n
To that end, the local authorities must thoroughly carry out anti-secession efforts to ensure the consolidation and security of the border so as to ensure a stable environment for development as was urged by the central authorities at a grand gathering held on Thursday in Lhasa, capital of the autonomous region, to mark the 60th anniversary of its founding.
\n
The local authorities must unswervingly consolidate and develop ethnic unity by strengthening the exchanges and integration among all ethnic groups, and the identification of all ethnic groups with the motherland, the Chinese nation, Chinese culture, the Party, and socialism with Chinese characteristics, so as to ensure they fully identify themselves as members of the great Chinese family.
\n
In the process, local authorities should adhere to a people-centered approach and continuously improve people's well-being and promote common prosperity so as to ensure the fruits of high-quality development benefit all ethnic groups in Xizang, and local people have a greater sense of gain, fulfillment and security. To help the region promote ethnic unity and progress on all fronts, the central authorities have pledged to continue to increase their input and strengthen support for Xizang's development in the future.
\n
The remarkable development of the autonomous region over the past 60 years fully demonstrates that only under the leadership of the CPC, adhering to the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, upholding the system of regional ethnic autonomy, and adhering to the Party's guidelines on the governance of Xizang in the new era, can prosperity and progress be achieved in the autonomous region, and the people of all ethnic groups in Xizang live a happy life.
\n
With China at a critical juncture in building itself into a modern socialist country in all respects, Xizang's modernization drive stands at a new historical starting point.
\n
The region should have the confidence that under the leadership of the Party and with the full support of the nation, it will be able to accomplish the four tasks of ensuring stability, facilitating development, protecting the eco-environment, and strengthening the borders.
\n
In doing so, Xizang will open a new and splendid era of long-term peace and stability and high-quality development for itself.
\n",
+ "content": "
Fully demonstrating the effectiveness of the strong leadership of the Communist Party of China and the strengths of China's socialist system, people of all ethnic groups in the Xizang autonomous region have benefited more than ever before from development since the 18th National Congress of the CPC in 2012. The new development philosophy that was adopted and has been enriched ever since enabled Xizang, along with the rest of the country, to win the battle to eradicate extreme poverty and realize a moderately prosperous society in all respects in the new era.
\n
This was the culmination of decades of dedicated efforts to promote the autonomous region's development after its establishment in 1965. Between that year and 2024, the central government invested a total of 2.6 trillion yuan ($362.3 billion) in Xizang. A further 64.3 billion yuan was invested in the region since the 1990s through the paired-up assistance system in which 17 provinces and municipalities, central enterprises, and central financial institutions provide targeted support for counties and districts in the autonomous region that they are respectively assigned to assist. This system has also sent over 14,000 selected civil servants, professional and talents to work in Xizang for about three years in 11 batches by now.
\n
Yet the region cannot rest on its development achievements. Promoting the high-quality socioeconomic development of Xizang should always be the focus of local authorities, which should apply to the letter the new development philosophy of innovative, coordinated, green and open development that is for everyone.
\n
To that end, the local authorities must thoroughly carry out anti-secession efforts to ensure the consolidation and security of the border so as to ensure a stable environment for development as was urged by the central authorities at a grand gathering held on Thursday in Lhasa, capital of the autonomous region, to mark the 60th anniversary of its founding.
\n
The local authorities must unswervingly consolidate and develop ethnic unity by strengthening the exchanges and integration among all ethnic groups, and the identification of all ethnic groups with the motherland, the Chinese nation, Chinese culture, the Party, and socialism with Chinese characteristics, so as to ensure they fully identify themselves as members of the great Chinese family.
\n
In the process, local authorities should adhere to a people-centered approach and continuously improve people's well-being and promote common prosperity so as to ensure the fruits of high-quality development benefit all ethnic groups in Xizang, and local people have a greater sense of gain, fulfillment and security. To help the region promote ethnic unity and progress on all fronts, the central authorities have pledged to continue to increase their input and strengthen support for Xizang's development in the future.
\n
The remarkable development of the autonomous region over the past 60 years fully demonstrates that only under the leadership of the CPC, adhering to the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, upholding the system of regional ethnic autonomy, and adhering to the Party's guidelines on the governance of Xizang in the new era, can prosperity and progress be achieved in the autonomous region, and the people of all ethnic groups in Xizang live a happy life.
\n
With China at a critical juncture in building itself into a modern socialist country in all respects, Xizang's modernization drive stands at a new historical starting point.
\n
The region should have the confidence that under the leadership of the Party and with the full support of the nation, it will be able to accomplish the four tasks of ensuring stability, facilitating development, protecting the eco-environment, and strengthening the borders.
\n
In doing so, Xizang will open a new and splendid era of long-term peace and stability and high-quality development for itself.
The Ministry of Commerce announced preliminary anti-dumping duties on Canadian canola imports on Tuesday last week, with the provisional rate set at 75.8 percent, which became effective two days later.
\n
Although some claimed this move serves to escalate the year-long trade dispute between the two countries, which began with Ottawa's arbitrary imposition of a 100 percent tariff on imports of Chinese-made electric vehicles last August, China has enough reasons to do so according to the law, and the findings of an antidumping probe launched in September last year.
\n
China also filed a lawsuit against Canada for its restrictive import measures on steel and other products at the World Trade Organization on Friday last week, which was triggered by the Canadian side's ill-advised trade policies. Canada has disregarded WTO rules by implementing steel tariff-rate quotas and imposing discriminatory tariffs on products containing so-called "Chinese steel content", in spite of the Chinese side's strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition.
\n
Canada's restrictive trade measures on Chinese-made EVs and products containing "Chinese steel content" constitute a typical example of unilateralism and trade protectionism. Such measures harm China's legitimate rights and interests, hurt the otherwise stable Sino-Canadian trade relations, and disrupt the stability of the global industry and supply chains. That leaves China no choice but to take legitimate and justified means to safeguard its core interests.
\n
Canada exported almost C$5 billion ($3.64 billion) of its oilseed crop to China in 2024. But the new duty rate set by China effectively closes the Chinese market to Canadian exports of the agriproduct, as Canola Council of Canada President Chris Davison said. Aware of the impacts on Canadian farmers, the Canadian government issued a statement immediately after China announced its preliminary antidumping duties on Canadian canola, declaring that the country "is committed to ensuring fair market access for our canola industry and we remain ready to engage in constructive dialogue with Chinese officials to address our respective trade concerns".
\n
It is good to hear the Canadian government say that it remains open to dialogue to try and settle the trade disputes. But it should reflect on the root causes of the strained economic ties between the two countries rather than feel "deeply disappointed" with China's decision. It certainly knows clearly what to do on its part to straighten out the trade ties with the world's second-largest economy.
\n
Some may be waiting for China to back down first, as the world's largest importer of canola has been sourcing nearly all its supplies of the product from Canada and now it will have to secure new supply sources in a short time to satisfy its huge domestic demand.
\n
But although China faces uncertainties and risks in its trade relations with some economies, such as Canada, its super-large market, stable demand and good credit record in international trade make it popular among most major exporters of staple commodities such as iron ore, oil and gas, soybean and canola.
\n
Those betting on China putting all its eggs in one basket should realize that China has enough space and has fully prepared to diversify its supply chains of strategic staple commodities. Reportedly, it is seeking to reopen canola trade with Australia after a five-year pause in a bid to secure supplies of the rapeseed crop. Such a diversification strategy is becoming increasingly common among major economies as the adoption of protectionism and unilateralism by some economies is disrupting the global industry and supply chains.
\n
China's diversification strategy is conducive to not only safeguarding its trade security in strategic items but also strengthening its bargaining position in trade negotiations with related countries. Meanwhile, the ability to switch suppliers, based on price and availability, helps China manage costs and maintain economic efficiency.
\n
As for Canada, the position it now finds itself in with regard to its canola exports can be attributed to the lack of autonomy in its policy. Its blind toeing of the United States' coercive policy has resulted in it unwarrantedly targeting China. Beijing has sent clear signals to the Mark Carney government since it took office in May that the two countries should work together to put Sino-Canadian ties back on the right track. But the Carney government seems hesitant to act on its claimed willingness to do so.
\n
Separately, China has also launched an antidumping investigation into Canadian pea starch and imposed provisional duties on imports of halogenated butyl rubber, according to Commerce Ministry statements. Those are acute reminders that Canada should take immediate actions to correct its erroneous practices, uphold the rules-based multilateral trading system, and promote the continued improvement of China-Canada economic ties.
\n
As China navigates the changing trade dynamics, it will continue to uphold multilateralism and free trade rules.
\n",
+ "content": "
The Ministry of Commerce announced preliminary anti-dumping duties on Canadian canola imports on Tuesday last week, with the provisional rate set at 75.8 percent, which became effective two days later.
\n
Although some claimed this move serves to escalate the year-long trade dispute between the two countries, which began with Ottawa's arbitrary imposition of a 100 percent tariff on imports of Chinese-made electric vehicles last August, China has enough reasons to do so according to the law, and the findings of an antidumping probe launched in September last year.
\n
China also filed a lawsuit against Canada for its restrictive import measures on steel and other products at the World Trade Organization on Friday last week, which was triggered by the Canadian side's ill-advised trade policies. Canada has disregarded WTO rules by implementing steel tariff-rate quotas and imposing discriminatory tariffs on products containing so-called "Chinese steel content", in spite of the Chinese side's strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition.
\n
Canada's restrictive trade measures on Chinese-made EVs and products containing "Chinese steel content" constitute a typical example of unilateralism and trade protectionism. Such measures harm China's legitimate rights and interests, hurt the otherwise stable Sino-Canadian trade relations, and disrupt the stability of the global industry and supply chains. That leaves China no choice but to take legitimate and justified means to safeguard its core interests.
\n
Canada exported almost C$5 billion ($3.64 billion) of its oilseed crop to China in 2024. But the new duty rate set by China effectively closes the Chinese market to Canadian exports of the agriproduct, as Canola Council of Canada President Chris Davison said. Aware of the impacts on Canadian farmers, the Canadian government issued a statement immediately after China announced its preliminary antidumping duties on Canadian canola, declaring that the country "is committed to ensuring fair market access for our canola industry and we remain ready to engage in constructive dialogue with Chinese officials to address our respective trade concerns".
\n
It is good to hear the Canadian government say that it remains open to dialogue to try and settle the trade disputes. But it should reflect on the root causes of the strained economic ties between the two countries rather than feel "deeply disappointed" with China's decision. It certainly knows clearly what to do on its part to straighten out the trade ties with the world's second-largest economy.
\n
Some may be waiting for China to back down first, as the world's largest importer of canola has been sourcing nearly all its supplies of the product from Canada and now it will have to secure new supply sources in a short time to satisfy its huge domestic demand.
\n
But although China faces uncertainties and risks in its trade relations with some economies, such as Canada, its super-large market, stable demand and good credit record in international trade make it popular among most major exporters of staple commodities such as iron ore, oil and gas, soybean and canola.
\n
Those betting on China putting all its eggs in one basket should realize that China has enough space and has fully prepared to diversify its supply chains of strategic staple commodities. Reportedly, it is seeking to reopen canola trade with Australia after a five-year pause in a bid to secure supplies of the rapeseed crop. Such a diversification strategy is becoming increasingly common among major economies as the adoption of protectionism and unilateralism by some economies is disrupting the global industry and supply chains.
\n
China's diversification strategy is conducive to not only safeguarding its trade security in strategic items but also strengthening its bargaining position in trade negotiations with related countries. Meanwhile, the ability to switch suppliers, based on price and availability, helps China manage costs and maintain economic efficiency.
\n
As for Canada, the position it now finds itself in with regard to its canola exports can be attributed to the lack of autonomy in its policy. Its blind toeing of the United States' coercive policy has resulted in it unwarrantedly targeting China. Beijing has sent clear signals to the Mark Carney government since it took office in May that the two countries should work together to put Sino-Canadian ties back on the right track. But the Carney government seems hesitant to act on its claimed willingness to do so.
\n
Separately, China has also launched an antidumping investigation into Canadian pea starch and imposed provisional duties on imports of halogenated butyl rubber, according to Commerce Ministry statements. Those are acute reminders that Canada should take immediate actions to correct its erroneous practices, uphold the rules-based multilateral trading system, and promote the continued improvement of China-Canada economic ties.
\n
As China navigates the changing trade dynamics, it will continue to uphold multilateralism and free trade rules.
China's V-Day military parade, scheduled for Sept 3 in Tian'anmen Square in Beijing, will be the first of its kind since China embarked on a new journey to advance Chinese modernization on all fronts.
\n
A total of 45 formations and echelons will be involved in the grand parade. During the march-past, foot formations, battle flag formations, armament columns and flag-guarding aerial echelons will pass through the square in order, while fly-pasts are conducted overhead, according to the People's Liberation Army officials presiding over a news conference on Wednesday.
\n
The parade will provide the world with a rare chance to see the achievements of the PLA's modernization endeavors in recent years, which have created a new system of services and arms. The four services are the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, and the Rocket Force, and the four arms are the Aerospace Force, the Cyberspace Force, the Information Support Force and the Joint Logistics Support Force.
\n
The Army now accounts for less than 50 percent of the total active-duty personnel; noncombat units have been cut by nearly two-fourths; and the officer corps has been reduced by 30 percent — all to streamline the military and improve its combat capabilities, according to the news conference.
\n
With a high level of informatization and intelligence, the weapons and equipment to be displayed are expected to demonstrate the strong adaptive capability of the Chinese armed forces in response to the transformative sci-tech developments and the evolution of war forms.
\n
The parade will not only showcase a series of new-generation armaments but, more importantly, that under the leadership of the Party, the country and the armed forces have grown stronger and have the ability to win wars.
\n
In 2014, the country designated Sept 3 as Victory Day of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45). The parade will showcase that the great spirit of the Chinese people in that war lives on.
\n
The international community should recognize the fact that China made a major contribution to the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War by tying down and fighting the bulk of Japanese forces, and wiping out more than 1.5 million enemy troops.
\n
In 1945, after 14 years of resistance, China achieved victory at a tremendous cost of 35 million military and civilian casualties, accounting for one-third of the total casualties suffered by all countries in World War II.
\n
Japan surrendered on Sept 2,1945, signing the Instrument of Surrender to China and other Allied powers. China celebrated the victory the following day.
\n
China's victory in the war 80 years ago was a triumph of justice over evil, light over darkness, and progress over reaction. China was the first country to fight against fascist aggression. With huge national sacrifice, the Chinese people held their ground in the World Anti-Fascist War's main theater in the East.
\n
While demonstrating the Chinese military's strong ability to safeguard national sovereignty, security, and development interests, the parade is also a signal that the country upholds peace and will firmly defend international fairness and justice.
\n
With the rise of the hegemony and unilateralism of some countries that seek to define the world order according to their will, the international community should stand united to jointly defend the postwar international order.
\n
A country committed to peace and stability, China will work together with peace-loving countries and people across the world to uphold and advocate the correct historical view of World War II, resolutely safeguard the postwar order, firmly defend international fairness and justice, staunchly oppose all forms of hegemonism and power politics, and jointly promote the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.
\n",
+ "content": "
China's V-Day military parade, scheduled for Sept 3 in Tian'anmen Square in Beijing, will be the first of its kind since China embarked on a new journey to advance Chinese modernization on all fronts.
\n
A total of 45 formations and echelons will be involved in the grand parade. During the march-past, foot formations, battle flag formations, armament columns and flag-guarding aerial echelons will pass through the square in order, while fly-pasts are conducted overhead, according to the People's Liberation Army officials presiding over a news conference on Wednesday.
\n
The parade will provide the world with a rare chance to see the achievements of the PLA's modernization endeavors in recent years, which have created a new system of services and arms. The four services are the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, and the Rocket Force, and the four arms are the Aerospace Force, the Cyberspace Force, the Information Support Force and the Joint Logistics Support Force.
\n
The Army now accounts for less than 50 percent of the total active-duty personnel; noncombat units have been cut by nearly two-fourths; and the officer corps has been reduced by 30 percent — all to streamline the military and improve its combat capabilities, according to the news conference.
\n
With a high level of informatization and intelligence, the weapons and equipment to be displayed are expected to demonstrate the strong adaptive capability of the Chinese armed forces in response to the transformative sci-tech developments and the evolution of war forms.
\n
The parade will not only showcase a series of new-generation armaments but, more importantly, that under the leadership of the Party, the country and the armed forces have grown stronger and have the ability to win wars.
\n
In 2014, the country designated Sept 3 as Victory Day of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45). The parade will showcase that the great spirit of the Chinese people in that war lives on.
\n
The international community should recognize the fact that China made a major contribution to the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War by tying down and fighting the bulk of Japanese forces, and wiping out more than 1.5 million enemy troops.
\n
In 1945, after 14 years of resistance, China achieved victory at a tremendous cost of 35 million military and civilian casualties, accounting for one-third of the total casualties suffered by all countries in World War II.
\n
Japan surrendered on Sept 2,1945, signing the Instrument of Surrender to China and other Allied powers. China celebrated the victory the following day.
\n
China's victory in the war 80 years ago was a triumph of justice over evil, light over darkness, and progress over reaction. China was the first country to fight against fascist aggression. With huge national sacrifice, the Chinese people held their ground in the World Anti-Fascist War's main theater in the East.
\n
While demonstrating the Chinese military's strong ability to safeguard national sovereignty, security, and development interests, the parade is also a signal that the country upholds peace and will firmly defend international fairness and justice.
\n
With the rise of the hegemony and unilateralism of some countries that seek to define the world order according to their will, the international community should stand united to jointly defend the postwar international order.
\n
A country committed to peace and stability, China will work together with peace-loving countries and people across the world to uphold and advocate the correct historical view of World War II, resolutely safeguard the postwar order, firmly defend international fairness and justice, staunchly oppose all forms of hegemonism and power politics, and jointly promote the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.
Editor's Note: Artificial intelligence is reshaping human civilization through a chain reaction of "technological breakthroughs-industrial integration-social restructuring". AI has evolved from a single technological tool into a core engine driving economic, social and cultural transformation. Qi Guojun, a distinguished scientist of the Association for Computing Machinery and professor at Westlake University, spoke to Chinanews.com about the changes that AI would bring about in the economy and whether the global dialogue on AI is about competition or coexistence. Below are excerpts from the interview. The views don't necessarily represent those of China Daily.
\n
There is not sufficient evidence or scientific consensus to suggest that AI will develop self-awareness. Such ideas remain largely within the realm of science fiction. Nevertheless, development of the technology does present new challenges, although such issues are not unique to AI. The emergence of any new technology, such as the internet, has historically been accompanied by problems such as piracy and spread of harmful content in the case of the internet.
\n
But the overall positive impact of AI on society far outweighs the negative. AI brings significant value by advancing productivity, expanding application scenarios, creating new categories of employment and optimizing industrial structures. Indeed, there are already many cases of the positive impact of AI. For example, AI is widely applied in customer service, which has improved productivity. While this has put pressure on employment, it has also generated new and higher-paying jobs in the data industry. In creative sectors, such as digital humans, animation and art production, AI has replaced more than 90 percent of repetitive work. The advertising industry and data-processing-related sectors have also undergone major changes.
\n
Looking ahead, AI will play a powerful role in improving productivity across all industries. Much like the first stage of internet development, which initially boosted productivity, the next stage may see the rise of new enterprises that are native to the AI ecosystem. Within the next five years, large-scale enterprises borne from AI will emerge, with the potential to exert a profound influence on the global economy for the next 20-30 years.
\n
As for the future dialogue on AI, it will involve both competition and coexistence, but coexistence will outweigh competition. In this context, two dimensions of competition, speed and openness, are particularly critical.
\n
With regard to speed, the AI industry shares similarities with the internet sector. Because technological exchanges are frequent, no one can monopolize technology for long. The true advantage lies in scale, where speed and openness determine success. Whoever moves faster can attract more users, acquire more data and iterate their models more efficiently, creating a positive feedback loop, the so-called flywheel effect. Once the flywheel turns, both scale and influence will continue to expand.
\n
If a model is used on a small scale, it will not be able to attract enough users to form a sustainable commercial cycle. Without growth in data and users, it cannot fully understand user intentions and application scenarios, making it difficult for it to improve performance. This is why AI development must move toward greater openness, encouraging more users to participate in order to generate positive feedback. This is the essence of open competition in AI.
\n
Successful internet and IT enterprises are inevitably global, or at least exert significant cross-border influence. In the process, mutual reinforcement creates a relationship of coexistence. For instance, cooperation can be carried out in areas such as data governance and AI ethical standards. AI's positive spillover effects will extend worldwide, with technology sharing becoming a natural outcome.
\n
Academic exchange also strengthens coexistence. The AI field is highly open, with a large volume of new research shared in academic journals, at conferences and on open platforms. Through these exchanges, knowledge is disseminated, new ideas are shared and technological progress gets accelerated.
\n",
+ "content": "
Editor's Note: Artificial intelligence is reshaping human civilization through a chain reaction of "technological breakthroughs-industrial integration-social restructuring". AI has evolved from a single technological tool into a core engine driving economic, social and cultural transformation. Qi Guojun, a distinguished scientist of the Association for Computing Machinery and professor at Westlake University, spoke to Chinanews.com about the changes that AI would bring about in the economy and whether the global dialogue on AI is about competition or coexistence. Below are excerpts from the interview. The views don't necessarily represent those of China Daily.
\n
There is not sufficient evidence or scientific consensus to suggest that AI will develop self-awareness. Such ideas remain largely within the realm of science fiction. Nevertheless, development of the technology does present new challenges, although such issues are not unique to AI. The emergence of any new technology, such as the internet, has historically been accompanied by problems such as piracy and spread of harmful content in the case of the internet.
\n
But the overall positive impact of AI on society far outweighs the negative. AI brings significant value by advancing productivity, expanding application scenarios, creating new categories of employment and optimizing industrial structures. Indeed, there are already many cases of the positive impact of AI. For example, AI is widely applied in customer service, which has improved productivity. While this has put pressure on employment, it has also generated new and higher-paying jobs in the data industry. In creative sectors, such as digital humans, animation and art production, AI has replaced more than 90 percent of repetitive work. The advertising industry and data-processing-related sectors have also undergone major changes.
\n
Looking ahead, AI will play a powerful role in improving productivity across all industries. Much like the first stage of internet development, which initially boosted productivity, the next stage may see the rise of new enterprises that are native to the AI ecosystem. Within the next five years, large-scale enterprises borne from AI will emerge, with the potential to exert a profound influence on the global economy for the next 20-30 years.
\n
As for the future dialogue on AI, it will involve both competition and coexistence, but coexistence will outweigh competition. In this context, two dimensions of competition, speed and openness, are particularly critical.
\n
With regard to speed, the AI industry shares similarities with the internet sector. Because technological exchanges are frequent, no one can monopolize technology for long. The true advantage lies in scale, where speed and openness determine success. Whoever moves faster can attract more users, acquire more data and iterate their models more efficiently, creating a positive feedback loop, the so-called flywheel effect. Once the flywheel turns, both scale and influence will continue to expand.
\n
If a model is used on a small scale, it will not be able to attract enough users to form a sustainable commercial cycle. Without growth in data and users, it cannot fully understand user intentions and application scenarios, making it difficult for it to improve performance. This is why AI development must move toward greater openness, encouraging more users to participate in order to generate positive feedback. This is the essence of open competition in AI.
\n
Successful internet and IT enterprises are inevitably global, or at least exert significant cross-border influence. In the process, mutual reinforcement creates a relationship of coexistence. For instance, cooperation can be carried out in areas such as data governance and AI ethical standards. AI's positive spillover effects will extend worldwide, with technology sharing becoming a natural outcome.
\n
Academic exchange also strengthens coexistence. The AI field is highly open, with a large volume of new research shared in academic journals, at conferences and on open platforms. Through these exchanges, knowledge is disseminated, new ideas are shared and technological progress gets accelerated.
Cambodia and China have enjoyed a long-standing and special relationship established and nurtured by successive generations of leaders continuing to the present day. The historical bond has grown from strength to strength and developed into an ironclad friendship, driven by strong political trust and a deep sense of mutual respect for independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and noninterference. This friendship is a solid foundation for building an all-weather Cambodia-China community with a shared future in the new era, as both countries continue to deepen their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and enrich cooperation under the Diamond Hexagon Cooperation Framework.
\n
Cambodia has consistently supported the "One-China Policy" and regards issues related to Taiwan, Hong Kong, Xizang, and Xinjiang as the internal matters of China, while China firmly supports Cambodia in pursuing its own development path suitable for its national characteristics.
\n
Both countries have maintained frequent all-level engagement and communication that promote close and mutually beneficial cooperation in various areas including politics, economy, trade and investment, tourism, education, people-to-people connectivity, innovation, energy, and defense and security, among others. Cambodia is among the first countries to support various initiatives proposed by China including the Belt and Road Initiative, the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative.
\n
Under the BRI, many win-win infrastructure projects, which align with Cambodia's development priorities, have contributed to our remarkable economic growth. These encompass Siem Reap Angkor International Airport, Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway, Preah Sihanouk Special Economic Zone, and among others. The Chinese side supports Cambodia in developing Funan Techo Integrated Water Resources Management Project under the principle of feasibility and sustainability.
\n
Economic and trade cooperation between the two countries has grown steadily over the past decades, fueled by a shared strategic vision, and mutual trust. Since the signing of the Cambodia-China Free Trade Agreement in 2020, the two-way trade has substantially increased. Both countries have jointly developed "Industrial and Technology" and "Fish and Rice "corridors to enhance Cambodia-China agricultural modernization and deepen cooperation in production capacity and industrial manufacturing. The two nations are working to promote investment in emerging sectors such as digital economy and innovation, as well as green and sustainable development.
\n
Furthermore, both countries continue to make full use of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and ASEAN-China Free Trade Area (ACFTA). Cambodia supports the accession of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China to the RCEP and welcomes the fact that ASEAN and China have completed negotiations on the ACFTA 3.0 Upgrade Protocol, which will deepen regional cooperation.
\n
The two countries also emphasize the importance of fostering people-to-people connectivity to promote mutual understanding and cultural exchange. After the successful conclusion of the"2024 Year of People-to-People Exchange", the two countries have designated the Year 2025 as the "Year of Tourism", marking a new chapter of deepening people-to-people exchange.
\n
Looking ahead, Cambodia remains committed to deepening cooperation with China across all sectors, delivering tangible benefits to both nations and contributing to a more peaceful, prosperous, and integrated region.
\n
The Prospects for cooperation under the SCO framework
\n
Since obtaining SCO Dialogue Partner status in 2015, Cambodia has consistently valued its engagement with the SCO and actively participated in its cooperative activities. Cambodia attaches great significance to fostering close cooperation with all SCO member states, observers and dialogue partners in promoting the "Shanghai Spirit" — grounded in mutual trust and benefit, equality and consultation, respect for diverse cultures, and common development.
\n
Economically, the SCO represents over 40 percent of the world population, and over 20 percent of the world's GDP. This positions Cambodia to benefit significantly from increasing and diversifying bilateral economic exchanges and development cooperation with China and key trading partners.
\n
Furthermore, Cambodia seeks to leverage the opportunities within this expansive region striving for peace, stability, deeper integration, connectivity and seamless flow of trade and investment for all.
\n
Cambodia envisions the SCO as a platform that embodies a new model for cooperation, one that prioritizes mutually beneficial engagement, respects sovereignty, and refrains from interfering in the internal affairs of individual states. This aligns with Cambodia's commitment to a foreign policy of peace, neutrality, and respect for sovereignty of each nation.
\n
Looking ahead, Cambodia will work closely with China and key partners to strengthen both bilateral and multilateral cooperation including through the SCO framework. We will continue to deepen mutual trust through regular consultations and find new approaches to further promote win-win cooperation within the SCO mechanism.
\n
The views don't necessarily reflect those of China Daily.
\n",
+ "content": "\n\n
Cambodia and China have enjoyed a long-standing and special relationship established and nurtured by successive generations of leaders continuing to the present day. The historical bond has grown from strength to strength and developed into an ironclad friendship, driven by strong political trust and a deep sense of mutual respect for independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and noninterference. This friendship is a solid foundation for building an all-weather Cambodia-China community with a shared future in the new era, as both countries continue to deepen their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and enrich cooperation under the Diamond Hexagon Cooperation Framework.
\n
Cambodia has consistently supported the "One-China Policy" and regards issues related to Taiwan, Hong Kong, Xizang, and Xinjiang as the internal matters of China, while China firmly supports Cambodia in pursuing its own development path suitable for its national characteristics.
\n
Both countries have maintained frequent all-level engagement and communication that promote close and mutually beneficial cooperation in various areas including politics, economy, trade and investment, tourism, education, people-to-people connectivity, innovation, energy, and defense and security, among others. Cambodia is among the first countries to support various initiatives proposed by China including the Belt and Road Initiative, the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative.
\n
Under the BRI, many win-win infrastructure projects, which align with Cambodia's development priorities, have contributed to our remarkable economic growth. These encompass Siem Reap Angkor International Airport, Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway, Preah Sihanouk Special Economic Zone, and among others. The Chinese side supports Cambodia in developing Funan Techo Integrated Water Resources Management Project under the principle of feasibility and sustainability.
\n
Economic and trade cooperation between the two countries has grown steadily over the past decades, fueled by a shared strategic vision, and mutual trust. Since the signing of the Cambodia-China Free Trade Agreement in 2020, the two-way trade has substantially increased. Both countries have jointly developed "Industrial and Technology" and "Fish and Rice "corridors to enhance Cambodia-China agricultural modernization and deepen cooperation in production capacity and industrial manufacturing. The two nations are working to promote investment in emerging sectors such as digital economy and innovation, as well as green and sustainable development.
\n
Furthermore, both countries continue to make full use of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and ASEAN-China Free Trade Area (ACFTA). Cambodia supports the accession of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China to the RCEP and welcomes the fact that ASEAN and China have completed negotiations on the ACFTA 3.0 Upgrade Protocol, which will deepen regional cooperation.
\n
The two countries also emphasize the importance of fostering people-to-people connectivity to promote mutual understanding and cultural exchange. After the successful conclusion of the"2024 Year of People-to-People Exchange", the two countries have designated the Year 2025 as the "Year of Tourism", marking a new chapter of deepening people-to-people exchange.
\n
Looking ahead, Cambodia remains committed to deepening cooperation with China across all sectors, delivering tangible benefits to both nations and contributing to a more peaceful, prosperous, and integrated region.
\n
The Prospects for cooperation under the SCO framework
\n
Since obtaining SCO Dialogue Partner status in 2015, Cambodia has consistently valued its engagement with the SCO and actively participated in its cooperative activities. Cambodia attaches great significance to fostering close cooperation with all SCO member states, observers and dialogue partners in promoting the "Shanghai Spirit" — grounded in mutual trust and benefit, equality and consultation, respect for diverse cultures, and common development.
\n
Economically, the SCO represents over 40 percent of the world population, and over 20 percent of the world's GDP. This positions Cambodia to benefit significantly from increasing and diversifying bilateral economic exchanges and development cooperation with China and key trading partners.
