Performers from Foshan, Guangdong province, compete on elevated poles during the 12th International Lion Dance Championship in the Macao Special Administrative Region on Saturday. The event, held in front of the A-Ma Temple, featured teams demonstrating southern-style lion dance routines that combine martial arts and acrobatics with traditional dance.
\n",
- "content": "
Performers from Foshan, Guangdong province, compete on elevated poles during the 12th International Lion Dance Championship in the Macao Special Administrative Region on Saturday. The event, held in front of the A-Ma Temple, featured teams demonstrating southern-style lion dance routines that combine martial arts and acrobatics with traditional dance.
A diplomatic window for ending the conflict in the Gaza Strip reemerged as negotiators converged in Cairo, Egypt, for talks scheduled on Monday after both Israel and Hamas signaled support for a new United States peace plan to stop the war and ensure release of all remaining hostages.
\n
The opportunity for peace, however fragile, has galvanized a chorus of optimistic statements from the international community, while mediators face the daunting task of bridging Israel's security demands, Hamas' bid for survival and the overwhelming humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
\n
US President Donald Trump's 20-point peace plan aimed at ending the war in Gaza includes immediate ceasefire, phased withdrawal of Israeli troops, freeing of all hostages within 72 hours, international oversight of humanitarian aid and rebuilding the devastated territory under international supervision.
\n
A Hamas statement on Friday said it was willing to release the hostages and hand over power to a technocratic Palestinian authority backed by Arab and Islamic states. The statement said the group was open to talks through mediators, but made no mention of Hamas disarming, which is a key Israeli demand.
\n
Hours later, Trump declared that Hamas' response indicated it is "ready for lasting peace", and he urged Israel to stop bombing Gaza, "so we can quickly and safely extract the hostages".
\n
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said on Friday that Israel is prepared for the implementation of the "first stage" of Trump's plan, apparently referring to the release of hostages, said late on Saturday that the Israeli military will continue to hold territories it controls in Gaza, and that Hamas will be disarmed diplomatically "or through a military path by us". He added that a delegation had been sent to Cairo for the talks.
\n
According to the White House, Trump dispatched two envoys on Saturday — his son-in-law Jared Kushner and the US' Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff.
\n
Qatar, Egypt, Turkiye and the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah have welcomed Hamas' statement, hoping it would become an important step toward achieving a complete ceasefire as the Gaza conflict nears its two-year mark.
\n
Qatar "welcomes the announcement by Hamas of its agreement to President Trump's plan", said its Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al Ansari. Egypt said it hoped "this positive development will lead all parties to rise to the level of responsibility by committing to implementing President Trump's plan on the ground and ending the war".
\n
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the UN "welcomes and is encouraged by the statement issued by Hamas, announcing its readiness to release hostages and to engage".
\n
French President Emmanuel Macron, in a social media post on Friday, said Hamas' response must be "followed up without delay", and, "we now have the opportunity to make decisive progress towards peace".
\n
Analysts said that Hamas' language was deliberately measured. The group said that broader political questions about Gaza's future and Palestinian rights would be decided collectively and "in line with international resolutions" — an acknowledgment of the US plan without binding concessions.
\n
"It's a tactical retreat, not a strategic surrender," said Esmat Mansour, a Ramallah-based political analyst. "Hamas highlighted positive points, like prisoner exchanges and civilian administration, while avoiding sensitive issues such as disarmament."
\n
Despite the Hamas statement saying that Trump's call to Israel to stop bombing Gaza is "encouraging", a senior Hamas official told AFP on Friday that the peace plan is "vague, ambiguous and lacks clarity".
\n
Meanwhile, Israeli forces pressed on with operations in Gaza City. As many as 70 people were killed since Hamas released its response, Al Jazeera reported on Sunday.
\n
In Europe, pro-Palestine rallies were held on Saturday, calling for an end to the Gaza conflict and the immediate release of activists on board the Global Sumud flotilla carrying humanitarian aid to the territory.
\n
Police in Rome, Italy, said some 250,000 people showed up for a fourth day of protests, after Israel intercepted the 45-strong flotilla seeking to reach Gaza last week. Nearly 70,000 people took to the streets in Barcelona, Spain, while in capital Madrid, nearly 92,000 marched for a free Palestine. In the United Kingdom, police said they made at least 442 arrests in London.
\n
In Paris, France, where some 10,000 people gathered, a spokeswoman for the French contingent of Global Sumud, Helene Coron, told the crowd: "We'll never stop. This flotilla didn't get to Gaza. But we'll send another, then another, until Palestine and Gaza are free."
A staff member introduces a traditional costume to travel photography customers in Taierzhuang ancient town, in Zaozhuang city of Shandong province.
\n
Costumes in various styles are popular choices for travel photography on Badaling Great Wall, Beijing.
\n
Costumes in various styles are popular choices for travel photography on Badaling Great Wall, Beijing.
\n
A makeup artist crafts a look for a travel photography client in Taierzhuang, Shandong.
\n\n
The sun beat down on the ancient stones of Beijing's Beihai Park, but Ma Zhixue barely noticed the heat.
\n
For nearly 12 hours a day during summer, he framed through his lens not only the city's iconic landscapes but also the fleeting, authentic moments of travelers to the capital city from around the world.
\n
"At the peak of the summer tourism season, I served up to 25 clients a day," the full-time travel photographer says.
\n
Ma's journey into travel photography began nearly five years ago when he noticed a rising demand for such photography experience.
\n
"More clients are requesting shoots during their travels, featuring hanfu (traditional Chinese attire), imperial-era costumes and atmospheric ancient architecture," he notes.
\n
Locations like Beijing's Summer Palace, the Temple of Heaven, and Beihai Park remain perennially popular for their ability to evoke China's historical grandeur, he explains.
\n
While traditional photography tends to rely more on controlled poses and studio lighting, and landscape photographers must chase specific natural lighting, Ma pays more attention to capturing people candidly within historical settings.
\n
"My clients range from the very young to the elderly. My goal is always the same: to create images that are genuine, spontaneous and deeply personal," he emphasizes.
\n
A typical shoot begins well before the camera is lifted. Ma consults with clients about their preferences, suggests locations and styles, and often flips through sample albums to align each other's expectations.
\n
During photography sessions, he avoids rigid directions and instead encourages natural interactions and movement. After a shoot, he reviews the images on-site with the clients and reshoots if necessary, ensuring everyone leaves happy.
\n
As the summer crowds gradually thinned, a brief lull allowed Ma Zhixue to catch his breath, but not for long. The National Day holiday has seen his full packed calendar.
\n
By mid-September, four days of the eight-day National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holidays have been booked, he says with a mix of pride and exhaustion.
\n
"The demand for a blend of photography and cultural storytelling shows no sign of slowing down," Ma says.
\n
Sun Na, manager of the overall travel photography operations at the iconic cultural landmark Badaling Great Wall, says the business has attracted visitors for a range of special occasions, from proposals and graduation celebrations to family reunions and diaspora homecomings.
\n
"We are not simply using the Wall as a backdrop but are opening a channel for emotions to resonate with ancient civilization," Sun says.
\n
Epic grandeur, ritual significance and a distinct Chinese imprint are guiding the principles behind everything from location selection to style choices, she explains.
\n
Sun's team has developed narrative-driven themes such as Guarding the Great Wall, the Silk Road Envoy, and Moon Over the Frontier, incorporating costumes that bear historical elements and dignified poses to reflect the Great Wall's solemnity.
\n
"While Chinese tourists often seek to integrate into the historical tapestry through traditional hanfu attire or cheongsam, international visitors tend toward contrast — posing in modern wedding gowns, or even suits, against the ancient stones, expressing vitality against silence," Sun observes.
\n
According to Qichacha, a leading business information platform, China's travel photography market still has considerable growth potential.
\n
More than 6,000 travel photography enterprises are currently in operation nationwide. In 2024 alone, over 2,500 new businesses were registered, a year-on-year increase of over 22 percent.
\n
Taierzhuang ancient town in Zaozhuang city of Shandong province prepared to welcome visitors with Mid-Autumn Festival-themed photoshoots inspired by Chang'e, the moon goddess.
\n
"It is a perfect fusion of myth, history and modern creativity," says Feng Jinle, an official in charge of travel photography operations at the resort, part of a UNESCO World Heritage site.
\n
Feng took the lead in developing the town's travel photography industry in early 2023, testing the market by sharing photography content highlighting hanfu on the popular livestream platform Douyin.
\n
The town's unique historical backdrop, featuring Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal culture, provides rich material for themed photoshoots.
\n
"Young women took quite a shine to the idea of dressing as ancient brewery girls along the canal," Feng says.
\n
It immediately garnered an enthusiastic response from online viewers, which led to the travel photography business' official launch a few months later.
\n
The first store, located near the scenic spot's east gate, offers quick-change hanfu services, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in traditional attire upon entering the ancient town.
\n
By the end of 2023, revenue from this single store had reached nearly 2 million yuan ($281,550), Feng says.
\n
As demand grew, a second flagship store was opened at the center of the area, spanning 650 square meters and catering to mid-range and high-end customers with customized, historically accurate costumes and scenes inspired by ancient dynasties.
\n
A third store, developed in collaboration with the local civil affairs bureau and themed around marriage registration, is scheduled to open later this year.
\n
"Our primary customer base is predominantly female, accounting for more than 92 percent, with over 50 percent under 35," Feng says.
\n
Today, the project employs 12 full-time staff, including makeup artists, photographers and digital marketing specialists.
\n
The booming travel photography industry has also inspired over 40 businesses within the ancient town, including hotels and retail stores, to incorporate hanfu services, generating a combined annual revenue of over 20 million yuan.
\n
To manage the influx and maintain a quality experience, Feng says his team has implemented measures, such as designated photography zones and guidelines that help to avoid disrupting other visitors.
\n
Looking ahead, the scenic spot plans to incorporate AI-assisted costume selection and digital scene previews to enhance efficiency. The team is also developing customized short videos and drama productions to further deepen the integration of culture and technology.
\n
"We're giving visitors a chance to step into history and become part of Taierzhuang's living heritage," Feng says.
\n
Kang Jiawang has firsthand experience of how travel photography has become a central part of the visitor experience in Xijiang Qianhu Miao village, Guizhou province.
\n
"We've seen everything from family portraits to friends and parent-child shoots," says Kang, who runs a travel photography store in the ethnic Miao village, known for its rich cultural heritage and breathtaking natural landscapes.
\n
Since opening in May 2024, the store has welcomed over 30,000 visitors, with peak travel season seeing around 150 clients per day.
\n
Kang's team, which includes eight photographers and eight makeup artists, usually works from early morning to midnight to meet the demand.
\n
They offer an immersive experience where visitors can step into a world of Miao ethnic culture through traditional clothing, makeup and a stunning landscape.
\n
"There's something magical about night photography here. The way the village lights up, combined with traditional Miao outfits, makes for truly spectacular images," Kang explains.
\n
Located in the heart of the village, Kang's store has become a go-to spot for tourists eager to capture the village's essence.
\n
The store specializes in providing traditional Miao attire and expert makeup services, ensuring visitors are fully immersed in the culture. Guests are guided to various scenic spots, from the observation deck and ancient alleyways to the iconic wind-and-rain bridge.
\n
"We focus on providing a seamless experience from the moment they walk in until they leave with their desired images," Kang says.
\n
For those looking to break into the industry, Beijing-based travel photographer Ma Zhixue emphasizes that technical skill alone is not enough.
\n
"A successful travel photographer must have passion, cultural insight, creativity, and strong communication skills. It's about understanding people as much as pixels, and stories as much as settings," he says.
A staff member introduces a traditional costume to travel photography customers in Taierzhuang ancient town, in Zaozhuang city of Shandong province.
\n
Costumes in various styles are popular choices for travel photography on Badaling Great Wall, Beijing.
\n
Costumes in various styles are popular choices for travel photography on Badaling Great Wall, Beijing.
\n
A makeup artist crafts a look for a travel photography client in Taierzhuang, Shandong.
\n\n
The sun beat down on the ancient stones of Beijing's Beihai Park, but Ma Zhixue barely noticed the heat.
\n
For nearly 12 hours a day during summer, he framed through his lens not only the city's iconic landscapes but also the fleeting, authentic moments of travelers to the capital city from around the world.
\n
"At the peak of the summer tourism season, I served up to 25 clients a day," the full-time travel photographer says.
\n
Ma's journey into travel photography began nearly five years ago when he noticed a rising demand for such photography experience.
\n
"More clients are requesting shoots during their travels, featuring hanfu (traditional Chinese attire), imperial-era costumes and atmospheric ancient architecture," he notes.
\n
Locations like Beijing's Summer Palace, the Temple of Heaven, and Beihai Park remain perennially popular for their ability to evoke China's historical grandeur, he explains.
\n
While traditional photography tends to rely more on controlled poses and studio lighting, and landscape photographers must chase specific natural lighting, Ma pays more attention to capturing people candidly within historical settings.
\n
"My clients range from the very young to the elderly. My goal is always the same: to create images that are genuine, spontaneous and deeply personal," he emphasizes.
\n
A typical shoot begins well before the camera is lifted. Ma consults with clients about their preferences, suggests locations and styles, and often flips through sample albums to align each other's expectations.
\n
During photography sessions, he avoids rigid directions and instead encourages natural interactions and movement. After a shoot, he reviews the images on-site with the clients and reshoots if necessary, ensuring everyone leaves happy.
\n
As the summer crowds gradually thinned, a brief lull allowed Ma Zhixue to catch his breath, but not for long. The National Day holiday has seen his full packed calendar.
\n
By mid-September, four days of the eight-day National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holidays have been booked, he says with a mix of pride and exhaustion.
\n
"The demand for a blend of photography and cultural storytelling shows no sign of slowing down," Ma says.
\n
Sun Na, manager of the overall travel photography operations at the iconic cultural landmark Badaling Great Wall, says the business has attracted visitors for a range of special occasions, from proposals and graduation celebrations to family reunions and diaspora homecomings.
\n
"We are not simply using the Wall as a backdrop but are opening a channel for emotions to resonate with ancient civilization," Sun says.
\n
Epic grandeur, ritual significance and a distinct Chinese imprint are guiding the principles behind everything from location selection to style choices, she explains.
\n
Sun's team has developed narrative-driven themes such as Guarding the Great Wall, the Silk Road Envoy, and Moon Over the Frontier, incorporating costumes that bear historical elements and dignified poses to reflect the Great Wall's solemnity.
\n
"While Chinese tourists often seek to integrate into the historical tapestry through traditional hanfu attire or cheongsam, international visitors tend toward contrast — posing in modern wedding gowns, or even suits, against the ancient stones, expressing vitality against silence," Sun observes.
\n
According to Qichacha, a leading business information platform, China's travel photography market still has considerable growth potential.
\n
More than 6,000 travel photography enterprises are currently in operation nationwide. In 2024 alone, over 2,500 new businesses were registered, a year-on-year increase of over 22 percent.
\n
Taierzhuang ancient town in Zaozhuang city of Shandong province prepared to welcome visitors with Mid-Autumn Festival-themed photoshoots inspired by Chang'e, the moon goddess.
\n
"It is a perfect fusion of myth, history and modern creativity," says Feng Jinle, an official in charge of travel photography operations at the resort, part of a UNESCO World Heritage site.
\n
Feng took the lead in developing the town's travel photography industry in early 2023, testing the market by sharing photography content highlighting hanfu on the popular livestream platform Douyin.
\n
The town's unique historical backdrop, featuring Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal culture, provides rich material for themed photoshoots.
\n
"Young women took quite a shine to the idea of dressing as ancient brewery girls along the canal," Feng says.
\n
It immediately garnered an enthusiastic response from online viewers, which led to the travel photography business' official launch a few months later.
\n
The first store, located near the scenic spot's east gate, offers quick-change hanfu services, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in traditional attire upon entering the ancient town.
\n
By the end of 2023, revenue from this single store had reached nearly 2 million yuan ($281,550), Feng says.
\n
As demand grew, a second flagship store was opened at the center of the area, spanning 650 square meters and catering to mid-range and high-end customers with customized, historically accurate costumes and scenes inspired by ancient dynasties.
\n
A third store, developed in collaboration with the local civil affairs bureau and themed around marriage registration, is scheduled to open later this year.
\n
"Our primary customer base is predominantly female, accounting for more than 92 percent, with over 50 percent under 35," Feng says.
\n
Today, the project employs 12 full-time staff, including makeup artists, photographers and digital marketing specialists.
\n
The booming travel photography industry has also inspired over 40 businesses within the ancient town, including hotels and retail stores, to incorporate hanfu services, generating a combined annual revenue of over 20 million yuan.
\n
To manage the influx and maintain a quality experience, Feng says his team has implemented measures, such as designated photography zones and guidelines that help to avoid disrupting other visitors.
\n
Looking ahead, the scenic spot plans to incorporate AI-assisted costume selection and digital scene previews to enhance efficiency. The team is also developing customized short videos and drama productions to further deepen the integration of culture and technology.
\n
"We're giving visitors a chance to step into history and become part of Taierzhuang's living heritage," Feng says.
\n
Kang Jiawang has firsthand experience of how travel photography has become a central part of the visitor experience in Xijiang Qianhu Miao village, Guizhou province.
\n
"We've seen everything from family portraits to friends and parent-child shoots," says Kang, who runs a travel photography store in the ethnic Miao village, known for its rich cultural heritage and breathtaking natural landscapes.
\n
Since opening in May 2024, the store has welcomed over 30,000 visitors, with peak travel season seeing around 150 clients per day.
\n
Kang's team, which includes eight photographers and eight makeup artists, usually works from early morning to midnight to meet the demand.
\n
They offer an immersive experience where visitors can step into a world of Miao ethnic culture through traditional clothing, makeup and a stunning landscape.
\n
"There's something magical about night photography here. The way the village lights up, combined with traditional Miao outfits, makes for truly spectacular images," Kang explains.
\n
Located in the heart of the village, Kang's store has become a go-to spot for tourists eager to capture the village's essence.
\n
The store specializes in providing traditional Miao attire and expert makeup services, ensuring visitors are fully immersed in the culture. Guests are guided to various scenic spots, from the observation deck and ancient alleyways to the iconic wind-and-rain bridge.
\n
"We focus on providing a seamless experience from the moment they walk in until they leave with their desired images," Kang says.
\n
For those looking to break into the industry, Beijing-based travel photographer Ma Zhixue emphasizes that technical skill alone is not enough.
\n
"A successful travel photographer must have passion, cultural insight, creativity, and strong communication skills. It's about understanding people as much as pixels, and stories as much as settings," he says.
A woman struggles through rainfall brought by Typhoon Matmo in Haikou, Hainan province, on Sunday.
\n
Typhoon Matmo, the 21st typhoon of the year, made landfall in Zhanjiang, Guangdong province, on Sunday afternoon. Classified as a Category 14 storm, Matmo has become the strongest typhoon to hit Guangdong this year.
\n
Due to Matmo, which made landfall in Zhanjiang's Xuwen county, the city experienced nearly 100 millimeters of rainfall within three hours on Sunday, with heavy rain expected to continue for another six hours.
\n
In He'an town, Xuwen, over 100 farmers are urgently harvesting shrimp as the typhoon "will bring heavy rain, worsening water conditions and weakening shrimp immunity", said Fu Xiaoli, a local shrimp farmer.
\n
In Xuwen, the local government has organized 264 teams, sending over 2,250 staff members to key areas such as rural communities and enterprises to assist in case of emergency. By 10 am on Sunday, 22,041 people had been evacuated.
\n
In Haian town of Xuwen, drones are being deployed to check for stranded individuals and for those engaging in fishing activities in coastal and low-lying areas. So far, 11,700 tourists have been persuaded to leave dangerous areas.
\n
Echoing the reminders from provincial authorities, 3,406 ships were anchored west of the Pearl River Estuary to avoid the storm as of 6 am on Sunday.
\n
In Wenchang, Hainan province, rainfall exceeded 200 millimeters by Sunday morning. In Puqian town, the seawater flooded some streets and houses.
\n
A local woman surnamed Han said the situation with Matmo is identical to Typhoon Rammasun 11 years ago, with seawater inundating fish farms, fishing boats washed ashore and dead chickens scattered in breeding sheds.
\n
"Farmers and residents, still recovering from last year's Typhoon Mangkhut, feel helpless and heartbroken," Han said. "Fortunately, local officials relocated some residents, especially the elderly, young and vulnerable, before the typhoon hit."
\n
In Haikou, the capital of Hainan province, large shopping venues such as shopping malls and wholesale markets have been closed since 10 pm on Saturday. Delivery and courier services were suspended citywide.
\n
To ensure the safety of residents in hazardous areas such as dilapidated buildings and flood-prone zones, Haikou opened 54 indoor emergency shelters, including schools, gymnasiums and government office buildings.
\n
As of 8 pm on Sunday, Matmo has moved out of Guangdong and is located some 155 kilometers east-southeast off Dongxing, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. Its intensity has weakened to Category 13, the China Meteorological Administration said on Sunday.
\n
According to wind monitoring by meteorological departments in the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions and Guangdong's Zhuhai, Matmo could make a second landfall along the coast of Guangxi as it continues to move westward.
\n
Based on the analysis, the governments of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao planned to resume shuttle bus services across the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge on Sunday afternoon.
\n
In addition, Haikou Meilan International Airport is expected to gradually resume flights from 8 pm on Sunday, with 153 flights planned for the day, including 37 departures and 116 arrivals.
\n
The National Development and Reform Commission has urgently arranged a central budgetary investment of 200 million yuan to support Guangdong and Hainan in their emergency recovery efforts following the typhoon disaster.
\n
cangwei@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
@@ -11885,28 +11819,6 @@
"hash": "7790728e49f52bebfc65e7d4a7a19fe1",
"highlights": []
},
- {
- "title": "002NATION - Japan braces for shift to conservatism",
- "description": "
Sanae Takaichi
\n
The election of Sanae Takaichi as the first female president of Japan's long-governing Liberal Democratic Party and the possibility of her becoming the country's first female prime minister indicate a shift toward greater conservatism in Japan's sociopolitical atmosphere, according to experts.
\n
Takaichi, 64, a former economic security minister and an ultra-conservative lawmaker, defeated Shinjiro Koizumi, 44, agriculture minister and son of former prime minister Junichiro Koizumi, in an LDP vote runoff on Saturday.
\n
Responding to foreign media queries regarding the LDP final vote outcome, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said, "We have noted the election result, which is Japan's internal affairs."
\n
The spokesperson added, "We hope the Japanese side will abide by the principles and consensus set out in the four political documents between China and Japan, honor its political commitments on major issues such as history and the Taiwan question, follow a positive and rational policy toward China, and put into practice the positioning of comprehensively advancing the strategic relationship of mutual benefit."
\n
On Saturday, none of the three other candidates in the fray — Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, its former economic security minister Takayuki Kobayashi and former LDP secretary-general Toshimitsu Motegi — achieved majority in the first-round vote.
\n
In the runoff, Takaichi won 185 votes, against Koizumi's 156, drawing on a broad base of support among local party members and affiliates. With her replacing Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba as the LDP leader, the conservative party hopes to regain public support and stay in power despite major election debacles in the National Diet, Japan's parliament.
\n
Hiroshi Shiratori, a professor of political science at Hosei University in Tokyo, noted that Takaichi led by a wide margin in party member and supporter votes in the first round, which represent voices of the party grassroots and are considered to reflect public support.
\n
During her election campaign, Takaichi promised a tougher stance on foreigners in Japan. In fact, all LDP candidates raised the matter of "foreign policy" to reclaim conservative votes lost over the issue.
\n
Shiratori explained that these votes originally came from LDP supporters, but shifted to parties such as the far-right Sanseito and the center-right Democratic Party for the People in the upper house election due to their active advocacy on the matter. That gave the LDP race a distinct "social media leadership election" character, he said.
\n
Ukeru Magosaki, director of the East Asian Community Institute and a former senior official at Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that many Western countries are facing economic stagnation and widening inequity, making life difficult for many of their citizens, who blame foreigners for their hardships.
\n
Japan is experiencing a "similar trend", as economic hardships and xenophobia are becoming increasingly intertwined with politics, he added.
\n
The LDP leadership race took place amid growing political woes after the coalition with the Komeito Party lost its majority in both houses of parliament — the first such situation since the LDP was founded in 1955.
\n
Addressing her first news conference as LDP leader just hours after the runoff result was announced, Takaichi said, "The LDP marks a new era." She pledged that the party, which has held power almost continuously for 70 years, will transform the public's "anxieties into hope".
\n
Takaichi's leadership is scheduled to last two years, until September 2027, completing the remainder of Ishiba's original three-year term.
\n
She is likely to be chosen as Japan's next prime minister at an extraordinary parliamentary session, to be held around Oct 15, with the minority coalition remaining the largest group in parliament and opposition parties still divided.
\n
Shiratori, from Hosei University, said that Takaichi's "first challenge" is the prime ministerial nomination election. If elected, the next challenge will be to build constructive diplomatic ties with China and other Asian neighbors.
The election of Sanae Takaichi as the first female president of Japan's long-governing Liberal Democratic Party and the possibility of her becoming the country's first female prime minister indicate a shift toward greater conservatism in Japan's sociopolitical atmosphere, according to experts.
\n
Takaichi, 64, a former economic security minister and an ultra-conservative lawmaker, defeated Shinjiro Koizumi, 44, agriculture minister and son of former prime minister Junichiro Koizumi, in an LDP vote runoff on Saturday.
\n
Responding to foreign media queries regarding the LDP final vote outcome, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said, "We have noted the election result, which is Japan's internal affairs."
\n
The spokesperson added, "We hope the Japanese side will abide by the principles and consensus set out in the four political documents between China and Japan, honor its political commitments on major issues such as history and the Taiwan question, follow a positive and rational policy toward China, and put into practice the positioning of comprehensively advancing the strategic relationship of mutual benefit."
\n
On Saturday, none of the three other candidates in the fray — Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, its former economic security minister Takayuki Kobayashi and former LDP secretary-general Toshimitsu Motegi — achieved majority in the first-round vote.
\n
In the runoff, Takaichi won 185 votes, against Koizumi's 156, drawing on a broad base of support among local party members and affiliates. With her replacing Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba as the LDP leader, the conservative party hopes to regain public support and stay in power despite major election debacles in the National Diet, Japan's parliament.
