Summary: In an article to be published in *Qiushi*, Xi Jinping emphasizes the importance of accelerating the construction of a strong education system as the foundation for national rejuvenation, outlining key components like strong ideological guidance, talent competitiveness, and international influence. He calls for a comprehensive approach that balances national strategic needs with public demand, and domestic context with international experience. Xi stresses the need to strengthen the support role of education for science, technology, and talent, and to enhance the quality and accessibility of public education services. He also highlights the importance of cultivating a high-quality teaching workforce and building an education system with global influence through international cooperation and participation in global education governance. The article does not mention the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: Ahead of Children's Day, Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to the 9th National Congress of the Chinese Young Pioneers, emphasizing that children are a vital force in building a strong nation and should focus on cultivating successors to Communism. He urged the Young Pioneers to follow the Party, cultivate builders of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and strive to become new-era children who love the Party and the country. Xi has repeatedly stressed the importance of cultivating young people's "four confidences" and ensuring their all-around development. The article also mentions Xi's visit to a primary school in 2004, and his hopes for the children to grow up well. The article did not allude to the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: This article discusses the ongoing development of the Xiong'an New Area, highlighting the transformation of urban planning blueprints into tangible progress. It emphasizes the speed and quality of construction, driven by reforms and the relocation of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) like China Sinochem and China Huaneng. The area is fostering new industries, particularly in areas like robotics and information technology, through initiatives like the Xiong'an Zhongguancun Science Park. The increasing green space and expansion of the construction area to over 200 square kilometers demonstrate the commitment to sustainable and high-quality development. Luo Shuang, Deputy Director of the Management Committee of the Start-up Zone of Xiong'an New Area, noted that the number of key projects in the start-up zone has increased to 142 this year.
Summary: As of December 31, 2024, China has 113 million Young Pioneers and 3.054 million instructors in primary and secondary schools, according to the All-China National Work Committee for the Young Pioneers, as reported by the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League. The organizational structure includes 176,000 school-level committees, 179,000 brigades, and 2,874,000 platoons. This data reflects the expansive reach of the Young Pioneers organization within the Chinese education system.
Summary: During the Dragon Boat Festival holiday, diverse folk activities enhanced the festive atmosphere and enriched people's cultural life.
Summary: This article observes two trends during the Dragon Boat Festival: a reduction in excessive packaging of zongzi (rice dumplings) due to stricter regulations, and an increase in diverse ways of celebrating the holiday, such as folk events and science-themed activities. These trends reflect an effort to modernize traditional festivals by both preserving their cultural essence and infusing them with contemporary elements. The piece emphasizes the importance of drawing wisdom from history and tradition while adapting to present-day values. The article does not mention the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The article reports on the development of the intelligent logistics equipment industry in Nanling County, Anhui Province, following Xi Jinping's call to strengthen county-level urbanization in October 2024. Nanling County has attracted over 170 related enterprises with a total investment exceeding 26 billion yuan by focusing on intelligent logistics equipment, fostering industrial alliances, and promoting innovation. The county has partnered with research institutions and companies like SF Express to enhance smart logistics technology. The industry cluster achieved an output value of 8.814 billion yuan in 2024, marking a 22.4% year-on-year increase. Nanling County is also cultivating talent through collaborations with vocational schools.
Summary: The article profiles three individuals involved in China's foreign trade, highlighting its resilience despite a volatile international environment. Ma Tongwei, General Manager of Shandong Ruitu Laser Technology, emphasizes the constant presence of both crises and opportunities, noting the company's expansion with new branches in Egypt and the United States, the latter of which is preparing for potential shipments despite challenges. Chen Tang from Alibaba International Station discusses the surge in orders from U.S. buyers following trade talks, leading to the launch of a dedicated U.S. sales event. Liu Jie, from Jiangyin Customs, observes the increasing diversity of goods and expansion of shipping routes, including new direct lines to Southeast Asia and Europe, supporting China's export growth.
Summary: The second phase of the Pinghu South Comprehensive Logistics Hub project in Shenzhen, Guangdong, China, has completed its main steel structure and is expected to be completed within the year. This project is the first of its kind in China, where a smart logistics park is built above an existing railway freight yard, allowing for the efficient use of land. The hub will facilitate "one-stop" intermodal transportation, connecting the railway directly to Shenzhen Port, significantly reducing transportation time and costs. It is projected that the new transportation model can save 40% of transportation time. The project is expected to become the largest single railway logistics center in China and the largest public-rail-sea intermodal transport center in Asia.
Summary: As of May 30th, 5 p.m., Henan province, known as the "granary of the Central Plains," had harvested over 60% of its wheat crop, according to data from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. The article focuses on the progress of the wheat harvest in Henan. The article does not mention the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: An unnamed official from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) voiced support for the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers' (CAAM) call to maintain fair competition and promote the healthy development of the automotive industry. The official stated that the MIIT will increase efforts to rectify "involutionary" competition, such as price wars, which they believe harm sustainable development, innovation, and consumer rights. The MIIT plans to optimize industrial structure, strengthen product consistency checks, and cooperate with relevant departments to enforce anti-unfair competition laws. CAAM also stated that the recent 'price war' in the automotive industry is an example of 'involutionary' competition and has negatively impacted companies profits.
Summary: China's official May manufacturing PMI rose to 49.5%, a 0.5 percentage point increase from the previous month, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics Service Industry Survey Center and the China Federation of Logistics & Purchasing. Production activity accelerated, with the production index rising to 50.7%. High-tech manufacturing continued to expand, while new export orders and import indexes saw gains. Some companies involved with the United States reported a faster restart of foreign trade orders and improvements in import and export conditions. Market expectations improved, with the manufacturing production and operation expectation index increasing to 52.5%.
Summary: China's National Development and Reform Commission and National Energy Administration released a notice promoting direct green electricity connections to boost renewable energy consumption and meet corporate green energy demands. The initiative aims to increase local renewable energy absorption via projects that directly link renewable energy sources like wind, solar, and biomass, to single users without using the public grid. These direct connections are intended to improve renewable energy utilization efficiency and offer users more choices for reducing electricity costs. The policy requires renewable energy self-consumption to be no less than 60% of total generation and gradually increase the proportion of total electricity consumption from 30% in 2025 to at least 35% by 2030. The notice states that this promotes nearby consumption of renewable energy.
Summary: The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, the Ministry of Finance, and the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC) jointly issued a notice outlining seven policy measures to incentivize skilled workers in state-owned enterprises (SOEs) through improved compensation. The notice emphasizes linking pay to skill level and job value, establishing skill-based allowances, and increasing wage growth mechanisms that favor skilled workers. SOEs are encouraged to establish innovation reward systems and explore medium- and long-term incentives for skilled personnel. The notice also calls for improved policy guidance and salary surveys at the local level, providing salary benchmarks for different skill levels.
Summary: An international mediation forum and the signing ceremony for the International Organization for Mediation (IOM) convention were held in Hong Kong on May 30th, with representatives from 85 countries and nearly 20 international organizations. Attendees praised the IOM's timely establishment and potential to fill gaps in international dispute resolution, viewing it as a crucial step towards multilateralism and global governance. Several officials, including those from Pakistan, Nicaragua, and Serbia, lauded China's role in initiating the IOM. The convention explicitly states the IOM headquarters will be located in Hong Kong, with many believing Hong Kong's legal system and strategic location make it an ideal choice. Attendees expressed the hope it will contribute to peaceful dispute resolution.
Summary: The article emphasizes the importance of deepening China-Europe dialogue and exchange to strengthen bilateral relations and contribute to global peace and development. It highlights the long history of cultural and economic exchange between China and Europe, noting that while differences exist, there is broad scope for cooperation especially as the EU gains strategic autonomy. The author argues that people-to-people exchanges and cultural understanding can bridge divides and facilitate cooperation in areas like climate change and digital economy. The article does not discuss United States or U.S. - China relations. Deepening dialogue can promote mutual understanding and collaboration.
Summary: During a visit to Tajikistan, National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) Vice Chairman Shen Yueyue attended the First International High-Level Conference on the Protection of Glaciers and met with President Rahmon and lower house speaker Itizzoda. Shen conveyed Xi Jinping's greetings to Rahmon, affirming China's commitment to deepening the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Tajikistan and promoting a community with a shared future. She also stated China is an active participant in global ecological governance and glacier protection. Rahmon reiterated Tajikistan's support for the Belt and Road Initiative and Xi's global initiatives, expressing willingness to deepen cooperation in various fields and address climate change together.
Summary: A joint media delegation of approximately 20 journalists from China and five Central Asian countries visited the Kazakhstan Post-YTO Express joint venture to learn about its efforts to build a "China-Central Asia-Europe" cross-border logistics route. The venture, established in July 2024, currently handles 30,000 orders daily and covers over 3,000 locations in Kazakhstan. Journalists from outlets including *People's Daily* and Kazakhstan International News Agency highlighted the convenience for Central Asian citizens resulting from China-Central Asia logistics cooperation. The visit is the first time *People's Daily* has organized such an event abroad, and participants will continue to visit key projects in Kazakhstan related to energy, transportation, agriculture, and education. The goal is to promote a closer China-Central Asia community with a shared future.
Summary: CCP Deputy Minister of the International Department of the Central Committee, Sun Haiyan, led a delegation to Russia to attend the Standing Committee meeting of the Asian Political Parties International Conference and a forum on Eurasian cooperation hosted by the United Russia party. Sun met with Andrey Turchak, Secretary General of United Russia, to exchange views on strengthening inter-party exchanges and implementing the consensus reached by the leaders of both countries. Sun also introduced the spirit of the Central Conference on Work Relating to Neighboring Countries. The report does not mention the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: A China-Japan youth friendship exchange was held in Beijing on May 29, hosted by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) and the China-Japan Friendship Association. Nearly 300 Japanese youths visited China at the invitation of CPAFFC, traveling to various locations and sharing their experiences at the event. Both Chinese and Japanese youth expressed hopes for strengthened friendship and contributions to the development of China-Japan relations. CPAFFC President Yang Wanming emphasized the importance of youth in promoting peace and cooperation between the two countries. Japanese Ambassador to China Kenji Kanasugi and Japan-China Friendship Association Standing Director Masafumi Sasaki also attended and expressed similar hopes for improved relations.
Summary: A high-level Sino-Russian think tank forum was held in Beijing on May 30, co-sponsored by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and the Russian International Affairs Council. The forum's theme centered on Sino-Russian cooperation in the new era, commemorating the 80th anniversaries of both the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War and the founding of the United Nations. The event was organized by the Russian, Eastern European, and Central Asian Studies Institute of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, and the high-end cooperation think tank. The forum aimed to foster strategic coordination between China and Russia. The article does not mention the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The second Frankfurt International Dragon Boat Friendship Race was held in Frankfurt, Germany, attracting nearly 10,000 spectators and 17 teams from countries including Germany, France, Italy, the United States, and Thailand. Chinese Consul General in Frankfurt Huang Yiyang stated that the dragon boat race promotes cultural exchange and mutual understanding between China and foreign countries, building a bridge of friendship between China and Germany and injecting new vitality into cultural exchanges. The event also featured cultural performances from various countries, including China. Participants emphasized the race as a symbol of friendship, unity, and cooperation.
Summary: A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson responded to U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's remarks at the Shangri-La Dialogue, criticizing them as a "China threat" narrative and negative statements on Taiwan and the South China Sea. The spokesperson accused Austin of promoting a Cold War mentality and inciting confrontation. The spokesperson further stated that the U.S., through its "Indo-Pacific Strategy" and actions in the South China Sea, is the primary source of instability in the region. The spokesperson reiterated China's position on Taiwan as an internal matter and urged the U.S. to adhere to the One China Principle and cease supporting "Taiwan independence" forces.
Summary: Mei Xiaoli, a discipline inspection official in Zigui County, Hubei, returned to her hometown for the Dragon Boat Festival, highlighting the importance of the holiday in the region. She spent time with her family, including her grandfather, a Korean War veteran, who emphasized the importance of discipline and integrity, recalling an incident where he refused a bribe as a village party secretary. Mei's mother, a doctor, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of remaining uncorrupted in her profession. Mei, inspired by her family's values and the poetry of Qu Yuan, reaffirmed her commitment to remaining clean and honest in her work. The article does not mention the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: Ahead of Children's Day, Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to the 9th National Congress of the Chinese Young Pioneers, emphasizing the organization's role in cultivating successors to Communism and builders of socialism. He urged the Young Pioneers to follow the Party, cultivate patriotism, diligence, and comprehensive development. Xi has repeatedly stressed the importance of cultivating youth with the "four confidences" and integrating traditional Chinese culture while embracing Western achievements. Xi Jinping has also emphasized that education should focus on the comprehensive development of children, and expressed concern for children in disaster areas and those with disabilities. The article does not mention the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: A series of "Our Festival: Dragon Boat Festival" cultural activities, jointly organized by multiple departments including the Publicity Department of the Central Committee and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, took place nationwide. These events, aimed at promoting traditional Chinese culture and revitalizing traditional festivals, included dragon boat races, folk performances, and intangible cultural heritage displays in locations such as Ankang, Chongqing, Foshan, Jiaxing, Gaotai, Chengdu, and Tongren. The activities sought to promote patriotism, unity, and healthy living, enriching the public's cultural life and strengthening national identity.
Summary: During the Dragon Boat Festival holiday, tourists visited Liyuan Garden in Wuxi, Jiangsu province to enjoy the blooming hydrangea flowers. The public engaged in outdoor activities and enjoyed the holiday. The article does not mention any political figures, the United States, or U.S.-China relations. The photo was taken by Pan Zhengguang.
Summary: The China Welfare Institute (CWI) announced plans to build a new Shanghai Children's Palace (中国福利会少年宫) in the Huangpu Riverfront area. The existing palace, founded in 1953 by Song Qingling, aims to cultivate patriotism and talent in children. Over 72 years, it has provided extracurricular activities to nearly 30 million children. The CWI also runs a "Mobile Children's Palace" program that provides resources and training to teachers in less developed regions.
Summary: A Children's Day performance, co-sponsored by organizations including the Soong Ching Ling Foundation, was held at the National Centre for the Performing Arts. The performance, divided into four sections, featured diverse performances showcasing the spirit of children in the new era, with a focus on patriotism and cultural inheritance. One segment commemorated the 80th anniversary of the victory in the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, emphasizing the transmission of its spirit. Representatives from Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan participated in various performances, demonstrating their pride and commitment to preserving Chinese culture. There was no mention of the United States or U.S.-China relations in the article.
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Summary: Shanxi Province is implementing ecological protection and restoration projects to improve water quality in the Yellow River basin, a crucial area given its role as a major source of sediment. Efforts include afforestation, soil erosion control, and comprehensive treatment of tributaries, exemplified by projects along the Fen River and its tributaries. These initiatives aim to achieve "clear water flowing into the Yellow River" by 2025, with significant progress already made, such as improved water quality in the Fen River. Shanxi is prioritizing the Yellow River basin to strengthen ecological security and improve water quality. In 2024, the percentage of high-quality water bodies in the Yellow River basin in Shanxi reached 91.5%.
Summary: A draft of an environmental protection code, China's second law codified as such, was recently submitted for deliberation. The code aims to strengthen legal safeguards for ecological conservation, emphasizing the need for robust systems and rule of law. Since the 18th Party Congress, China has comprehensively strengthened environmental protection, establishing a more complete system of ecological civilization. The article highlighted local examples of environmental protection successes achieved through comprehensive regulations. The piece stresses the need for ongoing reform and legal development to address persistent environmental challenges and realize the goal of a "Beautiful China."
Summary: Central Environmental Protection Inspection has completed two rounds of comprehensive inspections since December 2015, and three batches of the third round. These inspections address public environmental concerns and hold officials accountable, resulting in the resolution of significant environmental issues and the pursuit of responsibility for 9,699 individuals in the first two rounds. The inspections aim to promote ecological civilization and the idea that "green mountains and clear waters are gold and silver mountains" across the party and society. The fourth batch of the third round has recently been launched. Officials state that the inspections will continue to focus on ecological responsibility.
Summary: The article discusses the "blue tears" phenomenon, bioluminescence caused primarily by *Noctiluca scintillans* algae, occurring along China's coast, particularly in Fujian's Pingtan Island. The phenomenon is influenced by sea temperature, wind conditions, and ocean currents. Pingtan has developed a forecasting model for "blue tears" using meteorological data and machine learning, leading to a surge in tourism. The article cautions tourists to consider safety concerns such as weather and tides when viewing.
Summary: Please provide the article you would like me to summarize. I need the text of the article to provide an accurate and concise summary for professional analysts of Chinese politics, adhering to the specified length and focus requirements.
Summary: This article discusses various Dragon Boat Festival celebrations across China, highlighting both traditional and modern adaptations of the dragon boat races. In Hunan's Miluo, international teams competed, emphasizing the area's historical significance as the "Dragon Boat Hometown." Guangdong's Foshan featured the re-emergence of the ancient Yánbù Old Dragon boat, while Fujian's Fuzhou showcased vibrant nighttime races boosting the local economy. Chongqing and Hubei presented unique land-based dragon boat traditions, demonstrating the festival's adaptability.
Summary: The article discusses a Warring States period bronze钺 (yue) excavated in Ningbo, Zhejiang, featuring a "feathered people dragon boat racing" design. The artifact, likely a ritual object, depicts figures with feathered headdresses rowing in unison, reflecting the Baiyue people's reverence for birds and possibly representing an early form of dragon boat racing. Chen Mingliang of the Ningbo Museum speculates the scene depicts regular racing competitions held by the Yue people. This bronze钺 was submitted to the International Olympic Committee as evidence of China's long history of sports and also used when applying for Ningbo to become a World Cultural Heritage site on the Maritime Silk Road.
Summary: This article discusses the cultural origins and competitive aspects of dragon boat racing in comparison to modern water sports like rowing, kayaking, and canoeing. Dragon boat racing, originating in ancient China, emphasizes teamwork and tradition, while rowing focuses on individual or small-team athleticism. Kayaking and canoeing, with origins in indigenous watercraft, highlight agility and balance. The article also briefly mentions the presence of similar boat types in traditional Chinese society used for daily life, although they did not develop into a racing system.
Summary: Please provide the article you would like me to summarize. I need the text of the article to be able to provide a summary tailored for professional analysts of Chinese politics, focusing on key details and potential implications.
Summary: Marking five years since the launch of the Hainan Free Trade Port plan, Sanya has focused on developing tourism, tech innovation, and modern industries, achieving a GDP exceeding 100 billion yuan. Sanya is building a science and technology innovation hub by focusing on seed breeding and deep-sea technology, attracting major companies to the Yazhou Bay Science and Technology City. Sanya is working to improve its business environment, streamline approvals, and promote trade facilitation. Sanya is also expanding international routes and duty-free shopping, with sales accounting for over 60% of the province's total. Sanya is preparing for the 2025 island-wide customs closure, with construction projects underway and efforts to expand international flights.
Summary: This article discusses the convergence of the Dragon Boat Festival and Children's Day, highlighting how children's engagement revitalizes traditional customs. Experts explore the intersection of childhood and traditional culture through art, education, clothing, and crafts. The piece emphasizes the charm of childhood and the enduring appeal of traditional culture experienced through the Dragon Boat Festival.
Summary: The Chinese Women and Children's Museum is hosting exhibitions and activities, including the "Together: Inheriting the Beauty of Civilization - Liangzhu Culture Children's Art Education Achievement Exhibition," aimed at immersing children and parents in traditional culture. The museum emphasizes using engaging methods to inspire children, encouraging them to discover, experience, and create beauty. The exhibition involved children's original artwork telling Liangzhu stories, with contributions from various organizations including Hong Kong Patriotic Education Support Centre. The museum incorporated children's suggestions into the exhibition, adding digital elements like AR and interactive exploration, creating a more child-friendly experience. The initiative aims to shift children from being mere recipients of culture to active co-creators, fostering intergenerational dialogue.
Summary: The article discusses historical Chinese paintings depicting children celebrating the Dragon Boat Festival, focusing on works from the Song, Yuan, and Qing dynasties. These paintings illustrate various traditional activities like making zongzi, crafting sachets, racing dragon boat models, worshipping Zhong Kui and playing games. The images provide insights into ancient children's lives, customs, and the cultural significance of the festival. The artworks reflect the hopes for children's well-being, family prosperity, and a harmonious connection with nature.
Summary: The article discusses the enduring and evolving cultural significance of traditional clothing and accessories during the Dragon Boat Festival in China, focusing on their role in warding off evil spirits and promoting health. Traditional motifs like gourds, lucky knots, and "five poisonous creatures" are now being integrated into modern designs and are especially popular as gifts for children. Events like "Chu Style Gathering" are also combining Dragon Boat Festival elements with contemporary fashion. The article emphasizes how these traditions are being revitalized through activities like non-heritage education programs that encourage children to create and wear these items.
Summary: This article discusses the evolution and cultural significance of painted fans during the Dragon Boat Festival (端午节). Traditionally, fan paintings featured "five poisonous creatures" for warding off evil, later evolving to depict auspicious plants ("five auspicious plants") with medicinal and aesthetic value. The art of painting fans with Dragon Boat Festival themes has been enriched over time with combinations of figures, animals, and plants. The practice of gifting fans during the festival dates back to the Tang Dynasty, with the type of fan evolving from bamboo to folding fans over centuries. Despite modern children choosing contemporary themes for their fan art, the essence of cultural inheritance remains through the act of expressing blessings and desires on the fan.
Summary: Please provide the article you would like me to summarize. I need the text of the article to provide an accurate and concise summary for professional analysts of Chinese politics.
Summary: This article discusses the "small tiger" (小艾虎), a traditional cloth tiger given to children during the Dragon Boat Festival to protect them from insects and evil spirits. These tigers vary regionally, with some featuring pumpkin eyes and zongzi noses for prosperity and protection, while others in Gansu have flowers on their tails symbolizing the removal of smallpox. The custom reflects Chinese traditions of caring for children and contains certain aesthetic beauty. The article concludes by noting the tiger's modern adaptations in contemporary design.
Summary: This article discusses the history and cultural significance of dragon boat racing in China, particularly during the Duanwu Festival (Dragon Boat Festival). It highlights the evolution of dragon boat racing as depicted in historical paintings from the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, showcasing its transformation from a courtly spectacle to a popular folk activity. The article emphasizes the importance of dragon boat racing in fostering cultural identity and promoting teamwork and perseverance among children through modern activities. There is no mention of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: This appears to be a masthead for a section of *People's Daily*, specifically indicating the email address for submissions and the name of the page designer. No political events, statements, or US-China relations are mentioned in the provided text.
Xinhua News Agency, Beijing (北京), May 31st. The 11th issue of *Qiushi* magazine, to be published on June 1st, will feature an important article by Xi Jinping (习近平), General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, President of the People's Republic of China, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, entitled "Accelerating the Building of a Strong Educational Nation."
The article emphasizes that education is the foundation for building a strong nation and rejuvenating the Chinese nation. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, we have adhered to treating education as a fundamental plan for the nation and the Party, fully implemented the Party's education policy, made major decisions to deeply implement the strategy of invigorating the nation through science and education and accelerate the modernization of education, established the goal of building a strong educational nation by 2035, and promoted historic achievements and structural changes in education in the new era.
The article points out that the strong educational nation we want to build is a strong educational nation with Chinese socialist characteristics, which should have strong ideological and political leadership, talent competitiveness, scientific and technological support, people's livelihood security, social synergy, and international influence. To build such a strong educational nation, we must comprehensively construct a fundamental and soul-casting ideological and political education system, a fair and high-quality basic education system, a self-reliant and outstanding higher education system, a vocational education system integrating industry and education, a ubiquitous and accessible lifelong education system, a technology support system driven by innovation, a high-quality teaching staff system, and an open and mutually beneficial international cooperation system.
The article points out that building a strong educational nation is a complex systematic project, and it is necessary to fully grasp the political, people-oriented, and strategic attributes of education, and correctly handle the relationship between supporting national strategies and meeting people's livelihood needs, the relationship between knowledge learning and comprehensive development, the relationship between cultivating talents and meeting social needs, the relationship between standardized order and stimulating vitality, and the relationship between rooting in the land of China and learning from international experience.
The article points out that completing the task of building a strong educational nation on schedule is arduous and leaves no time to delay. First, we must unswervingly implement the fundamental task of fostering virtue through education. We must unremittingly use Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era to cultivate people, implement the project of fostering virtue through education in the new era, and adhere to the simultaneous advancement of ideological and political course construction and the Party's innovative theoretical arming. We will strengthen the systematic, theoretical, and rational interpretation of the Party's innovative theories, and construct an independent Chinese philosophy and social science knowledge system based on the iconic concepts and original theories of various disciplines. We will continue to expand the space and positions for practical education and online education. Second, we must strengthen education's support for science and technology and talent. We must adhere to promoting a virtuous cycle of education, science and technology, and talent, coordinate the implementation of the strategy of invigorating the nation through science and education, the strategy of strengthening the nation through talent, and the strategy of innovation-driven development, and promote educational development, scientific and technological innovation, and talent cultivation in an integrated manner. Guided by scientific and technological development and national strategic needs, we will improve the adjustment mechanism for university discipline settings and talent cultivation models. We will optimize the layout of higher education and cultivate and strengthen the national strategic talent force. Third, we must improve the quality and level of educational public services. We must adhere to a people-centered approach, continuously improve the inclusiveness, accessibility, and convenience of educational public services, and allow the fruits of educational reform and development to benefit all people more and more equitably. We will optimize the allocation of regional educational resources, continue to consolidate the achievements of the "double reduction" policy, deeply implement the national education digitalization strategy, and improve the level of lifelong learning public services. Fourth, we must cultivate a high-level teaching staff in the new era. We will implement the action of casting the soul and strengthening teachers with the spirit of educators, strengthen the construction of teacher ethics and conduct, continuously improve the quality of teacher training, and coordinate and optimize teacher management and resource allocation. We will improve the political, social, and professional status of teachers, so that teachers can enjoy high social prestige and become one of the most respected professions in society. Fifth, we must build an important education center with global influence. We will deeply promote the opening up of education to the outside world, coordinate "bringing in" and "going out," and continuously enhance the international influence, competitiveness, and voice of education. We will actively participate in global education governance and contribute more Chinese strength to promoting the development of global education.
