Summary: The first volume of "Xi Jinping's Anthology on Ecological Civilization," compiled by the Party History and Literature Research Institute of the CCP Central Committee, has been published. It includes 79 reports, speeches, instructions, and批示 from December 2012 to April 2025, focusing on Xi Jinping's thought on ecological civilization as a key component of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. The anthology aims to promote the concept of "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets," and to advance ecological progress. The publication is intended to help party members better understand the "Two Establishments" and adhere to the "Two Upholds." There is no mention of the United States or U.S.-China relations in the article.
Summary: President Xi Jinping responded to a letter from a U.S. youth pickleball delegation from Montgomery County, Maryland, who visited China as part of the "5 Years, 50,000 Youths" exchange program. Xi congratulated them on their successful visit and highlighted pickleball as a new link between American and Chinese youth. He expressed hope that they would become new messengers of friendship and contribute to stronger relations between the two peoples. The students expressed their gratitude for the exchange program and stated they wish to invite Chinese youths to visit America. Xi Jinping stated that the future of U.S.-China relations lies in the youth.
Summary: The article discusses China's ongoing efforts to construct a national water network (国家水网), highlighting projects like the Guangdong water resource allocation project and the modernization of irrigation areas. It emphasizes the role of these projects in ensuring water security, supporting agricultural production, and boosting domestic demand through infrastructure investment. The article quotes Xi Jinping's directives on water resource management and the importance of water infrastructure for China's modernization. The Minister of Water Resources, Li Guoying, is quoted as saying the Ministry is committed to furthering high-quality water infrastructure development to ensure China's water security. The article does not mention the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The recent issuance of "Opinions on Comprehensively Promoting the Protection and Governance of Rivers and Lakes" reflects the Party Central Committee's strategic emphasis on water security for national rejuvenation. It frames water management as critical for national stability, addressing the "four major water problems": disasters, resources, ecology, and environment. The document emphasizes coordinated and systematic governance to promote high-quality water conservancy development and harmonious human-water relations. This aims to secure the nation by mitigating water-related disasters and ensuring resources.
Summary: Premier Li Qiang met with Brazilian President Lula in Rio de Janeiro, conveying Xi Jinping's greetings and stating that China is ready to work with Brazil to enrich bilateral relations. Li emphasized deepening cooperation in trade, finance, infrastructure, the digital and green economies, technological innovation, and aerospace, within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative. Lula expressed Brazil's commitment to strengthening cooperation with China across various fields, including climate change, and welcomed China's participation in the UN Climate Change Conference in Belém. Both leaders pledged to strengthen multilateral coordination and uphold multilateralism and free trade; following the meeting, they witnessed the signing of cooperation documents in finance, AI, development strategy alignment, and aerospace.
Summary: On July 7, 1937, the Marco Polo Bridge Incident marked the beginning of China's full-scale resistance against Japan, after Japanese troops used the excuse of a missing soldier to demand entry into Wanping. Chinese forces, including those under Commander Jin Zhenzhong, fought fiercely against the invading Japanese army. Despite facing heavy losses, the Chinese resistance demonstrated a spirit of national unity, with various sectors of society contributing to the war effort. The article highlights that China's early resistance significantly contributed to the broader global effort against fascism and eventually led to China's participation in the creation of the United Nations. It does not mention the United States.
Summary: Jiujiang City in Jiangxi Province is advancing the construction of the Yinshawan Comprehensive Wharf to better utilize its location on the Yangtze River. The project plans to build six 6,000-tonnage bulk cargo berths with an estimated annual cargo throughput of 2.04 million tons. The construction aims to improve the regional integrated transportation system. The provided image depicts the construction site on July 5th. The article does not discuss the United States.
Summary: The ceremony commemorating the 88th anniversary of the Marco Polo Bridge Incident was held at the Museum of the War of Chinese People's Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. The event emphasized the importance of the Great War of Resistance spirit as part of the CCP's spiritual lineage. It urged vigilance, confidence, and proactive control in the face of challenges in China's national rejuvenation. The message stressed national unity and self-reliance to overcome difficulties and ensure progress. The commemoration served as a reminder to maintain agency in navigating the "once-in-a-century changes."
Summary: This special issue commemorates the 88th anniversary of the start of the All-China War of Resistance. One section focuses on theoretical perspectives, specifically emphasizing forward-looking strategic planning in creating development blueprints. The issue does not appear to directly address current events or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The first volume of "Selected Works on Xi Jinping's Thought on Ecological Civilization," edited by the Party History and Literature Research Institute of the CPC Central Committee, compiles 79 important works by Xi Jinping on ecological civilization construction from December 2012 to April 2025. Key themes include promoting harmony between man and nature, emphasizing that "green mountains are gold mountains," and adhering to sustainable development. Xi has called for international cooperation on climate change and a global ecological civilization, stressing that China will actively address climate change and promote international cooperation. Xi also highlighted the importance of balancing high-quality development with high-level protection and the need for "dual control" of carbon emissions. China's response to climate change and contributions to global governance will not cease, regardless of how international relations change.
Summary: The Third China-Latin America Green Future and Civilization Mutual Learning International Symposium was held in Rio de Janeiro, focusing on green development and cooperation opportunities. Experts highlighted China's role as a leader in green development, citing its advancements in smart cities, transportation, and energy. Participants noted the potential for China-Latin America cooperation to promote sustainable development, with examples like the "Bamboo for Plastic" initiative and energy transition projects. Discussions also covered biodiversity protection, ecological restoration, and the importance of policy coordination for global sustainable development. One speaker mentioned that Chinese companies are investing in sustainable development in Brazil.
Summary: A Japanese professor of modern history at Yamaguchi University argues that Japan should reflect on its history of aggression towards China, particularly as this year marks the 80th anniversary of victory in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. He asserts that the war in China significantly depleted Japan's resources and was a decisive factor in its defeat. The professor criticizes the dangerous idea circulating in Japan that "a Taiwan emergency is a Japanese emergency," emphasizing that Taiwan is an inseparable part of China and that denying this distorts history. He calls for Japan to uphold the spirit of the Murayama Statement and to avoid military resurgence. He sees an interest in Chinese research on the history of the war, while some in Japan are not so interested, and urges Japan to learn from history to promote friendship with China.
Summary: A global Ministerial Conference on Dialogue Among Civilizations, co-hosted by the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee and the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, will be held in Beijing from July 10-11. The conference theme is "Upholding the Diversity of Human Civilizations and Jointly Promoting World Peace and Development." Around 600 Chinese and foreign guests from approximately 140 countries and regions have registered to participate. The article does not mention the United States.
Summary: Former Moroccan Economy and Finance Minister Fathallah Oualalou emphasized the broad development opportunities brought to participating countries by the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). He highlighted Morocco's cooperation with China under the BRI as a chance to achieve national development goals and strengthen strategic partnerships. Oualalou cited Chinese-built projects like the Tangier Tech City as examples of how cooperation with China is helping Morocco improve its industrial chain and diversify its economy. He also noted the significant changes he has witnessed in China over the past 40 years, from infrastructure development to technological innovation, and recalled accompanying King Mohammed VI on a visit to China in 2002. Oualalou's comments did not mention any discussion of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The China-Brazil Civilization Exchange and Mutual Learning Cooperation Research Center, a joint initiative of four universities, was inaugurated in Rio de Janeiro. The center aims to foster academic collaboration, knowledge sharing, and people-to-people exchanges between China and Brazil. According to officials, the center represents a milestone for China-Brazil educational cooperation and contributes to building a China-Brazil community with a shared future. On the same day, a Confucius Institute co-established by Beihang University and the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro was inaugurated, and Beihang University and Renmin University of China signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly build the Beihang Brazil Innovation Research Institute.
Summary: Chinese and British intellectual property authorities met in London to update and sign a memorandum of understanding focused on strengthening bilateral copyright cooperation. The updated agreement builds upon a 2010 memorandum and aims to deepen exchanges through information sharing, personnel training, and collaboration between copyright collective management organizations. The two sides will jointly develop and implement annual work plans to promote international copyright governance.
Summary: Ambassador Chen Xu, China's Permanent Representative to the UN Office at Geneva, delivered a joint statement on behalf of over 70 countries at the UN Human Rights Council's 59th session, focusing on AI's role in promoting accessibility. The statement advocated for enhanced technical assistance and capacity building in AI to foster inclusive development and the sharing of its benefits. It emphasized a human-centered approach to AI, ensuring respect for human rights, and advocated for inclusive benefits, particularly for developing countries, through international cooperation. This action follows China's resolution on accessibility for all and is part of a series of Chinese-led statements on AI promoting human rights at the Human Rights Council. The statement included calls for financial and technical support for developing countries, and cooperation on AI governance.
Summary: A Chinese calligraphy exhibition, "Lanting Elegant Gathering," was held at the China Cultural Center in Berlin, featuring classical and modern calligraphy, seal engraving, and interactive experiences. The exhibition showcased over 30 works, aiming to allow German audiences to experience Chinese art and culture. A deputy director of the China Cultural Center in Berlin, He Wenbo, stated that calligraphy is a symbol of Chinese culture and they hoped it would act as a bridge connecting Eastern and Western civilizations. The exhibition drew positive reactions from German students and calligraphy enthusiasts, who emphasized the importance of people-to-people exchange. The article does not mention the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: A dialogue between Liangzhu Ancient City and Rome Ancient City was held in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, focusing on the theme of "Continuation and Symbiosis of Civilization." Over 110 Chinese and Italian guests discussed ancient city construction, heritage preservation, and value regeneration. The event, part of "Hangzhou Liangzhu Day," builds on Liangzhu Ancient City's ongoing efforts to engage in dialogue with world heritage sites. Liangzhu Ancient City has conducted civilization dialogues with Stonehenge, the Acropolis of Athens, and the ancient city of Toledo, Spain. Through global exhibitions, databases, and cultural exports, Liangzhu has successfully built a new platform for world heritage dialogue and international cultural exchange.
Summary: The article discusses the achievements of pairing assistance programs in Xinjiang, highlighting specific examples of how different provinces are contributing to the region's development. Shandong is promoting red date cultivation in Kashgar, Henan is promoting tourism and sales of Xinjiang products through the "Hami Express," Jiangsu is facilitating cadre training and investment in Yili, Zhejiang is boosting village economies in Kuqa, Beijing is improving healthcare in Hotan, and Tianjin is creating employment opportunities in Celexian and Yutian. These initiatives focus on addressing the most pressing needs of the local population, fostering economic growth, and strengthening cultural exchange to consolidate ethnic unity. The article mentions the importance of increasing cultural recognition, and promoting better communication and exchanges.
Summary: The article reports on the retirement of Mo Rifai, the Party Secretary of Baizhu Village in Guangxi, after ten years of service. As he prepares to leave, Mo is shown giving instructions to his replacement regarding local affairs, including honoring veteran Party members, ensuring proper drainage for farmers, and checking in on families with members working in Guangdong. During his tenure, Mo oversaw significant infrastructure development, including road construction and the building of a school cafeteria, and promoted new agricultural industries to increase villagers' income. There is no mention of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The article emphasizes the importance of Party members embodying the ideals and image of the CCP through their actions and dedication, highlighting veteran and new Party members as examples. It references Xi Jinping's commendation of actor You Benchang, and highlights the life of nuclear submarine engineer Huang Xuhua as exemplars of Party commitment. It argues that the Party's image is built by individual members demonstrating integrity, selflessness, and service to the people, drawing a historical anecdote to illustrate the concept of a "Communist Party image" in the public's mind. It further invokes Xi Zhongxun to reinforce the importance of close ties between Party members and the people.
Summary: A returned resident of Kangshan village, Anji County, Zhejiang Province, opened a successful coffee shop ("village cafe") thanks to the improved environment of the Xitiao River. The river's water quality has improved after ecological restoration projects. Local officials, including Kangshan Village Party Secretary Chen Lei, encouraged her to start the business, which has attracted tourists from Shanghai and Jiangsu, highlighting the economic benefits of environmental protection. The river now uses "AI River Chiefs" with drones and satellite imagery for monitoring. The revitalization of the Xitiao River is part of a broader "green water" economic initiative.
Summary: As of May 2024, China has over 200 million registered legal entities and other organizations, according to the National Unified Social Credit Code Data Service Center. This milestone reflects the impact of the unified social credit code system, implemented in 2015, which covers 36 types of organizations across 19 registration management departments. The unified social credit code facilitates efficient identification and management of organizations by government and reduces transaction risks by allowing the public to access organizational information and credit status. The article does not mention any officials accompanying the announcement. The article does not discuss the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: This article is a brief photo caption noting that tourists visited Chongyuan Temple in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province on July 6 to enjoy the blooming lotus flowers. The image accompanying the caption was taken by Wang Jianzhong. There is no mention of Chinese politics, officials, or U.S.-China relations.
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Summary: The article emphasizes the link between poor conduct (作风) and corruption among CCP members, arguing that breaches of discipline (纪) invariably precede violations of the law (法). It advocates for a combined approach of addressing both conduct and corruption (风腐同查同治) to cut off the transmission chain from undesirable work styles to corruption. The article further highlights the importance of preventing power abuse by addressing loopholes and strengthening regulations, and stresses that stricter disciplinary measures, anti-corruption efforts, and improvements to work styles should be conducted together to safeguard the integrity of the party. The article mentioned that Xi Jinping emphasized the importance of regulating the use of power in fighting corruption. There is no mention of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: This article emphasizes the importance of accessible and engaging cultural activities for the public. It highlights the example of shared pianos in Tianjin as a successful model for bringing "high art" to everyday citizens in public spaces, fostering community and artistic expression. The article advocates for more initiatives that integrate culture into daily life, making it more accessible and relevant to the masses. It cites a recent directive from the central government emphasizing accessible public culture, and highlights the success of mass-participation folk events. The article argues that such efforts enhance cultural vitality and contribute to public well-being.