\n
Furthermore, Cambodia seeks to leverage the opportunities within this expansive region striving for peace, stability, deeper integration, connectivity and seamless flow of trade and investment for all.
\n
Cambodia envisions the SCO as a platform that embodies a new model for cooperation, one that prioritizes mutually beneficial engagement, respects sovereignty, and refrains from interfering in the internal affairs of individual states. This aligns with Cambodia's commitment to a foreign policy of peace, neutrality, and respect for sovereignty of each nation.
\n
Looking ahead, Cambodia will work closely with China and key partners to strengthen both bilateral and multilateral cooperation including through the SCO framework. We will continue to deepen mutual trust through regular consultations and find new approaches to further promote win-win cooperation within the SCO mechanism.
\n
The views don't necessarily reflect those of China Daily.
The Democratic Progressive Party authorities in Taiwan are once again resorting to historical revisionism. A senior official of the island has claimed that the "San Francisco Peace Treaty" replaced the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Proclamation, which called for Japan's unconditional surrender in World War II and the return of Taiwan to China. He also claimed that the treaty did not call for transfer of Taiwan to China.
\n
This argument is not only legally baseless but also politically contrived — a rhetoric the DPP has long been recycling to push forward its "Taiwan independence "agenda. The argument twists international law, ignores binding wartime agreements, and amounts to political theater.
\n
The DPP's habit of cloaking separatist ambitions in high-sounding language is nothing new. Two months ago, Taiwan leader Lai Ching-te announced a political campaign in the name of fostering "unity", delivering his so-called "ten talks" in a bid to sway public opinion. On the surface, his language sounds lofty — filled with words like "peace", "democracy", and "solidarity".But behind his carefully choreographed performance lies a much more troubling reality: a calculated effort to repackage separatist ambitions in the language of hope, while driving a wedge between the Chinese people on the two sides of the Taiwan Strait.
\n
At the heart of Lai's campaign is a play of words, aimed at normalizing "Taiwan independence" through linguistic manipulation. Lai's repeated assertion that "the two sides of the Strait are not subordinate to each other" is nothing new; it is a recycled narrative designed to obscure Taiwan's historical and legal ties with the Chinese mainland.
\n
The rhetoric is aimed at dividing the Chinese people across the Strait, fomenting hostility against the mainland, and creating a climate of fear and antagonism. It is not a slip of the tongue, but part of a strategic ploy of Lai and his DPP to repeat falsehoods in a bid to make it sound like fact, use language as a weapon to reshape public perceptions and weaken the shared identity of the Chinese people on the two sides of the Strait.
\n
Lai's attempt to distort facts does not stop at wordplay. It extends into the realm of history. He has been denying the undeniable — that Taiwan has been a part of China since ancient times — by turning a blind eye to archaeological evidence and historical records that show the origin of the island residents is in southeastern China. He ignores centuries of administration by Chinese governments and downplays the fact that Taiwan was returned to China after Japan's defeat in World War II.
\n
These are not inadvertent omissions but deliberate acts of distortion. Lai seeks to rupture cultural and historical memory, crafting a fictional past that serves the DPP's ideological goals of "cultural independence" and identity separation. Instead of "giving voice to Taiwan", Lai is trying to sever its connection with a shared national heritage.
\n
Equally troubling is Lai's misuse of international law. By claiming that "Taiwan is not a part of China", he disregards the legal framework established by the 1943 Cairo Declaration, the 1945 Potsdam Proclamation, and the Japanese Instrument of Surrender signed on Sept 2, 1945 — all of which affirm Taiwan's return to China.
\n
He also brushes aside UN General Assembly Resolution 2758, which recognizes the representatives of the government of the People's Republic of China as the only lawful representative of China to the UN. The global consensus on Taiwan is unambiguous. An overwhelming majority of countries adhere to the one-China principle that there is only one China, and Taiwan is an integral part of China. Yet Lai insists on bending international law to suit his political interests. His approach undermines the credibility of international institutions and the postwar global order.
\n
What Lai is offering is not a road map for unity but a divisive political stunt — a rhetorical trap designed to manufacture consent for separatism in the guise of holding rational dialogue. His speeches are aimed at projecting ideological mobilization as policy discourse, while obscuring historical truths and legal realities. No matter how skillfully he crafts his message, lies repeated a thousand times remain lies. The historical fact of Taiwan being an integral part of China, and the emotional and historical ties of people across the Strait can't be overwritten by any script.
\n
History cannot be rewritten, law cannot be manipulated, and a nation cannot be divided by using tricks of language. The tide of national reunification is a force too powerful to resist. And those who seek to divide the country for political purposes will ultimately be judged, not just by history, but by the people.
\n",
+ "content": "\n
The Democratic Progressive Party authorities in Taiwan are once again resorting to historical revisionism. A senior official of the island has claimed that the "San Francisco Peace Treaty" replaced the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Proclamation, which called for Japan's unconditional surrender in World War II and the return of Taiwan to China. He also claimed that the treaty did not call for transfer of Taiwan to China.
\n
This argument is not only legally baseless but also politically contrived — a rhetoric the DPP has long been recycling to push forward its "Taiwan independence "agenda. The argument twists international law, ignores binding wartime agreements, and amounts to political theater.
\n
The DPP's habit of cloaking separatist ambitions in high-sounding language is nothing new. Two months ago, Taiwan leader Lai Ching-te announced a political campaign in the name of fostering "unity", delivering his so-called "ten talks" in a bid to sway public opinion. On the surface, his language sounds lofty — filled with words like "peace", "democracy", and "solidarity".But behind his carefully choreographed performance lies a much more troubling reality: a calculated effort to repackage separatist ambitions in the language of hope, while driving a wedge between the Chinese people on the two sides of the Taiwan Strait.
\n
At the heart of Lai's campaign is a play of words, aimed at normalizing "Taiwan independence" through linguistic manipulation. Lai's repeated assertion that "the two sides of the Strait are not subordinate to each other" is nothing new; it is a recycled narrative designed to obscure Taiwan's historical and legal ties with the Chinese mainland.
\n
The rhetoric is aimed at dividing the Chinese people across the Strait, fomenting hostility against the mainland, and creating a climate of fear and antagonism. It is not a slip of the tongue, but part of a strategic ploy of Lai and his DPP to repeat falsehoods in a bid to make it sound like fact, use language as a weapon to reshape public perceptions and weaken the shared identity of the Chinese people on the two sides of the Strait.
\n
Lai's attempt to distort facts does not stop at wordplay. It extends into the realm of history. He has been denying the undeniable — that Taiwan has been a part of China since ancient times — by turning a blind eye to archaeological evidence and historical records that show the origin of the island residents is in southeastern China. He ignores centuries of administration by Chinese governments and downplays the fact that Taiwan was returned to China after Japan's defeat in World War II.
\n
These are not inadvertent omissions but deliberate acts of distortion. Lai seeks to rupture cultural and historical memory, crafting a fictional past that serves the DPP's ideological goals of "cultural independence" and identity separation. Instead of "giving voice to Taiwan", Lai is trying to sever its connection with a shared national heritage.
\n
Equally troubling is Lai's misuse of international law. By claiming that "Taiwan is not a part of China", he disregards the legal framework established by the 1943 Cairo Declaration, the 1945 Potsdam Proclamation, and the Japanese Instrument of Surrender signed on Sept 2, 1945 — all of which affirm Taiwan's return to China.
\n
He also brushes aside UN General Assembly Resolution 2758, which recognizes the representatives of the government of the People's Republic of China as the only lawful representative of China to the UN. The global consensus on Taiwan is unambiguous. An overwhelming majority of countries adhere to the one-China principle that there is only one China, and Taiwan is an integral part of China. Yet Lai insists on bending international law to suit his political interests. His approach undermines the credibility of international institutions and the postwar global order.
\n
What Lai is offering is not a road map for unity but a divisive political stunt — a rhetorical trap designed to manufacture consent for separatism in the guise of holding rational dialogue. His speeches are aimed at projecting ideological mobilization as policy discourse, while obscuring historical truths and legal realities. No matter how skillfully he crafts his message, lies repeated a thousand times remain lies. The historical fact of Taiwan being an integral part of China, and the emotional and historical ties of people across the Strait can't be overwritten by any script.
\n
History cannot be rewritten, law cannot be manipulated, and a nation cannot be divided by using tricks of language. The tide of national reunification is a force too powerful to resist. And those who seek to divide the country for political purposes will ultimately be judged, not just by history, but by the people.
\n",
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+ {
+ "title": "009VIEWS - The best time to help end Russia-Ukraine conflict is now",
+ "description": "
Chen Weihua
\n\n
The latest intensive diplomatic efforts to help end the 42-month-long Russia-Ukraine conflict provide an opportunity for restoring peace, which should not be allowed to go to waste despite the many differences and huge challenges ahead.
\n
Although US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin did not reach a deal to end the conflict, their summit in Anchorage, Alaska, was billed as a vital step toward peace in Ukraine.
\n
More important, Trump said he was trying to schedule a summit between Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky. The Anchorage summit was followed by Trump's summit with Zelensky and several other European leaders in Washington on Monday.
\n
Trump deserves some understanding for reaching out to the US' so-called adversaries, including Russia, because it is necessary to talk to the other side, instead of with just allies and friendly countries, in order to broker peace and bring a conflict to end.
\n
On the contrary, the lack of such diplomacy between the US and the European Union and Russia during the Joe Biden administration was part of the reasons for the intensification of the Ukraine crisis in the past three plus years. As a result, the conflict has claimed thousands of lives and caused enormous economic losses on both sides.
\n
Prolonging and escalating the conflict, which some European countries seem to be driving at, will only result in bigger disasters for not only Ukraine and Russia but also Europe.
\n
Unfortunately, that still seems to be the preferred choice of many European politicians despite their public flattering of Trump for his efforts to help end the conflict. In fact, many still dream of seeing Russia suffer a decisive defeat, and don't believe Trump has their best interests in mind.
\n
That's why some European leaders have been trying to deny the necessity and value of the Alaska summit by claiming Putin does not want peace and cannot be trusted.
\n
The European Union will not gain anything by calling for new sanctions against Russia — as it has been doing amid Trump's diplomatic outreach. Both European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said earlier this week that the EU's 19th sanctions package against Russia should be ready by September.
\n
If the past 18 rounds of sanctions failed to achieve the desired outcome, will the 19th sanctions package make any difference?
\n
For anyone who's been following the more than three-year-long conflict, it is clear that the best time for mediating countries to broker a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine is now, and not after another three years.
\n
Indeed, many of the involved parties' demands are conflicting, from Trump's so-called "territorial swap" to Ukraine's NATO membership to "detailed security guarantee". And these are all tough issues, especially because they are politically sensitive nature. But that should not deter the genuine peace-seekers from mediating peace between Moscow and Kyiv.
\n
A peace deal between Russia and Ukraine will likely require many rounds of talks. But declaring a ceasefire and holding talks are always better than fighting. As Winston Churchill said in 1954, to jaw-jaw is always better than to war-war.
\n
China has been calling for an immediate ceasefire and dialogue for the past three years to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict. And now that another opportunity has arisen to end the conflict, the parties involved should not waste any more precious time to restore peace.
The latest intensive diplomatic efforts to help end the 42-month-long Russia-Ukraine conflict provide an opportunity for restoring peace, which should not be allowed to go to waste despite the many differences and huge challenges ahead.
\n
Although US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin did not reach a deal to end the conflict, their summit in Anchorage, Alaska, was billed as a vital step toward peace in Ukraine.
\n
More important, Trump said he was trying to schedule a summit between Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky. The Anchorage summit was followed by Trump's summit with Zelensky and several other European leaders in Washington on Monday.
\n
Trump deserves some understanding for reaching out to the US' so-called adversaries, including Russia, because it is necessary to talk to the other side, instead of with just allies and friendly countries, in order to broker peace and bring a conflict to end.
\n
On the contrary, the lack of such diplomacy between the US and the European Union and Russia during the Joe Biden administration was part of the reasons for the intensification of the Ukraine crisis in the past three plus years. As a result, the conflict has claimed thousands of lives and caused enormous economic losses on both sides.
\n
Prolonging and escalating the conflict, which some European countries seem to be driving at, will only result in bigger disasters for not only Ukraine and Russia but also Europe.
\n
Unfortunately, that still seems to be the preferred choice of many European politicians despite their public flattering of Trump for his efforts to help end the conflict. In fact, many still dream of seeing Russia suffer a decisive defeat, and don't believe Trump has their best interests in mind.
\n
That's why some European leaders have been trying to deny the necessity and value of the Alaska summit by claiming Putin does not want peace and cannot be trusted.
\n
The European Union will not gain anything by calling for new sanctions against Russia — as it has been doing amid Trump's diplomatic outreach. Both European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said earlier this week that the EU's 19th sanctions package against Russia should be ready by September.
\n
If the past 18 rounds of sanctions failed to achieve the desired outcome, will the 19th sanctions package make any difference?
\n
For anyone who's been following the more than three-year-long conflict, it is clear that the best time for mediating countries to broker a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine is now, and not after another three years.
\n
Indeed, many of the involved parties' demands are conflicting, from Trump's so-called "territorial swap" to Ukraine's NATO membership to "detailed security guarantee". And these are all tough issues, especially because they are politically sensitive nature. But that should not deter the genuine peace-seekers from mediating peace between Moscow and Kyiv.
\n
A peace deal between Russia and Ukraine will likely require many rounds of talks. But declaring a ceasefire and holding talks are always better than fighting. As Winston Churchill said in 1954, to jaw-jaw is always better than to war-war.
\n
China has been calling for an immediate ceasefire and dialogue for the past three years to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict. And now that another opportunity has arisen to end the conflict, the parties involved should not waste any more precious time to restore peace.
China's progress in protecting human rights offers valuable insights for the Global South in developing governance models suited to their own national conditions, scholars from China and Africa say.
\n
They made the remark at a readers' forum on Xi Jinping: On Respecting and Protecting Human Rights — a collection of the Chinese president's statements on the subject — held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Thursday.
\n
Senior officials, diplomats, lawyers and scholars from China and African countries applauded the book and China's unique contributions to global human rights development. The forum was held on the eve of the first China-Africa Human Rights Seminar.
\n
Jiang Jianguo, executive vice-president of the China Society for Human Rights Studies, said China has achieved historic achievements in human rights since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 2012.
\n
Published in 2021, Xi Jinping: On Respecting and Protecting Human Rights represents a landmark in China's human rights development. The book has since been translated into 13 foreign languages, attracting readers from the global human rights community as well as political, academic, think tank and media circles, Jiang said.
\n
Quoting Xi, he said, "With different national conditions, countries should and can only explore suitable paths of human rights development in light of national realities and people's needs."
\n
China has advanced its human rights cause based on its national conditions and the people's needs, Jiang said.
\n
"It has eradicated absolute poverty; established the world's largest education, social security and healthcare systems; and continuously developed whole-process people's democracy. Through this book, we can understand why China's path of human rights development works and how this cause continues to progress."
\n
Remarkable journey
\n
Jeddi Mowbray Armah, deputy minister for legal affairs at Liberia's Foreign Ministry, said the book is a record of China's remarkable human rights journey and offers a window into a philosophy rooted in the country's national conditions and historic transformation.
\n
"Human rights are universal in value, yet diversity erupts. As President Xi makes it clear, there is no single template for the realization. Every country must check the path consistent with its history, culture and stage of development, while staying faithful to the aspiration for dignity, justice and equality for all," Armah said. Global South countries should avoid developing human rights models detached from their local realities, he added.
\n
China has taken a people-centered approach to human rights and whole-process democracy to ensure people get tangible benefits, he said, citing China's efforts to lift more than 700 million people out of poverty over recent decades.
\n
"These are human rights in action. They give practical meaning," he said. "This is a concept that integrates democratic participation at every stage in China. It shifts the focus from narrow electoral circles, from promises made to tangible results delivered."
\n
Democracy should be judged not by the form alone, but by whether it serves the people's interests, he added.
\n
Unique aspirations
\n
China's approach to human rights also offers unique aspirations for African countries to confront major challenges, such as poverty, education, health and employment, to make progress in human rights, he said.
\n
"The challenge before the world is not whether we agree with the human rights matter. It is whether we can create the conditions in which it can be realized for every person and every society."
\n
Fredrick Mutesa, secretary-general of the Zambia-China Friendship Association, said China has made important contributions to the global understanding of human rights through proposals such as the Belt and Road Initiative, the Global Development Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative, and the Global Security Initiative.
\n
"China has become a trailblazer in fostering cooperation among countries of the Global South through these initiatives, (as well as through) China-Africa cooperation in economic development and modernization," he said.
\n
China is helping unlock Africa's development potential through infrastructure projects, green development, mining and other sectors, creating favorable conditions for the realization of the right to development, he added.
\n
Melha Rout Biel, founder and executive director of the Institute for Strategic and Policy Studies in South Sudan, said the Communist Party of China has been pursuing happiness for the Chinese people and progress for humanity since its founding.
\n
"China's commitment to global human rights extends beyond its borders," he said.
\n
"It advocates for a fair international human rights governance system, international cooperation, and respect for other countries and cultures."
\n
wangxiaodong@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
+ "content": "
China's progress in protecting human rights offers valuable insights for the Global South in developing governance models suited to their own national conditions, scholars from China and Africa say.
\n
They made the remark at a readers' forum on Xi Jinping: On Respecting and Protecting Human Rights — a collection of the Chinese president's statements on the subject — held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Thursday.
\n
Senior officials, diplomats, lawyers and scholars from China and African countries applauded the book and China's unique contributions to global human rights development. The forum was held on the eve of the first China-Africa Human Rights Seminar.
\n
Jiang Jianguo, executive vice-president of the China Society for Human Rights Studies, said China has achieved historic achievements in human rights since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 2012.
\n
Published in 2021, Xi Jinping: On Respecting and Protecting Human Rights represents a landmark in China's human rights development. The book has since been translated into 13 foreign languages, attracting readers from the global human rights community as well as political, academic, think tank and media circles, Jiang said.
\n
Quoting Xi, he said, "With different national conditions, countries should and can only explore suitable paths of human rights development in light of national realities and people's needs."
\n
China has advanced its human rights cause based on its national conditions and the people's needs, Jiang said.
\n
"It has eradicated absolute poverty; established the world's largest education, social security and healthcare systems; and continuously developed whole-process people's democracy. Through this book, we can understand why China's path of human rights development works and how this cause continues to progress."
\n
Remarkable journey
\n
Jeddi Mowbray Armah, deputy minister for legal affairs at Liberia's Foreign Ministry, said the book is a record of China's remarkable human rights journey and offers a window into a philosophy rooted in the country's national conditions and historic transformation.
\n
"Human rights are universal in value, yet diversity erupts. As President Xi makes it clear, there is no single template for the realization. Every country must check the path consistent with its history, culture and stage of development, while staying faithful to the aspiration for dignity, justice and equality for all," Armah said. Global South countries should avoid developing human rights models detached from their local realities, he added.
\n
China has taken a people-centered approach to human rights and whole-process democracy to ensure people get tangible benefits, he said, citing China's efforts to lift more than 700 million people out of poverty over recent decades.
\n
"These are human rights in action. They give practical meaning," he said. "This is a concept that integrates democratic participation at every stage in China. It shifts the focus from narrow electoral circles, from promises made to tangible results delivered."
\n
Democracy should be judged not by the form alone, but by whether it serves the people's interests, he added.
\n
Unique aspirations
\n
China's approach to human rights also offers unique aspirations for African countries to confront major challenges, such as poverty, education, health and employment, to make progress in human rights, he said.
\n
"The challenge before the world is not whether we agree with the human rights matter. It is whether we can create the conditions in which it can be realized for every person and every society."
\n
Fredrick Mutesa, secretary-general of the Zambia-China Friendship Association, said China has made important contributions to the global understanding of human rights through proposals such as the Belt and Road Initiative, the Global Development Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative, and the Global Security Initiative.
\n
"China has become a trailblazer in fostering cooperation among countries of the Global South through these initiatives, (as well as through) China-Africa cooperation in economic development and modernization," he said.
\n
China is helping unlock Africa's development potential through infrastructure projects, green development, mining and other sectors, creating favorable conditions for the realization of the right to development, he added.
\n
Melha Rout Biel, founder and executive director of the Institute for Strategic and Policy Studies in South Sudan, said the Communist Party of China has been pursuing happiness for the Chinese people and progress for humanity since its founding.
\n
"China's commitment to global human rights extends beyond its borders," he said.
\n
"It advocates for a fair international human rights governance system, international cooperation, and respect for other countries and cultures."
Children from across France and abroad cheer during a concert at the Champ-de-Mars in Paris on Wednesday, part of the 46th annual day of activities for youngsters who could not go on vacation. Some 40,000 children enjoyed a cruise on the Seine, a giant picnic at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, and an air display by Alpha Jets, with many discovering the French capital for the first time.
\n",
+ "content": "
Children from across France and abroad cheer during a concert at the Champ-de-Mars in Paris on Wednesday, part of the 46th annual day of activities for youngsters who could not go on vacation. Some 40,000 children enjoyed a cruise on the Seine, a giant picnic at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, and an air display by Alpha Jets, with many discovering the French capital for the first time.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (second from left) attends a meeting with Afghanistan's Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani (third from right) in Kabul on Wednesday.
\n
China, Afghanistan and Pakistan have pledged to deepen cooperation in trade, connectivity and security to promote regional peace and prosperity, as their foreign ministers met in Kabul on Wednesday for the sixth China-Afghanistan-Pakistan Foreign Ministers' Dialogue.
\n
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar attended the talks. The trilateral mechanism, launched by China in 2017 and revived in 2022, serves as an important platform for the three neighbors to coordinate policies. An informal ministerial meeting held in Beijing in May helped maintain momentum for trilateral engagement.
\n
Wang said China stands ready to work with Afghanistan and Pakistan to "strengthen exchanges at all levels and consolidate strategic trust".He called for expanded trade and investment, enhanced connectivity, stronger people-to-people ties, and joint efforts against cross-border terrorism.
\n
He urged the three sides to "jointly oppose external interference in the region and reject the use of their territories by any force or individual to undermine each other's sovereignty, security and territorial integrity".
\n
Beijing will continue to speak up for Kabul at multilateral forums, encourage constructive international engagement, and support the normalization of Afghanistan's foreign relations, Wang added.
\n
Muttaqi praised China's role in advancing trilateral cooperation, saying Afghanistan hopes to deepen friendship and coordination for greater progress. Dar highlighted the vast potential of trilateral cooperation in trade, Belt and Road cooperation, connectivity and counterterrorism, urging the unfreezing of Afghanistan's overseas assets and calling for stronger collective action against terrorism in all forms.
\n
The meeting marked Wang's second visit to Afghanistan since the withdrawal of United States-led troops and the Taliban's return to power in 2021, following a trip in March 2022. Analysts said the visits highlight China's intention to carry forward traditional friendship with Afghanistan and strengthen ties with the neighboring country.
\n
Liu Zongyi, director of the Center for South Asian Studies at the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies, said that through platforms such as the trilateral dialogue, China and Pakistan have played a leading role among regional and international actors in promoting Afghanistan's stability, reconstruction and global engagement.
\n
"While some Western countries have imposed unilateral sanctions and frozen billions in Afghan assets, Beijing has maintained that Afghanistan should not be excluded from the international community and has encouraged greater dialogue with Kabul to support the country's reconstruction," Liu said.
\n
Earlier on Wednesday, Afghan Prime Minister Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund met with Wang. He described China as a "force for justice" in the world and commended its policy of noninterference. Akhund pledged that Afghanistan "will never allow its territory to be used to threaten China" and expressed readiness to advance "positive and sustainable "friendship with Beijing.
\n
Wang reaffirmed that, as Afghanistan's neighbor, China will continue to champion fairness, oppose unilateral bullying and promote practical cooperation across all fields. He reiterated China's concerns about the East Turkestan Islamic Movement, which is listed by the United Nations Security Council as a terrorist group, and urged Kabul to intensify its crackdown.
\n
Wang also held separate meetings with Afghan Foreign Minister Muttaqi and Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani on Wednesday.
\n
Compared with some countries "obsessed with geopolitical competition", Liu said, China "pursues a friendly policy toward all Afghan people and is a partner that Afghanistan can trust in its postwar future".
\n
Despite shifting political circumstances, China-Afghanistan relations have remained stable, with diplomatic missions in both capitals operating normally and helping sustain bilateral relations, he added.
\n
zhaojia@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
+ "content": "
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (second from left) attends a meeting with Afghanistan's Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani (third from right) in Kabul on Wednesday.
\n
China, Afghanistan and Pakistan have pledged to deepen cooperation in trade, connectivity and security to promote regional peace and prosperity, as their foreign ministers met in Kabul on Wednesday for the sixth China-Afghanistan-Pakistan Foreign Ministers' Dialogue.
\n
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar attended the talks. The trilateral mechanism, launched by China in 2017 and revived in 2022, serves as an important platform for the three neighbors to coordinate policies. An informal ministerial meeting held in Beijing in May helped maintain momentum for trilateral engagement.
\n
Wang said China stands ready to work with Afghanistan and Pakistan to "strengthen exchanges at all levels and consolidate strategic trust".He called for expanded trade and investment, enhanced connectivity, stronger people-to-people ties, and joint efforts against cross-border terrorism.
\n
He urged the three sides to "jointly oppose external interference in the region and reject the use of their territories by any force or individual to undermine each other's sovereignty, security and territorial integrity".
\n
Beijing will continue to speak up for Kabul at multilateral forums, encourage constructive international engagement, and support the normalization of Afghanistan's foreign relations, Wang added.
\n
Muttaqi praised China's role in advancing trilateral cooperation, saying Afghanistan hopes to deepen friendship and coordination for greater progress. Dar highlighted the vast potential of trilateral cooperation in trade, Belt and Road cooperation, connectivity and counterterrorism, urging the unfreezing of Afghanistan's overseas assets and calling for stronger collective action against terrorism in all forms.
\n
The meeting marked Wang's second visit to Afghanistan since the withdrawal of United States-led troops and the Taliban's return to power in 2021, following a trip in March 2022. Analysts said the visits highlight China's intention to carry forward traditional friendship with Afghanistan and strengthen ties with the neighboring country.
\n
Liu Zongyi, director of the Center for South Asian Studies at the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies, said that through platforms such as the trilateral dialogue, China and Pakistan have played a leading role among regional and international actors in promoting Afghanistan's stability, reconstruction and global engagement.
\n
"While some Western countries have imposed unilateral sanctions and frozen billions in Afghan assets, Beijing has maintained that Afghanistan should not be excluded from the international community and has encouraged greater dialogue with Kabul to support the country's reconstruction," Liu said.
\n
Earlier on Wednesday, Afghan Prime Minister Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund met with Wang. He described China as a "force for justice" in the world and commended its policy of noninterference. Akhund pledged that Afghanistan "will never allow its territory to be used to threaten China" and expressed readiness to advance "positive and sustainable "friendship with Beijing.
\n
Wang reaffirmed that, as Afghanistan's neighbor, China will continue to champion fairness, oppose unilateral bullying and promote practical cooperation across all fields. He reiterated China's concerns about the East Turkestan Islamic Movement, which is listed by the United Nations Security Council as a terrorist group, and urged Kabul to intensify its crackdown.
\n
Wang also held separate meetings with Afghan Foreign Minister Muttaqi and Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani on Wednesday.
\n
Compared with some countries "obsessed with geopolitical competition", Liu said, China "pursues a friendly policy toward all Afghan people and is a partner that Afghanistan can trust in its postwar future".
\n
Despite shifting political circumstances, China-Afghanistan relations have remained stable, with diplomatic missions in both capitals operating normally and helping sustain bilateral relations, he added.
A Ukrainian suspect has been arrested in Italy over the 2022 sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines from Russia to Europe, German prosecutors said on Thursday. The suspect, partially named as Serhii K., is accused of being part of a group "who placed explosive devices on the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines", the prosecutors said. He is "believed to have been one of the coordinators of the operation", they added. The Nord Stream pipelines connecting Russia and Germany via the Baltic Sea were damaged in September 2022 by huge underwater explosions, believed to be an act of sabotage. Serhii K. was arrested in the early hours of Thursday in the Italian province of Rimini, the German prosecutors said.
\n
UNITED STATES
\n
Texas OKs electoral map that aids GOP
\n
The Texas legislature's lower chamber passed a contentious new electoral map on Wednesday that aims to help President Donald Trump's Republican Party retain its razor-thin US House majority in the 2026 midterm elections. The vote had been delayed by two weeks after Democratic legislators fled the state to halt the redistricting drive, which carves out five new Republican-friendly districts. The Democrats returned this week, but not before their protest had set off a national map-drawing war, with Trump pressuring his party's state-level officials to do everything they can to protect the majority in the US House of Representatives.
\n",
+ "content": "
ITALY
\n
Ukrainian held over Nord Stream blasts
\n
A Ukrainian suspect has been arrested in Italy over the 2022 sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines from Russia to Europe, German prosecutors said on Thursday. The suspect, partially named as Serhii K., is accused of being part of a group "who placed explosive devices on the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines", the prosecutors said. He is "believed to have been one of the coordinators of the operation", they added. The Nord Stream pipelines connecting Russia and Germany via the Baltic Sea were damaged in September 2022 by huge underwater explosions, believed to be an act of sabotage. Serhii K. was arrested in the early hours of Thursday in the Italian province of Rimini, the German prosecutors said.
\n
UNITED STATES
\n
Texas OKs electoral map that aids GOP
\n
The Texas legislature's lower chamber passed a contentious new electoral map on Wednesday that aims to help President Donald Trump's Republican Party retain its razor-thin US House majority in the 2026 midterm elections. The vote had been delayed by two weeks after Democratic legislators fled the state to halt the redistricting drive, which carves out five new Republican-friendly districts. The Democrats returned this week, but not before their protest had set off a national map-drawing war, with Trump pressuring his party's state-level officials to do everything they can to protect the majority in the US House of Representatives.
Suspended Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra arrives at the Constitutional Court in Bangkok on Thursday to attend a hearing over a case seeking her dismissal over alleged ethics violations.
\n",
+ "content": "
Suspended Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra arrives at the Constitutional Court in Bangkok on Thursday to attend a hearing over a case seeking her dismissal over alleged ethics violations.
Experts, scholars and diplomats have stressed the importance of gaining a better understanding of China, highlighting the country's well-recognized role as a key stabilizing force and an anchor of certainty amid shifting global dynamics.
\n
They weighed in on the international situation and China's diplomacy at an event in Beijing on Thursday, marking the release of International Situation and China's Foreign Affairs (2024-25), a blue book authored by the China Institute of International Studies.
\n
The annual publication is divided into two sections: one analyzing new trends in international dynamics, regional and country-specific situations, and China's relations with the world, and the other presenting new achievements and initiatives of China's diplomacy.
\n
Chen Bo, president of the institute, said the blue book series "aims to analyze the international situation from China's perspective, help Chinese readers understand the world, and assist the international community in understanding China's diplomacy".