\n
Hiroshi Shiratori, a professor of political science at Hosei University in Tokyo, noted that Takaichi led by a wide margin in party member and supporter votes in the first round, which represent voices of the party grassroots and are considered to reflect public support.
\n
During her election campaign, Takaichi promised a tougher stance on foreigners in Japan. In fact, all LDP candidates raised the matter of "foreign policy" to reclaim conservative votes lost over the issue.
\n
Shiratori explained that these votes originally came from LDP supporters, but shifted to parties such as the far-right Sanseito and the center-right Democratic Party for the People in the upper house election due to their active advocacy on the matter. That gave the LDP race a distinct "social media leadership election" character, he said.
\n
Ukeru Magosaki, director of the East Asian Community Institute and a former senior official at Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that many Western countries are facing economic stagnation and widening inequity, making life difficult for many of their citizens, who blame foreigners for their hardships.
\n
Japan is experiencing a "similar trend", as economic hardships and xenophobia are becoming increasingly intertwined with politics, he added.
\n
The LDP leadership race took place amid growing political woes after the coalition with the Komeito Party lost its majority in both houses of parliament — the first such situation since the LDP was founded in 1955.
\n
Addressing her first news conference as LDP leader just hours after the runoff result was announced, Takaichi said, "The LDP marks a new era." She pledged that the party, which has held power almost continuously for 70 years, will transform the public's "anxieties into hope".
\n
Takaichi's leadership is scheduled to last two years, until September 2027, completing the remainder of Ishiba's original three-year term.
\n
She is likely to be chosen as Japan's next prime minister at an extraordinary parliamentary session, to be held around Oct 15, with the minority coalition remaining the largest group in parliament and opposition parties still divided.
\n
Shiratori, from Hosei University, said that Takaichi's "first challenge" is the prime ministerial nomination election. If elected, the next challenge will be to build constructive diplomatic ties with China and other Asian neighbors.
Wei Kunming, a young entrepreneur from Beichuan Qiang autonomous county in Sichuan province, found a way to blend his professional skills with his passion for his hometown — as a travel photography designer.
\n
Wei decided to return to his hometown in 2023 from a big city where he had been working on microfilms and promotional videos.
\n
He established a travel photography studio, teaming up with other like-minded youth born in the 1990s and 2000s to start their own business.
\n
It turned out to be one of the best decisions he has made, Wei says.
\n
The rich Qiang ethnic culture and beautiful natural scenery in Beichuan inspired Wei to bring his expertise home. He wanted to showcase its unique charm reflected in the exquisite Qiang embroidery and ancient architecture to the rest of the country and beyond.
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Starting from scratch, Wei and his team began by taking photos for tourists on the street and telling them stories about Qiang culture, such as its blockhouses and silver jewelry.
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Beichuan has experienced a tourism boom this year, with visitor numbers during the summer surging by 10 percent year-on-year. This growth has fueled Wei's business, with more travelers requesting carefully planned routes, professional clothing and styling advice, and capturing special moments, carving out unforgettable memories from each journey, he notes.
\n
"Unlike traditional commercial photographers, this is a composite role that combines being a companion, a tour guide, and an itinerary planner," Wei explains.
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A qualified travel photography designer needs to ensure tourists enjoy their trip and also get beautiful photos, while providing emotional value, he says.
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In a significant step for the special photography sector, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security announced in May that the career title of travel photography designer would be added to its list of more than 15 new professions and 40 new types of work.
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This move is expected to provide travel photography designers with a professional identity, attract more young workers, and promote more orderly and standardized development within the sector, experts say.
\n
Xie Chaowu, professor at the College of Tourism at Huaqiao University, notes that the travel photography market continues to demonstrate significant growth potential, as evidenced by the increasing number of operators, expanding workforce, and diversifying business models.
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The official recognition of travel photography designer as a new type of occupation reflects the national and societal endorsement of this professional path, Xie says.
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Qiu Shi, a travel photographer in southwestern Chongqing, has noticed the industry's rapid growth since he entered the field in early 2024.
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"Chongqing is an internet-famous city with a huge flow of tourists, creating massive demand for travel photography," Qiu says.
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Low entry barriers, flexible work, and a decent income are among the major factors that led him onto this career path.
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Xu Junjie, a post-90s part-time travel photography assistant from Chongqing, says he's excited about the recognition of travel photography designers as an official line of work.
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By day, Xu is a courier. By night, he communicates with clients, handles props, assists with outfits and touch-ups, and manages shooting logistics.
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"Although I often work late, I'm learning new skills, which is very fulfilling," Xu says.
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Xu adds that he will continue to improve his understanding of the city's culture to plan routes that meet tourists' needs, while providing styling and outfit advice to better showcase clients' charms.
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More creative approaches should be found to develop a distinctive style in terms of shooting angles and visual presentation, he says.
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Luo Zibai, director of the Chongqing Tourism Development Research Center at Chongqing Normal University, notes that the sustained boom in the cultural and tourism markets has fueled demand for personalized experiences like travel photography, naturally creating many new jobs.
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Luo suggests that the training system should keep pace, for example, by developing related programs in vocational schools. These could cover modules on travel photography, destination marketing, and cross-cultural communications.
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In the future, graduates could have a photography certificate, a tour guide license, and a special certification as a travel photography designer, making them interdisciplinary talents who better meet market demands, Luo adds.
\n
Huaqiao University's Xie emphasizes that establishing standardized professional competencies for the role will help regulate service quality.
\n
At the same time, he advises tourists to seek out certified practitioners to ensure a satisfactory experience.
\n
This dual approach of promoting official qualification standards and raising consumer awareness will further stimulate the healthy development of the industry, Xie says.
The United States government has still not been able to broker a legislative end to the shutdown that began on Wednesday as the two political sides blamed each other over the fiscal stalemate and President Donald Trump's administration withheld federal funding for some Democrat-run states.
\n
The Senate left Washington, DC on Friday, after failing to pass funding and signaling no end in sight to the snarling of government business. It means some agencies cannot reopen and some workers are not being paid.
\n
Instead, under Trump, at least $28 billion in funding that was already approved by Congress is being withheld or canceled for 16 mainly Democrat-run cities and states, such as New York, California and Illinois.
\n
Russell Vought, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, announced on Friday that at least $2.1 billion in funding for Chicago would be withheld as they launched an investigation into whether contractors had been hired based on race or not. The money was going to be used to upgrade the transit system.
\n
New York has seen $7.6 billion in funding from the federal government paused. The funds were due to go toward clean energy initiatives. Oregon has also seen funds for infrastructure halted. The administration said it may target Portland next.
\n
"Without a doubt, blue states are on the front lines of the attacks, they're coming after us," New York's Democratic Governor, Kathy Hochul, told The New York Times.
\n
Many states that have not received funds have launched lawsuits in an effort to get the federal aid.
\n
There are approximately 2.1 million civilian government workers who are facing some, or all of the effects of the politicians' inability to strike a deal. At least 750,000 government workers are furloughed due to the shutdown, The Washington Post reports.
\n
Workers at the Department of Education and the Department of State are among those that are furloughed. Staff members at federal buildings are also facing uncertainty such as security guards, cooks and janitors.
\n
Some federal workers have already seen job cuts by the Department of Government Efficiency earlier this year. Trump suggested he would like to cut more "Democrat agencies", and enact mass layoffs.
\n
The American Federation of Government Employees, or AFGE, the largest union for federal workers, sued the administration last week in an attempt to block it from firing any workers during the shutdown. They argued this would be illegal.
\n
AFGE President Everett Kelley said in a statement that "when the government shuts down, American families pay the price. Congress must stop playing politics with the livelihoods of federal workers and the communities they serve, end this shutdown immediately, and stop holding workers hostage".
\n
Public services affected
\n
While the shutdown has affected airport staff and others in public roles, some essential services such as the Immigration and Customs Enforcement are still running and carrying out raids.
\n
The House Republicans supported a short-term measure to fund the government until Nov 21, but Democrats blocked it. Republicans blame Democrats for the shutdown saying they want to give free healthcare to illegal immigrants.
\n
But immigrants who are in the US illegally are not eligible for any federal healthcare programs such as insurance through the Affordable Care Act exchange or Medicaid.
\n
Democrats are, however, trying to get healthcare changes into the next congressional spending package and a reversal of Medicaid cuts made in the Republican-led tax and spending bill signed into law in July.
\n
Trump posted a manipulated AI video of House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries on social media showing him in a sombrero alongside Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer who spoke in a fake voice. Vice-President JD Vance dismissed concerns over it, telling reporters at the White House briefing Wednesday that it was a joke.
\n
Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, a Trump critic, urged cooler heads, saying: "We're all Americans. We shouldn't be targeting different areas in ways that would be viewed as punitive. That's just not what we do."
\n
belindarobinson@chinadailyusa.com
\n",
- "content": "
The United States government has still not been able to broker a legislative end to the shutdown that began on Wednesday as the two political sides blamed each other over the fiscal stalemate and President Donald Trump's administration withheld federal funding for some Democrat-run states.
\n
The Senate left Washington, DC on Friday, after failing to pass funding and signaling no end in sight to the snarling of government business. It means some agencies cannot reopen and some workers are not being paid.
\n
Instead, under Trump, at least $28 billion in funding that was already approved by Congress is being withheld or canceled for 16 mainly Democrat-run cities and states, such as New York, California and Illinois.
\n
Russell Vought, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, announced on Friday that at least $2.1 billion in funding for Chicago would be withheld as they launched an investigation into whether contractors had been hired based on race or not. The money was going to be used to upgrade the transit system.
\n
New York has seen $7.6 billion in funding from the federal government paused. The funds were due to go toward clean energy initiatives. Oregon has also seen funds for infrastructure halted. The administration said it may target Portland next.
\n
"Without a doubt, blue states are on the front lines of the attacks, they're coming after us," New York's Democratic Governor, Kathy Hochul, told The New York Times.
\n
Many states that have not received funds have launched lawsuits in an effort to get the federal aid.
\n
There are approximately 2.1 million civilian government workers who are facing some, or all of the effects of the politicians' inability to strike a deal. At least 750,000 government workers are furloughed due to the shutdown, The Washington Post reports.
\n
Workers at the Department of Education and the Department of State are among those that are furloughed. Staff members at federal buildings are also facing uncertainty such as security guards, cooks and janitors.
\n
Some federal workers have already seen job cuts by the Department of Government Efficiency earlier this year. Trump suggested he would like to cut more "Democrat agencies", and enact mass layoffs.
\n
The American Federation of Government Employees, or AFGE, the largest union for federal workers, sued the administration last week in an attempt to block it from firing any workers during the shutdown. They argued this would be illegal.
\n
AFGE President Everett Kelley said in a statement that "when the government shuts down, American families pay the price. Congress must stop playing politics with the livelihoods of federal workers and the communities they serve, end this shutdown immediately, and stop holding workers hostage".
\n
Public services affected
\n
While the shutdown has affected airport staff and others in public roles, some essential services such as the Immigration and Customs Enforcement are still running and carrying out raids.
\n
The House Republicans supported a short-term measure to fund the government until Nov 21, but Democrats blocked it. Republicans blame Democrats for the shutdown saying they want to give free healthcare to illegal immigrants.
\n
But immigrants who are in the US illegally are not eligible for any federal healthcare programs such as insurance through the Affordable Care Act exchange or Medicaid.
\n
Democrats are, however, trying to get healthcare changes into the next congressional spending package and a reversal of Medicaid cuts made in the Republican-led tax and spending bill signed into law in July.
\n
Trump posted a manipulated AI video of House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries on social media showing him in a sombrero alongside Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer who spoke in a fake voice. Vice-President JD Vance dismissed concerns over it, telling reporters at the White House briefing Wednesday that it was a joke.
\n
Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, a Trump critic, urged cooler heads, saying: "We're all Americans. We shouldn't be targeting different areas in ways that would be viewed as punitive. That's just not what we do."
California Governor Gavin Newsom has vowed to strip state funding from any California university that agrees to implement the Donald Trump administration's new "Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education". The move has reignited a fierce political battle over academic freedom, international student enrollment and federal control over higher education.
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The controversial compact, unveiled by the White House last week, offers colleges favorable access to federal grants and new funding streams if they agree to a list of demands aligned with Trump's conservative agenda. Among these are caps on international student enrollment, bans on race and gender considerations in admissions and hiring, reintroduction of standardized testing requirements, and enforcement of the administration's definition of gender on campus facilities and athletics.
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The compact also mandates that schools freeze tuition for five years, restrict certain liberal arts programs, and "transform or abolish institutional units that purposefully punish, belittle, and even spark violence against conservative ideas". "Institutions of higher education are free to develop models and values other than those below, if the institution elects to forgo federal benefits," the compact states.
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Newsom, a Democrat, issued a strong warning on Thursday: "If any California university signs this radical agreement, they'll lose billions in state funding — including Cal Grants — instantly."
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Newsom characterized the compact as "nothing short of a hostile takeover of America's universities".
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The governor's remarks came less than a day after the White House sent letters to nine major universities, including the University of Southern California, the only California institution in the initial round.
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Though the USC is a private institution and does not receive direct state funding, its students benefit significantly from California's state financial aid programs. In addition, international students — many from China and India — form a key part of USC's revenue model. The Trump compact would limit international enrollment to just 15 percent of the undergraduate population, with no more than 5 percent from a single country, which would significantly impact the USC.
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USC officials have not committed to signing or rejecting the compact. A university spokesperson stated they are "reviewing the administration's letter".
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Reshaping policy
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Observers see the compact as the latest move in the administration's strategy of using federal funding as leverage to reshape university policy. Over the past year, multiple elite institutions, including Columbia, Brown and Harvard, have faced federal investigations and funding constraints over how they handled campus protests and allegations of antisemitism. In one prior case, the University of California, Los Angeles, was penalized with $1.2 billion in fines and loss of grant access, though a federal judge later ordered the restoration of many suspended health and science grants.
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Supporters of the compact argue it will rein in tuition hikes and restore balance to campuses they claim have become hostile to conservative voices. A White House spokesperson said Newsom was "opposing efforts to cap wild tuition hikes and to protect free speech", accusing him of mismanaging California's education system.
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However, California legislators dismissed the federal overture as politically motivated. "No self-respecting university should sign on to this proposed compact," said Al Muratsuchi, chair of the Assembly Education Committee.
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While only nine universities were included in the first round, a White House official told media outlets more schools could soon receive the compact. Public universities in California, including the University of California and California State University systems, are under federal civil rights investigations, making them vulnerable to similar pressures. At the same time, some institutions in conservative-led states have welcomed the offer. The University of Texas Board of Regents described itself as "honored" to be included, calling the compact an "opportunity" to align with the administration's goals.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on Friday inaugurated the Novi Sad-Subotica section of the Hungary-Serbia high-speed railway, marking the opening of Serbia's section of the landmark regional project. The president underlined the project's realization through cooperation among Serbia, Hungary and China.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on Friday inaugurated the Novi Sad-Subotica section of the Hungary-Serbia high-speed railway, marking the opening of Serbia's section of the landmark regional project. The president underlined the project's realization through cooperation among Serbia, Hungary and China.
An old photo of Enlan Building, located within Minqing Liudu Hospital, where Dr. Ruth V. Hemenway once worked. The lychee tree in front of the building was planted by her during her time there.
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Thomas Hemenway and Huang Yao (the granddaughter of Hua Sing, one of Dr. Hemenway's adopted Chinese daughters) pose for a photo in front of Enlan Building in July.
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Dr. Ruth V. Hemenway takes shelter in an underground bunker during an air raid drill in Chongqing, in December 1938.
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(From left) Martha Smalley, a special collections librarian of the Yale University Divinity Library, Elyn MacInnis, initiator of "Kuliang Friends", a group of descendants of American families who once resided in Kuliang, Fujian province, Thomas Hemenway and Huang Yao taste the lychee fruit planted by Ruth V. Hemenway in Fujian province, in July.
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Thomas Hemenway visits the Life on the Mountain Museum, which is Ruth V. Hemenway's former residence, in Kuliang, Fuzhou, Fujian province, in July.
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Ruth V. Hemenway and her adopted daughter Hua Sing in 1930.
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Legendary US missionary doctor Ruth V. Hemenway, and her great wartime help lent to Chinese people, became known to more people in China this year as the nation marks the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) and the World Anti-Fascist War.
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During her stay in China from 1924 to 1941, she joined the Chinese people in tackling the lack of medical supplies and poor facilities.
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She saved numerous lives amid the darkest moments for the country inflicted by Japan's wartime atrocities, including slaughtering, bombing and raping.
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As a key witness of the Chinese people's resilience against Japan's aggression, Ruth met many Chinese who had fled the Japanese invasion in the eastern part of the country to Southwest China's Chengdu in Sichuan province, listening to their stories of horrible bombings.
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"They had been witnesses to wholesale looting, burning, butchery, and raping by the Japanese invaders. This had made them firm in their commitment to fight to the end," she wrote.
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Ruth was born in the United States in 1894 in Williamsburg, Massachusetts. After her graduation from high school in 1910, she taught in a one-room schoolhouse in Conway, Massachusetts, and later in the Williamsburg-Searsville School, in order to save enough money to go to medical school.
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Later she entered Tufts Medical School and graduated in 1921, and she had decided to practice medicine in China by her junior year.
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She realized that the best opportunity to reach that goal was to become a missionary doctor after interning at the Women's Medical College in Philadelphia and at the Pennsylvania State Hospital in Allentown.
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In 1924, she arrived in China and settled in the then Mintsing, which is now called Minqing, of eastern China's Fujian province. She was there directing a hospital, which became today's Minqing Liudu Hospital.
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She remained there for thirteen years, except for one year when she was surgeon at a hospital in Nanjing of eastern China's Jiangsu province.
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"Ruth arrived in China a single woman, without knowledge of the Chinese languages, in the midst of political and social chaos," said Thomas Hemenway, a descendant of Ruth V. Hemenway.
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Thomas has long been tracing her footprints in China. He noted that rather than remaining in the relative safety and comfort of the treaty ports, Ruth chose to work in remote villages among the Chinese peasantry.
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"She treated many victims of the protracted violence, and ran clinics that improved prenatal and neonatal healthcare for women and children" in rural Fujian province, he said.
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Liu Shouguang, former head of Minqing Liudu Hospital, said, "Beyond managing daily hospital operations, she frequently embarked on medical tours in rural areas, visiting villages and households to serve the local people."
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Ruth worked tirelessly to expand the hospital, improve medical facilities, and broaden service coverage by establishing branch clinics in both urban and rural areas.
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She promoted vaccinations, disseminated health knowledge, and conducted health education campaigns. She also nurtured medical talent, established a nurse school and mentored medical personnel, according to Liu.
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"Her footsteps covered most of mountains and streams in Minqing," he added.
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Light in the Dark
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In 1937, when the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression escalated, Ruth was practicing medicine in Nanchang, Jiangxi province, and she was unable to return to Minqing.
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Seeing the disaster spreading rapidly, she volunteered with the Red Cross Society of China to join the medical service, and asked to be sent to the frontline medical posts in the war zone.
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Later, she entrusted Hua Sing, one of her adopted daughters, to others and journeyed alone through gunfire to southwestern China's major city Chongqing, which was known as Chunking at that time.
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In Chongqing, Ruth joined a hospital sponsored by Syracuse University. There, she was responsible for obstetrics, gynecology and pediatrics.
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At that time, Chongqing was suffering unprecedented challenges as it endured massive bombing by Japanese forces.
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In her diary, she narrated how the wounded flooded into the hospital's courtyard like tidal waves after one air raid, filling the space with patients suffering from fractured skulls, broken limbs or hemorrhagic shock.
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She and her colleagues often worked all night performing surgeries on patients with gunshot wounds, burns, and blast injuries, and she was shocked by the Japanese army's unchecked slaughter of civilians.
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Liu, the former head of Minqing Liudu Hospital, said Ruth has consistently stayed committed to humanitarian belief and universal compassion, "treating all patients with care regardless of their wealth or social status whenever medical help was needed".
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"A lover of peace and champion of justice, she resolutely joined the medical resistance after the outbreak of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, saving countless lives," he said.
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Liu noted that the American doctor kept pursuing technical excellence, combining boldness with meticulous care in her medical practice.
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In the summer of 1939, she planned to return to Minqing but was stranded by the worsening war situation. To avoid bombing, the hospital was forced to relocate to the countryside.
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Afterwards, she accepted an invitation from Zizhou Hospital and traveled to Zizhou, a small town located between Chengdu and Chongqing, to continue her frontline medical work.
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When she first arrived at Zizhou Hospital, a cholera epidemic was raging there. The wards were filled with comatose patients whose limbs were shriveled from dehydration and whose eyes were sunken.
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She employed people including female students, blacksmiths, carpenters to bolster staff and supplies. She also organized a large-scale vaccination campaign, inoculating 1,500 people within a week.
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Through her relentless efforts, the cholera epidemic gradually subsided, restoring hope to countless families.
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In 1940, her health deteriorated severely due to heavy workload and malnutrition. She lost significant weight and struggled to climb stairs without resting.
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Even so, she insisted on performing surgeries and conducting consultation visits in the wards until colleagues sent her to seek treatment in Chengdu, the provincial capital of Sichuan.
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In 1941, she had to return to the US for treatment after years of hard work took its toll.
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In July this year, Thomas traveled to China to attend a series of friendship events, and he achieved his first face-to-face encounter with Huang Yao, granddaughter of Hua Sing, one of Ruth's adopted daughters.
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Huang said she is "very proud of the family heritage" as endowed by Ruth.
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"Dr. Hemenway made outstanding contribution to maternal and pediatric medicine in China, and my family has nurtured many medical workers as influenced by her," Huang said.
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"I'm so glad to have invited her descendant living back in the US to China to have a look at her greatest heritage left in this country, which is still cherished by Chinese people by heart," she added.
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When touring alongside Huang at Minqing Liudu Hospital, Thomas said, "This has been an amazing experience. It is like a dream come true to be in the place that Dr. Hemenway practiced and see the clinics that she started and the work that she contributed to China."
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"I think maybe the most important is the fact that I have met my long-lost Chinese cousin. Our families have been separated for decades," he added.
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Narrator and painter
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Ruth developed her habit of documenting what she saw, heard, felt and thought in China through vivid writings and colorful paintings.
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She left a series of papers that consist of a small amount of printed biographical material, an oil painting, photographs, and 20 original diaries dated from 1924 to 1941, which are now preserved by Smith College in Northampton of Massachusetts.
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The diaries provide a detailed record of her 18 years as medical missionary to China and include photographs and drawings, and they describe medical and surgical cases, customs and rural culture, and the upheavals in the country.
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"They are rich with poignant and perceptive pictures of Chinese village life in southeastern China, of modernized urban life in the Kuomintang-controlled Yangtze Valley on the eve of the (expanded) Japanese invasion of 1937, and the besieged wartime capital of Chunking in western China," said the Smith College website in a brief introduction.
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In 1937, Ruth traveled to Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province, en route to Chongqing. In Wuhan, she witnessed a tragedy brought by Japan's air raid.
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At that moment, she could only watch from afar behind sandbags in shelters. In her diary, she noted that the air raid claimed 200 lives.
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Among the atrocities committed by Japanese forces after occupying Wuhan was that when the Japanese seized Hankou in Wuhan, they bombed ships carrying refugees and led to huge casualties.
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She mentioned how a refugee train packed with women and children was bombed — as passengers fled the burning carriages, Japanese troops shot them down with machine guns.
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Also evident in her narrations were scenes that the Japanese troops soaked captive Chinese soldiers and farmers with diesel or petroleum and burned them alive, while children were brutally slaughtered and young women raped.
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From February 1938 to December 1944, the Japanese invaders bombed Chongqing and its surrounding cities for a span of six years and 10 months, an event known as the "Chongqing Bombing".
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Her diary recounts one bombing during which she was on the phone inviting friends to dinner. Suddenly, air raid sirens blared, and the entire city plunged into terror and chaos: rickshaws dashed wildly through the streets, and people carrying children fled in tears.
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In her later years, she put down these memories into watercolor paintings depicting Chongqing under bombardment, portraying the burning streets and weeping refugees.
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Ruth indexed her diaries, and excerpts of her diaries were edited by Fred W. Drake in the book Ruth V.Hemenway, M.D.: A Memoir of Revolutionary China, 1924-1941, published by The University of Massachusetts Press in 1977.
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John K. Fairbank, a renowned scholar on China studies and former professor of history at Harvard University, said "the memoir of Ruth Hemenway may well be a classic".
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"She writes with extreme immediacy and creates a visual and personal impression in almost every paragraph. The content of her experience is both medical and Chinese, and the combination is a constant excitement if not shock to the reader," Fairbank said in a message prepared for the publication of her book.
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"This particular story has more vitality, action and color than almost any I can remember," he added.
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After Ruth returned to the US in 1941, she established a medical practice in her hometown of Williamsburg.
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In 1974, just months before her death, she wrote about her thoughts on the future of the US and China.
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"Yet even as a person must experience hardship, suffering, and bereavement to attain maturity, it may be that our own country, like China already, must be bathed in tears and blood in order to find itself in its rightful place of simple equality among the nations of the world."
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"For it is through pain and heartbreak that humility is born; and it is from humility that wisdom and understanding come. Physical deprivation, hardship, bereavement — these may not be evils but blessings if they initiate constructive change," she added.
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Contact the writers at zhangyunbi@chinadaily.com.cn
A girl dresses up like a gege in Beijing in March.
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A tourist poses for a portrait in March against the red walls of the Forbidden City, which is a popular backdrop for photography.
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Women with traditional Chinese-style makeup and styling stroll through the Wangfujing business district in Beijing, capital of China, in March.
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Two gege wearing sunglasses livestream with their phone in Beijing in March.
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A customer has her makeup done at a styling store in Beijing in March. Weekends and holidays are the busiest periods for the stores.
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Visitors in traditional Chinese-style makeup and costumes walk at the Wangfu Century Building in Beijing, a hub for such makeup and styling shops, in March.
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The experience of dressing in traditional Chinese styling is not limited to young people, as this photo from March shows middle-aged and elderly women in gege-style makeup and costumes in Beijing.
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Women dressed up in "Guochao" or "China-chic" styling can be seen throughout the streets near Wangfujing, Beijing, in March.
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In the early morning, before the opening of the Palace Museum, also known as the Forbidden City, the shutters roll up one by one in the basement of the Wangfu Century Building, about 800 meters from Donghuamen of the Palace Museum. Hundreds of intricately designed traditional costumes and makeup tools in the shops await customers eager to try traditional Chinese styling.