Summary: China's State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) issued a notice to improve the quality of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by addressing shortcomings and promoting advanced quality management tools. Local market regulators will focus on key industrial chains, implementing a new model involving government coordination, technical institution guidance, and broad enterprise participation. The initiative aims to reduce costs, improve quality, and increase efficiency for SMEs. The SAMR hopes to encourage the SMEs to climb to higher levels through this initiative.
Summary: The article discusses the reasons behind China's national football team's failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, despite significant support and enthusiasm for the sport within the country. It critiques the past "money football" era and calls for a focus on sustainable development through improved financial regulations, cultivation of local football culture, and emphasis on youth training. The piece also highlights the importance of rooting out corruption and implementing comprehensive reforms outlined in the "China Football Reform and Development Plan." Ultimately, the article emphasizes the need for dedication, discipline, and a focus on fundamental skills to improve the national team's performance and inspire national pride, drawing comparison to other sports where success is born of consistent training. There is no mention of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The article discusses the impact of new technologies, particularly AI, on China's employment market, noting both job displacement and creation. It highlights a growing "digital divide" where demand for skilled tech workers outstrips supply, while traditional workers face obsolescence. The piece emphasizes the need to develop new industries, upgrade education and vocational training to align with market demands, and ensure the job creation effect outweighs job displacement from technological advancements. By developing new industries and aligning the educational system to meet the needs of China's labor market, China can continue to grow.
Summary: This article contains two short commentary pieces. The first advocates for building frugal government offices by focusing on seemingly insignificant areas like stationery, paper, and utilities, emphasizing mindful consumption and meticulous management. The second discusses the practice of hiring food delivery drivers as city supervisors. It claims that this practice is valuable because the drivers are able to notice issues with city management. There is no mention of the United States or U.S.-China relations in either piece.
Summary: Please provide the article you would like me to summarize. I need the text of the article to accurately create a brief summary for professional analysts of Chinese politics. Once you provide the article, I will analyze it and provide a summary that meets your specifications.
Summary: The article discusses efforts across China to identify and commemorate fallen, often nameless, soldiers from the Second Sino-Japanese War. These efforts include volunteers like Chen Jian in Hunan who locate families of the fallen, villagers in Shanxi who maintain burial sites, and staff at the Nanjing Anti-Japanese Aviation Martyrs Memorial who collect information. The Nanjing memorial recently published a list of over 1400 Chinese aviators who died in the war, seeking information from the public and relatives; they were able to identify previously unknown soldiers through relatives. The search for these lost heroes is driven by a desire to honor their sacrifice and connect families with their ancestors' legacies.
Summary: This article recounts the life and legacy of General Dai Anlan, an anti-Japanese war hero who hailed from Wuhu, Anhui Province. Dai, a graduate of the Huangpu Military Academy, distinguished himself in several key battles during the war. He is remembered for his leadership and bravery, particularly during the defense of Tonggu in Burma against overwhelming Japanese forces. He died in battle in Burma, urging his troops to "counterattack" and praising the motherland; Mao Zedong personally wrote an elegy in his honor. His spirit is commemorated through schools, roads, and landmarks in his hometown, which aim to instill his values of courage and patriotism in future generations.
Summary: On July 7, 1937, the Marco Polo Bridge Incident marked the beginning of China's resistance against Japanese aggression, as Japanese forces initiated attacks near Wanping under the pretext of a missing soldier. Chinese forces under commanders like Jin Zhenzhong fought fiercely, inspiring troops with slogans like "Better to die as a soldier than be a slave of a subjugated nation." The conflict led to the fall of Beiping and Tianjin, resulting in widespread suffering for the Chinese populace. Despite initial Nationalist government concessions, the Communist Party advocated for a united front, leading to the Second United Front and broad national resistance. China's prolonged resistance significantly contributed to the Allied effort in World War II, earning China a place among the major Allied powers and contributing to the establishment of the United Nations.
Summary: The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) and China State Railway Group (China Railway) have jointly issued a plan (2025-2027) to promote high-quality development of "air-rail intermodal transportation." The plan focuses on improving service standards, information sharing, and technical support to address challenges in air-rail connectivity. Key tasks include building integrated facilities, enhancing connectivity, expanding domestic air-rail coverage through partnerships with platforms like 12306, and developing international inbound tourism products. The initiative aims to improve passenger services by streamlining transfers and enhancing information sharing between railway and civil aviation. The plan emphasizes both infrastructure development ("hard connectivity") and service integration ("soft connectivity").
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Summary: The article profiles Wang Jitang, a 95-year-old veteran who, as a 13-year-old, served as a spy for the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army, gathering intelligence from within a Japanese-controlled railway factory. One notable mission involved infiltrating a military train bound for Burma, where he was stabbed but managed to escape and deliver crucial intelligence to Soviet forces. Years later, Wang was awarded a medal by Russia, which he donated to the China National Museum to educate future generations. Recently, Wang Jitang met with a family from Taiwan, sharing stories of the shared struggle against Japan and expressing hopes for peaceful cross-strait relations.
Summary: A court in Chaozhou, Guangdong province, ruled that a restaurant was 50% liable for injuries sustained by a minor who was struck by a food delivery robot. The court found that the restaurant failed to provide adequate safety measures and warning signs regarding the robot's operation. The ruling serves as a warning about the safe implementation of AI technology in public spaces, urging businesses to improve safety protocols for robotic devices, such as optimizing routes and providing employee training, and reminding the consumer to be mindful of the robot paths. The court also found the child's guardian partially responsible for failing to supervise them properly. The judgement did not allude to the United States nor U.S.-China relations.
Summary: China, Myanmar, and Thailand convened a ministerial meeting in Naypyidaw to discuss joint efforts against telecom fraud. The three countries agreed to deepen law enforcement cooperation, targeting telecom fraud in areas like Myawaddy, eradicating scam parks, and apprehending perpetrators. So far this year, the joint effort has resulted in the arrest and repatriation of over 5,400 Chinese nationals involved in telecom fraud. The countries are committed to protecting the legal rights of their citizens through these actions. The article did not mention the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) announced the results of its "Qinglang" campaign to optimize the online business environment by cracking down on online "black mouths" that spread false and malicious information about businesses. The CAC reported several typical cases, including accounts fabricating false information to attack companies, extorting businesses for profit by publishing negative content, spreading false information related to trending topics, disseminating trade secrets, and impersonating businesses for marketing. The involved accounts have been dealt with according to laws and regulations, added to platform blacklists, and the infringing information has been removed. The CAC urged local cyberspace administrations to actively handle online infringement against enterprises and instructed key websites and platforms to strengthen the management of enterprise-related information.
Summary: This article commemorates the 86th anniversary of the Marco Polo Bridge Incident, marking the start of the War of Resistance against Japan. It highlights the formation of a united front led by the Chinese Communist Party, emphasizing the broad participation of various groups including the KMT, ethnic minorities, and overseas Chinese. The piece describes the widespread mobilization and contributions of the Chinese people from all walks of life, united in resisting the Japanese invasion.
Summary: Beijing's port of entry has recorded over 10 million inbound and outbound travelers in the first half of the year, a 19.6% increase compared to the same period last year. The number of inbound and outbound foreigners reached over 2.9 million, a 36.5% increase. Of the 1.49 million foreigners entering via Beijing, 840,000 entered under visa-free policies or temporary entry permits, double the number from last year. Tourism accounted for approximately 50% of foreign entries.
Summary: The Neijiang Discipline Inspection and Supervision Commission in Sichuan Province upgraded its "one-card" subsidy supervision platform to include more subsidy programs and improve data comparison accuracy. This upgrade led to the discovery of a case where a low-income resident improperly received both minimum living allowance and special hardship assistance for three months due to departmental communication errors. The commission has since issued a work reminder to the district civil affairs bureau to strengthen data verification and screening. The system is part of a broader "digital empowerment" initiative, integrating disciplinary inspection and supervision with financial oversight.
Summary: Please provide the article you would like me to summarize. I need the text of the article to provide a concise and accurate summary for professional analysts of Chinese politics.
Summary: The 2025 National Vocational Skills Competition, specifically the 2nd National Cultural Relics Industry Vocational Skills Competition, was held in Luzhou, Sichuan Province from July 3rd to 6th. Hosted by the National Cultural Heritage Administration, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, and the All-China Federation of Trade Unions, the competition focused on cultural heritage protection and craftsmanship. Nearly 300 contestants competed in six categories, including metal, ceramics, paper painting and calligraphy, woodwork, brick and tile cultural relics restoration, and archaeological exploration. The competition emphasized restoring cultural relics while preserving their authenticity. Reporters Yang Xuemei, Zhou Feiya, and Song Haoxin covered the event.
Summary: A skills competition showcasing three generations of cultural relic restoration experts aimed to promote craftsmanship in cultural heritage protection. The competition brought restoration and archaeological techniques to the forefront, highlighting skills such as metal rust removal, ceramic fragment joining, and paint mixing. It served as a platform for experienced artisans to demonstrate standardized techniques while younger artisans introduced innovation. The event aimed to foster talent development and inheritance within the field.
Summary: Please provide the article you would like me to summarize. I need the text of the article to be able to provide a concise and accurate summary tailored for professional analysts of Chinese politics.
Summary: This article commemorates the 88th anniversary of the start of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, highlighting the "great spirit of resistance" cultivated during that period. It emphasizes patriotic sentiments, national integrity, heroic courage, and the unwavering determination of the Chinese people. The piece cites examples of individuals demonstrating these qualities, from soldiers on the battlefield to modern-day scientists and community leaders. It frames this spirit as essential for overcoming current challenges and achieving national rejuvenation. The article does not directly address the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: This article, overseen by Zhao Cheng and designed by Zhang Fangman, likely covers current affairs related to Chinese politics. Without the actual article content, I cannot provide a summary of its key points. Please provide the full article for a relevant synopsis, focusing on statements by officials, accompanying personnel, and any mentions of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: Several articles profile Chinese veterans of the war against Japan. Li Defu, a former member of a railway guerrilla unit, recounted destroying Japanese supply lines. Liu Deshan, who participated in the war as a member of the New Fourth Army, recalled fighting against Japanese forces and expressed a desire for another medal commemorating the war. Other veterans profiled included Qie Shunxiang, Meng Fande, Zhang Yuhe, Bao Qitai, Zhao Mingxiu, Jing Baomei, Zhang Qinggong, and Wu En, all of whom expressed a deep sense of patriotism and a commitment to serving their country.
Summary: The article highlights the unwavering courage and patriotism of Chinese veterans who fought in the Anti-Japanese War. It recounts the veterans' fearless attitudes toward battle and their commitment to defending the nation, emphasizing their sacrifices and contributions to China's victory. The piece also discusses efforts to preserve the veterans' memories and promote their spirit of national pride and resilience, which are seen as crucial for China's continued progress and national rejuvenation. The 2015 military parade commemorating the 70th anniversary of victory against Japan, which included a veteran contingent, is mentioned as an example of honoring their contributions. The article did not mention the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: Please provide the article you would like me to summarize. I need the text of the article to produce a summary suitable for professional analysts of Chinese politics.
Summary: Here is a brief summary of the provided article, focusing on the key aspects of the reports: The article profiles several Chinese veterans of the Second Sino-Japanese War, recounting their experiences fighting against the Japanese. Li Defu, a former member of the railway guerrillas, described their tactics of sabotage and disruption against Japanese forces. Liu Deshan recalled fighting in Henan province and participating in the 70th anniversary parade in Beijing. Other veterans like Qie Shunxiang, Meng Fande, Zhang Yuhe, Bao Qitai, Zhao Mingxiu, Jing Baomei, Zhang Qinggong, and Wu En shared stories of bravery, hardship, and dedication to defending China against Japanese aggression, with all of them being members of the CCP. None of the veterans' stories discussed or alluded to the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The article focuses on honoring and preserving the memories of surviving veterans of the Second Sino-Japanese War. It highlights the bravery and unwavering spirit of these veterans through their own words, emphasizing their willingness to sacrifice for their country. The article discusses efforts to document their stories and preserve historical artifacts related to their experiences. It also underscores the importance of their sacrifices in the context of China's national rejuvenation and the need to uphold their heroic spirit.
Summary: Okay, I am ready. Please provide the article. I will summarize it according to your specifications, focusing on key statements, individuals present, and any mention of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: A ceremony commemorating the 88th anniversary of the start of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression was held at the Museum of the War of Chinese People's Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. The event, held in the name of the CCP Central Committee, State Council, and Central Military Commission, also marked the opening of an exhibition commemorating the 80th anniversary of victory in the war and the broader World War II. The exhibition highlights the Chinese people's fight for national liberation and world peace against fascism. It underscores the widespread mobilization, national awakening, and unwavering determination of the Chinese people during the war. The event emphasized the importance of cherishing and maintaining peace, while reflecting on the past and looking towards the future.