\n
In a turbulent world, certainty is an invaluable resource, and China serves as a major source of stability and certainty, Chen said.
\n
Looking back at 2024, she said China made valuable contributions by upholding diplomatic principles of openness and inclusiveness, fairness and justice, and win-win cooperation; advancing major initiatives it had proposed; advocating an equitable and orderly multipolar world; and promoting inclusive economic globalization.
\n
Martin Mpana, Cameroon's ambassador to China, said the book "has become a window for the world to understand China".
\n
He said he believes its spillover effect will enhance positive interactions, deepen understanding between China and the rest of the world — particularly Africa — and foster stronger momentum for China's story to be told and understood across the world. It will also accelerate the creation of a multidimensional framework for global peace, he added.
\n
Mpana said he was not surprised the book includes a dedicated chapter on China-Africa relations, given the "long-standing and fruitful relationship built on mutual respect, cooperation and economic ties "between the two sides, which continues to deepen.
\n
Levente Horvath, director of the Eurasia Center at John von Neumann University in Hungary, said the blue book series "not only presents Chinese best practice on global efforts, but also opens a space for dialogues".
\n
Horvath, who first came to China in 2005 for his studies and has been engaged with the country ever since, said "the China in the Western media is very different from the China I have experienced during the last two decades". That is why he is committed to sharing reliable insights into China's economic, technological and cultural development, he added.
\n
The blue book, first released by the China Institute of International Studies in Chinese in 2006, has been available in both Chinese and English since 2009. About 100 participants attended Thursday's event.
\n
jihaisheng@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
+ "content": "
Experts, scholars and diplomats have stressed the importance of gaining a better understanding of China, highlighting the country's well-recognized role as a key stabilizing force and an anchor of certainty amid shifting global dynamics.
\n
They weighed in on the international situation and China's diplomacy at an event in Beijing on Thursday, marking the release of International Situation and China's Foreign Affairs (2024-25), a blue book authored by the China Institute of International Studies.
\n
The annual publication is divided into two sections: one analyzing new trends in international dynamics, regional and country-specific situations, and China's relations with the world, and the other presenting new achievements and initiatives of China's diplomacy.
\n
Chen Bo, president of the institute, said the blue book series "aims to analyze the international situation from China's perspective, help Chinese readers understand the world, and assist the international community in understanding China's diplomacy".
\n
In a turbulent world, certainty is an invaluable resource, and China serves as a major source of stability and certainty, Chen said.
\n
Looking back at 2024, she said China made valuable contributions by upholding diplomatic principles of openness and inclusiveness, fairness and justice, and win-win cooperation; advancing major initiatives it had proposed; advocating an equitable and orderly multipolar world; and promoting inclusive economic globalization.
\n
Martin Mpana, Cameroon's ambassador to China, said the book "has become a window for the world to understand China".
\n
He said he believes its spillover effect will enhance positive interactions, deepen understanding between China and the rest of the world — particularly Africa — and foster stronger momentum for China's story to be told and understood across the world. It will also accelerate the creation of a multidimensional framework for global peace, he added.
\n
Mpana said he was not surprised the book includes a dedicated chapter on China-Africa relations, given the "long-standing and fruitful relationship built on mutual respect, cooperation and economic ties "between the two sides, which continues to deepen.
\n
Levente Horvath, director of the Eurasia Center at John von Neumann University in Hungary, said the blue book series "not only presents Chinese best practice on global efforts, but also opens a space for dialogues".
\n
Horvath, who first came to China in 2005 for his studies and has been engaged with the country ever since, said "the China in the Western media is very different from the China I have experienced during the last two decades". That is why he is committed to sharing reliable insights into China's economic, technological and cultural development, he added.
\n
The blue book, first released by the China Institute of International Studies in Chinese in 2006, has been available in both Chinese and English since 2009. About 100 participants attended Thursday's event.
Palestinians rush for cover as smoke billows after an Israeli strike on a building in Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip on Wednesday.
\n
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on Israel to reverse its planned division of the West Bank and expansion of the military operation in Gaza, while reiterating the need for an immediate ceasefire to prevent further destruction in the region.
\n
The UN chief's demands come as Egypt, other mediators, former hostages held by Hamas, the remaining hostages' families and the international community ramp up pressure on Israel to agree to a ceasefire, which involves a 60-day truce that Hamas had already accepted earlier this week.
\n
In a post on the social media platform X on Thursday, Guterres said it is "vital to reach immediately a ceasefire in Gaza", and called for the unconditional release of all hostages held by the Palestinian group Hamas "to avoid the massive death and destruction that (an expanded) military operation against Gaza would inevitably cause".
\n
"Simultaneously, the decision by the Israeli authorities to expand illegal settlement construction, which would divide the West Bank, must be reversed. All settlement construction is a violation of international law," Guterres said.
\n
It also came as Israel on Wednesday gave final approval to a highly controversial settlement project that would bisect the occupied West Bank and cut it off from East Jerusalem.
\n
The Palestinian Authority condemned the settlement plan, saying it was illegal and would "destroy "the prospects for a two-state solution, BBC reported.
\n
Israel has yet to issue a formal response to Hamas over the ceasefire proposal while White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has said the United States continues to discuss a 60-day Gaza truce.
\n
While Egypt and Qatar have invested political capital in brokering the proposed truce, Arhama Siddiqa, a research fellow at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad in Pakistan, told China Daily that Tel Aviv's move to press ahead with the mobilization of 60,000 reservists for an expanded Gaza operation "is an unmistakable signal that military conquest, not diplomacy, remains the priority".
\n
Catastrophic casualties
\n
"This stance runs directly counter to the urgent calls of the UN secretary-general, who has warned of catastrophic civilian casualties and condemned Israel's parallel decision to expand illegal settlements in the West Bank," said Siddiqa.
\n
"By delaying a response, Israel appears intent on dictating terms through force rather than compromise, reinforcing the perception that it views ceasefires as tactical pauses rather than steps toward peace," she said, adding: "Basically, Tel Aviv bears direct responsibility for prolonging a cycle of deliberate deprivation and devastation in Gaza."
\n
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty on Tuesday urged the international community to pressure Israel into accepting the latest Gaza ceasefire proposal, affirming that it would help alleviate the humanitarian crisis in the besieged enclave.
\n
He made the remarks during separate phone talks with British Foreign Secretary David Lammy, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, and Palestinian Vice-President Hussein al-Sheikh, on the Palestinian issue, according to a statement by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, Xinhua News Agency reported.
\n
He also addressed the ongoing preparations for an international conference on Gaza's early recovery and reconstruction, which will be hosted as soon as a ceasefire agreement is reached.
\n
At a joint news conference in Moscow on Wednesday, visiting Jordanian Minister of Foreign and Expatriates Affairs Ayman Safadi criticized Israel's "expansionist and extremist" policies.
\n
He said Israel's assault on Gaza had caused "massacres and starvation" and that its wider actions were "killing all prospects" for peace in the Middle East, Arab News reported.
\n
Gokhan Batu, an analyst on Israel studies at the Center for Middle Eastern Studies in Turkiye, told China Daily that recent developments have demonstrated that Israel's discourse, and the narratives promoted through it, "have lost much of their global traction".
\n
"The primary factor behind this shift has been the severity of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Israel continues to lose the support it once commanded on issues related to Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Iran, precisely because of the ongoing devastation in Gaza. At the same time, the growing trend of recognizing Palestine has emerged as Israel's most serious challenge, and developments have now reached an uncontrollable stage," said Batu.
\n
He said the latest developments were "nothing more than a hasty attempt to bring the Gaza conflict — long marked by the absence of a coherent strategy — to an abrupt conclusion". Yet, as long as the fighting continues, Israel is fully aware that it will face mounting difficulties on the international stage, he added.
\n
jan@chinadailyapac.com
\n",
+ "content": "
Palestinians rush for cover as smoke billows after an Israeli strike on a building in Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip on Wednesday.
\n
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on Israel to reverse its planned division of the West Bank and expansion of the military operation in Gaza, while reiterating the need for an immediate ceasefire to prevent further destruction in the region.
\n
The UN chief's demands come as Egypt, other mediators, former hostages held by Hamas, the remaining hostages' families and the international community ramp up pressure on Israel to agree to a ceasefire, which involves a 60-day truce that Hamas had already accepted earlier this week.
\n
In a post on the social media platform X on Thursday, Guterres said it is "vital to reach immediately a ceasefire in Gaza", and called for the unconditional release of all hostages held by the Palestinian group Hamas "to avoid the massive death and destruction that (an expanded) military operation against Gaza would inevitably cause".
\n
"Simultaneously, the decision by the Israeli authorities to expand illegal settlement construction, which would divide the West Bank, must be reversed. All settlement construction is a violation of international law," Guterres said.
\n
It also came as Israel on Wednesday gave final approval to a highly controversial settlement project that would bisect the occupied West Bank and cut it off from East Jerusalem.
\n
The Palestinian Authority condemned the settlement plan, saying it was illegal and would "destroy "the prospects for a two-state solution, BBC reported.
\n
Israel has yet to issue a formal response to Hamas over the ceasefire proposal while White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has said the United States continues to discuss a 60-day Gaza truce.
\n
While Egypt and Qatar have invested political capital in brokering the proposed truce, Arhama Siddiqa, a research fellow at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad in Pakistan, told China Daily that Tel Aviv's move to press ahead with the mobilization of 60,000 reservists for an expanded Gaza operation "is an unmistakable signal that military conquest, not diplomacy, remains the priority".
\n
Catastrophic casualties
\n
"This stance runs directly counter to the urgent calls of the UN secretary-general, who has warned of catastrophic civilian casualties and condemned Israel's parallel decision to expand illegal settlements in the West Bank," said Siddiqa.
\n
"By delaying a response, Israel appears intent on dictating terms through force rather than compromise, reinforcing the perception that it views ceasefires as tactical pauses rather than steps toward peace," she said, adding: "Basically, Tel Aviv bears direct responsibility for prolonging a cycle of deliberate deprivation and devastation in Gaza."
\n
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty on Tuesday urged the international community to pressure Israel into accepting the latest Gaza ceasefire proposal, affirming that it would help alleviate the humanitarian crisis in the besieged enclave.
\n
He made the remarks during separate phone talks with British Foreign Secretary David Lammy, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, and Palestinian Vice-President Hussein al-Sheikh, on the Palestinian issue, according to a statement by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, Xinhua News Agency reported.
\n
He also addressed the ongoing preparations for an international conference on Gaza's early recovery and reconstruction, which will be hosted as soon as a ceasefire agreement is reached.
\n
At a joint news conference in Moscow on Wednesday, visiting Jordanian Minister of Foreign and Expatriates Affairs Ayman Safadi criticized Israel's "expansionist and extremist" policies.
\n
He said Israel's assault on Gaza had caused "massacres and starvation" and that its wider actions were "killing all prospects" for peace in the Middle East, Arab News reported.
\n
Gokhan Batu, an analyst on Israel studies at the Center for Middle Eastern Studies in Turkiye, told China Daily that recent developments have demonstrated that Israel's discourse, and the narratives promoted through it, "have lost much of their global traction".
\n
"The primary factor behind this shift has been the severity of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Israel continues to lose the support it once commanded on issues related to Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Iran, precisely because of the ongoing devastation in Gaza. At the same time, the growing trend of recognizing Palestine has emerged as Israel's most serious challenge, and developments have now reached an uncontrollable stage," said Batu.
\n
He said the latest developments were "nothing more than a hasty attempt to bring the Gaza conflict — long marked by the absence of a coherent strategy — to an abrupt conclusion". Yet, as long as the fighting continues, Israel is fully aware that it will face mounting difficulties on the international stage, he added.
KYIV/MOSCOW — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv would like a "strong reaction" from Washington if Russian President Vladimir Putin was not willing to sit down for a bilateral meeting with him.
\n
US President Donald Trump is seeking to broker peace between the two countries in conflict, but has conceded that Putin, with whom Zelensky has sought a one-on-one sit-down, may not be willing to make a deal.
\n
"I responded immediately to the proposal for a bilateral meeting: we are ready. But what if the Russians are not ready?" Zelensky said in comments released on Thursday from a briefing with reporters in Kyiv a day earlier.
\n
"If the Russians are not ready, we would like to see a strong reaction from the United States."
\n
Asked by reporters if Putin was willing to meet Zelensky, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told reporters: "Our president has repeatedly said that he is ready to meet, including with Zelensky."
\n
Lavrov, though, added a caveat: "With the understanding that all issues that require consideration at the highest level will be well worked out, and experts and ministers will prepare appropriate recommendations."
\n
Despite a flurry of diplomacy in recent days between Trump and his Russian and Ukrainian counterparts, the path to peace remained uncertain as Washington and allies worked out what security guarantees for Kyiv might look like.
\n
Responding to a question about the Hungarian capital, Budapest, serving as a potential location for future Ukrainian-Russian talks, Zelensky said it would be "challenging".
\n
Hungary has twice offered to host peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Thursday.
\n
"We will provide proper, fair and safe conditions for such peace talks," he told a pro-government show streamed on social media.
\n
"I don't know of any European politician today, apart from Viktor Orban, who can speak equally with Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin," he added.
\n
NATO military chiefs, meanwhile, held a virtual summit on security guarantees for Ukraine, the latest in a flurry of global diplomacy aimed at brokering an end to the nearly three-and-a-half-year conflict.
\n
Credible, durable peace
\n
"On #Ukraine, we confirmed our support. Priority continues to be a just, credible and durable peace," the chair of the alliance's military committee, Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, wrote on X after the meeting.
\n
Lavrov earlier warned that "seriously discussing security guarantees without the Russian Federation is a utopia, a road to nowhere".
\n
On the battlefield, Russia launched hundreds of drones and missiles against Ukraine overnight in the biggest barrage since mid-July, killing one person and wounding many others.
\n
Ukraine's air force said Russia launched 574 drones and 40 missiles. Air defense units downed 546 drones and 31 missiles.
\n
Meanwhile, Russia's defense ministry said it destroyed "49 Ukrainian aircraft-type unmanned aerial vehicles" across multiple regions. The ministry did not detail any casualties or damage.
\n",
+ "content": "
KYIV/MOSCOW — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv would like a "strong reaction" from Washington if Russian President Vladimir Putin was not willing to sit down for a bilateral meeting with him.
\n
US President Donald Trump is seeking to broker peace between the two countries in conflict, but has conceded that Putin, with whom Zelensky has sought a one-on-one sit-down, may not be willing to make a deal.
\n
"I responded immediately to the proposal for a bilateral meeting: we are ready. But what if the Russians are not ready?" Zelensky said in comments released on Thursday from a briefing with reporters in Kyiv a day earlier.
\n
"If the Russians are not ready, we would like to see a strong reaction from the United States."
\n
Asked by reporters if Putin was willing to meet Zelensky, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told reporters: "Our president has repeatedly said that he is ready to meet, including with Zelensky."
\n
Lavrov, though, added a caveat: "With the understanding that all issues that require consideration at the highest level will be well worked out, and experts and ministers will prepare appropriate recommendations."
\n
Despite a flurry of diplomacy in recent days between Trump and his Russian and Ukrainian counterparts, the path to peace remained uncertain as Washington and allies worked out what security guarantees for Kyiv might look like.
\n
Responding to a question about the Hungarian capital, Budapest, serving as a potential location for future Ukrainian-Russian talks, Zelensky said it would be "challenging".
\n
Hungary has twice offered to host peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Thursday.
\n
"We will provide proper, fair and safe conditions for such peace talks," he told a pro-government show streamed on social media.
\n
"I don't know of any European politician today, apart from Viktor Orban, who can speak equally with Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin," he added.
\n
NATO military chiefs, meanwhile, held a virtual summit on security guarantees for Ukraine, the latest in a flurry of global diplomacy aimed at brokering an end to the nearly three-and-a-half-year conflict.
\n
Credible, durable peace
\n
"On #Ukraine, we confirmed our support. Priority continues to be a just, credible and durable peace," the chair of the alliance's military committee, Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, wrote on X after the meeting.
\n
Lavrov earlier warned that "seriously discussing security guarantees without the Russian Federation is a utopia, a road to nowhere".
\n
On the battlefield, Russia launched hundreds of drones and missiles against Ukraine overnight in the biggest barrage since mid-July, killing one person and wounding many others.
\n
Ukraine's air force said Russia launched 574 drones and 40 missiles. Air defense units downed 546 drones and 31 missiles.
\n
Meanwhile, Russia's defense ministry said it destroyed "49 Ukrainian aircraft-type unmanned aerial vehicles" across multiple regions. The ministry did not detail any casualties or damage.
A teacher explains to students about the dengue disease and other diseases caused by mosquito bites, as they sit under a mosquito net as part of an awareness campaign against the diseases on World Mosquito Day on Wednesday in Agartala, India.
\n",
+ "content": "
A teacher explains to students about the dengue disease and other diseases caused by mosquito bites, as they sit under a mosquito net as part of an awareness campaign against the diseases on World Mosquito Day on Wednesday in Agartala, India.
KUWAIT CITY — Kuwait has kicked off a major environmental cleanup effort as the first unit of an oil lake crude recovery project, led by China's Jereh Group, completed its trial run on Wednesday.
\n
The project falls under the Kuwait Environmental Remediation Program, which aims to tackle oil pollution and environmental damage left by the 1990-1991 Gulf War, when around 700 oil wells were set ablaze, creating vast oil lakes and contaminating large swathes of soil.
\n
Valued at about 100 million yuan ($14 million), the contract tasks Jereh with delivering an integrated solution and supplying core equipment for the cleanup effort.
\n
"Representing Chinese energy enterprises, Jereh is actively participating in the development of Kuwait's oil and gas industry and environmental protection, demonstrating the combined strength of Chinese manufacturing and services," said Zhuang Guanghua, president of Jereh Group's Middle East Region. "We will continue to support Kuwait's energy transition and sustainable development with advanced technologies and high-quality solutions."
\n
Zhang Hongwei, director of Jereh Group's Middle East Region, noted that advanced technologies from Chinese companies have significantly improved the efficiency of oil lake crude recovery, pushing the project toward ecological restoration and vegetation rehabilitation. "This marks an important step for Kuwait in environmental management and sustainable development," he said.
\n
Liu Xiang, charge d'affaires of the Chinese embassy in Kuwait, said Jereh's successful practice not only contributed Chinese expertise to Kuwait's environmental remediation efforts but also showcased the international competitiveness of Chinese environmental equipment and engineering technology.
\n",
+ "content": "
KUWAIT CITY — Kuwait has kicked off a major environmental cleanup effort as the first unit of an oil lake crude recovery project, led by China's Jereh Group, completed its trial run on Wednesday.
\n
The project falls under the Kuwait Environmental Remediation Program, which aims to tackle oil pollution and environmental damage left by the 1990-1991 Gulf War, when around 700 oil wells were set ablaze, creating vast oil lakes and contaminating large swathes of soil.
\n
Valued at about 100 million yuan ($14 million), the contract tasks Jereh with delivering an integrated solution and supplying core equipment for the cleanup effort.
\n
"Representing Chinese energy enterprises, Jereh is actively participating in the development of Kuwait's oil and gas industry and environmental protection, demonstrating the combined strength of Chinese manufacturing and services," said Zhuang Guanghua, president of Jereh Group's Middle East Region. "We will continue to support Kuwait's energy transition and sustainable development with advanced technologies and high-quality solutions."
\n
Zhang Hongwei, director of Jereh Group's Middle East Region, noted that advanced technologies from Chinese companies have significantly improved the efficiency of oil lake crude recovery, pushing the project toward ecological restoration and vegetation rehabilitation. "This marks an important step for Kuwait in environmental management and sustainable development," he said.
\n
Liu Xiang, charge d'affaires of the Chinese embassy in Kuwait, said Jereh's successful practice not only contributed Chinese expertise to Kuwait's environmental remediation efforts but also showcased the international competitiveness of Chinese environmental equipment and engineering technology.
When Marcus Detrez first opened a worn leather box in 2021, he was confronted with the black-and-white images that would change the course of his life.
\n
"The images were raw and haunting — civilians being executed, streets filled with fear," he told China Daily, "But one photo marked me forever: a body floating in the Huangpu River. On the back, my grandfather had written the word 'swimmer'."
\n
Printed between the 1930s and 1950s on gelatin silver paper, the photographs captured the daily life of a French family in prosperous Shanghai before the Japanese invaded the city, the chaos and destruction brought about by the Battle of Shanghai, and, most harrowingly, the atrocities committed by the Japanese army against Chinese civilians during World War II.
\n
"I felt a weight in my chest," Detrez recalled in an exclusive interview with China Daily, "I later realized it was a protective lie — his way of shielding children from the truth. That small word carries the full weight of what war does to human hearts."
\n
The photographer was his maternal grandfather, Roger-Pierre Laurens, a Frenchman born in Toulouse in 1914 who moved to Shanghai in the 1930s to work in the French Concession. Laurens, Detrez said, believed truth was worth any risk. "As a witness to the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45), he knew these moments had to be recorded — not for his own glory, but for history and for justice," he explained.
\n
For decades, the collection remained within the family, guarded as both a treasure and a burden. Detrez admitted he felt conflicted when friends first suggested donating the images to China.
\n
"These were my grandfather's possessions, part of my family's memory," he said. "But they also documented a cruel chapter that my grandfather worked hard to preserve. He would not have wanted it to remain hidden."
\n
Eventually, supported by his mother, Sylvie Laurens, Detrez decided the photographs should return to China — "to let more people see the truth", as she put it.
\n
Together with his French friend Bastien Ratat and Chinese friend Zhong Haosong, he began posting historical materials on multiple social media platforms, sparking both intense interest and controversy online. While the trio faced questions about the pictures' authenticity and endured personal attacks, Detrez said the most meaningful moments came from ordinary Chinese netizens who wrote to thank them.
\n
"Some said they cried while looking at the photos," he explained. "That's when I knew our work had meaning — these images are no longer just my family's story. They belong to the world."
\n
In February, Detrez, Zhong and Ratat traveled to China at the invitation of the Memorial Hall for Shanghai Songhu War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, Shanghai. They first went to Beijing at the start of a journey to donate the collection and to visit historic sites linked to Laurens' time in Shanghai. Their itinerary included memorial halls in Beijing, Shanghai and Shandong, where Detrez deepened his understanding of China's wartime history. "Telling this history is about remembering better," he said.
\n
The images, now permanently housed in the Memorial Hall for Shanghai Songhu War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, offer an extensive and multi-angled record of the 1937 Battle of Shanghai. They document Japanese war crimes, including massacres of Chinese civilians, and are recognized by the museum as significant historical evidence for research into both China's resistance war and the broader global fight against fascism.
\n
Truth with accuracy
\n
"We have donated (the photos) to the Chinese Embassy in France that let this museum display them because it stands at the heart of one of the most important battles of the war in China," Detrez said. "It tells the truth with accuracy, dignity, and respect for the victims. In Shanghai, the photos are not just stored — they become part of the living memory of the Chinese people and a bridge between China and the rest of the world."
\n
His friend Ratat said the group has begun discussions with the People's Publishing House on producing a book about Laurens' pictures. They are also working on their multilingual website "Echoes of China", available in English, French, Chinese and Japanese, to tell more stories about the War of Resistance. Plans include a world tour starting in Japan and the United States to raise awareness of the atrocities committed by the Japanese army against Chinese civilians, such as those of Unit 731 and the Nanjing Massacre, as well as a possible virtual reality recreation of the Shanghai battlefield. "We'd like to use modern technology to teach history and even make a film or documentary on Laurens' experience in Shanghai," Rata said.
\n
Zhong Haosong, Detrez's Chinese friend, said the donation process was deliberately made public. "We believe more 'Detrezes' should stand up, knowing that in the East there are 1.4 billion people ready to welcome them. Peace and justice are what we want to share."
\n
He added that while they faced smear campaigns, the most moving message they received after the donation was from a netizen who wrote, "You have borne burdens you shouldn't have had to, but your future will be bright because you stand for peace and justice. You will always have China as your home."
\n
Earlier this month, the Chinese Embassy in France hosted a handover ceremony for the donation, in which Minister Chen Dong met Detrez and his friends, presenting them with a donation certificate and a letter of appreciation from the Memorial Hall for Shanghai Songhu War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression.
\n
The ceremony marked not just the transfer of physical photographs, but the continuation of Laurens' mission — to bear witness, and to ensure the suffering of the Chinese people and other victims of Japanese aggression is neither denied nor forgotten.
When Marcus Detrez first opened a worn leather box in 2021, he was confronted with the black-and-white images that would change the course of his life.
\n
"The images were raw and haunting — civilians being executed, streets filled with fear," he told China Daily, "But one photo marked me forever: a body floating in the Huangpu River. On the back, my grandfather had written the word 'swimmer'."
\n
Printed between the 1930s and 1950s on gelatin silver paper, the photographs captured the daily life of a French family in prosperous Shanghai before the Japanese invaded the city, the chaos and destruction brought about by the Battle of Shanghai, and, most harrowingly, the atrocities committed by the Japanese army against Chinese civilians during World War II.
\n
"I felt a weight in my chest," Detrez recalled in an exclusive interview with China Daily, "I later realized it was a protective lie — his way of shielding children from the truth. That small word carries the full weight of what war does to human hearts."
\n
The photographer was his maternal grandfather, Roger-Pierre Laurens, a Frenchman born in Toulouse in 1914 who moved to Shanghai in the 1930s to work in the French Concession. Laurens, Detrez said, believed truth was worth any risk. "As a witness to the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45), he knew these moments had to be recorded — not for his own glory, but for history and for justice," he explained.
\n
For decades, the collection remained within the family, guarded as both a treasure and a burden. Detrez admitted he felt conflicted when friends first suggested donating the images to China.
\n
"These were my grandfather's possessions, part of my family's memory," he said. "But they also documented a cruel chapter that my grandfather worked hard to preserve. He would not have wanted it to remain hidden."
\n
Eventually, supported by his mother, Sylvie Laurens, Detrez decided the photographs should return to China — "to let more people see the truth", as she put it.
\n
Together with his French friend Bastien Ratat and Chinese friend Zhong Haosong, he began posting historical materials on multiple social media platforms, sparking both intense interest and controversy online. While the trio faced questions about the pictures' authenticity and endured personal attacks, Detrez said the most meaningful moments came from ordinary Chinese netizens who wrote to thank them.
\n
"Some said they cried while looking at the photos," he explained. "That's when I knew our work had meaning — these images are no longer just my family's story. They belong to the world."
\n
In February, Detrez, Zhong and Ratat traveled to China at the invitation of the Memorial Hall for Shanghai Songhu War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, Shanghai. They first went to Beijing at the start of a journey to donate the collection and to visit historic sites linked to Laurens' time in Shanghai. Their itinerary included memorial halls in Beijing, Shanghai and Shandong, where Detrez deepened his understanding of China's wartime history. "Telling this history is about remembering better," he said.
\n
The images, now permanently housed in the Memorial Hall for Shanghai Songhu War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, offer an extensive and multi-angled record of the 1937 Battle of Shanghai. They document Japanese war crimes, including massacres of Chinese civilians, and are recognized by the museum as significant historical evidence for research into both China's resistance war and the broader global fight against fascism.
\n
Truth with accuracy
\n
"We have donated (the photos) to the Chinese Embassy in France that let this museum display them because it stands at the heart of one of the most important battles of the war in China," Detrez said. "It tells the truth with accuracy, dignity, and respect for the victims. In Shanghai, the photos are not just stored — they become part of the living memory of the Chinese people and a bridge between China and the rest of the world."
\n
His friend Ratat said the group has begun discussions with the People's Publishing House on producing a book about Laurens' pictures. They are also working on their multilingual website "Echoes of China", available in English, French, Chinese and Japanese, to tell more stories about the War of Resistance. Plans include a world tour starting in Japan and the United States to raise awareness of the atrocities committed by the Japanese army against Chinese civilians, such as those of Unit 731 and the Nanjing Massacre, as well as a possible virtual reality recreation of the Shanghai battlefield. "We'd like to use modern technology to teach history and even make a film or documentary on Laurens' experience in Shanghai," Rata said.
\n
Zhong Haosong, Detrez's Chinese friend, said the donation process was deliberately made public. "We believe more 'Detrezes' should stand up, knowing that in the East there are 1.4 billion people ready to welcome them. Peace and justice are what we want to share."
\n
He added that while they faced smear campaigns, the most moving message they received after the donation was from a netizen who wrote, "You have borne burdens you shouldn't have had to, but your future will be bright because you stand for peace and justice. You will always have China as your home."
\n
Earlier this month, the Chinese Embassy in France hosted a handover ceremony for the donation, in which Minister Chen Dong met Detrez and his friends, presenting them with a donation certificate and a letter of appreciation from the Memorial Hall for Shanghai Songhu War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression.
\n
The ceremony marked not just the transfer of physical photographs, but the continuation of Laurens' mission — to bear witness, and to ensure the suffering of the Chinese people and other victims of Japanese aggression is neither denied nor forgotten.
The Marine Mammal Care Center volunteers attempt to corral a stranded California sea lion at New Brighton State Beach on Wednesday in Capitola, California. The center is seeing an unprecedented surge in sick California sea lions, a vast majority infected with leptospirosis, a disease that can cause irreversible kidney damage.
\n",
+ "content": "
The Marine Mammal Care Center volunteers attempt to corral a stranded California sea lion at New Brighton State Beach on Wednesday in Capitola, California. The center is seeing an unprecedented surge in sick California sea lions, a vast majority infected with leptospirosis, a disease that can cause irreversible kidney damage.
Lumber is cut at a saw mill near Sooke, British Columbia, Canada, on April 11. The US is poised to more than double duties on Canadian softwood lumber, putting more pressure on US' material costs.
\n\n
The United States has more than doubled the countervailing duties on Canadian softwood lumber to over 35 percent, a move economists say will raise construction costs and further strain housing affordability.
\n
The US Department of Commerce said earlier this month that it will more than double the countervailing duties on Canadian softwood lumber imports, raising them to 14.6 percent from 6.7 percent, after determining Canadian producers receive unfair subsidies.
\n
The increase comes on top of a recent rise in antidumping duties to 20.5 percent, bringing the total duty on Canadian softwood to nearly 35.2 percent.
\n
The US move will raise construction costs and add to inflationary pressures, according to Brian Bethune, a professor of economics at Boston College.
\n
He said the higher costs will be "extremely difficult to offset", especially as they come alongside higher prices for steel and aluminum.
\n
"All of these factors will negatively impact affordability," he told China Daily.
\n
Bethune noted that the duties will take time to appear in official inflation data. "The tariffs first have to feed through into housing construction costs, and then into rents and owners' equivalent rent, which drive shelter costs."
\n
"The lag, however, could be up to a year, so we won't see much of an impact until mid-2026," he said.
\n
The National Association of Home Builders, in an Aug 8 statement, said the higher duties would worsen affordability problems.
\n
"For years, NAHB has been leading the fight against lumber tariffs because of their detrimental effect on housing affordability," the group said in a statement. "In effect, the lumber tariffs act as a tax on American builders, home buyers and consumers.