The article emphasizes that building a strong educational nation is the beautiful dream pursued by the Chinese nation since modern times, and it is the pioneering task, solid foundation, and strategic support for realizing the great cause of building a strong nation and rejuvenating the nation in all respects through Chinese-style modernization. We must strengthen our confidence, forge ahead bravely, and strive unremittingly to achieve the grand goal of building a strong educational nation.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 李昌禹 丁雅诵 杨 昊
"Young children are the future vital force for advancing the construction of a strong country and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and the Young Pioneers is a great school for the healthy growth of young children. On the new journey, the Young Pioneers must hold high the team flag and follow the Party, focus on the fundamental task of cultivating successors to communism, focus on cultivating qualified builders of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and educate and guide the vast number of Young Pioneers to strive to be good new-era children who love the Party and the country, are diligent and eager to learn, and develop in an all-round way."
On May 27, as the "June 1st" International Children's Day was approaching, General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) sent a congratulatory letter to the opening of the Ninth National Congress of the Young Pioneers of China, extending sincere greetings to the vast number of Young Pioneers, Young Pioneer instructors, and Young Pioneer workers, and wishing children across the country a happy holiday.
Young children are the future of the motherland and the hope of the Chinese nation. Ensuring that children grow up better has always been the warmest concern in General Secretary Xi Jinping's (习近平) heart.
Today, the new era of young children are growing vigorously with a spirit of vigor and high morale. Their eyes are filled with light, their hearts are filled with dreams, and their feet are on the road, ready to realize the Chinese dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation!
"Truly cultivate young people into children who possess 'Four Confidences'"
Eyes filled with light, inheriting the red gene, listening to the Party and following the Party from an early age.
"Students, don't forget our slogan: life is education, society is school..." Not long ago, in the New Fourth Army Huai'an (淮安) Detachment Memorial Hall in Jiangsu Province (江苏省), Li Baihao (李柏豪), a sixth-grade student from Xin'an Primary School (新安小学), sang the "Xin'an Touring Troupe Song," instantly taking the audience back to that war-torn era.
On the eve of the "June 1st" International Children's Day in 2021, General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) replied to the Young Pioneers of Xin'an Primary School (新安小学), encouraging them to "learn the history of the Party in light of their own growth, take heroic and exemplary figures as examples, and firmly resolve to listen to the Party and follow the Party from an early age."
In March 2023, at the deliberation site of the Jiangsu (江苏) delegation to the First Session of the 14th National People's Congress, Zhang Dadong (张大冬), the principal of Xin'an Primary School (新安小学), reported to General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) on the school's inheritance of the red gene.
"We rehearsed the children's drama 'Xin'an Touring Troupe'. Before coming, the protagonist of the children's drama, Li Baihao (李柏豪), asked me to tell you: Grandpa Xi (习爷爷), I play the main character in the children's drama, and I have become more confident now. I am looking forward to you coming to see our performance!"
"Say hello to the children!" General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) said happily.
"Our education should be good at drawing on the excellent elements from the five thousand years of Chinese traditional culture, while not abandoning the achievements of Western civilization, and truly cultivate young people into children who possess 'Four Confidences'." These earnest words irrigated the seeds of confidence in the children's hearts, allowing them to grow vigorously.
Today, Li Baihao (李柏豪) often serves as the host of school activities and is also full of interest in performing. He integrates the glorious tradition of the Xin'an Touring Troupe (新安旅行团) into his daily study and life, "Whenever I encounter difficulties, I have the courage to not be afraid of hardship."
Generations of people have succeeded one another, and the red gene has continued to thrive. In Jiangxi (江西), children take the "Red Scarf" train to the "Red Scarf Cradle" - Pingxiang Anyuan (萍乡安源) to trace their roots, learning about revolutionary history and understanding the origin of the red scarf in the rich exhibits.
Ideological and political lessons enlighten the mind, and the seeds of patriotism take root and sprout. "I love my motherland, and I want to defend the blue sky of my motherland." In the theme class "Who is the Most Lovable Person" at the Air Force Logistics Department Lantian Kindergarten, the children expressed their love for the motherland with their childish but firm voices.
Consciously integrating patriotic feelings, aspirations to strengthen the country, and actions to serve the country into the new era's journey of chasing dreams, the vast number of young children are practicing the solemn oath of "Please rest assured, Party, a strong country is up to me" with practical actions.
Drums and bugles are sonorous, team songs are loud, and the red scarf flutters in the wind.
On May 30, 2014, General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) participated in the joining ceremony of the Young Pioneers of Minzu Primary School (民族小学) in Haidian District (海淀区), Beijing (北京市), and talked about the scene when he joined the team that year.
The General Secretary said: "I remember my heart pounding when I joined the team, and I was very excited. I don't know if you have this feeling?"
The children replied: "Yes."
"Why is this? Because it is an honor." The General Secretary said, "I see hope in your faces, the hope of the motherland and the nation."
"The Young Pioneers is a reserve force for building socialism and communism," "The whole Party and the whole society should attach importance to the work of the Young Pioneers," "Efforts should be made to promote the connection and integration of the Party, League, and Team's educational chain"... General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) attaches great importance to the important role of the Young Pioneers in educating people for the Party, putting forward requirements and pointing out the direction.
In 2021, the "Opinions of the CPC Central Committee on Comprehensively Strengthening the Work of the Young Pioneers in the New Era" was issued. This is the first document issued in the name of the Party Central Committee to specifically strengthen the work of the Young Pioneers in the history of New China, and it is the action program for the work of the Young Pioneers in the new era.
Learn to be a pioneer from elementary school and be a pioneer when you grow up. Today, Young Pioneer elements are presented on more and more important occasions, and various theme activities are widely carried out in Young Pioneer organizations at all levels:
At the presentation ceremony of national medals and national honorary titles, Young Pioneers presented flowers to meritorious and exemplary figures;
On Martyrs' Memorial Day, Young Pioneers faced the Monument to the People's Heroes and sang "We are the successors of communism" and paid the Young Pioneer salute;
In Shaanxi (陕西), the Young Pioneer organization carried out activities such as learning Shaanbei storytelling, paper-cutting, and waist drum, guiding the Young Pioneers to appreciate the breadth and depth of Chinese culture;
In Inner Mongolia (内蒙古), Young Pioneers of all ethnic groups jointly carried out the "Pomegranate Seed Family" practice activity, visiting the border line and planting trees to protect the green, forging a strong sense of community of the Chinese nation;
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The stars and torches are passed down from generation to generation, and the corner of the red flag is an unparalleled honor.
The bright Young Pioneer flag, the bright sunshine, and the children's bright smiles and clear eyes complement each other, and the Party's cause is passed on from generation to generation, with successors.
"Strive to grow into pillars capable of shouldering the great task of building a strong country and rejuvenating the nation"
Hearts filled with dreams, striving to be good new-era children who develop in an all-round way in terms of morality, intelligence, physical fitness, aesthetics, and labor.
In the long river of time, there are always some moments worth remembering.
"A person can have many aspirations, but the most important aspiration in life should be linked to the motherland and the people. This is the foundation of people's various specific aspirations and the backbone of life." Gao Dian (高典), a senior majoring in law at Northwest University of Political Science and Law (西北政法大学), deeply engraved General Secretary Xi Jinping's (习近平) encouragement in his heart.
The pointer of time goes back to 2015. At that time, Gao Dian (高典), a sixth-grade student from Yan'an Innovation Experimental Primary School (延安创新实验小学) in Shaanxi (陕西), came to Beijing (北京) as a representative of the Young Pioneers to participate in the Seventh National Congress of the Young Pioneers of China. In the Great Hall of the People (人民大会堂), he put a red scarf on General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平).
Recalling the scene 10 years ago, Gao Dian (高典) is still excited, "I hope to help more people through my professional studies and contribute to maintaining social fairness and justice."
When communicating with children, "aspiration" and "dream" are keywords that General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) often mentions.
In his message, he "pays attention to cultivating the aspiration to pursue truth and serve the motherland"; emphasizes that "Chinese children in the new era should be good children who have aspirations and dreams, love learning and labor, understand gratitude and kindness, and dare to innovate and struggle, and develop in an all-round way in terms of morality, intelligence, physical fitness, aesthetics, and labor"; and instructs them to "have dreams, but also be down-to-earth, study hard, and then dreams can come true"... His affectionate entrustment and careful guidance guide the children to "strive to grow into pillars capable of shouldering the great task of building a strong country and rejuvenating the nation."
In December 2016, the science popularization satellite developed by the children of Beijing Bayi School (北京市八一学校) was launched into space and accurately entered orbit, sending back beacon signals. Before the launch, they wrote to General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) as agreed, reporting the news that the small satellite was about to be launched.
General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) replied to them: "Maintain your thirst for knowledge, maintain your interest in exploration, cultivate a scientific spirit, study hard, and work hard in practice."
General Secretary Xi Jinping's (习近平) encouragement gave Zhu Xun (朱迅), a member of the science popularization satellite research and development team, great confidence. He took science and technology courses, carried out satellite experiments, and experienced various links of the aerospace system engineering at the satellite launch center. "These experiences not only exercised my ability to solve practical problems, but also cultivated my strong interest in science and technology."
Now, Zhu Xun (朱迅) is studying for a doctorate in the Department of Energy and Power Engineering at Tsinghua University (清华大学), engaged in research in aerospace-related fields, and continuing to move forward on the road of exploring scientific unknowns.
Science education leads the way to growth. Astronauts "teach in Tiangong", leading young children across the country to appreciate the mysterious charm of space; museums and science and technology museums create science exploration courses to guide children to conduct inquiry-based learning in experiments; the "Master Lecture Hall for Children" allows scientists to enter campuses and light up the scientific dreams of more children...
Today, children in the new era are growing with more confidence, and more and more children are determined to seek knowledge and learning without distraction.
"All-round development in morality, intelligence, physical fitness, aesthetics, and labor, every word is worth a thousand gold, and they are all obtained after years of summary and exploration." The healthy growth and all-round development of young children has always been a concern in General Secretary Xi Jinping's (习近平) heart.
Affectionate entrustment turns into surging power.
"Civilize their spirit." In Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture (凉山彝族自治州), Sichuan (四川), the "Niu Niu Choir" allows a group of zero-based mountain village children to wander in the ocean of music. From creating their own original songs to singing at the Central Opera House, the children meet a bigger world and gain full confidence in singing.
"Strengthen their physique." Skipping rope "crossing obstacles" and dribbling "transporting supplies", a physical education class is very lively on the playground of Jingzhong Street Primary School (精忠街小学) in Beijing (北京市). The children are transformed into "cross-country masters", and cheerful laughter echoes for a long time. Promoting 15 minutes of recess and one physical education class every day allows more and more children to sweat and have strength in their feet.
"Labor is the most glorious." In Xuanwei (宣威), Yunnan (云南), hundreds of acres of labor education bases have become a bustling "classroom". A series of field labor classes bring children not only new knowledge, but also a cherishing of food and a hardworking character tempered in labor.
Today, the integrated construction of ideological and political education is constantly advancing, and the Party's innovative theories not only enter textbooks and classrooms, but also enter minds; labor education is organically integrated into the entire process of youth growth, and love for labor and the ability to labor are gradually becoming a new fashion on campuses; the reform of physical education teaching is continuously deepened, and aesthetic education immersion actions and reading actions for young students are implemented... Education is no longer a "one-intelligence" show, and a situation of all-round coordinated development of morality, intelligence, physical fitness, aesthetics, and labor is taking shape. Children are growing into pillars of the country capable of shouldering the important task of building a strong country and rejuvenating the nation with a broader vision and a stronger physique.
"You are the future of the motherland, and I hope your life is as sweet as candy"
With a road under their feet, the environment for the growth and success of young children is getting better and better, and the road is getting wider and wider.
Walking into Zhijiang Primary School (之江小学) in Jialing District (嘉陵区), Nanchong City (南充市), Sichuan Province (四川省), the modern teaching facilities that can be seen everywhere are eye-catching: electronic whiteboards are used in the classrooms, the library has a large LED display, and there are teacher book bars, clay workshops, and so on.
Inside the campus, a large stone engraved with the words "Gratitude" is particularly eye-catching.
The predecessor of Zhijiang Primary School (之江小学) was a mountainous primary school on the hillside. The mountains were high and the roads were steep, the school buildings were old, and students had to walk a long mountain road to go to school. Some children had to set off before dawn.
In early 2004, under the national east-west cooperation mechanism, Zhijiang Primary School (之江小学) became one of the more than 160 Hope Primary Schools built by Zhejiang (浙江) in Nanchong (南充). In May of that year, Xi Jinping (习近平), then Secretary of the Zhejiang Provincial Party Committee, came here to lay the foundation for the school, earnestly entrusting that "this school should be built well so that children in mountain villages can become talents as soon as possible."
On the eve of the "June 1st" International Children's Day in 2024, General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) replied to the students of Zhijiang Primary School (之江小学), "I am very pleased to learn that the school has been getting better and better in recent years, and the students are studying diligently, loving labor, and growing up healthy and happy."
Let every child fully enjoy a vibrant education, and let every child fly higher and farther with dreams. This is related to the happiness of every family and the future of the Chinese nation.
In Yangjialing Fuzhou Hope Primary School (杨家岭福州希望小学) in Yan'an (延安), Shaanxi (陕西), he emphasized that "to grasp development in old revolutionary areas and poor areas, we still have to grasp education at the root, and don't let children lose at the starting line";
In Zhongyi Township Primary School (中益乡小学) in the depths of the mountains in Chongqing (重庆), seeing that the lunch was four dishes and one soup and the nutrition was balanced, he said with emotion, "Now the standard for each meal has increased to 6 yuan, which is much richer than before";
In the Dadong Non-staple Food Market (大东副食品商场) in Shenyang (沈阳), Liaoning (辽宁), he took the candy given by the children and said kindly, "You are the future of the motherland, and I hope your life is as sweet as candy";
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"It is our greatest wish that children grow up better." General Secretary Xi Jinping's (习近平) simple words carry the most sincere feelings.
Children in disaster areas and children with disabilities are even more concerns in General Secretary Xi Jinping's (习近平) heart.
On the eve of the Spring Festival in 2014, General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平), who was inspecting Inner Mongolia (内蒙古), walked into the Hohhot Children's Welfare Institute (呼和浩特市儿童福利院). Here, the General Secretary visited Wang Yani (王雅妮), a deaf-mute girl, asked about her studies, talked about her aspirations, and looked through her sign language books and photo albums.
"I hope that the children of the welfare home will live healthy and grow up happily like other children in the motherland." The General Secretary's earnest entrustment gave Wang Yani (王雅妮) endless motivation. Now, at the age of 26, she has become a teacher at the Hohhot Special Education School (呼和浩特市特殊教育学校), helping more disabled children change their destiny.
General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) has forged a deep relationship with the children, and one warm moment after another has become the most unforgettable picture in the children's growth...
"The Party Central Committee has always cared about the healthy growth of young children and has taken a series of policies and measures to strive to create a better environment for children's healthy growth."
Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, under the great attention and concern of General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平), the Party Central Committee has incorporated the implementation of the principle of children first into the overall planning and promotion of the Party and the country's work, improved the policy and legal system, issued national plans such as the "Outline for the Development of Chinese Children (2021-2030)" and the "Outline for the Construction of an Education Powerhouse (2024-2035)", and revised the Law on the Protection of Minors and the Law on the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency, weaving a tight safety net for children...
Gradually improving systems and constantly improving policies create an increasingly better environment for the growth and success of young children, and children grow up and aspire to become talents -
Zhu Rui (朱锐), a student at the Fourth Middle School of Rucheng County (汝城县第四中学) in Chenzhou (郴州), Hunan (湖南), actively participates in school activities such as the "Half a Quilt" story drama performance and the red song chorus. "When I grow up, I want to be a soldier and defend my country." Zhu Rui (朱锐) is full of longing.
Zhang Yuke (张钰可), a student at Beijing Yuying School (北京育英学校), participates in wrestling training every weekend. In the Chinese Wrestling Open of the Beijing Urban Sub-center Series last year, she won the runner-up in the women's junior group. "I want to grow up strong and practice well!" Zhang Yuke (张钰可) is full of confidence.
Ma Zihan (马子涵), a student at Xi'an High-tech No. 1 Middle School (西安高新第一中学) in Shaanxi (陕西), has always maintained a love for art. He practices every day and perseveres. He is currently able to play the piano and guzheng proficiently. "The beauty in art is a valuable asset in my growth." Ma Zihan's (马子涵) eyes are firm.
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"Contemporary Chinese children are not only the experiencers and witnesses of the realization of the first centenary goal, but also the vital force for realizing the second centenary goal and building a strong socialist modern country." General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) affectionately expects the children of the new era -
"Today, be good children of the motherland, and tomorrow, be builders of the motherland. A better life belongs to you, and the beautiful Chinese dream belongs to you."
This is General Secretary Xi Jinping's (习近平) beautiful expectation for children in the new era, and it is also the bright future of the Chinese nation's continued efforts 接续奋进 (jiē xù fèn jìn - "continue striving," to continuously strive forward).
By: 本报记者 张志锋
Project diagrams, satellite images, planning maps... Visiting the Administrative Committee of Xiong'an New Area (雄安新区), the most impressive thing is the series of diagrams.
"Truly transform the high-standard urban planning blueprint into a high-quality urban development reality." In May 2023, General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) emphasized during his inspection of Xiong'an New Area (雄安新区) in Hebei (河北).
Bearing in mind General Secretary Xi Jinping's (习近平) instructions and promoting the transformation of the blueprint into reality, this high-level modern city is growing rapidly. In more than 8 years, the construction area of Xiong'an New Area (雄安新区) has expanded to more than 200 square kilometers.
What can be seen from a diagram?
Yao Chenyu (姚晨宇), a staff member of the Relocation Service Department of the Administrative Committee of the Startup Area of Xiong'an New Area (雄安新区启动区管委会疏解服务处), has accumulated a stack of project diagrams in the four years since he came to work in Xiong'an (雄安) – more than 20 from the 2021 version to the 2025 version. Flipping through them one by one is like replaying a documentary of Xiong'an's (雄安) urban construction: in 2021, the construction of the Startup Area had just begun, and the project diagrams at that time were still somewhat empty; now, with the increase in projects and the acceleration of construction, the diagrams are gradually being filled up.
The speed of development is driven by reform. Walking into the China Sinochem (中国中化) headquarters, which is currently being renovated internally, Yao Chenyu (姚晨宇) took out a project diagram of the Startup Area of the New Area in 2022. The China Sinochem (中国中化) headquarters building planned in the diagram has now "grown" into a 150-meter-high building, which is expected to be ready for occupancy before the end of the year. According to the general process, it takes 6 months to complete all kinds of construction permits for a project of this size. Thanks to the New Area's deepening of the administrative approval system reform, "one seal manages to the end," and construction permits are handled in stages. The project took only 1 month from land acquisition to site leveling and excavation.
This diagram reflects "quality" in "speed." In October 2024, China Satellite Network (中国星网) was the first of the first batch of relocated central enterprises to move into office, and jointly with upstream and downstream enterprises, it initiated the establishment of the China Aerospace Information and Satellite Internet Innovation Alliance, attracting more than 50 chain enterprises to gather, "gathering" the first industrial chain in the New Area, and "chaining" a new picture of high-quality development.
This diagram reflects "newness" in "quality." In the project diagrams, the number of high-tech enterprises is constantly increasing, and Mech-Mind (梅卡曼德) is one of them. In November 2024, Mech-Mind (Beijing) Robotics Technology Co., Ltd. (梅卡曼德（北京）机器人科技有限公司) was unveiled in Xiong'an New Area Zhongguancun Science Park (雄安新区中关村科技园). Subsequently, Mech-Mind (梅卡曼德) and other enterprises jointly initiated the establishment of the Xiong'an New Area Zhongguancun Robot Industry Alliance (雄安新区中关村机器人产业联盟) to promote the coordinated development of the intelligent robot industry.
Focusing on new-generation information technology and other fields, Xiong'an New Area (雄安新区) is planning new tracks for future industries and accelerating the cultivation of new quality productive forces. At present, Xiong'an New Area Zhongguancun Science Park (雄安新区中关村科技园) has introduced more than 130 enterprises, including 35 national high-tech enterprises.
Click on the satellite map of Xiong'an New Area (雄安新区), and new projects are hidden in the green. 300 meters into the park, 1 kilometer into the forest belt, 3 kilometers into the forest. Since the establishment of the New Area, it has afforested a total of 481,000 mu, and the forest coverage rate has increased from 11% to 35% today, and the "green content" has gradually increased.
**一张蓝图干到底** (yī zhāng lán tú gàn dào dǐ - "carry out the blueprint to the end," to implement a plan consistently from start to finish), the planning map is becoming a real picture.
As of now, the New Area has compiled a planning system such as the "Hebei Xiong'an New Area Planning Outline" (《河北雄安新区规划纲要》). From the 12-square-kilometer Rongdong Area (容东片区) to the 38-square-kilometer Startup Area (启动区), and then to the current construction area expanding to more than 200 square kilometers, the New Area's planning map construction "progress bar" is constantly updated year after year, with more than 800 kilometers of new roads and more than 4,900 buildings rising from the ground.
At present, the first batch of relocated central enterprises, China Sinochem (中国中化) and China Huaneng (中国华能), are about to complete their renovations, and the second batch of 4 relocated central enterprises have already selected their sites. Luo Shuang (罗爽), Deputy Director of the Administrative Committee of the Startup Area of Xiong'an New Area (雄安新区启动区管委会副主任), introduced that the number of key projects in the Startup Area has increased to 142 this year.
"This year, we will focus on serving the relocation of central enterprises such as China Sinochem (中国中化) to move into office." Climbing to the 21st floor of the China Sinochem (中国中化) headquarters, Yao Chenyu (姚晨宇) opened the 2025 Startup Area project map and looked around. The nearby China Minmetals (中国矿产) headquarters is about to be capped, and a batch of projects under construction are in full view...
Return to TopBeijing, May 31st (Reporter Yang Hao (杨昊)) It was learned from the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League that, according to statistics from the National Work Committee for Young Pioneers, as of December 31, 2024, there were 113 million Young Pioneers and 3,054,000 Young Pioneer instructors in primary and secondary schools nationwide. There are 176,000 Young Pioneer Work Committees in primary and secondary schools, 179,000 Young Pioneer brigades, and 2,874,000 Young Pioneer troops.
Return to TopDuring the Dragon Boat Festival holiday, diverse folk activities enhanced the festive atmosphere and enriched people's cultural life.
Return to TopBy: 邹 翔
During the Dragon Boat Festival, I observed two phenomena: "one decrease and one increase."
What "decreased" was the packaging of zongzi (粽子, glutinous rice dumplings). Businesses are adhering to the state's rigid requirements regarding void ratio, number of packaging layers, and other aspects. Gift boxes are increasingly using materials such as paper and iron. The packaging has become simpler, the price of zongzi is more accessible, and a fresh and righteous atmosphere is constantly filling the air.
What "increased" was the "way to celebrate" the festival. In Guangdong (广东), the Foshan (佛山) Diejiao (叠滘) Dragon Boat Drifting Competition (龙船漂移大赛) was held for three consecutive days, creating a hot "folk Dragon Boat Festival" atmosphere. In Beijing (北京), families at the China Science and Technology Museum (中国科技馆) crossed time and space to explore the prehistoric world, making for a "science and technology Dragon Boat Festival" full of charm.
Behind the "one decrease and one increase" is the promotion of traditional festivals to shine with dazzling brilliance through upholding integrity and innovation. Traditional festivals contain profound historical connotations and carry heavy spiritual sustenance. To make them bloom with the new charm of the times, it is necessary to both "reduce the burden" and "empower": both to protect their cultural origins and to activate their contemporary life by integrating into the present and seeking change through innovation.
At the same time, traditional festivals also provide nodes and opportunities to remind us to draw more wisdom and strength from the dialogue with history and tradition to enlighten our minds, nourish our hearts, and encourage us to move forward.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 田先进
Intelligent sorting lines operate rapidly, and the logistics distribution center is a hive of activity; on streets and alleys, unmanned delivery vehicles shuttle back and forth.
"There's no need to manually verify addresses, and there's much less exposure to the elements," said postal delivery worker Zhu Xiqin (朱锡琴). "With intelligent equipment, efficiency has been greatly improved."
In Nanling County (南陵县), Wuhu City (芜湖市), Anhui Province (安徽省), hundreds of unmanned delivery vehicles are responsible for 90% of the station deliveries in the county seat, with an average daily delivery of over 30,000 express packages. In March of this year, the unmanned express delivery business was expanded from the county seat to rural areas.
In October 2024, General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平总书记) pointed out during his inspection in Anhui (安徽): "Strengthen urbanization construction with county towns as important carriers and strengthen the county economy."
Nanling County (南陵县) seized the opportunity to accelerate the optimization and upgrading of the intelligent logistics equipment industry, injecting abundant vitality into the high-quality development of the county economy.
In Anhui ZK Micro-to Logistics Equipment Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (安徽中科微至物流装备制造有限公司), the digital production workshop operates efficiently. "Our products cover automatic sorting, intelligent warehousing, and other fields, and the output value has been around 1 billion yuan for three consecutive years," said Wu Jing (吴晶), the company's administrative manager.
Based on the foundation of auto parts manufacturing, Nanling County (南陵县) is vigorously developing the intelligent logistics equipment industry and accelerating the cultivation of characteristic industrial clusters.
Actively visiting companies, inviting on-site inspections, implementing industrial policies... With full sincerity and unremitting efforts, Nanling County (南陵县) has attracted companies such as Anhui ZK Micro-to Logistics Equipment Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (安徽中科微至物流装备制造有限公司), quickly forming a relatively complete industrial chain.
"Precise industrial positioning, attracting high-quality enterprises, and subsequent policy support have driven the rapid rise of the intelligent logistics equipment industry," said Fan Liancheng (范连城), director of the Nanling County (南陵县) Postal Industry Development Center.
Strengthen innovation empowerment. Carry out all-round cooperation with the Development Research Center of the State Post Bureau (国家邮政局发展研究中心); reach a strategic cooperation agreement with SF Holdings Co., Ltd. (顺丰控股股份有限公司) in jointly researching intelligent logistics equipment; and accelerate the construction of various high-level innovation platforms such as Nanling Post Valley Science and Technology Innovation Park (南陵邮谷科技创新园区).
Enrich the industrial ecology. Absorb 61 companies and initiate the establishment of the Yangtze River Delta Express Logistics Intelligent Equipment Industry Alliance (长三角快递物流智能装备产业联盟) to help companies expand their markets.
Expand application scenarios. Release a list of 16 unmanned application scenarios to build a full-chain technology innovation service system of "scenario application + commercial operation + industrial base."