Summary: This appears to be the header information for a page layout, crediting Zhang He with coordinating the page and Shen Yiling with the layout design. There is no content regarding Chinese politics, statements by officials, or U.S.-China relations to summarize. Therefore, no summary is possible.
Summary: This article emphasizes the importance of strategic planning, using the "Xiamen 15-Year Strategic Plan" (1985-2000) led by Xi Jinping as an example. The article highlights the plan's focus on comprehensive development, opening-up, social progress, environmental protection, and cross-strait relations. It points out that the key to the plan's success were its ability to combine party leadership with the people's ideas. The article further argues that China should draw lessons from this experience to improve the creation of the "15th Five-Year Plan".
Summary: The article emphasizes Xi Jinping's call for innovation in competitive sports talent development and national team management to build China into a strong sporting nation. It notes existing problems, such as athletes' low cultural literacy, and advocates for strengthening sports education and instilling moral values alongside athletic skills. The article stresses the importance of building a high-quality team of sports educators and connecting the talent pipeline from primary school to university, with references to soccer development as an example. It calls for balancing academic learning with athletic training to create well-rounded athletes. The article does not mention the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: In 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, various institutions are highlighting wartime family letters (抗战家书). These letters, written by soldiers and civilians, including overseas Chinese, during the period of 1931-1945, offer personal perspectives on the war and express themes of patriotism and sacrifice. The People's Daily highlighted that the letters serve as a poignant reminder of the collective memory of the war period. The letters of figures such as Zuo Quan and Zhao Yiman were specifically mentioned as examples of those that evoke patriotism and sacrifice. The article does not mention the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: This article discusses a nationally protected antique lamp cabinet housed in the Museum of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. The cabinet bears an inscription written by Fu Chang, a Sichuanese military officer, as he departed to fight in the Second Sino-Japanese War in 1937. The inscription, meant for his family, urges them to "Never forget national crisis, study hard, and strengthen our China." The cabinet serves as a testament to the sacrifices made by Chinese soldiers during the war and their patriotic spirit. The article further explains that Fu Chang joined the army in 1908 and was part of multiple movements, including the Xinhai Revolution.
Summary: A symposium on journalistic style and work ethic in the all-media era was held by the All-China Journalists Association (ACJA) News Ethics Committee, with representatives from major state media outlets attending. Attendees discussed improving journalistic practices to enhance the "four forces" (四力) – thought leadership, practical guidance, spiritual appeal, and media influence – in the context of rapid technological advancements. Participants highlighted challenges such as homogenized new media content and superficial technology application. ACJA Party Secretary Liu Siyang emphasized that improving writing style is a necessary requirement of news work in the new era. The meeting aimed to promote self-reflection and innovation within the journalistic field.
Summary: The 2025 China Native Folk Song Festival, organized by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, concluded in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia. The festival, held biennially, featured 65 teams and nearly 400 participants showcasing 42 national and 23 provincial-level intangible cultural heritage musical projects. Performances included both classic and innovatively adapted folk songs, demonstrating the latest achievements in the preservation and development of China's musical intangible cultural heritage. During the festival, performing groups joined local Ulanmuqi teams to perform in squares, schools, and pastoral areas in Hohhot, Ulanqab, and Ordos, with 6 centralized performances and 8 grassroots performances.
Summary: The China Association for Science and Technology (CAST) released its list of major scientific, engineering, and industrial challenges for 2025 at its 27th annual meeting. Eighty national societies organized the event, which involved strategic scientists recommending problems across ten fields, including basic sciences and environmental issues. A final committee of scientists selected the top ten questions, challenges, and problems based on their novelty, leadership potential, innovation, and strategic importance. CAST has been conducting this activity for eight years, aiming to guide researchers towards addressing key national needs and strengthening technological support for high-quality development. The article makes no mention of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: A 300 MW variable-speed pumped storage unit's AC excitation system passed factory testing and went offline in Guangdong province, marking the beginning of on-site installation. This new system is reportedly over 10 times the capacity of conventional fixed-speed pumped storage units. Variable-speed units offer greater flexibility in power regulation compared to traditional fixed-speed units, allowing for more efficient storage of intermittent renewable energy. The system's successful development is touted as breaking a long-standing foreign technological monopoly.
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 China analysts.
Summary: The article commemorates the Nanyang Overseas Chinese Motor Drivers and Mechanics (Nanqiao Jigong), over 3,200 of whom returned to China from Southeast Asia to maintain the vital滇缅公路 (Burma Road) during the Second Sino-Japanese War. These volunteers transported crucial supplies and repaired vehicles, facing immense dangers. President Xi Jinping acknowledged their contribution in an article during a state visit to Malaysia in April, highlighting the enduring legacy of their service on the Burma Road, which was a lifeline for China during the war. The article detailed the sacrifices made by the Nanqiao Jigong, emphasizing their critical role in sustaining China's war effort against Japanese aggression. The Burma Road was also critical to the United States, as it was a major supply route for the Chinese war effort.
Summary: Please provide the article you would like me to summarize. I need the text of the article to be able to create a summary. Once you provide the article, I will give you a five-sentence or less summary suitable for professional analysts of Chinese politics, focusing on key statements, personnel, and implications for US-China relations (if any).
Summary: Zhongning County in Ningxia is focused on developing its wolfberry ("gouqi") industry, aiming to become a major production and distribution hub. The county has implemented strategies to enhance cultivation, branding, and market access, leading to a comprehensive output value of 12.6 billion yuan and a brand value exceeding 20.5 billion yuan by the end of 2024. Zhongning has established partnerships with e-commerce platforms, and built stores across China, and some of its wolfberry products are exported to over 50 countries and regions, including Europe and Southeast Asia. The county is promoting tourism centered around the wolfberry industry, and engaging in collaborations with universities for research and development, focusing on high-value products. It aims to further enhance the brand of "China's Wolfberry Town" through industrial parks and specialized development.
Summary: Baotou, a key node on the grassland Silk Road, is now a hub for Sino-Mongolian educational cooperation. Mongolian students are drawn to Baotou's higher education and vocational training resources, engaging in joint talent programs and collaborative research. These students acquire skills in fields like mining engineering and railway technology, contributing to Mongolia's modernization. Graduates from Baotou's institutions are actively participating in Mongolia's development and Sino-Mongolian trade. The cooperation extends to joint research projects, such as a collaborative effort between Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology and the National University of Mongolia on water pollution monitoring.
Summary: The article reports on educational exchanges between China and Mongolia in Baotou, Inner Mongolia, highlighting how vocational education fosters friendship. Mongolian students are learning skills in areas like mining and pollution control at institutions like the Baotou Vocational and Technical College and the Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology, with the intention of applying this knowledge in Mongolia. The exchanges involve collaborative learning environments and cultural experiences, fostering mutual understanding. This educational cooperation strengthens the foundation for friendly relations between the two countries.
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Summary: China is implementing policies to boost domestic consumption through financial support, according to a recent report. Measures include expanding consumer financing channels, increasing financial support for key consumer areas like automobiles and tourism, and optimizing payment services. For example, Hubei province is encouraging financial institutions to innovate consumer credit products for automobile purchases and home appliance upgrades. Banks are offering "zero down payment" options for new energy vehicles and discounted rates for local car brands. Additionally, financial institutions are providing loans to cultural and tourism projects, boosting local economies.
Summary: A recent directive from the People's Bank of China and other departments outlines 19 measures to boost consumption through financial support, focusing on both supply and demand. The plan aims to improve consumer experience and spending power by supporting employment, increasing income, and optimizing social security. It calls for more inclusive consumer finance, especially for new urban residents, and aims to precisely support the upgrading of consumption infrastructure and supply chains. Emphasis is placed on avoiding over-consumption and balancing financial institutions' risk control with expanded consumer finance offerings. The ultimate goal is for finance to support the real economy and improve people's lives.
Summary: Please provide the article you would like me to summarize. I need the text of the article to give you an accurate and concise summary for professional analysts of Chinese politics.
Summary: An article discusses the significance of "three drops of oil" discovered during pre-flight checks of the J-10 fighter jet, China's first domestically developed third-generation aircraft. The discovery of the leak, and the subsequent overnight effort to resolve it, highlights the importance of prioritizing quality and meticulousness over speed in technological innovation. The article argues that successful innovation requires a combination of bold ideas and grounded practicality, learning from failures and continuously improving through experience, which it ties to China's drive for technological self-reliance. There is no mention of the United States in the article.
Summary: The article highlights China's advancements in radar technology and its applications in both defense and civilian sectors. Domestically developed radar systems are used for tracking spacecraft, enabling safer air travel in adverse weather conditions through advanced weather monitoring at airports, and assisting in disaster relief efforts like earthquake rescue and pest control in agriculture. A key achievement is the development of a high-powered radar for monitoring the ionosphere, achieving internationally competitive levels of precision. Furthermore, the article mentions the integration of radar technology with AI to enhance autonomous decision-making capabilities across various industries. There is no discussion of the United States or U.S.-China relations in this article.
Summary: A large-scale extended reality (XR) exhibition, "Project X: Interstellar Friendship Plan," opened at the China Science and Technology Museum. Organized by the museum and Tianshu Huanyu (Beijing) Aerospace Technology Co., the exhibit features a "future universe" based on an original aerospace science fiction IP. The immersive experience combines physical sets, interactive storylines, and virtual reality technology. The article does not mention the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The first ModeldScope (魔搭) Developer Conference was held in Beijing, bringing together experts from research institutions and open-source model teams. During the conference, a developer incentive program was launched to support contributors with resources like computing power. ModeldScope, one of China's largest AI open-source communities, now hosts over 70,000 open-source models, serves 16 million developers, and has seen over 100 million invocations. Separately, the Spatial Intelligence Innovation Consortium was established by SuperMap Software and other entities to focus on AI-driven geographic information systems. This consortium aims to provide intelligent solutions for areas like natural resources and emergency management by integrating industry, academia and research.
Summary: China is constructing the world's largest axisymmetric solar telescope in Sichuan, expected to be operational by 2027, to study the sun and other astronomical phenomena. Chinese scientists have also made advancements in understanding marine life evolution through high-resolution data analysis and the mechanisms by which plant-parasitic nematodes destroy plant immunity. At an international forum held at Tsinghua University, Turing Award winner Yao Qizhi warned of the risks posed by AI deception, suggesting the need for defined "behavior boundaries" in AI system design. Finally, U.S. scientists have discovered potential anti-cancer compounds from a fungus previously considered toxic.
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Summary: The poem evokes the grief and humiliation of the past, specifically referencing 1937 and the suffering felt by the land. It suggests a growing sense of anger and resistance symbolized by the "steel" growing within the stone lions. The poem depicts young soldiers raising blood-soaked flags, illuminating the Chinese people. Ultimately, it expresses a message of eventual awakening and the blossoming of freedom. There is no mention of the United States or U.S.-China relations in the poem.
Summary: In 2015, the author led a group of Canadian scholars, writers, and researchers to China to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. The group, which included admirers of Norman Bethune, participated in activities such as donating historical artifacts and visiting sites related to Bethune's life and work, including the Marco Polo Bridge and a memorial hall. One member of the group, who grew up in the U.S. to avoid the Vietnam War, had previously visited China to research various religions. The trip culminated in the publication of an English anthology, *Re-reading Bethune*, featuring contributions from both Canadian and Chinese scholars. A medical researcher in the group donated a "simulated heart" device to Peking Union Medical College.
Summary: This article discusses the evolution and significance of honorifics in Chinese society. It traces the shift from egalitarian terms like "Comrade" (同志) and "Master" (师傅), reflecting earlier values of equality and respect for skilled labor, to more commercial and potentially superficial terms like "Miss" (小姐) and "Boss" (老板). The author criticizes the misuse of titles like "Teacher" (老师) and the adoption of informal terms like "Leader" (头儿) within officialdom, arguing they can foster hierarchical and corrupt tendencies. The author advocates for a return to simpler, more sincere forms of address like "Comrade" to promote a more honest and genuine social atmosphere. The author does not discuss or allude to the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: This article expresses the author's deep connection to the city of Quanzhou, tracing back nearly 20 years to when the author moved there for work and eventually fell in love with the city's culture and history. The author highlights Quanzhou's entrepreneurial spirit ("爱拼才会赢") and its rich cultural heritage, particularly its maritime history as reflected in its food, traditions, and architecture. The piece describes the author's personal journey, including career challenges, returning to academia, and writing about Quanzhou, culminating in the city's 2021 UNESCO World Heritage designation. The author's personal life is also discussed, especially about how he shares memories of the city with his daughter. The author emphasizes Quanzhou's role as a gateway to the world, connecting its past as a major port with its present-day vibrancy.
Summary: The article describes the oil painting "Lugou Bridge: Then and Now" by Pei Yongmei. The painting likely depicts the historical significance of the Marco Polo Bridge, a site of conflict between China and Japan. The article likely discusses the painting's artistic merit and its representation of Chinese history and national identity. Given the bridge's historical significance, the painting may also implicitly comment on modern China's strength and resilience. Without access to the article, further specifics are impossible to provide.
Summary: The article is an anecdotal account of the author's appreciation for lychees cultivated in Guangdong province, particularly in the Dongguan area. The author details the various types of lychees, their unique flavors, and the traditional methods of cultivation, including grafting and cutting, used by local farmers like "Uncle Tai." Uncle Tai is a local who serves as a guide for the author to understand Dongguan's local customs and culture. The author and Uncle Tai discuss the impact of climate on fruit and the potential changes in the Lingnan region due to the agricultural industry.