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In recent years, the revival of traditional culture, known as Guochao or "Chinachic", has spurred a new trend among young people: immersive experiences in traditional attire. The Wangfu Century Building and its surrounding areas, located in the heart of Wangfujing, a popular business district in China's capital, Beijing, have become a hub for such experiences. Shops there offer visitors a chance to indulge in a fast-paced transformation, especially the styling of gege, princesses of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). The dressed-up visitors can walk through Beijing's modern buildings and take photos at various scenic spots, including the Palace Museum.
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The area has turned into a "dream factory" for fans of traditional Chinese fashion, providing a new trend to Beijing's cultural tourism.
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Yu Qian, head of the China Tourist Attractions Association, remarked, "The trend of gege makeup and attire has not only boosted related services, including makeup and photography, but also offered young people an immersive experience of role-playing and cultural identity."
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However, many visitors, while sharing photos in traditional garb, have reported issues such as poor service experiences and a lack of transparency in the consumption process. Complaints often focus on areas such as inadequate standardization in makeup procedures, lack of personalized services, shared makeup tools causing skin allergies, poor photography skills, and hidden costs or consumption traps.
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Since June 2023, commercial photography has been halted at places such as the Forbidden City. Some commercial photography agencies have shifted to other open tourist sites.
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"Tourists are willing to pay for cultural experiences, and tourist sites should provide the necessary knowledge and services," Yu emphasized. By enhancing the design and management of cultural and tourism settings, such experiences can evolve from fleeting fantasies into sustainable urban memories, thereby unlocking the true cultural value behind the gege trend.
A tourist stands on a cliff overlooking the stunning islands and turquoise waters of Komodo National Park in Indonesia.
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The serene waters of Lake Toba, Indonesia's largest volcanic lake, cradled by lush hills.
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A diver swims past bleached corals in the waters of Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia.
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The memorable beauty of Indonesia's tourist sites lies not only in their striking landscapes but also in the ambience of exchanges among people, including the way locals connect with visitors as best as they can.
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One such moment unfolded near Ijen Crater — popularly known as the "Sunrise of Java" — in Banyuwangi, East Java Province. Earlier this year, a video of a middle-aged villager living near the famous attraction went viral after she was seen warmly greeting Chinese visitors.
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"This mango is 35,000 rupiah ($2) per kilogram. If you buy 3 kilos, it's 100,000 altogether," she said — in melodic Chinese.
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"Zhege hen tian de, mingtian bijiao haochi ma," added the traditionally veiled fruit vendor, meaning: This one is very sweet, and tomorrow it will taste even better.
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She is not alone. At the same spot, another video captured a man calling out in Chinese to tourists, inviting them to his stall. Promising sweet durians and mangosteens, he even joked that if the fruit was not sweet, it would be free.
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The videos, which also circulated online, show a small group of Chinese visitors chatting with the fruit seller in astonishment, bursting into warm laughter when they learned she had taught herself Mandarin.
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As China emerges as a leading source of global tourists, such viral moments — together with the rising number of Chinese holidaymakers to Indonesia — have reportedly encouraged villagers around Ijen and beyond to take up Mandarin.
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Ijen Crater, a complex of composite volcanoes about 300 kilometers southeast of Surabaya, the capital of East Java and Indonesia's second-largest city, has seen visitor numbers grow steadily in recent years. Alongside the increase, local villagers selling fruit and other goods at the site have worked hard to bridge the language gap with foreign travelers.
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Today, Ijen stands among Java's must-visit places, drawing not only Southeast Asian and Chinese tourists but also visitors from France, the United States, Japan and Russia.
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While Java and nearby Bali remain Indonesia's top islands for foreign tourists — with Chinese visitors currently leading arrivals in Bali, as they did even before the pandemic — other destinations across the country's 17,000 islands are gaining ground with their beautiful mountains, pristine beaches and rich cultural heritage.
\n
The rise in foreign visitors to these outer islands has convinced more locals that speaking a foreign language has now become a necessity. Even in Bali, reports suggest there is still a shortage of local guides with adequate Chinese-language skills.
\n
Paul Edmundus Talo, group managing director at Floressa Bali Tours, said demand is growing not only for local guides but also for restaurant employees, hotel workers and others with good English and Mandarin.
\n
At the moment, many Chinese groups still prefer to bring their own Chinese-speaking guides, he said. "That's why they are especially happy when they meet locals who can talk with them in Chinese — it adds a human touch to their journey."
\n
Talo, who began his tourism career after earning a bachelor's degree from a Jakarta tourism academy and later completed a doctorate in tourism economics, has witnessed these trends firsthand. His company, Floressa Bali Tours — based in Denpasar, the capital of Bali Province — serves both Indonesian and foreign holidaymakers, organizing trips to destinations across the archipelago, including the farthest islands beyond Bali and Java.
\n
Komodo National Park
\n
Many Chinese visitors, Talo said, have been exceptionally impressed by East Nusa Tenggara, where they can see the world's largest lizards at Komodo National Park on Komodo Island and dive at nearby top sites.
\n
Although there are no direct international flights to Komodo, foreign travelers can get there by first flying to Labuan Bajo, on the western tip of Flores Island. The journey takes about 2.5 hours nonstop from Jakarta or 1.5 hours direct from Surabaya, East Java.
\n
From Labuan Bajo, visitors continue by boat — either a standard vessel or a speedboat — which takes one to two hours to reach Komodo.
\n
Accommodation in Labuan Bajo ranges from regular hotels to liveaboard boats, the latter becoming increasingly popular. Many tourists now go straight from the airport or seaport onto a boat to begin their adventure.
\n
Komodo is one of 10 places the Indonesian government has promoted as "priority" tourist sites, while four others — among them Lake Toba in North Sumatra — have been designated as "super-priority "destinations.
\n
Looking further east, Talo is planning to expand leisure and adventure trips to Raja Ampat and other destinations in Papua — Indonesia's easternmost region, which borders Papua New Guinea and draws the majority of its visitors from abroad.
\n
Located in West Papua Province, Raja Ampat was named by The New York Times this year as one of the world's must-visit destinations, alongside the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador and Norway's Lofoten Islands.
\n
According to the Raja Ampat Regency Office, tourist arrivals — mostly foreigners, including many from China — have steadily increased over the past five years.
\n
Lying within the Coral Triangle off West Papua, Raja Ampat is made up of four main islands and some 1,800 smaller ones, most of them uninhabited. The region is famed for its pristine turquoise waters and marine biodiversity.
\n
A nonstop passenger flight from Jakarta to Sorong takes about four hours. From Sorong, travelers can continue on to Raja Ampat by standard or high-speed boat, reaching the islands in one to two hours.
\n
There are also flights from Jakarta to Sorong with stopovers in Makassar, South Sulawesi, or in Manado, the provincial capital of North Sulawesi. Since there are no direct international flights to Sorong yet, Chinese tourists often fly directly to Manado and then connect to Sorong if Raja Ampat is their main destination.
\n
Currently, three airlines serve the China-Manado route: TransNusa, China Southern Airlines and Sichuan Airlines. Manado itself has become a must-visit stop for many Chinese holidaymakers, offering picturesque hillsides and beaches, notably in Likupang and Bunaken, both known for their natural beauty and rich marine life.
\n
Welcoming tourists
\n
Raja Ampat authorities expect to welcome around 45,000 tourists this year, said Ellen Risamasu, head of the Raja Ampat Tourism Office, as reported by tempo.co. She acknowledged, however, that the destination remains costly for many travelers.
\n
Even so, the projected figure is more than double the 19,800 visitors recorded in 2023 — though only about half of last year's total.
\n
For Jakarta resident Anika Soertjiady, the higher costs are justified. "Raja Ampat's clean and blue seawaters are really incredible for diving, and it is also a strongly recommended place for seafood lovers," she said, while showing photos of beautifully built bungalows on stilts.
\n
For foreign holidaymakers seeking destinations not too far from Jakarta, Lampung Province in southern Sumatra is well worth a visit. At Way Kambas National Park, visitors can see endangered Asian elephants in their natural habitat.
\n
A flight from Jakarta to the provincial capital, Bandar Lampung, takes just 55 minutes. From the airport, travelers can rent a car and reach Way Kambas in about two hours.
\n
I Putu Winastra, head of the Bali chapter of the Association of the Indonesian Tours and Travel Agencies, said the government's priority should not only be on developing attractions but also on improving access.
\n
"In tourism, it's not the destination — it's connectivity that matters most," Winastra said.
\n
No matter how impressive the attractions are, without direct flights or strong transport links, nobody comes, he said.
\n
He recalled that before the pandemic, Bali saw a surge in chartered flights, including many from China, which greatly boosted arrivals.
\n",
- "content": "
A tourist stands on a cliff overlooking the stunning islands and turquoise waters of Komodo National Park in Indonesia.
\n
The serene waters of Lake Toba, Indonesia's largest volcanic lake, cradled by lush hills.
\n
A diver swims past bleached corals in the waters of Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia.
\n
The memorable beauty of Indonesia's tourist sites lies not only in their striking landscapes but also in the ambience of exchanges among people, including the way locals connect with visitors as best as they can.
\n
One such moment unfolded near Ijen Crater — popularly known as the "Sunrise of Java" — in Banyuwangi, East Java Province. Earlier this year, a video of a middle-aged villager living near the famous attraction went viral after she was seen warmly greeting Chinese visitors.
\n
"This mango is 35,000 rupiah ($2) per kilogram. If you buy 3 kilos, it's 100,000 altogether," she said — in melodic Chinese.
\n
"Zhege hen tian de, mingtian bijiao haochi ma," added the traditionally veiled fruit vendor, meaning: This one is very sweet, and tomorrow it will taste even better.
\n
She is not alone. At the same spot, another video captured a man calling out in Chinese to tourists, inviting them to his stall. Promising sweet durians and mangosteens, he even joked that if the fruit was not sweet, it would be free.
\n
The videos, which also circulated online, show a small group of Chinese visitors chatting with the fruit seller in astonishment, bursting into warm laughter when they learned she had taught herself Mandarin.
\n
As China emerges as a leading source of global tourists, such viral moments — together with the rising number of Chinese holidaymakers to Indonesia — have reportedly encouraged villagers around Ijen and beyond to take up Mandarin.
\n
Ijen Crater, a complex of composite volcanoes about 300 kilometers southeast of Surabaya, the capital of East Java and Indonesia's second-largest city, has seen visitor numbers grow steadily in recent years. Alongside the increase, local villagers selling fruit and other goods at the site have worked hard to bridge the language gap with foreign travelers.
\n
Today, Ijen stands among Java's must-visit places, drawing not only Southeast Asian and Chinese tourists but also visitors from France, the United States, Japan and Russia.
\n
While Java and nearby Bali remain Indonesia's top islands for foreign tourists — with Chinese visitors currently leading arrivals in Bali, as they did even before the pandemic — other destinations across the country's 17,000 islands are gaining ground with their beautiful mountains, pristine beaches and rich cultural heritage.
\n
The rise in foreign visitors to these outer islands has convinced more locals that speaking a foreign language has now become a necessity. Even in Bali, reports suggest there is still a shortage of local guides with adequate Chinese-language skills.
\n
Paul Edmundus Talo, group managing director at Floressa Bali Tours, said demand is growing not only for local guides but also for restaurant employees, hotel workers and others with good English and Mandarin.
\n
At the moment, many Chinese groups still prefer to bring their own Chinese-speaking guides, he said. "That's why they are especially happy when they meet locals who can talk with them in Chinese — it adds a human touch to their journey."
\n
Talo, who began his tourism career after earning a bachelor's degree from a Jakarta tourism academy and later completed a doctorate in tourism economics, has witnessed these trends firsthand. His company, Floressa Bali Tours — based in Denpasar, the capital of Bali Province — serves both Indonesian and foreign holidaymakers, organizing trips to destinations across the archipelago, including the farthest islands beyond Bali and Java.
\n
Komodo National Park
\n
Many Chinese visitors, Talo said, have been exceptionally impressed by East Nusa Tenggara, where they can see the world's largest lizards at Komodo National Park on Komodo Island and dive at nearby top sites.
\n
Although there are no direct international flights to Komodo, foreign travelers can get there by first flying to Labuan Bajo, on the western tip of Flores Island. The journey takes about 2.5 hours nonstop from Jakarta or 1.5 hours direct from Surabaya, East Java.
\n
From Labuan Bajo, visitors continue by boat — either a standard vessel or a speedboat — which takes one to two hours to reach Komodo.
\n
Accommodation in Labuan Bajo ranges from regular hotels to liveaboard boats, the latter becoming increasingly popular. Many tourists now go straight from the airport or seaport onto a boat to begin their adventure.
\n
Komodo is one of 10 places the Indonesian government has promoted as "priority" tourist sites, while four others — among them Lake Toba in North Sumatra — have been designated as "super-priority "destinations.
\n
Looking further east, Talo is planning to expand leisure and adventure trips to Raja Ampat and other destinations in Papua — Indonesia's easternmost region, which borders Papua New Guinea and draws the majority of its visitors from abroad.
\n
Located in West Papua Province, Raja Ampat was named by The New York Times this year as one of the world's must-visit destinations, alongside the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador and Norway's Lofoten Islands.
\n
According to the Raja Ampat Regency Office, tourist arrivals — mostly foreigners, including many from China — have steadily increased over the past five years.
\n
Lying within the Coral Triangle off West Papua, Raja Ampat is made up of four main islands and some 1,800 smaller ones, most of them uninhabited. The region is famed for its pristine turquoise waters and marine biodiversity.
\n
A nonstop passenger flight from Jakarta to Sorong takes about four hours. From Sorong, travelers can continue on to Raja Ampat by standard or high-speed boat, reaching the islands in one to two hours.
\n
There are also flights from Jakarta to Sorong with stopovers in Makassar, South Sulawesi, or in Manado, the provincial capital of North Sulawesi. Since there are no direct international flights to Sorong yet, Chinese tourists often fly directly to Manado and then connect to Sorong if Raja Ampat is their main destination.
\n
Currently, three airlines serve the China-Manado route: TransNusa, China Southern Airlines and Sichuan Airlines. Manado itself has become a must-visit stop for many Chinese holidaymakers, offering picturesque hillsides and beaches, notably in Likupang and Bunaken, both known for their natural beauty and rich marine life.
\n
Welcoming tourists
\n
Raja Ampat authorities expect to welcome around 45,000 tourists this year, said Ellen Risamasu, head of the Raja Ampat Tourism Office, as reported by tempo.co. She acknowledged, however, that the destination remains costly for many travelers.
\n
Even so, the projected figure is more than double the 19,800 visitors recorded in 2023 — though only about half of last year's total.
\n
For Jakarta resident Anika Soertjiady, the higher costs are justified. "Raja Ampat's clean and blue seawaters are really incredible for diving, and it is also a strongly recommended place for seafood lovers," she said, while showing photos of beautifully built bungalows on stilts.
\n
For foreign holidaymakers seeking destinations not too far from Jakarta, Lampung Province in southern Sumatra is well worth a visit. At Way Kambas National Park, visitors can see endangered Asian elephants in their natural habitat.
\n
A flight from Jakarta to the provincial capital, Bandar Lampung, takes just 55 minutes. From the airport, travelers can rent a car and reach Way Kambas in about two hours.
\n
I Putu Winastra, head of the Bali chapter of the Association of the Indonesian Tours and Travel Agencies, said the government's priority should not only be on developing attractions but also on improving access.
\n
"In tourism, it's not the destination — it's connectivity that matters most," Winastra said.
\n
No matter how impressive the attractions are, without direct flights or strong transport links, nobody comes, he said.
\n
He recalled that before the pandemic, Bali saw a surge in chartered flights, including many from China, which greatly boosted arrivals.
Fans of Qingyuan's "Mushroom Warriors" quite literally drum up support for the team during an away Zhejiang Basketball Association match against Jinhua.
\n
Qingyuan's players, many of them ordinary workers, have become local heroes, while fans are enthusiastic in their support. Across the town, posters of players fill public spaces, while videos of their efforts are shared widely online.
\n
Qingyuan's players, many of them ordinary workers, have become local heroes, while fans are enthusiastic in their support. Across the town, posters of players fill public spaces, while videos of their efforts are shared widely online.
\n
A recent Zhejiang Basketball Association game at the Hangzhou Olympic Center plays out in front of a near sell-out crowd.
\n
On a humid September night in Qingyuan, a remote hill county in southwestern Zhejiang province with about 140,000 residents, the local sports center was transformed into a cauldron of noise and light.
\n
The occasion was a ZheBA city clash between underdog Qingyuan and provincial capital Hangzhou, a metropolis of more than 10 million people. Inside the stadium, nearly 10,000 fans erupted in thunderous unison, rattling the steel roof. Beyond the arena, the tournament's impact pulsed through the town, filling cash registers and drawing the community closer together.
\n
Basketball fever
\n
The tournament's influence stretched well past the court, energizing commerce and culture. Streets, shops and markets thrived in a way locals had never seen.
\n
"Orders have been cascading like snowflakes," said Wang Jinyong, owner of a rice cake shop near the arena. "I simply can't keep up. On game days, fans from Hangzhou line up before the shop even opens. Zhe-BA has put our county in the spotlight and carried our delicacies far beyond the hills."
\n
His family's black rice cakes, once a local treat, now sell out within hours. Similarly, Fan Huafei, who runs an online mushroom store, said sales jumped nearly 30 percent. "Spectators taste our mushrooms courtside, then order online to share with friends and family. The tournament has given our produce wings."
\n
As night fell, barbecue stalls like Yao Ya's became gathering points. "Every evening is a full house," Yao said, flipping skewers over on smoky grills as laughter and chatter filled the streets.
\n
Tourism is also surging. Visitors camped in Lingtou village, blending outdoor leisure with basketball fever. "ZheBA has put this region on the map," said Yuan Ke, executive director of the Zhejiang RV and Camping Association.
\n
Mushroom warriors
\n
The county, known as China's mushroom capital, embraced the nickname "Mushroom Warriors" for its team. With the arena packed, hundreds of fans gathered in the central square to watch on a giant screen, waving bamboo tubes called gu shengtong.
\n
"We chose bamboo for its symbolism and sustainability," said volunteer leader Ye Jiqin. "It lets everyone feel part of the rally."
\n
The local cinema even opened a hall for free live screenings. "The atmosphere rivals the arena itself," said manager Lu Tiefeng.
\n
The county has transformed into a living arena: streets are lined with banners, shop windows are plastered with posters and children wave flags. For many residents, the appeal is less about winning and more about the fight.
\n
"Our players fight until the final buzzer," Ye said. "Their grit mirrors the spirit of our community."
\n
Work and play
\n
The players, many of them ordinary workers, have become local heroes. Among them is guard Yao Dingtian, a bank clerk who scored 28 points in Qingyuan's 83-108 loss to Hangzhou.
\n
"He embodies the spirit of a true hometown hero," said one elderly fan.
\n
At the bank, customers request Yao by name. "They say trusting him feels like trusting someone who never gives up," a colleague noted.
\n
Across the town, posters of players fill public spaces, while videos of their efforts spread widely online, turning the county into a trending topic.
\n
For Qingyuan, the final buzzer is not an ending but the start of a story still unfolding. To its people, the team's first victory feels like only a matter of time.
Italy's Jasmine Paolini (left) and Coco Gauff of the United States interact with fans during the China Open in Beijing.
\n
Italy's Jasmine Paolini (left) and Coco Gauff of the United States interact with fans during the China Open in Beijing.
\n
It's developing into a tournament tradition in Beijing, and it's one that everyone seems to love.
\n
Fans giving their beloved international stars Chinese nicknames — sometimes creative, while most times hilarious — and teaching the players how to pronounce them in Mandarin has caught on at the China Open, shedding light on the fun reception the competitors have enjoyed in Beijing.
\n
Just ask the United States' women's defending champion Coco Gauff, aka the "Fruit Salad Queen", how thoughtful her growing legion of fans is when it comes to flooding her with love and support, and the two-time major winner would rate it unmatched.
\n
After all, her collection of gifts in Beijing has beaten her Christmas haul.
\n
"I will say, the Chinese fans have been the nicest fans on tour by far. Just the gifts and everything ... It's more gifts than I've gotten on Christmas, and I was a pretty spoiled kid. It's just insane," Gauff said of the treatment she's received from fans during the ongoing "China Swing" of tournaments.
\n
"I don't know if I'll get as many gifts elsewhere in the world. I hope the western side of the world can be as nice as the Chinese fans are," said the world No 3, who was eventually beaten by her 4th-ranked compatriot Amanda Anisimova 6-1, 6-2 in the semifinals on Saturday at the WTA 1000 tournament in Beijing.
\n
Well aware of their idol's habits, including snacking on fruit salads during changeovers, Gauff's Chinese fans had been affectionately rooting for her with the regal moniker until the American star threw down a challenge.
\n
After hearing that one of her fellow countrywomen Jessica Pegula's Chinese nicknames is "capybara", Gauff is looking for an equivalent.
\n
"I would like to know what animal resonates with me," said Gauff, who has landed in Wuhan, capital of Hubei province, to play another WTA 1000 tournament, which is set to start on Monday.
\n
"I mean, 'fruit salad' is cool, but I think being named after an animal is cooler. I would like to see what animal they think I am."
\n
Perhaps, Pegula wanted something more innocuously straightforward as well, after learning about her other nickname, the one that has truly gone viral on Chinese social media.
\n
"Da Fu", which literally translates to "Big Rich", has been how most of Pegula's growing legion of Chinese fans have been referring to her during her stay in Beijing, referencing her billionaire parents.
\n
The gifts Chinese fans had prepared for Pegula proved to be personal and meticulously curated, such as a key ring engraved with a likeness of her beloved dog Maddie, and a beautifully designed traditional paper fan bearing the inscription "Princess of Buffalo" in Chinese, honoring the American star's family roots in the New York state city.
\n
These aren't generic fan offerings, Pegula noted, but products of research, affection and understanding of their favorite players' lives beyond the baseline.
\n
"Even though I did feel it last year, this year it feels like it's a lot more," Pegula said of her surprising popularity in Beijing, where she reached the semifinals last week. "I'm not sure why. Maybe over the years gaining fans and stuff like that. Or maybe I'm just embracing it a little bit more."
\n
"They're so creative with a lot of the off-court stuff. They definitely research a lot of things. It's been a lot of fun. I definitely can feel a lot more support coming here."
\n
Russian teen star Mirra Andreeva echoed the sentiment of her American colleagues, hailing the loyal and frenetic fan support in China as a unique motivation that she never feels anywhere else away from home.
\n
The 18-year-old world No 5 didn't go as far as expected in Beijing, stunned by British challenger Sonay Kartal in the fourth round, but didn't leave the Chinese capital empty-handed.
\n
She's gained a catchy new nickname "Xiao Mi La", a pun that means "Little Spicy Pepper" in English, with its Chinese pronunciation similar to "Little Mirra".
\n
"I love the conditions here in Beijing. Also the support of the fans is unmatchable," said Andreeva, who was among the most-followed international players at the China Open, even during her practice sessions at the National Tennis Center.
\n
"I always have, like, a full court. It's packed, even when I practice for 20 minutes. I was like, OK, I don't do anything that any other player doesn't do.
\n
"For me, it also provides a lot of motivation, because they are genuinely supportive. They're so happy when you do well, like I'm part of their family. I receive so much support, it's just crazy."
\n
Even with this year's China Swing still underway, Gauff says she's committed to reciprocating the love and loyalty of her Chinese fans by promising to come back next season.
\n
"Every time someone gives me a gift, it's so personalized. You can tell they've been thinking about this thing for a couple of weeks, or got something made, before I came here," she said.
\n
"It makes me want to come to this tournament, because I don't want someone to make something for me and I don't show up. Unless I'm injured, I'm going to definitely come here to Beijing (next year) because I love it."
\n",
- "content": "
Italy's Jasmine Paolini (left) and Coco Gauff of the United States interact with fans during the China Open in Beijing.
\n
Italy's Jasmine Paolini (left) and Coco Gauff of the United States interact with fans during the China Open in Beijing.
\n
It's developing into a tournament tradition in Beijing, and it's one that everyone seems to love.
\n
Fans giving their beloved international stars Chinese nicknames — sometimes creative, while most times hilarious — and teaching the players how to pronounce them in Mandarin has caught on at the China Open, shedding light on the fun reception the competitors have enjoyed in Beijing.
\n
Just ask the United States' women's defending champion Coco Gauff, aka the "Fruit Salad Queen", how thoughtful her growing legion of fans is when it comes to flooding her with love and support, and the two-time major winner would rate it unmatched.
\n
After all, her collection of gifts in Beijing has beaten her Christmas haul.
\n
"I will say, the Chinese fans have been the nicest fans on tour by far. Just the gifts and everything ... It's more gifts than I've gotten on Christmas, and I was a pretty spoiled kid. It's just insane," Gauff said of the treatment she's received from fans during the ongoing "China Swing" of tournaments.
\n
"I don't know if I'll get as many gifts elsewhere in the world. I hope the western side of the world can be as nice as the Chinese fans are," said the world No 3, who was eventually beaten by her 4th-ranked compatriot Amanda Anisimova 6-1, 6-2 in the semifinals on Saturday at the WTA 1000 tournament in Beijing.
\n
Well aware of their idol's habits, including snacking on fruit salads during changeovers, Gauff's Chinese fans had been affectionately rooting for her with the regal moniker until the American star threw down a challenge.
\n
After hearing that one of her fellow countrywomen Jessica Pegula's Chinese nicknames is "capybara", Gauff is looking for an equivalent.
\n
"I would like to know what animal resonates with me," said Gauff, who has landed in Wuhan, capital of Hubei province, to play another WTA 1000 tournament, which is set to start on Monday.
\n
"I mean, 'fruit salad' is cool, but I think being named after an animal is cooler. I would like to see what animal they think I am."
\n
Perhaps, Pegula wanted something more innocuously straightforward as well, after learning about her other nickname, the one that has truly gone viral on Chinese social media.
\n
"Da Fu", which literally translates to "Big Rich", has been how most of Pegula's growing legion of Chinese fans have been referring to her during her stay in Beijing, referencing her billionaire parents.