\n
"With housing affordability already near a historic low, NAHB continues to call on the administration to carefully consider how placing additional tariffs on lumber and other building materials will raise housing prices and impact housing supply," the statement said.
\n
"The impact of the duties is being shared by businesses (exporters, importers) and consumers. So far, most of the impact, approximately two-thirds, has been absorbed by US importing businesses with lower profit margins," Bethune said.
\n
"Only 15 percent has been passed on to consumers. However, the pass-through to consumers will likely increase over time," he said.
\n
On the supply side, he said US producers will not be able to fully fill the gap left by Canadian lumber.
\n
"US producers may have some capacity to increase production, but the supply response is limited by the availability of accessible timber resources," Bethune said.
\n
"Beyond the impact on (Canadian) facilities, I would expect a curtailment in production, where higher cost firms may either take temporary downtime or permanently shutter some more mills," said Harry Nelson, an associate professor of forestry at the University of British Columbia.
\n
He said that Canada, and the province of British Columbia in particular, has long been the higher-cost supplier to the US market.
\n
In an Aug 8 statement responding to the US decision, the BC Lumber Trade Council said the move would have negative consequences on both sides of the border.
\n
"It places unnecessary strain on forestry-dependent regions in Canada while driving up construction costs for American builders and families," said Kurt Niquidet, president of the BC Lumber Trade Council.
\n
He added that without a negotiated settlement, the council will continue to work with the Canadian government and industry partners to defend Canadian interests "through all available legal channels, including proceedings under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement".
\n
Nelson said the outlook depends on the broader US economy.
\n
"As the US market is what sets lumber prices overall, the higher the tariffs, the lower Canadian lumber prices will be relative to the US."
\n
For Canadian consumers, Nelson sees both direct and indirect impacts. "First, the duties create a wedge between domestic and export prices," he told China Daily.
\n
"The bigger the tariffs, the more likely the greater that wedge will be."
\n
The indirect effect, he added, comes from the broader economy. "If overall tariffs and economic uncertainty lead to lower economic activity, housing starts generally in both the US and Canada will come down … and lumber prices overall will trend lower."
\n
Looking ahead, Nelson said Canada needs a more deliberate diversification strategy. "We are too reliant on one partner and one product," he said.
\n
" (We need) a well thought-out trade diversification strategy where we invest in building a brand for Canadian wood and wood products around quality and building stable relationships with other trading partners," he said.
Lumber is cut at a saw mill near Sooke, British Columbia, Canada, on April 11. The US is poised to more than double duties on Canadian softwood lumber, putting more pressure on US' material costs.
\n\n
The United States has more than doubled the countervailing duties on Canadian softwood lumber to over 35 percent, a move economists say will raise construction costs and further strain housing affordability.
\n
The US Department of Commerce said earlier this month that it will more than double the countervailing duties on Canadian softwood lumber imports, raising them to 14.6 percent from 6.7 percent, after determining Canadian producers receive unfair subsidies.
\n
The increase comes on top of a recent rise in antidumping duties to 20.5 percent, bringing the total duty on Canadian softwood to nearly 35.2 percent.
\n
The US move will raise construction costs and add to inflationary pressures, according to Brian Bethune, a professor of economics at Boston College.
\n
He said the higher costs will be "extremely difficult to offset", especially as they come alongside higher prices for steel and aluminum.
\n
"All of these factors will negatively impact affordability," he told China Daily.
\n
Bethune noted that the duties will take time to appear in official inflation data. "The tariffs first have to feed through into housing construction costs, and then into rents and owners' equivalent rent, which drive shelter costs."
\n
"The lag, however, could be up to a year, so we won't see much of an impact until mid-2026," he said.
\n
The National Association of Home Builders, in an Aug 8 statement, said the higher duties would worsen affordability problems.
\n
"For years, NAHB has been leading the fight against lumber tariffs because of their detrimental effect on housing affordability," the group said in a statement. "In effect, the lumber tariffs act as a tax on American builders, home buyers and consumers.
\n
"With housing affordability already near a historic low, NAHB continues to call on the administration to carefully consider how placing additional tariffs on lumber and other building materials will raise housing prices and impact housing supply," the statement said.
\n
"The impact of the duties is being shared by businesses (exporters, importers) and consumers. So far, most of the impact, approximately two-thirds, has been absorbed by US importing businesses with lower profit margins," Bethune said.
\n
"Only 15 percent has been passed on to consumers. However, the pass-through to consumers will likely increase over time," he said.
\n
On the supply side, he said US producers will not be able to fully fill the gap left by Canadian lumber.
\n
"US producers may have some capacity to increase production, but the supply response is limited by the availability of accessible timber resources," Bethune said.
\n
"Beyond the impact on (Canadian) facilities, I would expect a curtailment in production, where higher cost firms may either take temporary downtime or permanently shutter some more mills," said Harry Nelson, an associate professor of forestry at the University of British Columbia.
\n
He said that Canada, and the province of British Columbia in particular, has long been the higher-cost supplier to the US market.
\n
In an Aug 8 statement responding to the US decision, the BC Lumber Trade Council said the move would have negative consequences on both sides of the border.
\n
"It places unnecessary strain on forestry-dependent regions in Canada while driving up construction costs for American builders and families," said Kurt Niquidet, president of the BC Lumber Trade Council.
\n
He added that without a negotiated settlement, the council will continue to work with the Canadian government and industry partners to defend Canadian interests "through all available legal channels, including proceedings under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement".
\n
Nelson said the outlook depends on the broader US economy.
\n
"As the US market is what sets lumber prices overall, the higher the tariffs, the lower Canadian lumber prices will be relative to the US."
\n
For Canadian consumers, Nelson sees both direct and indirect impacts. "First, the duties create a wedge between domestic and export prices," he told China Daily.
\n
"The bigger the tariffs, the more likely the greater that wedge will be."
\n
The indirect effect, he added, comes from the broader economy. "If overall tariffs and economic uncertainty lead to lower economic activity, housing starts generally in both the US and Canada will come down … and lumber prices overall will trend lower."
\n
Looking ahead, Nelson said Canada needs a more deliberate diversification strategy. "We are too reliant on one partner and one product," he said.
\n
" (We need) a well thought-out trade diversification strategy where we invest in building a brand for Canadian wood and wood products around quality and building stable relationships with other trading partners," he said.
Denmark has decided to scrap its tax on books in a bid to increase literacy levels, which have plunged to worrying lows recently.
\n
The country's government said this week its 25 percent tax on book sales must go if the nation is to battle back against its "reading crisis".
\n
The idea was suggested by the government's working group on literature, the publishing industry and stakeholder groups.
\n
Culture Minister Jakob Engel-Schmidt said as he announced the government's decision to ditch the tax, which is one of the most prohibitive in the world and the highest rate in Europe, that he hoped it would lead to many more books being sold, and a new love of reading.
\n
But he acknowledged the move will cost the country around 330 million Danish kroner ($51 million) a year in lost tax revenue.
\n
"We need to do all we can to fix this reading crisis that has unfortunately spread in recent years," Engel-Schmidt told the Ritzau news agency.
\n
He added that he would like to see "massive money" now being spent on improving the culture of the Danish people.
\n
Engel-Schmidt made the move after the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development intergovernmental think tank said in its latest annual education review that a quarter of Denmark's 15-year-olds were unable to understand simple texts, which was up 4 percentage points on the figure from a decade ago.
\n
Mads Rosendahl Thomsen, a professor of comparative literature at Aarhus University and vice-chair of the Danish government's working group on literature, said surveys have repeatedly shown there are declining levels of literacy among Denmark's teenagers, and that the 25 percent tax on books was partly responsible.
\n
Nearby Finland, Sweden and Norway have lower tax rates on books, with Finland taxing them at 14 percent, Sweden at 6 percent, and Norway at zero percent. The United Kingdom also has a zero percent tax on books.
\n
Thomsen told the BBC that young children can quickly improve their reading skills once books become more readily available, but he said the situation was much more urgent and important among 15-year-olds.
\n
Thomsen added that other factors have also contributed to the literacy crisis, including the increasing challenge of distractions like online gaming.
Denmark has decided to scrap its tax on books in a bid to increase literacy levels, which have plunged to worrying lows recently.
\n
The country's government said this week its 25 percent tax on book sales must go if the nation is to battle back against its "reading crisis".
\n
The idea was suggested by the government's working group on literature, the publishing industry and stakeholder groups.
\n
Culture Minister Jakob Engel-Schmidt said as he announced the government's decision to ditch the tax, which is one of the most prohibitive in the world and the highest rate in Europe, that he hoped it would lead to many more books being sold, and a new love of reading.
\n
But he acknowledged the move will cost the country around 330 million Danish kroner ($51 million) a year in lost tax revenue.
\n
"We need to do all we can to fix this reading crisis that has unfortunately spread in recent years," Engel-Schmidt told the Ritzau news agency.
\n
He added that he would like to see "massive money" now being spent on improving the culture of the Danish people.
\n
Engel-Schmidt made the move after the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development intergovernmental think tank said in its latest annual education review that a quarter of Denmark's 15-year-olds were unable to understand simple texts, which was up 4 percentage points on the figure from a decade ago.
\n
Mads Rosendahl Thomsen, a professor of comparative literature at Aarhus University and vice-chair of the Danish government's working group on literature, said surveys have repeatedly shown there are declining levels of literacy among Denmark's teenagers, and that the 25 percent tax on books was partly responsible.
\n
Nearby Finland, Sweden and Norway have lower tax rates on books, with Finland taxing them at 14 percent, Sweden at 6 percent, and Norway at zero percent. The United Kingdom also has a zero percent tax on books.
\n
Thomsen told the BBC that young children can quickly improve their reading skills once books become more readily available, but he said the situation was much more urgent and important among 15-year-olds.
\n
Thomsen added that other factors have also contributed to the literacy crisis, including the increasing challenge of distractions like online gaming.
Sailors stand on the masts of a tall ship as it sails into Amsterdam, the Netherlands, on Wednesday. SAIL Amsterdam, the country's major maritime festival, first held 50 years ago, kicked off its 10th edition on Wednesday after a decade-long break.
\n",
+ "content": "
Sailors stand on the masts of a tall ship as it sails into Amsterdam, the Netherlands, on Wednesday. SAIL Amsterdam, the country's major maritime festival, first held 50 years ago, kicked off its 10th edition on Wednesday after a decade-long break.
BRASILIA — US-imposed tariffs on Brazilian products could cause a drop in the country's exports for the first time in 21 months, while also negatively impacting investment and employment, the National Confederation of Industry, or CNI, warned in a report on Wednesday.
\n
According to CNI's latest survey, export expectations for Brazil's industrial sector for the next six months fell 5.1 points to 46.6 points in August. When the indicator falls below 50 points, it indicates an expected contraction in exports.
\n
"The worsening of export expectations is closely related to uncertainties in the external environment, mainly due to the new US trade policy," said Isabella Bianchi, CNI's policy and industry analyst.
\n
A 50 percent tariff imposed by the US government on a number of Brazilian products took effect on Aug 6.
\n
According to the CNI, the measure is already having an impact on industrial employment, which declined in July despite a rise in production growth.
\n
The employment expectations index dropped to 49.3 points in August, signaling that employers do not anticipate job growth in the next six months.
\n
Business owners are less inclined to invest. "The investment intention index fell to 54.6 points, the lowest level since October 2023.However, it remains 2.1 points above the historical average of 52.5 points," the report noted.
\n
Talks with WTO
\n
The United States has agreed to Brazil's request to enter talks with the World Trade Organization to discuss the tariffs imposed by Washington, according to a recent letter.
\n
Brazil approached the global trade body in early August after President Donald Trump raised duties on more than a third of US-bound exports from the Latin American powerhouse, including key items like coffee, beef and sugar.
\n
Trump hit Brazil with some of his highest tariff rates as punishment for what he calls a "witch hunt "against former far-right president Jair Bolsonaro, who is on trial for allegedly plotting to attempt a coup.
\n
"The United States accepts the request of Brazil to enter into consultations," read a letter dated Aug 15 from the Washington WTO delegation and published on the organization's website.
\n
"We stand ready to confer with officials from your mission on a mutually convenient date for consultations," it continued.
\n
The US letter cautioned that some of the issues raised by Brazil "are issues of national security not susceptible to review or capable of resolution by WTO dispute settlement".
\n
The WTO consultation process involves seeking a negotiated solution before moving into arbitration.
\n
Trump's tariff order also charged that the Brazilian government's recent policies and actions threatened the US economy, national security and foreign policy.
\n
Unlike most countries targeted by Washington's reciprocal tariffs, the US runs a trade surplus with Brazil, not a deficit.
BRASILIA — US-imposed tariffs on Brazilian products could cause a drop in the country's exports for the first time in 21 months, while also negatively impacting investment and employment, the National Confederation of Industry, or CNI, warned in a report on Wednesday.
\n
According to CNI's latest survey, export expectations for Brazil's industrial sector for the next six months fell 5.1 points to 46.6 points in August. When the indicator falls below 50 points, it indicates an expected contraction in exports.
\n
"The worsening of export expectations is closely related to uncertainties in the external environment, mainly due to the new US trade policy," said Isabella Bianchi, CNI's policy and industry analyst.
\n
A 50 percent tariff imposed by the US government on a number of Brazilian products took effect on Aug 6.
\n
According to the CNI, the measure is already having an impact on industrial employment, which declined in July despite a rise in production growth.
\n
The employment expectations index dropped to 49.3 points in August, signaling that employers do not anticipate job growth in the next six months.
\n
Business owners are less inclined to invest. "The investment intention index fell to 54.6 points, the lowest level since October 2023.However, it remains 2.1 points above the historical average of 52.5 points," the report noted.
\n
Talks with WTO
\n
The United States has agreed to Brazil's request to enter talks with the World Trade Organization to discuss the tariffs imposed by Washington, according to a recent letter.
\n
Brazil approached the global trade body in early August after President Donald Trump raised duties on more than a third of US-bound exports from the Latin American powerhouse, including key items like coffee, beef and sugar.
\n
Trump hit Brazil with some of his highest tariff rates as punishment for what he calls a "witch hunt "against former far-right president Jair Bolsonaro, who is on trial for allegedly plotting to attempt a coup.
\n
"The United States accepts the request of Brazil to enter into consultations," read a letter dated Aug 15 from the Washington WTO delegation and published on the organization's website.
\n
"We stand ready to confer with officials from your mission on a mutually convenient date for consultations," it continued.
\n
The US letter cautioned that some of the issues raised by Brazil "are issues of national security not susceptible to review or capable of resolution by WTO dispute settlement".
\n
The WTO consultation process involves seeking a negotiated solution before moving into arbitration.
\n
Trump's tariff order also charged that the Brazilian government's recent policies and actions threatened the US economy, national security and foreign policy.
\n
Unlike most countries targeted by Washington's reciprocal tariffs, the US runs a trade surplus with Brazil, not a deficit.
WPP Media China, the marketing and media service provider formerly called GroupM China, has built a reputation for assisting overseas companies in navigating the Chinese market. In recent years, the company has been keen to harness its expertise in helping Chinese companies expand their global operation, offering a clearer road map to success in an increasingly complex international business landscape.
\n
"Ten years ago, we were primarily focused on bringing Western brands into China, working closely with Western headquarters to tailor messaging for Chinese consumers. Now, the reverse is true. We need to leverage our network's expertise to help Chinese businesses understand how to drive relevance and resonate with consumers, taking into account the local nuances and cultural norms, whether in France, Fiji, Greece, or Germany," said Rupert McPetrie, CEO of WPP Media China.
\n
According to McPetrie, Chinese companies have been displaying increased confidence in their global expansion in recent years. There has also been a shift in business emphasis, with price no longer being the sole focus for these companies.
\n
"Chinese companies have transitioned from a value-led proposition to offering richer, deeper and more brand-oriented experiences. This shift has been evident in sectors such as electric vehicles and drones, where China is a global leader," said McPetrie.
\n
In addition to changing emphasis, McPetrie said that the marketing strategies in overseas markets have evolved.
\n
"The whole marketing ecosystem has changed. We're seeing a more integrated approach that encompasses the entire ecosystem — from branding and awareness to the resonance of brands with consumers in different markets — all the way through to conversion and click-to-purchase," said McPetrie.
\n
McPetrie, who has observed the development of the Chinese market for more than 10 years, said Chinese companies' journey of seeking overseas development features both opportunities and challenges. Quickly understanding and evaluating the market situation, as well as conducting effective localization, will become a unique competitive advantage for brands.
\n
"Securing a foothold in international markets depends not only on product and supply chain advantages but also on the effective storytelling of their brands. This brand narrative needs to be culturally relevant and resonate with and build trust among overseas consumers through efficient media touchpoints," said McPetrie.
\n
In recent years, WPP Media China has achieved excellent results in supporting Chinese brands in their global expansion, including the overseas marketing of Black Myth: Wukong and the global media planning and buying for the mobile phone brand Honor.
\n
According to McPetrie, WPP Media China is poised to become a long-term trusted partner for more Chinese brands, with the goal of accelerating client growth wherever they conduct business.
\n
"WPP Media China is an important part of WPP. WPP is present in over 100 countries worldwide and possesses a powerful network, talented teams and cutting-edge solutions tailored to diverse markets. This ensures that brand stories are effectively disseminated within the right media and marketing environments, enhancing the efficiency and impact of brand marketing for global expansion," said McPetrie.
\n
At the end of May, WPP globally announced the rebranding of GroupM to WPP Media, with the aim to further consolidate its development foundation and enhance its offer for the future. The move will enable WPP Media to deliver more integrated solutions to its clients in a more efficient manner.
\n
"We've been on a journey to become much easier to access. We're very lucky at the capabilities that we've been building. But one of the jobs we have is to make sure our clients can get the benefit of those capabilities very easily. We've been simplifying our organization practically and strategically, and the rebranding was just a symbol of that," said McPetrie.
\n
WPP Open, an artificial intelligence-enabled marketing platform empowered by Open Intelligence and developed by WPP Media, is deemed the main engine supporting its transition, according to McPetrie.
WPP Media China, the marketing and media service provider formerly called GroupM China, has built a reputation for assisting overseas companies in navigating the Chinese market. In recent years, the company has been keen to harness its expertise in helping Chinese companies expand their global operation, offering a clearer road map to success in an increasingly complex international business landscape.
\n
"Ten years ago, we were primarily focused on bringing Western brands into China, working closely with Western headquarters to tailor messaging for Chinese consumers. Now, the reverse is true. We need to leverage our network's expertise to help Chinese businesses understand how to drive relevance and resonate with consumers, taking into account the local nuances and cultural norms, whether in France, Fiji, Greece, or Germany," said Rupert McPetrie, CEO of WPP Media China.
\n
According to McPetrie, Chinese companies have been displaying increased confidence in their global expansion in recent years. There has also been a shift in business emphasis, with price no longer being the sole focus for these companies.
\n
"Chinese companies have transitioned from a value-led proposition to offering richer, deeper and more brand-oriented experiences. This shift has been evident in sectors such as electric vehicles and drones, where China is a global leader," said McPetrie.
\n
In addition to changing emphasis, McPetrie said that the marketing strategies in overseas markets have evolved.
\n
"The whole marketing ecosystem has changed. We're seeing a more integrated approach that encompasses the entire ecosystem — from branding and awareness to the resonance of brands with consumers in different markets — all the way through to conversion and click-to-purchase," said McPetrie.
\n
McPetrie, who has observed the development of the Chinese market for more than 10 years, said Chinese companies' journey of seeking overseas development features both opportunities and challenges. Quickly understanding and evaluating the market situation, as well as conducting effective localization, will become a unique competitive advantage for brands.
\n
"Securing a foothold in international markets depends not only on product and supply chain advantages but also on the effective storytelling of their brands. This brand narrative needs to be culturally relevant and resonate with and build trust among overseas consumers through efficient media touchpoints," said McPetrie.
\n
In recent years, WPP Media China has achieved excellent results in supporting Chinese brands in their global expansion, including the overseas marketing of Black Myth: Wukong and the global media planning and buying for the mobile phone brand Honor.
\n
According to McPetrie, WPP Media China is poised to become a long-term trusted partner for more Chinese brands, with the goal of accelerating client growth wherever they conduct business.
\n
"WPP Media China is an important part of WPP. WPP is present in over 100 countries worldwide and possesses a powerful network, talented teams and cutting-edge solutions tailored to diverse markets. This ensures that brand stories are effectively disseminated within the right media and marketing environments, enhancing the efficiency and impact of brand marketing for global expansion," said McPetrie.
\n
At the end of May, WPP globally announced the rebranding of GroupM to WPP Media, with the aim to further consolidate its development foundation and enhance its offer for the future. The move will enable WPP Media to deliver more integrated solutions to its clients in a more efficient manner.
\n
"We've been on a journey to become much easier to access. We're very lucky at the capabilities that we've been building. But one of the jobs we have is to make sure our clients can get the benefit of those capabilities very easily. We've been simplifying our organization practically and strategically, and the rebranding was just a symbol of that," said McPetrie.
\n
WPP Open, an artificial intelligence-enabled marketing platform empowered by Open Intelligence and developed by WPP Media, is deemed the main engine supporting its transition, according to McPetrie.
Fast-evolving artificial intelligence is expected to foster new consumption growth drivers and inject strong impetus into China's consumer market as this cutting-edge digital technology is spearheading a technological revolution and industrial transformation to drive economic growth, said experts and company executives.
\n
They said that commercial use of AI in e-commerce and home appliances will not only improve the consumer shopping experience and merchants' operational efficiency, but also create new consumption scenarios and bolster product sales.
\n
Their comments came as a State Council executive meeting in July approved a guideline on implementing the "AI Plus" initiative, calling for vigorously advancing the large-scale commercial application of AI and boosting its accelerated popularization and deep integration across various fields of economic and social development.
\n
Major e-commerce platforms are scrambling to leverage AI-powered virtual hosts in livestreaming sessions to introduce products and spur purchases. These virtual hosts can mimic human facial expressions and movements, and interact naturally with consumers while promptly answering their queries.
\n
A digital human mimicking Liu Qiangdong, Chinese e-commerce giant JD's founder, appeared in the company's livestreaming rooms to promote a variety of merchandise, including meats, edible oils, eggs, milk, air conditioners and TV sets.
\n
The AI anchor almost perfectly replicated Liu's expressions, body language, gestures, voice and accent. His avatar generated over 20 million views within the first hour and raked in 50 million yuan ($6.96 million) in sales throughout the real-time broadcast session.
\n
Tmall, Alibaba Group's business-to-customer e-marketplace, offers consumers personalized guidance and advice with its AI-powered customer service chatbots, while online discounter PDD Holdings uses AI tools to analyze market trends and optimize sales strategies.
\n
"The use of AI-powered virtual hosts in e-commerce livestreaming can bring a feeling of freshness to users, while brand owners can attract new consumers via this innovative method," said Mo Daiqing, a senior analyst at the Internet Economy Institute, a domestic consultancy.
\n
Mo said AI will change the way people purchase by providing interactive shopping experiences and promoting the digital transformation of traditional retailers.
\n
"It is vital that Chinese retailers deepen their customer engagement. AI tools can energize customer retention efforts, enabling e-commerce players to hyperpersonalize their engagement with consumers and create bespoke shopping experiences for them," said James Yang, head of consulting firm Bain & Company Greater China's retail practice.
\n
Meanwhile, leading consumer electronics and home appliance makers are racing to incorporate AI technology into manufacturing, products and services. Zhou Yunjie, chairman and CEO of Haier Group, said, "At present, the deployment of AI in enterprises mainly concentrates on manufacturing, research and development, sales, procurement and services."
\n
Zhou said the integration of AI models with home service robots and terminal devices will create new growth drivers for the global consumer electronics industry, adding that his company has promoted the application of AI in a wide range of fields like smart homes and industrial internet.
\n
Hisense Group said its Xinghai large language model has a deep integration with Chinese AI startup DeepSeek, and with enhanced deep thinking and reasoning abilities, its smart TVs could better understand user demands.
\n
The rise of AI technology will offer better human-machine interaction capacities and boost the intelligent transformation of the home appliances sector, while unleashing consumption potential, said Liu Fei, research director of the consumer electronics department at Beijing-based market consultancy All View Cloud.
\n
Hong Yong, an associate research fellow at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, said the new type of consumption is mainly driven by technological advancements in AI, with a focus on consumers' personalized and diversified needs.
\n
"Nurturing an AI-driven new consumption model is pivotal to expanding domestic demand, driving industrial upgrades and promoting high-quality economic growth," Hong said.
Fast-evolving artificial intelligence is expected to foster new consumption growth drivers and inject strong impetus into China's consumer market as this cutting-edge digital technology is spearheading a technological revolution and industrial transformation to drive economic growth, said experts and company executives.
\n
They said that commercial use of AI in e-commerce and home appliances will not only improve the consumer shopping experience and merchants' operational efficiency, but also create new consumption scenarios and bolster product sales.
\n
Their comments came as a State Council executive meeting in July approved a guideline on implementing the "AI Plus" initiative, calling for vigorously advancing the large-scale commercial application of AI and boosting its accelerated popularization and deep integration across various fields of economic and social development.
\n
Major e-commerce platforms are scrambling to leverage AI-powered virtual hosts in livestreaming sessions to introduce products and spur purchases. These virtual hosts can mimic human facial expressions and movements, and interact naturally with consumers while promptly answering their queries.
\n
A digital human mimicking Liu Qiangdong, Chinese e-commerce giant JD's founder, appeared in the company's livestreaming rooms to promote a variety of merchandise, including meats, edible oils, eggs, milk, air conditioners and TV sets.
\n
The AI anchor almost perfectly replicated Liu's expressions, body language, gestures, voice and accent. His avatar generated over 20 million views within the first hour and raked in 50 million yuan ($6.96 million) in sales throughout the real-time broadcast session.
\n
Tmall, Alibaba Group's business-to-customer e-marketplace, offers consumers personalized guidance and advice with its AI-powered customer service chatbots, while online discounter PDD Holdings uses AI tools to analyze market trends and optimize sales strategies.
\n
"The use of AI-powered virtual hosts in e-commerce livestreaming can bring a feeling of freshness to users, while brand owners can attract new consumers via this innovative method," said Mo Daiqing, a senior analyst at the Internet Economy Institute, a domestic consultancy.
\n
Mo said AI will change the way people purchase by providing interactive shopping experiences and promoting the digital transformation of traditional retailers.
\n
"It is vital that Chinese retailers deepen their customer engagement. AI tools can energize customer retention efforts, enabling e-commerce players to hyperpersonalize their engagement with consumers and create bespoke shopping experiences for them," said James Yang, head of consulting firm Bain & Company Greater China's retail practice.
\n
Meanwhile, leading consumer electronics and home appliance makers are racing to incorporate AI technology into manufacturing, products and services. Zhou Yunjie, chairman and CEO of Haier Group, said, "At present, the deployment of AI in enterprises mainly concentrates on manufacturing, research and development, sales, procurement and services."
\n
Zhou said the integration of AI models with home service robots and terminal devices will create new growth drivers for the global consumer electronics industry, adding that his company has promoted the application of AI in a wide range of fields like smart homes and industrial internet.
\n
Hisense Group said its Xinghai large language model has a deep integration with Chinese AI startup DeepSeek, and with enhanced deep thinking and reasoning abilities, its smart TVs could better understand user demands.
\n
The rise of AI technology will offer better human-machine interaction capacities and boost the intelligent transformation of the home appliances sector, while unleashing consumption potential, said Liu Fei, research director of the consumer electronics department at Beijing-based market consultancy All View Cloud.
\n
Hong Yong, an associate research fellow at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, said the new type of consumption is mainly driven by technological advancements in AI, with a focus on consumers' personalized and diversified needs.
\n
"Nurturing an AI-driven new consumption model is pivotal to expanding domestic demand, driving industrial upgrades and promoting high-quality economic growth," Hong said.
People pass by a Heytea pop-up store showcasing its "new-style tea" products in Paris on July 26,2024.
\n
Chinese new-style tea brands are accelerating their push into overseas markets, leveraging product innovation, digital operations, and a growing global interest in health-boosting beverages.
\n
The trend marks a new phase in the globalization of China's consumer brands, analysts said.
\n
Tea chains — once focused on the domestic market — have begun to systematically scale up their presence abroad.
\n
From Southeast Asia to North America and Europe, Chinese companies like Mixue, Heytea and Chagee are establishing a presence in major urban centers and retail hot spots.
\n
"The overseas growth of Chinese tea brands shows that they are moving up the value chain — from lowcost producers to lifestyle and culture exporters," said Wang Peng, associate research fellow at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences.
\n
He pointed to the global shift in beverage preferences, especially among younger consumers, as a key driver. "Consumers are looking for lower-sugar, innovative and Instagrammable drinks that reflect cultural diversity."
\n
Zhan Junhao, founder of brand consultancy Fujian Huace Brand Positioning Consulting, noted that success abroad has depended on thoughtful localization strategies.
\n
"Chinese tea companies have adjusted flavors to suit local palates, while retaining signature products that communicate authenticity. This balance between adaptation and brand identity has been critical," he said.
\n
According to National Business Daily, six Chinese tea brands had gone public by July, and together they operate over 5,000 outlets overseas.
\n
Among the most active players is Mixue Group, which was listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange in March. Its prospectus revealed that the company had opened 4,895 outlets overseas by the end of 2024, accounting for more than 10 percent of its global footprint.
\n
Chagee, a premium tea chain based in Yunnan province, made its debut on the Nasdaq in April. In just seven years, the brand has opened nearly 170 outlets in Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and other countries.
\n
Heytea, one of China's best-known upmarket tea brands, launched its international journey from Singapore in 2018. It has since expanded into London, Melbourne, Kuala Lumpur, Seoul, and several North American cities. Over the past year, Heytea's overseas store count jumped more than sixfold, from fewer than 20 to over 100. In the United States alone, the number of stores rose from two to over 30.
\n
The brand's Cupertino outlet in California, located near the headquarters of Apple Inc, drew long lines on opening day. "Our Times Square store in New York sold over 3,500 cups on its first day, and the Flushing store reached 3,300 cups daily by Day Three," said Cheng Hao, general manager of the Public Communication Center of Heytea. "Even in the off-season, our outlet in San Jose maintains sales levels close to opening day."
\n
A viral presence on social media has helped fuel the craze.
\n
Videos of two-hour wait lines and customer reviews comparing Chinese tea to coffee in addictiveness have boosted visibility among US consumers.
\n
As the Chinese brands continue their global expansion, analysts said their long-term success will depend on how well they manage supply chains, maintain brand quality and navigate regional competition — while retaining the cultural appeal that first set them apart.
\n
zhengyiran@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
+ "content": "
People pass by a Heytea pop-up store showcasing its "new-style tea" products in Paris on July 26,2024.
\n
Chinese new-style tea brands are accelerating their push into overseas markets, leveraging product innovation, digital operations, and a growing global interest in health-boosting beverages.
\n
The trend marks a new phase in the globalization of China's consumer brands, analysts said.