Summary: During a visit to Wangjiaba in Funan County, the author reflects on the area's role as a flood diversion zone ("Mengwa") for the Huai River. The residents of Mengwa sacrifice their homes and land to absorb floodwaters, protecting downstream regions. The author describes the resilience and selflessness of the local villagers, highlighting the unique examples of "Gua Wan Mo Jiao" where villagers adjusted the structure of their houses to benefit their community. The locals' willingness to sacrifice their property for the greater good is held up as especially admirable. There is no mention of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: This article provides contact information for submissions to the "dadi" section of *People's Daily*, specifically an email address (dadi@peopledaily.cn). It also credits Zhao Siru for the page layout design. The piece does not appear to contain any political analysis or commentary related to China, its leadership, or U.S.-China relations.
Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, July 6th. The first volume of "Selected Readings on Xi Jinping's (习近平) Thought on Ecological Civilization," edited by the Party History and Literature Research Institute of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (中共中央党史和文献研究院), has recently been published by the Central Literature Press (中央文献出版社) and is being distributed nationwide.
Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) at its core, starting from the height of the sustainable development of the Chinese nation, has profoundly grasped the important position and strategic significance of ecological civilization construction in the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era, vigorously promoted theoretical innovation, practical innovation, and institutional innovation in ecological civilization, put forward a series of new concepts, new ideas, and new strategies, leading China's ecological civilization construction from theory to practice has undergone historic, transformative, and comprehensive changes. The construction of a beautiful China has taken significant strides, forming Xi Jinping's (习近平) Thought on Ecological Civilization. Xi Jinping's (习近平) Thought on Ecological Civilization is an important component of Xi Jinping's (习近平) Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. It is a major achievement of combining the basic principles of Marxism with the specific realities of China and with China's outstanding traditional culture. It has elevated our Party's understanding of the laws of ecological civilization construction to a new height, providing fundamental guidance for comprehensively promoting the modernization of harmonious coexistence between man and nature through the construction of a beautiful China.
The first volume of "Selected Readings on Xi Jinping's (习近平) Thought on Ecological Civilization" includes the most important and most basic works of Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) on ecological civilization construction from December 2012 to April 2025, arranged in chronological order, with a total of 79 reports, speeches, talks, instructions, and directives. Some works are published for the first time.
The publication and distribution of the first volume of "Selected Readings on Xi Jinping's (习近平) Thought on Ecological Civilization" provides authoritative teaching materials for the entire Party and the people of all ethnic groups across the country to deeply study and implement Xi Jinping's (习近平) Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, especially Xi Jinping's (习近平) Thought on Ecological Civilization. It is of great significance for the vast number of cadres and the masses to deeply understand the decisive significance of the "Two Establishments," enhance the "Four Consciousnesses," strengthen the "Four Confidences," and achieve the "Two Safeguards," to unite more closely around the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) at its core, to fully implement the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Party and the Second and Third Plenary Sessions of the 20th Central Committee, to firmly establish and practice the concept that green waters and green mountains are golden mountains and silver mountains, to unswervingly follow the path of civilized development featuring production development, affluent living, and sound ecology, to support high-quality development with a high-quality ecological environment, to accelerate the advancement of modernization of harmonious coexistence between man and nature, to comprehensively promote the construction of a beautiful China, and to open up broad prospects for the sustainable development of the Chinese nation.
(See the second edition for an introduction to the main articles in the first volume of "Selected Readings on Xi Jinping's (习近平) Thought on Ecological Civilization.")
Return to TopXinhua News Agency, Beijing, July 6th (Xinhua) -- Recently, President Xi Jinping (习近平) replied in a letter to teachers and students of the Montgomery County, Maryland, youth pickleball cultural exchange delegation to China, who participated in the initiative to invite 50,000 American youth to China for exchange and study over the next five years.
Xi Jinping (习近平) stated, "Congratulations on the success of your visit to China. I am very pleased to see that pickleball has become a new link for exchanges between Chinese and American youth. The future of China-U.S. relations lies in the youth. I hope you will become a new generation of envoys of friendship between the two countries and make greater contributions to enhancing the friendship between the two peoples."
Previously, teachers and students of the Montgomery County, Maryland, youth pickleball cultural exchange delegation to China wrote a letter to President Xi Jinping (习近平), thanking President Xi Jinping (习近平) for proposing the "50,000 in 5 Years" initiative, introducing their experience of visiting China and conducting pickleball exchanges in April of this year, and expressing that this trip forged unforgettable friendships with Chinese youth, and hoping to invite Chinese youth to visit the United States.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 王 浩 李俊杰
Digging through the Yunkai Mountains and diverting water from the Xijiang River, the "Yuehai Huanbei No. 5" hard rock tunnel boring machine is cutting through rock more than 600 meters underground in Maoming (茂名), Guangdong (广东). The Yunkai Mountain (云开山) tunnel of the Huanbei Gulf Guangdong (环北部湾广东) water resources allocation project is constantly extending.
Inside the "Yuehai Huanbei No. 5" cockpit, driver Li Ning (李宁) is holding his breath and concentrating, closely monitoring parameter changes and adjusting the tunneling "posture." The cutter head, about three stories high, spins rapidly, breaking rock, removing slag, supporting, and lining, with each process working efficiently together.
Crossing mountains, plains, and basins, and passing over a hundred railways, highways, rivers, and reservoirs, the Huanbei Gulf Guangdong (环北部湾广东) water resources allocation project will connect the Xijiang River (西江) with the Leizhou Peninsula (雷州半岛), providing water for western Guangdong (粤西). "Currently, the project's tunnel excavation is 95 kilometers, more than 30% complete, with a cumulative investment of 13.7 billion yuan," said Guo Qinghua (郭清华), Deputy General Manager of Guangdong Yuehai Yuexi Water Supply Co., Ltd. (广东粤海粤西供水有限公司).
"The construction of the water network will be another century-long historical picture of the Chinese nation in the process of water management, and will be recorded in history for thousands of years." "To promote Chinese-style modernization, water resource issues must be taken into account." "Accelerate the modernization of water conservancy infrastructure"... General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) personally planned, deployed, and promoted the cause of water management, and planned major water conservancy projects such as the national water network.
The "14th Five-Year Plan" (十四五规划) proposes "strengthening the construction of water conservancy infrastructure." Water conservancy projects and rivers and lakes are intertwined into a network. Since 2022, the completed investment in national water conservancy construction has exceeded 1 trillion yuan for three consecutive years. In the first five months of this year, the completed investment in water conservancy construction was 408.97 billion yuan, and the construction of the national water network has been fully accelerated. At present, China ranks first in the world in terms of dam type, dam quantity, and high dam quantity. The water supply capacity of water conservancy projects exceeds 900 billion cubic meters, the water resource allocation pattern is constantly optimized, and the comprehensive benefits of the national water network are being fully released.
Connecting the network and supplementing the network, a water network consolidates the water resource guarantee capability.
At the end of April, the modernization transformation of the Wanghong section of the Huinong Canal (惠农渠) in the Qingtongxia Irrigation Area (青铜峡灌区) was completed. "After spring wheat was sown in the field in March, it has already 'drunk' four waters, and the first watering was five days earlier than in previous years," said Qiang Bo (强波), Secretary of the Party Branch of Dongfang Village (东方村), Lijun Town (李俊镇), Yongning County (永宁县), Ningxia (宁夏), looking at the wheat fields that are about to be harvested. Along the newly built and protected canal, the Yellow River (黄河) water flows quickly and the water level is high, making it easy to pump water. Spring wheat will be harvested around July 10, and the yield per mu is expected to increase by 50 jin.
As a landmark project in the national water conservancy field, the total investment in the modernization transformation project of the Qingtongxia Irrigation Area (青铜峡灌区) is about 7 billion yuan. After the completion of the project, the water diversion capacity of this ancient irrigation area with more than 2,000 years of Yellow River (黄河) irrigation history will be improved.
In 2024, the central government increased its investment to support the modernization construction and transformation of more than 1,000 irrigation areas. At present, the national cultivated land irrigation area has developed to more than 1.08 billion mu; there are about 95,000 existing reservoirs and dams with a total storage capacity of about 1 trillion cubic meters. Water conservancy projects are making every effort to ensure flood control safety, water supply safety, food security, and ecological security.
Expanding investment and stabilizing employment, a water network accelerates the release of domestic demand potential.
With the completion of the "first blast" and the excavation of the left and right dam shoulders, the construction progress bar of the Jingling Reservoir (镜岭水库) in Shaoxing (绍兴), Zhejiang (浙江) is constantly being refreshed.
How to implement the 12.3 billion yuan investment? "We are using two hands to exert force and innovate investment and financing mechanisms," said Wei Qianghua (尉强华), head of the Planning and Finance Department of the Jingling Reservoir Construction and Operation Center (镜岭水库建设运行中心). Using the first water conservancy infrastructure real estate investment trust fund, the completed Tangpu Reservoir (汤浦水库) was revitalized, injecting 764 million yuan of funds into the Jingling Reservoir (镜岭水库). The government and the market are coordinated, and the private enterprise Zheshui Co., Ltd. (浙水股份) is responsible for the construction. Fiscal funds, financial credit, and social capital work together.
A number of key water source projects, large-scale irrigation areas and other "two-heavy" construction water conservancy projects have introduced private capital. In the first five months of this year, the national water conservancy construction implemented 67.44 billion yuan of social capital, including 4.55 billion yuan of private capital. It is estimated that every 100 billion yuan invested in major water conservancy projects can drive the growth of domestic GDP by 0.15 percentage points.
Lu Yinjiang (陆银江) from Yuyao (余姚), Zhejiang (浙江), became a safety coordinator at the construction site of the Jingling Reservoir (镜岭水库) through labor recruitment. "The work here is stable, and there are regular skills training." The role of water conservancy infrastructure construction in stabilizing employment continues to play a role. In the first five months of this year, national water conservancy construction absorbed 1.12 million jobs.
Interconnection and intercommunication, a water network helps the construction of a modern industrial system.
Located in the Hefei Economic and Technological Development Zone (合肥经济技术开发区), Anhui (安徽), and connecting the Huaihe River (淮河) in the north directly to northern Anhui (皖北) and eastern Henan (豫东), and bordering Chaohu Lake (巢湖) in the south to reach the Yangtze River (长江) and the sea, the Paihe Port (派河港) is the first container terminal on the Jianghuai Canal (江淮运河).
The Jianghuai Canal (江淮运河) is an important part of the water diversion project from the Yangtze River (长江) to the Huaihe River (淮河) (引江济淮工程). "With Paihe Port (派河港) as the center, three complete vehicle bases, Jianghuai Automobile New Port Base (江淮汽车新港基地), Weilai Automobile Base (蔚来汽车基地), and Volkswagen New Energy Automobile Base (大众新能源汽车基地), are laid out within a radius of 5 kilometers," said Hao Maolin (郝茂林), head of the Paihe Port (派河港) Operation and Operation Department of Anhui Port and Shipping Logistics Co., Ltd. (安徽港航物流有限公司).
The interconnection and intercommunication of water networks with infrastructure such as power grids, road networks, and shipping networks provide strong water element support for industrial transformation and upgrading.
"The Ministry of Water Resources thoroughly implements General Secretary Xi Jinping's (习近平) water management thinking of 'prioritizing water conservation, spatial balance, systematic governance, and using both hands' and the spirit of important expositions on water management, and makes every effort to promote the construction of water conservancy infrastructure, so as to make new contributions to promoting high-quality water conservancy development and ensuring China's water security," said Li Guoying (李国英), Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and Minister of the Ministry of Water Resources (水利部).
Return to TopBy: 杨 旭
Water conservancy is a major national affair. Canals and ditches are connected to weave a dense "capillary network" for drought resistance and irrigation, promoting industry and enriching the people; major projects run through the "main arteries," benefiting the present and benefiting future generations; responding to flood conditions tightens the "safety valve," preventing and reducing disasters, and striving to ensure safety...
The "Opinions on Comprehensively Promoting the Protection and Governance of Rivers and Lakes," recently issued, is another major deployment by the Party Central Committee, standing at the strategic height of realizing the sustainable development of the Chinese nation and attaching importance to solving the problem of water security. "Governing water is governing the country," and water security is related to the long-term stability and security of the country. Focusing on the "four major water problems" of water disasters, water resources, water ecology, and water environment, promoting coordinated advancement and systematic governance, promoting high-quality water conservancy development, and promoting "harmony between man and water" will surely continue to write a new chapter in the Chinese nation's history of water management, national security, water conservancy, and people's well-being.
Return to TopThis newspaper Rio de Janeiro (里约热内卢) July 5th (Reporters Chen Yiming (陈一鸣) and Chen Shangwen (陈尚文)) On July 5th, local time, State Council Premier Li Qiang (李强) met with Brazilian President Lula (卢拉) in Rio de Janeiro (里约热内卢).
Li Qiang (李强) first conveyed President Xi Jinping's (习近平) cordial greetings to President Lula (卢拉). Li Qiang (李强) stated that the current China-Brazil relationship is at its best historical period, and both sides are working together to build a China-Brazil community with a shared future for a more just world and a more sustainable planet. During President Lula's (卢拉) visit to China in May this year, the two heads of state reached important consensus on deepening the construction of the China-Brazil community with a shared future and jointly safeguarding multilateralism. China is willing to work with Brazil to continue its efforts to continuously enrich the connotation of bilateral relations, achieve more practical cooperation results, and better benefit the people of both countries.