Up to now, Nanling County (南陵县) has gathered more than 170 enterprises related to the intelligent logistics equipment industry, with a total investment of more than 26 billion yuan. In 2024, the intelligent logistics equipment industry cluster in Nanling County (南陵县) achieved an output value of 8.814 billion yuan, an increase of 22.4% year-on-year.
The sustainable supply of innovative talents is crucial for the development of emerging industries. Nanling County (南陵县) has jointly built a modern logistics intelligent manufacturing college with Wuhu Vocational and Technical College (芜湖职业技术学院), with the first batch of about 300 students enrolled in 2024.
"We will continue to strengthen the joint innovation platform of 'government + enterprise + university', increase scientific and technological innovation, carefully cultivate the industrial ecology, deepen the practice of scenario applications, and empower the industry to develop better," said Fan Liancheng (范连城).
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 罗珊珊
Since the beginning of this year, the international environment has changed dramatically, and the impact of external shocks has increased. However, China's foreign trade has still maintained steady growth, demonstrating strong resilience. What is the current state of foreign trade? Recently, reporters approached businesses, cross-border e-commerce platforms, and front-line customs supervision to explore the resilience code of China's foreign trade by following three foreign trade practitioners working on the front lines.
Ma Tongwei (马同伟), General Manager of Shandong Ruitu Laser Technology Co., Ltd. (山东锐图激光科技有限公司):
"There have always been crises, and there have always been opportunities."
9:00 AM, Shandong Ruitu Laser Technology Co., Ltd. (山东锐图激光科技有限公司), a morning meeting begins.
Ma Tongwei (马同伟), the company's general manager who had just taken a dozen-hour flight, went directly from the airport to the meeting: "This trip to Egypt was very fruitful. I participated in Egypt's largest exhibition for the door, window, and curtain wall industry and met many new customers. The Egyptian branch is operating smoothly and has received more than a dozen orders since it opened."
At the meeting, the branch established in New York (纽约), USA in early April was also a key focus of discussion. Currently, the branch's professional after-sales and service personnel are already in place.
The increasingly complex and severe external environment has not shaken the company's confidence in exploring the international market.
"Where does the confidence come from?" the reporter asked.
"In Shandong (山东), Liaocheng (聊城) has a bearing industrial belt, and Jinan (济南) has a laser cutting machine industrial belt. Whether it is parts supply, professional talent, or scale and technology, our industrial concentration advantages are unparalleled." Ma Tongwei (马同伟), who has been in foreign trade for more than ten years, has a long-term vision. "There are always opportunities for 'Made in China' in the global market. In the field of laser equipment, we are not only continuously upgrading towards high-end and automation, but also accelerating the layout of global branches to strive to provide better user experience and after-sales service."
After the morning meeting, Ma Tongwei (马同伟) went straight to the factory workshop to check the order scheduling and production situation.
"Currently, our orders on hand have been scheduled for two months later, and we are rushing to ship them. In recent years, the technological barriers of laser cutting machines have been continuously broken through, and the price of a single machine has dropped from the original one million yuan to 200,000 to 300,000 yuan. The global manufacturing transformation and upgrading have a strong demand for laser cutting machines with higher precision and efficiency." Ma Tongwei (马同伟) keenly perceived the market trend and expanded his business to Southeast Asia (东南亚), Africa (非洲) and other regions.
After lunch, without taking a break, Ma Tongwei (马同伟) began to receive customers from Russia (俄罗斯) and Saudi Arabia (沙特阿拉伯).
Visiting the factory warehouse, visiting upstream and downstream companies, discussing products and prices, Ma Tongwei (马同伟) had in-depth exchanges with customers throughout the afternoon. "We closed a 1.5 million yuan order on the spot. Next, we will cultivate these two markets, and we have reached a consensus." Ma Tongwei (马同伟) said, "Many customers are friends of many years, and everyone has accumulated deep mutual trust in transaction and communication. In the future, we will meet more new friends!"
After getting off work and returning home, the work is not over yet. At 10:30 PM, Ma Tongwei (马同伟) has an online meeting with the US branch. "There have always been crises, and there have always been opportunities. We are always paying attention to the US market and have prepared 6-8 containers of machines that can be shipped at any time." Ma Tongwei (马同伟) said with emotion, "This is an ordinary day for foreign traders, busy and fulfilling."
Chen Tang (陈唐), relevant person in charge of Alibaba International Station (阿里巴巴国际站) Marketing Department:
"Accurately help companies go overseas better"
In previous years, May was not Chen Tang's (陈唐) "peak season" for work. For this person in charge of promotion marketing at Alibaba International Station (阿里巴巴国际站), March and September are the peak seasons for overseas professional buyers to purchase, which is the busiest time. "I didn't expect to usher in the first 'Foreign Trade 618' in my life this year." Chen Tang (陈唐) said with some emotion.
Early in the morning, in Hangzhou (杭州), Zhejiang (浙江), the cafeteria of Alibaba Binjiang Park (阿里巴巴滨江园区) still smelled of scallion oil noodles, and Chen Tang (陈唐) had already arrived at his workstation. After the Sino-US Geneva trade talks, American buyers who were originally in a wait-and-see state quickly poured into Alibaba International Station (阿里巴巴国际站). Chen Tang (陈唐) and his team immediately made a decision to urgently launch a special session for the United States to better meet the needs of American buyers.
"A major advantage of cross-border e-commerce is that it has accumulated a large amount of industry data, which can grasp the latest trends on both the supply and demand sides in the first time, and accurately help companies go overseas better." Chen Tang (陈唐) noticed in the background that on the first day of the US special promotion, the number of orders in various industries increased significantly, with clothing and accessories, home gardening, and consumer electronics ranking among the top; from the perspective of growth momentum, auto parts and supplies increased by 62% year-on-year, and machinery and equipment increased by 46% year-on-year.
Chen Tang (陈唐) analyzed that in the past period of time, the Alibaba International Station (阿里巴巴国际站) APP has been downloaded by a large number of small and medium-sized enterprises in the United States, and once topped the US shopping APP download list. In addition, US retailers and private labelers generally only have 1 to 2 months of inventory, and tariff adjustments have stimulated their willingness to place orders.
The opportunity is rare and must be acted upon quickly. At 1:00 PM, a comprehensive coordination meeting across departments quickly reached a consensus that the US special promotion should not only continue until June, but also increase its efforts, and all merchants on the platform can sign up to participate.
"Time is tight. We must not only do a good job in marketing and development in the US market, but also maintain and expand other markets." Chen Tang (陈唐) is simultaneously promoting a series of marketing activities for the European market. Since December last year, the number of orders in the European market on Alibaba International Station (阿里巴巴国际站) has increased rapidly, especially in the French market, where the order growth rate once reached 150%. Major European markets such as Italy (意大利), Spain (西班牙), Germany (德国), and the United Kingdom (英国) also have good performance.
"This is mainly due to the increasingly close economic and trade relations between China and Europe. At the same time, the European market is recovering, and Chinese goods always have a comparative advantage in the international market." Chen Tang (陈唐) is always paying attention to global market changes.
As night fell, Chen Tang (陈唐) and his team were still fighting together, building merchant registration channels and promotion venues, with only two words as the goal - "going overseas."
Liu Jie (刘杰), Deputy Section Chief of the Supervision Section of Jiangyin Customs (江阴海关), affiliated to Nanjing Customs (南京海关):
"The routes for 'going out' are becoming more and more dense"
At 9:00 AM, Jiangyin Port (江阴港), Wuxi (无锡), Jiangsu (江苏), Liu Jie (刘杰), Deputy Section Chief of the Supervision Section of Jiangyin Customs (江阴海关), affiliated to Nanjing Customs (南京海关), is checking the cargo arriving at the customs supervision and operation site on that day.
On the computer screen, each line is a product, alloy steel wire, polyester chips, plastic particles, electric scooters, bulk carriers... From intermediate products to consumer goods, from "small bodies" to "big giants", the types of goods going out to sea from Jiangyin Port (江阴港) are becoming more and more abundant.
While sliding the mouse, a logistics declaration information of "copper-plated steel wire" exported to ASEAN (东盟) jumped into Liu Jie's (刘杰) field of vision: "Bekaert's 'fast horse' is running faster and faster in the ASEAN market." Not long ago, in the "Hundred Enterprises Visit, Thousand Inquiries" activity serving Jiangyin (江阴) foreign trade enterprises, he learned from Bekaert that its export value to the ASEAN market in the first quarter has doubled compared with the same period last year.
Those rushing to overseas markets include not only "veterans" who have been deeply involved in the international market for a long time, but also "newcomers" who are going out for the first time. "In March, 133 domestically produced buses were exported to Saudi Arabia (沙特); in early May, a local private enterprise produced pet cleaning wipes for the first time and opened up the Thai market..." Liu Jie (刘杰) can recite these like a family treasure.
At 2:00 PM, Liu Jie (刘杰) and his colleague Lu Bo (陆波) came to the dock to check the declared export containers one by one against the loading manifest, bill of lading, and customs declaration: "The seal is intact and no abnormalities were found."
Almost at the same time, the terminal uploaded the arrival report to the monitoring system and triggered an electronic release instruction. The red truck waiting on the side drove the containers to the berth one by one. Under the precise and rapid engagement of the crane grab, the containers were hoisted onto international navigation ships.
Looking at the gradually receding ship shadow, Liu Jie (刘杰) talked about the development and changes of Jiangyin Port (江阴港): From a small inland river port opened in 1992, it has developed into the third largest inland river port in the country in terms of cargo throughput. Jiangyin Port (江阴港) has established shipping relations with more than 600 ports in more than 200 countries and regions. Since the beginning of this year, 3 direct trunk lines have been opened.
"'Going out' routes are becoming more and more dense." Liu Jie (刘杰) said, "The 'Jiangyin-Portugal' (江阴—葡萄牙) foreign trade container direct航线 opened in February this year loaded more than 1,300 containers on the first ship, which is the largest ship loaded since the opening of Jiangyin Port (江阴港). The new Jiangyin Port (江阴港) to Sihanoukville Port (西哈努克港), Cambodia (柬埔寨) direct航线 opened in May shortens the logistics cycle by 3 days, and will also call at the main ports of Vietnam (越南), Thailand (泰国), and Cambodia (柬埔寨), making it more convenient to export goods to ASEAN (东盟)."
On the same day, rubber products from Southeast Asia (东南亚) also arrived, and Liu Jie (刘杰) continued to work hard in various customs supervision and operation sites.
(Ding Qianqian (丁茜茜) participated in the writing)
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 李心萍
The first national railway-covered smart logistics park, the Phase II project of the Pinghu South Comprehensive Logistics Hub (平湖南综合物流枢纽) in Shenzhen (深圳), Guangdong (广东), has completed its steel structure main body and is expected to be completed within the year.
"Railway-covered logistics park refers to expanding the space upwards while retaining the existing railway freight yard, and building a smart logistics warehouse on the cover plate transfer layer, realizing the three-dimensional development of railway land," explained Gu Feng (谷峰), Deputy Director of the Engineering Department of the Shenzhen Construction Headquarters of the Guangzhou Railway Group (广铁集团).
Taking the Pinghu South Comprehensive Logistics Hub (平湖南综合物流枢纽) project as an example, the ground floor is a railway freight yard, including 4 freight lines and 3 platforms; the second floor is 11 high-standard logistics warehouses. Four transportation ramps and 7 transportation channels realize vertical and horizontal transportation functions.
Three-dimensional development of railway land has many advantages.
It is conducive to realizing the intensive and efficient use of land.
Observing the location of the Pinghu South Comprehensive Logistics Hub (平湖南综合物流枢纽) project, it is located in Longgang District (龙岗区) of Shenzhen (深圳), bordering Danping Expressway (丹平快速路) to the east, Jihe Expressway (机荷高速) to the north, and Shuiguan Expressway (水官高速) to the south. It is enclosed by the Beijing-Kowloon Railway (京九铁路) and the Guangzhou-Shenzhen Railway (广深铁路), and the Pingyan Railway (平盐铁路) and Pingnan Railway (平南铁路) intersect with the national railway network here. In Shenzhen (深圳), where land is at a premium, there are very few plots suitable for undertaking the function of a logistics hub.
"The project takes the lead in exploring the development model of 'intensive utilization of existing railway freight yard land' in the country, effectively integrating railway resources and local industrial resources, which can greatly increase the output value of land and has strong demonstration significance," said Gu Feng (谷峰).
It is conducive to realizing the efficient collection, distribution, and turnover of goods.
"In the past, railway freight yards and logistics parks were in different places. When goods were transported by multimodal transport, they needed to be transferred many times, which was not only time-consuming but also increased costs," said Yang Lei (杨磊), chief engineer of the Pinghu South Comprehensive Logistics Hub (平湖南综合物流枢纽) project of China Railway 25th Bureau (中铁二十五局). Now, through the railway-covered logistics park, "one-stop" transfer can be realized, greatly reducing transportation cycle and cost.
With the completion of the Pinghu South Comprehensive Logistics Hub (平湖南综合物流枢纽) project and its connection with the Pingyan Railway (平盐铁路), the logistics hub and Shenzhen Port (深圳港) will realize direct railway access.
"In the future, after the goods arrive at Shenzhen Port (深圳港), they can directly take the train and reach the Pinghu South Comprehensive Logistics Hub (平湖南综合物流枢纽) within 1 hour," said Yang Lei (杨磊). Then, they can be quickly marshaled and transferred to other trains to go to all parts of the country, or even take the China-Europe Railway Express (中欧班列) to Europe, or quickly transfer to cars.
Through three-dimensional development, the railway freight station is upgraded into a comprehensive logistics hub integrating public-rail-sea multimodal transport, regional distribution and delivery, public warehousing, and logistics information services.
Calculations show that compared with the current transportation mode, the new mode can save 40% of the time and promote logistics efficiency by more than 30%. It is estimated that in 2026, it will undertake 1.4 million TEUs of sea-rail intermodal transport tasks in Shenzhen (深圳).
It is reported that after the completion of the Pinghu South Comprehensive Logistics Hub (平湖南综合物流枢纽) project, it will become the largest single railway logistics center in the country and the largest public-rail-sea multimodal transport center in Asia.
Return to TopData from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (农业农村部) shows that as of 5:00 PM on May 30th, the wheat harvest in Henan (河南), the "Central Plains Granary," has exceeded 60%.
Return to TopThis newspaper reported from Beijing on May 31st (Reporter Wang Zheng (王政)) In response to a certain car company taking the lead in launching a significant price reduction campaign since May 23, with many companies following suit, triggering a new round of "price war" panic, the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (中国汽车工业协会) recently released the "Initiative on Maintaining Fair Competition Order and Promoting the Healthy Development of the Industry." What is the view on the initiative released by the CAAM (中汽协)? What measures will the industry authorities take regarding the "involutionary" competition such as the "price war" in the automotive industry?
The relevant person in charge of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (工业和信息化部) stated that the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (工业和信息化部) agrees with and supports the CAAM's (中汽协) "Initiative on Maintaining Fair Competition Order and Promoting the Healthy Development of the Industry." The "price war" between car companies has a significant impact on the normal production and operation of automobile companies, endangering the healthy and sustainable development of the industry.
The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (工业和信息化部) encourages enterprises to reduce production costs through technological innovation and management innovation, and bring higher-quality and more cost-effective products to consumers. The disorderly "price war" between enterprises is a typical manifestation of "involutionary" competition, which is not conducive to enterprises' continuous R&D investment, which in turn affects product quality, performance, and service levels, and even brings safety hazards and damages consumers' rights and interests. Over time, the internal driving force of industrial development will also be weakened. It can be said that there are no winners in a "price war," let alone a future.
The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (工业和信息化部) will increase the efforts to rectify the "involutionary" competition in the automotive industry, promote the optimization and adjustment of the industrial structure, strengthen the spot check of product consistency, cooperate with relevant departments to carry out anti-unfair competition law enforcement, take necessary regulatory measures, resolutely maintain a fair and orderly market environment, effectively protect the fundamental interests of consumers, and promote the high-quality development of the automotive industry.
The person in charge stated that they hope enterprises will adhere to integrity and innovation, quality first, continuously improve product quality and service quality through strengthening technological innovation, practice social responsibility, and create a good brand image.
In another dispatch, the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (中国汽车工业协会) recently released the "Initiative on Maintaining Fair Competition Order and Promoting the Healthy Development of the Industry."
The initiative pointed out that in recent years, China's new energy vehicle industry has developed rapidly, and the sales of new energy vehicles account for more than 40% of new car sales. At present, the overall operation of the industry shows a steady and positive trend, and market vitality continues to be released. We also see that for a period of time, the industry's profitability has declined, and "involutionary" competition, mainly manifested in disorderly "price wars," is an important factor in the decline in industry efficiency. Product after-sales service guarantees and enterprise innovation and development need to continue to increase investment, while "price wars" seriously affect the normal operation of enterprises, impact the safety of the industrial chain and supply chain, and bring industrial development into a vicious circle.
The CAAM (中汽协) mentioned that disorderly "price wars" intensify vicious competition, which will further squeeze corporate profit margins, which in turn will affect product quality and after-sales service guarantees, which will not only hinder the healthy development of the industry itself, but also harm consumers' rights and interests, and bring safety hazards.
New energy vehicles are a typical representative of new quality productive forces, and are leading the automotive industry to accelerate transformation and upgrading. It is very important to maintain the healthy development of the industry. The CAAM (中汽协) put forward the following initiatives:
All enterprises should strictly abide by the principle of fair competition and carry out business activities in accordance with laws and regulations; dominant enterprises should not monopolize the market, squeeze the living space of other entities, or harm the legitimate rights and interests of other operators; in addition to legally reducing prices to dispose of goods, enterprises should not dump goods at prices below cost, or conduct false publicity to induce consumers, disrupt market order, and harm the fundamental interests of the industry and consumers; all enterprises should conduct self-examination and rectification in accordance with relevant national laws and regulations.
Return to TopAccording to Xinhua News Agency (新华社), Beijing (北京), May 31st (Reporter Pan Jie (潘洁)) The Service Industry Survey Center of the National Bureau of Statistics (国家统计局服务业调查中心) and the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing (中国物流与采购联合会) released data on the 31st, stating that in May, the Manufacturing Purchasing Manager's Index (PMI) was 49.5%, an increase of 0.5 percentage points compared to the previous month.
Manufacturing production activities have accelerated, and the PMI for large enterprises has risen above the critical point. Statistical data shows that in May, the manufacturing production index was 50.7%, an increase of 0.9 percentage points compared to the previous month, rising above the critical point. The new orders index was 49.8%, an increase of 0.6 percentage points compared to the previous month. From the perspective of enterprise size, the PMI for large enterprises was 50.7%, an increase of 1.5 percentage points compared to the previous month, returning to the expansion range.
High-tech manufacturing continues to expand, and both import and export indices have rebounded. From the perspective of key industries, the PMI for high-tech manufacturing was 50.9%, maintaining its expansion range for four consecutive months, continuing a good development trend; the PMIs for the equipment manufacturing and consumer goods industries were 51.2% and 50.2% respectively, an increase of 1.6 and 0.8 percentage points compared to the previous month. In May, the new export order index and import index were 47.5% and 47.1% respectively, an increase of 2.8 and 3.7 percentage points compared to the previous month. Some US-related (涉美) enterprises in the survey reflected that foreign trade orders are accelerating their restart, and import and export conditions have improved.
Market expectations have improved. In May, the production and operation activity expectation index for manufacturing was 52.5%, an increase of 0.4 percentage points compared to the previous month, and manufacturing enterprises generally maintained stable confidence in recent market development. Among them, the production and operation activity expectation indices for industries such as agricultural and sideline food processing, food and beverage refined tea, automobiles, and railway, ship, aerospace equipment were all continuously located in a relatively high prosperity range above 56%, and related enterprises are more optimistic about industry development.
Return to TopThis newspaper reported from Beijing on May 31st (Reporter Ding Yiting (丁怡婷)) The National Development and Reform Commission (国家发展改革委) and the National Energy Administration (国家能源局) issued the "Notice on Matters Concerning the Orderly Promotion of Green Electricity Direct Supply," proposing to build and operate green electricity direct supply projects based on the principles of safety first, green and friendly, equal rights and responsibilities, and source-load matching, with the goal of meeting enterprises' green energy needs and improving the local consumption level of new energy.
Direct supply refers to the power source not being directly connected to the public grid, but supplying power to a single user through power lines directly connected to the user, and the supplied electricity can be clearly physically traced. The relevant person in charge of the National Energy Administration (国家能源局) stated that at this stage, the green electricity direct supply power sources are new energy sources such as wind energy, solar energy, and biomass energy, including both newly built power sources and existing new energy projects.
The person in charge said that with the leap-forward development of new energy in China, the pressure on new energy consumption is increasing year by year. While transmitting over long distances, green electricity direct supply projects can tap into the demand for local consumption, expand new energy application scenarios, and improve the utilization efficiency of new energy resources. In addition, the project can also meet the needs of users for green and low-carbon transformation and provide users with more choices to reduce electricity costs.
The notice requires that the annual self-generated and self-consumed electricity of new energy projects account for no less than 60% of the total power generation, and the proportion of total electricity consumption should gradually increase from no less than 30% in 2025 to no less than 35% in 2030, guiding new energy projects to consume and utilize as much as possible locally.
Return to TopThis newspaper reported from Beijing on May 31st (Reporter Qiu Chaoyi (邱超奕)) Recently, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (人力资源社会保障部), the Ministry of Finance (财政部), and the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council (国务院国资委) jointly issued the "Notice on Increasing Salary Distribution Incentives for Skilled Talents in State-owned Enterprises," clarifying seven policy measures to guide state-owned enterprises in establishing and improving a skill-oriented salary distribution system and promoting the formation of a virtuous interaction mechanism between improving treatment and enhancing skills.
The notice emphasizes optimizing salary distribution for skilled positions, adhering to the principle of "more work, more pay," and implementing a method of linking position salary with both position value and skill level. It proposes reasonably determining the starting salary for skilled positions, suggesting that skill position salary grades should be scientifically determined, generally no lower than the salary standards for corresponding rank management positions. It emphasizes the establishment of special allowances for skilled talents, implementing a skill-level allowance system linked to skill levels, clarifying corresponding allowance standards, and reflecting the principle that those with higher skills should receive more.
The notice proposes improving the wage growth mechanism for skilled talents, with group companies increasing the allocation of total wages towards skilled talents.
Establish an innovation and creation reward system, adhering to the principle of "more innovation, more gain." Set up individual awards for daily innovations such as small inventions, small creations, and small innovations by skilled talents. Provide special rewards to skilled talents who make outstanding contributions in technological innovations or tackling key technological problems such as solving major process technology problems and major quality issues. Explore implementing medium- and long-term incentives for skilled talents. Encourage enterprises to innovate diversified incentive methods, improve the incentive and talent evaluation system for skilled talents oriented towards innovation ability, quality, effectiveness, and contribution, carry out various forms of labor skill competitions, and improve the mutual transfer mechanism between skill positions and corresponding levels of professional and technical and management positions.
The notice requires all regions and relevant departments to strengthen policy guidance and services, improve the enterprise salary survey and information release system, and regions with conditions should release salary level information by occupation (type of work, position) and skill level to provide information reference for enterprises.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 冯学知
On May 30, the signing ceremony of the International Mediation Institute Convention and the first International Mediation Forum were held in Hong Kong, China (中国香港). The participants highly affirmed the contemporary value and far-reaching significance of the International Mediation Institute, believing that the establishment of the International Mediation Institute is timely in a world with increasing conflicts and escalating divisions. It will fill the gap in the international mediation field mechanism, is an effective measure to strengthen multilateralism, and will become a key pillar for improving global governance and a new milestone in promoting international rule of law. All parties appreciated China's (中国) active role as a major country in providing important legal public goods for improving global governance, and looked forward to the International Mediation Institute contributing to promoting the peaceful resolution of disputes and promoting friendly cooperation among countries.
"I believe this mechanism will contribute to human well-being"
On the morning of May 30, the signing ceremony of the International Mediation Institute Convention was brightly lit, with about 400 high-level representatives from 85 countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and Europe, and nearly 20 international organizations gathered together. Amidst applause, representatives of 33 founding member states went on stage one by one to sign the Convention on the Establishment of the International Mediation Institute (hereinafter referred to as the "Convention") and witnessed the official launch of the International Mediation Institute's official website.
"China (中国) and countries with common ideals jointly initiated the establishment of the International Mediation Institute, playing a key role in transforming common ideas into reality, reflecting Chinese wisdom," said Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Dar (达尔), adding that this marks the birth of an important international institution that supports multilateralism and the principle of mediation. He believes that the establishment of the International Mediation Institute will provide new opportunities and bring new hope for building a more inclusive, just, and equitable world.
Nicaraguan Attorney General Morales (莫拉莱斯) stated that Nicaragua is committed to promoting a just international order and world peace, and opposes any form of foreign interference. Nicaragua highly appreciates China's (中国) advocacy and promotion of the establishment of the International Mediation Institute, "believing that this mechanism will contribute to human well-being."
"China (中国) has a long history and rich culture, and has always emphasized valuing harmony and mutual respect, which is why China (中国) has become an advocate for the International Mediation Institute," said Serbian Minister of Justice Vučić (武伊奇). Serbia deeply understands the importance of mediation and believes that the establishment of the International Mediation Institute will help establish an equal and sustainable dispute resolution mechanism. He thanked China (中国) for its important contribution to promoting the establishment of this mechanism.
Swiss Foreign Minister Cassis (卡西斯) stated that Switzerland supports all efforts to resolve disputes peacefully and welcomes China's (中国) efforts to promote international dispute mediation.
"The signing of the Convention marks an important step in the world moving towards a more peaceful, just, and sustainable direction," emphasized Li Junhua (李军华), Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations, adding that the Convention is highly consistent with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and the United Nations' goals of pursuing peace, sustainable development, and the rule of law. The United Nations is willing to carry out close cooperation with the International Mediation Institute and use its respective advantages to mediate disputes.
"The International Mediation Institute, jointly initiated by China (中国) and nearly 20 countries, is an important step for the world towards peace, and all countries, including Zimbabwe, will benefit from this mechanism. As a founding member, Zimbabwe is very proud," said Zimbabwean Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Murwira (穆尔维拉) in an interview with reporters.
"The establishment of the International Mediation Institute is timely"
The first International Mediation Forum held on the afternoon of May 30 had a warm atmosphere. Representatives from various countries and international organizations stated that the International Mediation Institute responds to the common concerns of all countries for peace, stability, and development, and conforms to the trend of the times of cooperation and win-win results.