\n
The gifts Chinese fans had prepared for Pegula proved to be personal and meticulously curated, such as a key ring engraved with a likeness of her beloved dog Maddie, and a beautifully designed traditional paper fan bearing the inscription "Princess of Buffalo" in Chinese, honoring the American star's family roots in the New York state city.
\n
These aren't generic fan offerings, Pegula noted, but products of research, affection and understanding of their favorite players' lives beyond the baseline.
\n
"Even though I did feel it last year, this year it feels like it's a lot more," Pegula said of her surprising popularity in Beijing, where she reached the semifinals last week. "I'm not sure why. Maybe over the years gaining fans and stuff like that. Or maybe I'm just embracing it a little bit more."
\n
"They're so creative with a lot of the off-court stuff. They definitely research a lot of things. It's been a lot of fun. I definitely can feel a lot more support coming here."
\n
Russian teen star Mirra Andreeva echoed the sentiment of her American colleagues, hailing the loyal and frenetic fan support in China as a unique motivation that she never feels anywhere else away from home.
\n
The 18-year-old world No 5 didn't go as far as expected in Beijing, stunned by British challenger Sonay Kartal in the fourth round, but didn't leave the Chinese capital empty-handed.
\n
She's gained a catchy new nickname "Xiao Mi La", a pun that means "Little Spicy Pepper" in English, with its Chinese pronunciation similar to "Little Mirra".
\n
"I love the conditions here in Beijing. Also the support of the fans is unmatchable," said Andreeva, who was among the most-followed international players at the China Open, even during her practice sessions at the National Tennis Center.
\n
"I always have, like, a full court. It's packed, even when I practice for 20 minutes. I was like, OK, I don't do anything that any other player doesn't do.
\n
"For me, it also provides a lot of motivation, because they are genuinely supportive. They're so happy when you do well, like I'm part of their family. I receive so much support, it's just crazy."
\n
Even with this year's China Swing still underway, Gauff says she's committed to reciprocating the love and loyalty of her Chinese fans by promising to come back next season.
\n
"Every time someone gives me a gift, it's so personalized. You can tell they've been thinking about this thing for a couple of weeks, or got something made, before I came here," she said.
\n
"It makes me want to come to this tournament, because I don't want someone to make something for me and I don't show up. Unless I'm injured, I'm going to definitely come here to Beijing (next year) because I love it."
Visitors enjoy an immersive performance staged on the water in Meishan, Sichuan province, on Wednesday. During the National Day holiday, large numbers of tourists have flocked to scenic spots across the country.
\n
This year's eight-day National Day holiday, which is one day longer than usual and overlaps with Mid-Autumn Festival, has driven greater popularity in the tourism market than previous years, according to industry insiders.
\n
As demand for travel and family reunions overlap, there has been a notable rise in family trips, said Qunar, a Beijing-based online travel agency. This has driven rapid growth in travel volume, and the holiday's overall tourism popularity is expected to surpass that of previous years, the agency said.
\n
Due to high demand, many passengers have been unable to book tickets for high-speed trains, so they have turned instead to flight tickets, which has further fueled an overall increase in holiday airfares, said aviation data provider VariFlight.
\n
Nonetheless, Cai Muzi, a Qunar researcher, said that airfares "saw a drop starting on Oct 2 and reached a relatively low level on Oct 4. Traveling during the offpeak period makes it more cost-effective."
\n
On Oct 1, National Day, the number of air passengers hit a peak, and family travelers were the main force of those embarking on trips, according to Qunar.
\n
On the first day of the holiday period, family travelers accounted for 43 percent of all travelers — 3 percentage points higher than last year — while the number of elderly people and children traveling grew rapidly. The number of children through age 12 traveling by air saw a 31 percent year-on-year increase, while the number of air travelers over age 60 rose 33 percent year-on-year, Qunar found.
\n
In terms of hotel check-ins on Oct 1, Beijing topped the list of the most popular domestic destinations, followed by Shanghai and Chongqing.
\n
In particular, the number of self-driving travelers has increased significantly. On Oct 1, the number of road trip travelers more than tripled over the previous day, according to Tuniu Corp, an online travel agency based in Nanjing, Jiangsu province.
\n
The longer holiday has also enabled more people to travel abroad. Travelers from third-tier and smaller cities have shown more enthusiasm for outbound travel, and the number of people who flew abroad on Oct 1 surged by more than 50 percent year-on-year. The most popular overseas destinations have been Japan, Thailand, South Korea, Malaysia and Vietnam.
\n
Meanwhile, the holidays have attracted more international travelers to experience Chinese culture. On Oct 1, the number of foreign passengers taking domestic flights jumped more than 40 percent year-on-year, with such travelers visiting some 70 cities in China. Foreign travelers have mainly come from South Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand, Qunar found.
\n
Meanwhile, as of Sept 25, the average price of air tickets for the National Day holiday was 819 yuan ($115), up 9.1 percent year-on-year, according to Flight Master, a travel services platform in China.
\n
Lin Zhijie, an independent aviation industry analyst, said: "After adjustments over the past few years, airlines' pricing strategies have undergone significant changes. Their forecasts of market trends have become increasingly accurate and effective, and airfares have also become more closely aligned with market demand."
Shoppers browse smart electric cookers at a store in Changzhou, Jiangsu province.
\n
An AI-powered air conditioner on display during an industry expo in Shanghai earlier this year.
\n
Air conditioners that automatically control the humidity and temperature of a room, based on artificial intelligence-powered voice interactions and machine learning ability to track consumer habits, have already become part of people's daily lives in China.
\n
Nowadays, people can play games, engage in physical exercise, make purchases online and have video chats with friends and family members via intelligent televisions.
\n
Thanks to the rapid development of AI, an increasing number of home appliances can be controlled through voice commands and facial recognition, helping to better understand and satisfy the personalized and diversified demands of users.
\n
Experts said rapidly evolving artificial intelligence is expected to create new consumption growth drivers and inject strong impetus into China's home appliance industry, as the cutting-edge digital technology spearheads a new wave of technological revolution and industrial transformation.
\n
AI is not only playing an increasingly pivotal role in boosting productivity and reshaping the competitive landscape in the household appliances market, but also driving the transformation and upgrade of the traditional manufacturing sector, they said.
\n
The State Council, China's Cabinet, recently issued a guideline on deeply implementing the "AI Plus" initiative. According to the guideline, the country will promote the use of AI in science and technology, industrial development, consumption, people's well-being, governance capability and global cooperation.
\n
By 2027, China will extensively and deeply integrate AI in six key sectors, with the penetration rate of new-generation intelligent terminals and AI agents surpassing 70 percent, and this figure will exceed 90 percent by 2030, the guideline said.
\n
The country has recognized AI as essential to fostering new quality productive forces and activating new growth drivers. Leading Chinese consumer electronics and home appliance makers are racing to incorporate AI technology into manufacturing, products and services.
\n
AI is reshaping the industrial landscape and will be the biggest technological revolution in the next 50 years, said Zhou Yunjie, chairman and CEO of Chinese home appliance giant Haier Group. "At present, the deployment of AI in enterprises is mainly concentrated on manufacturing, research and development, sales, procurement and services."
\n
Highlighting that every industry will integrate with AI, and any enterprise that does not embrace AI will eventually be weeded out, Zhou noted that the integration of AI models with home service robots and terminal devices will create new growth drivers for the global consumer electronics industry.
\n
The company has invested heavily in developing large language models and is promoting the adoption of AI in a wide range of fields such as household appliances and industrial internet, he said.
\n
AI models tailored for the smart home domain represent key infrastructure supporting transformation of the traditional home appliances sector, he added.
\n
Li Dongsheng, founder and chairman of Chinese consumer electronics manufacturer TCL Technology Group Corp, said, "The application of AI in the high-tech manufacturing sector will bring about greater value than its use in terminal products, as this state-of-the-art digital technology will significantly improve the production efficiency and competitiveness of China's manufacturing enterprises."
\n
Li said AI is increasingly embedded into intelligent production lines, product research and development, and terminal devices, which will further bolster the development of China's high-tech manufacturing sector.
\n
"We established an AI research and development center in Poland in 2018. Prior to that, we set up an R&D center in the United States in 2011. As a manufacturing enterprise, we will focus more on the application of AI," Li said.
\n
He said China's breakthroughs in LLMs, along with the meteoric rise of Chinese AI startup DeepSeek, have enabled it to rapidly catch up with the United States in the AI segment, while surpassing most other developed economies in terms of AI application.
\n
This year's Government Work Report stated that under the "AI Plus" initiative, the nation will work to effectively combine digital technologies with its manufacturing and market strengths, support the extensive application of large-scale AI models, and vigorously develop new-generation intelligent terminals and smart manufacturing equipment.
\n
According to a report by China Merchants Securities, the market scale of the smart home devices sector in China will reach 952.3 billion yuan ($133.9 billion) in 2025, with the penetration rate of AI technology exceeding 50 percent. In the next 10 years, smart household appliances will experience explosive growth.
\n
"We are pushing forward the integration of AI with data and speeding up the industrial use of AI," said Liu Jiang, chairman of Sichuan Changhong Electronics Holding Group Co Ltd.
\n
The company is leveraging AI to inspect the quality of machines and components to facilitate the automation and intelligent upgrade of equipment and improve the efficiency of production lines, Liu said.
\n
Changhong has applied AI technology into areas such as manufacturing, operations and products. It has unveiled plans to establish 66 AI-powered intelligent factories worldwide, and has rolled out AI televisions equipped with LLMs that support multimodal interaction functions including voice, gesture and expressions.
\n
Hisense Group said its Xinghai large language model is deeply integrated with DeepSeek, and with enhanced deep thinking and reasoning abilities, its smart TVs can better understand user demands, and provide them with a more natural interaction experience.
\n
Statistics from Beijing-based consultancy All View Cloud, which focuses on the home appliances sector, showed that the sales of home appliances in China reached 907.1 billion yuan last year, up 6.4 percent year-on-year, a fresh record.
\n
China's AI sector will make big strides in the next 10 to 15 years, with its market size reaching 1.73 trillion yuan by 2035, accounting for 30.6 percent of the global total, said market research company CCID Consulting.
\n
Gree Electric Appliances, a major Chinese home appliance manufacturer based in Zhuhai, Guangdong province, has embedded its own proprietary model framework into DeepSeek R1 and plans to build an industry-specific AI model based on DeepSeek.
\n
Dong Mingzhu, chairwoman of Gree, said the company will bolster the integration of image and voice recognition and other AI technologies with home appliance products, and expects the application of AI in air conditioners to contribute to energy conservation.
\n
"The rise of AI technology will offer better human-machine interaction capacities and advance the intelligent transformation of the traditional home appliances sector, while unleashing immense consumption potential," said Liu Fei, research director of the consumer electronics department at All View Cloud.
\n
Chinese consumers have shown increased demand for high-quality and smart home equipment along with the iteration and upgrade of product functions and technologies, Liu said, adding that the accelerated adoption of AI in household appliances will further stimulate consumers' purchasing appetites, thereby expanding domestic demand and shoring up the economy.
\n
However, some challenges and difficulties have cropped up in the development of smart home devices, Liu said.
\n
AI-powered home appliance products made by different manufacturers usually cannot be connected, and they still rely on foreign suppliers for high-end smart chips, Liu said.
\n
Hong Yong, an associate research fellow at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, said the adoption of AI can reduce production costs, improve the quality of products and optimize resource allocation, thus bringing about huge economic benefits.
\n
He added that the new type of consumption is mainly driven by technological advancements in AI, with a focus on consumers' personalized and diversified needs.
\n
Midea Group is bolstering the application of AI technology in intelligent manufacturing, smart home, robotic and healthcare segments.
\n
Zhong Zheng, vice-president of Midea, called for stepping up R&D investment in AI, especially in core technologies in key fields, establishing a data security and privacy protection system, and strengthening the training of high-caliber AI talent.
\n
Liang Zhenpeng, an independent consumer electronics analyst, said that as smart air conditioners precisely adjust room temperatures and TVs recommend and broadcast programs in accordance with the preferences of consumers, household appliances have turned into people's companions.
\n
China's smart home industry is developing by leaps and bounds, fueled by advances in cutting-edge technologies represented by AI, Liang said, adding that home appliances are creating a more comfortable and smarter home environment for residents with the help of AI.
\n
Liang noted, "The emergence of AI technology will better facilitate the conversational interaction between human beings and home appliance products. Along with people's increasing desire for a high-quality life, the AI-enabled smart home sector has a promising future."
\n
Zhu Keli, founding director of the China Institute of New Economy, stressed on the need for Chinese home appliance enterprises to improve computing power by establishing high-performance computing centers and elevating algorithm design to boost the utilization efficiency of computing power.
\n
fanfeifei@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
- "content": "\n
Shoppers browse smart electric cookers at a store in Changzhou, Jiangsu province.
\n
An AI-powered air conditioner on display during an industry expo in Shanghai earlier this year.
\n
Air conditioners that automatically control the humidity and temperature of a room, based on artificial intelligence-powered voice interactions and machine learning ability to track consumer habits, have already become part of people's daily lives in China.
\n
Nowadays, people can play games, engage in physical exercise, make purchases online and have video chats with friends and family members via intelligent televisions.
\n
Thanks to the rapid development of AI, an increasing number of home appliances can be controlled through voice commands and facial recognition, helping to better understand and satisfy the personalized and diversified demands of users.
\n
Experts said rapidly evolving artificial intelligence is expected to create new consumption growth drivers and inject strong impetus into China's home appliance industry, as the cutting-edge digital technology spearheads a new wave of technological revolution and industrial transformation.
\n
AI is not only playing an increasingly pivotal role in boosting productivity and reshaping the competitive landscape in the household appliances market, but also driving the transformation and upgrade of the traditional manufacturing sector, they said.
\n
The State Council, China's Cabinet, recently issued a guideline on deeply implementing the "AI Plus" initiative. According to the guideline, the country will promote the use of AI in science and technology, industrial development, consumption, people's well-being, governance capability and global cooperation.
\n
By 2027, China will extensively and deeply integrate AI in six key sectors, with the penetration rate of new-generation intelligent terminals and AI agents surpassing 70 percent, and this figure will exceed 90 percent by 2030, the guideline said.
\n
The country has recognized AI as essential to fostering new quality productive forces and activating new growth drivers. Leading Chinese consumer electronics and home appliance makers are racing to incorporate AI technology into manufacturing, products and services.
\n
AI is reshaping the industrial landscape and will be the biggest technological revolution in the next 50 years, said Zhou Yunjie, chairman and CEO of Chinese home appliance giant Haier Group. "At present, the deployment of AI in enterprises is mainly concentrated on manufacturing, research and development, sales, procurement and services."
\n
Highlighting that every industry will integrate with AI, and any enterprise that does not embrace AI will eventually be weeded out, Zhou noted that the integration of AI models with home service robots and terminal devices will create new growth drivers for the global consumer electronics industry.
\n
The company has invested heavily in developing large language models and is promoting the adoption of AI in a wide range of fields such as household appliances and industrial internet, he said.
\n
AI models tailored for the smart home domain represent key infrastructure supporting transformation of the traditional home appliances sector, he added.
\n
Li Dongsheng, founder and chairman of Chinese consumer electronics manufacturer TCL Technology Group Corp, said, "The application of AI in the high-tech manufacturing sector will bring about greater value than its use in terminal products, as this state-of-the-art digital technology will significantly improve the production efficiency and competitiveness of China's manufacturing enterprises."
\n
Li said AI is increasingly embedded into intelligent production lines, product research and development, and terminal devices, which will further bolster the development of China's high-tech manufacturing sector.
\n
"We established an AI research and development center in Poland in 2018. Prior to that, we set up an R&D center in the United States in 2011. As a manufacturing enterprise, we will focus more on the application of AI," Li said.
\n
He said China's breakthroughs in LLMs, along with the meteoric rise of Chinese AI startup DeepSeek, have enabled it to rapidly catch up with the United States in the AI segment, while surpassing most other developed economies in terms of AI application.
\n
This year's Government Work Report stated that under the "AI Plus" initiative, the nation will work to effectively combine digital technologies with its manufacturing and market strengths, support the extensive application of large-scale AI models, and vigorously develop new-generation intelligent terminals and smart manufacturing equipment.
\n
According to a report by China Merchants Securities, the market scale of the smart home devices sector in China will reach 952.3 billion yuan ($133.9 billion) in 2025, with the penetration rate of AI technology exceeding 50 percent. In the next 10 years, smart household appliances will experience explosive growth.
\n
"We are pushing forward the integration of AI with data and speeding up the industrial use of AI," said Liu Jiang, chairman of Sichuan Changhong Electronics Holding Group Co Ltd.
\n
The company is leveraging AI to inspect the quality of machines and components to facilitate the automation and intelligent upgrade of equipment and improve the efficiency of production lines, Liu said.
\n
Changhong has applied AI technology into areas such as manufacturing, operations and products. It has unveiled plans to establish 66 AI-powered intelligent factories worldwide, and has rolled out AI televisions equipped with LLMs that support multimodal interaction functions including voice, gesture and expressions.
\n
Hisense Group said its Xinghai large language model is deeply integrated with DeepSeek, and with enhanced deep thinking and reasoning abilities, its smart TVs can better understand user demands, and provide them with a more natural interaction experience.
\n
Statistics from Beijing-based consultancy All View Cloud, which focuses on the home appliances sector, showed that the sales of home appliances in China reached 907.1 billion yuan last year, up 6.4 percent year-on-year, a fresh record.
\n
China's AI sector will make big strides in the next 10 to 15 years, with its market size reaching 1.73 trillion yuan by 2035, accounting for 30.6 percent of the global total, said market research company CCID Consulting.
\n
Gree Electric Appliances, a major Chinese home appliance manufacturer based in Zhuhai, Guangdong province, has embedded its own proprietary model framework into DeepSeek R1 and plans to build an industry-specific AI model based on DeepSeek.
\n
Dong Mingzhu, chairwoman of Gree, said the company will bolster the integration of image and voice recognition and other AI technologies with home appliance products, and expects the application of AI in air conditioners to contribute to energy conservation.
\n
"The rise of AI technology will offer better human-machine interaction capacities and advance the intelligent transformation of the traditional home appliances sector, while unleashing immense consumption potential," said Liu Fei, research director of the consumer electronics department at All View Cloud.
\n
Chinese consumers have shown increased demand for high-quality and smart home equipment along with the iteration and upgrade of product functions and technologies, Liu said, adding that the accelerated adoption of AI in household appliances will further stimulate consumers' purchasing appetites, thereby expanding domestic demand and shoring up the economy.
\n
However, some challenges and difficulties have cropped up in the development of smart home devices, Liu said.
\n
AI-powered home appliance products made by different manufacturers usually cannot be connected, and they still rely on foreign suppliers for high-end smart chips, Liu said.
\n
Hong Yong, an associate research fellow at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, said the adoption of AI can reduce production costs, improve the quality of products and optimize resource allocation, thus bringing about huge economic benefits.
\n
He added that the new type of consumption is mainly driven by technological advancements in AI, with a focus on consumers' personalized and diversified needs.
\n
Midea Group is bolstering the application of AI technology in intelligent manufacturing, smart home, robotic and healthcare segments.
\n
Zhong Zheng, vice-president of Midea, called for stepping up R&D investment in AI, especially in core technologies in key fields, establishing a data security and privacy protection system, and strengthening the training of high-caliber AI talent.
\n
Liang Zhenpeng, an independent consumer electronics analyst, said that as smart air conditioners precisely adjust room temperatures and TVs recommend and broadcast programs in accordance with the preferences of consumers, household appliances have turned into people's companions.
\n
China's smart home industry is developing by leaps and bounds, fueled by advances in cutting-edge technologies represented by AI, Liang said, adding that home appliances are creating a more comfortable and smarter home environment for residents with the help of AI.
\n
Liang noted, "The emergence of AI technology will better facilitate the conversational interaction between human beings and home appliance products. Along with people's increasing desire for a high-quality life, the AI-enabled smart home sector has a promising future."
\n
Zhu Keli, founding director of the China Institute of New Economy, stressed on the need for Chinese home appliance enterprises to improve computing power by establishing high-performance computing centers and elevating algorithm design to boost the utilization efficiency of computing power.
Tianjin University President Chai Liyuan (front, third from left) joins faculty members, students and alumni on Thursday in sharing the 130th anniversary cake at the university in Tianjin.
\n
President Xi Jinping has extended his congratulations to the faculty, students and alumni of Tianjin University on the 130th anniversary of the founding of China's first modern university.
\n
Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, conveyed his congratulations in a reply dated Tuesday to a letter from all the faculty and students of the university.
\n
Xi described the anniversary as a new starting point for the university, and called on its faculty and students to focus on major national strategic needs.
\n
He expressed his hope that they will deepen reforms in teaching and scientific research, strengthen basic research, and achieve greater breakthroughs in science and technology.
\n
Xi also urged them to improve the quality of talent development and contribute to the country's efforts to build a strong educational system, enhance scientific and technological strength, and advance Chinese modernization.
\n
Tianjin University, which was founded in 1895 as Peiyang University, adopted its current name in 1951.
\n
The university, with about 40,000 full-time students and more than 4,800 faculty and staff members, is known for its specialties in engineering.
\n
Recently, the university's faculty and students wrote a letter to Xi, reporting the university's development over the 130 years and its achievements in recent years.
\n
They also expressed their determination to cultivate talent independently and achieve greater self-reliance and strength in science and technology.
\n
Xi's reply was received with great enthusiasm by the university's faculty and students.
\n
Yang Xianjin, Party secretary of Tianjin University, said the reply was inspiring and encouraging, adding that it has provided fundamental guidance for the university's efforts to build itself into a world-class university.
\n
Liu Congqiang, dean of the School of Earth System Science, said the reply contains strategic guidance for scientific and technological innovation in the new era.
\n
"We feel deeply honored and are deeply aware of the great responsibility we shoulder," Liu said.
\n
The school will work to better align its basic research efforts with the country's major needs, such as those for carbon peak and carbon neutrality, and contribute to the country's efforts to cultivate new quality productive forces, Liu said.
\n
Qi Dehao, a student in the School of Precision Instrument and Opto-Electronics Engineering, said, "In this era, only innovators advance, only innovators become strong, and only innovators win."
\n
"We will bravely climb the peaks of technology and take the lead in overcoming technological 'stranglehold', contributing our youthful energy to the realization of the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation," Qi said.
\n
Tan Lak Hon, an international student from Malaysia, said that during his three years at Tianjin University, he has gained not only extensive knowledge, but also many unforgettable experiences and memories.
\n
Last year marked the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Malaysia and China, and last month, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim visited Tianjin University.
\n
"These two significant events have converged during my youth, strengthening my future direction — to integrate personal growth into the progress of the times, to transform cross-cultural exchanges into bridges and bonds, and to tell the story of Malaysia-China friendship," he said.
Customers browse products at a Pop Mart store on Oxford Street in London, on May 21. Collectible toys, which go beyond the practical function of traditional toys by offering greater emotional value, collectibility, and artistic appeal, have gained popularity among overseas consumers recently.
\n
Customers line up at a Heytea store in Times Square, New York, on March 8, as they flock to the newly opened bubble tea brand from China.
\n
People walk past a Luckin Coffee store before its opening in Chelsea in New York on June 8.
\n\n
The global frenzy for the Labubu doll has shone a light on how Chinese brands are crossing borders and growing in popularity worldwide.
\n
Domestic toy company Pop Mart's plush toys took off in 2024 after celebrities like Blackpink's Lisa and superstar Rihanna showcased their collections on social media. People now compete fiercely to buy the popular dolls, which have seen a significant increase in resale value.
\n
Labubu's monster sales have helped Pop Mart, built on the concept of high-quality blind box toys, grow into a billion-dollar business. It now operates over 400 stores and 2,000 vending machines worldwide.
\n
Meanwhile, other Chinese brands have either already proved to be an international success or are in the process of doing so.
\n
Online stores Shein and Temu are both well-known for offering a vast selection of low-cost products shipped directly from China. While Shein has not publicly reported its global earnings, Reuters said the company was valued at $66 billion last year. Temu is owned by Pinduoduo, a major e-commerce platform. The company's market capitalization had reached approximately $184 billion as of Sept 19.
\n
While the rise of e-commerce has caused a decline in many traditional retail stores, lifestyle retailer Miniso has defied the trend.
\n
Miniso was founded in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, in 2016, with the philosophy of "quality, affordability and fashion".
\n
As of 2024, the company had more than 7,500 stores worldwide. It offers a range of products including toys, beauty products, small electronics, stationery, snacks, and household goods. There are over 200 Miniso stores across 40 US states, with membership growing by 250 percent in 2024 to 2 million people, according to the company.
\n
Miniso's global flagship store in New York's Times Square generated nearly $80,000 in revenue on its opening day on May 19, 2023, setting a single-day sales record among its stores globally, according to a media release.
\n
The company is rapidly expanding, launching flagship stores in iconic locations such as Oxford Street in London, the Champs-Elysees in Paris, Seoul's Gangnam District and Tokyo's Harajuku. In July, it opened a 500-square-meter store in Melbourne, Australia.
\n
The NYSE-listed company reported that its revenue last year reached $2.3 billion, a 22.8 percent increase from the previous year. Consumers say they love Miniso products for their cute designs, IP collaborations and affordable prices.
\n
"Brands like Pop Mart have successfully created a 'collectible culture' around their products, using the blind box to tap into psychological drivers like scarcity and the thrill of discovery," Cornell University finance professor Will Cong told China Daily.
\n
"They bypass traditional retail barriers by launching on e-commerce and social platforms like TikTok, building communities and generating viral, user-generated content that provides authentic marketing."
\n
Cong added, "This digital fluency, combined with hyper-agile supply chains that enable rapid product iteration — a 'fast fashion' DNA seen in brands like Miniso and (fashion chain) Urban Revivo — allows them to respond to trends in near real time, keeping their offerings perpetually fresh and relevant."
\n
Beverage bubble
\n
The concept of bubble tea is being taken to the next level — with Chinese beverage companies including Heytea, Chagee, Coco Fresh Tea and Juice, Molly Tea, and Auntea Jenny now operating tens of thousands of stores worldwide.
\n
Heytea can be seen not only in New York's Chinatown. It has outlets in other major traffic areas in the city such as Times Square, Soho, the East Village, and Herald Square, which attract a diverse range of consumers from all backgrounds.
\n
Founded in Guangdong in 2012 by Nie Yunchen, Heytea lays claim to creating the first "cheese tea", which has a top layer of foamy cream cheese added.