\n
Tea chains — once focused on the domestic market — have begun to systematically scale up their presence abroad.
\n
From Southeast Asia to North America and Europe, Chinese companies like Mixue, Heytea and Chagee are establishing a presence in major urban centers and retail hot spots.
\n
"The overseas growth of Chinese tea brands shows that they are moving up the value chain — from lowcost producers to lifestyle and culture exporters," said Wang Peng, associate research fellow at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences.
\n
He pointed to the global shift in beverage preferences, especially among younger consumers, as a key driver. "Consumers are looking for lower-sugar, innovative and Instagrammable drinks that reflect cultural diversity."
\n
Zhan Junhao, founder of brand consultancy Fujian Huace Brand Positioning Consulting, noted that success abroad has depended on thoughtful localization strategies.
\n
"Chinese tea companies have adjusted flavors to suit local palates, while retaining signature products that communicate authenticity. This balance between adaptation and brand identity has been critical," he said.
\n
According to National Business Daily, six Chinese tea brands had gone public by July, and together they operate over 5,000 outlets overseas.
\n
Among the most active players is Mixue Group, which was listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange in March. Its prospectus revealed that the company had opened 4,895 outlets overseas by the end of 2024, accounting for more than 10 percent of its global footprint.
\n
Chagee, a premium tea chain based in Yunnan province, made its debut on the Nasdaq in April. In just seven years, the brand has opened nearly 170 outlets in Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and other countries.
\n
Heytea, one of China's best-known upmarket tea brands, launched its international journey from Singapore in 2018. It has since expanded into London, Melbourne, Kuala Lumpur, Seoul, and several North American cities. Over the past year, Heytea's overseas store count jumped more than sixfold, from fewer than 20 to over 100. In the United States alone, the number of stores rose from two to over 30.
\n
The brand's Cupertino outlet in California, located near the headquarters of Apple Inc, drew long lines on opening day. "Our Times Square store in New York sold over 3,500 cups on its first day, and the Flushing store reached 3,300 cups daily by Day Three," said Cheng Hao, general manager of the Public Communication Center of Heytea. "Even in the off-season, our outlet in San Jose maintains sales levels close to opening day."
\n
A viral presence on social media has helped fuel the craze.
\n
Videos of two-hour wait lines and customer reviews comparing Chinese tea to coffee in addictiveness have boosted visibility among US consumers.
\n
As the Chinese brands continue their global expansion, analysts said their long-term success will depend on how well they manage supply chains, maintain brand quality and navigate regional competition — while retaining the cultural appeal that first set them apart.
The Ningxia-Hunan ±800 kilovolt ultra-high voltage direct current transmission project, which brings electricity from Northwest China's Ningxia Hui autonomous region to Central China's Hunan province, was put into operation on Wednesday, marking a significant step in the country's push for renewable energy integration.
\n
The UHV transmission line, spanning 1,616 kilometers, is the first in China approved to primarily transmit electricity generated from wind and solar power plants located in Gobi Desert bases, said State Grid Corp of China, its operator.
\n
More than half of the electricity transmitted through the line will be from renewable sources, the company said, highlighting its importance in facilitating the large-scale allocation of clean energy and enhancing power supply security.
\n
"This project is not only a 'green artery' for cross-regional energy allocation, but also an important engine for Hunan to accelerate its green, low-carbon and high-quality development," said Meng Jun, chairman of the trade union at State Grid's Hunan subsidiary.
\n
The Ningxia-Hunan project is supported by a total power generation capacity of 17.64 gigawatts, of which 13 GW is from renewable sources, including 4 GW of wind power and 9 GW of solar photovoltaic generation.
\n
UHV lines offer superior performance compared to traditional power lines, delivering greater capacity over longer distances with reduced energy loss. This technology is vital for channeling renewable energy generated in remote western regions to populous centers in the east.
\n
With a total investment of 28.1 billion yuan ($3.86 billion), the project is expected to reduce Hunan's standard coal consumption by around 6 million metric tons annually and cut carbon dioxide emissions by about 18 million tons, significantly optimizing the province's energy consumption structure.
\n
The launch of the project will significantly alleviate Hunan's historical reliance on external energy sources and bolster its renewable energy capacity, officials said.
\n
Hunan, which previously relied on external sources for as much as 80 percent of its primary energy, has long faced electricity shortages during peak summer and winter demand. However, rapid development of China's power infrastructure has transformed the situation, said Tang Jihong, head of the province's energy bureau.
\n
"While coal-fired power remains a fundamental source of guaranteed power for Hunan, renewable energy installations have now become the province's largest power source. External power supplies are also a crucial supplement and support. This line can account for one-sixth of our province's electricity consumption, which can play a very important supporting role in solving Hunan's power supply. With more than 50 percent of its electricity coming from renewable sources, it can provide a very important supplement to our province's green development."
\n
China has aggressively expanded its power grid over the last decade, adding over half a million kilometers of transmission lines, more than a third of the world's total. UHV lines are playing a key role, efficiently linking renewable energy sources in the west and north to high-demand areas in the more populous east.
\n
The country's grid companies have also been actively stepping up investment in the construction of UHV power transmission projects, enabling efficient long-distance transmission of massive amounts of power.
\n
As the energy revolution progresses, innovations like smart grids, advanced energy storage and virtual power plants are emerging. The rapid development and integration of digital technologies, including artificial intelligence, are sparking a new wave of advancements in power technology.
\n
China has been steadily expanding its power grid infrastructure in recent years. By the end of 2024, a total of 42 UHV AC/DC projects were operational, with 38 managed by State Grid Corp of China and four by China Southern Power Grid, enabling a cross-provincial and cross-regional power transmission capacity exceeding 340 million kW.
\n
Contact the writers at zhengxin@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
+ "content": "
The Ningxia-Hunan ±800 kilovolt ultra-high voltage direct current transmission project, which brings electricity from Northwest China's Ningxia Hui autonomous region to Central China's Hunan province, was put into operation on Wednesday, marking a significant step in the country's push for renewable energy integration.
\n
The UHV transmission line, spanning 1,616 kilometers, is the first in China approved to primarily transmit electricity generated from wind and solar power plants located in Gobi Desert bases, said State Grid Corp of China, its operator.
\n
More than half of the electricity transmitted through the line will be from renewable sources, the company said, highlighting its importance in facilitating the large-scale allocation of clean energy and enhancing power supply security.
\n
"This project is not only a 'green artery' for cross-regional energy allocation, but also an important engine for Hunan to accelerate its green, low-carbon and high-quality development," said Meng Jun, chairman of the trade union at State Grid's Hunan subsidiary.
\n
The Ningxia-Hunan project is supported by a total power generation capacity of 17.64 gigawatts, of which 13 GW is from renewable sources, including 4 GW of wind power and 9 GW of solar photovoltaic generation.
\n
UHV lines offer superior performance compared to traditional power lines, delivering greater capacity over longer distances with reduced energy loss. This technology is vital for channeling renewable energy generated in remote western regions to populous centers in the east.
\n
With a total investment of 28.1 billion yuan ($3.86 billion), the project is expected to reduce Hunan's standard coal consumption by around 6 million metric tons annually and cut carbon dioxide emissions by about 18 million tons, significantly optimizing the province's energy consumption structure.
\n
The launch of the project will significantly alleviate Hunan's historical reliance on external energy sources and bolster its renewable energy capacity, officials said.
\n
Hunan, which previously relied on external sources for as much as 80 percent of its primary energy, has long faced electricity shortages during peak summer and winter demand. However, rapid development of China's power infrastructure has transformed the situation, said Tang Jihong, head of the province's energy bureau.
\n
"While coal-fired power remains a fundamental source of guaranteed power for Hunan, renewable energy installations have now become the province's largest power source. External power supplies are also a crucial supplement and support. This line can account for one-sixth of our province's electricity consumption, which can play a very important supporting role in solving Hunan's power supply. With more than 50 percent of its electricity coming from renewable sources, it can provide a very important supplement to our province's green development."
\n
China has aggressively expanded its power grid over the last decade, adding over half a million kilometers of transmission lines, more than a third of the world's total. UHV lines are playing a key role, efficiently linking renewable energy sources in the west and north to high-demand areas in the more populous east.
\n
The country's grid companies have also been actively stepping up investment in the construction of UHV power transmission projects, enabling efficient long-distance transmission of massive amounts of power.
\n
As the energy revolution progresses, innovations like smart grids, advanced energy storage and virtual power plants are emerging. The rapid development and integration of digital technologies, including artificial intelligence, are sparking a new wave of advancements in power technology.
\n
China has been steadily expanding its power grid infrastructure in recent years. By the end of 2024, a total of 42 UHV AC/DC projects were operational, with 38 managed by State Grid Corp of China and four by China Southern Power Grid, enabling a cross-provincial and cross-regional power transmission capacity exceeding 340 million kW.
The central parity rate of the Chinese currency renminbi, or the yuan, strengthened 97 pips to 7.1287 against the US dollar on Thursday, according to the China Foreign Exchange Trade System. The central parity rate of the yuan against the US dollar is based on a weighted average of prices offered by market makers before the opening of the interbank market each business day.
\n
Shanxi reports more raw coal production
\n
Coal-rich province of Shanxi reported 756.44 million metric tons of raw coal production in the first seven months, up 7.2 percent year-on-year, according to local authorities. As the country's top coal producer, Shanxi contributed 27.2 percent of China's total output during this period.
\n",
+ "content": "
Yuan strengthens to 7.1287 against USD
\n
The central parity rate of the Chinese currency renminbi, or the yuan, strengthened 97 pips to 7.1287 against the US dollar on Thursday, according to the China Foreign Exchange Trade System. The central parity rate of the yuan against the US dollar is based on a weighted average of prices offered by market makers before the opening of the interbank market each business day.
\n
Shanxi reports more raw coal production
\n
Coal-rich province of Shanxi reported 756.44 million metric tons of raw coal production in the first seven months, up 7.2 percent year-on-year, according to local authorities. As the country's top coal producer, Shanxi contributed 27.2 percent of China's total output during this period.
A train loaded with thermal coal departs Hudong Railway Station in Datong, Shanxi province, on Thursday.
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A 20,000-metric-ton heavy-haul train, No 73003, loaded with thermal coal, departed from Hudong Railway Station in Datong, Shanxi province, at 9:50 am on Thursday, marking a new milestone in freight volume for a single railway line globally.
\n
So far, the cumulative freight volume of the Datong-Qinhuangdao Railway has exceeded 9 billion tons.
\n
The 653-kilometer railway runs from Datong to Qinhuangdao in Hebei province. The railway provides coal to 26 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions, as well as more than 300 power plants and 6,000 mining enterprises.
\n
It handles one-fifth of the country's railway coal transport and has become a vital energy link connecting coal-rich regions such as Shanxi and Shaanxi provinces, and the Inner Mongolia autonomous region.
\n
The railway has continually deepened independent innovation and made equipment upgrades since the first phase of the project opened in 1988. The whole line opened to traffic in 1992.
\n
Since its operation, the railway has continuously broken annual freight records in response to national economic development needs. As the most important railway in the country for coal transport, its annual freight volume increased from over 20 million tons in 1989 to a peak of 451 million tons in 2018.
\n
The cumulative freight volume reached 1 billion tons for the first time in 2004, the second billion in 2008 and the third billion in 2011.
\n
Since 2012, the railway has added another billion tons every 2.5 years. Currently, the railway has an annual transportation capacity of 450 million tons, providing robust support for national energy security and economic and social development.
\n
"We have established a complete system featuring 'matching of production, transportation and demand', 'coordination of collection and distribution', and 'integration of speed, mobility and heaviness' with independent intellectual property rights," said Zhang Wei, director of Hudong Railway Station. "The system has set and maintained several railway world records, including the highest density of heavy-haul trains operating on a single heavy-haul railway, the largest transportation capacity and the best transportation efficiency."
\n
"It has led China's heavy-haul transportation to the forefront of the world," he said. "Meanwhile, the transportation volume of more than 9 billion tons also reflects the vigorous vitality of China's economic and social development."
\n
The system has been applied to other heavy-haul railways, such as the Watang-Rizhao Railway. On April 2, 2014, a nearly 4-kilometer-long 30,000-ton heavy-haul train was successfully tested on the Datong-Qinhuangdao Railway, making China one of the few countries in the world mastering 30,000-ton railway heavy-haul technology.
\n
In February 2020, a new generation of wireless synchronized control systems for heavy-haul trains was successfully tested on the railway. Breakthrough advancements have also been made in research on auxiliary driving for heavy-haul trains and new controllable end-of-train devices in recent years.
\n
Over the past decades, the railway has undergone three major capacity expansion and renovation projects, with continuous upgrades to infrastructure and equipment. The railway tracks have been updated to the fifth generation, achieving high performance, longevity and strength. "Digital vehicle maintenance system has increased overall maintenance efficiency by 20 percent, while continuously enhancing the safety and efficiency of railway transportation," said Yu Wenbin, Party secretary of the train's wheel set workshop at the station.
\n
Contact the writers at zhouhuiying@chinadaily.com.cn
A train loaded with thermal coal departs Hudong Railway Station in Datong, Shanxi province, on Thursday.
\n
A 20,000-metric-ton heavy-haul train, No 73003, loaded with thermal coal, departed from Hudong Railway Station in Datong, Shanxi province, at 9:50 am on Thursday, marking a new milestone in freight volume for a single railway line globally.
\n
So far, the cumulative freight volume of the Datong-Qinhuangdao Railway has exceeded 9 billion tons.
\n
The 653-kilometer railway runs from Datong to Qinhuangdao in Hebei province. The railway provides coal to 26 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions, as well as more than 300 power plants and 6,000 mining enterprises.
\n
It handles one-fifth of the country's railway coal transport and has become a vital energy link connecting coal-rich regions such as Shanxi and Shaanxi provinces, and the Inner Mongolia autonomous region.
\n
The railway has continually deepened independent innovation and made equipment upgrades since the first phase of the project opened in 1988. The whole line opened to traffic in 1992.
\n
Since its operation, the railway has continuously broken annual freight records in response to national economic development needs. As the most important railway in the country for coal transport, its annual freight volume increased from over 20 million tons in 1989 to a peak of 451 million tons in 2018.
\n
The cumulative freight volume reached 1 billion tons for the first time in 2004, the second billion in 2008 and the third billion in 2011.
\n
Since 2012, the railway has added another billion tons every 2.5 years. Currently, the railway has an annual transportation capacity of 450 million tons, providing robust support for national energy security and economic and social development.
\n
"We have established a complete system featuring 'matching of production, transportation and demand', 'coordination of collection and distribution', and 'integration of speed, mobility and heaviness' with independent intellectual property rights," said Zhang Wei, director of Hudong Railway Station. "The system has set and maintained several railway world records, including the highest density of heavy-haul trains operating on a single heavy-haul railway, the largest transportation capacity and the best transportation efficiency."
\n
"It has led China's heavy-haul transportation to the forefront of the world," he said. "Meanwhile, the transportation volume of more than 9 billion tons also reflects the vigorous vitality of China's economic and social development."
\n
The system has been applied to other heavy-haul railways, such as the Watang-Rizhao Railway. On April 2, 2014, a nearly 4-kilometer-long 30,000-ton heavy-haul train was successfully tested on the Datong-Qinhuangdao Railway, making China one of the few countries in the world mastering 30,000-ton railway heavy-haul technology.
\n
In February 2020, a new generation of wireless synchronized control systems for heavy-haul trains was successfully tested on the railway. Breakthrough advancements have also been made in research on auxiliary driving for heavy-haul trains and new controllable end-of-train devices in recent years.
\n
Over the past decades, the railway has undergone three major capacity expansion and renovation projects, with continuous upgrades to infrastructure and equipment. The railway tracks have been updated to the fifth generation, achieving high performance, longevity and strength. "Digital vehicle maintenance system has increased overall maintenance efficiency by 20 percent, while continuously enhancing the safety and efficiency of railway transportation," said Yu Wenbin, Party secretary of the train's wheel set workshop at the station.
\n
Contact the writers at zhouhuiying@chinadaily.com.cn
Seniors check out air conditioners at a shopping center in Shanghai.
\n\n
As China's silver economy is gaining growth momentum, top Chinese home appliance makers are ramping up efforts to launch products suitable for seniors — a demographic that has shown an increasing demand for diversified, easy-to-use and health-oriented household appliances.
\n
Experts said that with functions such as intelligent voice interaction and health monitoring powered by artificial intelligence technology being increasingly integrated into home appliances, it will be more convenient for seniors to use these intelligent and innovative products, creating new consumption growth drivers.
\n
Chinese home appliance giant Haier Group has developed AI-driven rehabilitation robots, which can provide personalized rehab plans based on the physical conditions of the elderly. The company has rolled out toilets designed for seniors who have mobility issues, as well as showers and bathrooms with constant temperature control systems and voice recognition functionality.
\n
Hisense Group has launched televisions equipped with medical-level vision protection technology that is in accordance with the viewing habits and preferences of the elderly. Seniors can play games, engage in physical exercise, make purchases online and have video chats with their friends and family members via the intelligent TVs.
\n
The company is also collaborating with top-tier hospitals across the nation to develop healthcare management platforms.
\n
Sichuan Changhong Electronic Holding Group has developed a smart eldercare system, enabling interconnections of home appliances, medical devices and security systems, and its AI-powered TV sets can understand the needs of seniors and remind them of taking medications on time.
\n
Eyeing the immense business opportunities from China's silver economy and a rapidly aging population, major home appliance makers are stepping up research and development and technological innovation of senior-friendly products to satisfy the diversified demands of the expanding demographic, said Jiang Feng, president of the China Household Electrical Appliances Association.
\n
Jiang said traditional home appliance products are highly homogenized, while the niche market targeting seniors is still in its initial stages, which will create new sources of revenue for home appliance companies.
\n
Beijing-based market consultancy All View Cloud said the scale of China's senior-friendly home appliance market will exceed 100 billion yuan ($14 billion) in 2025 and is expected to reach 1 trillion yuan in 2030.
\n
According to the Ministry of Civil Affairs, the nation's elderly population is projected to grow by more than 10 million annually over the next decade. By 2035, the silver economy is expected to account for 9 percent of China's GDP.
\n
China has released a guideline aimed at building up a solid services system for the elderly by 2029, as part of a broader push to better cope with the aging population and improve the quality of life for seniors.
\n
According to the guideline, the central authorities encourage companies to develop and promote products for the elderly — either high-tech electrical appliances or tourism products — and enrich services for them, aiming for a prosperous silver economy.
\n
China's silver economy is expected to grow from 7 trillion yuan in 2024 to 30 trillion yuan in 2035, said the China Research Center on Aging.
\n
Liang Zhenpeng, an independent consumer electronics analyst, said that as smart air conditioners can automatically adjust room temperatures and AI TVs can broadcast personal health information, household appliances are becoming "emotional companions" for the elderly.
\n
With the help of AI, senior-friendly home appliances are creating a safer, more comfortable and smarter home environment for silver-haired residents, Liang said, adding that these products should cater to the fundamental needs of the elderly, while home appliance makers need to further expand application scenarios, striking a balance between technological iteration and user education.
\n
In order to meet the older generation's personalized needs and rising willingness and ability to spend on high-quality goods, he stressed the need to establish standards for senior-oriented home appliances and launch more intelligent home products, such as nursing and housekeeping robots for senior citizens.
\n
Zhang Subing, chief expert at the China Electronics Standardization Institute, said more efforts should be made to strengthen technological innovation, improve product design and enhance after-sales support for the elderly, with a key focus on embedding AI and health-oriented functions into intelligent terminal devices.
\n
fanfeifei@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
+ "content": "
Seniors check out air conditioners at a shopping center in Shanghai.
\n\n
As China's silver economy is gaining growth momentum, top Chinese home appliance makers are ramping up efforts to launch products suitable for seniors — a demographic that has shown an increasing demand for diversified, easy-to-use and health-oriented household appliances.
\n
Experts said that with functions such as intelligent voice interaction and health monitoring powered by artificial intelligence technology being increasingly integrated into home appliances, it will be more convenient for seniors to use these intelligent and innovative products, creating new consumption growth drivers.
\n
Chinese home appliance giant Haier Group has developed AI-driven rehabilitation robots, which can provide personalized rehab plans based on the physical conditions of the elderly. The company has rolled out toilets designed for seniors who have mobility issues, as well as showers and bathrooms with constant temperature control systems and voice recognition functionality.
\n
Hisense Group has launched televisions equipped with medical-level vision protection technology that is in accordance with the viewing habits and preferences of the elderly. Seniors can play games, engage in physical exercise, make purchases online and have video chats with their friends and family members via the intelligent TVs.
\n
The company is also collaborating with top-tier hospitals across the nation to develop healthcare management platforms.
\n
Sichuan Changhong Electronic Holding Group has developed a smart eldercare system, enabling interconnections of home appliances, medical devices and security systems, and its AI-powered TV sets can understand the needs of seniors and remind them of taking medications on time.
\n
Eyeing the immense business opportunities from China's silver economy and a rapidly aging population, major home appliance makers are stepping up research and development and technological innovation of senior-friendly products to satisfy the diversified demands of the expanding demographic, said Jiang Feng, president of the China Household Electrical Appliances Association.
\n
Jiang said traditional home appliance products are highly homogenized, while the niche market targeting seniors is still in its initial stages, which will create new sources of revenue for home appliance companies.
\n
Beijing-based market consultancy All View Cloud said the scale of China's senior-friendly home appliance market will exceed 100 billion yuan ($14 billion) in 2025 and is expected to reach 1 trillion yuan in 2030.
\n
According to the Ministry of Civil Affairs, the nation's elderly population is projected to grow by more than 10 million annually over the next decade. By 2035, the silver economy is expected to account for 9 percent of China's GDP.
\n
China has released a guideline aimed at building up a solid services system for the elderly by 2029, as part of a broader push to better cope with the aging population and improve the quality of life for seniors.
\n
According to the guideline, the central authorities encourage companies to develop and promote products for the elderly — either high-tech electrical appliances or tourism products — and enrich services for them, aiming for a prosperous silver economy.
\n
China's silver economy is expected to grow from 7 trillion yuan in 2024 to 30 trillion yuan in 2035, said the China Research Center on Aging.
\n
Liang Zhenpeng, an independent consumer electronics analyst, said that as smart air conditioners can automatically adjust room temperatures and AI TVs can broadcast personal health information, household appliances are becoming "emotional companions" for the elderly.
\n
With the help of AI, senior-friendly home appliances are creating a safer, more comfortable and smarter home environment for silver-haired residents, Liang said, adding that these products should cater to the fundamental needs of the elderly, while home appliance makers need to further expand application scenarios, striking a balance between technological iteration and user education.
\n
In order to meet the older generation's personalized needs and rising willingness and ability to spend on high-quality goods, he stressed the need to establish standards for senior-oriented home appliances and launch more intelligent home products, such as nursing and housekeeping robots for senior citizens.
\n
Zhang Subing, chief expert at the China Electronics Standardization Institute, said more efforts should be made to strengthen technological innovation, improve product design and enhance after-sales support for the elderly, with a key focus on embedding AI and health-oriented functions into intelligent terminal devices.
Consumers try out shoes at a Steve Madden store in Shanghai on July 23.
\n
Global brands that once shifted part of their production out of the country are now turning back as they rediscover China's enduring manufacturing edge.
\n
Steve Madden, the US-based footwear and accessories brand, began diversifying production last November, announcing in the first quarter that only a mid-teens percentage of goods would be sourced from China. But by the second quarter, Steven Madden Ltd's Chairman and CEO Edward Rosenfeld said on an earnings call earlier this month that some production had been shifted back to China for the autumn season.
\n
"We felt it would be difficult to ensure on-time delivery, appropriate product quality and/or reasonable pricing if we sourced elsewhere," Rosenfeld said.
\n
The Steve Madden brand is not alone. Intersport International Corp, the Switzerland-based sporting goods retailer, is also weighing a pivot back to China. The company sees an opportunity to tap into the country's unrivaled supply chain efficiency at a time when many rivals are moving production to Southeast Asia and other developing markets. The group is considering sourcing a greater share of its private-label products from China.
\n
Industry analysts said the country's deep integration of manufacturing resources and skilled workforce remains compelling.
\n
Cheng Weixiong, an independent fashion analyst and founder of Shanghai Liangqi Brand Management Co Ltd, said, "It is a timely move for companies like Steven Madden and Intersport to shift more capacity back to China, where costs are currently lower and orders in some manufacturing facilities are insufficient."
\n
Bai Ming, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, said that China offers advantages beyond manufacturing costs.
\n
"The country's end-to-end supply chain enables brands to go from design to mass production in weeks," Bai said. "For businesses that value speed, scale and sophistication, China is both a consumption powerhouse and an innovation accelerator."
\n
The toy industry is another case in point. Despite tariff headwinds, Chinese manufacturers continue to concentrate most of their operations domestically despite many relocating some of their capacities in Southeast Asian markets.
\n
"Many toy makers still keep 70 to 80 percent of their capacity in China and about 20 percent in Southeast Asian markets," said Liu Zhenlie, head of the Shenzhen Toys Industry Association.
\n
"Labor and costs are now about 5 to 10 percent higher in Southeast Asia, while China maintains strong supply capacity and rapid supply-chain response."
\n
Liu also said the toy sector in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, has maintained mild growth so far this year.
\n
Meanwhile, Southeast Asia's manufacturing sector is expanding rapidly but faces challenges. According to Savills, Vietnam's industrial parks reached 86 percent occupancy in the first nine months of 2024, with average land prices topping $170 per square meter. Northern provinces offered cheaper land than the south, but availability remains tight, underscoring the limits of large-scale relocation, according to the report.
\n
wangzhuoqiong@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
+ "content": "\n
Consumers try out shoes at a Steve Madden store in Shanghai on July 23.
\n
Global brands that once shifted part of their production out of the country are now turning back as they rediscover China's enduring manufacturing edge.
\n
Steve Madden, the US-based footwear and accessories brand, began diversifying production last November, announcing in the first quarter that only a mid-teens percentage of goods would be sourced from China. But by the second quarter, Steven Madden Ltd's Chairman and CEO Edward Rosenfeld said on an earnings call earlier this month that some production had been shifted back to China for the autumn season.
\n
"We felt it would be difficult to ensure on-time delivery, appropriate product quality and/or reasonable pricing if we sourced elsewhere," Rosenfeld said.
\n
The Steve Madden brand is not alone. Intersport International Corp, the Switzerland-based sporting goods retailer, is also weighing a pivot back to China. The company sees an opportunity to tap into the country's unrivaled supply chain efficiency at a time when many rivals are moving production to Southeast Asia and other developing markets. The group is considering sourcing a greater share of its private-label products from China.
\n
Industry analysts said the country's deep integration of manufacturing resources and skilled workforce remains compelling.
\n
Cheng Weixiong, an independent fashion analyst and founder of Shanghai Liangqi Brand Management Co Ltd, said, "It is a timely move for companies like Steven Madden and Intersport to shift more capacity back to China, where costs are currently lower and orders in some manufacturing facilities are insufficient."
\n
Bai Ming, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, said that China offers advantages beyond manufacturing costs.
\n
"The country's end-to-end supply chain enables brands to go from design to mass production in weeks," Bai said. "For businesses that value speed, scale and sophistication, China is both a consumption powerhouse and an innovation accelerator."
\n
The toy industry is another case in point. Despite tariff headwinds, Chinese manufacturers continue to concentrate most of their operations domestically despite many relocating some of their capacities in Southeast Asian markets.
\n
"Many toy makers still keep 70 to 80 percent of their capacity in China and about 20 percent in Southeast Asian markets," said Liu Zhenlie, head of the Shenzhen Toys Industry Association.
\n
"Labor and costs are now about 5 to 10 percent higher in Southeast Asia, while China maintains strong supply capacity and rapid supply-chain response."
\n
Liu also said the toy sector in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, has maintained mild growth so far this year.
\n
Meanwhile, Southeast Asia's manufacturing sector is expanding rapidly but faces challenges. According to Savills, Vietnam's industrial parks reached 86 percent occupancy in the first nine months of 2024, with average land prices topping $170 per square meter. Northern provinces offered cheaper land than the south, but availability remains tight, underscoring the limits of large-scale relocation, according to the report.
China's inclusive insurance sector has gained strong momentum in recent years, powered by a string of government initiatives.
\n
Once confined to small pilot schemes, it now extends to gig workers, migrant households and even entire city populations. Growth has been striking, but insiders and experts caution that the industry is still in its infancy, weighed down by familiar growth pains.
\n
The sector has been buoyed by steady policy support.
\n
In June, the National Financial Regulatory Administration and the People's Bank of China unveiled a joint plan to build an integrated inclusive finance system, covering services, credit and insurance, with a strong push to strengthen the insurance framework.
\n
"China's inclusive insurance policy has entered a new stage of systematic deepening," said Xing Li, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Financial Inclusion at Renmin University of China, speaking at a seminar on inclusive insurance in Beijing on Wednesday.
\n
China's first experiments started nearly two decades ago with agricultural pilots and, subsequently, micro life insurance for vulnerable rural and urban groups. Xing describes those initiatives as the "1.0 version "of inclusive insurance.
\n
Currently, several innovative insurance products and business models have emerged. Chief among them is Huiminbao, a city-tailored health insurance sold at modest premiums to plug gaps in public healthcare.
\n
For many, it marks the "2.0 version" of inclusive insurance, recognized as a crucial means to enhance social stability and support broad economic development.
\n
The model has expanded rapidly. In Shenzhen, a comprehensive package now protects 1.4 million gig workers, ranging from food delivery riders to domestic helpers, by combining accident and medical coverage. A report released by Nankai University noted that by 2023, 193 Huiminbao products had been launched across 30 provinces and regions, with the total insured reaching 168 million.
\n
"One of the key breakthroughs in this stage lies in government and industry working together, rather than a single department's action," said Xu Leyang, a general manager at Ping An Property and Casualty Insurance, at the seminar.
\n
He pointed to Huiminbao as a model of cooperation between local health authorities and commercial insurers.
\n
Yet the momentum has not erased nagging obstacles. "One of the most striking tensions is between surging demand for more diverse protection and the sector's current ability to supply it," said Li Xiaolin, who leads a risk governance research center at the Central University of Finance and Economics. At the seminar, he emphasized that meeting consumer expectations now requires a diversity of products.
\n
An even deeper conflict lies in balancing inclusivity with sustainability. Products designed for vulnerable groups often need subsidies to survive. Without them, insurers acknowledge, uptake would fall sharply.
\n
Bei Duoguang, president of the Chinese Academy of Financial Inclusion, added: "The pay-first, claim-later model of insurance tests the confidence of vulnerable households." That feature, he noted, has slowed the spread of inclusive insurance worldwide.
\n
He stressed that in the early stages, government involvement is essential, but lasting success depends on the joint efforts of regulators, insurers and social organizations.
\n
Dirk Reinhard, vice-chairman of the Munich Re Foundation, likened the task to building a house. "If you only have a good roof but no solid walls, it won't be stable and cannot protect its residents."