"Currently, armed and violent conflicts around the world are still escalating, and the space for humanitarianism is rapidly shrinking," said Jürg Montani (纪博瑞), Deputy Head of the East Asia Regional Delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross, adding that the establishment of the International Mediation Institute brings hope for peace, "It provides a platform for dialogue for all parties and helps to resolve disputes."
"The establishment of the International Mediation Institute is timely, responding to the needs of the international community and sending a strong signal to the world: to resolve disputes through cooperation rather than confrontation," said Indonesian Deputy Foreign Minister Arif Havas Oegroseno (阿里夫·哈瓦斯·乌格罗塞诺). He stated that there are shortcomings in the current international dispute resolution mechanism, and the establishment of a specialized agency in this field is crucial to improving the global legal system. Indonesia looks forward to working with relevant parties to promote the development of this institution.
Danilo Türk (达尼洛·图尔克), former President of Slovenia, once served as Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs at the United Nations. He stated that mediation is a widely used form of diplomacy, and the Convention provides a framework for mediation, which can bring more effective mediation actions to the entire international community, "The future of the International Mediation Institute is bright."
"Establishing an International Mediation Institute composed of professionals can bridge cultural and commercial differences and is crucial for promoting and developing economic and trade relations," said Carlos Pinto Pereira (卡洛斯·平托·佩雷拉), Minister of Foreign Affairs of Guinea-Bissau, believing that the Chinese government has demonstrated foresight and excellent organizational skills, and believes that the International Mediation Institute will improve existing mechanisms with innovation and inclusiveness and become an important platform for the peaceful resolution of disputes globally.
"The International Mediation Institute embodies respect for cultural and legal diversity," said Christophe Bernasconi (克里斯托弗·贝纳斯科尼), Secretary-General of the Hague Conference on Private International Law, adding that the establishment of the International Mediation Institute has strengthened the position of mediation in global rule of law practice, and looks forward to both sides exploring strengthening cooperation, promoting international dispute resolution, and promoting lasting peace.
"One-third of our cases have been resolved through mediation before a final ruling is made. We believe that incorporating mediation into dispute resolution procedures can further enhance the opportunity for friendly resolution of differences," said Martina Polasek (玛蒂娜·波拉塞克), Secretary-General of the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes, adding that the establishment of the International Mediation Institute embodies the common concept of resolving international disputes through mediation, which helps save time and costs for all parties involved.
"Fully support the establishment of the International Mediation Institute headquarters in Hong Kong"
At the signing ceremony of the Convention, a beautifully printed conference agenda was placed on each participant's seat. A 3D hollow model of the International Mediation Institute headquarters building, converted from the Old Wan Chai Police Station in Hong Kong (香港), was embedded in it, showcasing its profound historical sense and architectural beauty.
The Convention is the legal basis for the establishment of the International Mediation Institute, with a total of 11 chapters and 63 articles, covering important provisions such as the functions, organizational structure, scope of acceptance, mediation procedures, privileges and immunities of the International Mediation Institute, and clearly stating that "the headquarters of the Mediation Institute shall be located in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (香港特别行政区) of the People's Republic of China (中华人民共和国)." Participants from all countries unanimously agreed that Hong Kong (香港) is the best location for the headquarters of the International Mediation Institute.
"Hong Kong's (香港) return itself is a successful example of the peaceful resolution of international disputes. The success of 'one country, two systems' has made Hong Kong's (香港) prosperity and stability show a brighter future. Therefore, we fully support the establishment of the International Mediation Institute headquarters in Hong Kong (香港)," said Vučić (武伊奇) in an interview with reporters.
Surakiart Sathirathai (素拉杰), Chairman of the Asian Peace and Reconciliation Council and former Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand, stated that Hong Kong (香港), with its world-recognized legal foundation and mature judicial system, provides a solid foundation for the birth of the International Mediation Institute.
Tomlinson Law (汤文龙), President of the Law Society of Hong Kong (香港律师会), who attended the signing ceremony of the Convention, stated that after the meeting, he exchanged views with representatives from many countries and heard that countries have very high expectations for the establishment of the International Mediation Institute. "Hong Kong (香港) has a sound financial and legal system, and I believe it can play an active role in the field of dispute mediation in the future," he said.
At the International Mediation Forum, Hong Kong (香港) Special Administrative Region Secretary for Justice Paul Lam (林定国) and a representative of the Cambodian government signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen cooperation between the two places on matters related to dispute avoidance and resolution, including mediation. "As the location of the International Mediation Institute headquarters, Hong Kong (香港), with its geographical hub, convenient transportation, and highly internationalized legal system, is a solid foundation for the operation of the institution," said Paul Lam (林定国).
"Hong Kong (香港) is fully promoting the renovation of the building, which will open as early as the end of this year," said John Lee (李家超), Chief Executive of the Hong Kong (香港) Special Administrative Region, "We not only look forward to welcoming the new users of the building—the International Mediation Institute—but also look forward to supporting the building of new bridges for a closer, more peaceful, and more prosperous future through mediation."
Return to TopBy: 张 莉
Deepening the China-Europe civilization dialogue and strengthening exchanges and mutual learning will not only help consolidate the public opinion foundation for the development of China-Europe relations and promote bilateral cooperation to a higher level, but also make new contributions to global peace and development, the protection of cultural diversity, and the progress of mankind.
Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Europe in 1975, the friendship spanning the Eurasian continent has gone through half a century, and China-Europe relations have become one of the most important bilateral relations in the world today. The two sides have carried out extensive and in-depth cooperation in many fields such as politics, economy, and culture.
The exchanges between China and Europe have a long history, dating back to the Eastern Han Dynasty. Ban Chao (班超), the Protector-General of the Western Regions during the Eastern Han Dynasty, once sent his subordinate Gan Ying (甘英) to find "Da Qin (大秦)." The "Book of the Later Han Dynasty: Biography of the Western Regions" records that in 166 AD, Emperor Anton (安敦) of Da Qin sent envoys to Luoyang (洛阳), the capital of the Eastern Han Dynasty, to present precious gifts to the Eastern Han emperor. European historical materials also record the scene of Chinese envoys arriving in Rome. As early as two thousand years ago, the ancient Silk Road connected China and Europe. Throughout history, Chinese silk, porcelain, tea, and the Four Great Inventions were introduced to Europe, while grapes, walnuts, spices, and wool fabrics were also introduced to China along the Silk Road.
The history of China-Europe exchanges is also a history of mutual learning between Chinese and European civilizations. Just as "The Travels of Marco Polo" aroused Europeans' imagination of the splendor of the East, "Kunyu Wanguo Quantu (坤舆万国全图)" provided the Chinese with a new perspective on understanding the world. The economic and cultural exchanges between the East and the West have not only enriched each other's material lives, but also expanded their spiritual horizons.
At present, the complex international situation and the volatile geopolitical landscape bring new challenges and new opportunities to China-Europe relations. China always regards Europe as a comprehensive strategic partner, but some people in Europe are quite entangled in the issue of positioning their relations with China. Affected by ideology, institutional models, and values, the differences between the two sides on some issues have been artificially amplified. However, in the long run, as the world pattern moves towards multi-polarization and the EU's strategic autonomy continues to strengthen, China and Europe have broad space for adhering to multilateralism and deepening mutually beneficial cooperation.
China-Europe relations, which are entering a period of adjustment, need to clarify the direction and continue to develop, and people-to-people exchanges and civilization dialogues can help bridge differences and reduce misunderstandings and prejudices. People-to-people exchanges have long become the "third pillar" of China-Europe relations after politics and economy and trade. The two sides have established a high-level people-to-people exchange dialogue mechanism, covering many areas of cooperation such as education, science and technology, culture, media, sports, youth, and women. At present, China's unilateral visa-free policy has benefited 24 EU member states, and many European countries have also launched Chinese services and convenient visa policies. The frequency of mutual visits between the people of China and Europe has increased, which has effectively promoted cultural understanding between the two sides. In addition, the China-Europe Railway Express has cumulatively operated more than 100,000 trains, reaching more than 200 European cities. This "steel camel team" connecting China and Europe not only promotes the flow of goods and economic ties, but also builds a bridge connecting people's hearts.
The "harmony but difference" advocated by Chinese civilization and the "unity in diversity" advocated by European civilization have the same goal by different routes. Standing at the new historical starting point of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Europe, the two sides need to transcend civilization estrangement with civilization exchanges, transcend civilization conflicts with civilization mutual learning, and transcend civilization superiority with civilization coexistence. China and Europe have cooperated in addressing climate change, digital economy, green transformation, artificial intelligence, public health and other fields, providing a source of wisdom for global governance through exchanges and dialogues. This not only demonstrates the contemporary value of China-Europe civilization exchanges and mutual learning, but also demonstrates the resilience of mutual respect, 求同存异 (qiú tóng cún yì - "seek common ground while reserving differences," to seek common ground on major issues while reserving differences on minor ones), and mutual tolerance between the two major civilizations of China and Europe.
Deepening the China-Europe civilization dialogue and strengthening exchanges and mutual learning will not only help consolidate the public opinion foundation for the development of China-Europe relations and promote bilateral cooperation to a higher level, but also make new contributions to global peace and development, the protection of cultural diversity, and the progress of mankind.
(The author is the Vice Dean of the School of Journalism and Communication of Tsinghua University (清华大学) and the Director of the China-Europe Cultural Communication Research Center)
Return to TopXinhua News Agency, Dushanbe, May 31st (Reporter Zhang Jiaxi (张家溪)) From May 30th to 31st, 2025, Shen Yueyue (沈跃跃), Vice Chairperson of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and Chairperson of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Committee on Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation, visited Tajikistan, attended and addressed the inaugural High-Level International Conference on Glacier Protection, met with Tajik President Rahmon (拉赫蒙) and Speaker of the Lower House of Parliament Izzoda (伊季佐达), and attended the unveiling ceremony of the China-Tajikistan Cataract Blindness Prevention Center of the Health Express.
Shen Yueyue (沈跃跃) conveyed President Xi Jinping's (习近平) cordial greetings to President Rahmon (拉赫蒙) and stated that under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, the China-Tajikistan comprehensive strategic partnership in the new era maintains a good momentum of development. China is willing to work with Tajikistan to implement the important consensus of the heads of state and promote the building of a China-Tajikistan community with a shared future to go deeper and more solid. China is an action-oriented participant and contributor to global ecological governance and glacier protection, and is willing to work with all parties to fulfill common but differentiated responsibilities and jointly build a clean and beautiful world.
President Rahmon (拉赫蒙) asked Shen Yueyue (沈跃跃) to convey his sincere greetings to President Xi Jinping (习近平), reiterated Tajikistan's active participation in the high-quality joint construction of the "Belt and Road," firmly supports the three major global initiatives proposed by President Xi Jinping (习近平), jointly builds the China-Central Asia mechanism, and is willing to deepen cooperation with China in various fields and international cooperation in addressing climate change.
Return to TopThis newspaper reported from Almaty on May 31st (Reporters Li Yingqi (李应齐) and Qu Pei (屈佩)) On May 31st, the joint interview of China-Central Asia media on high-quality joint construction of the "Belt and Road" entered the Kazakhstan Post—YTO Express Limited Liability Partnership.
Nearly 20 media reporters from China and the five Central Asian countries visited the company's logistics sorting center and express delivery station to understand its practices of building a "China-Central Asia-Europe" cross-border logistics main line through the construction of a Central Asian smart logistics hub and a multimodal transport system, and improving the efficiency of China-Kazakhstan cross-border logistics with digital systems and intelligent equipment. According to reports, Kazakhstan Post—YTO Express Limited Liability Partnership was established in July 2024, and currently has an average daily business volume of 30,000 orders, with an express delivery network covering more than 3,000 sites in Kazakhstan.
"My work revolves around packages from China all day: I start scanning barcodes early in the morning, sending pick-up code text messages, and placing them in partitioned shelves; the busiest time is in the evening, when residents line up to pick up packages after get off work, and I have to help customers operate their mobile phones to check logistics." Gulina (古丽娜), a customer service representative working at the express delivery station, said, "I feel a great sense of accomplishment in doing the 'last mile' of cross-border trade, and the station has become a 'logistics hub' for the community."
Mukhtar Kalimolla (木哈塔尔·卡利莫拉), a reporter from Kazakh International News Agency, said that the people of Central Asia truly feel the convenience brought by the logistics cooperation between Central Asia and China in their daily lives. Through the reports of joint interviews, they can have a deeper understanding of the stories behind "cross-border packages."
Aigul Rakhimova (艾古丽·拉希莫娃), a reporter from Turkmenistan's "Turkmenistan News," said that the joint interview has built a platform for multi-country media to exchange ideas and allow everyone to have a deeper understanding of the breadth and depth of Central Asia-China cooperation.
This joint interview is the first large-scale joint interview activity organized by People's Daily (人民日报) overseas with media from multiple countries. In the next few days, reporters from People's Daily (人民日报), People's Daily Online (人民网), Kazakh International News Agency, Kazakhstan BAQ News Agency, Tajikistan Avista News Agency, Tajikistan ASAL News Network, Turkmenistan "Turkmenistan News," Uzbekistan 24 Radio and other Central Asian media will also go deep into many places in Kazakhstan to conduct on-site visits to key cooperation projects in energy, transportation, agriculture, education, etc., and jointly tell the win-win story of China-Central Asia's high-quality joint construction of the "Belt and Road," and contribute media strength to building a closer China-Central Asia community with a shared future.
Layout design: Zhang Fangman (张芳曼)
Return to TopXinhua News Agency, Moscow, May 30th. From May 28th to 30th, Sun Haiyan (孙海燕), Deputy Minister of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (中共中央对外联络部), led a CPC delegation to Russia to attend the Standing Committee meeting of the Asian Political Parties International Conference and participated in the Eurasian cooperation forum hosted by the United Russia party. During the period, he met with Yаkushev (亚库舍夫), Secretary of the General Council of the United Russia party, and the two sides exchanged views on strengthening exchanges between the ruling parties of China and Russia and jointly implementing the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries. Sun Haiyan (孙海燕) also introduced the spirit of the Central Conference on Work Relating to Neighboring Countries.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 陈熙芮 于景浩
Traditional dances "Tang Yin" (《唐印》) and "Dunhuang" (《敦煌》) fully demonstrate the charm of Chinese culture. The martial arts performance "Tai Chi Charm" (《太极神韵》) is harmonious like water and vigorous like thunder. The Japanese calligraphy performance shows powerful strokes... Young people from China and Japan showcased their passion and vitality on the stage, writing a youthful footnote to the deepening of Sino-Japanese friendship.
On May 29th, the "Connecting Hearts, Building Peace" China-Japan Youth Friendship Exchange Conference, hosted by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (中国人民对外友好协会) and the China-Japan Friendship Association (中国日本友好协会), was held in Beijing (北京). Nearly 600 young people from China and Japan gathered at Renmin University of China (中国人民大学) to interact, exchange ideas, and showcase their talents.
At the invitation of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (中国人民对外友好协会), nearly 300 young people from various parts of Japan recently visited China, traveling to Beijing (北京), Shanghai (上海), Shanxi (山西), Jiangxi (江西), Guangdong (广东), Yunnan (云南), and other places. At the China-Japan Youth Friendship Exchange Conference, Japanese youth representatives shared their thoughts and reflections during their visit to China.
"What impressed me most during this trip was experiencing the underglaze color technique in Jingdezhen (景德镇), Jiangxi (江西), where porcelain establishes connections with the world," said Nanako Kotani (小谷菜奈子), a student at Tsuda University (津田塾大学) in Japan. This was her first time in China, and she felt China's long history, culture, and vibrant development.
"Visiting China in person allowed me to experience the diversity of Chinese culture, and interacting with my Chinese peers made me even more interested in China," said Eri Hirano (平野惠理), a student at Sophia University (上智大学) in Japan, who expressed her commitment to actively participating in Japan-China friendship endeavors. She said in Chinese, "Young people from Japan and China should seek common ground while reserving differences and create a better future."
Chinese youth representative Zhang TianShuo (张天烁), a student at Beijing Normal University (北京师范大学), said that he hopes that young people from both countries will strengthen the bonds of friendship through exchange activities and contribute youth strength to promoting the development of Sino-Japanese friendly relations.
Takuya Uehara (上原拓也), a student at the University of Tsukuba (筑波大学), said: "The key to Japan-China friendship lies in mutual understanding between the people of the two countries, stepping onto each other's land, and experiencing each other's culture and life. This trip has given me a new understanding of China."
At the event, young people from both countries sang the song "Auld Lang Syne" together. Japanese youth representatives formed a heart shape with hand-painted pictures containing elements such as the national flags of China and Japan, pandas and crested ibises, and "thank you" in Chinese and Japanese, expressing their best wishes for the people of the two countries to connect with each other with their hearts.
"The foundation of China-Japan friendship lies in the people, and the future lies in the younger generation," said Yang Wanming (杨万明), President of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (中国人民对外友好协会). He hopes that young people from both countries will be sowers of peace concepts, pioneers of innovative cooperation, and bridge builders of people-to-people connectivity, jointly writing a new chapter in China-Japan friendship.
Japanese Ambassador to China Kenji Kanasugi (金杉宪治) said that this event has enhanced friendly exchanges between the younger generations of Japan and China and deepened the friendship between Japanese and Chinese youth. He hopes to use this event as an opportunity to promote the development of Japan-China friendly relations. Masafumi Sasaki (佐佐木政文), Executive Director of the Japan-China Friendship Association (日中友好协会), hopes that Japanese youth will cherish the opportunity to visit China, enhance their comprehensive understanding and correct understanding of China, forge valuable friendships with their Chinese peers, and continuously strengthen the ties of Japan-China friendship.
Return to TopThis newspaper reported from Beijing on May 31st (Reporter Zhang Guangzheng (张光政), Zhang Xiaodong (张晓东)) On May 30th, the China-Russia Think Tank High-End Forum (2025), jointly organized by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (中国社会科学院) and the Russian International Affairs Council (俄罗斯国际事务委员会), was held in Beijing (北京). The theme was "China and Russia: Cooperation in the New Era - Commemorating the 80th Anniversary of the Victory of the World Anti-Fascist War and the 80th Anniversary of the Founding of the United Nations." The forum was undertaken by the Russian, Eastern European and Central Asian Institute of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (中国社会科学院俄罗斯东欧中亚研究所) and the High-end Cooperation Think Tank for China-Russia Strategic Coordination of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (中国社会科学院中俄战略协作高端合作智库).
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 刘仲华 郭梓云
The second Frankfurt International Dragon Boat Friendship Race was recently held in Frankfurt (法兰克福), Germany (德国). Seventeen dragon boat teams from countries such as Germany (德国), France (法国), Italy (意大利), the United States (美国), and Thailand (泰国) cleaved through the waves and strove to be the first (see photo, taken by Yilin (依琳) of the European Center Branch of this newspaper), attracting nearly 10,000 local people to watch the race.
The dragon boat race officially opened at 9:00 a.m. that day. On the Main River (美因河), 17 participating teams vigorously paddled and forged ahead, with exciting drumbeats and sonorous slogans, creating a tense and enthusiastic atmosphere. After a day of intense competition, the Italian "Chinese Dragon Boat Team" won the professional group championship.
"We did our best!" said Maria Roes (玛丽亚·罗兹), coach of the German Ulm Danube Dragon Team (德国乌尔姆多瑙龙队), whose team has participated for two consecutive years. "We deeply feel the mutual promotion of sports competition and cultural exchange in the competition." Roes (罗兹) has been fond of dragon boats for 20 years. She has visited Beijing (北京), Shanghai (上海), and other places with the Ulm Dragon Boat Club (乌尔姆龙舟俱乐部) to exchange ideas with Chinese dragon boat enthusiasts. "The dragon boat race is a good way to understand Chinese culture."
"The dragon boat race is a platform to promote mutual understanding between China and Germany," said Liu Shanshan (刘姗姗), principal of the Ulm Chinese School (乌尔姆中文学校). She and Roes (罗兹) became friends because of dragon boats and worked together to organize the competition. "People from different countries are connected by dragon boats and become a united and cooperative group."
This dragon boat race was jointly organized by the Frankfurt Meilong Dragon Boat Sports Culture Association (法兰克福美龙龙舟运动文化协会) and the Sino-German Cultural and Art Association (中德文化艺术协会). "The original intention of holding this event was to build a bridge of friendship for non-governmental exchanges between China and Germany and to inject new vitality into Sino-foreign cultural exchanges," said Huang Yiyang (黄昳扬), Consul General of the Chinese Consulate General in Frankfurt (中国驻法兰克福总领事), in an interview with reporters. Dragon boat racing, as an important custom of the Dragon Boat Festival, not only demonstrates the Chinese nation's spirit of unity, hard work, and courage, but also plays a unique role in promoting Sino-foreign cultural exchanges and people-to-people connectivity.
The dragon boat race is not only a stage for competition, but also a grand event of multiculturalism. During the breaks in the competition, unique artistic performances on the riverbank attracted the audience to stop and appreciate them. The *Yang Family Generals War Drum* (杨家将战鼓) from Shaanxi (陕西), China, was full of vigor; the folk music ensemble *Prosperous National Music* (盛世国乐) brought by the Hubei Provincial Performing Arts Group (湖北省演艺集团) had a melodious melody and won bursts of applause. Traditional dances presented by Cambodian and Indonesian artists were graceful and gentle; the Thai boxing performance by Thai actors was powerful and ignited the passion of the audience.
"The dragon boat race is a symbol of friendship, unity and cooperation," said Chavane Mut (查万·穆特), Honorary Consul of Cambodia in Frankfurt (柬埔寨驻法兰克福名誉领事). "At present, unity and cooperation are particularly important. I hope the dragon boat race will bring friendship, strength and confidence to everyone."
(Reported from Frankfurt (法兰克福), Germany (德国) by this newspaper)
Return to TopXinhua News Agency, Beijing, May 31st. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (外交部) answered questions from reporters on the 31st regarding the negative China-related remarks made by U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin at the Shangri-La Dialogue.
A reporter asked: According to reports, on May 31st, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin delivered a speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue, in which he greatly exaggerated the "China threat" and made negative remarks on issues related to Taiwan and the South China Sea. What is China's comment on this?
The spokesperson said that Lloyd Austin ignored the calls of regional countries for peace and development, peddled a Cold War mentality of bloc confrontation, smeared and attacked China, and greatly exaggerated the "China threat theory," full of provocation and instigation. China expresses its strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to this and has lodged solemn representations with the U.S. side.
The spokesperson pointed out that, in fact, the United States is the world's hegemonic country in name and in fact and is the biggest factor undermining peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region. In order to maintain its own hegemony, the United States is promoting its so-called "Indo-Pacific Strategy," deploying offensive weapons in the South China Sea, and 煽风点火 (shān fēng diǎn huǒ - "fan the flames and light the fire," to incite trouble; to stir up agitation), creating tensions in the Asia-Pacific region, turning the Asia-Pacific region into a "powder keg," which has caused deep concern among regional countries.
The spokesperson emphasized that the Taiwan issue is purely China's internal affair, and no foreign country has the right to interfere. The U.S. side should not fantasize about using the Taiwan issue as a bargaining chip to contain China and should not play with fire. China urges the U.S. side to earnestly abide by the one-China principle and the three Sino-US joint communiqués and stop supporting and emboldening "Taiwan independence" forces. Freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea has never been a problem. On the South China Sea issue, China has always insisted on properly handling differences with relevant countries through dialogue and consultation and insisted on safeguarding territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in accordance with the law and regulations. The United States is the biggest factor undermining peace and stability in the South China Sea.
"China urges the U.S. side to earnestly respect the efforts of regional countries to maintain peace and stability, stop deliberately undermining the regional peace and stability environment, and stop hyping up conflict and confrontation and exacerbating regional tensions," the spokesperson said.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 吴 君
May 5th, Dragon Boat Festival. Zigui (秭归), Hubei (湖北), hometown of Qu Yuan (屈原).
After an hour's drive on mountain roads, followed by a 10-minute ferry ride, Mei Xiaoli (梅晓莉) returned from Zigui County (秭归县) to her hometown, Quyuan Town (屈原镇).
Mei Xiaoli (梅晓莉) grew up here, and for the locals, "the Dragon Boat Festival is more important than the New Year." However, working at the Zigui County Discipline Inspection Commission and Supervision Commission (秭归县纪委监委), she is busy and hasn't been back to her hometown for a while.
"This year, since the in-depth implementation of the spirit of the Central Eight-Point Regulation learning and education, unnecessary activities have been reduced, and there is a guarantee of time during holidays," Mei Xiaoli (梅晓莉) said. A few days before the festival, she called her family and agreed to "wrap zongzi together this time."
As she spoke, turning a bend in the mountain road, she arrived home.
Mugwort hung on the door. In the courtyard, her maternal grandparents were washing glutinous rice. The long-waiting elders smiled when they saw their child. Her mother stopped her work and called Mei Xiaoli (梅晓莉) to sit down together.
Three generations of the family wrapped zongzi and chatted about family matters.
Learning from the elders' movements, Mei Xiaoli (梅晓莉) picked up two zongzi leaves, arranged them end to end, folded them into a funnel shape, put in glutinous rice, pressed it tightly with her thumb, then wrapped the zongzi leaves tightly, and tied it with a rope. A zongzi was wrapped.
Her maternal grandfather, Lu Xueli (卢学礼), spoke up—
"Tighter, so it won't fall apart when boiled." 91-year-old Lu Xueli (卢学礼) is strict and meticulous with the zongzi they wrap.
It's not just wrapping zongzi that needs to be strict.
Lu Xueli (卢学礼) is a veteran of the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea, and has been awarded the Third Class Merit twice. After returning to his hometown, Lu Xueli (卢学礼) did not forget the discipline of his military service.
"When I was first transferred, I was the secretary of the brigade's Party branch. Someone once came to my house with a basket of eggs, asking me to do something for them," Lu Xueli (卢学礼) said. At that time, life was difficult, and eggs were not easy to get. He returned the things. "Things that can be done according to policy should be done even without sending eggs; if it does not comply with the policy, even if you send a golden mountain, it cannot be done. We are Communist Party members and cannot open this gap!"
Her mother, Lu Cui (卢翠), took over the conversation—
"Strict requirements are the foundation of our family." Lu Cui (卢翠) said while wrapping zongzi, "Your maternal grandfather often says that once you take it, there may be a second or third time, and the psychological defense line will slowly loosen."
Lu Cui (卢翠) is an obstetrician. "When I first started working, some patients' families secretly stuffed red envelopes, begging for 'more care'." Lu Cui (卢翠) put the wrapped zongzi together. "Your maternal grandfather often reminds me that on the battlefield, discipline is the lifeline; in peacetime, integrity is the amulet."