\n
Besides offering tea latte, Heytea created a range of beverages that mix fruit with green tea or dairy.
\n
The company has over 4,000 stores worldwide. Its vice-president of overseas strategy and franchising, Yujia Gu, told the Los Angeles Times he believes the US market will be even bigger than China's, due to the rising appreciation of Asian culture.
\n
Yang Jiawen, a professor of international business and international affairs at George Washington University, said Chinese brands are still at an early stage of recognition in the US market. Product quality, effective advertising, competitive prices, and services that emphasize health and safety features will be important for the development of markets in the US and globally, Yang added.
\n
These brands have had huge success in China, and now they are trying to expand their market in the US.
\n
Luckin Coffee is the biggest coffee shop chain in China with its 22,000 stores far surpassing the 6,500 of its US competitor Starbucks.
\n
The company reported that its net revenue last year exceeded $4.7 billion, representing a 38.4 percent year-on-year increase, with much of it due to its rapid expansion. It opened 6,092 new stores, including 6,071 on the Chinese mainland, 21 in Singapore, and five in Hong Kong.
\n
In June, Luckin Coffee ventured into the US and launched its first store in New York.
\n
Sean Brassil, 28, who visited China in April, said he's excited to see the Chinese company in the US, after enjoying the convenience of ordering a beverage each morning from his hotel room and picking it up. "App and pay integration just feels very seamless and the way of the future," he said.
\n
Cotti Coffee — founded by two former Luckin Coffee executives in 2022 — is also experiencing rapid growth with over 14,000 stores worldwide in more than 28 countries and regions.
\n
Unlike Luckin, which is shifting from a price war to focus on quality and brand building, Cotti offers more competitive pricing to attract customers. In China, customers can buy a Cotti beverage for 10 yuan ($1.40). Although Cotti's pricing in the US isn't that competitive, it recently opened its second store in Manhattan.
\n
"The success of the new wave of Chinese brands in the US is driven by a sophisticated playbook that moves beyond the old 'low-cost manufacturing' model. A primary factor is their innovative reengineering of the value proposition," Cong from Cornell University said.
\n
"Brands like Luckin Coffee and Cotti Coffee exemplify a model of 'tech-enabled affordable convenience', using app-based ordering and small-footprint, grab-and-go stores to offer quality products at highly competitive prices. This isn't just a price war; it's a competition of operational efficiency, where technology drastically reduces overheads like rent and labor, allowing them to sustainably offer value that combines affordability with extreme convenience."
\n
Popular clothing brand Urban Revivo, founded in Guangzhou in 2016, is often referred to as the Chinese version of Zara, the Spanish fashion giant.
\n
Urban Revivo has annual sales of around $961 million with 400 stores in China and 19 across the world, mostly in Southeast Asia, according to Forbes. As a major fast-fashion player competing with brands like Zara and H&M, the store adds hundreds of new styles every week. In late February, it entered the US market with a store opening in New York's trendy Soho neighborhood.
\n
Blush of success
\n
In China, more consumers are turning to domestic beauty brands, driving strong growth in local products. At the same time, the country's cosmetics industry is being highly influenced by social media and e-commerce platforms.
\n
In 2022, for example, the sales of domestic Chinese brands on Douyin grew 110 percent year-on-year, according to a Xinhua News Agency report.
\n
From budget-friendly names like Into You and Judydoll to premium brands such as Mao Geping and Florasis, Chinese beauty labels are gaining widespread popularity.
\n
In the first 11 months of 2024, the export volume of Chinese beauty products and toiletries reached 1.19 million metric tons, marking an 18.2 percent increase compared with last year, General Administration of Customs data shows. Export value was $6.53 billion, up 9.4 percent on a yearly basis.
\n
In addition, a growing number of Chinese beauty products have entered the US market. These brands are competing with established international names by offering special pricing while emphasizing design and quality.
\n
Florasis, a cosmetic brand started in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, was praised by US beauty guru and influencer Jeffree Star as "the world's most beautiful makeup" for its designs, which incorporate traditional Chinese elements.
\n
Now available in over 110 countries and regions, the brand earned Marie Claire's 2025 Makeup Award for "Best Luxury Powder Eyeshadow" with one of its palettes.
\n
Another brand, Flower Knows, recognized for its dreamy, fairy-tale-style packaging, quickly went viral in China after launching in 2016, thanks to its unique design concept as well as close collaborations with social media influencers.
\n
Following its success in the domestic market, the brand expanded into Japan, where the company said its products are sold in over 1,000 stores. Flower Knows has also secured a partnership with Urban Outfitters, one of the leading fashion and lifestyle retailers in the US.
\n
The brand has attracted over 2 million followers on Instagram. US pop star Sabrina Carpenter was recently seen holding one of their products on a film set.
\n
Flower Knows is in discussions with major US beauty retailers like Sephora and Ulta Beauty to showcase their products, according to the company's chief marketing officer Gong Fang.
\n
Cong, the finance professor, said the US market could prove to be more profitable than the Chinese market because of its significantly higher household spending. In addition, success in the world market would "confer a powerful 'halo effect' of global prestige" and enhance brand value everywhere, including in China.
\n
He warned, however: "This potential is tempered by significant geopolitical risks, including tariffs and regulatory scrutiny, which add direct costs and uncertainty. Thus, while the US market could become more financially profitable for certain brands, its primary value for many will likely remain strategic."
\n
After the US administration in May eliminated the "de minimis "exemption by imposing duties on packages under $800 coming from China, businesses like Shein and Temu experienced a sharp decline in sales.
\n
In the first week of May, FedEx reported a 35 percent drop in packages arriving in the US from Asia. In response to the policy change, Temu and Shein opened warehouses on US soil to facilitate domestic shipping. They also raised their prices. Shein increased prices by as much as 377 percent, according to Bloomberg.
\n
Brands like Flower Knows emphasize that marketing is more important than ever during this period.
\n
"I have a very strong belief in manufacturing power in China, and we are living proof of that as well," said Fang. "Tariffs force us to innovate and focus more on establishing unique brand positioning. C-beauty should go beyond competitiveness in pricing and agility. We'll turn constraints into chances to redefine 'Made in China'."
\n
bilinlin@chinadailyusa.com
\n",
- "content": "
Customers browse products at a Pop Mart store on Oxford Street in London, on May 21. Collectible toys, which go beyond the practical function of traditional toys by offering greater emotional value, collectibility, and artistic appeal, have gained popularity among overseas consumers recently.
\n
Customers line up at a Heytea store in Times Square, New York, on March 8, as they flock to the newly opened bubble tea brand from China.
\n
People walk past a Luckin Coffee store before its opening in Chelsea in New York on June 8.
\n\n
The global frenzy for the Labubu doll has shone a light on how Chinese brands are crossing borders and growing in popularity worldwide.
\n
Domestic toy company Pop Mart's plush toys took off in 2024 after celebrities like Blackpink's Lisa and superstar Rihanna showcased their collections on social media. People now compete fiercely to buy the popular dolls, which have seen a significant increase in resale value.
\n
Labubu's monster sales have helped Pop Mart, built on the concept of high-quality blind box toys, grow into a billion-dollar business. It now operates over 400 stores and 2,000 vending machines worldwide.
\n
Meanwhile, other Chinese brands have either already proved to be an international success or are in the process of doing so.
\n
Online stores Shein and Temu are both well-known for offering a vast selection of low-cost products shipped directly from China. While Shein has not publicly reported its global earnings, Reuters said the company was valued at $66 billion last year. Temu is owned by Pinduoduo, a major e-commerce platform. The company's market capitalization had reached approximately $184 billion as of Sept 19.
\n
While the rise of e-commerce has caused a decline in many traditional retail stores, lifestyle retailer Miniso has defied the trend.
\n
Miniso was founded in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, in 2016, with the philosophy of "quality, affordability and fashion".
\n
As of 2024, the company had more than 7,500 stores worldwide. It offers a range of products including toys, beauty products, small electronics, stationery, snacks, and household goods. There are over 200 Miniso stores across 40 US states, with membership growing by 250 percent in 2024 to 2 million people, according to the company.
\n
Miniso's global flagship store in New York's Times Square generated nearly $80,000 in revenue on its opening day on May 19, 2023, setting a single-day sales record among its stores globally, according to a media release.
\n
The company is rapidly expanding, launching flagship stores in iconic locations such as Oxford Street in London, the Champs-Elysees in Paris, Seoul's Gangnam District and Tokyo's Harajuku. In July, it opened a 500-square-meter store in Melbourne, Australia.
\n
The NYSE-listed company reported that its revenue last year reached $2.3 billion, a 22.8 percent increase from the previous year. Consumers say they love Miniso products for their cute designs, IP collaborations and affordable prices.
\n
"Brands like Pop Mart have successfully created a 'collectible culture' around their products, using the blind box to tap into psychological drivers like scarcity and the thrill of discovery," Cornell University finance professor Will Cong told China Daily.
\n
"They bypass traditional retail barriers by launching on e-commerce and social platforms like TikTok, building communities and generating viral, user-generated content that provides authentic marketing."
\n
Cong added, "This digital fluency, combined with hyper-agile supply chains that enable rapid product iteration — a 'fast fashion' DNA seen in brands like Miniso and (fashion chain) Urban Revivo — allows them to respond to trends in near real time, keeping their offerings perpetually fresh and relevant."
\n
Beverage bubble
\n
The concept of bubble tea is being taken to the next level — with Chinese beverage companies including Heytea, Chagee, Coco Fresh Tea and Juice, Molly Tea, and Auntea Jenny now operating tens of thousands of stores worldwide.
\n
Heytea can be seen not only in New York's Chinatown. It has outlets in other major traffic areas in the city such as Times Square, Soho, the East Village, and Herald Square, which attract a diverse range of consumers from all backgrounds.
\n
Founded in Guangdong in 2012 by Nie Yunchen, Heytea lays claim to creating the first "cheese tea", which has a top layer of foamy cream cheese added.
\n
Besides offering tea latte, Heytea created a range of beverages that mix fruit with green tea or dairy.
\n
The company has over 4,000 stores worldwide. Its vice-president of overseas strategy and franchising, Yujia Gu, told the Los Angeles Times he believes the US market will be even bigger than China's, due to the rising appreciation of Asian culture.
\n
Yang Jiawen, a professor of international business and international affairs at George Washington University, said Chinese brands are still at an early stage of recognition in the US market. Product quality, effective advertising, competitive prices, and services that emphasize health and safety features will be important for the development of markets in the US and globally, Yang added.
\n
These brands have had huge success in China, and now they are trying to expand their market in the US.
\n
Luckin Coffee is the biggest coffee shop chain in China with its 22,000 stores far surpassing the 6,500 of its US competitor Starbucks.
\n
The company reported that its net revenue last year exceeded $4.7 billion, representing a 38.4 percent year-on-year increase, with much of it due to its rapid expansion. It opened 6,092 new stores, including 6,071 on the Chinese mainland, 21 in Singapore, and five in Hong Kong.
\n
In June, Luckin Coffee ventured into the US and launched its first store in New York.
\n
Sean Brassil, 28, who visited China in April, said he's excited to see the Chinese company in the US, after enjoying the convenience of ordering a beverage each morning from his hotel room and picking it up. "App and pay integration just feels very seamless and the way of the future," he said.
\n
Cotti Coffee — founded by two former Luckin Coffee executives in 2022 — is also experiencing rapid growth with over 14,000 stores worldwide in more than 28 countries and regions.
\n
Unlike Luckin, which is shifting from a price war to focus on quality and brand building, Cotti offers more competitive pricing to attract customers. In China, customers can buy a Cotti beverage for 10 yuan ($1.40). Although Cotti's pricing in the US isn't that competitive, it recently opened its second store in Manhattan.
\n
"The success of the new wave of Chinese brands in the US is driven by a sophisticated playbook that moves beyond the old 'low-cost manufacturing' model. A primary factor is their innovative reengineering of the value proposition," Cong from Cornell University said.
\n
"Brands like Luckin Coffee and Cotti Coffee exemplify a model of 'tech-enabled affordable convenience', using app-based ordering and small-footprint, grab-and-go stores to offer quality products at highly competitive prices. This isn't just a price war; it's a competition of operational efficiency, where technology drastically reduces overheads like rent and labor, allowing them to sustainably offer value that combines affordability with extreme convenience."
\n
Popular clothing brand Urban Revivo, founded in Guangzhou in 2016, is often referred to as the Chinese version of Zara, the Spanish fashion giant.
\n
Urban Revivo has annual sales of around $961 million with 400 stores in China and 19 across the world, mostly in Southeast Asia, according to Forbes. As a major fast-fashion player competing with brands like Zara and H&M, the store adds hundreds of new styles every week. In late February, it entered the US market with a store opening in New York's trendy Soho neighborhood.
\n
Blush of success
\n
In China, more consumers are turning to domestic beauty brands, driving strong growth in local products. At the same time, the country's cosmetics industry is being highly influenced by social media and e-commerce platforms.
\n
In 2022, for example, the sales of domestic Chinese brands on Douyin grew 110 percent year-on-year, according to a Xinhua News Agency report.
\n
From budget-friendly names like Into You and Judydoll to premium brands such as Mao Geping and Florasis, Chinese beauty labels are gaining widespread popularity.
\n
In the first 11 months of 2024, the export volume of Chinese beauty products and toiletries reached 1.19 million metric tons, marking an 18.2 percent increase compared with last year, General Administration of Customs data shows. Export value was $6.53 billion, up 9.4 percent on a yearly basis.
\n
In addition, a growing number of Chinese beauty products have entered the US market. These brands are competing with established international names by offering special pricing while emphasizing design and quality.
\n
Florasis, a cosmetic brand started in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, was praised by US beauty guru and influencer Jeffree Star as "the world's most beautiful makeup" for its designs, which incorporate traditional Chinese elements.
\n
Now available in over 110 countries and regions, the brand earned Marie Claire's 2025 Makeup Award for "Best Luxury Powder Eyeshadow" with one of its palettes.
\n
Another brand, Flower Knows, recognized for its dreamy, fairy-tale-style packaging, quickly went viral in China after launching in 2016, thanks to its unique design concept as well as close collaborations with social media influencers.
\n
Following its success in the domestic market, the brand expanded into Japan, where the company said its products are sold in over 1,000 stores. Flower Knows has also secured a partnership with Urban Outfitters, one of the leading fashion and lifestyle retailers in the US.
\n
The brand has attracted over 2 million followers on Instagram. US pop star Sabrina Carpenter was recently seen holding one of their products on a film set.
\n
Flower Knows is in discussions with major US beauty retailers like Sephora and Ulta Beauty to showcase their products, according to the company's chief marketing officer Gong Fang.
\n
Cong, the finance professor, said the US market could prove to be more profitable than the Chinese market because of its significantly higher household spending. In addition, success in the world market would "confer a powerful 'halo effect' of global prestige" and enhance brand value everywhere, including in China.
\n
He warned, however: "This potential is tempered by significant geopolitical risks, including tariffs and regulatory scrutiny, which add direct costs and uncertainty. Thus, while the US market could become more financially profitable for certain brands, its primary value for many will likely remain strategic."
\n
After the US administration in May eliminated the "de minimis "exemption by imposing duties on packages under $800 coming from China, businesses like Shein and Temu experienced a sharp decline in sales.
\n
In the first week of May, FedEx reported a 35 percent drop in packages arriving in the US from Asia. In response to the policy change, Temu and Shein opened warehouses on US soil to facilitate domestic shipping. They also raised their prices. Shein increased prices by as much as 377 percent, according to Bloomberg.
\n
Brands like Flower Knows emphasize that marketing is more important than ever during this period.
\n
"I have a very strong belief in manufacturing power in China, and we are living proof of that as well," said Fang. "Tariffs force us to innovate and focus more on establishing unique brand positioning. C-beauty should go beyond competitiveness in pricing and agility. We'll turn constraints into chances to redefine 'Made in China'."
China's latest move to sharply raise rewards for whistleblowers will effectively improve the integrity and transparency of its securities and futures markets, analysts said, as authorities step up efforts to address misconduct and boost investor confidence.
\n
The China Securities Regulatory Commission, the country's top securities regulator, together with the Ministry of Finance, unveiled a proposal earlier this week to raise cash incentives for individuals providing credible tipoffs on serious violations.
\n
The maximum reward in eligible cases has been raised to 1 million yuan ($140,460) from 100,000 yuan.
\n
The proposal would lift whistleblower rewards to 3 percent of fines and confiscations in each case, up from the current 1 percent, the regulatory commission said in a statement.
\n
By significantly raising the stakes for tipsters, the government aims to deter market malpractice ranging from insider trading to fraudulent disclosures.
\n
Market watchers said the policy will help create a fairer and more disciplined trading environment, ensuring that listed companies and market participants operate under stricter compliance standards.
\n
Hu Guopeng, chief analyst at Sealand Securities, said that in the longer term, this could reduce systemic risks, strengthen investor protection, and support the healthy functioning of China's capital market as it strives to attract more long-term domestic and foreign investment.
\n
Qin Tai, chief macroeconomic analyst at Huajin Securities, said that by offering stronger protection and incentives, China signals that its capital markets are maturing and increasingly compatible with international standards of transparency and accountability.
\n
Highlighting that this move reflects policymakers' intent to empower investors, Qin said it will encourage public participation in market oversight, which will not only strengthen deterrence against misconduct, but also help foster a culture of integrity in which investors feel more protected and engaged in the system.
\n
According to the CSRC, the proposed rules also refine the reward criteria. Major cases that severely disrupt the order of the securities and futures markets, seriously endanger financial security, or gravely infringe upon investors' lawful rights and interests are now included in the scope of rewardable cases.
\n
Anonymous whistleblowers who provide supplementary materials as required, as well as whistleblowers who have played a secondary or assisting role in the violations, may also be granted rewards if they meet the criteria, according to the statement.
\n
Ding Rijia, a professor of economics at China University of Mining and Technology-Beijing, said that while the proposed rules would strengthen deterrence, regulators must also guard against possible overreactions in the market.
\n
"If investors interpret rising whistleblower cases as a sign of hidden risks, it could unsettle sentiment in the short term," he warned, adding that careful communication will be needed to balance strict oversight with market stability.
\n
China has been steadily expanding the institutional opening-up of its capital market during the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) period. The number of foreign-controlled securities, funds and futures firms has risen significantly, with the CSRC approving 13 new entrants in these sectors.
\n
The number of Qualified Foreign Institutional Investors, or QFIIs, had expanded to 907 by the end of August, with their holdings of Chinese shares valued at 949.3 billion yuan, according to the CSRC.
\n
According to the newly disclosed data for the second quarter of 2025, the total market value of northbound funds, or overseas capital flowing into A shares via stock connect programs linking the Shanghai, Shenzhen and Hong Kong exchanges, has reached 2.29 trillion yuan, up more than 2 percent from the previous quarter.
\n
zhongnan@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
@@ -12237,28 +11995,6 @@
"hash": "16ce16f671789263f1b827276a27cbab",
"highlights": []
},
- {
- "title": "002NATION - Newly developed 'NeuroWorm' a breakthrough for neural monitoring",
- "description": "
Chinese scientists have devised "NeuroWorm", an intelligent microfiber capable of navigating freely inside the body, demonstrated through lab tests on mice, providing insights for brain-machine interfaces and neural regulation in treating certain chronic diseases.
\n
Tests showed that the microfiber, which is about 200 micrometers in width and as thin as two strands of human hair, can monitor neural electrical signals and minute tissue deformations across large areas of the body or brain while moving, unlike similar materials from other studies, which remain fixed in one location.
\n
Such advancement could redefine treatments using brain-machine interfaces or neurological disease therapies, the researchers said.
\n
"Unlike traditional Parkinson's disease treatments that require implanting multiple electrodes in different brain regions, the 'Neuro-Worm' is implanted once and can navigate various affected areas, monitoring neural electrical signals and even alleviating symptoms through electrical stimulation," said Yan Wei, a lead scientist on the team and researcher from the College of Materials Science and Engineering at Donghua University in Shanghai.
\n
"For disabled patients who need brain-machine interfaces to help move restricted body parts, this technology is equally beneficial. With a single implantation of this fiber, it can monitor neural electrical signals across a wide range of the body."
\n
Inspired by the segmented body structure of earthworms, which allows for distributed sensory and motion control, the research team led by Liu Zhiyuan, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology and Yan developed the "NeuroWorm".
\n
The study was published on the website of the journal Nature on Wednesday.
\n
"This dynamic, soft and stretchable microfiber serves as a neural interface, offering significant advantages over traditional neural interface devices that are static and require invasive procedures for repositioning," Yan said.
\n
The "NeuroWorm" fiber has other advantages over traditional devices, the researchers said. For example, it is embedded with 60 nano-level micro sensors, 15 times the number found in traditional methods. This allows for precise multipoint monitoring of neural electrical and biomechanical signals while navigating within the body after being implanted in the muscle or navigating within the brain after being implanted in the cerebral cortex of mice, said Yan.
\n
Furthermore, the fiber possesses excellent competency in softness. Long-term experiments on mice showed high biocompatibility, with the microfiber remaining in muscles for up to 13 months without adverse reactions, the researchers said.
\n
"A key innovation lies in the fiber's ability to navigate within the body. Using an open magnetic control strategy, we achieved initial controlled movement and steering within tissues, allowing the fiber to move like an earthworm through soil and record neural signals all along the path without the need for additional surgeries," said Yan.
\n
Zhu Meifang, a strategic adviser of the study, who is also director of the State Key Laboratory of Advanced Fiber Materials at Donghua University, said this breakthrough aims to transition bioelectronics from fixed passive recording to mobile intelligent collaboration.
\n
"The team hopes to work with more institutions in the application field to accelerate the practical use of the technology, potentially transforming the landscape of the clinical use of brain-machine interface devices as well as neural disease treatment and monitoring," she said.
Chinese scientists have devised "NeuroWorm", an intelligent microfiber capable of navigating freely inside the body, demonstrated through lab tests on mice, providing insights for brain-machine interfaces and neural regulation in treating certain chronic diseases.
\n
Tests showed that the microfiber, which is about 200 micrometers in width and as thin as two strands of human hair, can monitor neural electrical signals and minute tissue deformations across large areas of the body or brain while moving, unlike similar materials from other studies, which remain fixed in one location.
\n
Such advancement could redefine treatments using brain-machine interfaces or neurological disease therapies, the researchers said.
\n
"Unlike traditional Parkinson's disease treatments that require implanting multiple electrodes in different brain regions, the 'Neuro-Worm' is implanted once and can navigate various affected areas, monitoring neural electrical signals and even alleviating symptoms through electrical stimulation," said Yan Wei, a lead scientist on the team and researcher from the College of Materials Science and Engineering at Donghua University in Shanghai.
\n
"For disabled patients who need brain-machine interfaces to help move restricted body parts, this technology is equally beneficial. With a single implantation of this fiber, it can monitor neural electrical signals across a wide range of the body."
\n
Inspired by the segmented body structure of earthworms, which allows for distributed sensory and motion control, the research team led by Liu Zhiyuan, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology and Yan developed the "NeuroWorm".
\n
The study was published on the website of the journal Nature on Wednesday.
\n
"This dynamic, soft and stretchable microfiber serves as a neural interface, offering significant advantages over traditional neural interface devices that are static and require invasive procedures for repositioning," Yan said.
\n
The "NeuroWorm" fiber has other advantages over traditional devices, the researchers said. For example, it is embedded with 60 nano-level micro sensors, 15 times the number found in traditional methods. This allows for precise multipoint monitoring of neural electrical and biomechanical signals while navigating within the body after being implanted in the muscle or navigating within the brain after being implanted in the cerebral cortex of mice, said Yan.
\n
Furthermore, the fiber possesses excellent competency in softness. Long-term experiments on mice showed high biocompatibility, with the microfiber remaining in muscles for up to 13 months without adverse reactions, the researchers said.
\n
"A key innovation lies in the fiber's ability to navigate within the body. Using an open magnetic control strategy, we achieved initial controlled movement and steering within tissues, allowing the fiber to move like an earthworm through soil and record neural signals all along the path without the need for additional surgeries," said Yan.
\n
Zhu Meifang, a strategic adviser of the study, who is also director of the State Key Laboratory of Advanced Fiber Materials at Donghua University, said this breakthrough aims to transition bioelectronics from fixed passive recording to mobile intelligent collaboration.
\n
"The team hopes to work with more institutions in the application field to accelerate the practical use of the technology, potentially transforming the landscape of the clinical use of brain-machine interface devices as well as neural disease treatment and monitoring," she said.
China has received more than 36,000 young people from the United States through exchange programs in the past two years, inspired by President Xi Jinping's "50,000 in Five Years" initiative, a senior education official said recently.
\n
At a welcoming dinner hosted by friendly organizations in the US in November 2023, Xi proposed that China was ready to invite 50,000 US young people to China on exchange and study programs over the next five years to boost interactions between the two peoples, especially young people.
\n
Xiong Sihao, vice-minister of education, said at a news conference held by the State Council Information Office that more than 36,000 youths from the US were inspired by Xi's call and traveled to China for exchanges over the past two years.
\n
For example, a US youth pickleball cultural exchange delegation from Maryland forged friendships with Chinese peers during a trip to China in April, Xiong said.
\n
Globally, China has established educational cooperation with 183 countries and regions, signed mutual recognition agreements on academic degrees with 61 and launched joint education programs with 42, he said. Students from more than 190 countries and regions pursue studies in China, while 86 nations have incorporated Chinese language into their national education systems, he added.
\n
Multilevel exchanges enable young people from China and abroad to connect, draw mutual inspiration and grow together, steadily converging their youthful energy into a driving force for building a community with a shared future for humanity, he said.
\n
Minister of Education Huai Jinpeng said China has built the world's largest high-quality education system, providing guarantees for equal access to education for all children.
\n
The enrollment rate in higher education has more than doubled, from 30 percent in 2012 to 60.8 percent, reaching internationally recognized levels, he said.
\n
Meanwhile, China's higher education system has produced more than 55 million graduates — equaling the population of many developed countries — during the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) period, Huai said.
\n
"While we do not judge our institutions solely by these rankings, it is evident that in internationally comparable indicators, China's universities and disciplines have become a significant force globally," he said.
\n
This progress lays a foundation for accelerating the development of world-class universities and disciplines with Chinese characteristics. The education policies also support national strategies, advancing self-reliance in science and technology, and cultivating innovative talent, he added.