\n
Industry consensus is forming around two priorities: building smarter digital infrastructure and upholding commercial discipline. Experts have urged regulators and insurers to promote new insurance infrastructure and establish cross-institutional, cross-sector information-sharing platforms "to better track customer volumes and risk structure changes".
\n
Xu Jinghui, chairman of the Renda Foundation for Financial Inclusion, stressed at the seminar that inclusive insurance must uphold its commercial nature. "It should realize scientific pricing in line with insurance principles and business rules, and leverage technology to enable low-cost operations. Only then can we break the so-called impossible triangle of low premiums, high coverage and profitability," he said.
\n
The market potential remains large.
\n
According to the Chinese Academy of Financial Inclusion, inclusive insurance premiums reached 360 billion yuan ($50.4 billion) in 2023, about 7 percent of the total. By 2030, that figure could reach 930 billion yuan, lifting its share to 15 percent of an industry expected to exceed 7 trillion yuan.
\n
lijing2009@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
+ "content": "\n
China's inclusive insurance sector has gained strong momentum in recent years, powered by a string of government initiatives.
\n
Once confined to small pilot schemes, it now extends to gig workers, migrant households and even entire city populations. Growth has been striking, but insiders and experts caution that the industry is still in its infancy, weighed down by familiar growth pains.
\n
The sector has been buoyed by steady policy support.
\n
In June, the National Financial Regulatory Administration and the People's Bank of China unveiled a joint plan to build an integrated inclusive finance system, covering services, credit and insurance, with a strong push to strengthen the insurance framework.
\n
"China's inclusive insurance policy has entered a new stage of systematic deepening," said Xing Li, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Financial Inclusion at Renmin University of China, speaking at a seminar on inclusive insurance in Beijing on Wednesday.
\n
China's first experiments started nearly two decades ago with agricultural pilots and, subsequently, micro life insurance for vulnerable rural and urban groups. Xing describes those initiatives as the "1.0 version "of inclusive insurance.
\n
Currently, several innovative insurance products and business models have emerged. Chief among them is Huiminbao, a city-tailored health insurance sold at modest premiums to plug gaps in public healthcare.
\n
For many, it marks the "2.0 version" of inclusive insurance, recognized as a crucial means to enhance social stability and support broad economic development.
\n
The model has expanded rapidly. In Shenzhen, a comprehensive package now protects 1.4 million gig workers, ranging from food delivery riders to domestic helpers, by combining accident and medical coverage. A report released by Nankai University noted that by 2023, 193 Huiminbao products had been launched across 30 provinces and regions, with the total insured reaching 168 million.
\n
"One of the key breakthroughs in this stage lies in government and industry working together, rather than a single department's action," said Xu Leyang, a general manager at Ping An Property and Casualty Insurance, at the seminar.
\n
He pointed to Huiminbao as a model of cooperation between local health authorities and commercial insurers.
\n
Yet the momentum has not erased nagging obstacles. "One of the most striking tensions is between surging demand for more diverse protection and the sector's current ability to supply it," said Li Xiaolin, who leads a risk governance research center at the Central University of Finance and Economics. At the seminar, he emphasized that meeting consumer expectations now requires a diversity of products.
\n
An even deeper conflict lies in balancing inclusivity with sustainability. Products designed for vulnerable groups often need subsidies to survive. Without them, insurers acknowledge, uptake would fall sharply.
\n
Bei Duoguang, president of the Chinese Academy of Financial Inclusion, added: "The pay-first, claim-later model of insurance tests the confidence of vulnerable households." That feature, he noted, has slowed the spread of inclusive insurance worldwide.
\n
He stressed that in the early stages, government involvement is essential, but lasting success depends on the joint efforts of regulators, insurers and social organizations.
\n
Dirk Reinhard, vice-chairman of the Munich Re Foundation, likened the task to building a house. "If you only have a good roof but no solid walls, it won't be stable and cannot protect its residents."
\n
Industry consensus is forming around two priorities: building smarter digital infrastructure and upholding commercial discipline. Experts have urged regulators and insurers to promote new insurance infrastructure and establish cross-institutional, cross-sector information-sharing platforms "to better track customer volumes and risk structure changes".
\n
Xu Jinghui, chairman of the Renda Foundation for Financial Inclusion, stressed at the seminar that inclusive insurance must uphold its commercial nature. "It should realize scientific pricing in line with insurance principles and business rules, and leverage technology to enable low-cost operations. Only then can we break the so-called impossible triangle of low premiums, high coverage and profitability," he said.
\n
The market potential remains large.
\n
According to the Chinese Academy of Financial Inclusion, inclusive insurance premiums reached 360 billion yuan ($50.4 billion) in 2023, about 7 percent of the total. By 2030, that figure could reach 930 billion yuan, lifting its share to 15 percent of an industry expected to exceed 7 trillion yuan.
Employees work on the production line of a factory in Ningde, Fujian province, in May.
\n
Workers manufacture spare parts for new energy vehicles at a factory in Nantong, Jiangsu province, in May.
\n\n
BEIJING — China's private companies are spearheading breakthrough innovations across various key sectors, supported by favorable government policies that encourage entrepreneurship and unleash market vitality in technological advancement.
\n
The latest data show that the private sector has emerged as a key driving force behind China's technological development, with private firms now accounting for over 92 percent of the country's high-tech companies since the beginning of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25), according to the National Development and Reform Commission.
\n
In recent years, Wuhu Churui Intelligent Technology Co Ltd has dedicated itself to developing high-performance AI computing batteries. The tech company, based in Anhui province — one of China's fastest-rising tech powerhouses — has secured a solid footing in the global power battery supply chain.
\n
According to Zhang Huai, president of the company, its rapid development results from the deep integration of industry, universities and research institutes. "We have worked with several universities to build joint laboratories, and as an outcome of the collaboration, many of our technologies have reached globally leading levels," Zhang said.
\n
This success story exemplifies how China's evolving policy framework enables private enterprises to thrive. The enterprise-led collaboration between industry, universities and research institutes represents one of the key policy measures outlined by this year's Government Work Report to help businesses advance technological innovation. Over the past years, the government has implemented multifaceted policies that foster a favorable environment for private firms to flourish.
\n
A landmark development came in May this year, when China officially put into effect a historic private economy promotion law, which provides legal guarantees for enterprises to promote innovation. Notably, the law stipulates that support should be provided for the private sector to play an active role in advancing science and technological innovation, fostering new quality productive forces and building a modern industrial system.
\n
Furthermore, eligible private firms should be supported to lead China's major technological breakthroughs, while the country's key scientific and technological infrastructure should be made accessible to private companies, according to the law.
\n
Beyond legislative support for private companies' growth, the country has rolled out heavyweight policies to alleviate corporate burdens. From 2021 to the first half of 2025, China implemented a total of 9.9 trillion yuan ($1.38 trillion) in tax and fee cuts, with 72.9 percent benefiting taxpayers in the private sector. The government has also enforced a nationwide unified negative list system for market access and continuously reduced the number of items on the list.
\n
These comprehensive measures are yielding measurable results, with recent indicators showing that China's corporate innovation vitality has strengthened, while new quality productive forces have continued to grow. In July, the purchasing managers' index for the equipment manufacturing and high-tech manufacturing sectors stood at 50.3 percent and 50.6 percent, respectively, with both remaining within the expansion zone. The high-end equipment manufacturing sector also maintained its expansion momentum.
\n
In recent years, China's financial system has made continued efforts to expand financing access for private companies, including those committed to technological innovation.
\n
The outcomes have been remarkable, with official data showing that outstanding inclusive loans for small and micro enterprises surged from 15.1 trillion yuan at the end of 2020 to 35.6 trillion yuan by the end of June 2025.
\n
Building on this foundation, China has introduced innovative financing mechanisms to further diversify funding channels. A key move was the introduction of a sci-tech board in its bond market in May, which aims to better cater to the financing needs of technology firms.
\n
Since its launch, the new platform has attracted a wide range of participants, with 288 entities issuing approximately 600 billion yuan in technological innovation bonds by the end of June. A prime example is China's leading AI company iFlytek, which successfully issued 800 million yuan technological innovation bonds with a coupon rate of 1.83 percent.
\n
"We will spend the majority of the funds we raise on technological research, development and application, while continuously strengthening our technological advantages," an iFlytek spokesperson said.
\n
Currently, 63 percent of China's A-share listed companies are private enterprises. In particular, private companies account for 74 percent of listings on the country's Nasdaq-style Science and Technology Innovation Board, reflecting their dominant presence in both China's capital markets and technological landscape.
\n
Amid a raft of policies to ramp up private sector growth, the NDRC has set up a specialized bureau to promote the sector's development. As the country's top economic regulator, the NDRC has established a multilayered mechanism for communication and problem-solving between private companies and relevant government departments at all levels nationwide.
\n
Looking ahead, Zhang Xiaolan, a researcher with the State Information Center, said that the development of new quality productive forces will present vast opportunities for the private sector. "With the implementation of a series of pragmatic measures, the innovation vitality and creativity of private companies will be continuously stimulated, thereby injecting strong momentum into the high-quality development of China's economy," the researcher said.
\n",
+ "content": "
Employees work on the production line of a factory in Ningde, Fujian province, in May.
\n
Workers manufacture spare parts for new energy vehicles at a factory in Nantong, Jiangsu province, in May.
\n\n
BEIJING — China's private companies are spearheading breakthrough innovations across various key sectors, supported by favorable government policies that encourage entrepreneurship and unleash market vitality in technological advancement.
\n
The latest data show that the private sector has emerged as a key driving force behind China's technological development, with private firms now accounting for over 92 percent of the country's high-tech companies since the beginning of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25), according to the National Development and Reform Commission.
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In recent years, Wuhu Churui Intelligent Technology Co Ltd has dedicated itself to developing high-performance AI computing batteries. The tech company, based in Anhui province — one of China's fastest-rising tech powerhouses — has secured a solid footing in the global power battery supply chain.
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According to Zhang Huai, president of the company, its rapid development results from the deep integration of industry, universities and research institutes. "We have worked with several universities to build joint laboratories, and as an outcome of the collaboration, many of our technologies have reached globally leading levels," Zhang said.
\n
This success story exemplifies how China's evolving policy framework enables private enterprises to thrive. The enterprise-led collaboration between industry, universities and research institutes represents one of the key policy measures outlined by this year's Government Work Report to help businesses advance technological innovation. Over the past years, the government has implemented multifaceted policies that foster a favorable environment for private firms to flourish.
\n
A landmark development came in May this year, when China officially put into effect a historic private economy promotion law, which provides legal guarantees for enterprises to promote innovation. Notably, the law stipulates that support should be provided for the private sector to play an active role in advancing science and technological innovation, fostering new quality productive forces and building a modern industrial system.
\n
Furthermore, eligible private firms should be supported to lead China's major technological breakthroughs, while the country's key scientific and technological infrastructure should be made accessible to private companies, according to the law.
\n
Beyond legislative support for private companies' growth, the country has rolled out heavyweight policies to alleviate corporate burdens. From 2021 to the first half of 2025, China implemented a total of 9.9 trillion yuan ($1.38 trillion) in tax and fee cuts, with 72.9 percent benefiting taxpayers in the private sector. The government has also enforced a nationwide unified negative list system for market access and continuously reduced the number of items on the list.
\n
These comprehensive measures are yielding measurable results, with recent indicators showing that China's corporate innovation vitality has strengthened, while new quality productive forces have continued to grow. In July, the purchasing managers' index for the equipment manufacturing and high-tech manufacturing sectors stood at 50.3 percent and 50.6 percent, respectively, with both remaining within the expansion zone. The high-end equipment manufacturing sector also maintained its expansion momentum.
\n
In recent years, China's financial system has made continued efforts to expand financing access for private companies, including those committed to technological innovation.
\n
The outcomes have been remarkable, with official data showing that outstanding inclusive loans for small and micro enterprises surged from 15.1 trillion yuan at the end of 2020 to 35.6 trillion yuan by the end of June 2025.
\n
Building on this foundation, China has introduced innovative financing mechanisms to further diversify funding channels. A key move was the introduction of a sci-tech board in its bond market in May, which aims to better cater to the financing needs of technology firms.
\n
Since its launch, the new platform has attracted a wide range of participants, with 288 entities issuing approximately 600 billion yuan in technological innovation bonds by the end of June. A prime example is China's leading AI company iFlytek, which successfully issued 800 million yuan technological innovation bonds with a coupon rate of 1.83 percent.
\n
"We will spend the majority of the funds we raise on technological research, development and application, while continuously strengthening our technological advantages," an iFlytek spokesperson said.
\n
Currently, 63 percent of China's A-share listed companies are private enterprises. In particular, private companies account for 74 percent of listings on the country's Nasdaq-style Science and Technology Innovation Board, reflecting their dominant presence in both China's capital markets and technological landscape.
\n
Amid a raft of policies to ramp up private sector growth, the NDRC has set up a specialized bureau to promote the sector's development. As the country's top economic regulator, the NDRC has established a multilayered mechanism for communication and problem-solving between private companies and relevant government departments at all levels nationwide.
\n
Looking ahead, Zhang Xiaolan, a researcher with the State Information Center, said that the development of new quality productive forces will present vast opportunities for the private sector. "With the implementation of a series of pragmatic measures, the innovation vitality and creativity of private companies will be continuously stimulated, thereby injecting strong momentum into the high-quality development of China's economy," the researcher said.
A view of the BMW Brilliance plant in Shenyang, Liaoning province, in June 2022.
\n
SHENYANG — A flock of sheep graze lazily on green grass as geese waddle by in a scene that could easily be mistaken for a meadow in the Chinese countryside.
\n
But the setting is far from rural. The animals live on the grounds of Michelin's tire factory in Shenyang, which was once a gritty heavy industry stronghold in the northeastern province of Liaoning.
\n
What began with three sheep brought in to replace chemical weed control in 2022 has since grown into a flock of 24, now affectionately dubbed the facility's "eco stars". Their grazing keeps the grass trimmed, their droppings fertilize the soil and their presence has become a symbol of how industry and nature can thrive side by side.
\n
"We are trying to build a green space where industry and ecology coexist in harmony," said Li Yanbing, general manager of Michelin Shenyang Tire Company.
\n
This unusual pairing of animals and tires is part of a broader story. Across China, factories are trading smokestacks and chemical fumes for clear sky and clean air in a sweeping green industrial transformation that is reshaping the landscape of the nation's manufacturing heartland.
\n
A few hundred kilometers away from the tire plant on Changxing Island in the harbor city of Dalian, the sun glints off tanks and pipelines across Hengli Petrochemical's sprawling industrial park — a giant fortress of steel that looks every bit the picture of heavy industry and was long criticized as energy-hungry, polluting and resource-intensive.
\n
Yet inside its wastewater treatment exhibition hall, the sights are unexpectedly serene: koi fish swim under bridges and clean recycled water flows beneath luxuriant vegetation.
\n
"This water's chemical oxygen demand is below 15 milligrams per liter, far better than the national standard," said the company's general manager, Xu Jin, clearly proud of a system that makes waste treatment a part of the scenery.
\n
China has remained the world's largest manufacturing country for 15 consecutive years. But in very recent years, the rapid advance of smart manufacturing and a wave of green innovations have transformed many of the country's once-smoky, soot-stained plants into places that look more like landscaped parks.
\n
In Tiexi district of Shenyang, formerly the center of that industrial powerhouse, sprawling factory zones are now home to attractions like the Tiexi plant of BMW Brilliance, which has become an industrial tourism site.
\n
On its grounds stand rows of trees, landscaped gardens and an artificial lake where egrets perch and koi fish glide gracefully through the water.
\n
Through ecological planning and restoration, the plant has created a workplace that blends seamlessly with nature. Its green space spans 380,000 square meters, and since 2017, it has welcomed over 130,000 tourists.
\n
And more garden-like green factories could be on the horizon.
\n
By January 2025, the output of China's national-level green factories accounted for about 20 percent of the country's manufacturing value, according to official data. The government's goal is to push that share of green factories above 40 percent by 2030.
\n
On factory floors, China's green shift is no longer an abstract policy goal, it is tangible, measurable and increasingly profitable.
\n
Northeast Pharm, a leading drug maker based in Shenyang, offers a good example.
\n
The company has revamped its production lines with closed-loop systems that keep dust out of the air and capture emissions before they spread. "We've achieved sealed material feeding, material transfer and centrifuging," said Zhao Zhiyuan, deputy director of a plant that operates under the company. "The use of raw materials has since been reduced while pressure on pollution treatment has been cut significantly."
\n
Outside the company's vitamin C workshop, a recovery unit collects low-concentration methanol and converts it into carbon sources, which are then reused in wastewater treatment to remove pollutants.
\n
The system saves 620 metric tons of methanol each year, turning once discharged pollutants into reduced costs of 1.48 million yuan ($206,200), according to Zhao.
\n
"What used to be a burden is now a profit source," Zhao said. "Environmental protection is not a cost, it's competitiveness now."
\n
In Shandong province, Chinese heavy-duty truck manufacturer Sinotruk is reaping similar rewards.
\n
Sinotruk exported 134,000 new energy heavy-duty trucks in 2024, worth a total of 44.9 billion yuan. Liu Peng, who works for Sinotruk's international arm, attributes the outstanding performance in the African and Southeast Asian markets to the company's green transition.
\n
"African clients care about carbon emissions very much," said Liu. "Our pure-electric heavy-duty trucks are over 15 percent more energy efficient than European brands."
\n
At its Laiwu plant, the transformation is visible from above. Rooftops covered with solar panels generate 260,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity each day, which is well beyond the 170,000 kWh the factory consumes daily.
\n
The solar panels on the rooftops are part of the company's two photovoltaic power stations, which cut carbon dioxide emissions by nearly 40,000 tons each year.
\n
Nationwide, the results are adding up. In 2024, China's energy consumption per unit of GDP was 11.6 percent lower than in 2020, equivalent to reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 1.1 billion tons. That has made China one of the countries with the fastest decline in energy intensity in the world.
\n
"China is accelerating the construction of a green, low-carbon and circular economy," said Zhou Haibing, deputy director of the National Development and Reform Commission. He noted that the country has nurtured more than 6,400 national-level green factories and over 490 green industrial parks.
\n
"From going green because we must to because we want to, China's factories have been redefining their role in recent years," said Bi Deli, a professor at Liaoning University.
\n
For decades, growth and sustainability seemed at odds. Now, China's green factories are trying to prove they can be partners and turn sustainability into a source of strength, Bi noted. "It's an important insight that China's manufacturing industry offers for the global industrial transition toward low-carbon development."
\n",
+ "content": "
A view of the BMW Brilliance plant in Shenyang, Liaoning province, in June 2022.
\n
SHENYANG — A flock of sheep graze lazily on green grass as geese waddle by in a scene that could easily be mistaken for a meadow in the Chinese countryside.
\n
But the setting is far from rural. The animals live on the grounds of Michelin's tire factory in Shenyang, which was once a gritty heavy industry stronghold in the northeastern province of Liaoning.
\n
What began with three sheep brought in to replace chemical weed control in 2022 has since grown into a flock of 24, now affectionately dubbed the facility's "eco stars". Their grazing keeps the grass trimmed, their droppings fertilize the soil and their presence has become a symbol of how industry and nature can thrive side by side.
\n
"We are trying to build a green space where industry and ecology coexist in harmony," said Li Yanbing, general manager of Michelin Shenyang Tire Company.
\n
This unusual pairing of animals and tires is part of a broader story. Across China, factories are trading smokestacks and chemical fumes for clear sky and clean air in a sweeping green industrial transformation that is reshaping the landscape of the nation's manufacturing heartland.
\n
A few hundred kilometers away from the tire plant on Changxing Island in the harbor city of Dalian, the sun glints off tanks and pipelines across Hengli Petrochemical's sprawling industrial park — a giant fortress of steel that looks every bit the picture of heavy industry and was long criticized as energy-hungry, polluting and resource-intensive.
\n
Yet inside its wastewater treatment exhibition hall, the sights are unexpectedly serene: koi fish swim under bridges and clean recycled water flows beneath luxuriant vegetation.
\n
"This water's chemical oxygen demand is below 15 milligrams per liter, far better than the national standard," said the company's general manager, Xu Jin, clearly proud of a system that makes waste treatment a part of the scenery.
\n
China has remained the world's largest manufacturing country for 15 consecutive years. But in very recent years, the rapid advance of smart manufacturing and a wave of green innovations have transformed many of the country's once-smoky, soot-stained plants into places that look more like landscaped parks.
\n
In Tiexi district of Shenyang, formerly the center of that industrial powerhouse, sprawling factory zones are now home to attractions like the Tiexi plant of BMW Brilliance, which has become an industrial tourism site.
\n
On its grounds stand rows of trees, landscaped gardens and an artificial lake where egrets perch and koi fish glide gracefully through the water.
\n
Through ecological planning and restoration, the plant has created a workplace that blends seamlessly with nature. Its green space spans 380,000 square meters, and since 2017, it has welcomed over 130,000 tourists.
\n
And more garden-like green factories could be on the horizon.
\n
By January 2025, the output of China's national-level green factories accounted for about 20 percent of the country's manufacturing value, according to official data. The government's goal is to push that share of green factories above 40 percent by 2030.
\n
On factory floors, China's green shift is no longer an abstract policy goal, it is tangible, measurable and increasingly profitable.
\n
Northeast Pharm, a leading drug maker based in Shenyang, offers a good example.
\n
The company has revamped its production lines with closed-loop systems that keep dust out of the air and capture emissions before they spread. "We've achieved sealed material feeding, material transfer and centrifuging," said Zhao Zhiyuan, deputy director of a plant that operates under the company. "The use of raw materials has since been reduced while pressure on pollution treatment has been cut significantly."
\n
Outside the company's vitamin C workshop, a recovery unit collects low-concentration methanol and converts it into carbon sources, which are then reused in wastewater treatment to remove pollutants.
\n
The system saves 620 metric tons of methanol each year, turning once discharged pollutants into reduced costs of 1.48 million yuan ($206,200), according to Zhao.
\n
"What used to be a burden is now a profit source," Zhao said. "Environmental protection is not a cost, it's competitiveness now."
\n
In Shandong province, Chinese heavy-duty truck manufacturer Sinotruk is reaping similar rewards.
\n
Sinotruk exported 134,000 new energy heavy-duty trucks in 2024, worth a total of 44.9 billion yuan. Liu Peng, who works for Sinotruk's international arm, attributes the outstanding performance in the African and Southeast Asian markets to the company's green transition.
\n
"African clients care about carbon emissions very much," said Liu. "Our pure-electric heavy-duty trucks are over 15 percent more energy efficient than European brands."
\n
At its Laiwu plant, the transformation is visible from above. Rooftops covered with solar panels generate 260,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity each day, which is well beyond the 170,000 kWh the factory consumes daily.
\n
The solar panels on the rooftops are part of the company's two photovoltaic power stations, which cut carbon dioxide emissions by nearly 40,000 tons each year.
\n
Nationwide, the results are adding up. In 2024, China's energy consumption per unit of GDP was 11.6 percent lower than in 2020, equivalent to reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 1.1 billion tons. That has made China one of the countries with the fastest decline in energy intensity in the world.
\n
"China is accelerating the construction of a green, low-carbon and circular economy," said Zhou Haibing, deputy director of the National Development and Reform Commission. He noted that the country has nurtured more than 6,400 national-level green factories and over 490 green industrial parks.
\n
"From going green because we must to because we want to, China's factories have been redefining their role in recent years," said Bi Deli, a professor at Liaoning University.
\n
For decades, growth and sustainability seemed at odds. Now, China's green factories are trying to prove they can be partners and turn sustainability into a source of strength, Bi noted. "It's an important insight that China's manufacturing industry offers for the global industrial transition toward low-carbon development."
A section of the exhibition shows street art of younger-generation Saudi artists.
\n
Golden Hour, a photograph from Ahmed Mater's ongoing Desert of Pharan series, on display.
\n
The Desert Keepers, a video installation of Ayman Zedani, is also showcased.
\n
The Silent Press, a work of Muhannad Shono, on show at the ongoing Art of the Kingdom: Poetic Illuminations exhibition at the National Museum of China in Beijing.
\n
In an age when handwriting has largely given way to typing or speaking into digital devices, the National Museum of China in Beijing still draws visitors to its long-term display of ancient Chinese calligraphy. Here, the beauty of handwriting endures, expressed on paper, pottery, bronze, tiles, stone, and even coins.
\n
Now, a new dialogue in calligraphy is unfolding at the museum. Artists from Saudi Arabia have brought their own celebration of the written form, presented with bold, experimental approaches.
\n
At the ongoing Art of the Kingdom: Poetic Illuminations, an exhibition that focuses on the contemporary art scenes in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the timeless elegance of Arabic calligraphy and the embodied cultural meanings are honored by some of the shown works, such as Arabi Gharbi, a neon installation created by Nasser Al-Salem at the entrance to the exhibition. The Silent Press, an installation by Muhannad Shono, uses the form of writing to explore how printing conveys the meaning of words.
\n
The pieces invite audiences to go on a journey of discovery, setting the tone for an exhibition that highlights the richness, complexity, and vitality of Saudi Arabia's contemporary cultural landscape. On display are paintings, photographs, installations, and video works by 30 artists.
\n
The exhibition, running until Oct 30, is the flagship project of the Museums Commission affiliated with the Saudi Ministry of Culture. Mona Khazindar, chief executive officer of the commission, describes it as both a new perspective on the country and a celebration of cultural exchange.
\n
The event also marks a milestone: 2025 is the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Saudi Arabia, observed with initiatives like the China-Saudi Arabia Year of Culture.
\n
Art of the Kingdom is a traveling exhibition. It debuted in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in November 2024, attracting some 26,000 visitors, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
\n
In February, the exhibition returned to Riyadh, unveiled at the Saudi Arabia Museum of Contemporary Art, before beginning its third leg at the National Museum of China.
\n
Diana Wechsler, an art critic and the exhibition's curator, told China Daily that the central question the exhibition would like to answer is how to show a culture through contemporary art. The second part of the exhibition's title, Poetic Illuminations, she explains, refers to art's ability to "symbolically illuminate aspects of the world and realities we inhabit".
\n
"I worked a lot, visiting artists and studios, and trying to go deeper into the culture of Saudi Arabia," she says, "and to offer (it) to a diverse audience across the world."
\n
She says there are two main narratives — the desert and how to reinvent tradition, which are presented in different ways and approaches. These threads appear in diverse forms, with works by at least three generations of artists dating back to the 1960s, spanning disciplines from painting to street art.
\n
The exhibition, she notes, opens a window into "the diversity of expression and multiple realities" that make up Saudi Arabia's contemporary culture.
\n
Among the highlights are works by Ahmed Mater, who explores how tradition can be repositioned in modern contexts. His Illumination VII and VIII, a pair of light installations, integrate the opening pages and patterns of traditional Arabian manuscripts with X-ray images of human torsos. Trained in medicine before turning to art, Mater often interlaces science and spirituality.
\n
Ahmed Mater: Antenna, an exhibition charting his artistic evolution, opened in March at the UCCA Edge in Shanghai and ran through to June. It showed Mater's creations in wide-ranging mediums and topics including the photographic Desert of Pharan series.
\n
Desert of Pharan is an ongoing project in which Mater has captured multifaceted views of the shifting transformation in Mecca. The current exhibition at the national museum also shows a photo from this series, titled Golden Hour.
\n
The desert itself is a recurring motif. Wechsler describes it as a space of vitality, with several works exploring its transformation under natural forces and human activity.
\n
One such piece is The Desert Keepers, a video installation by Ayman Zedani and codeveloped with writer-poet Wided Rihana Khadraoui. Housed in a dedicated room, it examines how desert plants adapt to extreme conditions.
\n
According to Zedani, these plants are like living archives of history and the keys to sustainability. The work, therefore, provides "a nonhuman perspective, reframing climate change, biodiversity loss and the Gulf's future".
\n
Through these varied works, Art of the Kingdom: Poetic Illuminations invites Beijing audiences to not only appreciate the aesthetics of Saudi contemporary art but also engage with the deeper cultural and environmental narratives it brings to light.
\n
Contact the writer at linqi@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
+ "content": "
A section of the exhibition shows street art of younger-generation Saudi artists.
\n
Golden Hour, a photograph from Ahmed Mater's ongoing Desert of Pharan series, on display.
\n
The Desert Keepers, a video installation of Ayman Zedani, is also showcased.
\n
The Silent Press, a work of Muhannad Shono, on show at the ongoing Art of the Kingdom: Poetic Illuminations exhibition at the National Museum of China in Beijing.
\n
In an age when handwriting has largely given way to typing or speaking into digital devices, the National Museum of China in Beijing still draws visitors to its long-term display of ancient Chinese calligraphy. Here, the beauty of handwriting endures, expressed on paper, pottery, bronze, tiles, stone, and even coins.
\n
Now, a new dialogue in calligraphy is unfolding at the museum. Artists from Saudi Arabia have brought their own celebration of the written form, presented with bold, experimental approaches.
\n
At the ongoing Art of the Kingdom: Poetic Illuminations, an exhibition that focuses on the contemporary art scenes in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the timeless elegance of Arabic calligraphy and the embodied cultural meanings are honored by some of the shown works, such as Arabi Gharbi, a neon installation created by Nasser Al-Salem at the entrance to the exhibition. The Silent Press, an installation by Muhannad Shono, uses the form of writing to explore how printing conveys the meaning of words.
\n
The pieces invite audiences to go on a journey of discovery, setting the tone for an exhibition that highlights the richness, complexity, and vitality of Saudi Arabia's contemporary cultural landscape. On display are paintings, photographs, installations, and video works by 30 artists.
\n
The exhibition, running until Oct 30, is the flagship project of the Museums Commission affiliated with the Saudi Ministry of Culture. Mona Khazindar, chief executive officer of the commission, describes it as both a new perspective on the country and a celebration of cultural exchange.
\n
The event also marks a milestone: 2025 is the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Saudi Arabia, observed with initiatives like the China-Saudi Arabia Year of Culture.
\n
Art of the Kingdom is a traveling exhibition. It debuted in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in November 2024, attracting some 26,000 visitors, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
\n
In February, the exhibition returned to Riyadh, unveiled at the Saudi Arabia Museum of Contemporary Art, before beginning its third leg at the National Museum of China.
\n
Diana Wechsler, an art critic and the exhibition's curator, told China Daily that the central question the exhibition would like to answer is how to show a culture through contemporary art. The second part of the exhibition's title, Poetic Illuminations, she explains, refers to art's ability to "symbolically illuminate aspects of the world and realities we inhabit".
\n
"I worked a lot, visiting artists and studios, and trying to go deeper into the culture of Saudi Arabia," she says, "and to offer (it) to a diverse audience across the world."
\n
She says there are two main narratives — the desert and how to reinvent tradition, which are presented in different ways and approaches. These threads appear in diverse forms, with works by at least three generations of artists dating back to the 1960s, spanning disciplines from painting to street art.
\n
The exhibition, she notes, opens a window into "the diversity of expression and multiple realities" that make up Saudi Arabia's contemporary culture.