Li Qiang (李强) pointed out that China is willing to work with Brazil to leverage complementary advantages, consolidate and deepen cooperation in bilateral trade, finance, and infrastructure construction under the framework of high-quality joint construction of the "Belt and Road," expand cooperation in digital economy, green economy, scientific and technological innovation, aerospace and other fields, and enhance the development momentum of the two countries. Jointly organize a series of activities for the 2026 "China-Brazil Culture Year," strengthen cooperation in education, youth, medical and health, and further facilitate personnel exchanges to consolidate the public opinion foundation for China-Brazil friendly cooperation. China and Brazil are both defenders of multilateralism and free trade. China is willing to strengthen communication and coordination with Brazil in multilateral mechanisms such as the United Nations, BRICS countries, and the G20, unite the vast number of developing countries, promote an equal and orderly world multipolarization and inclusive economic globalization, and inject more stability and certainty into the world. China supports Brazil in hosting the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Belém.
Lula (卢拉) asked Li Qiang (李强) to convey his sincere greetings to President Xi Jinping (习近平). Lula (卢拉) said that the people of Brazil and China have a deep friendship. Brazil attaches great importance to developing relations with China and is willing to work with China to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, further strengthen high-level exchanges, promote exchanges and cooperation in economy, trade, science and technology, finance, aerospace and other fields, and strengthen cooperation in addressing climate change. Welcome China to attend the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Belém. Brazil congratulates China on the successful holding of the Fourth Ministerial Forum of China and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States this year, and is willing to deepen multilateral communication and collaboration with China, jointly resist unilateralism, defend multilateralism and free trade, and promote world peace and development.
After the meeting, the two sides jointly witnessed the signing of cooperation documents in the fields of finance, artificial intelligence, development strategy alignment, and aerospace.
Li Qiang (李强) arrived in Rio de Janeiro (里约热内卢) by chartered plane on the afternoon of July 5th, local time. Upon arrival, representatives of the Brazilian government and Chinese Ambassador to Brazil Zhu Qingqiao (祝青桥) and others greeted him at the airport.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者
A gentle breeze came, blowing away the afternoon heat, rustling the corn leaves, the setting sun shone on the horizon, wisps of smoke rose, setting off the colorful clouds in the sky. What a beautiful natural scenery before us!
On the evening of July 7, 1937, Hong Dazhong (洪大中), then the secretary of the Wanping County (宛平县) government, looked at the cornfields outside the city and felt emotional.
If there had been no war, in people's memories, this would have been a peaceful summer.
However, soon, this illusory peace was completely shattered.
Beacon Fire
"My father required the officers and soldiers to shout 'Better to be a ghost who dies in battle than a slave of a fallen nation' before eating and before going to bed."
-- Jin Tianyu (金天愚) (son of Jin Zhenzhong (金振中))
Late at night on July 7, the sound of gunfire at the Lugou Bridge (卢沟桥) pierced the night sky.
The Japanese army, which was conducting illegal exercises near Wanping City (宛平城), forcibly demanded to enter the city to search for a missing soldier, which was refused. After that, the Japanese army opened fire on the Chinese garrison and bombarded Wanping City (宛平城).
Jin Zhenzhong (金振中), who had made meritorious service in the Battle of Xifengkou (喜峰口战斗), was then stationed in Wanping City (宛平城) and Lugou Bridge (卢沟桥) as the battalion commander of the 3rd Battalion, 219th Regiment, 110th Brigade, 37th Division of the National Revolutionary Army (国民革命军).
In the spring of 1933, the Japanese army created incidents in the Great Wall (长城) area and launched an attack. The soldiers of the 29th Army (29军) held broadswords and fought bloody battles with the Japanese invaders in the Battle of Xifengkou (喜峰口战斗), annihilating more than 5,000 enemies, becoming famous in one battle.
"My father gave speeches to the soldiers every day, using historical heroes as role models to give them reports. In addition, he required the officers and soldiers to shout 'Better to be a ghost who dies in battle than a slave of a fallen nation' before eating and before going to bed to inspire the soldiers' fighting spirit," Jin Tianyu (金天愚), son of Jin Zhenzhong (金振中), recalled.
Facing the Japanese army that was rushing like a tide, Jin Zhenzhong (金振中) decisively issued a combat order: "As long as they enter within 100 meters of my position, eliminate them with fierce firepower, and never let them survive!"
Subsequently, while directing the pursuit of the fleeing enemy, Jin Zhenzhong (金振中) had his left leg blown off by a grenade and was shot in the head by a bullet.
"It was all for the nation and for the country. Not only my father Jin Zhenzhong (金振中) did this, but anyone else would have done the same," Jin Tianyu (金天愚) said.
Not far from Jin Zhenzhong (金振中), the railway bridge and Huilong Temple (回龙庙) near Lugou Bridge (卢沟桥) were attacked by the Japanese army at dawn on July 8. Shen Zhongming (沈忠明), the platoon leader of the 1st Platoon, 10th Company, 3rd Battalion, and an underground member of the Communist Party of China (中国共产党), led his troops to resist desperately. Except for two soldiers who went back to report the news, all the officers and soldiers of the entire platoon heroically sacrificed themselves.
Perhaps they did not realize that everything they were experiencing at this moment meant the beginning of the all-out War of Resistance Against Japan.
After that, China and Japan fought fiercely in the Lugou Bridge (卢沟桥) and Wanping City (宛平城) area for many times, and the two sides entered a stage of fighting and talking.
Turmoil
"This is by no means an isolated incident."
-- Ren Zhigong (任之恭)
For most ordinary people in Beiping (北平), it was not until the next day that they gradually learned about the changes that had taken place at Lugou Bridge (卢沟桥).
On the morning of July 8, Wu Dayou (吴大猷), a professor at Peking University (北京大学), heard the sound of machine guns and thought it was ordinary target practice, so he did not pay attention to it and went out for a picnic with friends as planned. When he returned, Xizhimen (西直门) was half-closed, and they brushed past rows of military vehicles several times. Later, he learned that the Lugou Bridge Incident (卢沟桥事变) had occurred.
The summer of 1937 was also the time when Ren Zhigong (任之恭), a professor at Tsinghua University (清华大学), and his fiancée planned to get married.
On the morning of July 27, he set off from Tsinghua Yuan (清华园) to go to the wedding venue. When he arrived at Xizhimen (西直门), he found that the huge iron city gate was tightly closed. Ren Zhigong (任之恭) disguised himself as a vegetable farmer and finally squeezed into the city. Only a few dozen guests arrived. After the ceremony was hastily completed, the streets were already empty. The newly married couple could not return to their new home and had to hide in the nearest hotel. In the evening, they heard "the sound of cannons rumbling and machine guns firing." "Three days later, the Japanese opened the city gate irregularly," and they "ventured to Tsinghua Yuan (清华园) to take a look." "The most valuable things were gone - stolen or destroyed."
Beiping (北平) and Tianjin (天津) fell one after another. The Japanese army wantonly killed, looted, enslaved, and poisoned the local people.
When the Lugou Bridge Incident (卢沟桥事变) broke out, the young Zheng Fulai (郑福来) lived near Lugou Bridge (卢沟桥). Under the attack of artillery fire, he followed his mother to flee. After Beiping (北平) fell, they had to risk going home after suffering from hunger and cold outside. On the way home, he saw corpses everywhere. "Piles and piles of dead people, men, women, old and young, some were even disemboweled, all killed by the Japanese army! They were all innocent people, the devils were too hateful!" Zheng Fulai (郑福来) clenched his fists when he talked about this during an interview before his death.
"This (Lugou Bridge Incident (卢沟桥事变)) is by no means an isolated incident," Ren Zhigong (任之恭) later wrote in his book.
Resistance
"This painful lesson is: only resistance against Japan can lead to survival, there is no other choice."
-- "A Brief History of the 29th Army Training Regiment" ("29军军训团简史")
In Ren Zhigong's (任之恭) recollection, after the Lugou Bridge Incident (卢沟桥事变) occurred, "for about 20 days, it seemed surprisingly calm. The incident seemed like a brief thunderstorm in summer. The thunder stopped, and the rain stopped."
However, beneath this superficial calm, there was a surging wave.
In the process of fighting and talking, the Kuomintang (国民党) authorities, who harbored illusions of peace, repeatedly made concessions, and the Japanese army took the opportunity to increase their troops and press closer step by step. By July 25, the Japanese army that had successively gathered in Pingjin (平津) had reached more than 60,000 people.
On July 27, just as Ren Zhigong (任之恭) was stumbling through his wedding, outside Beiping (北平), at the Nanyuan (南苑) position, 17-year-old Li Hongbin (李鸿斌) stepped onto the battlefield for the first time that evening.
Eight months earlier, he was just a junior high school student. With a heart to serve the country, he "heard that the broadsword team in the 29th Army (29军) was powerful," so he abandoned his studies and joined the 29th Army Military Training Regiment (29军军事训练团), becoming a student soldier.
At dawn on July 28, the Japanese army launched an attack on Nanyuan (南苑), the southern gate of Beiping (北平).
In an interview before his death, Li Hongbin (李鸿斌) described the bloody battlefield of that year: "At about 6 o'clock in the morning, the Japanese army first dispatched a dozen or twenty planes to bomb our position in turn... Then, the enemy planes began to strafe at low altitude. Because there was no air defense equipment, the soldiers suffered heavy casualties..."
Li Hongbin (李鸿斌) recalled that most of the student soldiers not only held guns for the first time, but also went to the battlefield for the first time, and were quite frightened when they were ambushed in the trenches. But after the first shot was fired, they were determined to hold the position and could no longer care about so much. "There was a classmate in my class named Zhao Shirong (赵世荣), whose lips were covered in blood, but he was still holding his gun and shooting desperately," he said.
The "Continental War History" ("大陆战史") published by Japan during the war also recorded the tragic nature of this battle from their perspective, saying that "Zhao Dengyu's (赵登禹) defense was very solid, and it was not easy to take it down after several battles" and that "white-blade warfare occurred everywhere" and "this was a nightmare in broad daylight."
In this most intense battle between the Chinese and Japanese armies during the Lugou Bridge Incident (卢沟桥事变), more than 5,000 of the 7,000 Nanyuan (南苑) defenders were killed or wounded. Two generals, Tong Linge (佟麟阁), deputy commander of the 29th Army (29军), and Zhao Dengyu (赵登禹), commander of the 132nd Division of the 29th Army (29军132师), who fought alongside the student soldiers, heroically died for their country.
Just one day before Tong Linge (佟麟阁) died, he specially asked his subordinates to bring his children's homework back home from the battlefield.
On July 28, Nanyuan (南苑) fell; on July 29, Beiping (北平) fell.
"This painful lesson is: only resistance against Japan can lead to survival, there is no other choice," reads the "A Brief History of the 29th Army Training Regiment" ("29军军训团简史").
Seed of Fire
"Ten thousand miles of solitary journey, the heart is promised to the country, frequent years of dreaming, the intention is to pity the children."
-- Zheng Tianting (郑天挺)
With the fall of Pingjin (平津), Tsinghua University (清华大学), Peking University (北京大学) and other universities were also subjected to unprecedented looting, and Nankai University (南开大学) was razed to rubble in the bombing. In order to protect the seeds of education and culture, Wu Dayou (吴大猷), Ren Zhigong (任之恭) and other university teachers and students evacuated in batches.
Zheng Tianting (郑天挺), then the secretary-general of Peking University (北京大学), had just experienced the pain of losing his wife at the beginning of the year. He dragged his five young children and took on the heavy responsibility of transferring teachers, students, books, and instruments in the crisis.
Zheng Tianting's (郑天挺) children described the scene at the time in the article "Thirty Years of Ups and Downs" ("三十年风风雨雨"): "On a certain day in August, Japanese military police searched the Peking University (北京大学) office. There were very few people in the school. Only Mr. Zheng Tianting (郑天挺) was dealing with the office, and the situation was extremely tense."
Faced with the enemy's threats and persecution, Zheng Tianting (郑天挺) calmly mediated and completed the aftermath work until the question of whether to go south was placed on his desk.
Take care of the children, or take the students? Give lectures in the occupied area, or teach in the south?
In the midst of the chaos, torn between love and morality, in order to facilitate the transfer, Zheng Tianting (郑天挺) reluctantly left his children in Beiping (北平) and went south alone. The youngest of the children was only 3 years old, and the oldest was only 13 years old. This separation lasted for several years.
"Ten thousand miles of solitary journey, the heart is promised to the country, frequent years of dreaming, the intention is to pity the children." In his diary, he wrote again and again: "My poor children!"
The teachers and students of Peking University (北京大学), Tsinghua University (清华大学) and Nankai University (南开大学) who moved south first gathered in Changsha (长沙) to form the National Changsha Temporary University (国立长沙临时大学), and then moved all the way to Kunming (昆明) due to the approaching war, and were renamed the National Southwestern Associated University (国立西南联合大学).
In the conditions of leaking rain in summer and wind in winter, the Southwestern Associated University (西南联大), a "temporary university" built by the combined efforts of the three universities, developed into an ideal place for teaching and educating people and a spiritual highland for saving the nation.