\n
China's basic education has reached the average level of high-income countries, Huai said.
\n
zoushuo@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
@@ -12281,28 +12017,6 @@
"hash": "906e4276426bb43b2078aab24f90a21c",
"highlights": []
},
- {
- "title": "002NATION - China condemns US veto in UN of Gaza ceasefire resolution",
- "description": "
China has condemned the United States' recent veto of the Gaza ceasefire resolution at the United Nations Security Council.
\n
Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the UN, said at Wednesday's General Assembly — which was convened in response to the recent Security Council veto in order to address the escalating crisis in Gaza and consider the next steps for peace and accountability — that the US had abused its veto power.
\n
He said that if the US had not repeatedly abused its veto, the Security Council's response to the Gaza crisis would have been more effective, and if Washington had not offered unconditional protection to Israel, Security Council resolutions and international law would not have been violated so recklessly.
\n
On Sept 18, the US vetoed a draft resolution at the UN Security Council for the sixth time. The resolution called for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza as well as the release of hostages. Although 14 of the 15 Security Council members voted in favor of the draft resolution, the measure was blocked by the US veto.
\n
The US representative said his delegation vetoed the resolution because it "failed to condemn Hamas and it failed to recognize Israel's right to defend itself, amongst other serious defects".
\n
UN General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock told the 193-member organ that "a raised hand", "a simple 'no'" may appear routine when a permanent member of the Security Council casts a veto, but the impact is anything but ordinary.
\n
"A veto can extinguish hope for those trapped in conflict. It falls hardest on those who turn to the United Nations for peace, for relief, for a path out of suffering, for hope. And when it results in constant blockages, it can damage the credibility of this whole institution," Baerbock said.
\n
"The veto is not a privilege. It's a responsibility, entrusted to five nations to be exercised rarely in the spirit of peace and security for all," Baerbock said.
\n
Fu said the tragedy in Gaza must not continue, and an immediate and lasting ceasefire is needed. He added that China welcomes all efforts to de-escalate the current situation.
\n
History has repeatedly shown that military means cannot resolve the conflict, and that no country's security can be built on the insecurity of others. The ongoing war has already claimed the lives of more than 66,000 people in Gaza, and prolonging the violence will only bring more deaths and hatred, Fu said.
\n
China urged Israel, as the occupying power, to comply with its obligations under international humanitarian law, restore full access for humanitarian aid, and support relief efforts by the UN and other agencies.
\n
Fu said the two-state solution is the only viable path, stressing that Gaza and the West Bank are integral Palestinian territory and that postwar arrangements must be "Palestinians governing Palestine". He called for concrete, irreversible steps toward this goal and opposition to unilateral measures.
\n
Meanwhile, organizers of a flotilla heading toward Gaza said on Thursday that Israeli forces had stopped 39 boats carrying foreign activists and aid.
\n
The organizers denounced Israel's action as a "war crime". They said the military used aggressive tactics, including the use of water cannon, but that no one was harmed.
\n
The flotilla's progress across the Mediterranean Sea garnered international attention as nations including Turkiye, Spain and Italy sent boats or drones in case their nationals required assistance.
\n
Italy and Greece urged Israeli authorities on Wednesday to ensure the safety of the flotilla participants.
\n
Colombian President Gustavo Petro ordered the expulsion of Israel's entire diplomatic delegation on Wednesday following the detention of two Colombians in the flotilla. Israel has not had an ambassador in Colombia since last year.
\n
Spain summoned Israel's top representative in Madrid on Thursday. Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said that 65 Spaniards were traveling with the flotilla.
\n
Agencies and <span class="epaper-contributor">Pan Jie</span> in Beijing contributed to this story.
\n
mingmeili@chinadailyusa.com
\n",
- "content": "
China has condemned the United States' recent veto of the Gaza ceasefire resolution at the United Nations Security Council.
\n
Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the UN, said at Wednesday's General Assembly — which was convened in response to the recent Security Council veto in order to address the escalating crisis in Gaza and consider the next steps for peace and accountability — that the US had abused its veto power.
\n
He said that if the US had not repeatedly abused its veto, the Security Council's response to the Gaza crisis would have been more effective, and if Washington had not offered unconditional protection to Israel, Security Council resolutions and international law would not have been violated so recklessly.
\n
On Sept 18, the US vetoed a draft resolution at the UN Security Council for the sixth time. The resolution called for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza as well as the release of hostages. Although 14 of the 15 Security Council members voted in favor of the draft resolution, the measure was blocked by the US veto.
\n
The US representative said his delegation vetoed the resolution because it "failed to condemn Hamas and it failed to recognize Israel's right to defend itself, amongst other serious defects".
\n
UN General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock told the 193-member organ that "a raised hand", "a simple 'no'" may appear routine when a permanent member of the Security Council casts a veto, but the impact is anything but ordinary.
\n
"A veto can extinguish hope for those trapped in conflict. It falls hardest on those who turn to the United Nations for peace, for relief, for a path out of suffering, for hope. And when it results in constant blockages, it can damage the credibility of this whole institution," Baerbock said.
\n
"The veto is not a privilege. It's a responsibility, entrusted to five nations to be exercised rarely in the spirit of peace and security for all," Baerbock said.
\n
Fu said the tragedy in Gaza must not continue, and an immediate and lasting ceasefire is needed. He added that China welcomes all efforts to de-escalate the current situation.
\n
History has repeatedly shown that military means cannot resolve the conflict, and that no country's security can be built on the insecurity of others. The ongoing war has already claimed the lives of more than 66,000 people in Gaza, and prolonging the violence will only bring more deaths and hatred, Fu said.
\n
China urged Israel, as the occupying power, to comply with its obligations under international humanitarian law, restore full access for humanitarian aid, and support relief efforts by the UN and other agencies.
\n
Fu said the two-state solution is the only viable path, stressing that Gaza and the West Bank are integral Palestinian territory and that postwar arrangements must be "Palestinians governing Palestine". He called for concrete, irreversible steps toward this goal and opposition to unilateral measures.
\n
Meanwhile, organizers of a flotilla heading toward Gaza said on Thursday that Israeli forces had stopped 39 boats carrying foreign activists and aid.
\n
The organizers denounced Israel's action as a "war crime". They said the military used aggressive tactics, including the use of water cannon, but that no one was harmed.
\n
The flotilla's progress across the Mediterranean Sea garnered international attention as nations including Turkiye, Spain and Italy sent boats or drones in case their nationals required assistance.
\n
Italy and Greece urged Israeli authorities on Wednesday to ensure the safety of the flotilla participants.
\n
Colombian President Gustavo Petro ordered the expulsion of Israel's entire diplomatic delegation on Wednesday following the detention of two Colombians in the flotilla. Israel has not had an ambassador in Colombia since last year.
\n
Spain summoned Israel's top representative in Madrid on Thursday. Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said that 65 Spaniards were traveling with the flotilla.
\n
Agencies and <span class="epaper-contributor">Pan Jie</span> in Beijing contributed to this story.
China's development path is peaceful and its experiences could benefit many countries, international observers and business leaders said, hailing President Xi Jinping's speech at the reception marking the 76th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China on Tuesday as a message of confidence.
\n
At the event, Xi called on the nation to keep working hard and forging ahead with determination in advancing Chinese modernization, stressing that "achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is an unprecedented cause".
\n
Carlos Martinez, political commentator and co-founder of the Friends of Socialist China platform, said: "President Xi's speech reflects and reinforces the confidence of the Chinese people and the Communist Party of China in tackling the major challenges of the present era and marching forward toward socialist modernization."
\n
Martinez noted the sharp difference between China's modernization and that of capitalist countries as "peaceful" and "based on common prosperity and harmony between humankind and nature", instead of "war, colonialism, slavery, exploitation and ecocide".
\n
"So the Chinese people are exploring previously uncharted territory, and this has profound significance for the other peoples of the Global South. China's rise holds valuable lessons for the socialist countries and all Global South countries that seek to modernize whilst upholding their sovereignty," he said.
\n
Martinez also praised his reiteration of China's support for multilateralism despite a complex and unpredictable international environment with a range of threats and challenges. "China remains a force for peace and progress, and its vision of a global community of shared future is a source of inspiration and unity."
\n
For Fiona Sim, co-founder of the Black Liberation Alliance in London, China's modernization means a greater contribution to the fight against poverty on a global level.
\n
"I cannot say China's poverty alleviation can be overstated enough, just the very fact that it contributed to 70 percent of the global poverty decline," she said.
\n
From a business perspective, Bernard Dewit, chairman of the Belgian-Chinese Chamber of Commerce, stressed the opportunities that China's modernization offers.
\n
"For Belgian companies, China remains a key partner and one of the world's most dynamic markets. The emphasis on high-quality development, green transformation, digital advancement, and people's well-being opens new areas for collaboration."
\n
Dewit sees the reaffirmation of multilateralism and global cooperation in the speech aligning with the shared commitment to innovation and sustainability by Europe, which can create opportunities not only for trade but also for joint solutions to global challenges.
\n
"We look forward to deepening our economic partnerships, fostering more exchanges between our people and enterprises, and building bridges of trust and prosperity," Dewit said.
\n
Jack Perry, chairman of the London-based business community 48 Group, said that when unilateralism and protectionism undermine the UN and other multilateral mechanisms, the business community feels the impact and disruption the most.
\n
"Against this backdrop, China has consistently been at the forefront of upholding multilateralism and maintaining a high level of openness to the world," he said, adding that as China prepares for the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30), businesses expect the country's priorities of reform, sustainable growth, and multilateral cooperation to create prosperity not only for China but for the global community.
Worshippers stand inside a church under construction that collapsed in Arerti, Amhara region of northern Ethiopia, on Wednesday, killing at least 36 people and injuring over 200 others. The incident occurred at around 7:45 am in the town of Arerti, roughly 70 kilometers east of the capital Addis Ababa, when a group was visiting for an annual Virgin Mary festival.
Worshippers stand inside a church under construction that collapsed in Arerti, Amhara region of northern Ethiopia, on Wednesday, killing at least 36 people and injuring over 200 others. The incident occurred at around 7:45 am in the town of Arerti, roughly 70 kilometers east of the capital Addis Ababa, when a group was visiting for an annual Virgin Mary festival.
World-renowned ethologist, primatologist, and conservationist Jane Goodall has died at the age of 91, the Jane Goodall Institute said on Wednesday in a statement. Goodall, a United Nations Messenger of Peace and founder of the institute, passed away from natural causes in California while on a speaking tour in the United States, the statement said. Goodall's discoveries as an ethologist revolutionized science, and she was a tireless advocate for the protection and restoration of our natural world, the statement further said. Born in Britain, Goodall rose to fame for her pioneering research on chimpanzees in Tanzania in the 1960s. Widely regarded as the world's foremost expert on chimpanzees, she devoted more than six decades to studying their social and family interactions in the wild.
\n
UNITED KINGDOM
\n
2 killed in Manchester synagogue attack
\n
Two people were killed after an assailant reportedly drove a car into pedestrians and stabbed a security guard near a synagogue in Manchester in northwest England on Thursday, police said. Greater Manchester Police said officers had been called to Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in the north Manchester district of Crumpsall after a witness reported seeing a car being driven toward members of the public and that one man had been stabbed. Armed officers responded and a man, believed to be the offender, was shot.
Three black-headed gulls hover above Mapam Yumco Lake in Ngari prefecture in the Xizang autonomous region.
\n
A Tibetan nomad herds yaks across the grassland around the lake.
\n
Dradul is a guardian of the lake wetland and wildlife living around it.
\n
For more than a decade, Dradul has worked as a guardian of a wetland near Mapam Yumco Lake, which, nestled at an altitude of over 4,500 meters in Burang county of Ngari prefecture, Southwest China's Xizang autonomous region, is the world's highest freshwater lake.
\n
By mid-morning on a typical working day, the 42-year-old will be circling the lake on his motorcycle, traversing a fixed patrol route spanning nearly 10 kilometers.
\n
"In my bag are a pair of binoculars to scan for waterbirds, a notebook to record each patrol's sightings of wildlife species and numbers, along with details such as the weather and water level, as well as garbage bags to collect litter," he said.
\n
He also carries what he jokingly calls his "life-saving kit": food, usually zanba, a traditional Tibetan staple made of roasted highland barley, along with drinking water, a thick coat, a hat, sun mask, and simple tools in case he comes across any animal in need.
\n
Referred to as the "Mother of Rivers", Mapam Yumco Lake, also known as Lake Manasarovar, feeds the headwaters of the Ganges, Indus, Sutlej, and Yarlung Zangbo, sustaining life far beyond the Himalayas.
\n
Today, Dradul is one of 90 guardians patrolling nearly 99,000 hectares of the wetland, of which the lake itself makes up about 69,000 hectares.
\n
The guardians' tasks are simple: patrol the reserve, record observations and respond to threats. Yet in a fragile ecosystem perched on the "roof of the world", even small actions carry weight.
\n
In February last year, the guardians discovered an eagle with a broken wing. They carefully transported the bird to a rescue center, feeding it and tending to its injuries until it was strong enough to fly again.
\n
This July, after villagers spotted a wild yak trapped in a mudflat, Dradul and his colleagues, together with local forestry and grassland officials, rushed to the scene but failed to directly pull the yak out. The massive animal, weighing hundreds of kilograms, struggled helplessly.
\n
Finally, by looping ropes around the yak's horns, they pulled carefully, inch by inch, until the exhausted animal was free.
\n
"The rescue process took about 20 minutes. But we stood at a distance afterward for half an hour, watching silently until the yak began to walk and graze again," he said.
\n
Changing attitudes
\n
Beyond rescues, much of a guardian's work involves people. Tourists are gently reminded not to litter, not to drive across fragile grasslands, and to carry out their waste.
\n
"In the past, there used to be a lot of trash in the wetland. Once the wind blew, it scattered everywhere, and there were fewer wild animals," Dradul said. With the guardians diligently patrolling and reminding the visitors not to litter, the wetland's ecosystem has steadily improved over the past years.
\n
Today, the wetland is home to 411 species of plants and 157 species of vertebrates, a remarkable level of biodiversity for such a high-altitude region.
\n
"Watching the prayer flags flutter by the lakeshore, bar-headed geese and ruddy shelducks playing on the water while kiangs (Tibetan wild donkeys) gallop along the shore, I know that I have made my contribution to all this and feel a sense of achievement that nothing else can match," Dradul said.
\n
Just a few years ago, his life was very different. Without steady work, he drifted between temporary jobs, uncertain about the future. That changed in 2014, when he became a guardian of the wetland.
\n
The position now provides him with a stable monthly income of 2,000 yuan ($281), and more importantly, a mission.
\n
"I feel proud to protect the holy lake," he said. "It's more than work. It's about keeping the lake alive for the future so that my children and grandchildren will one day see the same clear waters as I do."
\n
Challenges on the plateau
\n
Yet the work is far from easy. Climate change, which is melting glaciers and shifting rainfall patterns, poses the most daunting challenge.
\n
"The altering of the lake's shoreline and degradation of the grasslands, caused by climate change, are beyond the power of guardians like us," Dradul said.
\n
Human pressure is another constant concern. While most visitors respect the rules, some litter, bathe or even wash cars in the lake, forcing rangers into confrontations.
\n
And then there is the vastness of the task: with nearly 99,000 hectares of wetland and only 90 rangers, there are some remote areas that they cannot patrol every day.
\n
"I hope that in the future we can use more technologies, such as drones, to help us better fulfill our duties," Dradul said.
\n
Despite the challenges, Dradul's vision for the future is clear. He dreams of Mapam Yumco Lake remaining eternally pure, with Mount Gang Rinpoche reflected in its blue waters for centuries to come.
\n
To this end, he wishes for more young people to take up the work of protection.
\n
"This responsibility must be passed down," he said. "If our hearts are sincere and our hands are diligent, Mapam Yumco Lake will never grow old."
\n
mojingxi@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
- "content": "
Three black-headed gulls hover above Mapam Yumco Lake in Ngari prefecture in the Xizang autonomous region.
\n
A Tibetan nomad herds yaks across the grassland around the lake.
\n
Dradul is a guardian of the lake wetland and wildlife living around it.
\n
For more than a decade, Dradul has worked as a guardian of a wetland near Mapam Yumco Lake, which, nestled at an altitude of over 4,500 meters in Burang county of Ngari prefecture, Southwest China's Xizang autonomous region, is the world's highest freshwater lake.
\n
By mid-morning on a typical working day, the 42-year-old will be circling the lake on his motorcycle, traversing a fixed patrol route spanning nearly 10 kilometers.
\n
"In my bag are a pair of binoculars to scan for waterbirds, a notebook to record each patrol's sightings of wildlife species and numbers, along with details such as the weather and water level, as well as garbage bags to collect litter," he said.
\n
He also carries what he jokingly calls his "life-saving kit": food, usually zanba, a traditional Tibetan staple made of roasted highland barley, along with drinking water, a thick coat, a hat, sun mask, and simple tools in case he comes across any animal in need.
\n
Referred to as the "Mother of Rivers", Mapam Yumco Lake, also known as Lake Manasarovar, feeds the headwaters of the Ganges, Indus, Sutlej, and Yarlung Zangbo, sustaining life far beyond the Himalayas.
\n
Today, Dradul is one of 90 guardians patrolling nearly 99,000 hectares of the wetland, of which the lake itself makes up about 69,000 hectares.
\n
The guardians' tasks are simple: patrol the reserve, record observations and respond to threats. Yet in a fragile ecosystem perched on the "roof of the world", even small actions carry weight.
\n
In February last year, the guardians discovered an eagle with a broken wing. They carefully transported the bird to a rescue center, feeding it and tending to its injuries until it was strong enough to fly again.
\n
This July, after villagers spotted a wild yak trapped in a mudflat, Dradul and his colleagues, together with local forestry and grassland officials, rushed to the scene but failed to directly pull the yak out. The massive animal, weighing hundreds of kilograms, struggled helplessly.
\n
Finally, by looping ropes around the yak's horns, they pulled carefully, inch by inch, until the exhausted animal was free.
\n
"The rescue process took about 20 minutes. But we stood at a distance afterward for half an hour, watching silently until the yak began to walk and graze again," he said.
\n
Changing attitudes
\n
Beyond rescues, much of a guardian's work involves people. Tourists are gently reminded not to litter, not to drive across fragile grasslands, and to carry out their waste.
\n
"In the past, there used to be a lot of trash in the wetland. Once the wind blew, it scattered everywhere, and there were fewer wild animals," Dradul said. With the guardians diligently patrolling and reminding the visitors not to litter, the wetland's ecosystem has steadily improved over the past years.
\n
Today, the wetland is home to 411 species of plants and 157 species of vertebrates, a remarkable level of biodiversity for such a high-altitude region.
\n
"Watching the prayer flags flutter by the lakeshore, bar-headed geese and ruddy shelducks playing on the water while kiangs (Tibetan wild donkeys) gallop along the shore, I know that I have made my contribution to all this and feel a sense of achievement that nothing else can match," Dradul said.
\n
Just a few years ago, his life was very different. Without steady work, he drifted between temporary jobs, uncertain about the future. That changed in 2014, when he became a guardian of the wetland.
\n
The position now provides him with a stable monthly income of 2,000 yuan ($281), and more importantly, a mission.
\n
"I feel proud to protect the holy lake," he said. "It's more than work. It's about keeping the lake alive for the future so that my children and grandchildren will one day see the same clear waters as I do."
\n
Challenges on the plateau
\n
Yet the work is far from easy. Climate change, which is melting glaciers and shifting rainfall patterns, poses the most daunting challenge.
\n
"The altering of the lake's shoreline and degradation of the grasslands, caused by climate change, are beyond the power of guardians like us," Dradul said.
\n
Human pressure is another constant concern. While most visitors respect the rules, some litter, bathe or even wash cars in the lake, forcing rangers into confrontations.
\n
And then there is the vastness of the task: with nearly 99,000 hectares of wetland and only 90 rangers, there are some remote areas that they cannot patrol every day.
\n
"I hope that in the future we can use more technologies, such as drones, to help us better fulfill our duties," Dradul said.
\n
Despite the challenges, Dradul's vision for the future is clear. He dreams of Mapam Yumco Lake remaining eternally pure, with Mount Gang Rinpoche reflected in its blue waters for centuries to come.
\n
To this end, he wishes for more young people to take up the work of protection.
\n
"This responsibility must be passed down," he said. "If our hearts are sincere and our hands are diligent, Mapam Yumco Lake will never grow old."
Walawala Deaf People's Dance Group performs at the opening of China Contemporary Dance Biennial at Shanghai International Dance Center on Aug 27.
\n
Walawala Deaf People's Dance Group practices on a weekend.
\n\n
Theirs was just a 10-minute piece but performed with beautifully synchronized movements, perfect coordination and all their heart, which moved even many professionals in the audience to tears. Their performance at the opening of the 2025 China Contemporary Dance Biennial at the Shanghai International Dance Center on Aug 27 showed their four years of practice was worth it.
\n
But what made the performance even more heartwarming is that all the dancers were deaf.
\n
The audience, including industry leaders from 14 countries across four continents, were deeply touched by the dancers, who performed without a hearing conductor.
\n
"I was … touched," said Bruno Heynderickx, ballet director of the Hessian State Ballet from Germany. "I almost cried because … they cannot hear the music. They are trapped in their silence, and they find unity through … dance. I think that is why I do this job. To see performances like this is really, really, really amazing."
\n
But what the experts didn't know is that it took the Shanghai-based Walawala Deaf People's Dance Group four years to create the short piece. The greatest difficulty is that deaf dancers can't follow the beat of the music. "We tried many different measures to help the dancers get the beat," Huang Fei, choreographer of the program, said. "Sometimes one's interior rhythm is not the same as that of the music. We have to find ways to achieve a consistent interior rhythm, or we tend to dance faster and faster."
\n
A hearing conductor standing in front of the dancers is the most convenient way to achieve that, but Huang hopes to help his dancers to "know the beat inside their heart".
\n
"We tried to take advantage of the vibration on the dance floor, and also the stage lighting … we are still working on it, and it takes lots of practice," he said. Deaf people keenly observe things around them and are sensitive to even the slightest changes in the mood of others, which compensate for their part or complete lack of hearing, Huang said.
\n
"That's our strength," he told the dancers during a break in a rehearsal on Sept 7. "I hope we can work together and create dance moves of your own, which speak of your ideas and your feelings. If that happens, no one else can perform those moves better than you." While Huang spoke, his wife Yu Qinxin, who is the founding director of Walawala, sat beside him translating each sentence into sign language.
\n
"I searched about it on the web, and there are hardly any dance troupes of deaf people that can perform lots of synchronized movements without a hearing conductor," Yu said. "We hope to keep dancing together and making progress until we can create a proper dance production of maybe 50 minutes. Then we can give more public performances, be seen by more people, and claim a position for ourselves in the world of contemporary dance."
\n
Yu has been working as a dance teacher at Shanghai Youth Technical School for the Deaf and Mute since 2012, and has headed the school's dance troupe for years.
\n
The first vocational school in China for young people with hearing impairment was founded in 1953. In 1976, one of the first dance troupes of deaf people in China was formed at the school, in order to demonstrate the artistic talents and perseverance and resilience of the hearing-impaired youth.
\n
Dance brought them joy and confidence, and proved to the public that they are just as beautiful and vibrant as any other youth. After graduation, the students chose different career paths — while some worked in bakeries, leather workshops or other establishments, others enrolled in a university. But they missed dancing together. In 2020, Yu and more than 20 of her former students decided to form a dance troupe of their own.
\n
Walawala is a colloquial expression in Shanghai dialect that describes the cacophony of many people talking at the same time. "They may not be able to utter much of a sound, but like other young people, they are eager to express themselves and communicate with each other … They do tell jokes, have heated discussions, and do lots of talking using sign language," she said, explaining the name of the group.
\n
Since then, they have been meeting every week and dancing together. "Many of us are married and have kids. Sometimes, there are toddlers playing on the side while we dance in the studio," Yu said. "After all these years, we have become so close that we are like family. I am the aunt of their children, and they are the aunts and uncles for mine."
\n
Thirty-two-year-old Wu Shenfeng is the captain of Walawala. He and his wife both dance in the troupe. During breaks in the rehearsal on Sept 7, he talked with this China Daily reporter using sign language, with Yu translating it.
\n
"We have been dancing together for almost 10 years," he said, counting in the four years he studied at the school. "Dancing has become a natural part of my life." Wu enjoys listening to music through his hearing aid, sometimes dances to the rhythm. "I hope we could go on dancing as a group till we are old, when we could still dance together in wheelchairs."
\n
But for 33-year-old Pan Liuzhen, dancing was not the most important reason he stayed with the troupe. "I come to dancing practice because they are here," he said, pointing at his old schoolmates sitting on the dance floor. Pan has a busy job as a graphic designer and co-coordinator of initiatives involving people living with disabilities. He tries to take part in the rehearsals as much as he can, even though he often has to work overtime on the weekend.
\n
"We grew up together, and dancing … (helps us) rely on each other, because no one understands us like we do each other," he said.
\n
Walawala performed its first piece, I Will be Thinking of You, at the Lantern Festival Dance Gala at Shanghai International Dance Center in 2021. The dance, a five-minute joyful recollection of school life, got Walawala onto the evening news report of China Central Television. It also won them more than 70,000 yuan ($9,839.55), which has kept the group in black till today.
\n
"Thanks to the support of the school, which allows us to use the dance studio for free, we do not have to pay for the largest chunk of expense," Yu said. They still have some funds for group activities, and they are going to see a great contemporary dance show in November: Pina Bausch's creation of Kontakthof — Echoes of '78 at Shanghai International Dance Center.
\n
Shanghai has about 90,000 people registered hearing impaired. They all benefit from a series of preferential policies and measures, including subsidies and discounts, for people with disabilities. The Walawala troupe members will pay half the price of the tickets for Kontakthof — Echoes of '78.
Saulebek Kabylbekov (right) personally escorts a patient at Daqing Ophthalmology Hospital in Daqing city, Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, Aug 8, 2025.
\n
Saulebek Kabylbekov (left) eats dumplings with a companion when celebrating the Spring Festival in China in 2002.
\n
Saulebek Kabylbekov (second from the right) greets a patient at Daqing Ophthalmology Hospital in Daqing city, Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, July 17, 2025.