\n
Among the highlights are works by Ahmed Mater, who explores how tradition can be repositioned in modern contexts. His Illumination VII and VIII, a pair of light installations, integrate the opening pages and patterns of traditional Arabian manuscripts with X-ray images of human torsos. Trained in medicine before turning to art, Mater often interlaces science and spirituality.
\n
Ahmed Mater: Antenna, an exhibition charting his artistic evolution, opened in March at the UCCA Edge in Shanghai and ran through to June. It showed Mater's creations in wide-ranging mediums and topics including the photographic Desert of Pharan series.
\n
Desert of Pharan is an ongoing project in which Mater has captured multifaceted views of the shifting transformation in Mecca. The current exhibition at the national museum also shows a photo from this series, titled Golden Hour.
\n
The desert itself is a recurring motif. Wechsler describes it as a space of vitality, with several works exploring its transformation under natural forces and human activity.
\n
One such piece is The Desert Keepers, a video installation by Ayman Zedani and codeveloped with writer-poet Wided Rihana Khadraoui. Housed in a dedicated room, it examines how desert plants adapt to extreme conditions.
\n
According to Zedani, these plants are like living archives of history and the keys to sustainability. The work, therefore, provides "a nonhuman perspective, reframing climate change, biodiversity loss and the Gulf's future".
\n
Through these varied works, Art of the Kingdom: Poetic Illuminations invites Beijing audiences to not only appreciate the aesthetics of Saudi contemporary art but also engage with the deeper cultural and environmental narratives it brings to light.
Qi Gong (1912-2005) and Xu Wuwen (1931-93) were both celebrated artists and scholars, and were versatile across various fields of classical art and culture. Despite living in separate cities — Qi Gong in Beijing and Xu in Chengdu, Sichuan province — they admired one another and maintained close contact over the years.
\n
A Special Exhibition Celebrating the Artistic and Scholarly Kinship of Qi Gong and Xu Wuwen, now underway at Tsinghua University Art Museum, marks the two intellectuals' accomplishments in Chinese ink art, academic research, writing and teaching, as well as connoisseurship and authentication of classical artworks. The exhibition brings together paintings, calligraphic scrolls, manuscripts, and publications that embody their cultural legacy and lifelong devotion to preserving tradition. Running until Oct 19, it also reflects their moral integrity.
The career of Dai Ze (1922-2023), a longtime professor at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing, mirrors the transformation of China's art world through the latter half of the 20th century. Trained in oil painting under a realism-oriented discipline, he created works that addressed social change and collective memories, while simultaneously developing a personal style to express his own vision.
\n
The exhibition I Come With the Trend, now on at Shenzhen Art Museum, presents both sides of Dai's work: the collective narrative in his history-themed paintings and individual exploration in still-lifes and landscapes, spanning ink paintings, oil canvases and watercolors. His mastery of technique is evident across these varied forms, unified by his pursuit of refinement and innovation. The exhibition runs until Nov 9.
Exquisite hand fans, a hallmark of Chinese workmanship, played a significant role in maritime trade with Western markets from the 18th to the early 20th centuries. Chinese Export Fans in the 18th-20th Centuries, an exhibition at the Zhengzhou Museum, Henan province, explores this exchange between the East and the West through a selection of finely made folding fans for daily use. It runs till Oct 26.
\n
The pieces, made for export and now in the Guangdong Museum's collection, were crafted primarily by artisans in Guangdong, a key hub of foreign trade. Made from materials such as paper, silk, shells, gold, silver, and scented woods, the fans blend Chinese artistry with Western tastes. They depict European landscapes, figures, coats of arms, and motifs, while also incorporating Chinese decorative elements that catered to the Western imagination of China at the time.
Qi Gong (1912-2005) and Xu Wuwen (1931-93) were both celebrated artists and scholars, and were versatile across various fields of classical art and culture. Despite living in separate cities — Qi Gong in Beijing and Xu in Chengdu, Sichuan province — they admired one another and maintained close contact over the years.
\n
A Special Exhibition Celebrating the Artistic and Scholarly Kinship of Qi Gong and Xu Wuwen, now underway at Tsinghua University Art Museum, marks the two intellectuals' accomplishments in Chinese ink art, academic research, writing and teaching, as well as connoisseurship and authentication of classical artworks. The exhibition brings together paintings, calligraphic scrolls, manuscripts, and publications that embody their cultural legacy and lifelong devotion to preserving tradition. Running until Oct 19, it also reflects their moral integrity.
The career of Dai Ze (1922-2023), a longtime professor at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing, mirrors the transformation of China's art world through the latter half of the 20th century. Trained in oil painting under a realism-oriented discipline, he created works that addressed social change and collective memories, while simultaneously developing a personal style to express his own vision.
\n
The exhibition I Come With the Trend, now on at Shenzhen Art Museum, presents both sides of Dai's work: the collective narrative in his history-themed paintings and individual exploration in still-lifes and landscapes, spanning ink paintings, oil canvases and watercolors. His mastery of technique is evident across these varied forms, unified by his pursuit of refinement and innovation. The exhibition runs until Nov 9.
Exquisite hand fans, a hallmark of Chinese workmanship, played a significant role in maritime trade with Western markets from the 18th to the early 20th centuries. Chinese Export Fans in the 18th-20th Centuries, an exhibition at the Zhengzhou Museum, Henan province, explores this exchange between the East and the West through a selection of finely made folding fans for daily use. It runs till Oct 26.
\n
The pieces, made for export and now in the Guangdong Museum's collection, were crafted primarily by artisans in Guangdong, a key hub of foreign trade. Made from materials such as paper, silk, shells, gold, silver, and scented woods, the fans blend Chinese artistry with Western tastes. They depict European landscapes, figures, coats of arms, and motifs, while also incorporating Chinese decorative elements that catered to the Western imagination of China at the time.
Left: Issoen, a nursing home that caters specifically to elderly war orphans. Right: Keiko Matsuda (female, center) dines with her family.
\n
War orphan Narihiko Kimura, 80, practices Chinese calligraphy at his home in Tokyo.
\n
In a modest apartment in Tokyo, 80-year-old Narihiko Kimura dips his brush into black ink and writes graceful characters across a sheet of rice paper. The quiet rhythm of his hand belies the emotion beneath. As he writes, his fluent northeastern Chinese dialect fills the room with memories of a childhood not spent in Japan, but in China's Jilin province, where he was left as a newborn during Japan's wartime occupation.
\n
"My Chinese mother, Xu Suzhen, lost all her teeth before she turned 40, because she would chew scorching hot sorghum to feed me since she couldn't produce milk when she adopted me," Kimura says, his voice trembling. "I once vowed that when I grew up, I would buy her dentures. But she passed away at just 52. This unfulfilled promise remains my lifelong regret."
\n
Kimura is one of thousands of Japanese children left behind in China after Japan's surrender in 1945. Their lives and memories now form the heart of a new documentary, Journey Home, produced to mark the 80th anniversary of victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) and the World Anti-Fascist War.
\n
The 60-minute film follows six elderly Japanese war orphans and a child of a war orphan, documenting their complex journey between two countries and cultures.
\n
Adopted by ordinary Chinese families, they grew up as "Japanese war orphans" in name but lived essentially as Chinese — their habits, accents and emotions rooted in the land that sheltered them.
\n
"Unlike most productions about the war, which focus on grand historical narratives, we wanted to examine this period through a more intimate, human lens," says Xie Shenzhao, chief director of the documentary. "The war orphans' stories have an inherent international dimension. By focusing on the lives of individual orphans, we can see how ordinary people, regardless of nationality, were shaped by the war in ways that statistics or military accounts can never convey."
\n
The documentary team traveled extensively across China and Japan, visiting cities including Harbin, Mudanjiang, Changchun, Shenyang and Lingyuan in northeastern China, as well as Tokyo, Saitama, Nagoya, Kumamoto and Osaka in Japan, to track down survivors now in their twilight years.
\n
They found that while most orphans returned to Japan during repatriation efforts in the 1980s and 90s, their sense of identity and belonging remains unresolved.
\n
"When we first approached them, we thought we'd be interviewing Japanese people. But their northeastern Chinese dialect was stronger than mine. They were essentially Chinese grandparents," notes Xie, who hails from Northeast China.
\n
"Often they would slip up and say 'we Chinese' before quickly correcting themselves to 'we Japanese'. This identity displacement is still evident decades later."
\n
The film captures heartwarming tales of Chinese families who took in and raised Japanese orphans as their own, as well as the struggles many faced after they were eventually repatriated.
\n
"They were abandoned three times," explains Xie, "first by their birth parents, forced by urgent wartime circumstances in China, then by the Japanese government, which initially set strict conditions for taking them back, and finally, by Japanese society which often treated them as outsiders."
\n
Kimura himself returned to Japan in 1986. Determined to adapt, he deliberately avoided Chinese-speaking communities so he could master Japanese. Yet, after retirement, he gravitated back to the companionship of other war orphans, many of whom still use Chinese daily. Today, he and his Chinese-born wife speak Chinese at home and watch Chinese television dramas together, finding comfort in the language of his upbringing.
\n
In Tokyo, a nursing home called Issoen, founded by Hiroshi Sasaki, a descendant of a war orphan, caters specifically to elderly war orphans. The staff speak Chinese, helping residents who never fully adjusted to Japanese society.
\n
"The Japanese government struggles to address pension issues for these elderly residents who cannot speak Japanese. Their daily habits remain distinctly Chinese," says Sasaki. "But when they step into our nursing home, they feel they have returned home, to China."
\n
A nonprofit organization founded by war orphans supports the community's welfare while promoting grassroots exchanges between China and Japan. After years of litigation, they secured national treatment and compensation in 2007. More recently, the group has been preparing for a September trip to China, a journey intended to allow members to express gratitude to their "second homeland".
\n
For many, this may be a final farewell. "Most are in their 80s or older," says Xie. "Time is running out. For some, this trip will be their last."
\n
The film also follows younger generations grappling with this complex legacy. In the family of 85-year-old Keiko Matsuda, the film captures an intergenerational language divide: the elderly couple speaks Chinese, their daughter is bilingual, while the grandchildren, born and raised in Japan, speak only Japanese and initially struggled to comprehend their family's unique history.
\n
"Japanese schools barely cover this period of history," says Matsuda's daughter. "We have to explain to our children why their grandparents speak Chinese, and why our family story is different. When we visited China, we took them to museums about the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. We wanted them to see that understanding peace is essential."
\n
As the number of war orphans dwindles, the documentary serves as both a historical record and a reminder of war's lasting impact on ordinary lives. In their twilight years, most have found a measure of peace with their unique place in history, though the pain remains deeply embedded in their lives. "If we didn't record these voices now, this chapter of history might be lost," says Xie.
\n
The director also emphasizes that the documentary lets the personal stories speak for themselves. "We deliberately chose not to include expert commentary or heavy historical context, though we've done extensive research," says Xie. "By focusing on individual narratives, we hope viewers can form their own understanding about the human cost of war."
\n
Facilitated by the National Radio and Television Administration and produced by Shanghai Media Group, Journey Home premiered this week on Dragon TV and across major livestreaming platforms. It is set to air on Phoenix TV and Radio Television Hong Kong on Sept 3. Later this year, it will be broadcast internationally in multiple languages, including Japanese and English.
\n
"Whether in China, Japan, or other countries, we hope viewers can gain an understanding of the war orphan community, approach these stories with empathy, and above all, reflect on the importance of peace," Xie says.
\n
Contact the writer at zhengzheng@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
+ "content": "
Left: Issoen, a nursing home that caters specifically to elderly war orphans. Right: Keiko Matsuda (female, center) dines with her family.
\n
War orphan Narihiko Kimura, 80, practices Chinese calligraphy at his home in Tokyo.
\n
In a modest apartment in Tokyo, 80-year-old Narihiko Kimura dips his brush into black ink and writes graceful characters across a sheet of rice paper. The quiet rhythm of his hand belies the emotion beneath. As he writes, his fluent northeastern Chinese dialect fills the room with memories of a childhood not spent in Japan, but in China's Jilin province, where he was left as a newborn during Japan's wartime occupation.
\n
"My Chinese mother, Xu Suzhen, lost all her teeth before she turned 40, because she would chew scorching hot sorghum to feed me since she couldn't produce milk when she adopted me," Kimura says, his voice trembling. "I once vowed that when I grew up, I would buy her dentures. But she passed away at just 52. This unfulfilled promise remains my lifelong regret."
\n
Kimura is one of thousands of Japanese children left behind in China after Japan's surrender in 1945. Their lives and memories now form the heart of a new documentary, Journey Home, produced to mark the 80th anniversary of victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) and the World Anti-Fascist War.
\n
The 60-minute film follows six elderly Japanese war orphans and a child of a war orphan, documenting their complex journey between two countries and cultures.
\n
Adopted by ordinary Chinese families, they grew up as "Japanese war orphans" in name but lived essentially as Chinese — their habits, accents and emotions rooted in the land that sheltered them.
\n
"Unlike most productions about the war, which focus on grand historical narratives, we wanted to examine this period through a more intimate, human lens," says Xie Shenzhao, chief director of the documentary. "The war orphans' stories have an inherent international dimension. By focusing on the lives of individual orphans, we can see how ordinary people, regardless of nationality, were shaped by the war in ways that statistics or military accounts can never convey."
\n
The documentary team traveled extensively across China and Japan, visiting cities including Harbin, Mudanjiang, Changchun, Shenyang and Lingyuan in northeastern China, as well as Tokyo, Saitama, Nagoya, Kumamoto and Osaka in Japan, to track down survivors now in their twilight years.
\n
They found that while most orphans returned to Japan during repatriation efforts in the 1980s and 90s, their sense of identity and belonging remains unresolved.
\n
"When we first approached them, we thought we'd be interviewing Japanese people. But their northeastern Chinese dialect was stronger than mine. They were essentially Chinese grandparents," notes Xie, who hails from Northeast China.
\n
"Often they would slip up and say 'we Chinese' before quickly correcting themselves to 'we Japanese'. This identity displacement is still evident decades later."
\n
The film captures heartwarming tales of Chinese families who took in and raised Japanese orphans as their own, as well as the struggles many faced after they were eventually repatriated.
\n
"They were abandoned three times," explains Xie, "first by their birth parents, forced by urgent wartime circumstances in China, then by the Japanese government, which initially set strict conditions for taking them back, and finally, by Japanese society which often treated them as outsiders."
\n
Kimura himself returned to Japan in 1986. Determined to adapt, he deliberately avoided Chinese-speaking communities so he could master Japanese. Yet, after retirement, he gravitated back to the companionship of other war orphans, many of whom still use Chinese daily. Today, he and his Chinese-born wife speak Chinese at home and watch Chinese television dramas together, finding comfort in the language of his upbringing.
\n
In Tokyo, a nursing home called Issoen, founded by Hiroshi Sasaki, a descendant of a war orphan, caters specifically to elderly war orphans. The staff speak Chinese, helping residents who never fully adjusted to Japanese society.
\n
"The Japanese government struggles to address pension issues for these elderly residents who cannot speak Japanese. Their daily habits remain distinctly Chinese," says Sasaki. "But when they step into our nursing home, they feel they have returned home, to China."
\n
A nonprofit organization founded by war orphans supports the community's welfare while promoting grassroots exchanges between China and Japan. After years of litigation, they secured national treatment and compensation in 2007. More recently, the group has been preparing for a September trip to China, a journey intended to allow members to express gratitude to their "second homeland".
\n
For many, this may be a final farewell. "Most are in their 80s or older," says Xie. "Time is running out. For some, this trip will be their last."
\n
The film also follows younger generations grappling with this complex legacy. In the family of 85-year-old Keiko Matsuda, the film captures an intergenerational language divide: the elderly couple speaks Chinese, their daughter is bilingual, while the grandchildren, born and raised in Japan, speak only Japanese and initially struggled to comprehend their family's unique history.
\n
"Japanese schools barely cover this period of history," says Matsuda's daughter. "We have to explain to our children why their grandparents speak Chinese, and why our family story is different. When we visited China, we took them to museums about the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. We wanted them to see that understanding peace is essential."
\n
As the number of war orphans dwindles, the documentary serves as both a historical record and a reminder of war's lasting impact on ordinary lives. In their twilight years, most have found a measure of peace with their unique place in history, though the pain remains deeply embedded in their lives. "If we didn't record these voices now, this chapter of history might be lost," says Xie.
\n
The director also emphasizes that the documentary lets the personal stories speak for themselves. "We deliberately chose not to include expert commentary or heavy historical context, though we've done extensive research," says Xie. "By focusing on individual narratives, we hope viewers can form their own understanding about the human cost of war."
\n
Facilitated by the National Radio and Television Administration and produced by Shanghai Media Group, Journey Home premiered this week on Dragon TV and across major livestreaming platforms. It is set to air on Phoenix TV and Radio Television Hong Kong on Sept 3. Later this year, it will be broadcast internationally in multiple languages, including Japanese and English.
\n
"Whether in China, Japan, or other countries, we hope viewers can gain an understanding of the war orphan community, approach these stories with empathy, and above all, reflect on the importance of peace," Xie says.
\n
Contact the writer at zhengzheng@chinadaily.com.cn
Left: A tunnel used in the war of resistance against Japanese invaders in Ranzhuang village, Baoding, Hebei province. Right: Students visit the Ranzhuang Tunnel Warfare Memorial Hall to learn more about war history.
\n
Generations of Chinese people grow up watching the 1965 cinematic classic Tunnel Warfare, a black-and-white film that dramatizes the ingenuity of villagers who fought invaders from beneath the ground. For audiences across the country, the movie was more than entertainment: it offered a vivid portrait of courage and a reminder of the collective resistance during the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45).
\n
Decades have passed since its release, but the story still echoes underground. In northern China, wartime relics and the tunnels themselves remind visitors that the silver-screen heroes were drawn from real lives.
\n
When 15-year-old student Hou Bohan stoops to enter a narrow passage in Ranzhuang's tunnels, her fingertips brush over the marks on the wall.
\n
"These marks are history left by militiamen and civilians," says the Hebei Dingzhou Middle School student. "In this labyrinth, every scratch tells a story of resistance."
\n
She was exploring what locals call the "Underground Great Wall" — a 16-kilometer tunnel network beneath this northern Chinese village where soldiers and farmers outwitted invaders around 1940.
\n
The Ranzhuang Tunnel Warfare Site, located in Ranzhuang village, Qingyuan district in Baoding, North China's Hebei province, sits approximately 180 km southwest of Beijing.
\n
The site embodies the boundless wisdom and strength of the military and civilians during the war against Japanese aggression.
\n
The tunnels were born out of terror. On July 31, 1939, Japanese forces launched a sudden attack on Ranzhuang, herding villagers to the Sanguan Temple at Nandaqiao, using bayonets to force them to hand over military cadres.
\n
The brutality left 13 villagers dead, 11 permanently disabled, 11 taken captive, and more than 700 homes reduced to ashes.
\n
That massacre ignited locals' resolve to resist.
\n
"At first, people just dug holes in the ground, so that there would be a place to hide if the enemy came," says 98-year-old Li Hengbiao, the last surviving tunnel fighter.
\n
As Li recalls, records show that initially the dugouts only had a single entrance and gradually evolved into an engineering marvel — with multiple entrances and a mazelike structure that outwitted the enemy.
\n
According to the Ranzhuang Tunnel Warfare Memorial Hall, the Ranzhuang tunnel is generally 0.7 to 0.8 meters wide, with a height of approximately 1 to 1.5 meters, and is located more than 2 meters below the surface.
\n
The tunnels were carefully divided into military tunnels for combat and civilian ones for concealment. Inside were command posts, storerooms, rest chambers, road signs, oil lamps, and even secret arsenals.
\n
The villagers' ingenuity turned defense into artful strategy. When Japanese forces flooded the tunnels, builders carved dual-layer channels to divert water into wells. When faced with poisonous gas, they devised fanyan, or "flip-eye" facilities, that sealed off contaminated sections while venting fumes.
\n
Mines were wired with fuses leading back into the tunnels, enabling fighters to trigger explosions beneath invading soldiers' feet.
\n
With these clever design and strategic layouts, the people of Ranzhuang, under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, utilized the tunnels to coordinate with Chinese armies in 157 engagements, causing more than 2,100 enemy casualties, according to historical records.
\n
In 1945, Ranzhuang was honored with the title of "Model Village of Tunnel Warfare".
\n
"This is what fascinated me most — the underground armory," Bohan says, while crouching in a cramped chamber.
\n
"Here, in the dark and cramped space, the militiamen of that time forged numerous weapons," she says, adding that without this underground workshop, they couldn't have fought or won.
\n
"The history of Ranzhuang serves as a source of inspiration for us to continue striving in the new era, safeguarding peace and development," she says.
\n
Today, the site preserves that determination. Covering 200,000 square meters, it includes more than 200 traditional residences, fortifications and historical buildings. Around 3,000 meters of tunnels remain intact and accessible.
\n
Each year, the site receives over a million visitors.
\n
Since last year, 683 organized groups — students from elementary schools to universities — have visited for research and study tours. More than 26,000 people have been directly educated at the site, carrying forward what locals call the "red culture" of resilience.
\n
zhangyu1@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
+ "content": "
Left: A tunnel used in the war of resistance against Japanese invaders in Ranzhuang village, Baoding, Hebei province. Right: Students visit the Ranzhuang Tunnel Warfare Memorial Hall to learn more about war history.
\n
Generations of Chinese people grow up watching the 1965 cinematic classic Tunnel Warfare, a black-and-white film that dramatizes the ingenuity of villagers who fought invaders from beneath the ground. For audiences across the country, the movie was more than entertainment: it offered a vivid portrait of courage and a reminder of the collective resistance during the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45).
\n
Decades have passed since its release, but the story still echoes underground. In northern China, wartime relics and the tunnels themselves remind visitors that the silver-screen heroes were drawn from real lives.
\n
When 15-year-old student Hou Bohan stoops to enter a narrow passage in Ranzhuang's tunnels, her fingertips brush over the marks on the wall.
\n
"These marks are history left by militiamen and civilians," says the Hebei Dingzhou Middle School student. "In this labyrinth, every scratch tells a story of resistance."
\n
She was exploring what locals call the "Underground Great Wall" — a 16-kilometer tunnel network beneath this northern Chinese village where soldiers and farmers outwitted invaders around 1940.
\n
The Ranzhuang Tunnel Warfare Site, located in Ranzhuang village, Qingyuan district in Baoding, North China's Hebei province, sits approximately 180 km southwest of Beijing.
\n
The site embodies the boundless wisdom and strength of the military and civilians during the war against Japanese aggression.
\n
The tunnels were born out of terror. On July 31, 1939, Japanese forces launched a sudden attack on Ranzhuang, herding villagers to the Sanguan Temple at Nandaqiao, using bayonets to force them to hand over military cadres.
\n
The brutality left 13 villagers dead, 11 permanently disabled, 11 taken captive, and more than 700 homes reduced to ashes.
\n
That massacre ignited locals' resolve to resist.
\n
"At first, people just dug holes in the ground, so that there would be a place to hide if the enemy came," says 98-year-old Li Hengbiao, the last surviving tunnel fighter.
\n
As Li recalls, records show that initially the dugouts only had a single entrance and gradually evolved into an engineering marvel — with multiple entrances and a mazelike structure that outwitted the enemy.
\n
According to the Ranzhuang Tunnel Warfare Memorial Hall, the Ranzhuang tunnel is generally 0.7 to 0.8 meters wide, with a height of approximately 1 to 1.5 meters, and is located more than 2 meters below the surface.
\n
The tunnels were carefully divided into military tunnels for combat and civilian ones for concealment. Inside were command posts, storerooms, rest chambers, road signs, oil lamps, and even secret arsenals.
\n
The villagers' ingenuity turned defense into artful strategy. When Japanese forces flooded the tunnels, builders carved dual-layer channels to divert water into wells. When faced with poisonous gas, they devised fanyan, or "flip-eye" facilities, that sealed off contaminated sections while venting fumes.
\n
Mines were wired with fuses leading back into the tunnels, enabling fighters to trigger explosions beneath invading soldiers' feet.
\n
With these clever design and strategic layouts, the people of Ranzhuang, under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, utilized the tunnels to coordinate with Chinese armies in 157 engagements, causing more than 2,100 enemy casualties, according to historical records.
\n
In 1945, Ranzhuang was honored with the title of "Model Village of Tunnel Warfare".
\n
"This is what fascinated me most — the underground armory," Bohan says, while crouching in a cramped chamber.
\n
"Here, in the dark and cramped space, the militiamen of that time forged numerous weapons," she says, adding that without this underground workshop, they couldn't have fought or won.
\n
"The history of Ranzhuang serves as a source of inspiration for us to continue striving in the new era, safeguarding peace and development," she says.
\n
Today, the site preserves that determination. Covering 200,000 square meters, it includes more than 200 traditional residences, fortifications and historical buildings. Around 3,000 meters of tunnels remain intact and accessible.
\n
Each year, the site receives over a million visitors.
\n
Since last year, 683 organized groups — students from elementary schools to universities — have visited for research and study tours. More than 26,000 people have been directly educated at the site, carrying forward what locals call the "red culture" of resilience.
From top: Liu Qingyi, Guo Pu and Qi Xiangyu are among the growing ranks of young Chinese athletes that are putting the country firmly on the global map in the dynamic dancesport of breaking.
\n
The roar of the crowd at Chengbei Gymnasium said it all.
\n
Nearly every spectator remained standing through both finals, witnessing a day of glory for Chinese breaking.
\n
The host nation struck gold twice on its home floor at the World Games in Chengdu on Sunday, as Qi Xiangyu (B-Boy Lithe-ing) and Zeng Yingying (B-Girl Royal) captured the men's and women's titles, respectively.
\n
The double triumph meant more than just medals, it signaled China's arrival as a leading force in world breaking — no longer an underdog, but a champion displaying both dynamism and poise.
\n
First steps
\n
Fresh off the announcement that it would feature at the Paris Olympics, breaking made its World Games debut in Birmingham, Alabama, three years ago. China sent only two B-Girls. Liu Qingyi, better known as B-Girl 671, finished fourth — a result modest on paper, but one that hinted at greater things.
\n
"When I started three years ago, Chinese breaking was almost unknown internationally," recalled Mounir Biba, the head coach of the Chinese team.
\n
Born in 1986, Biba is a legendary French B-boy, a Red Bull BC One champion and one of the pioneers that pushed breaking toward sporting recognition. He took charge of China's national team in early 2022. Birmingham was the first major test under his guidance.
\n
Liu was the trailblazer. After Birmingham, she followed Biba and the national squad to Europe for months of training and tournaments. For the first time, a Chinese B-Girl was fully immersed in the global breaking scene.
\n
Her talent quickly turned into success. In 2022, Liu won the Outbreak event in Slovakia and the World Battle in Portugal. She showed that a female dancer could master the power moves and airflares that were once only the preserve of B-Boys.
\n
"Liu Qingyi's rise has changed the technical landscape for women worldwide," said Yin Guochen, president of the Chinese DanceSport Federation (CDSF). Many young B-Girls soon adopted her dance style.
\n
That same year, she took silver at the world championships. In 2023, she stood atop the Asian Games podium, securing direct qualification for the Paris Olympics. Last summer, she returned home from the French capital with a bronze medal.
\n
On the men's side, the breakthrough came a little later. Lithe-ing claimed bronze at the Asian Games and later booked his ticket to Paris. Wang Ruimiao (B-Boy MonkeyZ) delivered another milestone with a world championship bronze in 2024, China's first on the men's stage.
\n
More recently, Zeng surged into the elite, giving China another world-class B-Girl. That is why in Chengdu, the women's final turned into an all-Chinese showdown — a scene few could have imagined just three years ago.
\n
"In a World Games final, both finalists are wearing the Chinese flag — three years ago, nobody would have believed it," Biba said. "Now, everyone is watching China."
\n
Well-drilled spontaneity
\n
When Liu stunned the crowd by taking her first international crown at the Outbreak event in Slovakia in 2022, Portuguese breaking legend Max Oliveira grabbed the mic on stage. "From now on, China is on the map," he proclaimed.
\n
Three years later in Chengdu, Oliveira looked back at that night with a smile.
\n
"What they have built is now a model for the world," he said.
\n
The rise was not by chance. With Olympic inclusion, breaking in China shifted from spontaneous training to a more systematic approach, the idea that dancers with discipline and structure — not just free improvisation — could win titles.
\n
It echoed Biba's philosophy.
\n
The French coach often uses the word "arthlete" — a portmanteau that reminds us that breakers are both "athletes" and "artists". For him, artistry needs freedom, but excellence requires routines, schedules and intensity.
\n
"This was exactly why we chose to work with Mounir," said Yin. "He brought a vision where creativity and discipline reinforce each other, and we knew this was what Chinese breaking needed to reach a higher level. Breaking came from the United States, with Europe and Japan the current powerhouses. China is a latecomer, and we have to learn from the outside world before we can contribute our own style."
\n
With philosophy aligned, the system took shape. Starting in 2022, a Chinese training camp was established in Beauvais, a town north of Paris. There, Chinese B-Boys and B-Girls trained intensively while traveling across Europe to test themselves in all kinds of underground battles.
\n
"The training in Europe gave me perspective," said Chinese B-Boy Lithe-ing. "Every week, we faced legends. You lose, you learn, you adjust. That's how you grow."
\n
At home, the CDSF built the foundation. A national breaking league was launched, drawing dancers from every province and providing a platform for the likes of Royal and MonkeyZ to rise.
\n
Those who excelled earned invitations to training camps based in Nanjing, where a local sports company works with the CDSF to build the national program — overseeing daily training, talent scouting and even commercial development for the national team.
\n
Even teenagers found their battlefield in youth leagues. For them, the pathway was visible: from local crews, to national leagues, to camps, and then, to the world.
\n
"It feels like a fast lane. If you put in the work, the chance will come," said Li Houhua (B-Boy Jason), a 15-year-old who won the Asian Youth Championships in Shanghai in early June.
\n
China's top B-Boys and B-Girls are shining on the international stage, showing the younger generations that they, too, can reach the summit. At the same time, the surge of youth participation is expanding the talent pool, giving the scene fresh momentum.
\n
From stage to legacy
\n
The breaking world was still digesting the discipline's electrifying Olympic debut in Paris when the news broke: it would not return for Los Angeles 2028.
\n
The roller-coaster journey within the Olympic program raised questions — would China's breaking momentum be shaken?
\n
In Chengdu, the answer was presented. Chinese breakers produced their best-ever showing at a global multisports event, taking two golds and one silver. The message was clear: China's breaking would not stop here.
\n
"It's a breakthrough, but not the finish line," said Yin. "The goal is still far ahead; our vision is 2030. By then, we want to be not just competitive, but the world leader."
\n
How to get there? Yin and Biba agreed on the path: learn from the world, and strengthen it with a Chinese style. The idea is two-fold — to absorb global techniques through constant overseas training and competitions, and to blend them with elements of Chinese culture, aesthetics and physical training.