In more than 8 years, the Southwestern Associated University (西南联大) had more than 8,000 students, including 2 Nobel Prize winners, 5 winners of the National Top Science and Technology Award (国家最高科学技术奖), 8 winners of the "Two Bombs, One Satellite Achievement Medal" ("两弹一星功勋奖章"), more than 170 academicians and more than 100 cultural scholars.
Cohesion
"From the past, it was just a large piece of fertile land, a dead China of loose sand, but now it is a living China with flesh and blood."
-- Zhu Ziqing (朱自清)
"The guns are finally pointing outwards. The Chinese sleeping lion, which has suffered from the bullying and humiliation of the great powers for a hundred years, roared. How can people not be overjoyed?" In July 1937, Zhao Rongsheng (赵荣声), a student at Yenching University (燕京大学) who was participating in a summer camp in the Western Hills (西山) of Beiping (北平), was very excited when he heard that the 29th Army (29军) had fought with the Japanese soldiers.
On July 8, the day after the Lugou Bridge Incident (卢沟桥事变), the CPC Central Committee (中共中央) issued a telegram to the whole country: "Pingjin (平津) is in danger! North China (华北) is in danger! The Chinese nation is in danger! Only the all-out resistance of the whole nation is our way out!" On the same day, Mao Zedong (毛泽东), Zhu De (朱德), Peng Dehuai (彭德怀) and other Red Army leaders telegraphed Chiang Kai-shek (蒋介石), saying that the Red Army soldiers were willing to "serve the country, fight with the enemy, and achieve the goal of protecting the country."
Various groups in Beiping (北平) immediately responded.
On the afternoon of July 8, the Beiping Student Federation (北平学联) and other organizations sent student representatives to the front line to express their condolences. Zhao Shi (赵石), a student at Tsinghua University (清华大学) at the time, described the scene in his article "My Revolutionary Years at Tsinghua" ("我的清华革命岁月"): "At Dongzhimen (东直门), a platoon leader led us to the city to see the defense situation. When our representative finished speaking, the platoon leader turned around and said to his brothers: 'Did you hear that? What they mean is to ask us to resist Japan!'"
On July 10, the Beiping Student Federation (北平学联) and other progressive groups launched a campaign to donate burlap sacks. In a few days, the burlap sacks on the university campus were "piled up like mountains." These burlap sacks were sent to the front line, filled with sand and soil, and built into defensive fortifications.
The vast majority of ordinary people also joined the struggle against the invaders.
"We saw many laborers in their fifties and sixties who could not withstand the day and night non-stop work and whose limbs were swollen. Many donkeys that were supposed to be working were transporting day and night without even having time to drink water, and gradually became thin and fell down," Fan Changjiang (范长江) wrote what he saw and heard in "Lugou Bridge" ("卢沟桥畔") and lamented that "they have no complaints about this kind of hard service."
Looking back at history, this kind of national cohesion is not accidental, but the inevitable result of history.
In the spring of 1935, the Japanese invaders created the North China Incident (华北事变), and the national crisis was unprecedentedly serious. Two artists, Tian Han (田汉) and Nie Er (聂耳), used their pens as knives and their songs as horns to create the "March of the Volunteers" ("义勇军进行曲"), and "The Chinese nation is at its most dangerous time" became the strongest voice.
On August 1, 1935, the delegation of the CPC (中共) to the Communist International drafted the "Letter to All Compatriots from the Chinese Soviet Government and the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China for Resisting Japan and Saving the Country," (《中国苏维埃政府、中国共产党中央为抗日救国告全体同胞书》) also known as the "August 1st Declaration" ("八一宣言"), which was published soon after. On December 9 of that year, under the leadership of the underground organization of the CPC (中共), students in Beiping (北平) held a large-scale anti-Japanese parade. The "December 9th Movement" ("一二·九"运动) that started from this quickly spread throughout the country.
The call to resist Japan and save the country resounded inside and outside the Great Wall (长城), on both sides of the Yellow River (黄河), and in the north and south of the Yangtze River (长江), and the call to establish the broadest anti-Japanese national united front gradually took root in the hearts of the people.
Through the unremitting efforts of the Communist Party of China (中国共产党), a brand-new situation of the whole nation jointly resisting the enemy, which had never existed in modern times, was realized:
In August 1937, the main force of the Red Army was reorganized into the Eighth Route Army of the National Revolutionary Army (国民革命军第八路军).
In September 1937, the second Kuomintang-Communist cooperation was officially formed.
The anti-Japanese national united front was finally established.
"Regardless of party affiliation, class, gender, age, or even domestic and overseas Chinese, everyone can participate in such a war. This is a necessary and most basic condition for our victory in the War of Resistance," said Zhang Shanzhen (张珊珍), a professor in the Department of Party History Teaching and Research at the Party School of the Central Committee of the CPC (National Academy of Governance) (中央党校（国家行政学院）中共党史教研部).
"Those who have strength contribute strength," "those who have money contribute money," "fathers send their sons, wives send their husbands, and brothers compete to be soldiers," "don't eat candy today, use the money to save the country"... The anti-Japanese enthusiasm and strength that erupted from all walks of life converged like a tide into a magnificent anti-Japanese torrent.
On July 7, 1939, Zhu Ziqing (朱自清) expressed this feeling in his article "This Day" ("这一天"): "From the past, it was just a large piece of fertile land, a dead China of loose sand, but now it is a living China with flesh and blood."
Echo
"As the ancient saying goes: '**众志成城**' (zhòng zhì chéng chéng - "unity of will is an impregnable stronghold," unity of the people is like a fortress), the city formed by the unity of our four hundred million people cannot be broken by any kind of artillery fire!"
-- Feng Zikai (丰子恺)
After the July 7th Incident (七七事变), China shifted from local resistance to all-out national resistance, and thus opened up the main Eastern battlefield of the World Anti-Fascist War, which also promoted the formation of the international anti-fascist united front.
On July 7, 1942, the London News Chronicle published an article stating that "The war that Britain is struggling to support today was actually launched in 1937 by China's July 7th Incident (七七事变)." "China's refusal to surrender to Japan has benefited Britain and the United States greatly."
"China started the War of Resistance the earliest, lasted the longest, and long-term contained and resisted the main force of Japanese militarism. With the great national sacrifice of 35 million casualties, it finally won the great victory of the War of Resistance Against Japan, made a great contribution to the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War, and won the respect of the peace-loving people of the world," said Zang Yunhu (臧运祜), a professor in the Department of History at Peking University (北京大学). "Due to the important contribution made by China's War of Resistance, in the later stages of the war, China participated in the founding of the United Nations and the construction of a new post-war international order as one of the four major anti-fascist countries, making an important contribution to maintaining world peace."
Today, when we walk through Tong Linge Road (佟麟阁路) and Zhao Dengyu Road (赵登禹路), we can still hear the sound of gunfire from Lugou Bridge (卢沟桥) traveling through time and space. That "overnight" was forever engraved in the annals of history. It witnessed not only the rising resistance, but also the awakening and cohesion of a nation in times of crisis - "The city formed by the unity of our four hundred million people cannot be broken by any kind of artillery fire!"
This cohesion has also been tempered into the deepest part of the national gene, penetrating time, until today and until the future.
(Our reporter Zhang Yixuan (张意轩), Zhu Xiaoxi (朱笑熺), Yang Wanchen (仰婉晨), Liu Zhenjie (刘镇杰), Feng Huiwen (冯慧文))
Return to TopJiujiang City (九江市), Jiangxi Province (江西省), is focusing on promoting the construction of Yinshawan Comprehensive Wharf (银砂湾综合码头), accelerating the development and utilization of the locational advantages of the Yangtze River (长江) golden waterway, and improving the regional comprehensive transportation system. The wharf project plans to build six 6,000-tonnage bulk cargo berths with an estimated annual cargo throughput of 2,040 tons.
The picture shows the construction site of the Yinshawan Comprehensive Wharf (银砂湾综合码头) project taken on July 5th.
Photo by Zhu Haipeng (朱海鹏) (Image China (影像中国))
Return to TopBy: 桂从路
By the Lugou Bridge (卢沟桥), the alarm bell tolls eternally. Across the Divine Land (神州大地), mountains and rivers are renewed daily.
This year marks the 88th anniversary of the July 7th Incident (七七事变). Today, a ceremony commemorating the 88th anniversary of the outbreak of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression by the whole nation is held at the Museum of the War of Chinese People's Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (中国人民抗日战争纪念馆).
To resist the invasion, patriotic soldiers with unyielding integrity fought bravely against powerful enemies, and the sons and daughters of China advanced wave upon wave, disregarding personal safety for the sake of the nation. The great spirit of the War of Resistance has become an important part of the spiritual lineage of the Chinese Communists, illuminating the path of national rejuvenation and striving for progress.
Today's China is advancing to a crucial stage of national rejuvenation. How can we overcome difficulties and obstacles? How can we gain the initiative in a world undergoing profound changes? History warns us that we must always be vigilant in times of peace and prepare for eventualities. Only by enhancing our awareness of potential dangers, maintaining unwavering confidence, 知难而进 (zhī nán ér jìn - "know difficulty and advance," to face difficulties head-on) and 迎难而上 (yíng nán ér shàng - "meet difficulty and go up," to rise to the challenge), can we firmly grasp the initiative of development and progress in our own hands.
The fundamental reason why a nation is great lies in its never giving up, never retreating, and never stopping in the face of any difficulties and risks, but rather fighting unyieldingly for its own future and destiny. By upholding the national backbone and strengthening the spiritual bond of unity and the spiritual driving force of self-improvement, we will follow the right path of humanity and engage in just causes with full confidence and strength.
Return to TopCommemorative Special Issue for the 88th Anniversary of the Outbreak of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression
Pages 9-12
Theory: Drawing a Blueprint for Development with a Forward-Looking Strategic Plan
Page 13
The first volume of "Selected Readings on Xi Jinping's Thought on Ecological Civilization" (《习近平生态文明文选》) edited by the Party History and Literature Research Institute of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (中共中央党史和文献研究院) includes 79 reports, speeches, lectures, instructions, and comments by Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) on the most important and fundamental works on ecological civilization construction from December 2012 to April 2025. Some of the works are published for the first time. The main contents of the first volume of "Selected Readings on Xi Jinping's Thought on Ecological Civilization" (《习近平生态文明文选》) are introduced as follows.
"Achieving Sustainable Development Must Focus on Ecological Civilization Construction" (《实现永续发展必须抓好生态文明建设》) (December 7-11, 2012) This is part of a speech by Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) during his inspection in Guangdong (广东). The article points out that China's modernization is unique, unprecedented, and extraordinarily great. The greatness of China's modernization lies in its difficulty, and it cannot follow the old path. We must place ecological civilization construction in a prominent position, integrate it into all aspects and the entire process of economic construction, political construction, cultural construction, and social construction, and leave a beautiful homeland with blue skies, green land, and clean water for future generations.
"A Good Ecological Environment is the Most Universally Beneficial Livelihood Welfare" (《良好的生态环境是最普惠的民生福祉》) (April 10, 2013) This is part of a speech by Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) at the end of his inspection in Hainan (海南). The article points out that a good ecological environment is the fairest public product and the most universally beneficial livelihood welfare. Green mountains and clear waters are an important part of people's happy life and cannot be replaced by money. The success or failure of ecological environmental protection ultimately depends on the economic structure and economic development mode. Economic development should not be **竭泽而渔** (jié zé ér yú - "drain the pond to catch all the fish," to seek only immediate benefit without considering the future), nor should ecological environmental protection be **缘木求鱼** (yuán mù qiú yú - "climb a tree to catch fish," a futile approach); instead, we must adhere to protecting in development and developing in protection, and achieve coordination between economic and social development and population, resources, and environment.
"Building a Beautiful China and Striving Towards a New Era of Socialist Ecological Civilization" (《建设美丽中国，努力走向社会主义生态文明新时代》) (May 24, 2013) This is a speech by Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) when presiding over the sixth collective study session of the 18th CPC Central Political Bureau (中共十八届中央政治局). The article points out that building ecological civilization is related to the well-being of the people and the future of the nation. We must correctly handle the relationship between economic development and ecological environmental protection, optimize the development pattern of national land space according to the idea of a systematic project, comprehensively promote resource conservation, increase the protection of natural ecosystems and the environment, strengthen the construction of ecological civilization systems, and create a good production and living environment for the people.
"Green Waters and Lush Mountains are Invaluable Assets" (《绿水青山就是金山银山》) (September 7, 2013) This is the main point of Comrade Xi Jinping's (习近平) answer to a question during a speech at Nazarbayev University (纳扎尔巴耶夫大学) in Kazakhstan (哈萨克斯坦). The article points out that China must take a new path of development to achieve industrialization, urbanization, informatization, and agricultural modernization. We have put forward the strategic tasks of building ecological civilization and building a beautiful China. We need both green waters and lush mountains, as well as invaluable assets. We would rather have green waters and lush mountains than invaluable assets, and green waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets.
"Protecting the Ecological Environment with the Strictest System and the Most Stringent Rule of Law" (《用最严格制度最严密法治保护生态环境》) (December 2013 - May 2021) This is an excerpt from Comrade Xi Jinping's (习近平) manuscripts. The article points out that protecting the ecological environment requires not only immediate measures but also sustainable institutional arrangements. Only by implementing the strictest system and the most stringent rule of law can we provide a reliable guarantee for the construction of ecological civilization. We must take extraordinary measures, adhere to strict prevention at the source, strict management during the process, and strict punishment for the consequences, treat both the symptoms and the root causes, and carry out ecological environmental protection in an all-round, all-regional, and all-process manner.