\n
Saulebek Kabylbekov shops for potatoes at a supermarket in Daqing city, Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, July 16, 2025.
\n
Saulebek Kabylbekov (left) examines the eyes of a patient at Daqing Ophthalmology Hospital in Daqing city, Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, July 16, 2025.
\n
Saulebek Kabylbekov pictured at Daqing Ophthalmology Hospital in Daqing city, Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, July 16, 2025.
\n
Saulebek Kabylbekov (centre) talks with patients at Daqing Ophthalmology Hospital in Daqing city, Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, July 16, 2025.
\n
Saulebek Kabylbekov (left) serves Kazakh dishes he cooked to colleagues at the canteen of Daqing Ophthalmology Hospital in Daqing city, Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, July 16, 2025.
\n
Saulebek Kabylbekov works out at a gym of Daqing Ophthalmology Hospital in Daqing city, Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, July 17,2025.
\n
Saulebek Kabylbekov waters green plants at his apartment in Daqing city, Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, July 16, 2025.
\n
Saulebek Kabylbekov is a 66-year-old Kazakh ophthalmologist at Daqing Ophthalmology Hospital who can communicate fluently with patients in a northeastern Chinese dialect.
\n
In the 1990s, as an outstanding young ophthalmologist of Kazakhstan, Saulebek visited China multiple times for work and academic exchanges. In 1998, when Daqing Ophthalmology Hospital was established, he came to provide technical assistance, introducing advanced ophthalmic technologies of the time.
\n
Having worked at the hospital for 27 years, Saulebek has trained dozens of outstanding young doctors and treated more than 200,000 patients with eye diseases. In 2024, Saulebek was awarded the Chinese Government Friendship Award at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
\n
This year, Saulebek was granted a Foreign Permanent Resident ID Card issued by the National Immigration Administration of China. "When I first arrived in China, my hair and beard were thick and black. Now they have turned white," he said. Determined to uphold his patients' trust, he added, "I will continue to work here as long as I can."
\n",
- "content": "
Saulebek Kabylbekov (right) personally escorts a patient at Daqing Ophthalmology Hospital in Daqing city, Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, Aug 8, 2025.
\n
Saulebek Kabylbekov (left) eats dumplings with a companion when celebrating the Spring Festival in China in 2002.
\n
Saulebek Kabylbekov (second from the right) greets a patient at Daqing Ophthalmology Hospital in Daqing city, Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, July 17, 2025.
\n
Saulebek Kabylbekov shops for potatoes at a supermarket in Daqing city, Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, July 16, 2025.
\n
Saulebek Kabylbekov (left) examines the eyes of a patient at Daqing Ophthalmology Hospital in Daqing city, Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, July 16, 2025.
\n
Saulebek Kabylbekov pictured at Daqing Ophthalmology Hospital in Daqing city, Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, July 16, 2025.
\n
Saulebek Kabylbekov (centre) talks with patients at Daqing Ophthalmology Hospital in Daqing city, Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, July 16, 2025.
\n
Saulebek Kabylbekov (left) serves Kazakh dishes he cooked to colleagues at the canteen of Daqing Ophthalmology Hospital in Daqing city, Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, July 16, 2025.
\n
Saulebek Kabylbekov works out at a gym of Daqing Ophthalmology Hospital in Daqing city, Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, July 17,2025.
\n
Saulebek Kabylbekov waters green plants at his apartment in Daqing city, Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, July 16, 2025.
\n
Saulebek Kabylbekov is a 66-year-old Kazakh ophthalmologist at Daqing Ophthalmology Hospital who can communicate fluently with patients in a northeastern Chinese dialect.
\n
In the 1990s, as an outstanding young ophthalmologist of Kazakhstan, Saulebek visited China multiple times for work and academic exchanges. In 1998, when Daqing Ophthalmology Hospital was established, he came to provide technical assistance, introducing advanced ophthalmic technologies of the time.
\n
Having worked at the hospital for 27 years, Saulebek has trained dozens of outstanding young doctors and treated more than 200,000 patients with eye diseases. In 2024, Saulebek was awarded the Chinese Government Friendship Award at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
\n
This year, Saulebek was granted a Foreign Permanent Resident ID Card issued by the National Immigration Administration of China. "When I first arrived in China, my hair and beard were thick and black. Now they have turned white," he said. Determined to uphold his patients' trust, he added, "I will continue to work here as long as I can."
A miniature ceramic building that dates to the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220) at the Yunmeng County Museum.
\n
A drum of the State of Chu, featuring a lacquered wooden frame made of two phoenixes standing atop tigers.
\n
Xiangyunwan scenic area in Yunmeng county is perfect for a boat trip down a canal at night.
\n
Bamboo slips, which date back over 2,000 years, at the Yunmeng County Museum.
\n
A mask crafted from a single piece of jade, unearthed from a tomb of the State of Chu during the Warring States Period (475-221 BC), is a treasure of Jingzhou Museum.
\n
The 2,600-year-old city wall in Jingzhou, Hubei province, is a major draw for tourists.
\n
Chu culture, which traces back to the State of Chu during the Warring States Period (475-221 BC), is known for its unique imagination and romantic charm.
\n
Traveling in Hubei province's different cities offers a gateway to explore its deep-rooted Chu culture, from exquisitely crafted silk garments, elegant lacquerware, to intricate bronze objects and the melodious chimes that once filled ancient courts.
\n
Bamboo slips and night view
\n
Hopping on a high-speed train at Hankou Railway Station in Hubei's capital city of Wuhan, you'll arrive at Yunmeng county, Xiaogan city, in no more than 40 minutes.
\n
While it ranks as the smallest county in the province, it is home to more than 5,000 cultural relics, including some national treasures, all of which are housed at the Yunmeng County Museum.
\n
Among the must-sees are the precious bamboo and wooden slips, which date back over 2,000 years. They are inscribed with legal codes, mathematical texts and family letters, offering a glimpse into the society and daily lives of people during that era.
\n
In 1975, a total of 1,155 bamboo slips were found in a tomb from the late Warring States Period to the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC) in Shuihudi, Yunmeng. These artifacts belonged to Xi, a low-ranking official of the Qin era. Experts believe that they are the earliest and most complete law codes discovered in China so far.
\n
Besides detailed regulations on agriculture, warehouse management and tax collection, the slips cover fields such as official ethics and historical events.
\n
Tourists can interact with a digital image of the tomb owner via virtual reality technology, who will patiently introduce the clauses of Qin Dynasty laws. By touching the screen, they can virtually cut their own bamboo slips, inscribe characters on them, and experience the entire process.
\n
Other treasures include a miniature ceramic building, unearthed from a tomb dating to the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220), which showcases the architectural techniques of that era, featuring a well-designed layout and exquisite structure.
\n
A great option for an evening out is a visit to Xiangyunwan scenic area because of its stunning lighting system. As a benchmark project of the night economy, it has boosted local economic vitality.
\n
The scenic area has relocated 257 ancient buildings at the risk of damage from across China, featuring diverse architecture. These buildings include pavilions, towers, terraces, temples, and ancestral halls. Each was taken apart, numbered piece by piece, then carefully rebuilt by professional craftspeople.
\n
It's like stepping into a living chapter of China's architectural history. Take Huizhou-style mansions for example, they showcase intricate wood carvings and dougong (interlocking brackets). Huizhou refers to the ancient geographic areas in today's Anhui and Jiangxi provinces.
\n
Opened earlier this year, the scenic area offers intangible cultural heritage performances as well as live music that draws youngsters.
\n
Official data revealed that from January to July, tourist visits exceeded 2.4 million, with a maximum of 50,000 visitors received in a single day.
\n
Cultural relics and city wall
\n
As a cradle of Chu culture, Jingzhou served as the capital of the State of Chu for 411 years.
\n
Official data shows that from January to August, the city recorded over 68.91 million tourist visits and a total tourism revenue of about 60.42 billion yuan ($8.5 billion), with year-on-year growth of 14.8 and 16.5 percent respectively.
\n
The second Chu Culture Festival recently kicked off in the city, and will last until Oct 20, with activities such as cultural exchanges, academic seminars, performances and business negotiations.
\n
Jingzhou Museum opened a themed exhibition during the festival on silk textiles unearthed from the Mashan No 1 tomb of the State of Chu in 1982.
\n
The exhibition presents different types of clothing of the Chu people — ranging from robes and skirts to hats and footwear — which established a strict social hierarchy.
\n
The garments also showcase the advanced textile craftsmanship, diversity of embroidery patterns and techniques, and mature dyeing technology of that time.
\n
Notably, two precious cultural relics are making their debut after restoration. One is a purple-red garment embroidered with intertwined dragon and phoenix patterns, the other is a light-yellow silk quilt cover used by the nobility of the State of Chu.
\n
In ancient China, jade ornaments were symbols of status and virtue, serving as both important accessories in daily life and common burial objects.
\n
The museum displays various jade pendants, which are often in the shape of dragon and phoenix patterns.
\n
Among the jade collection is a mask crafted from a single piece of gemstone, engraved with distinctive hair and facial features, which was placed over the tomb owner's face during burial.
\n
Another highlight of the museum is its vast collection of wooden lacquerware, including dining utensils and funeral objects.
\n
A pig-shaped lacquered box, which was used to hold wine utensils, showcases the wine culture of ancient China. A giant drum with a lacquered wooden frame of two phoenixes, which stand on recumbent tigers that serve as the base, is a typical instrument of the Chu people.
\n
Jingzhou is also closely intertwined with the tales of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, a classic novel that depicts heroic figures and events of the Three Kingdoms (220-280) period.
\n
It's pleasant to stroll along Jingzhou's ancient city walls, have a bird's-eye view of the city and enjoy the sunset. It's exciting to think about the city's connections with these historical figures.
\n
More young Chinese are donning Warring States Period-style robes, applying delicate makeup, and posing for photos at the city walls. You might spot local newlyweds taking wedding photos in these garments, too.
\n
The 2,600-year-old, 11-kilometer-long wall has been renovated several times throughout history. Its current form took shape through renovations during the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing dynasties (1644-1911).
\n
Shishou's wildlife
\n
In the 1990s, the Shishou Milu Deer National Nature Reserve introduced 64 milu deer from Beijing's Nanhaizi Park in two batches, and the number has grown to 2,901.
\n
Close to the Yangtze River, the area boasts a well-preserved wetland ecosystem and vast pastureland, which are ideal habitats for milu deer to thrive.
\n
Milu deer, also known as Pere David's deer, are endemic to China. Forty years ago, 22 milu deer were returned to China from the United Kingdom, bringing the species back from the brink of extinction in China.
\n
For those who want to see the milu deer, they can visit the Tian'ezhou Milu Park and learn about the species and the city's conservation efforts through a 2,000-square-meter exhibition hall, with specimens and interactive installations.
\n
Walking along the outdoor wooden path, you can use telescopes to spot milu deer wandering grasslands or playing in the river.
\n
The nature reserve serves as a venue for nature education and eco-tourism, aiming to raise the public's awareness about milu deer's preservation.
\n
At the Yangtze River Finless Porpoise Garden, visitors can watch the creatures leap out of the water to breathe and get to know about the endangered species via exhibitions.
\n
It's truly pleasant to connect with nature and animals — and in doing so, gain an understanding of one's responsibility to protect them.
\n
Contact the writer at xulin@chinadaily.com.cn
\n
If you go
\n
Traveling from Wuhan to Yunmeng, then to Jingzhou, and finally to Shishou is incredibly convenient — whether you choose to drive via smooth highways or take the high-speed railway. Notably, since there is no direct train from Jingzhou to Shishou, you'll have to take a roughly two-and-a-half-hour bus ride instead.
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- "title": "011SPORTS - Bolt: 'I wanted to set high standards, and I did'",
- "description": "
From his trademark bow-and-arrow pose, to his leisurely victory laps around the track against the backdrop of blaring reggae music, Usain Bolt elevated sprinting into a personality-driven event and gave people a reason to watch.
\n
From his trademark bow-and-arrow pose, to his leisurely victory laps around the track against the backdrop of blaring reggae music, Usain Bolt elevated sprinting into a personality-driven event and gave people a reason to watch.
\n
TOKYO — On the night athletics turned to Jamaica once again to find the world's fastest man, the greatest Jamaican sprinter was in a hospitality box in the stadium — his presence literally hovering over a sport that hasn't been the same since he left.
\n
Oblique Seville might have been crowned the new 100-meter world champion at last month's World Athletics Championships in Japan, but Usain Bolt remains the only track star this century whose fame cascades well beyond sports.
\n
Eight years since his retirement, nobody has come close to matching his times or his presence. In an interview before the final round of races at the track worlds, he said he feels great about that, because "that's what I worked for".
\n
"When I was competing, I was working to break the benchmark," he said. "Now that I've retired, it's a great feeling to know that I'm the benchmark if you want to be the best. You want to be a legend. I wanted to set high standards, and I did. I'm happy about that."
\n
The numbers tell part of this story: He has eight Olympic gold medals, 11 gold medals at world championships and three world records — 9.58 seconds in the 100m, 19.19 in the 200m and 36.84 in the 4x100m relay — that still stand.
\n
No runner has come within .12 seconds of either of his individual marks since he retired.
\n
Asked why that is, despite a world in which shoe and track technology gives runners a bigger boost than 15 years ago when Bolt was in his prime, he offered a glimpse why he remains his sport's most engaging ambassador.
\n
"Do you really want the answer? We're just more talented," he said. "I'm just saying, you can't run faster (just) with brand-new spikes."
\n
Speed, though, is only part of Bolt's story. It was his ability to use his platform to entertain and bring people together — a skill that couldn't be overlooked in an era when the Olympics needed a recharge. It made Bolt one of track's most electrifying characters.
\n
From his trademark bow-and-arrow pose, to his leisurely victory laps around the track against the backdrop of blaring reggae music — from his mile-wide smile, to the joy he so effortlessly exuded, despite the excruciating nature of his work — he elevated the sport into a personality-driven lovefest and gave people a reason to watch.
\n
"It's the personality," he said. "I think a lot of people, they try to be fun, but it comes off different. It's just having a good time. If you try too hard, it's not going to be the same. But I was just having a good time. That's how I looked at it. I tried to engage with fans and that's why they gravitated to it."
\n
Last month's world championships marked Bolt's first appearance at an Olympics or worlds since he exited the sport after the 2017 championships in London.
\n
He is now the father of a five-year-old daughter, Olympia Lightning, and four-year-old twin sons, Saint Leo and Thunder. To them, Bolt is just Dad. But the greatest sprinter of all time said their view might change at the next world championships two years from now, in the place where his career lifted off like a rocket: Beijing.
\n
"I'm excited, because I get to bring my kids and I can tell them: 'Listen, this is where it all happened,'" he said, referring, of course, to the 2008 Olympics, where he set three world records and won three gold medals.
\n
"I've shown my kids videos and stuff like that. They'll be six and seven, and they'll kind of understand the moment, and I can explain to them what their dad has done over the years."
\n",
- "content": "
From his trademark bow-and-arrow pose, to his leisurely victory laps around the track against the backdrop of blaring reggae music, Usain Bolt elevated sprinting into a personality-driven event and gave people a reason to watch.
\n
From his trademark bow-and-arrow pose, to his leisurely victory laps around the track against the backdrop of blaring reggae music, Usain Bolt elevated sprinting into a personality-driven event and gave people a reason to watch.
\n
TOKYO — On the night athletics turned to Jamaica once again to find the world's fastest man, the greatest Jamaican sprinter was in a hospitality box in the stadium — his presence literally hovering over a sport that hasn't been the same since he left.
\n
Oblique Seville might have been crowned the new 100-meter world champion at last month's World Athletics Championships in Japan, but Usain Bolt remains the only track star this century whose fame cascades well beyond sports.
\n
Eight years since his retirement, nobody has come close to matching his times or his presence. In an interview before the final round of races at the track worlds, he said he feels great about that, because "that's what I worked for".
\n
"When I was competing, I was working to break the benchmark," he said. "Now that I've retired, it's a great feeling to know that I'm the benchmark if you want to be the best. You want to be a legend. I wanted to set high standards, and I did. I'm happy about that."
\n
The numbers tell part of this story: He has eight Olympic gold medals, 11 gold medals at world championships and three world records — 9.58 seconds in the 100m, 19.19 in the 200m and 36.84 in the 4x100m relay — that still stand.
\n
No runner has come within .12 seconds of either of his individual marks since he retired.
\n
Asked why that is, despite a world in which shoe and track technology gives runners a bigger boost than 15 years ago when Bolt was in his prime, he offered a glimpse why he remains his sport's most engaging ambassador.
\n
"Do you really want the answer? We're just more talented," he said. "I'm just saying, you can't run faster (just) with brand-new spikes."
\n
Speed, though, is only part of Bolt's story. It was his ability to use his platform to entertain and bring people together — a skill that couldn't be overlooked in an era when the Olympics needed a recharge. It made Bolt one of track's most electrifying characters.
\n
From his trademark bow-and-arrow pose, to his leisurely victory laps around the track against the backdrop of blaring reggae music — from his mile-wide smile, to the joy he so effortlessly exuded, despite the excruciating nature of his work — he elevated the sport into a personality-driven lovefest and gave people a reason to watch.
\n
"It's the personality," he said. "I think a lot of people, they try to be fun, but it comes off different. It's just having a good time. If you try too hard, it's not going to be the same. But I was just having a good time. That's how I looked at it. I tried to engage with fans and that's why they gravitated to it."
\n
Last month's world championships marked Bolt's first appearance at an Olympics or worlds since he exited the sport after the 2017 championships in London.
\n
He is now the father of a five-year-old daughter, Olympia Lightning, and four-year-old twin sons, Saint Leo and Thunder. To them, Bolt is just Dad. But the greatest sprinter of all time said their view might change at the next world championships two years from now, in the place where his career lifted off like a rocket: Beijing.
\n
"I'm excited, because I get to bring my kids and I can tell them: 'Listen, this is where it all happened,'" he said, referring, of course, to the 2008 Olympics, where he set three world records and won three gold medals.
\n
"I've shown my kids videos and stuff like that. They'll be six and seven, and they'll kind of understand the moment, and I can explain to them what their dad has done over the years."
Forward Jonathan Kuminga has reached a two-year deal with the Golden State Warriors that could be worth up to $46.5 million if the team exercises its option for 2026-27.
\n
SAN FRANCISCO — As soon as Jonathan Kuminga shows up to rejoin the Golden State Warriors, coach Steve Kerr plans an immediate conversation with the dynamic forward to make sure they are on the same page as the season begins.
\n
Kuminga was expected to arrive in the Bay Area on Wednesday and be at Chase Center on Thursday to go through a physical, and likely his first practice, after signing a two-year contract Tuesday that could be worth up to $46.5 million.
\n
"The first thing is a great conversation with JK. To me at the heart of any good team culture is communication," Kerr said Wednesday, when the Warriors also signed 39-year-old center Al Horford. "We have to have a really good sit down."
\n
Kerr said he reached out several times to Kuminga over the summer, as he keeps tabs with all his players, and said that "he and I have always gotten along well".
\n
One message Kerr plans to make clear: The offense will revolve around Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler, and Kuminga will have to pick his moments while focusing on the defensive end and running the floor to have a better chance of playing. Golden State's first-round draft pick in 2021 will turn 23 on Monday.
\n
"Everybody progresses at a different rate. Things can click, but those are the things I'm going to continue to ask of him," Kerr said. "And I have no doubt, too, there's going to be times this year where we've got to get him the ball and run the offense through him."
\n
With Kuminga finally signed, as well as new additions Horford and Seth Curry, general manager Mike Dunleavy has Golden State's roster intact at last — a process that took more than three months, rather than a matter of days like a normal free agency period.
\n
A restricted free agent, Kuminga received a $7.9 million qualifying offer on June 29, but weighed other multiyear options. Dunleavy hopes Kuminga will be a key contributor, and said, for now, he wasn't weighing a sign-and-trade scenario.
\n
"As far as the negotiations go, it was fair, reasonable, no issues on my end. I think just sometimes these things take time," Dunleavy said. "But by my count, I'm all good with it, feel good about the deal we've done and, really, the deal for JK. I think it's good for both sides. What that means for the contract structure is that we feel like we have a player that can be really good, and I don't feel like there's a need to make a move. Now, we'll see how the season unfolds."
\n
With the drawn-out Kuminga situation resolved, everybody is eager to move forward.
\n
"First of all, I'm happy for Jonathan. It may not be the contract he was hoping for, but that's life-changing money and I'm really happy for him and his family," Kerr said.
\n
"The whole idea is to help him get better, help him become the player that he can become and sign a few more of those contracts. That's what he has to focus on and that's what I have to focus on, the getting better part and where he can help us, because that's really been the thing that's held him back — what we need, versus what he wants to do. There's no denying that it's been an issue, and there's no denying that there's a place for him on this team. We don't have a big athletic wing player like he represents."
\n
Horford, too, is ready to get going with his new team after spending the last four years in Boston, and leaving there "wasn't an easy decision for me to make".
\n
Playing for Kerr and alongside Stephen Curry, Butler and Draymond Green to chase a championship seemed like a great fit.
\n
"If there was one place that I was going to leave for, it's this," Horford said.
\n
So, during all the uncertainty in recent months he focused on his training and making sure his family was ready for the daunting cross-country transition.
\n
As far as the long wait to sign, the five-time All-Star said: "It was definitely odd."
A solemn national flag-raising ceremony is held early on Wednesday morning at Tian'anmen Square in Beijing, celebrating the 76th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.
A solemn national flag-raising ceremony is held early on Wednesday morning at Tian'anmen Square in Beijing, celebrating the 76th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.
Travelers from Russia pose for photographs at a tourist attraction in Chongqing on Sept 16.
\n
Russian consumers check out accessories at a shopping street in Heihe, Heilongjiang province, on Sept 15.
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China's visa-free policy for Russian citizens holding ordinary passports sends a strong and positive signal to the business communities on both sides, and such measures will further strengthen economic ties between the two major economies, Russian business leaders said.
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Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun announced on Sept 2 that the country had decided to trial a visa-free policy for Russian ordinary passport holders starting from Sept 15, 2025, to Sept 14, 2026, allowing stays of up to 30 days for purposes such as business travel, tourism, as well as other private visits, people-to-people exchanges or transit.
\n
"Russian holders of ordinary passports who come to China for business, travel and sightseeing, visiting relatives and friends, exchange visits, and transit for no more than 30 days can enter the country visa-free," Guo said, adding that, under the strategic guidance of the heads of state of both countries, Sino-Russia relations have been consistently healthy.
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Two days later, Russian President Vladimir Putin responded to the friendly policy, describing it as "an extremely kind gesture" and claiming Russia would respond in kind.
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"Undoubtedly, this will lead to more Russian citizens visiting China and contribute to the development of business, commercial ties and personal exchanges alike," Putin said, according to a release by the Kremlin website.
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Pavel Titov, president of the Abrau-Durso Group of Companies, said the news excites the Russian business community as the policy makes it considerably easier for them to foster deeper, more trusting relationships with their Chinese partners.
\n
The company, which is a leader in the sparkling wine market in Russia, has launched a flagship store on China's online retail giant JD. It is focusing on expanding its assortment on JD and deepening its engagement with Chinese wine lovers through livestreams and tastings.
\n
"In our business, a handshake, a shared meal, and tasting wine together build a stronger foundation than any email ever could. Now, we can visit our partners more frequently to strategize, celebrate successes and address challenges face-to-face," Titov said.
\n
The visa-free policy streamlines the logistics of business travel, said Rustem Muratov, CEO of Moscow-based Binnopharm Group, a biopharmaceutical major in the country.
\n
Muratov said the company's subsidiary, Shanghai Binnopharm Chemical Co Ltd, has successfully integrated into the Chinese financial system through the use of banking instruments such as bank acceptance bills, and recently obtained its first corporate loan worth 5 million yuan ($701,825) at a favorable interest rate of 5 percent.
\n
Muratov said the visa-free regime simplifies the logistics of business travel, and is especially important considering the significant number of contacts and projects requiring continuous in-person presence. Regular visits enable business partners not only to conduct negotiations, but also to establish solid, trust-based relationships with partners and take part in key industry events.
\n
The need for Russian company executives and employees to travel to China had been increasing even before the policy was announced. Surana Radnaeva, CEO of Sinoruss, a Russian legal consultancy, said the number of business trips by Russian companies to China increased by 27 percent in the first half. China now accounts for 20 percent of all business trips by Russian businesses, compared to 15 percent a year earlier.
\n
Russian businesspeople primarily visit Shanghai; Beijing; Guangdong province's Guangzhou and Shenzhen; and Harbin, Heilongjiang province, while the most active industry officials traveling to China are from the energy, oil and gas, and high-tech sectors, Radnaeva said.
\n
Business trips by employees in the energy and oil and gas sectors grew by 58 percent, accounting for 43 percent of all trips, while trips by high-tech equipment suppliers saw a 93 percent increase, raising their share to 7 percent. Clearly, these numbers will grow significantly now that the full-fledged visa-free policy with China has been introduced, she said.
\n
Marking China as a key export market, Russian integrated petrochemical company Sibur is jointly implementing large-scale and ambitious projects in the production of synthetic materials with China Petroleum and Chemical Corp, or Sinopec. One of the flagship projects is the Amur Gas Chemical Complex, which is scheduled to be commissioned in 2026.
\n
A spokesperson for Sibur told China Daily that while the visa waiver initiative may not have a direct impact on business operations, it will significantly facilitate interactions between Sibur and its Chinese partners. The removal of visa requirements will make travel easier for Russian experts going to China.
\n
"Thanks to the visa-free policy, a significantly larger number of Russian entrepreneurs will be able to attend global and regional business events in China, like forums, exhibitions, conferences, both industry-specific and general, such as the Canton Fair, China International Industry Fair, Yiwu International Commodities Fair," Radnaeva added.
\n
Business visits from Russian regions to China will also become much easier, and more diverse, Radnaeva said. Last year saw the "Days of the Vologda Region" and "Days of the Irkutsk Region" held in China. At the end of 2025, the "Days of Primorsky Krai" will be held in Liaoning province. Visits by Russian governors and regional delegations of various levels, as well as business missions from industry organizations, will become more frequent. This will give a strong impetus to interregional business cooperation.
\n
In terms of trade volume, China is by far Russia's leading partner, while last year Russia ranked fifth among China's foreign trade partners, according to the Russian leader.