Not accepting red envelopes, she works even more diligently. "The doctor-patient relationship is pure, and you can save people without distraction," Lu Cui (卢翠) said.
The zongzi leaves are green, the glutinous rice is white, and the zongzi in Mei Xiaoli's (梅晓莉) hands are tied tightly one by one. After a while, the last two zongzi leaves were used up, and the glutinous rice was not completely at the bottom. "These rice must be kept and sent to the neighbors, and cannot be wasted," Lu Xueli (卢学礼) reminded.
Listening to the clean and honest stories of her elders, Mei Xiaoli (梅晓莉) has her own understanding—
"As a Zigui (秭归) person, I love to read Qu Yuan's (屈原) poems," Mei Xiaoli (梅晓莉) said. "There is a sentence in *The Songs of Chu* (《楚辞》), 'I was pure and honest in my youth, and I wore righteousness without end,' which is the earliest poem to mention the word integrity. My maternal grandfather also said that one must maintain a clean nature for a lifetime."
At noon, the zongzi in the pot were cooked, and the green zongzi leaves exuded fragrance, wrapping the white glutinous rice tightly, without scattering a single grain.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 李昌禹 丁雅诵 杨 昊
"Young children are the future vital force for advancing the construction of a strong country and the great rejuvenation of the nation, and the Young Pioneers is a great school for the healthy growth of young children. On the new journey, the Young Pioneers must hold high the team flag and follow the Party, focus on the fundamental task of cultivating successors to communism, focus on cultivating qualified builders of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and educate and guide the vast number of Young Pioneers to strive to be good new-era children who love the Party and the country, are diligent and eager to learn, and develop in an all-round way."
On May 27, as the "June 1st" International Children's Day was approaching, General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) sent a congratulatory letter to the opening of the Ninth National Congress of the Young Pioneers of China (中国少年先锋队), extending sincere greetings to the vast number of Young Pioneers, Young Pioneer instructors, and Young Pioneer workers, and wishing children across the country a happy holiday.
Young children are the future of the motherland and the hope of the Chinese nation. Ensuring that children grow up better has always been the warmest concern in General Secretary Xi Jinping's (习近平) heart.
Today, the new era of young children are growing vigorously with a spirit of vigor and high morale. Their eyes are full of light, their hearts are full of dreams, and their feet are on the road, ready to realize the Chinese dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation!
"Truly cultivate young people into children with 'Four Confidences'"
Eyes full of light, inheriting the red gene, listening to the Party and following the Party from an early age.
"Students, don't forget our slogan: life is education, society is school..." Not long ago, in the Xin'an Travel Group History Memorial Hall (新安旅行团历史纪念馆) in Huai'an (淮安), Jiangsu Province (江苏省), Li Baihao (李柏豪), a sixth-grade student at Xin'an Elementary School (新安小学), sang the "Xin'an Travel Group Song," instantly taking the audience back to the years of war.
On the eve of the "June 1st" International Children's Day in 2021, General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) replied to the Young Pioneers of Xin'an Elementary School (新安小学), encouraging them to "learn the history of the Party in light of their own growth, take heroic and exemplary figures as examples, and firmly establish the determination to listen to the Party and follow the Party from an early age."
In March 2023, at the deliberation site of the Jiangsu (江苏) delegation to the first session of the 14th National People's Congress, Zhang Dadong (张大冬), the principal of Xin'an Elementary School (新安小学), reported to General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) on the school's inheritance of the red gene.
"We rehearsed the children's drama 'Xin'an Travel Group'. Before coming, the protagonist of the children's drama, Li Baihao (李柏豪), asked me to tell you: Grandpa Xi (习爷爷), I play the protagonist in the children's drama, and I have become more confident now. I am looking forward to you coming to see our performance!"
"Say hello to the children!" General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) said happily.
"Our education should be good at drawing on the excellent elements from the five thousand years of Chinese traditional culture, while not abandoning the achievements of Western civilization, and truly cultivate young people into children with 'Four Confidences'." These earnest words irrigated the seeds of confidence in the children's hearts, allowing them to grow vigorously.
Now, Li Baihao (李柏豪) often serves as the host of school activities and is also full of interest in performing. He integrates the glorious tradition of the Xin'an Travel Group (新安旅行团) into his daily study and life, "Whenever I encounter difficulties, I have the courage to not be afraid of hardship."
Generations of people have succeeded each other, and the red gene has continued to thrive. In Jiangxi (江西), children take the "Red Scarf" train to the "Red Scarf Cradle" - Anyuan (安源) in Pingxiang (萍乡) to trace their roots and learn about revolutionary history and the origin of the Red Scarf in the rich exhibitions.
Thought and political lessons enlighten the mind, and the seeds of patriotism take root and sprout. "I love my motherland, and I want to defend the blue sky of my motherland." In the theme class "Who is the Most Beloved Person" at the Air Force Logistics Department Lantian Kindergarten (空军后勤部蓝天幼儿园), the children expressed their love for the motherland with their childish but firm voices.
Consciously integrating patriotic feelings, aspirations to strengthen the country, and actions to serve the country into the new era's journey of pursuing dreams, the vast number of young children are practicing the solemn oath of "Please rest assured, Party, a strong country is up to me" with practical actions.
The drums and bugles are sonorous, the team song is loud, and the red scarf flutters in the wind.
On May 30, 2014, General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) participated in the Young Pioneers induction ceremony at Minzu Elementary School (民族小学) in Haidian District (海淀区), Beijing (北京市), and talked about his own experience of joining the team.
The General Secretary said: "I remember my heart pounding when I joined the team, I was very excited. I don't know if you have this feeling?"
The children replied: "Yes."
"Why is this? Because it is an honor." The General Secretary said, "I see hope in your faces, the hope of the motherland and the nation."
"The Young Pioneers is a reserve force for building socialism and communism," "The whole Party and the whole society should attach importance to the work of the Young Pioneers," "Focus on promoting the connection and integration of the Party, League, and Team education chain"... General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) attaches great importance to the important role of the Young Pioneers in educating people for the Party, putting forward requirements and pointing out the direction.
In 2021, the "Opinions of the CPC Central Committee on Comprehensively Strengthening the Work of the Young Pioneers in the New Era" was issued. This is the first document in the history of New China issued by the Party Central Committee specifically to strengthen the work of the Young Pioneers, and it is the action program for the work of the Young Pioneers in the new era.
Learn to be a pioneer from elementary school and be a pioneer when you grow up. Today, Young Pioneer elements are presented on more and more important occasions, and various theme activities are widely carried out in Young Pioneer organizations at all levels:
At the National Medal and National Honorary Title Award Ceremony, Young Pioneers presented flowers to meritorious and exemplary figures;
On Martyrs' Memorial Day, Young Pioneers faced the Monument to the People's Heroes and sang "We are the Successors of Communism" and paid the Young Pioneer salute;
In Shaanxi (陕西), the Young Pioneer organization carries out activities such as learning Shaanbei storytelling, paper-cutting, and waist drum, guiding the Young Pioneers to appreciate the breadth and depth of Chinese culture;
In Inner Mongolia (内蒙古), Young Pioneers of all ethnic groups jointly carry out the "Pomegranate Seed Family" practice activity, visiting the border line and planting trees to protect the green, and forging a strong sense of community of the Chinese nation;
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The stars and torches are passed down from generation to generation, and a corner of the red flag is an unparalleled honor.
The bright Young Pioneer flag, the bright sunshine, and the children's bright smiles and clear eyes complement each other, and the cause of the Party is passed on from generation to generation, with successors.
"Strive to grow into pillars capable of shouldering the great task of building a strong country and rejuvenating the nation"
Hearts full of dreams, striving to be good new-era children who develop in an all-round way morally, intellectually, physically, aesthetically, and in terms of labor.
In the long river of time, there are always some moments worth remembering.
"A person can have many aspirations, but the most important aspiration in life should be linked to the motherland and the people. This is the foundation of people's various specific aspirations and the backbone of life." Gao Dian (高典), a senior majoring in law at Northwest University of Political Science and Law (西北政法大学), has deeply engraved General Secretary Xi Jinping's (习近平) encouragement in his heart.
The pointer of time goes back to 2015. At that time, Gao Dian (高典), a sixth-grade student at Yan'an Innovation Experimental Elementary School (延安创新实验小学) in Shaanxi (陕西), came to Beijing (北京) as a representative of the Young Pioneers to participate in the Seventh National Congress of the Young Pioneers of China (中国少年先锋队). In the Great Hall of the People (人民大会堂), he put a red scarf on General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平).
Recalling the scene 10 years ago, Gao Dian (高典) is still excited, "I hope to help more people through my professional studies and contribute to maintaining social fairness and justice."
When communicating with children, "aspiration" and "dream" are keywords that General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) often mentions.
Entrusting "Pay attention to cultivating the aspiration to pursue truth and serve the country"; emphasizing "Chinese children in the new era should be good children who have aspirations and dreams, love learning and labor, understand gratitude and friendship, dare to innovate and dare to struggle, and develop in an all-round way morally, intellectually, physically, aesthetically, and in terms of labor"; instructing "Have dreams, but also be down-to-earth, study hard, and then dreams can come true"... Deep entrustment and careful guidance guide children to "strive to grow into pillars capable of shouldering the great task of building a strong country and rejuvenating the nation."
In December 2016, the science popularization satellite developed by the children of Beijing Bayi School (北京市八一学校) was launched into space and accurately entered orbit, sending back beacon signals. Before the launch, they wrote to General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) as agreed, reporting the news that the small satellite was about to be launched.
General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) replied to them: "Maintain your thirst for knowledge, maintain your interest in exploration, cultivate a scientific spirit, study hard, and work hard in practice."
General Secretary Xi Jinping's (习近平) encouragement gave Zhu Xun (朱迅), a member of the science popularization satellite research and development team, great confidence. He took science and technology courses, carried out satellite experiments, and experienced various links in the aerospace system engineering at the satellite launch center, "These experiences not only exercised my ability to solve practical problems, but also cultivated my strong interest in science and technology."
Now, Zhu Xun (朱迅) is studying for a doctorate in the Department of Energy and Power Engineering at Tsinghua University (清华大学), engaged in research in related fields of aerospace, and continues to move forward on the road of exploring scientific unknowns.
Science education leads the way for growth. Astronauts "teach in Tiangong", leading young children across the country to appreciate the mysterious charm of space; museums and science and technology museums create science exploration courses, guiding children to conduct inquiry-based learning in experiments; "Master Class for Children" allows scientists to enter campuses and light up the scientific dreams of more children...
Today, young children in the new era are growing with more confidence, and more and more children are determined to seek knowledge and learn without distraction.
"All-round development morally, intellectually, physically, aesthetically, and in terms of labor, every word is worth a thousand gold, and they are all derived from years of summary and exploration." The healthy growth and all-round development of young children has always been a concern in General Secretary Xi Jinping's (习近平) heart.
Deep entrustment is transformed into surging power.
"Civilize their spirit." In Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture (凉山彝族自治州), Sichuan (四川), the "Niu Niu Choir" allows a group of zero-based mountain village children to wander in the ocean of music. From creating their own original songs to singing at the China National Opera House (中央歌剧院), the children meet a bigger world and gain full confidence in singing.
"Strengthen their physique." Rope skipping "crossing obstacles" and ball shooting "transporting supplies", on the playground of Jingzhong Street Elementary School (精忠街小学) in Beijing (北京市), a physical education class is so lively, the children are transformed into "cross-country masters", and the cheerful laughter echoes for a long time. Promoting 15 minutes of recess and one physical education class every day allows more and more children to sweat and have strength under their feet.
"Labor is the most glorious." In Xuanwei (宣威), Yunnan (云南), hundreds of acres of labor education bases have become a bustling "classroom". A series of field labor classes bring children not only new knowledge, but also a sense of cherishing food and the hardworking character honed in labor.
Today, the integrated construction of ideological and political education is constantly advancing, and the Party's innovative theories not only enter textbooks and classrooms, but also enter the mind; labor education is organically integrated into the entire process of youth growth, and loving labor and being able to labor are gradually becoming a new fashion on campus; the reform of physical education teaching is continuously deepened, the aesthetic education immersion action and the reading action for young students are implemented... Education is no longer a "one-intelligence" show, and a situation of all-round coordinated development of morality, intelligence, physique, aesthetics, and labor is taking shape. Children are growing into pillars of the country capable of shouldering the important task of building a strong country and rejuvenating the nation with a broader vision and a stronger physique.
"You are the future of the motherland, and I hope your life is as sweet as candy"
With a road under their feet, the environment for the growth and success of young children is getting better and better, and the road is getting wider and wider.
Walking into Zhijiang Elementary School (之江小学) in Jialing District (嘉陵区), Nanchong (南充), Sichuan Province (四川省), the modern teaching facilities everywhere are eye-catching: electronic whiteboards are used in the classrooms, the library has a large LED display, and there are teacher book bars, clay workshops, and so on.
Inside the campus, a large stone engraved with the words "Gratitude" is particularly striking.
The predecessor of Zhijiang Elementary School (之江小学) was a mountain elementary school on the hillside. The mountains were high and the roads were steep, the school buildings were old, and students had to walk a long mountain road to go to school. Some children had to set off before dawn.
In early 2004, under the national east-west cooperation mechanism, Zhijiang Elementary School (之江小学) became one of the more than 160 Hope Primary Schools built by Zhejiang (浙江) in Nanchong (南充). In May of that year, Xi Jinping (习近平), then Secretary of the Zhejiang Provincial Party Committee (浙江省委书记), came here to lay the foundation for the school, earnestly entrusting "We must build this school well so that children in mountain villages can become talents as soon as possible."
On the eve of the "June 1st" International Children's Day in 2024, General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) replied to the students of Zhijiang Elementary School (之江小学), "I am very pleased to learn that the school has been getting better and better in recent years, and the students are studying diligently, loving labor, and growing up healthy and happy."
Allowing every child to fully enjoy a vibrant education, and allowing every child to fly higher and farther with dreams, this is related to the happiness of every family and also to the future of the Chinese nation.
In Yangjialing Fuzhou Hope Primary School (杨家岭福州希望小学) in Yan'an (延安), Shaanxi (陕西), emphasizing "In revolutionary old areas and poor areas, grasping development still requires grasping education at the root, and don't let children lose at the starting line";
In Zhongyi Township Primary School (中益乡小学) in the depths of the mountains in Chongqing (重庆), seeing that the lunch has four dishes and one soup and is nutritionally balanced, feeling "Now the standard per meal has risen to 6 yuan, which is much richer than before";
In the Dadong Non-staple Food Market (大东副食品商场) in Shenyang (沈阳), Liaoning (辽宁), taking the candy given by the children and saying kindly "You are the future of the motherland, and I hope your life is as sweet as candy";
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"It is our greatest wish for children to grow up better," General Secretary Xi Jinping's (习近平) simple words carry the most sincere feelings.
Children in disaster areas, disabled children, and other groups are even more concerns that General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) cannot let go of.
On the eve of the Spring Festival in 2014, General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平), who was inspecting Inner Mongolia (内蒙古), walked into the Hohhot Children's Welfare Institute (呼和浩特市儿童福利院). Here, the General Secretary visited Wang Yani (王雅妮), a deaf-mute girl, asking about her studies, talking about her aspirations, and looking through sign language books and photo albums.
"I hope that the children in the welfare institute can live healthy and grow up happily like other children in the motherland." The General Secretary's earnest entrustment gave Wang Yani (王雅妮) endless motivation. Now, at the age of 26, she has become a teacher at the Hohhot Special Education School (呼和浩特市特殊教育学校), helping more disabled children change their destiny.
General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) has forged a deep bond with the children, and the warm moments have become the most unforgettable pictures in the children's growth...
"The Party Central Committee has always cared about the healthy growth of young children, and has taken a series of policies and measures to strive to create a better environment for children to grow up healthy."
Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, under the great attention and care of General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平), the Party Central Committee has incorporated the implementation of the principle of children first into the overall planning and promotion of the Party and state work, improved the policy and legal system, issued the "Outline for the Development of Chinese Children (2021-2030)" and the "Outline for Building a Strong Education Country (2024-2035)" and other national plans, revised the Law on the Protection of Minors and the Law on the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency, and woven a tight safety net for children...
Gradually improving systems and constantly improving policies create an increasingly better environment for young children to grow and succeed. Children are growing up and determined to become talents -
Zhu Rui (朱锐), a student at the Fourth Middle School in Rucheng County (汝城县), Chenzhou (郴州), Hunan (湖南), actively participates in school activities such as the "Half a Quilt" story scene performance and the red song chorus. "When I grow up, I want to be a soldier and defend my country." Zhu Rui (朱锐) is full of longing.
Zhang Yuke (张钰可), a student at Beijing Yuying School (北京育英学校), participates in wrestling training every weekend. In the Chinese Wrestling Open of the Beijing Urban Sub-center Series last year, she won the runner-up in the women's junior group. "I want to grow up strong and practice well!" Zhang Yuke (张钰可) is full of confidence.
Ma Zihan (马子涵), a student at Xi'an High-tech No. 1 Middle School (西安高新第一中学) in Shaanxi (陕西), has always maintained a love for art, practicing every day and persevering. He is now able to skillfully play the piano and guzheng. "The beauty in art is a valuable asset in my growth." Ma Zihan's (马子涵) eyes are firm.
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"Contemporary Chinese young children are not only the experiencers and witnesses of the realization of the first centenary goal, but also the vital force for realizing the second centenary goal and building a strong socialist modern country." General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) deeply expects the young children of the new era -
"Today, be good children of the motherland, and tomorrow, be builders of the motherland. A better life belongs to you, and the beautiful Chinese dream belongs to you."
This is General Secretary Xi Jinping's (习近平) beautiful expectation for children in the new era, and also the bright future of the Chinese nation's continued endeavor.
To carry forward and promote the outstanding traditional Chinese culture and further promote the revitalization of traditional festivals, around the Dragon Boat Festival, the "Our Festival·Dragon Boat Festival" theme cultural activities, jointly organized by the Bureau of Civilized Practices of the Central Propaganda Department (中宣部文明实践局), the Intangible Cultural Heritage Department of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism (文化和旅游部非物质文化遗产司), the Publicity Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League (共青团中央宣传部), the Publicity Department of the All-China Women's Federation (全国妇联宣传部), and the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles Volunteer Service Center (中国文联文艺志愿服务中心), were carried out across the country.
On the Han River, hundreds of boats race against each other. At 9:00 a.m. on the 31st, the opening ceremony of the Ankang Han River Dragon Boat Festival (陕西安康汉江龙舟节) in Ankang, Shaanxi (陕西安康) was held. Dragon boat rowers wielded their oars and steered the boats, with 30 dragon boats crossing the Han River (汉江) with great momentum. Grabbing ducks and touching carp are traditional folk customs of Ankang (安康). The rowers seized the opportunity to jump into the river, either swimming towards the ducks or diving to catch fish, winning rounds of applause. During the Dragon Boat Festival, Ankang (安康) also launched activities such as the inheritance and display of intangible cultural heritage projects related to the Dragon Boat Festival.
During the Dragon Boat Festival holiday, the 13th Tanghe River Basin Sichuan-Chongqing Dragon Boat Culture Activity (塘河流域川渝龙舟文化活动), themed "Our Festival·Dragon Boat Festival - Sichuan and Chongqing in the Same Boat, Dragon Soaring in Tanghe (川渝同舟 龙腾塘河)," was held in Tanghe Ancient Town (塘河古镇), Jiangjin District, Chongqing (重庆市江津区). The event attracted tourists and boosted consumption through dragon boat races, folk performances, and other activities. On the afternoon of the 31st, in the Thousand-Person Zongzi Wrapping Competition, skilled grandmothers competed with young tourists, and laughter rose and fell.
On the 31st, the 2025 China (Foshan) Diejiao Dragon Boat Drifting Competition (2025中国（佛山）叠滘龙船漂移大赛) officially started in Diejiao Water Town (叠滘水乡), Nanhai District, Foshan City, Guangdong Province (广东省佛山市南海区). Twenty elite dragon boat teams showed off their unique skills: acceleration, tail甩, emergency stop, risk avoidance, U-turn... Drummers, paddlers, and helmsmen cooperated tacitly, and the dragon boats turned smoothly in the narrow river channels, seemingly dangerous, but in reality, with "**张弛有度**" (zhāng chí yǒu dù - "alternating tension and relaxation," knowing when to tighten and when to loosen), cheers and锣鼓 sounds were endless.
A lively and extraordinary Dragon Boat Festival market, a wonderful intangible cultural heritage performance, and an interesting zongzi wrapping competition... Jiaxing, Zhejiang (浙江嘉兴) held more than 30 activities in the half-month period around the Dragon Boat Festival, and the Dragon Boat Festival culture radiated new vitality in inheritance and innovation.
In the Gobi oasis of Gaotai, Gansu (甘肃高台), the Dragon Boat Festival also has a northwestern heroic spirit: listening to Qinqiang opera (秦腔) on the river bank, watching dragon boat races in the desert water town, and then having a rainbow run in the yellow sand... 17 activities cleverly integrating traditional customs and local characteristics created a strong festive atmosphere and enriched the spiritual and cultural life of residents and tourists.
The 2025 Sichuan Province "Hundred Boats Racing to Celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival" Centralized Performance (2025四川省“百舟竞渡迎端午”集中展演) kicked off in Xinjin District, Chengdu (成都新津区), bringing a cultural feast to the masses; the Guizhou Tongren "Dragon Boat Recitation Classics·Cultural Vein Qianxing (贵州铜仁“端午诵经典·文脉黔行)" themed cultural activities led people to immerse themselves in the world of poetry.
It is reported that this theme cultural activity aims to cultivate and practice the core socialist values, deeply explore the cultural connotation of the Dragon Boat Festival, vigorously promote the values of loving the country and home, unity and progress, and health and upward mobility, enrich the spiritual and cultural life of the people, demonstrate the spirit of the times, strengthen the feelings of home and country, inspire fighting spirit, and better build a common spiritual home for the Chinese nation.
(Comprehensive reports from Gong Shijian (龚仕建), Jiang Feng (姜峰), and Li Gang (李刚), reporters of this newspaper, Zhang Hao (张昊), correspondent of this newspaper, and Yang Zhanfei (杨湛菲), reporter of Xinhua News Agency)
Return to TopMay 31st, tourists enjoy blooming hydrangea flowers at Liyuan Garden (蠡园) in Wuxi (无锡), Jiangsu (江苏) Province. During the Dragon Boat Festival holiday, people travel and enjoy the outdoors, happily enjoying their holiday life.
Photo by Pan Zhengguang (潘正光) (Image China).
Return to TopThis newspaper reports from Shanghai on May 31st (Reporter Cao Lingjuan (曹玲娟)): This reporter learned from the China Welfare Institute (中国福利会) that the China Welfare Institute Children’s Palace (中国福利会少年宫), with a history of 72 years, will construct a new palace, with the location selected in the core area of the Huangpu River (黄浦江) waterfront in the city center. The project's conceptual design solicitation has recently been launched both domestically and internationally.
According to reports, the China Welfare Institute Children’s Palace (中国福利会少年宫) was established on May 31, 1953, and was personally founded by Song Qingling (宋庆龄), one of the founders of New China and Honorary President of the country. It is New China's first comprehensive, mass-oriented extracurricular education institution for children named "Children's Palace." For 72 years, the China Welfare Institute Children’s Palace (中国福利会少年宫) has firmly remembered to "always be with the Party," adhered to "giving the most precious things to children," deeply cultivated national sentiments and guided the growth and success of generations of children, and has cumulatively carried out various extracurricular courses and activities for nearly 30 million children.
The China Welfare Institute Children’s Palace (中国福利会少年宫) adheres to running the palace openly and providing public benefits, enhancing the radiating and driving role of high-quality extracurricular education resources, and has successively carried out extracurricular education teacher training for 29 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities. Its "Mobile Children's Palace" has entered the central and western regions, helping rural revitalization and balanced educational development through teacher training, activity guidance, and material assistance, cumulatively serving approximately 300,000 children.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 杨 昊
On the evening of May 31st, the 2025 "Growing Up with the Motherland" Children’s Day-themed performance, jointly hosted by the China Soong Ching Ling Foundation (中国宋庆龄基金会), the China Welfare Institute (中国福利会), and the National Centre for the Performing Arts (国家大剧院), was held at the National Centre for the Performing Arts (国家大剧院). Over a thousand young people and children from various regions gathered to celebrate the festival.
The performance was divided into four chapters: "Rising Like the Sun, Enduring Like the Moon," "Beauty Shared, Harmony of Instruments," "Elegant Youth, Radiant Splendor," and "Passing on the Flame, Building Dreams for the Future." Through diverse forms such as choral recitations, opera dances, instrumental performances, martial arts acrobatics, and intangible cultural heritage displays, as well as original program arrangements, it comprehensively showcased the positive and enterprising spirit of the new era's children.
"My motherland and I are inseparable for even a moment..." Clear children's voices opened the entire performance. The opening show, "When the Youth is Strong, the Country is Strong," integrated Chinese drums, martial arts, dragon dances, lion dances, and other performance forms, showcasing vigorous vitality. The dance poetry recitation "Li Sao: Aspiration of Youth" integrated poetry into dance. The dance drama "Fantasy Journey" integrated drama, street dance, and modern dance, depicting young people's thoughts and explorations of the future. The acrobatic drama "Soaring Against the Wind," artistically presented "Shenzhou Flying into Space" ("神舟飞天") and "Jiaolong Diving into the Sea" ("蛟龙入海"), expressing children's yearning and pursuit of scientific and technological innovation. The "Belt and Road" dance and music performance "Scenery Along the Silk Road" and the dance "Crossing Mountains and Seas, Dancing Together with One Heart" led the children to experience the beautiful picture of diverse cultures.
The drama "Candlelight in the Smoke" deeply portrayed Soong Ching Ling's (宋庆龄) efforts to win international friendly forces to support the Chinese people's War of Resistance Against Japan, as well as the touching story of founding wartime nurseries and protecting the hope of the country with her life. Centering on the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, the themed performance focused on inheriting and promoting the great spirit of the War of Resistance through historical scene drama performances, showcasing the good spiritual outlook of the new era's children.
Representatives of young people and children from Hong Kong (香港), Macau (澳门), and Taiwan (台湾) participated in programs such as martial arts performances, dragon and lion dances, and children's chorus. "I am very proud to perform at the National Centre for the Performing Arts (国家大剧院). I want to use my own strength to inherit and carry forward the excellent traditional Chinese culture," said Zhuang Jiaxin (庄嘉欣), a 12-year-old student from the Macau Women's General Association School (澳门妇联学校).