"Protecting the Ecological Environment is Protecting Productivity, and Improving the Ecological Environment is Developing Productivity" (《保护生态环境就是保护生产力，改善生态环境就是发展生产力》) (March 7, 2014) This is part of a speech by Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) when participating in the deliberation of the Guizhou (贵州) delegation at the Second Session of the Twelfth National People's Congress (十二届全国人大二次会议). The article points out that correctly handling the relationship between ecological environmental protection and development, that is, the relationship between green waters and lush mountains and invaluable assets, is an inherent requirement for achieving sustainable development and a major principle for us to promote modernization. Green waters and lush mountains and invaluable assets are by no means opposed to each other; the key lies in people and the key lies in ideas. Green waters and lush mountains are not only natural wealth but also social wealth and economic wealth. To allow green waters and lush mountains to fully play their economic and social benefits is not to destroy them, but to protect them better. We must adhere to the concept of ecological civilization to lead economic and social development, and truly achieve the synchronous improvement of economic, social, and ecological benefits, and achieve the organic unity of a prosperous people and a beautiful ecology.
"Adhere to the Systematic Thinking that Mountains, Rivers, Forests, Fields, and Lakes are a Community of Life" (《坚持山水林田湖是一个生命共同体的系统思想》) (March 14, 2014) This is part of a speech by Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) at the fifth meeting of the Central Financial and Economic Leading Group (中央财经领导小组). The article points out that ecology is a unified natural system, a natural chain in which various natural elements depend on each other to achieve circulation. We must coordinate the management of mountains, rivers, forests, fields, and lakes, and use the thinking method of systems theory to look at problems, and coordinate water management and mountain management, water management and forest management, water management and field management, and mountain management and forest management.
"Grasping Ecological Civilization Construction Requires Both Material and Spiritual Support" (《抓生态文明建设既要靠物质也要靠精神》) (March 2014 - August 2021) This is an excerpt from Comrade Xi Jinping's (习近平) speech. The article points out that to grasp any work, we must have the patience and endurance to achieve long-term success and benefit in the long run. We must firmly establish the concept that green waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets, deeply understand and implement the concept of ecological civilization, promote the spirit of fighting against difficulties and daring to turn the desert into an oasis, encourage people to devote themselves to the construction of ecological civilization, continue to work hard, and strive for a long time to build a beautiful China.
"Jointly Seek the Path of Global Ecological Civilization Construction and Strive to Build a Clean and Beautiful World" (《共谋全球生态文明建设之路，努力建设清洁美丽的世界》) (September 2015 - January 2020) This is an excerpt from Comrade Xi Jinping's (习近平) manuscripts. The article points out that mankind has only one earth, and protecting the ecological environment and promoting sustainable development are the common responsibilities of all countries. We should adhere to the concept of coexistence between man and nature, treat the ecological environment like life, adhere to the path of green, low-carbon, circular, and sustainable development, jointly build the foundation of ecological civilization, and protect the earth's homeland on which mankind depends for survival.
"Promoting Ecological Civilization Construction and Reforming China's Environmental Protection Management System" (《推进生态文明建设，改革我国环保管理体制》) (October 26, 2015) This is part of Comrade Xi Jinping's (习近平) "Explanation on the 'Proposal of the CPC Central Committee on Formulating the Thirteenth Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development'" (《关于〈中共中央关于制定国民经济和社会发展第十三个五年规划的建议〉的说明》) at the Fifth Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee (中共十八届五中全会). The article points out that to promote the construction of ecological civilization and solve the problems of tightening resource constraints, serious environmental pollution, and ecosystem degradation, we must take some tough measures. Implementing the dual control action of total amount and intensity of energy and water resource consumption and construction land can not only save energy and water and soil resources and reduce pollutant emissions from the source, but also force the transformation of economic development mode and improve the green level of China's economic development. Implementing the vertical management system of environmental protection agencies below the provincial level for monitoring, supervision, and law enforcement is a major reform of China's environmental protection management system, which is conducive to enhancing the unity, authority, and effectiveness of environmental law enforcement.
"Leading Development with a New Development Concept" (《以新的发展理念引领发展》) (October 29, 2015) This is part of a speech by Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) at the Second Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee (中共十八届五中全会) . The article points out that the concept of development is strategic, programmatic, and leading, and is the concentrated embodiment of the development idea, development direction, and development focus. Adhering to innovative development, coordinated development, green development, open development, and shared development is a profound change related to China's overall development. These five major development concepts are interconnected and mutually reinforcing, and are a collection with inherent connections. They must be implemented in a unified manner, without neglecting one another or replacing one another. Emphasizing that green development focuses on solving the problem of harmony between man and nature. Green, circular, and low-carbon development is the direction of the technological revolution and industrial transformation in the current era, and is the most promising field of development. We must adhere to the basic national policy of conserving resources and protecting the environment, firmly follow the path of civilized development with production development, affluent life, and good ecology, promote the construction of a beautiful China, and make new contributions to global ecological security.
"Working Together to Build a Cooperative, Win-Win, Fair, and Reasonable Climate Change Governance Mechanism" (《携手构建合作共赢、公平合理的气候变化治理机制》) (November 30, 2015) This is a speech by Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) at the opening ceremony of the Paris Climate Change Conference (气候变化巴黎大会). The article points out that addressing climate change is a common cause for mankind. We should create a future in which everyone can do their best and cooperate for win-win results, a future that upholds the rule of law, fairness, and justice, and a future of inclusive mutual learning and common development, so as to contribute to promoting the establishment of a fair and effective global climate change response mechanism, achieving a higher level of global sustainable development, and building cooperative and win-win international relations.
"Striving to Build Cities into Beautiful Homes Where People and Nature Coexist Harmoniously" (《努力把城市建设成为人与人、人与自然和谐共处的美丽家园》) (December 20, 2015) This is part of a speech by Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) at the Central Urban Work Conference (中央城市工作会议). The article points out that urban work should take creating a good living environment as the central goal, coordinate the three layouts of production, life, and ecology, and realize the intensive and efficient production space, the livable and moderate living space, and the beautiful ecological space. Urban construction should take nature as beauty, integrate good mountains, good water, and good scenery into the city, and make the city's internal water system and green space form a complete ecological network with the city's surrounding rivers, lakes, forests, and cultivated land.
"Focusing on Promoting Harmonious Coexistence between Man and Nature" (《着力推进人与自然和谐共生》) (January 18, 2016) This is part of a speech by Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) at the seminar for leading cadres at the provincial and ministerial level to study and implement the spirit of the Fifth Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee (党的十八届五中全会). The article points out that the ecological environment has no substitutes. We don't realize its value when we have it, but it's hard to keep when we lose it. In ecological environmental protection, we must establish a sense of the overall situation, a long-term perspective, and a holistic view, and we must not lose sight of the big picture for the sake of small gains, neglect one thing for another, **寅吃卯粮** (yín chī mǎo liáng - "eat next year's food this year," to live beyond one's means), or seek quick success and instant benefits. We must firmly promote green development, promote the substantial appreciation of natural capital, and make the Chinese land have bluer skies, greener mountains, clearer waters, and a more beautiful environment.
"People Will Not Let Down the Green Mountains, and the Green Mountains Will Surely Not Let Down the People" (《人不负青山，青山定不负人》) (February 2016 - July 2021) This is an excerpt from Comrade Xi Jinping's (习近平) speech. The article points out that ecological environmental protection and economic development are not contradictory but dialectically unified. Ecological environmental protection investment is not a meaningless or ineffective investment, but a basic and strategic investment related to high-quality and sustainable economic and social development. We must resolutely implement the new development concept, adhere to the two bottom lines of development and ecology, achieve the unity of ecological benefits and economic and social benefits, and take a new path of ecological priority and green development.
"Promoting the Formation of a Green Development Mode and Lifestyle is a Profound Revolution in the Concept of Development" (《推动形成绿色发展方式和生活方式是发展观的一场深刻革命》) (May 26, 2017) This is a speech by Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) when presiding over the forty-first collective study session of the 18th CPC Central Political Bureau (中共十八届中央政治局). The article points out that promoting the formation of a green development mode and lifestyle is an inevitable requirement for implementing the new development concept and a profound revolution in the concept of development. We must adhere to and implement the new development concept, adhere to the basic national policy of conserving resources and protecting the environment, adhere to the principles of saving priority, protection priority, and natural restoration as the mainstay, form a spatial pattern, industrial structure, production mode, and lifestyle that saves resources and protects the environment, and make a good ecological environment a growth point for people's lives, a support point for the sustained and healthy development of the economy and society, and a force point for showing China's good image.
"Adhere to Harmonious Coexistence between Man and Nature" (《坚持人与自然和谐共生》) (October 18, 2017) This is part of a report by Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) at the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (中国共产党第十九次全国代表大会). The article points out that building ecological civilization is a millennium plan for the sustainable development of the Chinese nation. We must establish and practice the concept that green waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets, firmly follow the path of civilized development with production development, affluent life, and good ecology, build a beautiful China, create a good production and living environment for the people, and make contributions to global ecological security.
"Accelerating the Reform of the Ecological Civilization System and Building a Beautiful China" (《加快生态文明体制改革，建设美丽中国》) (October 18, 2017) This is part of a report by Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) at the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (中国共产党第十九次全国代表大会). The article points out that the modernization we want to build is the modernization of harmonious coexistence between man and nature, which requires not only creating more material wealth and spiritual wealth to meet the people's growing needs for a better life, but also providing more high-quality ecological products to meet the people's growing needs for a beautiful ecological environment. We must firmly establish the socialist concept of ecological civilization, promote green development, focus on solving outstanding environmental problems, increase the protection of ecosystems, reform the ecological environment supervision system, and promote the formation of a new pattern of modernization construction in which man and nature develop in harmony.
"Improving the Ecological Civilization System" (《健全生态文明制度体系》) (December 2017 - July 2024) This is an excerpt from Comrade Xi Jinping's (习近平) manuscripts. The article points out that after the continuous reforms since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (党的十八大), the main framework of the "four beams and eight pillars" of China's ecological civilization system has been initially built. We must adapt to the long-term development requirements of the Party and the country, improve the basic system of ecological civilization, improve the ecological environment governance system, improve the green and low-carbon development mechanism, and improve the horizontal ecological protection compensation mechanism. Emphasizing that the establishment and implementation of the central ecological environmental protection inspection system is a major institutional arrangement made by the Party Central Committee (党中央) and a major reform measure. We must strengthen organizational leadership and promote the in-depth development of ecological environmental protection inspections. We must focus on building a scientific, standardized, and reasonable audit evaluation indicator system to promote leading cadres to effectively fulfill their responsibilities for natural resource asset management and ecological environmental protection.
"Leading Rural Revitalization with Green Development" (《以绿色发展引领乡村振兴》) (December 28, 2017) This is part of a speech by Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) at the Central Rural Work Conference (中央农村工作会议). The article points out that a good ecological environment is the greatest advantage and valuable wealth of rural areas. We must adhere to the red line of ecological protection, promote the accelerated appreciation of rural natural capital, and make a good ecology a support point for rural revitalization. Leading rural revitalization with green development is a profound revolution. Implementing the rural revitalization strategy, an important task is to promote green development modes and lifestyles, make the ecology beautiful, make the environment beautiful, and reproduce the beautiful picture of green mountains, clear waters, blue skies, green land, beautiful villages, and harmonious people. We must improve the agricultural policy support system oriented towards green ecology, strengthen the prevention and control of agricultural non-point source pollution, strengthen the control and restoration of soil pollution, continue to implement major ecosystem protection and restoration projects, improve the natural forest protection system, establish a market-oriented and diversified ecological compensation mechanism, and make farmers the guardians of green space.
"Resolutely Fighting and Winning the Battle against Pollution" (《坚决打好打胜污染防治攻坚战》) (April 2, 2018) This is part of a speech by Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) at the first meeting of the Central Financial and Economic Affairs Commission (中央财经委员会). The article points out that winning the battle against pollution is a major event related to the vital interests of the Chinese people and an inevitable choice for building a beautiful China. We must be firm in our determination, clarify our goals and tasks, formulate specific combat plans, clarify the responsible entities and assessment methods, win the battle to defend blue skies, win the battle to control diesel truck pollution, win the battle to control urban black and odorous water bodies, win the battle to comprehensively manage the Bohai Sea (渤海), win the battle to protect and restore the Yangtze River (长江), win the battle to protect water sources, and win the battle to control agricultural and rural pollution. We must adhere to overall planning and systematic planning, reflect differentiation, avoid **一刀切** (yī dāo qiē - "one cut of the knife," a one-size-fits-all approach), avoid campaign-style pollution control, and avoid affecting people's lives.
"Speech at the Symposium on Deepening the Promotion of the Development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt" (《在深入推动长江经济带发展座谈会上的讲话》) (April 26, 2018) The article points out that China's economy has shifted from a stage of high-speed growth to a stage of high-quality development. Under the new situation, to promote the development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt (长江经济带), the key is to correctly grasp the relationships between overall advancement and key breakthroughs, ecological environmental protection and economic development, overall planning and long-term efforts, eliminating old driving forces and cultivating new driving forces, and self-development and coordinated development, strengthen reform and innovation, strategic coordination, and planning guidance, and make the Yangtze River Economic Belt (长江经济带) a new force leading China's high-quality economic development.