\n
Figures from China's General Administration of Customs released last month showed total trade between China and Russia stood at $19.14 billion in July, up 8.7 percent from June.
\n
Moreover, bilateral trade in 2024 rose to $244.8 billion, making China the largest trading partner of Russia for 15 consecutive years.
\n
Titov said Russian business sectors certainly have higher expectations for bilateral economic activity.
\n
He noted that the visa-free policy is a powerful catalyst for business. Growth, he said, is driven not only by large corporations, but by the thousands of small and medium-sized firms that underpin trade.
\n
"By removing a major barrier, China has enabled entrepreneurs to pursue opportunities more directly. We see this policy as a very pragmatic step that will undoubtedly stimulate economic energy and raise our business prospects in China," he said.
\n
Radnaeva agreed. She said cross-border ties between the regions of the Russian Federation and China will strengthen, boosting trade, investment, industrial cooperation and more.
\n
Russian entrepreneurs are seeking to find business partners in China, and the visa-free regime will greatly facilitate this process. Moreover, there is awareness in Russia of the opportunities and benefits of China's preferential economic zones, and there is a demand from Russian businesses to establish production in them, she added.
China has issued a regulation on implementing domestic product standards and related policies in government procurement, a move that experts say will help foster a first-class business environment that is market-oriented, law-based and internationalized.
\n
Shu Wenqi, deputy director of the China Institute for Urban Development, said building a unified, open and orderly competitive government procurement market is both an essential component and an inevitable requirement for developing a unified national market.
\n
The General Office of the State Council has newly released the Notice on Implementing Domestic Product Standards and Related Policies in Government Procurement, aiming to ensure equal participation of all types of business entities in purchasing activities.
\n
Taking effect on Jan 1, 2026, it clarifies that the domestic product standard refers to products manufactured within China, with the proportion of the cost of components produced domestically reaching a prescribed threshold. For some products, key components and critical processes must also be manufactured or completed within China.
\n
The notice prohibits designating brands, restricting the place of brand registration or ownership, and imposing differential conditions based on ownership type, organizational form, equity structure or nationality of investors. All regions and departments shall strengthen coordination and refrain from issuing measures that contravene the notice.
\n
Shu noted that the notice is a concrete expression of high-level opening-up and equal treatment of State-owned, private and foreign-invested enterprises.
\n
The standard applies to goods procured under both goods and service projects. In evaluations, a 20 percent price preference shall be granted to domestic products over nondomestic products. Supportive policies shall treat enterprises of different ownership types equally.
\n
Tao Qizhi, professor at the Institute of Chinese Financial Studies at Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, said the policy continues to prioritize support for domestic products while ensuring fair participation by enterprises of all ownerships, reflecting the orientation toward a more unified and open market.
\n
This approach echoes President Xi Jinping's call at the Central Financial and Economic Affairs Commission meeting on July 1 to "advance the building of a unified national market in greater depth", demonstrating China's resolute resolve to promote high-quality development and deepen opening-up. It is expected to spur innovation and expand international cooperation, Tao said.
\n
The notice outlines a path for system building and adjustment. As requested by the State Council, within five years from implementation, the Ministry of Finance, together with relevant industry authorities, will extensively solicit opinions from domestic and foreign-funded enterprises and industry associations and chambers of commerce, set a three- to five-year transition period, and gradually establish a domestic product standard system and a dynamic adjustment mechanism for government procurement.
\n
Shu added that China has for years stuck to its goal of achieving unified institutions and rules for government procurement, integrated sharing of government procurement data and resources, and unified regulation and fair competition in the field of government procurement.
\n
renqi@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
- "content": "
China has issued a regulation on implementing domestic product standards and related policies in government procurement, a move that experts say will help foster a first-class business environment that is market-oriented, law-based and internationalized.
\n
Shu Wenqi, deputy director of the China Institute for Urban Development, said building a unified, open and orderly competitive government procurement market is both an essential component and an inevitable requirement for developing a unified national market.
\n
The General Office of the State Council has newly released the Notice on Implementing Domestic Product Standards and Related Policies in Government Procurement, aiming to ensure equal participation of all types of business entities in purchasing activities.
\n
Taking effect on Jan 1, 2026, it clarifies that the domestic product standard refers to products manufactured within China, with the proportion of the cost of components produced domestically reaching a prescribed threshold. For some products, key components and critical processes must also be manufactured or completed within China.
\n
The notice prohibits designating brands, restricting the place of brand registration or ownership, and imposing differential conditions based on ownership type, organizational form, equity structure or nationality of investors. All regions and departments shall strengthen coordination and refrain from issuing measures that contravene the notice.
\n
Shu noted that the notice is a concrete expression of high-level opening-up and equal treatment of State-owned, private and foreign-invested enterprises.
\n
The standard applies to goods procured under both goods and service projects. In evaluations, a 20 percent price preference shall be granted to domestic products over nondomestic products. Supportive policies shall treat enterprises of different ownership types equally.
\n
Tao Qizhi, professor at the Institute of Chinese Financial Studies at Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, said the policy continues to prioritize support for domestic products while ensuring fair participation by enterprises of all ownerships, reflecting the orientation toward a more unified and open market.
\n
This approach echoes President Xi Jinping's call at the Central Financial and Economic Affairs Commission meeting on July 1 to "advance the building of a unified national market in greater depth", demonstrating China's resolute resolve to promote high-quality development and deepen opening-up. It is expected to spur innovation and expand international cooperation, Tao said.
\n
The notice outlines a path for system building and adjustment. As requested by the State Council, within five years from implementation, the Ministry of Finance, together with relevant industry authorities, will extensively solicit opinions from domestic and foreign-funded enterprises and industry associations and chambers of commerce, set a three- to five-year transition period, and gradually establish a domestic product standard system and a dynamic adjustment mechanism for government procurement.
\n
Shu added that China has for years stuck to its goal of achieving unified institutions and rules for government procurement, integrated sharing of government procurement data and resources, and unified regulation and fair competition in the field of government procurement.
The click of a computer, or the pressing of a TV remote, is now all it takes for a global audience to watch Chinese dramas — and for China to tap into a gushing revenue stream.
\n
During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25), the country has seen television and radio programs and related services surge by 40 percent, said Dong Xin, deputy director of the National Radio and Television Administration, at a press conference held by the State Council Information Office on Sept 25.
\n
With the internet versions of Chinese audiovisual platforms reaching more than 200 countries and regions, the country has generated over $63 billion in revenue overseas. Besides, more than 300 apps for micro-dramas have been available for downloading on overseas platforms, added Dong.
\n
Some of the most popular programs include Welcome to Milele, inspired by the true stories of Chinese medical aid teams in Africa; Minning Town, a heartfelt story of a Ningxia village's fight against poverty since the 1990s; and To the Wonder, a poetic portrayal of a young woman's life and romance in Xinjiang's Altay region.
\n
Further exemplifying Chinese content's popularity, when Welcome to Milele was broadcast in Kenya, the audience for Citizen TV — one of Kenya's most-watched channels — surged by over 135 percent, or 2.35 times its previous viewership. Baby-Bus, an animation franchise known for a couple of cute panda siblings and cheerful melody, has reached an audience of 220 million, with its yearly views boasting around 39 billion clicks.
\n
Aside from propelling more Chinese shows to go abroad, the country is also endeavoring to introduce excellent foreign works. For example, shows from more than 30 countries and regions have been broadcast in China from 2021 until this year. Among them, the most popular works include Mr Bates vs The Post Office, about one of the biggest miscarriages of justice in the United Kingdom's history, which has earned 8.5 out of 10 points on China's popular review aggregator Douban.
\n
A huge market with a sizable output, China has produced and distributed over 1,500 dramas and 3,500 animated works, generating revenue of 1.49 trillion yuan ($205.5 billion) from all TV, radio and audiovisual content between 2021 and the end of 2024, surging 61.96 percent compared with the same period during the 13th Five-Year Plan(2016-20), said Cao Shumin, director of the administration.
\n
Micro-dramas, mostly shot vertically and recounting wild plots, are also flexing their muscles overseas, amid their exponential growth at home. Over the past five years, China has produced around 150,000 micro-dramas, reaching a sizable user base of 696 million by July.
\n
"This year, the market's scale is expected to achieve a bigger breakthrough from last year's 50 billion yuan," said Han Dong, deputy director of the administration.
\n
Despite the once niche sector's rapid expansion, with last year's market scale surpassing the film industry's yearly box office for the first time, most micro-dramas have received mixed reviews, criticized for stereotyped plotlines and coarse footage.
\n
However, the situation is changing. With an increase in budgets, a number of acclaimed micro- and short-dramas have surged, with outperforming examples including Contenders, about Chinese immigrants in Singapore in the 1940s, and Finding Home in Blossoms, recounting the striving of a group of young people in the Xizang autonomous region.
\n
Currently, 14 provinces, regions and municipalities have introduced policies to support the production of high-quality micro-dramas. A set of management measures is also being drafted to regulate the industry. These measures will provide legal protection for the sector's development and address common viewer complaints, such as the overuse of stereotypical plots like the "overbearing CEO" — a trope depicting the romance between a wealthy, domineering man and a woman from a humble background.
\n
"High-quality production, mass appeal, and international reach represent the future direction for the micro-drama industry," said Dong.
\n
xufan@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
@@ -12589,28 +12171,6 @@
"hash": "67d92456bf339193dc786665f3f2ff21",
"highlights": []
},
- {
- "title": "002NATION - Envoy says China and US should be partners",
- "description": "
China can purchase more American products and create more business opportunities for the United States, Beijing's top envoy in Washington said on Monday, as bilateral trade, particularly US exports to the world's second-largest economy, has fallen sharply this year.
\n
"We need to deepen the integration of interests, and be partners helping each other succeed," Ambassador Xie Feng said.
\n
"As China grows into the world's most dynamic market, we are able to buy more products we need from the US and bring more business opportunities to the US," Xie said at a reception at the Chinese embassy marking the 76th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.
\n
In his speech, Xie did not elaborate on the status quo of bilateral trade but cautioned that facts have proven that a tariff or trade war produces no winner.
\n
US media have in recent weeks reported how the Trump administration's trade war with China has taken a toll, including on US agricultural exports. "Each week, the Agriculture Department publishes a summary of the latest exports of American crops. Lately, they have all been missing the same thing: The sale of soybeans to China," The New York Times reported last week.
\n
The US exported just $5.5 billion worth of farm goods to China in the first six months of the year, representing a more than 50 percent drop compared to the same point last year, politicopro.com reported on Aug 5, citing statistics from the US Commerce Department.
\n
Overall, American exports to China shrank drastically in the first seven months of 2025, underscoring the continuing weakness in bilateral trade.
\n
Through July, US goods exports to China totaled $65.3 billion, down nearly 20 percent compared with the $81.8 billion recorded over the same period last year, according to data from the US Census Bureau.
\n
Xie said that China and the US have extensive common interests and vast room for cooperation, as evidenced by the fact that bilateral trade surged from less than $2.5 billion in 1979 when the two countries established diplomatic relations to$688 billion last year.
\n
In addition, areas such as illegal immigration, fentanyl, telecom fraud, financial crimes, infectious diseases and AI have the potential to become "highlights and growth points" in cooperation.
\n
On the other hand, attempts to decouple and disrupt industrial and supply chains would only destabilize the world and benefit no one in the end, he said.
\n
"The positive progress in our economic and trade talks has shown that equal-footed consultation is the right way forward," he said, referring to the de-escalation in trade tensions following four rounds of talks — in Geneva, London, Stockholm and Madrid — since May.
\n
"Our two sides need to keep to the bottom line of non-conflict and non-confrontation, and add more stability to the turbulent world," he added.
\n
In his speech, the ambassador underscored the critical importance of the Taiwan question, which he said, "bears on the political foundation of China-US relations", and if not properly handled, could cause confrontation or conflict.
\n
huanxinzhao@chinadailyusa.com
\n",
- "content": "
China can purchase more American products and create more business opportunities for the United States, Beijing's top envoy in Washington said on Monday, as bilateral trade, particularly US exports to the world's second-largest economy, has fallen sharply this year.
\n
"We need to deepen the integration of interests, and be partners helping each other succeed," Ambassador Xie Feng said.
\n
"As China grows into the world's most dynamic market, we are able to buy more products we need from the US and bring more business opportunities to the US," Xie said at a reception at the Chinese embassy marking the 76th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.
\n
In his speech, Xie did not elaborate on the status quo of bilateral trade but cautioned that facts have proven that a tariff or trade war produces no winner.
\n
US media have in recent weeks reported how the Trump administration's trade war with China has taken a toll, including on US agricultural exports. "Each week, the Agriculture Department publishes a summary of the latest exports of American crops. Lately, they have all been missing the same thing: The sale of soybeans to China," The New York Times reported last week.
\n
The US exported just $5.5 billion worth of farm goods to China in the first six months of the year, representing a more than 50 percent drop compared to the same point last year, politicopro.com reported on Aug 5, citing statistics from the US Commerce Department.
\n
Overall, American exports to China shrank drastically in the first seven months of 2025, underscoring the continuing weakness in bilateral trade.
\n
Through July, US goods exports to China totaled $65.3 billion, down nearly 20 percent compared with the $81.8 billion recorded over the same period last year, according to data from the US Census Bureau.
\n
Xie said that China and the US have extensive common interests and vast room for cooperation, as evidenced by the fact that bilateral trade surged from less than $2.5 billion in 1979 when the two countries established diplomatic relations to$688 billion last year.
\n
In addition, areas such as illegal immigration, fentanyl, telecom fraud, financial crimes, infectious diseases and AI have the potential to become "highlights and growth points" in cooperation.
\n
On the other hand, attempts to decouple and disrupt industrial and supply chains would only destabilize the world and benefit no one in the end, he said.
\n
"The positive progress in our economic and trade talks has shown that equal-footed consultation is the right way forward," he said, referring to the de-escalation in trade tensions following four rounds of talks — in Geneva, London, Stockholm and Madrid — since May.
\n
"Our two sides need to keep to the bottom line of non-conflict and non-confrontation, and add more stability to the turbulent world," he added.
\n
In his speech, the ambassador underscored the critical importance of the Taiwan question, which he said, "bears on the political foundation of China-US relations", and if not properly handled, could cause confrontation or conflict.
The introduction of the visa-free policy will greatly facilitate Russian citizens' travel to China by reducing time, cost and procedural hurdles, and will offer strong support — especially for those with high-frequency, short-duration cross-border business travel needs, Russian business executives said.
\n
Last month, direct flights from Wuhan, Hubei province, to Moscow, resumed, boosting bilateral exchanges between the two countries. China Southern Airlines flight CZ8003 was first launched in July 2014. However, it was later suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
\n
The latest move comes after China announced a visa-free policy for Russian ordinary passport holders from Sept 15 this year to Sept 14,2026. Russia has said it will reciprocate the measure.
\n
According to data from major Chinese travel platform Qunar, within the first 30 minutes of the announcement by the Chinese Foreign Ministry, the volume of air ticket searches on the platform for itineraries originating in Moscow nearly doubled compared with the same period a week earlier, with peak instantaneous search volume reaching nearly four times the usual level. Searches for flights from Moscow to Beijing ranked first, with an average, tax-inclusive fare of 1,415 yuan ($199).
\n
Andrey Chikhanchin, first deputy CEO for commerce and finance at Russian airline Aeroflot, said routes between Russia and China remain among the most in-demand and promising. In the first eight months of this year, passenger traffic on routes between the two countries increased by 34 percent, exceeding 660,000.
\n
"Following the announcement of visa-free travel, bookings for flights to China have increased. We expect demand for travel between the two countries to continue growing, especially against the backdrop of simplified entry procedures," Chikhanchin said, adding that this will contribute to an increase in both tourism and business traffic, as well as the strengthening of economic ties between the two neighbors.
\n
As demand grows, Aeroflot said it is ready to increase flight frequencies and expand its route network. Under the current schedule, the company operates regular flights from Russian cities to major destinations in China. From Moscow, direct flights are available to Beijing; Shanghai; Guangzhou, Guangdong province; and Sanya, Hainan province. Direct flights to Hong Kong will resume on Oct 2.
\n
Moreover, for passengers from other Russian regions, there are direct flights to Sanya from eight Russian cities. In addition, Rossiya Airlines, under the commercial management of Aeroflot, operates direct flights from the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk to Beijing; Harbin, Heilongjiang province; and Sanya, as well as from Vladivostok to Harbin and Shanghai.
\n
Meanwhile, after Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Sept 4 that Moscow would "respond in kind to this friendly act" by Beijing, the Russian tourism industry expects a boost in arrivals from China.
\n
Alexander Biba, president of Moscow-based Cosmos Hotel Group, told China Daily that China remains the traditional leader among the top five source markets for the Cosmos hotel chain.
\n
By the end of the first half, Chinese travelers accounted for 37 percent of all foreign stays at Cosmos hotels, he said.
\n
The decision to introduce a visa-free regime between Russia and China is welcomed by Russian business sectors, Biba said, adding it is an important step which, once a reciprocal arrangement for Chinese citizens is fully in place, will lead to increased tourist traffic and the strengthening of business and cultural ties between the two countries.
\n
"For Cosmos Hotel Group, the Chinese market has traditionally been one of our priorities, as our group is ready to offer a high level of service and comfortable accommodation in all regions where we operate. We see this decision as a new opportunity for the development of domestic tourism," he said.
Overseas Chinese across North America have voiced strong support for President Xi Jinping's keynote speech at the reception marking the 76th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China on Tuesday, hailing it as a message of confidence, unity and responsibility that resonates deeply with Chinese communities abroad.
\n
At the event, he emphasized China's historic achievements, its firm commitment to national rejuvenation, the safeguarding of sovereignty and the pursuit of global cooperation. The remarks drew widespread praise from overseas Chinese, who highlighted the inspiration they drew from his call for unity and progress.
\n
Edward Cai, president of the All American Chinese Association in Southern California, said these remarks carried "patriotism and national confidence" and highlighted China's tremendous achievements.
\n
"A prosperous motherland is a strong backing for overseas Chinese," Cai told China Daily, adding that the message inspired pride and strengthened the community's resolve to contribute.
\n
Cai noted that Southern California has long served as a vital bridge in China-US exchanges. He emphasized the role of overseas Chinese in high-tech, education and healthcare, noting that China's emphasis on high-quality development aligns closely with California's innovative environment.
\n
"This creates opportunities for cooperation in areas such as new energy, artificial intelligence and biotechnology," he said.
\n
Cai also underscored the need to foster understanding amid complex China-US relations.
\n
"It is crucial to promote people-to-people exchanges and alleviate misunderstandings and barriers through community organizations, chambers of commerce and cultural exchange activities," he said, adding that the region's cultural diversity aligns with the Global Civilization Initiative.
\n
Zhang Yong, chairman of the Roundtable of Chinese American Organizations in Southern California, highlighted Xi's reaffirmation of "one country, two systems" and opposition to "Taiwan independence" separatist forces.
\n
"This is the common will of all Chinese people," Zhang said. "We firmly support the resolute stance of the Chinese government and the Chinese people in safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity."
\n
Proposals welcomed
\n
Zhang also welcomed China's proposals of the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative and the Global Governance Initiative, describing them as contributions that "will inject more positive energy into world peace and development".
\n
Looking ahead, he pledged that Chinese American organizations will "continue to serve as a bridge, promote friendly exchanges between China and the United States, and unite the overseas Chinese community to support the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation".
\n
For Betty Yuan, a council member of Chinese for Peaceful Unification-Northern California, the speech served as a reminder of China's resilience and unity over the past 76 years. She noted that this year also marks the 80th anniversary of victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45), which Xi referenced to highlight the spirit of perseverance.
\n
"His emphasis on national unity and the need to uphold 'one country, two systems' while opposing 'Taiwan independence' and external interference is crystal clear, and I fully support this," Yuan said. She stressed that safeguarding peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait remains a top priority for the Chinese both at home and abroad.
\n
Zheng Xiaofeng, secretary-general of the Canadian Chinese Entrepreneurs Council, said the address provided a roadmap that blended domestic priorities with international engagement. He pointed to four key themes: national rejuvenation, deepening reform and high-quality development, safeguarding sovereignty through "one country, two systems," and promoting global cooperation.
\n
"These messages are not only a source of cohesion domestically, but also a clear signal to the world," Zheng said. He contrasted China's vision of multilateral cooperation with what he described as the US reliance on tariffs and confrontation.
\n
He emphasized that the speech "clarified the directions of reform, development and governance, while stressing international cooperation and multilateralism, sending a signal that China is willing to participate in global affairs and take on responsibilities".
\n
For Chinese communities across North America, the address resonated as both a celebration of past progress and a call to action for the future. They expressed a common determination to strengthen ties with their ancestral homeland, support its development and contribute to the broader vision of a community with a shared future for humanity.
\n
renali@chinadailyusa.com
\n",
- "content": "
Overseas Chinese across North America have voiced strong support for President Xi Jinping's keynote speech at the reception marking the 76th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China on Tuesday, hailing it as a message of confidence, unity and responsibility that resonates deeply with Chinese communities abroad.
\n
At the event, he emphasized China's historic achievements, its firm commitment to national rejuvenation, the safeguarding of sovereignty and the pursuit of global cooperation. The remarks drew widespread praise from overseas Chinese, who highlighted the inspiration they drew from his call for unity and progress.
\n
Edward Cai, president of the All American Chinese Association in Southern California, said these remarks carried "patriotism and national confidence" and highlighted China's tremendous achievements.
\n
"A prosperous motherland is a strong backing for overseas Chinese," Cai told China Daily, adding that the message inspired pride and strengthened the community's resolve to contribute.
\n
Cai noted that Southern California has long served as a vital bridge in China-US exchanges. He emphasized the role of overseas Chinese in high-tech, education and healthcare, noting that China's emphasis on high-quality development aligns closely with California's innovative environment.
\n
"This creates opportunities for cooperation in areas such as new energy, artificial intelligence and biotechnology," he said.
\n
Cai also underscored the need to foster understanding amid complex China-US relations.
\n
"It is crucial to promote people-to-people exchanges and alleviate misunderstandings and barriers through community organizations, chambers of commerce and cultural exchange activities," he said, adding that the region's cultural diversity aligns with the Global Civilization Initiative.
\n
Zhang Yong, chairman of the Roundtable of Chinese American Organizations in Southern California, highlighted Xi's reaffirmation of "one country, two systems" and opposition to "Taiwan independence" separatist forces.
\n
"This is the common will of all Chinese people," Zhang said. "We firmly support the resolute stance of the Chinese government and the Chinese people in safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity."
\n
Proposals welcomed
\n
Zhang also welcomed China's proposals of the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative and the Global Governance Initiative, describing them as contributions that "will inject more positive energy into world peace and development".
\n
Looking ahead, he pledged that Chinese American organizations will "continue to serve as a bridge, promote friendly exchanges between China and the United States, and unite the overseas Chinese community to support the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation".
\n
For Betty Yuan, a council member of Chinese for Peaceful Unification-Northern California, the speech served as a reminder of China's resilience and unity over the past 76 years. She noted that this year also marks the 80th anniversary of victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45), which Xi referenced to highlight the spirit of perseverance.
\n
"His emphasis on national unity and the need to uphold 'one country, two systems' while opposing 'Taiwan independence' and external interference is crystal clear, and I fully support this," Yuan said. She stressed that safeguarding peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait remains a top priority for the Chinese both at home and abroad.
\n
Zheng Xiaofeng, secretary-general of the Canadian Chinese Entrepreneurs Council, said the address provided a roadmap that blended domestic priorities with international engagement. He pointed to four key themes: national rejuvenation, deepening reform and high-quality development, safeguarding sovereignty through "one country, two systems," and promoting global cooperation.
\n
"These messages are not only a source of cohesion domestically, but also a clear signal to the world," Zheng said. He contrasted China's vision of multilateral cooperation with what he described as the US reliance on tariffs and confrontation.
\n
He emphasized that the speech "clarified the directions of reform, development and governance, while stressing international cooperation and multilateralism, sending a signal that China is willing to participate in global affairs and take on responsibilities".
\n
For Chinese communities across North America, the address resonated as both a celebration of past progress and a call to action for the future. They expressed a common determination to strengthen ties with their ancestral homeland, support its development and contribute to the broader vision of a community with a shared future for humanity.
Rescuers search for people who were reported missing under the rubble of a collapsed building in Bogo City on Wednesday, after a powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake jolted the central Philippines, killing dozens on the island of Cebu, with fears the toll could rise.
\n
MANILA — The death toll from a 6.9-magnitude earthquake that hit the central Philippines has risen to 69, a disaster official said on Wednesday as the government mobilized agencies to search for survivors and restore power and water supplies.
\n
In Bogo city in the north of Cebu Province, which was near the epicenter of the shallow quake that struck off the coast just before 10 pm on Tuesday, the hospital has been "overwhelmed", Civil Defense official Raffy Alejandro told reporters.
\n
The death toll of 69 was based on data from the Cebu provincial disaster office and was subject to validation, said Jane Abapo, an information officer at the regional Civil Defense office. Another official said more than 150 people were injured.
\n
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr assured survivors of swift assistance, saying cabinet secretaries were on the ground directing relief operations, as he expressed his condolences to those who lost loved ones.
\n
Cebu, one of the Philippines' most popular tourist destinations, is home to 3.4 million people. Despite the damage, Mactan-Cebu International Airport, the country's second-busiest gateway, remained operational.
\n
Another hard-hit town, San Remigio, was declared a state of calamity to facilitate the response and relief efforts. Vice-Mayor Alfie Reynes appealed for food and water for evacuees, as well as heavy equipment to aid rescue workers.
\n
"It is raining heavily and there is no electricity, so we really need help, especially in the northern part, because there's a scarcity of water after supply lines were damaged by the earthquake," Reynes told DZMM radio.
\n
In the nearby town of Pilar, resident Archel Coraza said most of his family members were asleep when their house began to shake violently.
\n
"I woke them up and we all rushed outside into the street," he told DZMM. Coraza, who lives close to the shoreline, said he saw seawater recede after the tremor.
\n
Local media posted videos of people rushing out of their homes as the ground shook and buildings collapsed, including a church that was more than 100 years old.
\n
Reynes said among the deceased were some people who had been playing basketball in a sports complex in San Remigio when it partially collapsed due to the quake.
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\n![](\"https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/resfile/2025-10-06/002/20251006_002_02_39248.png\")
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