(Ying Ningyi (应宁怡) participated in the writing)
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 付明丽
The Yellow River flows through the Inner Mongolia Plateau, turns south, and enters Shanxi Province from Laoniuwan (老牛湾) in Pianguan County. "The Yellow River is so clear!" Many tourists who come to Laoniuwan (老牛湾) for the first time exclaim.
"After years of mountain management, afforestation, water conservation, and sand fixation, the amount of sediment entering the Yellow River has been greatly reduced. At the same time, the Wanjiazhai (万家寨) Water Control Project was built downstream, slowing the water flow, allowing sediment to settle, and making the river water clearer," explained Liang Xiaoguang (梁晓光), Director of the Water Resources Bureau of Pianguan County (偏关县), Xinzhou City (忻州市), Shanxi Province.
The Yellow River is 965 kilometers long within Shanxi Province, accounting for nearly 1/5 of the total length of the Yellow River, flowing through 4 cities and 19 counties (cities, districts). Shanxi is an important province in the middle reaches of the Yellow River Basin. Most areas are characterized by crisscrossing gullies and fragile ecology, making it one of the main sources of sediment in the Yellow River.
In recent years, Shanxi has strengthened comprehensive management, systematic management, and source management, and the ecological environment quality of the Yellow River Basin has been continuously improved. In 2024, the proportion of excellent water quality in the Shanxi Yellow River Basin reached 91.5%.
Strengthening soil and water conservation to further consolidate the ecological security barrier.
During the holiday season, the Laoniuwan (老牛湾) scenic spot welcomes its peak season, with the occupancy rate of homestays exceeding 90%.
Laoniuwan (老牛湾) is popular mainly because it has become greener. "In the past, the wind and sand were very strong in spring, and sometimes we had to turn on the lights during the day. Now, the mountains are green and the water is clear, and there are more tourists," said Wei Yongfu (魏永富), a villager in Laoniuwan Village (老牛湾村), who used to be a forestry worker in the town. He has been planting trees for more than 40 years and has a deep understanding of the local changes.
Pianguan County (偏关县) is the first county in Shanxi that the Yellow River enters. Located on the edge of the Mu Us Desert, planting trees is a major undertaking here.
At 7 a.m., on Good Man Mountain (好汉山) in Shuiquan Town (水泉镇), Wang Rongsheng (王荣生), a tree planter from the Senhui Poverty Alleviation Afforestation Professional Cooperative (森辉扶贫攻坚造林专业合作社) in Pianguan County (偏关县), used an electric pick to break up rocks, build tree pits, place oil pine seedlings, and fill and compact the soil. The mountain has an elevation difference of more than 200 meters, requiring manual carrying of seedlings. Wang Rongsheng (王荣生) lifted and carried the seedlings back and forth between the top and bottom of the mountain. After checking at sunset, he had planted 100 trees in a day. This year, the cooperative planted more than 18,000 trees.
The mountains in Pianguan (偏关) are steep with shallow soil and hard rocks, making it difficult to keep a tree alive. Wang Anrong (王安荣), Director of the Forestry Bureau of Pianguan County (偏关县), introduced, "After the trees are planted, they need three years of manual management. If they don't survive, they need to be replanted."
One tree at a time, one term after another. The county's forest and grass coverage rate has increased from 27% ten years ago to 48.6%, especially along the Yellow River and the Great Wall, reaching over 60%.
This year, Pianguan County (偏关县) will continue to promote the sixth phase of the "Three-North" Shelterbelt Project and complete 60,000 mu of ecological protection and degraded forest restoration projects along the Yellow River in the Lvliang Mountains (吕梁山). "We are expanding green areas, promoting green development, and protecting green resources simultaneously, fighting a tough battle in the 'zigzag bend' of the Yellow River," said Wang Anrong (王安荣).
Shanxi regards the Yellow River Basin as the main battlefield for ecological construction. Since the "14th Five-Year Plan," the basin has cumulatively completed afforestation of more than 13.41 million mu, and the 19 counties (cities, districts) along the Yellow River have achieved basic greening. In 2024, the soil and water conservation rate in Shanxi reached 65.5%, and the area and intensity of soil erosion continued to decline.
The Yellow River problem manifests in the Yellow River, but its root lies in the basin. Currently, Shanxi is focusing on four national-level soil and water loss management areas: the Yellow River's coarse sediment area, the Zhongtiao Mountains (中条山区), the Taihang Mountains (太行山区), and the upper reaches of the Yongding River (永定河), to create 100 high-quality small watersheds.
"This year, we will continue to improve the soil and water conservation rate in the province and further consolidate the ecological security barrier for Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei and the Yellow River," said a relevant person in charge of the Shanxi Provincial Department of Water Resources.
Concentrated investigation and rectification to improve the water quality of tributaries flowing into the Yellow River.
In 2024, Shanxi issued the "Comprehensive Ecological and Environmental Governance Plan for Counties along the Main Stream of the Yellow River in Shanxi Province," focusing on the 19 counties (cities, districts) along the main stream of the Yellow River and 16 major tributaries flowing into the Yellow River, carrying out concentrated investigation and rectification, launching five major actions of "cleaning the river, reducing pollution, managing roads, cleaning production, and expanding green areas," and planning and implementing a number of engineering projects in a targeted manner.
The Yuncheng (运城) section is the last section of the Yellow River's main stream in Shanxi, with a total length of 345 kilometers. The area along the route is densely populated and has many enterprises, and the pollution situation of tributaries flowing into the Yellow River, such as the Fen River (汾河) and the Sushui River (涑水河), is relatively severe.
After the wind and the sun, the 60-meter-long dredging ship in Wuxing Lake (伍姓湖), Yongji City (永济市), Yuncheng (运城), roared into action. The cutter rotated, reaching deep into the bottom of the lake, sucking up the silt and transporting it through pipelines to the sludge dewatering plant on the shore. After harmless treatment, it was used to reinforce river and lake dikes and build parking lots.
"Today, we cleared 3,000 cubic meters of silt. We plan to add another ship to speed up the dredging," said Yang Fan (杨帆), head of the Wildlife, Flora and Wetland Natural Protection Station of the Yongji (永济) Forestry Bureau, who was on site monitoring the progress.
Wuxing Lake (伍姓湖) is located on the northern foothills of the Zhongtiao Mountains (中条山). It is the largest freshwater lake in Shanxi and a provincial-level wetland nature reserve. The lake area covers 11.3 square kilometers, which is almost twice the size of West Lake.
"Wuxing Lake (伍姓湖) is a regulating lake of the Sushui River (涑水河), a first-class tributary of the Yellow River. It plays a key role in the allocation of water resources and ecological balance of the entire basin, especially for the water quality of the Sushui River (涑水河)," Yang Fan (杨帆) introduced.
Since the 1980s and 1990s, industrial and urban domestic sewage from the upper reaches of Wuxing Lake (伍姓湖) has been directly discharged, agriculture has been carried out on the banks, and aquaculture has been carried out in the lake, resulting in water pollution, pollutant deposition, and an extremely fragile ecological environment.
In 2017, Yongji City (永济市) launched the Wuxing Lake (伍姓湖) ecological protection and restoration project, returning farmland to wetlands, returning fishing to wetlands, and demolishing illegal buildings and rectifying chaos, which greatly improved the water ecological environment of Wuxing Lake (伍姓湖).
Shanxi proposed that by 2025, the water quality of the 16 major tributaries flowing into the Yellow River will be improved to Class III or above of surface water. Yang Fan (杨帆) told reporters that Wuxing Lake (伍姓湖) has a lot of ecological debt, and in order to achieve the goal on schedule, two more management projects were launched last year.
Standing on the shore of Wuxing Lake (伍姓湖), the water area in front of you is surrounded by green fences, cattails sway, and silver carp swim freely. This is part of the Wuxing Lake (伍姓湖) water quality improvement and ecological restoration project.
"We will seal off the 200-meter water area of the lakeside zone, plan to plant 2,700 mu of aquatic plants, and release 448,000 silver carp to further improve water quality," Yang Fan (杨帆) introduced.
On the shallows, egrets lower their necks to forage. On the road along the lake, tourists ride bicycles. "We plan to build a science education base here, which is expected to receive 2 million tourists every year," Yang Fan (杨帆) said with anticipation.
As of now, a total of 149 ecological and environmental comprehensive management projects in counties along the main stream of the Yellow River in Shanxi Province have started construction, and 86 have been completed. In 2024, the Shanxi section of the Yellow River's main stream maintained Class II or above water quality for the third consecutive year.
Implementing ecological protection projects to purify the "capillaries" of the Yellow River.
On weekends, in the Fenhe Wetland Park (汾河湿地公园) in Taiyuan City (太原市), hundreds of black-headed gulls circle in formation and swoop down to feed. The shore is full of citizens, and photography enthusiasts set up "long guns and short cannons" and frequently press the shutter.
Migratory birds are the "barometer" of ecology. After four phases of management, the ecological environment and water quality of the Fen River (汾河) in the urban area of Taiyuan (太原) have continued to improve, and more than 160 species of birds have settled here.
The Fen River (汾河) is the mother river of Shanxi and the second largest tributary of the Yellow River. The Fen River Basin (汾河流域) is an area with a relatively high level of economic development and a relatively dense industrial economy in Shanxi Province.
In 2023, Shanxi issued the "One Clear River into the Yellow River" project plan, implementing 285 ecological protection projects with an investment of nearly 100 billion yuan, striving to achieve the goal of "abundant water volume, good water quality, and beautiful scenery," and letting "one clear river enter the Yellow River." As of now, all projects have started construction, and more than 60% have been completed.
In Nanma Village (南马村), Xiaodian District (小店区), Taiyuan City (太原市), at the site of the Taiyu Drainage Canal Water Quality Improvement Project, an ecological protection project of "One Clear River into the Yellow River," a pile driver is inserting concrete wave piles into the river channel. Subsequently, a membrane aeration biofilm reactor with a total length of 8.3 kilometers will be laid at the bottom of the river channel.
"It's like installing a 'super purifier' in the river channel," explained Feng Zhigong (冯志宏), Director of the Xiaodian Branch of the Taiyuan Municipal Ecology and Environment Bureau.
The Taiyu Drainage Canal (太榆退水渠) is a first-class tributary of the Fen River (汾河), undertaking the drainage of southern Taiyuan (太原) and Jinzhong (晋中) urban areas. There are many villages along the route, and it has always been a key and difficult point in the management of the Fen River's (汾河) water quality. In 2019, the Taiyu Drainage Canal (太榆退水渠) was listed by the province for supervision due to its inferior Class V water quality at the entrance to the Fen River (汾河).
This is a tough "bone" to crack. The Taiyuan (太原) section of the Taiyu Drainage Canal (太榆退水渠) involves 19 villages and 26 sewage treatment stations along the route. The total length of the main and branch lines is 23,315 meters, and construction also needs to pass through railways, rivers, etc.
The management work is divided into two steps.
The first step is to intercept sewage and incorporate it into pipes, and introduce all the sewage along the route into the Fendong Sewage Treatment Plant (汾东污水处理厂) with higher standards for treatment. At the end of June 2024, the pipeline was connected to water, and the effect was immediately apparent. The water quality of the Taiyu Drainage Canal (太榆退水渠) reached excellent for the first time across the board.
In order to solve the problem of unstable water quality compliance, Taiyuan City (太原市) launched the second step, water quality improvement, this year. At present, the Taiyu Drainage Canal (太榆退水渠) water quality improvement project is under intense construction and is expected to be completed before the arrival of the main flood season. It will achieve a daily treatment of 130,000 cubic meters of sewage, ensuring that the three main indicators of COD (chemical oxygen demand), ammonia nitrogen, and total phosphorus in the water will stably meet the emission standards.
Since the implementation of the "One Clear River into the Yellow River" ecological protection project, Shanxi has focused on the Taiyu Drainage Canal (太榆退水渠), the Hui River (浍河), the Wenyu River (文峪河), the Ciyao River (磁窑河), the Yangxing River (杨兴河) and other heavily polluted tributaries and areas where the pollution of the Fen River (汾河) main stream is still heavy, and has coordinated the promotion of agricultural non-point source pollution, industrial pollution, urban and rural domestic pollution prevention and control, and comprehensive environmental management of mining areas to purify the "capillaries" of the Yellow River.
With the joint efforts of upstream and downstream areas, the water quality and quantity of the Fen River Basin (汾河流域) have continued to improve. In 2024, the Miaoqian Village (庙前村) section at the entrance of the Fen River (汾河) into the Yellow River reached Class III water quality for the first time.
2025 is the final year of the "One Clear River into the Yellow River" ecological protection project, and Shanxi is accelerating the progress of key projects to ensure the successful completion of the goals.
Return to TopBy: 嘉 哲
Protect the ecological environment with the strictest system and the most stringent rule of law, and continuously improve the modernization level of the national governance system and governance capacity in the ecological environment field.
The draft Ecological Environment Code was recently submitted to the 15th meeting of the 14th National People's Congress (全国人民代表大会) Standing Committee for deliberation. This is the second law in China named as a "Code," and it will help to safeguard the construction of a beautiful China with stronger legal force.
Protecting the ecological environment must rely on systems and the rule of law. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (中国共产党), China has strengthened ecological and environmental protection in an all-round, all-regional, and all-process manner. The ecological civilization system has become more sound, the construction of the ecological civilization rule of law has been continuously advanced, and green, circular, and low-carbon development has taken solid steps.
The "strictest in history" Environmental Protection Law establishes in legal form the basic concepts, basic principles, and basic systems that must be followed in the construction of ecological civilization. The formulation of intra-Party regulations such as the "Regulations on Ecological and Environmental Protection Inspection Work" promotes the implementation of ecological civilization construction and ecological and environmental protection responsibilities by local authorities. The establishment and implementation of systems such as the departure audit of natural resource assets of leading cadres, the performance evaluation of the battle against pollution, and the river and lake chief system make the responsibility system of Party committee leadership, government dominance, enterprise main body, and social organization and public participation more strict and sound.
In Poyang Lake (鄱阳湖) in Jiangxi (江西), as the temperature gradually rises, winter and summer migratory birds have recently successfully "changed shifts." Protective measures for these "guests from afar" are becoming more and more in place. From the introduction of the "Regulations on the Protection of Migratory Birds in the Poyang Lake Nature Reserve of Jiangxi Province" to protect migratory birds with institutional weapons, to the implementation of wetland ecological protection compensation to promote harmony between humans and birds, Jiangxi continues to weave a tighter institutional network to create a good habitat for migratory birds. In Xiamen (厦门), Fujian (福建), Yundang Lake (筼筜湖) has been transformed from a "stinky lake" into an "urban living room," which is inseparable from the guarantee of institutional mechanisms such as the "Xiamen Yundang Lake Area Management Measures" and the "Xiamen Special Economic Zone Yundang Lake Area Protection Measures." In Nanjing (南京), Jiangsu (江苏), the Yangtze River (长江) coastline in Qiaolin Street (桥林街道), Pukou District (浦口区) was once so smoky that people could not open their eyes. The local area carried out a special整治action, and formulated and implemented the "Nanjing Yangtze River Coastline Protection Measures" and the "Nanjing Yangtze River Coastline Protection Regulations," realizing the transformation of the "production coastline" to the "ecological coastline." Practice has proved that only by implementing the strictest system and the most stringent rule of law can we provide a reliable guarantee for ecological and environmental protection.
The results are obvious to all, but we must also soberly see that China's ecological civilization construction is still in a critical period of superimposed pressure and heavy burden, and the structural, root, and trend pressures of ecological and environmental protection have not been fundamentally alleviated. We must keep up with the development of the times, closely focus on the needs of the masses, comprehensively deepen and promote the reform of the ecological civilization system, adhere to promoting ecological civilization construction and ecological and environmental protection on the track of the rule of law, and provide a strong guarantee for building a beautiful China where humans and nature coexist in harmony.
On the new journey, we must anchor the goal of building a beautiful China, adhere to taking system construction as the top priority, and further improve the legal system of ecological civilization. Taking the deepening of the reform of the ecological civilization system as the driving force, we will accelerate the improvement and implementation of the institutional mechanism for the concept that green waters and green mountains are golden mountains and silver mountains. We will steadily and orderly promote the codification of the ecological environment, systematically confirm the achievements of ecological civilization construction in the new era through the form of the code, and raise mature experiences that have been proven effective in practice to legal system regulations. We will improve the ecological civilization rule of law supervision system and stimulate the strong synergy of the whole society to build and share a beautiful China. We will strengthen the implementation of the system, make the system a rigid constraint and an untouchable high-voltage line, and transform the institutional advantages in the field of ecological environment into governance effectiveness.
Firmly establish and practice the concept that green waters and green mountains are golden mountains and silver mountains, protect the ecological environment with the strictest system and the most stringent rule of law, and continuously improve the modernization level of the national governance system and governance capacity in the ecological environment field. The construction of a beautiful China with evergreen mountains, green waters, and fresh air will become more and more solid.
Return to TopShuikou Reservoir (水口水库) is the largest reservoir in the Min River (闽江) in Fujian (福建). Previously, large-scale cage aquaculture led to water pollution in the reservoir area. After the Central Ecological and Environmental Protection Inspection (中央生态环境保护督察) reported the issue, the local government vigorously implemented rectification measures such as the removal of cage aquaculture, achieving a transformation of the reservoir area into a place with clear water, green banks, and beautiful scenery, and the water quality of the Min River (闽江) gradually improved.
Since December 2015, the Central Ecological and Environmental Protection Inspection (中央生态环境保护督察) has completed two rounds of full coverage, and the third round has completed three batches of inspections.
To date, the inspection has cumulatively accepted and transferred more than 340,000 public complaints related to ecological and environmental issues, the vast majority of which have been resolved or partially resolved. The inspection has resolutely investigated and dealt with a number of major typical cases of ecological and environmental damage and resolved a number of prominent ecological and environmental problems that the people strongly reflect.
"China has creatively established a systematic and complete ecological and environmental protection inspection system, which promotes the consolidation of ecological and environmental protection responsibilities of leaders at all levels and promotes the construction of ecological civilization," said Wan Jun (万军), Deputy Dean of the Chinese Academy of Environmental Planning (生态环境部环境规划院).
The inspection always goes for the problems and for the responsibilities. Under the strong promotion of the inspection, problems such as ecological damage in the Qilian Mountains National Nature Reserve (祁连山国家级自然保护区) in Gansu (甘肃), illegal construction of villas in the Qinling Mountains (秦岭) north of Xi'an (西安) in Shaanxi (陕西), and illegal mining in the Muli (木里) mining area in Qinghai (青海) have been basically resolved.
According to statistics, the first two rounds of inspections transferred a total of 667 accountability issues, holding 9,699 people accountable. Under the promotion of the inspection, the concept that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" has become a 共识 (gòng shí - "common understanding," a general agreement or consensus) of the whole Party and the whole society.
Recently, the fourth batch of the third round of Central Ecological and Environmental Protection Inspection (中央生态环境保护督察) has been fully launched. Relevant officials from the Office of the Leading Group for Central Ecological and Environmental Protection Inspection (中央生态环境保护督察工作领导小组办公室) stated that they will firmly grasp the "bull nose" of the ecological and environmental protection responsibility system, deeply promote ecological and environmental protection inspections, and build a beautiful China where humans and nature coexist harmoniously.
(Reported by Kou Jiangze (寇江泽) of this newspaper)
Return to TopBy: 林彦婷
Under the night sky, the waves gently caress the shore, creating streaks of ethereal blue luminescence, resembling tears flowing from the ocean. People have given it a beautiful name – "Blue Tears." Recently, the spectacular "Blue Tears" phenomenon has appeared in many coastal areas of China, attracting countless tourists.
The "Blue Tears" appearing along China's coast are mostly the bioluminescence of Noctiluca scintillans. Noctiluca scintillans is a type of marine dinoflagellate, a single-celled organism, nearly spherical in shape, with a diameter of 0.2-2 mm, visible to the naked eye. Its body contains luciferin and luciferase. When disturbed by external factors, under the catalytic action of luciferase, the luciferin in Noctiluca scintillans reacts with oxygen from the outside world, emitting blue fluorescence.
The formation of "Blue Tears" is a complex process, comprehensively influenced by multiple factors such as ocean, biology, and meteorology, with meteorological conditions being an important link. When the sea temperature is between 21-23 degrees Celsius and the wind force is 3-4, it is most conducive to the appearance of Noctiluca scintillans. Noctiluca scintillans has photophobic properties, and cloudy days are more conducive to "Blue Tears" floating on the sea surface. At the same time, affected by wind and ocean currents, Noctiluca scintillans at sea will gather near the shore. During northerly winds, "Blue Tears" often appear on north-facing beaches, while during southerly winds, they often appear on south-facing beaches. Affected by multiple factors such as the density of Noctiluca scintillans, tides, and waves, the duration of "Blue Tears" varies from several minutes to several hours.
"Blue Tears" have appeared in many coastal areas across the country, including Hainan (海南), Guangxi (广西), Guangdong (广东), Fujian (福建), and Zhejiang (浙江) in the south, and Shandong (山东), Tianjin (天津), Hebei (河北), and Liaoning (辽宁) in the north. Among them, Pingtan Island (平潭岛) in Fujian (福建) is a high-incidence area for "Blue Tears," and March to June each year is the best viewing period for "Blue Tears" in Pingtan (平潭).
Since 2017, the Pingtan Comprehensive Experimental Zone Meteorological Bureau (福建省平潭综合实验区气象局) in Fujian Province (福建省) has been conducting research on "Blue Tears" forecasting. Through big data analysis, meteorological and marine factors highly correlated with the probability of "Blue Tears" are screened out, and a Pingtan (平潭) "Blue Tears" probability forecasting model is established using machine learning algorithms, which can realize the probability forecast of "Blue Tears" appearing in the next 5 days. In March 2020, the Pingtan Comprehensive Experimental Zone (平潭综合实验区) in Fujian Province (福建省) officially launched the "Blue Tears" forecasting service to the public. With meteorological empowerment, the number of people flocking to Pingtan (平潭) to chase "tears" has repeatedly reached new highs. Data shows that in 2023 and 2024, Pingtan (平潭) received over ten million tourists throughout the year for two consecutive years, and the total tourism revenue exceeded ten billion yuan.
It is worth noting that when viewing "Blue Tears," it is necessary to pay attention to local weather information in advance to avoid going during severe weather. When viewing, the light on the beach at night is dim and the terrain is complex, so it is necessary to pay attention to changes in the tide at all times to prevent being trapped by the rising tide.
(The author is an engineer at the Pingtan Comprehensive Experimental Zone Meteorological Bureau (福建省平潭综合实验区气象局) in Fujian Province (福建省), and this article was compiled and edited by Li Hongmei (李红梅), a reporter from this newspaper.)
Return to Top"May 5th is the Dragon Boat Festival. Dragon boats go into the water, full of joy." As an important traditional festival, the Dragon Boat Festival embodies deep patriotic feelings and carries diverse festive customs, with dragon boat racing being one of the most festive activities.
In Foshan (佛山), Guangdong (广东), the oldest existing dragon boat, Yanbu Old Dragon (盐步老龙), "shakes off" a body of silt and re-emerges, kicking off a cultural prelude interwoven with tradition and modernity. In Miluo (汨罗), Hunan (湖南), the "hometown of dragon boats," thousands of boats race, and the concerted efforts of teams from various countries create a symphony of diverse world cultures. In Fuzhou (福州), Fujian (福建), nighttime dragon boat races are full of vitality, opening up new spaces for the development of the ancient village's nighttime economy and distinctive cultural tourism. In Banan (巴南), Chongqing (重庆), and Ezhou (鄂州), Hubei (湖北), dragon boats are brought ashore, showcasing a unique sense of fun and flexibility. With the sounds of drums and the splashing of paddles, the Dragon Boat Festival, with its youthful and contemporary feel, brings us not only a profound historical heritage but also a firm cultural confidence.
--Editor
Miluo (汨罗), Hunan (湖南)
International Dragon Boats "Strive to Be Upstream"
By Yang Xun (杨迅), reporter of this newspaper
On the vast Miluo River (汨罗江), the exciting drumbeats soar into the sky, and the paddles rise and fall, stirring up endless waves. The paddlers, with their agile figures, drive the dragon boats upstream, attracting continuous cheers from the shore. From May 24th to 31st, the "China Miluo River International Dragon Boat Invitational Tournament and the 2nd Dragon Boat Super League" was held in Miluo City (汨罗市), Hunan Province (湖南省). The Dragon Boat Festival race is one of the most important events in Miluo. This event attracted more than 60 dragon boat teams from across the country and even the world, with the largest number of participants in its history.
During the competition, there was a "trilogy" of dragon boat events on the Miluo River: the International Dragon Boat Invitational Tournament, the Dragon Boat Super League (龙超联赛), and the local dragon boat race. The distinctive dragon boat events brought a rich and colorful experience to the audience.
The International Dragon Boat Invitational Tournament adopted a 12-person standard dragon boat race, with participating teams mainly being foreign national teams, foreign clubs, and student teams. The Dragon Boat Super League and the local dragon boat race adopted a 22-person traditional dragon boat race. In the Dragon Boat Super League, dozens of strong traditional dragon boat teams from all over the country met in a **狭路相逢** (xiá lù xiāng féng - "narrow road meets," an unavoidable clash between rivals). In the local dragon boat race, 12 local dragon boat teams braved the waves, carrying forward the local dragon boat spirit.
Although dragon boat teams of different nationalities and groups differed in professionalism and speed, the team members' enthusiasm for dragon boat racing was equally high. Liu Shilin (刘石林), a local cultural and historical expert, introduced that Miluo City (汨罗市) is famous for Qu Yuan (屈原) and is also known as the "hometown of dragon boats." "Winning the championship in the Miluo dragon boat race has a more special meaning," said a member of the dragon boat team from Shunde (顺德), Guangdong (广东).
Since 2005, Miluo has held the China Miluo River International Dragon Boat Festival for 20 consecutive sessions, attracting participants from more than 30 countries and regions. Relying on the long history and profound heritage of dragon boat culture, top events frequently stop in Miluo, and dragon boat sports have also developed into Miluo's most distinctive and influential cultural tourism brand. "Celebrating the Dragon Boat Festival at the source and racing dragon boats in the hometown of dragon boats" has become a popular cultural calling card.
With the increasing number of dragon boat events year by year, the brand influence of Miluo, the "hometown of dragon boats," is growing. From the production of dragon boat equipment and competition equipment and the construction of venues, to the training of athletes, to the holding of events and the sale of dragon boat crafts, the long dragon boat extends a longer industrial chain. Today, Miluo has developed a new pattern of industrial development supported by dragon boat racing, dragon boat manufacturing, and dragon boat intangible cultural heritage. Miluo dragon boats will also paddle into a broader world.