\n
"On one hand, our dancers must keep their technique and difficulty at the world's top level. But, gradually, they also need to add their own flavor, their own style," said Biba.
\n
"Breaking is like a melting pot — you can see cultural elements from everywhere. When I was learning, I even drew inspiration from Japanese cartoons. China has such a rich culture. We hope young dancers can think more, absorb broadly, and grow into styles that truly reflect themselves."
\n
Globally, the past three to four years have seen breaking reach unprecedented heights, fueled by its Olympic debut. Standards were pushed higher, athletes trained harder, and the art grew sharper under the Games' spotlight.
\n
For Chinese breaking, the Olympic campaign has left a lasting legacy: not just a generation of world-class dancers, but also a more solid structure, a stronger competition framework and — above all — the belief that they belong among the world's elite.
\n
Yet the Olympics were never breaking's original soil. The Games offered a grand stage, dazzling and historic, but for B-Boys and B-Girls, the purpose was never only to compete for medals.
\n
At its core, breaking is about dancing — expression, rhythm and spirit.
\n
From that perspective, the stage has always been there.
\n",
+ "content": "
From top: Liu Qingyi, Guo Pu and Qi Xiangyu are among the growing ranks of young Chinese athletes that are putting the country firmly on the global map in the dynamic dancesport of breaking.
\n
The roar of the crowd at Chengbei Gymnasium said it all.
\n
Nearly every spectator remained standing through both finals, witnessing a day of glory for Chinese breaking.
\n
The host nation struck gold twice on its home floor at the World Games in Chengdu on Sunday, as Qi Xiangyu (B-Boy Lithe-ing) and Zeng Yingying (B-Girl Royal) captured the men's and women's titles, respectively.
\n
The double triumph meant more than just medals, it signaled China's arrival as a leading force in world breaking — no longer an underdog, but a champion displaying both dynamism and poise.
\n
First steps
\n
Fresh off the announcement that it would feature at the Paris Olympics, breaking made its World Games debut in Birmingham, Alabama, three years ago. China sent only two B-Girls. Liu Qingyi, better known as B-Girl 671, finished fourth — a result modest on paper, but one that hinted at greater things.
\n
"When I started three years ago, Chinese breaking was almost unknown internationally," recalled Mounir Biba, the head coach of the Chinese team.
\n
Born in 1986, Biba is a legendary French B-boy, a Red Bull BC One champion and one of the pioneers that pushed breaking toward sporting recognition. He took charge of China's national team in early 2022. Birmingham was the first major test under his guidance.
\n
Liu was the trailblazer. After Birmingham, she followed Biba and the national squad to Europe for months of training and tournaments. For the first time, a Chinese B-Girl was fully immersed in the global breaking scene.
\n
Her talent quickly turned into success. In 2022, Liu won the Outbreak event in Slovakia and the World Battle in Portugal. She showed that a female dancer could master the power moves and airflares that were once only the preserve of B-Boys.
\n
"Liu Qingyi's rise has changed the technical landscape for women worldwide," said Yin Guochen, president of the Chinese DanceSport Federation (CDSF). Many young B-Girls soon adopted her dance style.
\n
That same year, she took silver at the world championships. In 2023, she stood atop the Asian Games podium, securing direct qualification for the Paris Olympics. Last summer, she returned home from the French capital with a bronze medal.
\n
On the men's side, the breakthrough came a little later. Lithe-ing claimed bronze at the Asian Games and later booked his ticket to Paris. Wang Ruimiao (B-Boy MonkeyZ) delivered another milestone with a world championship bronze in 2024, China's first on the men's stage.
\n
More recently, Zeng surged into the elite, giving China another world-class B-Girl. That is why in Chengdu, the women's final turned into an all-Chinese showdown — a scene few could have imagined just three years ago.
\n
"In a World Games final, both finalists are wearing the Chinese flag — three years ago, nobody would have believed it," Biba said. "Now, everyone is watching China."
\n
Well-drilled spontaneity
\n
When Liu stunned the crowd by taking her first international crown at the Outbreak event in Slovakia in 2022, Portuguese breaking legend Max Oliveira grabbed the mic on stage. "From now on, China is on the map," he proclaimed.
\n
Three years later in Chengdu, Oliveira looked back at that night with a smile.
\n
"What they have built is now a model for the world," he said.
\n
The rise was not by chance. With Olympic inclusion, breaking in China shifted from spontaneous training to a more systematic approach, the idea that dancers with discipline and structure — not just free improvisation — could win titles.
\n
It echoed Biba's philosophy.
\n
The French coach often uses the word "arthlete" — a portmanteau that reminds us that breakers are both "athletes" and "artists". For him, artistry needs freedom, but excellence requires routines, schedules and intensity.
\n
"This was exactly why we chose to work with Mounir," said Yin. "He brought a vision where creativity and discipline reinforce each other, and we knew this was what Chinese breaking needed to reach a higher level. Breaking came from the United States, with Europe and Japan the current powerhouses. China is a latecomer, and we have to learn from the outside world before we can contribute our own style."
\n
With philosophy aligned, the system took shape. Starting in 2022, a Chinese training camp was established in Beauvais, a town north of Paris. There, Chinese B-Boys and B-Girls trained intensively while traveling across Europe to test themselves in all kinds of underground battles.
\n
"The training in Europe gave me perspective," said Chinese B-Boy Lithe-ing. "Every week, we faced legends. You lose, you learn, you adjust. That's how you grow."
\n
At home, the CDSF built the foundation. A national breaking league was launched, drawing dancers from every province and providing a platform for the likes of Royal and MonkeyZ to rise.
\n
Those who excelled earned invitations to training camps based in Nanjing, where a local sports company works with the CDSF to build the national program — overseeing daily training, talent scouting and even commercial development for the national team.
\n
Even teenagers found their battlefield in youth leagues. For them, the pathway was visible: from local crews, to national leagues, to camps, and then, to the world.
\n
"It feels like a fast lane. If you put in the work, the chance will come," said Li Houhua (B-Boy Jason), a 15-year-old who won the Asian Youth Championships in Shanghai in early June.
\n
China's top B-Boys and B-Girls are shining on the international stage, showing the younger generations that they, too, can reach the summit. At the same time, the surge of youth participation is expanding the talent pool, giving the scene fresh momentum.
\n
From stage to legacy
\n
The breaking world was still digesting the discipline's electrifying Olympic debut in Paris when the news broke: it would not return for Los Angeles 2028.
\n
The roller-coaster journey within the Olympic program raised questions — would China's breaking momentum be shaken?
\n
In Chengdu, the answer was presented. Chinese breakers produced their best-ever showing at a global multisports event, taking two golds and one silver. The message was clear: China's breaking would not stop here.
\n
"It's a breakthrough, but not the finish line," said Yin. "The goal is still far ahead; our vision is 2030. By then, we want to be not just competitive, but the world leader."
\n
How to get there? Yin and Biba agreed on the path: learn from the world, and strengthen it with a Chinese style. The idea is two-fold — to absorb global techniques through constant overseas training and competitions, and to blend them with elements of Chinese culture, aesthetics and physical training.
\n
"On one hand, our dancers must keep their technique and difficulty at the world's top level. But, gradually, they also need to add their own flavor, their own style," said Biba.
\n
"Breaking is like a melting pot — you can see cultural elements from everywhere. When I was learning, I even drew inspiration from Japanese cartoons. China has such a rich culture. We hope young dancers can think more, absorb broadly, and grow into styles that truly reflect themselves."
\n
Globally, the past three to four years have seen breaking reach unprecedented heights, fueled by its Olympic debut. Standards were pushed higher, athletes trained harder, and the art grew sharper under the Games' spotlight.
\n
For Chinese breaking, the Olympic campaign has left a lasting legacy: not just a generation of world-class dancers, but also a more solid structure, a stronger competition framework and — above all — the belief that they belong among the world's elite.
\n
Yet the Olympics were never breaking's original soil. The Games offered a grand stage, dazzling and historic, but for B-Boys and B-Girls, the purpose was never only to compete for medals.
\n
At its core, breaking is about dancing — expression, rhythm and spirit.
\n
From that perspective, the stage has always been there.
Li Yueru (right) looks to pass the ball during a WNBA game between Dallas Wings and the New York Liberty at Barclays Center Arena in Brooklyn, New York, on Aug 5.
\n
Li Yueru (right) of the Dallas Wings defends against Dearica Hamby of the Los Angeles Sparks during a WNBA game at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas, on Aug 15.
\n
The cruel nature of competitive sports has taken its toll on Chinese basketball again, after the season of the country's sole WNBA representative Li Yueru was cut short by a left knee injury.
\n
The 26-year-old Chinese center, who joined the Dallas Wings in a midseason trade from the Seattle Storm, was forced to leave a game against the Los Angeles Sparks on Aug 15 after suffering an apparent knee injury. She was then ruled out of Dallas' following game on Sunday, before the Wings announced on Tuesday that she will miss the rest of the season with an ACL sprain.
\n
The sudden injury has curtailed Li's resurgence at a critical moment in her WNBA career, as she seemed to have just hit her stride with the struggling Wings, the West's bottom team with a 9-27 record as of Wednesday, by scoring a career-high 20 points against the Indiana Fever on Aug 12 to help snap Dallas' five-game skid.
\n
Chris Koclanes, head coach of the Wings, admitted Li's injury would affect the team a lot, particularly in rebounding and rim protection.
\n
"Just a little less size now. She was coming off that great game against Indy, and her and Myisha (Hines-Allen) really found that high-low game inside-out that was working," Koclanes told DallasHoopsJournal.com on Tuesday.
\n
"But, we can still find mismatches and play inside-out. Defensively though, it maybe allows us to be a little more versatile, with some more switching lineups if we're putting a lot of players out there of similar sizes."
\n
Since joining the franchise on June 14, Li has suited up in 22 games for the Wings, including 12 starts, averaging 7.4 points and 5.8 rebounds to help the team clinch eight of its total nine wins so far this regular season.
\n
After further tests, initial reports indicated that Li would be out for "at least six weeks", according to a team announcement.
\n
"Yueru is expected to make a full recovery. Additional updates will be provided when appropriate," the Dallas Wings posted on X on Wednesday.
\n
Now, with just three weeks left remaining in the regular season, the injury-blown Wings, which also have four-time All-Star guard Arike Ogunbowale sidelined with a knee injury, will, for sure, miss Li's contribution off the bench, due to the team's lack of roster depth in the paint.
\n
The Wings' growing injury list, which has also seen young guard Aziaha James sidelined, has forced Dallas to play more than 70 percent of its games with 10 or fewer players available, and more than 30 percent with nine or fewer.
\n
The beleaguered franchise's disappointing season looks beyond salvation, despite star rookie Paige Bueckers' explosive individual performances, averaging 19.7 points, 4.1 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game.
\n
Relentless workload
\n
Selected by the Atlanta Dream at 35th overall in 2019, Li only made her WNBA regular-season debut in the summer of 2022, representing the Chicago Sky following a pair of trades.
\n
Despite an earlier injury, also to her left knee, and the challenges posed by the pandemic, Li kept working hard, with a hectic schedule over the past three years, plying her trade overseas between the WNBA and the Turkish women's league, as well as competing in the domestic WCBA and representing the Chinese national team at the 2022 FIBA Women's World Cup and Paris 2024 Olympics.
\n
At international level, Li led China with team highs of 17.7 points and 11 rebounds per game at Paris 2024.She recorded the most points by a woman in Chinese Olympic basketball history since 1998 with 31 points against Spain on July 28, 2024.
\n
As China's sole representative in the world's top women's league, Li has finally reestablished herself as a serious contender in the WNBA, following a slow start in the North American league, and then a short stint in Europe, after she helped get the fallen Wings soaring again six games into her Dallas adventure.
\n
The reason pushing the relentless 6-foot-7 (2.01-meter) center to play tirelessly all year round, and all over the world, is simple.
\n
"I came to the United States only for one reason, and that is to play basketball and improve myself at the highest possible level," Li said when explaining her request for a trade from Seattle to Dallas, per an X post from Seattle sports reporter Percy Allen, earlier this season.
\n
Li's latest knee injury, after having withstood a punishing workload for the past few years, has left fans bemoaning the loss of, arguably, the only "world-class" player on China's current national team, which, in Li's absence, was beaten by close neighbor Japan in the FIBA Women's Asia Cup last month.
\n
Following Team China's record-tying silver finish at the 2022 World Cup, Li's national teammates Han Xu (center) and Li Meng (forward) also joined the WNBA with New York Liberty and Washington Mystics, respectively, seeking higher-intensity drills, but both returned to their higher-paid domestic league clubs before the Paris Games.
\n
sunxiaochen@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
+ "content": "
Li Yueru (right) looks to pass the ball during a WNBA game between Dallas Wings and the New York Liberty at Barclays Center Arena in Brooklyn, New York, on Aug 5.
\n
Li Yueru (right) of the Dallas Wings defends against Dearica Hamby of the Los Angeles Sparks during a WNBA game at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas, on Aug 15.
\n
The cruel nature of competitive sports has taken its toll on Chinese basketball again, after the season of the country's sole WNBA representative Li Yueru was cut short by a left knee injury.
\n
The 26-year-old Chinese center, who joined the Dallas Wings in a midseason trade from the Seattle Storm, was forced to leave a game against the Los Angeles Sparks on Aug 15 after suffering an apparent knee injury. She was then ruled out of Dallas' following game on Sunday, before the Wings announced on Tuesday that she will miss the rest of the season with an ACL sprain.
\n
The sudden injury has curtailed Li's resurgence at a critical moment in her WNBA career, as she seemed to have just hit her stride with the struggling Wings, the West's bottom team with a 9-27 record as of Wednesday, by scoring a career-high 20 points against the Indiana Fever on Aug 12 to help snap Dallas' five-game skid.
\n
Chris Koclanes, head coach of the Wings, admitted Li's injury would affect the team a lot, particularly in rebounding and rim protection.
\n
"Just a little less size now. She was coming off that great game against Indy, and her and Myisha (Hines-Allen) really found that high-low game inside-out that was working," Koclanes told DallasHoopsJournal.com on Tuesday.
\n
"But, we can still find mismatches and play inside-out. Defensively though, it maybe allows us to be a little more versatile, with some more switching lineups if we're putting a lot of players out there of similar sizes."
\n
Since joining the franchise on June 14, Li has suited up in 22 games for the Wings, including 12 starts, averaging 7.4 points and 5.8 rebounds to help the team clinch eight of its total nine wins so far this regular season.
\n
After further tests, initial reports indicated that Li would be out for "at least six weeks", according to a team announcement.
\n
"Yueru is expected to make a full recovery. Additional updates will be provided when appropriate," the Dallas Wings posted on X on Wednesday.
\n
Now, with just three weeks left remaining in the regular season, the injury-blown Wings, which also have four-time All-Star guard Arike Ogunbowale sidelined with a knee injury, will, for sure, miss Li's contribution off the bench, due to the team's lack of roster depth in the paint.
\n
The Wings' growing injury list, which has also seen young guard Aziaha James sidelined, has forced Dallas to play more than 70 percent of its games with 10 or fewer players available, and more than 30 percent with nine or fewer.
\n
The beleaguered franchise's disappointing season looks beyond salvation, despite star rookie Paige Bueckers' explosive individual performances, averaging 19.7 points, 4.1 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game.
\n
Relentless workload
\n
Selected by the Atlanta Dream at 35th overall in 2019, Li only made her WNBA regular-season debut in the summer of 2022, representing the Chicago Sky following a pair of trades.
\n
Despite an earlier injury, also to her left knee, and the challenges posed by the pandemic, Li kept working hard, with a hectic schedule over the past three years, plying her trade overseas between the WNBA and the Turkish women's league, as well as competing in the domestic WCBA and representing the Chinese national team at the 2022 FIBA Women's World Cup and Paris 2024 Olympics.
\n
At international level, Li led China with team highs of 17.7 points and 11 rebounds per game at Paris 2024.She recorded the most points by a woman in Chinese Olympic basketball history since 1998 with 31 points against Spain on July 28, 2024.
\n
As China's sole representative in the world's top women's league, Li has finally reestablished herself as a serious contender in the WNBA, following a slow start in the North American league, and then a short stint in Europe, after she helped get the fallen Wings soaring again six games into her Dallas adventure.
\n
The reason pushing the relentless 6-foot-7 (2.01-meter) center to play tirelessly all year round, and all over the world, is simple.
\n
"I came to the United States only for one reason, and that is to play basketball and improve myself at the highest possible level," Li said when explaining her request for a trade from Seattle to Dallas, per an X post from Seattle sports reporter Percy Allen, earlier this season.
\n
Li's latest knee injury, after having withstood a punishing workload for the past few years, has left fans bemoaning the loss of, arguably, the only "world-class" player on China's current national team, which, in Li's absence, was beaten by close neighbor Japan in the FIBA Women's Asia Cup last month.
\n
Following Team China's record-tying silver finish at the 2022 World Cup, Li's national teammates Han Xu (center) and Li Meng (forward) also joined the WNBA with New York Liberty and Washington Mystics, respectively, seeking higher-intensity drills, but both returned to their higher-paid domestic league clubs before the Paris Games.
Chinese MMA fighter Shi "the Doctor" Ming is set to make her UFC debut against Bruna Brasil in Shanghai on Friday.
\n
Online Watch the video by scanning the code.
\n
Chinese mixed martial arts fighter Shi "the Doctor" Ming is set to make her highly anticipated UFC debut against veteran Bruna Brasil in a special main event of the Road to UFC Season 4 semifinals in Shanghai on Friday.
\n
The bout comes just one day ahead of the highly anticipated return to the Chinese mainland of UFC Fight Night, which will take place at the Shanghai Indoor Stadium on Saturday.
\n
What makes 30-year-old Shi's journey unique is not only the double life she leads, but the juxtaposed nature of it: By day, she caringly tends to patients in a traditional Chinese medicine clinic, but by night, she swaps the acupuncture needles for a punching bag, honing her fighting skills in the gym.
\n
Balancing her double life is no easy feat, but Shi has found a way to manage both. She emphasizes that work always comes first, and only after completing her TCM duties does she head to training. "One of the benefits of being both a TCM practitioner and a fighter is that, if I get injured or feel unwell during training, I can use acupuncture to treat myself," she said.
\n
Weight of expectation
\n
Shi's martial arts journey began at age 10 with taekwondo, followed by sanshou and wrestling. Her clinical one started when she decided to study acupuncture and tuina massage at Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine.
\n
Shi noted that Yunnan boasts a rich wrestling tradition, where even local villagers, including elders and women, participate in friendly matches. "It's heartening that many children in Yunnan now see me as a role model. I hope this inspires more young people to pursue MMA," she said.
\n
Last year's knockout victory at the UFC event in Macao marked a turning point in Shi's MMA career. Previously, she saw competitions as a way to enjoy the sport and gain experience. However, her upcoming UFC debut has shifted her mindset significantly. "I'm both nervous and stressed," she admitted. "It's my first UFC fight, and I'm headlining the last match against a heavier, more experienced opponent, which adds mental pressure. The daily encouragement from those around me makes me care more about the outcome than ever before — I don't want to let down those who believe in me."
\n
Since her victory in Macao, Shi has observed a change in the visitors to her clinic. "Many come not just for treatment, but to chat and see me," she said. Her colleagues and superiors have been supportive of her pursuits. With pre-UFC interviews highlighting her double life, some colleagues are even planning to watch her upcoming fight, Shi added.
\n
Facing an opponent who has moved down a weight class and has advantages in both bulk and reach, Shi is relying on her strong wrestling background to counter. "Nearly 99.9 percent of my training has focused on wrestling. I'm particularly skilled at escaping clinches and finding opportunities to attack during close-range exchanges," she explained.
\n
Shanghai holds a special place in Shi's heart. It was in this city a few years ago that she received an invitation to take a test at the UFC Performance Institute, sparking her ambition to pursue a career in professional MMA. Now, returning to Shanghai for her UFC debut, she has a clear goal: "I hope the UFC will consider adding an atomweight division (around 48kg). Asian fighters, especially from countries like Japan and South Korea, have shown great talent in this weight class, and I believe it would lead to more exciting matches."
\n
When asked if she plans to become a full-time MMA fighter, Shi responds thoughtfully: "Since this is my first UFC fight, I want to test myself to see where my abilities stand in the UFC. I want to see if I can win some UFC fights."
\n
Her thoughtful response may stem from her training experience with Zhang Weili, China's first-ever UFC champion, in Beijing. "Training with her was eye-opening. She spends long hours training every day and is extremely focused, devoting all her energy to MMA. It made me realize that world champions achieve their success through unwavering dedication and hard work," she said.
\n
The Tiger and the Eagle
\n
Saturday's UFC Fight Night marks the return of the UFC to the Chinese mainland after a five-year hiatus.
\n
The UFC has a massive global following, with over 700 million fans worldwide, 410 million of whom are in Asia, and 148 million in China alone, making it one of the fastest-growing international sports in the country over the past decade.
\n
This year's event is packed with exciting matchups. In the main event, Johnny Walker, the 13th-ranked light heavyweight fighter from Brazil, will take on China's "Mountain Tiger", Zhang Mingyang, who is ranked 14th in the division and known for his impressive first-round finishing ability. A victory for Zhang could see him break into the top 10 of the light heavyweight rankings. "I have a big dream — to become China's first male UFC champion. It's a tough road, but I know what I need to do to get there," Zhang said in a pre-fight interview.
\n
"He's a big challenge for me," the knockout artist Walker admitted. "He's come from very good straight wins. He's a powerful guy with a lot of first round finishes. He is very dangerous, so I have to play smart to beat him."
\n
The other notable Chinese interest on the card is Sumudaerji, known as the "Tibetan Eagle".
\n
In addition to the main event, another highlight bout will feature Brian Ortega, a two-time challenger for the UFC featherweight title with a strong fan base, against Aljamain Sterling, the former UFC bantamweight champion. Both fighters are eager to establish their dominance in the featherweight division.
\n
heqi@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
+ "content": "
Chinese MMA fighter Shi "the Doctor" Ming is set to make her UFC debut against Bruna Brasil in Shanghai on Friday.
\n
Online Watch the video by scanning the code.
\n
Chinese mixed martial arts fighter Shi "the Doctor" Ming is set to make her highly anticipated UFC debut against veteran Bruna Brasil in a special main event of the Road to UFC Season 4 semifinals in Shanghai on Friday.
\n
The bout comes just one day ahead of the highly anticipated return to the Chinese mainland of UFC Fight Night, which will take place at the Shanghai Indoor Stadium on Saturday.
\n
What makes 30-year-old Shi's journey unique is not only the double life she leads, but the juxtaposed nature of it: By day, she caringly tends to patients in a traditional Chinese medicine clinic, but by night, she swaps the acupuncture needles for a punching bag, honing her fighting skills in the gym.
\n
Balancing her double life is no easy feat, but Shi has found a way to manage both. She emphasizes that work always comes first, and only after completing her TCM duties does she head to training. "One of the benefits of being both a TCM practitioner and a fighter is that, if I get injured or feel unwell during training, I can use acupuncture to treat myself," she said.
\n
Weight of expectation
\n
Shi's martial arts journey began at age 10 with taekwondo, followed by sanshou and wrestling. Her clinical one started when she decided to study acupuncture and tuina massage at Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine.
\n
Shi noted that Yunnan boasts a rich wrestling tradition, where even local villagers, including elders and women, participate in friendly matches. "It's heartening that many children in Yunnan now see me as a role model. I hope this inspires more young people to pursue MMA," she said.
\n
Last year's knockout victory at the UFC event in Macao marked a turning point in Shi's MMA career. Previously, she saw competitions as a way to enjoy the sport and gain experience. However, her upcoming UFC debut has shifted her mindset significantly. "I'm both nervous and stressed," she admitted. "It's my first UFC fight, and I'm headlining the last match against a heavier, more experienced opponent, which adds mental pressure. The daily encouragement from those around me makes me care more about the outcome than ever before — I don't want to let down those who believe in me."
\n
Since her victory in Macao, Shi has observed a change in the visitors to her clinic. "Many come not just for treatment, but to chat and see me," she said. Her colleagues and superiors have been supportive of her pursuits. With pre-UFC interviews highlighting her double life, some colleagues are even planning to watch her upcoming fight, Shi added.
\n
Facing an opponent who has moved down a weight class and has advantages in both bulk and reach, Shi is relying on her strong wrestling background to counter. "Nearly 99.9 percent of my training has focused on wrestling. I'm particularly skilled at escaping clinches and finding opportunities to attack during close-range exchanges," she explained.
\n
Shanghai holds a special place in Shi's heart. It was in this city a few years ago that she received an invitation to take a test at the UFC Performance Institute, sparking her ambition to pursue a career in professional MMA. Now, returning to Shanghai for her UFC debut, she has a clear goal: "I hope the UFC will consider adding an atomweight division (around 48kg). Asian fighters, especially from countries like Japan and South Korea, have shown great talent in this weight class, and I believe it would lead to more exciting matches."
\n
When asked if she plans to become a full-time MMA fighter, Shi responds thoughtfully: "Since this is my first UFC fight, I want to test myself to see where my abilities stand in the UFC. I want to see if I can win some UFC fights."
\n
Her thoughtful response may stem from her training experience with Zhang Weili, China's first-ever UFC champion, in Beijing. "Training with her was eye-opening. She spends long hours training every day and is extremely focused, devoting all her energy to MMA. It made me realize that world champions achieve their success through unwavering dedication and hard work," she said.
\n
The Tiger and the Eagle
\n
Saturday's UFC Fight Night marks the return of the UFC to the Chinese mainland after a five-year hiatus.
\n
The UFC has a massive global following, with over 700 million fans worldwide, 410 million of whom are in Asia, and 148 million in China alone, making it one of the fastest-growing international sports in the country over the past decade.
\n
This year's event is packed with exciting matchups. In the main event, Johnny Walker, the 13th-ranked light heavyweight fighter from Brazil, will take on China's "Mountain Tiger", Zhang Mingyang, who is ranked 14th in the division and known for his impressive first-round finishing ability. A victory for Zhang could see him break into the top 10 of the light heavyweight rankings. "I have a big dream — to become China's first male UFC champion. It's a tough road, but I know what I need to do to get there," Zhang said in a pre-fight interview.
\n
"He's a big challenge for me," the knockout artist Walker admitted. "He's come from very good straight wins. He's a powerful guy with a lot of first round finishes. He is very dangerous, so I have to play smart to beat him."
\n
The other notable Chinese interest on the card is Sumudaerji, known as the "Tibetan Eagle".
\n
In addition to the main event, another highlight bout will feature Brian Ortega, a two-time challenger for the UFC featherweight title with a strong fan base, against Aljamain Sterling, the former UFC bantamweight champion. Both fighters are eager to establish their dominance in the featherweight division.
President Xi Jinping, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, waves to waiting crowds after arriving on Wednesday at Lhasa, the Xizang autonomous region, ahead of a grand gathering on Thursday to celebrate the region's 60th founding anniversary.
\n
Left and right: President Xi and the central delegation are welcomed by local people lining the streets of Lhasa and a cheering crowd at the airport on Wednesday.
\n\n
President Xi Jinping has emphasized prioritizing efforts to maintain political stability, social harmony, ethnic solidarity and amity among religions in the Xizang autonomous region, ahead of a grand gathering in celebration of the region's 60th founding anniversary to be held on Thursday.
\n
Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, arrived in Lhasa, the regional capital, earlier on Wednesday, as he led a central delegation to attend activities marking the anniversary.
\n
Upon his arrival, he was greeted by a cheering crowd dancing to joyful rhythms at the airport and local people lined up along the streets.
\n
It was the first time in the history of the Party and the country that a leader visited Xizang on its founding anniversary in the capacities of general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, Chinese president and chairman of the CMC.
\n
The trip came four years after Xi, in the same capacities, visited the region in 2021 for the 70th anniversary of its peaceful liberation, also the first time in the history of the Party and the country.
\n
It is considered as a reflection of the great attention attached by Xi and the CPC Central Committee to Xizang, as well as their deep care for officials and people of all ethnic groups in the region.
\n
Speaking at a meeting with local authorities on Wednesday afternoon, Xi highlighted Xizang's four major tasks of ensuring stability, facilitating development, protecting the eco-environment and strengthening the borders. The region should strive to build a modern socialist new Xizang that is united, prosperous, civilized, harmonious and beautiful, he said.
\n
Xi spoke highly of the remarkable achievements made in Xizang's economic and social development over the past 60 years and extended sincere greetings and heartfelt wishes to the people of all ethnic groups in Xizang on behalf of the CPC Central Committee.
\n
To build Xizang into a model region for ethnic solidarity and progress, Xi said that efforts should be made to popularize national common language and characters, strengthen exchanges, communication and integration among all ethnic groups, and encourage two-way economic, cultural and personnel flows between Xizang and other parts of the country.
\n
He also stressed advancing the adaptation of Tibetan Buddhism to the socialist society according to the guideline of adapting religion to China's realities and handling religious affairs in line with the law.
\n
Situated on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and known as the "roof of the world", Xizang has an average altitude of over 4,000 meters above sea level.
\n
Xi said the region should leverage its plateau-specific advantages to develop agriculture and animal husbandry as well as clean energy, while steadily advancing resource processing and actively promoting the integration of culture and tourism.
\n
He said that major projects such as the hydropower project in the lower reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo River and the Sichuan-Xizang Railway should be advanced in an orderly and effective manner with vigorous efforts.
\n
To safeguard the "roof of the world" and "Asia's water tower", Xi called for coordinated efforts to cut carbon emissions, reduce pollution, expand green development and pursue economic growth, while strengthening ecological conservation.
\n
Over the past six decades, Xizang has progressed from subsistence to well-being, and onward to a prosperous new life. The per capita disposable income of urban residents has increased 122-fold, while that of rural residents has risen 200-fold.
\n
To enhance the sense of fulfillment, happiness and security among people of all ethnic groups in the region, Xi said it is important to consolidate and expand the achievements in poverty alleviation, and earnestly address people's livelihood needs in employment, education, healthcare, social security, elderly care and child care.
\n
He also called for post-disaster reconstruction to be continued in Dingri county, which was struck by a magnitude 6.8 earthquake in early January.
\n
Noting that upholding the Party's leadership is crucial for work related to Xizang, Xi said that officials and people of all ethnic groups should follow the Party and foster a healthy political atmosphere of integrity within the Party.
\n
On Wednesday afternoon, Xi met with representatives from all ethnic groups and all walks of life in the plateau region, urging concerted efforts to write a splendid chapter of Chinese modernization in Xizang.
\n
He also held separate meetings with representatives of cadres who had come to work in Xizang from other parts of the country, local officials at various levels and from various departments, judicial workers and police officers, as well as patriotic members of religious circles, among others.
\n
Xi also met with military officers ranked colonel and above, along with representatives of grassroots role models and civilian personnel from troops stationed in Lhasa. He conveyed his greetings to all military personnel in Xizang on behalf of the CPC Central Committee and the CMC.
\n
On Wednesday evening, Xi, together with officials and people of all ethnic groups in the region, watched performances at a gala staged to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Xizang autonomous region.
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