Foshan (佛山), Guangdong (广东)
Centenarian Ancient Boat "Re-emerges"
By Li Zong (李纵), reporter of this newspaper
On May 17th, in Yanbu (盐步) Community, Dali Town (大沥镇), Nanhai District (南海区), Foshan City (佛山市), Guangdong Province (广东省), the Yanbu Old Dragon (盐步老龙) Dragon Storage Base was bustling with excitement. The 593-year-old Yanbu Old Dragon (盐步老龙), amid people's expectations, "shook off" a body of silt and "rose" out of the water again. Subsequently, local villagers removed dirt and applied oil to the old dragon boat, installed the dragon head and tail, and welcomed the arrival of the Dragon Boat Festival season.
The Yanbu Old Dragon is 36.8 meters long (excluding the dragon head and tail), 1.1 meters wide, and weighs about 4 tons. As one of the oldest existing dragon boats in China, the history of the Yanbu Old Dragon can be traced back to the seventh year of Xuande (宣德) in the Ming Dynasty (明朝) (1432). The Dragon Boat Festival (Yanbu Old Dragon Ritual) is a non-material cultural heritage of Guangdong Province.
Why can the ancient dragon boat be preserved for hundreds of years? The Yanbu Old Dragon is made of ironwood, which has extremely strong corrosion resistance and insect resistance. The climate in southern China is humid and rainy. If the dragon boat is placed on the shore, the wood is prone to rot and deformation. Hiding the dragon boat underwater and immersing it in silt can isolate it from the air and slow down the aging and damage of the wood.
Can such an old dragon boat race on the water? According to Shao Juxi (邵钜熙), the provincial representative inheritor of the Yanbu Old Dragon Ritual, after the "rising dragon" ceremony, it means that the Dragon Boat Festival race officially begins, but because the old dragon boat has more ritual significance and cultural relic value, it only performs dragon swimming in the race.
The "rising dragon" ceremony is not unique to Foshan. For example, on May 5th, in Pantang Village (泮塘村), Liwan District (荔湾区), Guangzhou (广州), seven dragon boats "sleeping" at the bottom of the water were "awakened." The oldest of these is the Pantang Old Dragon (泮塘老龙), which has a history of more than 400 years. There is also a custom of "dragon boat visiting relatives" between Yanbu and Pantang. On the Dragon Boat Festival, villagers in Yanbu (盐步), Foshan (佛山) will row the old dragon boat to Liwan (荔湾), Guangzhou (广州) to meet the dragon boat in Pantang (泮塘). The two dragon boats cruise together to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival. On the fifth day of the lunar month, the villagers of Pantang will row the old dragon boat back to Yanbu for a return visit. The deep friendship established between the two places with dragon boats as the link has lasted for more than 400 years.
Today, the Yanbu Old Dragon, carrying ancient cultural genes, is also shining in the process of cultural tourism development and urban renewal. "By deeply cultivating the cultural IP of Yanbu Old Dragon, Dali Town (大沥镇) will reshape historical and cultural points such as Zhijie (直街), wineries, and granaries, create new consumption scenarios, and promote the prosperity and development of cultural tourism economy," said Yang Guolin (仰国林), deputy secretary of the Dali Town Party Committee.
Fuzhou (福州), Fujian (福建)
Drum Sounds "Night Race"
By Shi Yu (施钰), reporter of this newspaper
As night falls, Sanxi Village (三溪村) and Xishan Village (溪山村), Jiangtian Town (江田镇), Changle District (长乐区), Fuzhou City (福州市), Fujian Province (福建省), usher in the most lively time of the day. Cheers resound through the night sky, and crowds gather on both sides of the Nanxi River (南溪) and on the stone bridge over the stream, craning their necks to watch a nighttime dragon boat race.
"Dong dong dong," the water surface is lit up by lights, and the rhythmic drumbeats rise and fall one after another; "Shua shua shua," more than 10 dragon boats shuttle and compete on the stream, and water splashes between the flying paddles.
Since ancient times, dragon boats have raced during the day, but Sanxi is unique in its night races. In Sanxi Village (三溪村) and Xishan Village (溪山村), the custom of dragon boat racing has existed since ancient times, and the form of night crossing originated in the 1970s and 1980s. At that time, villagers were busy with farming during the day, and could only experience the fun of dragon boat racing by lighting lamps after work in the evening. Over time, it evolved into a unique nighttime event. Today, from the first to the fifth day of the fifth lunar month every year, villagers spontaneously form teams, and men, women, old and young paddle together, which has also become an important part of the local Dragon Boat Festival culture.
"This year, the two villages have organized dozens of teams, and villagers who work in other places have returned to their hometowns to participate in and watch the games," said Xu Rui (许睿), the first secretary of the Changle District Government Office stationed in Sanxi Village. The unique charm of the night dragon boat race attracts a large number of villagers and tourists. Sanxi Village also actively guides villagers to develop cultural tourism formats such as agritainment, and uses special activities to drive cultural tourism consumption.
Simply cook a few dishes and serve a pot of wooden barrel rice - after eating the dragon boat rice, the dragon boat is lowered into the water, and the villagers can shout slogans and race for a while. "These days of the Dragon Boat Festival, the lively atmosphere in the village is no less than that of the New Year," said Pan Yunkun (潘云坤), a 47-year-old villager in Xishan Village (溪山村) who has organized a dragon boat team to participate in activities for about 20 years. This year, he gathered a 60-person dragon boat team. "The competition is not about winning or losing, but about the experience," said Pan Yunkun.
Xu Rui (许睿) introduced that in recent years, the village has also built projects such as the Night Dragon Boat Landscape Construction Project and the Beautiful Courtyard Creation Project. The vibrant scene of the night dragon boat race on the stream, coupled with the lights on the shore and the crowds of people, has become a creative hotspot for photography enthusiasts.
Fuzhou (福州) has a profound dragon boat culture. In mid-May, the Fuzhou Dragon Boat Theme Park officially opened to the public. The Puxia River (浦下河) in the park is a traditional dragon boat race venue in Fuzhou. Puxia River (浦下河) is also known as the "Dragon Boat River." During holidays, dragon boat training or competitions are held here. "Relying on dragon boat events, Fuzhou also holds colorful dragon boat markets. The diverse new consumption scenarios and new products are very popular among citizens and tourists," said Wang Xiaolan (王晓岚), deputy general manager of Fuzhou Water Affairs Culture and Tourism Co., Ltd.
Chongqing Banan (重庆巴南), Hubei Ezhou (湖北鄂州)
Land Steering "Fun"
By Liu Xinwu (刘新吾) and Fan Haotian (范昊天), reporters of this newspaper
"Come on, come on." "The dragon head is crooked, straighten it quickly." ...... During the Dragon Boat Festival, a land dragon boat race in Yudong Street (鱼洞街道), Banan District (巴南区), Chongqing (重庆市) attracted many people to watch, with shouts and laughter rising and falling. Three colorful cartoon dragon boats were seen advancing rapidly. The participants, in groups of five, used their legs as paddles and their hands as rudders, shouting slogans while rushing towards the finish line.
Banan District (巴南区) is located on the banks of the Yangtze River (长江), and has a tradition of dragon boat racing during the Dragon Boat Festival. The local traditional dragon boat race has a long history, but with the control of the Yangtze River channel, the local water dragon boat competition has gradually turned to land, developed into land dragon boats, and spread in various towns and streets.
Yudong Street (鱼洞街道) is one of them. This year, Yudong Street (鱼洞街道) organized 13 teams from various villages and communities, with a total of 65 participants. "Left, left..." Xiang Hui (向辉), a contestant from Yuqing Road Community (鱼轻路社区), told reporters that the land dragon boat race is no different from the water dragon boat race, except that it is held on land. It also requires command and steering, and can also reflect the spirit of competition, cooperation, and progress. The key to the land dragon boat race is to shout commands to guide the team to rush forward quickly. "The dragon boat race is a team competition of 5 people. As the first person to steer, in order to ensure that the 5 people move forward in unison, the voice must be loud enough for everyone to hear," said Xiang Hui.
Not only Yudong Street (鱼洞街道), but also various towns and streets in Banan District (巴南区) actively hold land dragon boat races with their own characteristics. For example, in Yuchi Village (鱼池村), Dongwenquan Town (东温泉镇), villagers use thick bamboo to make dragon boats, draw lifelike dragon claw patterns on the bamboo poles, and then add colorful dragon heads, which look majestic from a distance. The villagers are divided into 7 groups, straddling the bamboo dragon boats, holding the bamboo poles tightly, and working together to "row" forward.
In Zelin Town (泽林镇), Echeng District (鄂城区), Ezhou City (鄂州市), Hubei Province (湖北省), land dragon boats are not used for competition, but a traditional folk custom to express condolences and expectations.
"According to legend, when Qu Yuan (屈原) stayed in Ezhou (鄂州), he taught the local people to avoid epidemics and eliminate diseases by hanging calamus and fumigating smoke bags." Liu Guisheng (刘桂生), the national intangible cultural heritage representative inheritor of Zelin Land Dragon Boat, introduced that over thousands of years, Zeguo (泽国) has become dry land. In order to commemorate Qu Yuan (屈原), the people of Zelin (泽林) replace the thatched boat with a tied land dragon boat for "sacrificial parade" on the fifteenth day of the fifth lunar month, the "Great Dragon Boat Festival" every year.
In 2014, the Dragon Boat Festival (Zelin Land Dragon Boat) was included in the fourth batch of national intangible cultural heritage representative project list. The custom of touring land dragon boats has also been updated in response to the times, and the Land Dragon Boat Culture Tourism Festival has been developed. In addition to traditional ceremonies, the tourism festival also includes literary and artistic performances, intangible cultural heritage displays, and tasting of agricultural and sideline products. The rich and colorful cultural tourism event makes the Dragon Boat Festival culture more deeply rooted in the hearts of the people, and exudes the charm and brilliance that transcends time and space.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 窦瀚洋
In the Ningbo Museum (宁波博物馆) in Zhejiang (浙江), a Warring States period bronze artifact named "Feathered People Dragon Boat Racing Pattern Bronze Yue Axe" ("羽人竞渡纹铜钺") attracts attention. The artifact is golden yellow, 9.8 centimeters high, and the blade is 12.1 centimeters wide, about the size of a palm. One side is smooth and without ornamentation, while the other side is cast with a border. The upper pattern within the border is a dragon pattern, and the lower pattern is a feathered people dragon boat racing pattern. This bronze yue axe not only proves that the ancient Yue people (越地) mastered the skill of rowing more than 2,000 years ago, but may also be an important artifact that records early world paddle water sports.
The shape of the bronze yue axe is similar to an axe, but the material is softer, and it is generally not used for chopping, but more as a ritual object. At first glance, the Feathered People Dragon Boat Racing Pattern Bronze Yue Axe is sure to be attracted by its golden color. Although it is more than 2,000 years old, it is still dazzling, which shows that its copper material is of excellent quality.
The surface of the bronze yue axe is decorated with line symbols, which has a modern aesthetic. In particular, the lower part uses an arc-shaped border line as a boat, with 4 people sitting in a row. All 4 people wear tall feather crowns. The arms that are vigorously paddling are rare straight lines in the overall pattern, and they are connected by turns, forming a sharp contrast with the curved bodies. This practice of connecting 4 people with straight lines vividly expresses the spirit of teamwork in dragon boat racing.
This bronze yue axe was unearthed in Ningbo (宁波), which belonged to the Yue area (越地) during the Warring States period. The "feathered people" ("羽人") on the bronze yue axe show the Baiyue people's (百越民族) special feelings for "birds."
The Baiyue people's worship of "birds" is reflected in many cultural relics, such as the "bird-shaped ivory dagger" ("鸟形象牙匕"), "double birds facing phoenix ivory ware" ("双鸟朝凤象牙器"), and "eagle-shaped pottery dou" ("鹰形陶豆") unearthed from the Hemudu Culture Site (河姆渡文化遗址). The Yue people (越人) imitated birds because they admired and respected them. Many Yue king's swords are engraved with "bird seal script" ("鸟篆文"). The "feathered people" ("羽人") image with feather crowns in the "Feathered People Dragon Boat Racing Pattern" ("羽人竞渡纹") is a manifestation of Yue culture (越地文化).
If you observe the "Dragon Boat Racing Pattern" ("竞渡纹") carefully, you will find that the paddling movements of the 4 people on the boat are uniform. The caster outlines their bodies leaning forward with their legs propped up in an extremely abstract way. This is an obvious dragon boat racing posture. It is conceivable that in the Warring States period more than 2,000 years ago, the ancient Yue people (越地先民) already had dragon boat racing activities. It may have been a competition, or it may have been a way of sailing in the face of rapids, which is so similar to our state of vigorously paddling today.
So, can we say that "dragon boat racing" appeared during the Warring States period? According to Chen Mingliang (陈明良), associate researcher of the Academic Research Department of the Ningbo Museum (宁波博物馆学术研究部), because the living environment of the Yue people (越人) was relatively harsh, there would be frequent competitive competitions, which was a way for them to maintain vigorous energy, physical strength, and strong will. It cannot be determined whether the boat paddled by the "feathered people" ("羽人") is a dragon boat, but it is likely to be a source of the Dragon Boat Festival custom.
Today, the Feathered People Dragon Boat Racing Pattern Bronze Yue Axe, which has been silent for thousands of years, frequently appears in major events. At that time, when Beijing (北京) applied to host the 2008 Olympic Games, the State General Administration of Sports (国家体育总局) submitted it to the International Olympic Committee as a physical historical material of China's long-standing sports competition, as one of the application bases; in addition, it is also the application mark of Ningbo (宁波) for the "Ningbo Maritime Silk Road" ("宁波海上丝绸之路") World Cultural Heritage.
“箫鼓满流水，风烟生画旗。” Although thousands of years have passed, the spirit of hard work conveyed by "feathered people dragon boat racing" ("羽人竞渡") has always been flowing on this land, inspiring people's hearts.
Return to TopBy: 崔龙腾
Rowing forward, with water ripples as the path. Both being water sports, dragon boat racing and modern water sports such as rowing, kayaking, and canoeing have different origins and cultural connotations.
The dugout canoes unearthed from Neolithic sites in China indicate that the ancestors were already able to navigate the waters by boat. Since the pre-Qin period, boats have gradually integrated with festivals such as Shangsi and the Dragon Boat Festival, evolving into a dragon boat culture that combines rituals and competitions. Rowing, kayaking, and canoeing are modern water sports with a stronger emphasis on competition.
Dragon boat racing emphasizes synchronized rowing, with paddlers facing forward and arranged symmetrically on both sides of the boat. A rudder sets the direction, and a drum provides the rhythm. With the sound of the drum, dozens to hundreds of people paddle in unison according to the same rhythm, in a neat and uniform manner, creating a spectacular scene. Competition dragon boats are mostly 12 to 22 meters long, while folk dragon boats can reach 30 meters, and even 100-meter-long dragons appear during festivals. The dragon head and tail are often decorated with carvings and paintings, which are both practical and culturally meaningful. They are a reflection of collaboration and belief, as well as a vivid portrayal of the Chinese nation's spirit of 同舟共济 (tóng zhōu gòng jì - "crossing the river in the same boat," to be in the same boat; to stick together in difficulties) and 众志成城 (zhòng zhì chéng chéng - "unity is strength," when people are united, they can accomplish anything). As a traditional Chinese sports event, dragon boat racing has appeared in international competitions. For example, in 1995, Yueyang (岳阳), Hunan (湖南) held the first World Dragon Boat Championships; in 2010, the Guangzhou Asian Games (广州亚运会) included dragon boat racing as an official competition event for the first time.
Rowing originated from rowing competitions held on the River Thames in England in the 17th century. Unlike dragon boats, athletes row with their backs to the direction of travel. The boat body is slender and lightweight, and power is generated by the sliding seat, legs, and the whole body, emphasizing rhythm and coordination. The project is divided into single to eight-person boats, with single and double oars. A single-person boat is about 8 meters long, and an eight-person boat reaches 18 meters. It is an important modern water sports competition event.
Kayaking originated from the animal skin boats made by the Eskimos (爱斯基摩人) by wrapping animal skins on wooden frames. It is a seated double-paddle sport, often equipped with a foot-controlled rudder, which is flexible and swift. The boat is mostly 3 to 5 meters long.
Canoeing originated from the water life of the North American indigenous people (北美原住民). It is a kneeling single-paddle sport, with an open boat body and no deck cover design, focusing on balance and control.
The kayak and canoe slalom events are highly challenging. The boat body is lightweight and sealed, and the athletes pass through water gates in turbulent currents, balancing speed and skill.
It is worth mentioning that in traditional Chinese society, there were also sliding seat boats, multi-person light boats, etc., used for fishing, wedding processions, playing, and other scenes, such as the punt boats and painted boats in the southern water towns, and the ferry boats and canal boats in the northern and central regions. Although they have not become a competition system, they contain life wisdom and local flavor.
(Author's unit: Department of Physical Education, Tsinghua University (清华大学); reporter Shi Fang (施芳) of this newspaper interviewed and compiled)
Return to TopLayout Design: Zhang Fangman (张芳曼)
Return to TopOn June 1, 2020, the "Overall Plan for the Construction of Hainan Free Trade Port" was officially released, and a magnificent picture of reform and opening up in the new era slowly unfolded on the coast of the South China Sea. Over the past five years, as the forefront and important window for the construction of the Hainan Free Trade Port, Sanya City (三亚市), Hainan Province, has resonated with the times. Combining its own resource endowments, it has shouldered historical responsibilities with the responsibility of "taking the lead" and broken through development bottlenecks with the spirit of "being a pioneer." It has accelerated the formation of a new pattern of industrial development supported by park platforms and coordinated upstream and downstream, cultivated and strengthened new quality productive forces, actively seized new fields and tracks such as the Nanfan seed industry and deep-sea technology, built a modern industrial system with Sanya's characteristics and advantages, solidly promoted Sanya's reform and opening up and high-quality economic and social development, and strived to build a world-renowned livable, travelable, and business-friendly tropical coastal city, contributing Sanya's wisdom and strength to the construction of the Hainan Free Trade Port and Chinese-style modernization.
Releasing Policy Dividends, the Offshore Duty-Free Shopping "Golden Signboard" Becomes Brighter
Relying on the policy dividends of "zero tariffs, low tax rates, and a simplified tax system" of the Hainan Free Trade Port, Sanya has aimed to build a core area of an international tourism consumption center over the past five years. It has continuously innovated tourism consumption products, optimized service experiences, and improved its internationalization level, promoting tourism consumption towards high-end, high-quality, and international development.
In order to accelerate the internationalization process of the Hainan Free Trade Port, Sanya City (三亚市) has actively promoted the continuous improvement of its overseas route network. Since 2023, Sanya Phoenix International Airport (三亚凤凰国际机场) has operated a total of 32 overseas routes, connecting 24 overseas cities, with 1,110,400 passengers entering and exiting through the airport port. Sanya International Duty Free City (三亚国际免税城), Sanya HTDF (海旅) Duty Free City, CDF Sanya International Duty Free Shopping Park (中服三亚国际免税购物公园), and Sanya Phoenix Airport Duty Free Shop have become popular choices for tourists. The offshore duty-free sales of the entire Sanya account for more than 60% of the province, driving the transformation of tourism consumption from "sightseeing" to "vacation shopping," and the offshore duty-free shopping "golden signboard" becomes brighter.
Serving the "Greater National Interest," Fully Building a Science and Technology Innovation Highland of the Hainan Free Trade Port
The Nanfan Base is China's "natural greenhouse" for winter generation breeding, and the South China Sea is a natural place to carry out deep-sea research and development and experiments. With the resource endowment advantages of Sanya's "latitude," Nanfan's "temperature," and the South China Sea's "depth," Sanya has focused on the seed industry and deep-sea technology over the past five years, bearing in mind the "greater national interest," accelerated the construction of the "Nanfan Silicon Valley," promoted deep-sea technology innovation, and strived to build a science and technology innovation highland of the Hainan Free Trade Port.
In the construction of "Nanfan Silicon Valley," Sanya has built a high-standard scientific research platform in the Nanfan field and pioneered the national seed industry CRO (seed industry contract research organization) model to accelerate the industrialization of the biological breeding industry. At present, Sanya has established 6 national-level scientific research platforms, 40 provincial and ministerial-level scientific research platforms, and 10 academician workstations. More than 2,800 Nanfan industry and related enterprises are gathered in the Yazhou Bay Science and Technology City (崖州湾科技城) High-tech Zone in Sanya, and the total income of Nanfan seed industry business entities has exceeded 10 billion yuan. As of May this year, various Nanfan units in Sanya Yazhou Bay Science and Technology City (三亚崖州湾科技城) have undertaken 441 provincial-level and above scientific and technological projects in the Nanfan field, independently established 307 projects in the Nanfan field, registered 215 Nanfan scientific and technological achievement transformation contracts, and the transaction amount of technology contracts reached 350 million yuan.
In deep-sea technology innovation, Sanya takes building a deep-sea key technology innovation system and cultivating and developing the deep-sea technology industry as its core tasks, and takes the high-level construction of Sanya Deep Sea Science and Technology City (三亚深海科技城) and Nanshan Port (南山港) "Scientific Research Mother Port" as its work focus, systematically planning the construction of deep-sea scientific research infrastructure and innovation platforms. It has attracted key central enterprises, state-owned enterprises, and representative enterprises such as China Shipbuilding Group (中船集团), China Merchants Group (招商局集团), Harbin Electric Corporation (哈电集团), Autsea Marine, Mingyang Smart Energy, and Boya Gongdao to settle in the Sanya Yazhou Bay Science and Technology City (三亚崖州湾科技城) High-tech Zone, initially forming an industrial cluster. As of the end of the first quarter of 2025, 1,206 marine industry enterprises have gathered in the Sanya Yazhou Bay Science and Technology City (三亚崖州湾科技城) High-tech Zone.
Industrial Structure Transformation, Accelerating the Cultivation and Development of New Quality Productive Forces
Industry prospers, then the economy prospers. Over the past five years, Sanya has evolved from a single development of the tourism and real estate industries to a "tourism consumption + scientific and technological innovation + modern industry" urban form, and a new pattern of industrial development with multiple supports, multiple industries, and diversified development is accelerating. A diversified industrial matrix has built a "strong engine" for Sanya's high-quality development. In 2024, Sanya's regional GDP exceeded 100 billion yuan for the first time.
Sanya Yazhou Bay Science and Technology City (三亚崖州湾科技城) High-tech Zone has joined hands with internationally renowned companies such as Biogents, relying on iFlytek (科大讯飞), Yifei Technology, Sanya General Aviation, BOE Pixey, Sanya Deep Sea Compound Resource Center and other enterprises and institutions, to preemptively lay out new fields and tracks such as artificial intelligence, metaverse, low-altitude economy, life sciences, and digital economy. At the same time, it uses "credit + park guarantee loan" to empower industrial development, assisting 3 enterprises in completing 5 intellectual property pledge loans, totaling 53.5 million yuan. Sanya Central Business District (三亚中央商务区) actively cooperates with domestic and foreign enterprises, with headquarters economy, modern commerce and trade, financial services, and cruise yachts as the leading industries, and professional services and cultural leisure as support, focusing on the direction of industrial development, carrying out precise investment promotion, forming an industrial agglomeration effect, and successively successfully approved the creation of modern finance and modern commerce and trade two 100 billion-level industrial clusters. As of April 2025, the total number of enterprises in the park reached 8,417, the number of three types of Fortune 500 companies reached 113, and the number of central enterprises, state-owned enterprises, listed companies, and foreign-funded enterprises reached 551. In the first quarter of this year, Sanya Central Business District (三亚中央商务区) achieved a year-on-year increase of 18.7% in revenue, a year-on-year increase of 59.3% in tax revenue, and a year-on-year increase of 102.2% in the total import and export of goods trade, becoming one of the main driving forces for economic growth in the province's 13 key free trade port parks. The convention and exhibition economy has been upgraded in quality, and the Asian Seed Congress and the Sanya International Yacht Exhibition Area of the 5th China International Consumer Products Expo have been successively launched, with more than 70 conferences with more than 1,000 people held every year, and the comprehensive income of the convention and exhibition industry exceeding 9 billion yuan. Among them, the total transaction amount of yachts in the Sanya International Yacht Exhibition Area of the 5th China International Consumer Products Expo was nearly 35 million yuan.
Optimizing the Soft Environment for Business, Building Hard Support for High-Quality Development
Creating a first-class business environment that is market-oriented, rule-of-law, and internationalized is a strong support for promoting high-quality development. As the only city in Hainan selected as a "Cultural and Tourism Market Credit Economy Development Pilot Area" by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Sanya has optimized the business environment with a number of measures over the past five years, committed to creating a first-class business environment that is market-oriented, rule-of-law, and internationalized, so that all types of business entities can develop with confidence and comfort.
Sanya promulgated the province's first local government regulation in the field of business environment, the "Regulations of Sanya City (三亚市) on Optimizing the Business Environment," and iteratively issued the "Implementation Plan of Sanya City (三亚市) for Sprinting to a First-Class Business Environment in 2025," deepened the reform of "one seal for approval," and promoted the overall reduction of the completion time limit for 297 high-frequency social matters by 31.47%; issued the "Relevant Measures of Sanya City (三亚市) for Improving the Quality and Efficiency of Fixed Asset Investment Projects," achieving an acceleration of more than 20 days in the approval of engineering construction projects; pioneered the "Government-Enterprise Appointment Platform" and "Government Service Jingdong Online Store," created Sanya's characteristic credit application scenario clusters such as "Tourism Consumption Complaint Advance Compensation" and "One Household One Code" market cloud supervision, and ranked first in the province in the number of awards won in provincial and national credit application scenario competitions.
Opening up is an important business environment. In the field of opening up to the outside world, Sanya pioneered the "New Model of Special Approval for Import of Plant Propagation Materials" in the country, improving the efficiency of introducing agricultural scientific research materials; Sanya Yazhou Bay Science and Technology City (三亚崖州湾科技城) High-tech Zone was approved to establish a national offshore innovation and entrepreneurship base for overseas talents, attracting global high-end talents; the QFLP (Qualified Foreign Limited Partner) and QDLP (Qualified Domestic Limited Partner) pilot scales of Sanya Central Business District (三亚中央商务区) accounted for more than 50% and more than 30% of the province, respectively, improving the level of financial opening up; Zijin Lithium was approved for the first batch of Hainan Free Trade Port multi-functional free trade account (EF account) pilot qualifications, helping enterprises operate cross-border funds; and promoted the new function of the international trade "single window" to improve the level of trade facilitation.
Economic Construction Accelerates, Striving to Win the "Tough Battle" of Sealing Operations
In May, Sanya has high skies, clear clouds, clear water, and white sand, and the tourism market continues to be hot. During the "May Day" holiday, Sanya received a total of 887,500 tourists, an increase of 15.88% year-on-year; the total tourist consumption was 2.093 billion yuan, an increase of 8.28% year-on-year. In the first quarter of this year, the city's regional GDP was 27.025 billion yuan, an increase of 4.2% year-on-year.
2025 is the year when the Hainan Free Trade Port will be sealed and operated and further opened up. Sanya will take the sealing operation as a key project, grasp Sanya's strategic position and strategic mission from the overall situation of the country and the province, accelerate the improvement of the software and hardware conditions for sealing, build a high-level system and mechanism for opening up to the outside world, promote the implementation of various key tasks, and ensure that the sealing operation this year is smooth, orderly, foolproof, and a **首战必胜** (shǒu zhàn bì shèng - "first battle must win," to be sure to win the first battle).
The horn has been sounded, and it is time to forge ahead. At present, all 7 sealing operation projects in Sanya have been completed and accepted, and the third phase expansion project of Sanya Phoenix International Airport (三亚凤凰国际机场) is expected to be completed by the end of the year. 17 projects in Yazhou Bay (崖州湾) have been included in the Hainan Province 2025 major project investment plan. At the same time, Sanya will vigorously promote the construction of the Qiong-Zhe Cooperation Demonstration Zone Sanya carrying area, deploy and encrypt international flights, and strive to open the seventh freedom of the air flights as soon as possible, and promote breakthroughs in the construction of an aviation regional gateway hub facing the Pacific and Indian Oceans.
The wind rises from the south of the sea, and the tide surges in Sanya Bay (三亚湾). Standing at the important node of the fifth anniversary of the official release of the "Overall Plan for the Construction of Hainan Free Trade Port" and the sealing operation of the Hainan Free Trade Port, Sanya is aiming at the construction goal of "a world-renowned livable, travelable, and business-friendly tropical coastal city" with the passion of "second entrepreneurship," focusing on building "one benchmark and five districts," and continuing to write a new chapter in the high-quality development of Lucheng (鹿城) on the tide of the South China Sea.
Data source: Publicity Department of the CPC Sanya Municipal Committee (中共三亚市委宣传部)
Return to TopChildren playing during Dragon Boat Festival, children enjoying boating together, children sharing artistic fun... The ancient Dragon Boat Festival customs have always maintained vigorous vitality because of children's curiosity and love. This year, the Dragon Boat Festival and Children's Day coincide, unfolding a naive, innocent, and interesting picture of the year. This edition invites experts and scholars to savor a beautiful childhood and appreciate the charm of traditional culture in the fragrance of Zongzi from the perspectives of painting, aesthetic education, clothing, arts and crafts, etc., together with readers.
--Editor
Return to TopBy: 梁 红
This year, the Dragon Boat Festival coincides with Children's Day, turning the China Women and Children's Museum (中国妇女儿童博物馆) into a joyful ocean for children once again. Exhibitions such as "Together: Inheriting the Beauty of Civilization – Exhibition of Achievements in Aesthetic Education for Children on Liangzhu Culture (一起：传承文明之美——良渚文化儿童美育成果展)," and the ongoing "Dragon Boat Festival Fun: Zongzi (粽子) and Joyful June 1st" Carnival event, allow children and parents to immerse themselves in the wonderful collision of traditional culture and childlike innocence.
Museums are not only guardians of history but also enlighteners of civilization. The inheritance of culture needs to permeate hearts through lively and interesting methods, leading children to discover, feel, and create beauty from a child's perspective. "Together: Inheriting the Beauty of Civilization," co-sponsored by the All-China Women's Federation's (全国妇联) Department of Family and Children's Work, the China Women and Children's Museum (中国妇女儿童博物馆), and the Liangzhu Museum (良渚博物院), guides children's creation, approaches children's perspectives, listens to children's voices, and encourages children's expression, building a bridge of civilization dialogue led by children. This allows the five-thousand-year-old Liangzhu culture (良渚文化) to be revitalized in childlike innocence and creativity, which is a beneficial practice for museums to uphold child-friendly concepts, actively exert their social aesthetic education functions, and promote the innovative inheritance of historical culture.
Museum aesthetic education is an important part of the public cultural service system. It uses the "objects" in museums as the fundamental medium for the exchange and dialogue of knowledge, emotions, attitudes, and concepts, forming behaviors of mutual "understanding" and non-compulsory "consensus." Compared to school aesthetic education, the advantage of museum aesthetic education lies in its more flexible and diverse implementation methods. Fully leveraging this strength, optimizing exhibition design, and creating immersive spaces, allowing children to feel the beauty of culture in a relaxed and pleasant way, helps promote in-depth dialogue between museums and children. The entire exhibition is designed based on children's cognitive characteristics and the "one-meter height" body scale. Complex professional terms are replaced with children's language. Animated characters "Xibei (喜贝)" and "Le Bao (乐宝)," as well as the picture book character "Liang Liang (良良)," are incorporated throughout, allowing young visitors to gradually explore the rich connotations of Liangzhu culture (良渚文化) in a relaxed atmosphere.
Shifting from one-way knowledge imparting to emotional interactive experiences, allowing children to participate in activities that combine aesthetics and creativity, has become an important way for many museums to carry out aesthetic education for children. In this in-depth learning process, children's understanding of culture, history, and art transcends the level of simple observation. Exhibitions and educational activities that incorporate children's creations and thoughts can not only further stimulate their imagination and creativity but also make them more willing to share the knowledge they have learned with others. At the beginning of the exhibition preparation, telling Liangzhu stories with children's original art became the main curatorial concept. With the support of the Hong Kong Patriotic Education Support Centre (香港爱国教育支援中心), the Hangzhou Youth Activity Center (杭州市青少年活动中心), the Zhejiang School for the Blind (浙江省盲人学校), and other organizations, the organizers collected nearly a thousand children's art works on the theme of Liangzhu culture (良渚文化), and ultimately selected nearly 200 two-dimensional or three-dimensional artworks and 81 original picture book works for the exhibition, including 57 works by special children. The explanations for this exhibition are also undertaken by young docents, who learn and explain, and learn while explaining, which not only exercises their expression and social skills but also gains growth and happiness in the process of spreading knowledge and serving others.
Museums should not only build a stage for children to voice their opinions but also listen to children's voices. This means that when museums carry out aesthetic education activities for children, they cannot completely rely on "preset education," that is, pre-designing learning programs. This educational model often easily ignores children's actual cognitive level and learning needs, forming an invisible wall between children and museums. Therefore, in the exhibition preparation stage, the organizers launched the "Little Curator" activity, inviting children to propose their own ideas and expectations for the exhibition, and incorporating some children's suggestions into the exhibition planning. Under the suggestion of the "Little Curators," the exhibition added digital exhibition items, and young visitors can use AR glasses to virtually view the exhibition and use handles to conduct digital interactive exploration of "How Civilization (何以文明)"; the children's suggestion of "using drama to interpret the lives of the ancestors" directly gave birth to the "Liang Bo Wonderful Night (良博奇妙夜)" brand activity; and the visually impaired children's demand for "touching civilization" promoted the birth of the tactile museum project and the country's first Braille picture book on archaeological culture. These practices not only transform children from cultural "recipients" to "co-creators" but also make museum aesthetic education truly fit the children's perspective.
In the children's writing, Liangzhu jade (良渚玉器) is sacred and solemn, and pottery patterns are lively and jumping. These practices show us that by respecting children, educating people with beauty, and expanding forms, ancient civilization is no longer a cold symbol but a fresh force that nourishes the soul. Listening to children's voices with an equal heart and building a platform for expression with innovative power, the flame of civilization can be 生生不息 (shēng shēng bù xī - "grow and thrive unceasingly," to multiply and perpetuate).
(The author is the Director of the Social Education Department of the China Women and Children's Museum (中国妇女儿童博物馆).)
Return to TopBy: 赵文成
When the Dragon Boat Festival encounters Children's Day, traditional culture and modern festivals collide with wonderful sparks. Activities such as wrapping zongzi, making sachets, and building dragon boat models allow children to experience the festive atmosphere and inherit folk memories through hands-on practice.
From ancient times to the present, children have enjoyed the Dragon Boat Festival. Painters of past dynasties used infant play paintings and seasonal paintings as carriers, capturing children's Dragon Boat Festival moments on paper and silk through narratives full of childlike innocence. These images not only reflect the painter's superb skills but also are a microcosm of ancient children's lives, artistically presenting the rich connotations of Dragon Boat Festival culture.
"Infant Play Paintings" (婴戏图), as an important theme in traditional Chinese painting, was very popular in the Song Dynasty. In Su Hanchen's (苏汉臣) "Double Fifth Infant Play" (《重午戏婴图》), the Dragon Boat Festival interest of the Song people is vividly displayed in the children's play. The painter cleverly divides the picture into three parts: the upper part is a semi-open performance space, where 5 children are performing the plot of passing the imperial examination, full of the beautiful meaning of "five sons passing the exam"; the middle part, a lotus pond separates the picture, with lotus flowers blooming in the pond, which not only highlights the Dragon Boat Festival season but also has the auspicious and elegant meaning of "continuous birth of noble sons"; the lower part is an open courtyard, where 20 children are either dancing flags, picking lotus flowers, or catching dragonflies, a scene of lively activity. There are a total of 25 children in the painting, which coincides with the number of "Double Fifth." Through ingenious conception, the painter combines vivid children's images with rich folk details, and the children's innocence and the solemnity of the festival ceremony are not contradictory. It not only shows the colorfulness and joy of children's Dragon Boat Festival activities in the Song Dynasty but also carries the ancients' deep expectations for the harmony of their descendants and the prosperity of their families.
In the Yuan Dynasty, the anonymous painting "Summer Scene Infant Play" (《夏景戏婴图》) further concretized the Dragon Boat Festival folk culture. The picture takes the offering table as the visual center, on which Zhong Kui (钟馗) is enshrined; one child holds a Dragon Boat Festival fan, one child holds a lotus leaf, and two children are playing with toads. The ancients believed that toads were both spiritual and medicinal, and catching toads on the Dragon Boat Festival to make medicine could ward off diseases and evil spirits. The painter accurately captures the children's innocent state, transforming the folk ritual of dispelling evil spirits and bringing auspiciousness into a lively game scene, forming a unique children's folk record.
Fighting grass is also an important game on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month. Jin Tingbiao's (金廷标) "Children Fighting Grass" (《儿童斗草图》) (partial view in the picture) in the Qing Dynasty reproduces this interesting activity. In the eyes of the ancients, the medicinal properties of plants and trees are strongest during the Dragon Boat Festival, so there are customs such as "stepping on a hundred grasses" and "collecting a hundred medicines." The resulting fighting grass combines practical and entertainment functions. The picture takes the waterfront slope as the background, with children focusing on finding grass; some children are picking new grass; the most exciting part is the lower left corner of the picture, where two children are tightly grasping their respective grass stems, pulling hard, and not giving in to each other. Although the fighting grass in the painter's pen is a game, it reflects children's understanding of nature in their growth. Emperor Qianlong's (乾隆皇帝) poem on the painting, "The heart of a child loves life" (赤子之心爱生意), also expresses adults' memories of childhood.
These Dragon Boat Festival children's fun paintings are not only a cultural memory but also express the elders' care and protection for children, and the love and warmth in them should be cherished even more.
(The author is an associate researcher at the Institute of Fine Arts of the Chinese National Academy of Arts (中国艺术研究院美术研究所).)
Return to TopBy: 廖明君
Recently, when opening shopping websites, various Dragon Boat Festival ornaments such as longevity threads and sachets have become hot sellers, especially "Chinese herbal medicine sachets" with patterns or shapes such as gourds and ruyi, which are particularly popular and have become special holiday gifts prepared by parents for their children. The beauty of Dragon Boat Festival costumes is constantly being renewed in the contemporary life context.
As early as the Han Dynasty, the Dragon Boat Festival became a national holiday, building a unique cultural system in the cultural tradition of praying for blessings and warding off evil spirits. As an important part of the Dragon Boat Festival folk customs, the Dragon Boat Festival costume culture also has a long history: from the imperial bestowal of clothing during the Dragon Boat Festival in the Tang Dynasty, to the formation of the bestowal system in the late Tang Dynasty and the Five Dynasties, to the patterns of "Ai Tiger" and "Five Poisons" still being used in children's clothing design, the Dragon Boat Festival costume culture has continued for a long time.
"The shirt is cut with Ai Tiger, and the hairpin is decorated with vermilion symbols, and the arm is wrapped with red threads." The Dragon Boat Festival costume patterns are rich and colorful, highlighting the characteristics of the season and taking into account the use of the four seasons. Dragon Boat Festival summer clothes mostly use styles such as regular clothes or official clothes, and weave and embroider seasonal patterns with techniques such as Zhuanghua and embroidery. Whether it is full of patterns or decorated with special patterns in specific parts, it shows the beauty of culture.
Dragon Boat Festival accessories are full of life. For example, the longevity thread made of five-color silk is brightly colored and can be hung on the door or worn by children, implying warding off evil spirits and protecting health. Sachets are even more varied in shape. The elderly mostly wear sachets in the shape of auspicious flowers, while children like to wear sachets with patterns or shapes of birds and animals. Although these accessories are simple, they have embellished people's holiday life in the long river of history and added a lot of fun to children's childhoods.
Elegance and popular culture, clothing and accessories complement each other, together constituting a colorful Dragon Boat Festival costume art. Su Chao (苏焯) of the Southern Song Dynasty's "Dragon Boat Festival Children Playing Picture" records the characteristics of children's clothing during the Dragon Boat Festival: the two children on the right side of the picture are wearing green and red jacquard bibs respectively, and the child in the front right also wears a sign behind him, which should be a talisman for praying for children's health. Although today's young children no longer wear this kind of sign, the custom of wearing bibs, especially "Five Poisons" bibs, is still passed down in some areas. Each piece of clothing and accessories contains the beautiful meaning of warding off evil spirits and dispelling poisons, praying for auspiciousness and longevity, and carrying people's expectations for auspiciousness and well-being.
Nowadays, the artistic and aesthetic value of Dragon Boat Festival costumes is more valued, and people skillfully integrate Dragon Boat Festival costume culture into life, making it a living carrier for inheriting Chinese culture. In activities such as "Chu Style Elegant Gathering" and "Dragon Boat Festival Chinese Costumes," Dragon Boat Festival elements are combined with modern clothing design, conveying a full sense of ritual. Dragon Boat Festival accessories also have new forms, such as the traditional sachet "Mo Nie" (麽乜) in Baise (百色), Guangxi (广西), which has been designed and transformed by representative inheritors of intangible cultural heritage to derive earrings Mo Nie, hairpin Mo Nie, etc., which are quite ethnic and modern. With the entry of intangible cultural heritage into schools, children make Mo Nie by hand under the guidance of inheritors, not only wearing them themselves, but also giving them as gifts to their parents and relatives.
Faced with "Dragon Boat Festival limited edition," in addition to following traditional customs, more new "ways to play" are being opened. As new-style children's "Five Poisons" clothes, new-style mugwort pendants, and bamboo-woven moss paintings with the theme of the Dragon Boat Festival are increasingly loved by teenagers and children, traditional culture is becoming more accessible.
(The author is a professor at Guangxi University for Nationalities (广西民族大学).)
Return to TopBy: 丁朝虹
Before the Dragon Boat Festival, primary and secondary schools near my home have launched aesthetic education activities. My child also brought back a banana-leaf-shaped white paper fan. He plans to draw his favorite cartoon characters on the front and write blessings on the back to give to like-minded friends. The ancient custom of painting and giving fans during the Dragon Boat Festival has been revitalized under the children's brushes.
The themes of traditional Dragon Boat Festival fans were somewhat prescribed. In the early days, the protagonists were often the centipede, venomous snake, scorpion, gecko, and toad, collectively known as the "Five Poisons" (五毒), because the ancients believed that painting them on the fan could ward off plagues and evil spirits. This fan was also called the "Plague-Warding Fan" (辟瘟扇). Because the images of the "Five Poisons" were terrifying, the protagonists of the Dragon Boat Festival fan gradually evolved into the "Five Auspicious Plants" (五瑞) - calamus, mugwort, pomegranate flower, garlic, and dragon boat flower. They not only fit the season and have medicinal value, but also have visual appeal. Decorating the fan with them can be said to have the effect of "artistic healing."
Among them, the dragon boat flower, which sounds relatively unfamiliar, may be a common name for hollyhock. Hollyhock is a well-known "Dragon Boat Festival Flower" (端午花), and is called "Five-Colored Hollyhock" (五色蜀葵) because of its rich colors, which corresponds to the time of the Dragon Boat Festival - the fifth day of the fifth lunar month. Lu Zonggui (鲁宗贵) of the Song Dynasty painted "Hollyhock Attracting Butterflies" (蜀葵引蝶) (see picture) on a fan, depicting precious purple double-petal hollyhocks. It is said that hollyhock leaves can also be ground into juice to dye paper, which is used to make "hollyhock paper" (葵笺). Its color is green and lovely, and it is a good prop for literati to write poems and sing harmonies.
Sometimes, Dragon Boat Festival flowers and plants are combined with figures and animals, giving the fan a rich connotation. The anonymous Song Dynasty painting "Children Playing with a Cat" (狸奴婴戏图) (also known as "Dragon Boat Festival Children Playing Picture" (端午婴戏图)), cleverly integrates children's images, animal images, and Dragon Boat Festival flowers and plants into a fan, full of auspicious meanings.
Shaking the fan not only implies the meaning of "sending away" (disasters), but also has the meaning of "attracting." During a Dragon Boat Festival a thousand years ago, Emperor Taizong of Tang (唐太宗) gave fans to Zhangsun Wuji (长孙无忌) and Yang Shidao (杨师道), saying "may the breeze move, to increase virtue," and the custom of giving fans during the Dragon Boat Festival originated from this. At this time, the fan was a "green bamboo openwork large fan" (青团镂竹大扇) - a craft fan made of bamboo filaments. By the Song Dynasty, this kind of bamboo filament fan was still popular and was called "green comb fan" (青篦扇). The red-clothed scholar in Emperor Huizong of Song's (宋徽宗) "Listening to the Qin" (听琴图) is holding a bamboo filament fan, which is extremely ingenious and naturally beautiful. By the Ming Dynasty, the Dragon Boat Festival fan gift was basically changed to a folding fan. With the changes of history, the cultural connotation of the Dragon Boat Festival fan has become richer, and its artistic beauty has also been continuously enhanced.
Although the child in my family who painted the fan did not paint traditional Dragon Boat Festival content on the fan, but chose the themes that children like now, on the surface it seems that the Dragon Boat Festival fan has lost its temporal characteristics, but it does not affect the inheritance of traditional culture at all. Nowadays, the number of people who love fans has not decreased, because people know that no matter what kind of blessing, once it is painted on a fan, perhaps it can use the breeze to spread the unspoken love and wishes.
(The author is a professor at the School of Art Design and Fashion, Zhejiang University of Science and Technology (浙江科技大学))
Return to TopBy: 马知遥
In ancient times, the Dragon Boat Festival was considered the day of the year with the most poisonous insects. On this day, parents were most concerned with protecting their children from poisonous insects and evil spirits. In addition to eating zongzi and tying five-colored silk threads symbolizing the five directional deities on children, adults would also give children a cloth tiger, commonly known as "Little Mugwort Tiger." As a mother art of the earth, folk cloth tigers can be said to be "living fossils" reflecting Chinese tiger culture and totem worship, carrying the function of protecting the home and courtyard, and resisting evil spirits. Therefore, parents preparing a cloth tiger for their young children during the Dragon Boat Festival has become a custom that continues to this day.
The difference between the "Little Mugwort Tiger" and ordinary cloth tigers lies in its pumpkin eyes and zongzi nose. Pumpkin eyes are round eyes like pumpkins, and because pumpkins are also known as "golden gourds," they have the beautiful meaning of attracting wealth and treasure. The zongzi nose is a nose like zongzi leaves, which is used to ward off evil. In the Lingbao (灵宝) area of Henan (河南) and the Changzhi (长治) area of Shanxi (山西), "Little Mugwort Tigers" are also sewn with "five poisons" patterns, taking the meaning of 以毒攻毒 (yǐ dú gōng dú - "use poison to fight poison," fight poison with poison).
In the Gansu (甘肃) area, the shape of the "Little Mugwort Tiger" is somewhat different. Its special feature is that a flower is sewn into the upper end of the tiger's tail. It can be a handmade flower or a plastic flower. During the Dragon Boat Festival, elders give cloth tigers with flowers to children; after the Dragon Boat Festival, the flowers are picked off and thrown into rainwater or ponds, allowing the flowing water to wash the flowers away, in order to eliminate the "smallpox" that people feared in the past, and to bless the children with peace and health. On the streets of Tianjin (天津), especially in front of hospitals, there are tiny peppers, garlic, persimmons, gourds, and small tigers made of scrap cloth, strung together with colored threads, commonly known as "Tiger Dalian (老虎褡裢)," which are also objects used to ward off evil for children.
No folk custom is isolated; all are closely related to local social customs. For example, in the Lingbao (灵宝) area of Henan (河南), during the Dragon Boat Festival, in addition to receiving a "Little Mugwort Tiger," children will also wear necklaces made of gold foil paper, with medicine gourds cut from gold foil paper hanging on them. It is said that when Lao Tzu (老子) passed through Hangu Pass (函谷关), he encountered a plague and specially took off the medicine gourd from his body to treat the children, thus forming a unique custom of the Dragon Boat Festival in the local area.
These Dragon Boat Festival customs related to the "Little Mugwort Tiger" embody the Chinese nation's fine tradition of respecting the old and loving the young since ancient times, and contain a warm and caring affection. Through the shape of the folk "Little Mugwort Tiger," it is not difficult to see the gentleness, simplicity, and natural beauty contained in the ferocity. The "Little Mugwort Tiger" also reflects to a certain extent the common aesthetic characteristics of Chinese folk arts and crafts: exaggeration without losing interest, unrestrainedness without losing softness, both practical and embodying romantic imagination. Today, the form of the "Little Mugwort Tiger" is more diverse, with festival posters, health hammers, jewelry, and other designs inspired by it, allowing the beauty of Dragon Boat Festival culture to permeate modern life. During the Dragon Boat Festival, why not hold a "Little Mugwort Tiger" and feel the warmth and vitality of folk arts and crafts with your family.
(The author is a professor at Tianjin University (天津大学))
Return to TopBy: 杨德忠
"Dong, dong, dong..." The crisp sound of drums comes both from the dragon boats racing on the river and from the small dragon boat drums handmade by children. During the Dragon Boat Festival, parents and children participating together in a growth lesson on a dragon boat has become a choice for many families. When children use cinnabar brushes to "dot the eyes" on the dragon boat models they make, and when their heartbeats resonate with the small dragon boat drums, the genes of traditional culture have quietly integrated into their blood.
The custom of dragon boat racing initially formed during the Three Kingdoms period. The folk reverence for nature and commemoration of Qu Yuan (屈原) jointly shaped the main connotations of dragon boat culture. Painters of past dynasties recorded the magnificent momentum and enthusiastic atmosphere of dragon boat racing with their brushes, opening an artistic window for contemporary teenagers to understand the history of dragon boats.
In the Northern Song Dynasty court, dragon boat racing had evolved into a water sport with both competitive and performance aspects, and its holding time was no longer limited to the Dragon Boat Festival. "Competing for the Standard at Jinming Pool," traditionally attributed to Zhang Zeduan (张择端) of the Song Dynasty, is the earliest extant painting depicting court dragon boat racing. In a picture less than a foot square, the author meticulously depicts the dragon boat race held at Jinming Pool in Bianliang (汴梁) City. The paddlers vigorously row towards the marker, while the spectators on the shore either stop to watch or cheer, creating a tense and exciting competition atmosphere. "Water Play on the Fifth Day" (partial view shown), by Li Song (李嵩) of the Southern Song Dynasty, focuses on a single giant dragon boat, and the realistic details provide important visual material for people today to explore the court dragon boat racing activities of the Song Dynasty.
The creation of dragon boat racing themes in the Yuan Dynasty was particularly represented by the court painter Wang Zhenpeng (王振鹏), with as many as about 10 extant paintings under his name on related themes. Taking the "Dragon Pool Race" in the collection of the National Palace Museum in Taipei, traditionally attributed to Wang Zhenpeng, as an example, this work uses the *baimiao* (白描) technique (plain line drawing) and is more flexible in composition than "Competing for the Standard at Jinming Pool," making the picture more dynamic. The painter's meticulous depiction of pavilions and other scenery makes the painting rigorous and solemn. Wu Tinghui's (吴廷晖) "Dragon Boat Championship" of the Yuan Dynasty is also noteworthy. The painter only depicts 3 dragon boats in the middle of the picture, but it shows extraordinary momentum, and the characterization is vivid, giving the viewer a sense of being there.
Dragon boat racing during the Dragon Boat Festival became an important entertainment activity for the urban class in the Ming and Qing dynasties, and paintings on the theme of dragon boat racing at this time were more inclined to express secular interests. Zheng Zhong's (郑重) "Dragon Boat Race" of the Ming Dynasty boldly makes choices in composition, simplifying the scenery on the shore and highlighting the dragon boat racing scene. On the lake, 4 dragon boats and 1 phoenix boat fly their paddles and chase the waves, and the spectators are concentrated on the water bank, and some people even climb up the tree trunks to watch, and the interesting details show a strong atmosphere of life.
Today, dragon boat racing is not only a traditional folk activity, but also an important form of national fitness and cultural exchange. More and more young children are participating in dragon boat sports, experiencing the power and beauty of dragon boats through parent-child activities, training camps, and championships, and understanding the spirit of unity, cooperation, and 勇往直前 (yǒng wǎng zhí qián - "advance bravely," to advance bravely; to forge ahead). With traditional culture as the paddle, we look forward to children 劈波斩浪 (pī bō zhǎn làng - "cleave the waves and cut through the billows," to overcome difficulties and forge ahead) in the tide of the times and opening up new channels.
(The author is the Vice Dean of the School of Art, Anhui University of Finance and Economics (安徽财经大学).)
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Layout design: Zhao Siru (赵偲汝)
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