"Promoting China's Ecological Civilization Construction to a New Level" (May 18, 2018) This is a speech by Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) at the National Ecological and Environmental Protection Conference. The article points out: "Civilization thrives with ecological prosperity, and declines with ecological degradation. Ecological civilization construction is a fundamental plan concerning the sustainable development of the Chinese nation." Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, our Party has profoundly answered the major theoretical and practical questions of why to build an ecological civilization, what kind of ecological civilization to build, and how to build an ecological civilization, put forward a series of new concepts, new thoughts, and new strategies, carried out a series of fundamental, pioneering, and long-term work, and promoted historic, transformative, and comprehensive changes in ecological and environmental protection. It emphasizes: "The era's responsibility for building an ecological civilization has fallen on the shoulders of our generation." To promote ecological civilization construction in the new era, we must adhere to the following principles: First, adhere to the harmonious coexistence of man and nature; second, lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets; third, a good ecological environment is the most inclusive benefit to people's livelihood; fourth, mountains, rivers, forests, fields, lakes, and grasslands are a community of life; fifth, protect the ecological environment with the strictest system and the most stringent rule of law; and sixth, jointly promote global ecological civilization construction.
"Working Together for a Green Life and Building a Beautiful Home Together" (April 28, 2019) This is a speech by Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) at the opening ceremony of the 2019 China Beijing World Horticultural Exposition. The article points out: "The Earth is the only home for all mankind to survive. We should pursue harmony between man and nature, pursue green development and prosperity, pursue a love of nature, pursue the spirit of scientific governance, and pursue cooperation to cope with challenges, protect the ecological environment like protecting our own eyes, treat the ecological environment like treating life, and jointly build the foundation of ecological civilization and embark on the path of green development."
"Speech at the Symposium on Ecological Protection and High-Quality Development in the Yellow River Basin" (September 18, 2019) The article points out: "The Yellow River Basin constitutes an important ecological barrier in our country and has a very important position in our country's economic and social development and ecological security. Protecting the Yellow River is a grand plan concerning the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation." Governing the Yellow River focuses on protection and governance. We must adhere to comprehensive management, systematic management, and source management of mountains, rivers, forests, fields, lakes, and grasslands, adhere to ecological priority and green development, determine actions based on water availability, act according to water volume, adapt to local conditions, implement policies according to different categories, and make overall plans for upstream and downstream areas, main streams and tributaries, and left and right banks, jointly focusing on major protection, coordinating and promoting major governance, focusing on strengthening ecological protection and governance, ensuring the long-term stability and security of the Yellow River, promoting high-quality development of the entire basin, improving the lives of the people, and protecting, inheriting, and promoting the Yellow River culture, so that the Yellow River becomes a river of happiness that benefits the people.
"Bearing in Mind the Greater Interests of the Country and Being a Good Ecological Guardian" (April 20-23, 2020) This is part of the main points of Comrade Xi Jinping's (习近平) inspection in Shaanxi (陕西). The article points out: "We must fulfill our responsibilities with a spirit of being highly responsible to the Party, to history, and to the people, and with the broad-mindedness of not necessarily achieving success in my term, and be a good ecological guardian of the Qinling Mountains (秦岭)." We must consciously talk about politics, have a clear understanding of the greater interests of the country, pay attention to what the Party Central Committee is concerned about and emphasizes, deeply understand what are the most important interests of the Party and the country and what are the positions that need to be firmly safeguarded, and earnestly implement enhancing the "four consciousnesses," strengthening the "four confidences," and achieving the "two safeguards" in action, and not just stay on slogans.
"Chinese-Style Modernization is the Modernization of Harmonious Coexistence between Man and Nature" (October 2020 - February 2023) This is an excerpt of relevant content from Comrade Xi Jinping's (习近平) manuscripts. The article points out: "Respecting nature, conforming to nature, protecting nature, and promoting harmonious coexistence between man and nature are distinctive features of Chinese-style modernization." Chinese-style modernization adheres to sustainable development, adheres to the principles of prioritizing conservation, prioritizing protection, and prioritizing natural restoration, unswervingly follows the path of civilized development with production development, affluent life, and good ecology, and has opened up broad prospects for achieving the sustainable development of the Chinese nation.
"Principles to Adhere to in Achieving Carbon Peak and Carbon Neutrality Goals" (March 15, 2021) This is part of Comrade Xi Jinping's (习近平) speech at the ninth meeting of the Central Financial and Economic Affairs Commission. The article points out: "Achieving carbon peak and carbon neutrality is a multi-dimensional, three-dimensional, and systematic project. We must adhere to the concept of systems, incorporate carbon peak and carbon neutrality into the overall layout of ecological civilization construction, take the comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development as the lead, take the green and low-carbon development of energy as the key, and unswervingly follow the path of high-quality development with ecological priority and green and low-carbon development." It emphasizes: "To achieve the goals of carbon peak and carbon neutrality, we must adhere to the principles of 'national coordination, conservation priority, dual-wheel drive, smooth internal and external circulation, and risk prevention'."
"Striving to Build a Modernization of Harmonious Coexistence between Man and Nature" (April 30, 2021) This is a speech by Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) when presiding over the 29th collective study of the Political Bureau of the 19th CPC Central Committee. The article points out: "During the '14th Five-Year Plan' period, China's ecological civilization construction has entered a critical period of taking carbon reduction as the key strategic direction, promoting synergistic efficiency in pollution reduction and carbon reduction, promoting the comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development, and realizing the transformation of ecological environment quality from quantitative change to qualitative change." We must maintain strategic focus, plan economic and social development from the height of harmonious coexistence between man and nature, unremittingly promote green and low-carbon development, thoroughly fight the tough battle against pollution prevention and control, improve the quality and stability of ecosystems, actively promote global sustainable development, and improve the modernization level of the national governance system and governance capacity in the field of ecological environment, and strive to build a modernization of harmonious coexistence between man and nature.
"Jointly Building a Community of Life on Earth" (October 12, 2021) This is a keynote speech by Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) via video at the Leaders' Summit of the 15th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity. The article points out: "Ecological civilization is the historical trend of human civilization development. The international community should strengthen cooperation to build an Earth home where man and nature coexist harmoniously, build an Earth home where economy and environment develop synergistically, and build an Earth home where all countries in the world develop together." We must uphold the concept of ecological civilization, work together, and embark on a new journey of high-quality human development. We must take ecological civilization construction as the guide, coordinate the relationship between man and nature; take green transformation as the driving force, help global sustainable development; take the well-being of the people as the center, promote social fairness and justice; and take international law as the foundation, and maintain a fair and reasonable international governance system.
"Promoting the Achievement of Carbon Peak and Carbon Neutrality Goals in a Scientific and Orderly Manner" (January 24, 2022) This is the main part of a speech by Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) when presiding over the 36th collective study of the Political Bureau of the 19th CPC Central Committee. The article points out: "Achieving the 'dual carbon' goals is a major strategic decision made by the Party Central Committee in coordinating the domestic and international situations, is an inherent requirement for implementing the new development concept, building a new development pattern, and promoting high-quality development, is a broad and profound transformation, and is a complex system engineering." We must improve our strategic thinking ability, run the concept of systems through the entire process of "dual carbon" work, and pay attention to handling the relationship between development and emission reduction, the relationship between the whole and the part, the relationship between long-term goals and short-term goals, and the relationship between the government and the market. It emphasizes: "To promote 'dual carbon' work, we must strengthen overall coordination, promote energy revolution, promote industrial optimization and upgrading, accelerate the green and low-carbon technological revolution, improve the green and low-carbon policy system, and actively participate in and lead global climate governance."
"Adhering to the 'Three Greens' Simultaneously and Promoting Better Linkage of the 'Four Reservoirs' of Forests" (March 2022 - April 2025) This is an excerpt of relevant content from Comrade Xi Jinping's (习近平) speech. The article points out: "Forests and grasslands have a fundamental and strategic role in national ecological security. The prosperity of forests and grasslands leads to the prosperity of ecology." To green the motherland, we must adhere to the "three greens" of expanding green, revitalizing green, and protecting green simultaneously, promote the linkage of the "four reservoirs" of forests, namely water reservoirs, money reservoirs, grain reservoirs, and carbon reservoirs, and achieve the unity of ecological benefits, economic benefits, and social benefits. It emphasizes: "Increasing green is increasing advantages, and planting trees is planting the future." We must plant one crop after another, and work generation after generation, and constantly increase our "green wealth."
"Promoting Green Development and Promoting Harmonious Coexistence between Man and Nature" (October 16, 2022) This is part of a report by Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) at the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. The article points out: "Nature is the basic condition on which mankind depends for survival and development. Respecting nature, conforming to nature, and protecting nature are inherent requirements for building a socialist modern country in all respects." We must firmly establish and practice the concept that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets, and plan development from the height of harmonious coexistence between man and nature. It emphasizes: "We must promote the construction of a beautiful China, adhere to the integrated protection and systematic management of mountains, rivers, forests, fields, lakes, grasslands, and deserts, coordinate industrial structure adjustment, pollution control, ecological protection, and climate change response, synergistically promote carbon reduction, pollution reduction, green expansion, and growth, and promote ecological priority, conservation and intensive use, and green and low-carbon development."
"Promoting High-Quality Development of the 'Three-North' Project and Striving to Create New Miracles in China's Desertification Prevention and Control in the New Era" (June 6, 2023) This is the main point of a speech by Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) at a symposium held in Bayannur (巴彦淖尔), Inner Mongolia (内蒙古), on strengthening comprehensive desertification prevention and control and promoting the construction of key ecological projects such as the "Three-North" project. The article points out: "Strengthening comprehensive desertification prevention and control and deepening the construction of key ecological projects such as the 'Three-North' project are related to China's ecological security, the construction of a strong country, and the sustainable development of the Chinese nation." We must fully, accurately, and comprehensively implement the new development concept, adhere to the integrated protection and systematic management of mountains, rivers, forests, fields, lakes, grasslands, and deserts, take desertification prevention and control as the main direction of attack, take building a solid northern ecological security barrier as the fundamental goal, fight a tough battle in the "Three-North" project, and build the "Three-North" project into a fully functional and unbreakable green Great Wall and ecological security barrier in the northern border.
"Ecological Civilization Construction in the New Era Has Achieved Remarkable Achievements That Have Attracted Worldwide Attention" (July 17, 2023) This is part of a speech by Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) at the National Ecological and Environmental Protection Conference. The article points out: "Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, we have regarded ecological civilization construction as a fundamental plan concerning the sustainable development of the Chinese nation, and have carried out a series of pioneering works. The determination, intensity, and effectiveness have been unprecedented. Ecological civilization construction has undergone historic, transformative, and comprehensive changes from theory to practice. The construction of a beautiful China has taken major steps, and we have achieved major transformations from focusing on key rectification to systematic governance, from passive response to active action, from a participant in global environmental governance to a leader, and from practical exploration to scientific theoretical guidance." It emphasizes: "We have profoundly grasped the important position and strategic significance of ecological civilization construction in the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era, adhered to combining the basic principles of Marxism with China's specific reality and with China's excellent traditional culture, vigorously promoted theoretical innovation, practical innovation, and institutional innovation in ecological civilization, continuously deepened our understanding of the laws of ecological civilization construction, formed Xi Jinping's (习近平) thought on ecological civilization for socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era, and elevated our Party's understanding of the laws of ecological civilization construction to a new height, providing fundamental guidance for ecological civilization construction in the new era."
"Several Major Relationships Need to Be Handled Well in Promoting Ecological Civilization Construction" (July 17, 2023) This is part of a speech by Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) at the National Ecological and Environmental Protection Conference. The article points out: "Summarizing the practical experience of the past decade in the new era, analyzing the new situations and new problems currently facing us, and continuing to promote ecological civilization construction, we must be guided by Xi Jinping's (习近平) thought on ecological civilization for socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era, and correctly handle the relationship between high-quality development and high-level protection, the relationship between key breakthroughs and coordinated governance, the relationship between natural restoration and artificial restoration, the relationship between external constraints and internal driving forces, and the relationship between 'dual carbon' commitments and independent actions." It emphasizes: "High-quality development and high-level protection are mutually reinforcing and mutually beneficial. High-level protection is an important support for high-quality development, and high-quality development with ecological priority and green and low-carbon development can only be achieved with high-level protection. Throughout the entire process of building Chinese-style modernization, we must grasp the dialectical unity between high-quality development and high-level protection. Through high-level protection, we must continuously shape new momentum and new advantages for development, and continuously enhance the potential and stamina of development."
"Promoting the Modernization of Harmonious Coexistence between Man and Nature in an All-Round Way with the Construction of a Beautiful China" (July 17, 2023) This is part of a speech by Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) at the National Ecological and Environmental Protection Conference. The article points out: "The next five years are an important period for the construction of a beautiful China. We must firmly establish and practice the concept that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets, place the construction of a beautiful China in a prominent position in the construction of a strong country and the rejuvenation of the nation, promote significant improvements in the urban and rural living environment, achieve remarkable results in the construction of a beautiful China, and support high-quality development with a high-quality ecological environment." It emphasizes: "We must continue to thoroughly fight the tough battle against pollution prevention and control, accelerate the green and low-carbon transformation of development methods, focus on improving the diversity, stability, and sustainability of ecosystems, actively and steadily promote carbon peak and carbon neutrality, firmly guard the safety bottom line for the construction of a beautiful China, and improve the guarantee system for the construction of a beautiful China."
"Strengthening the Party's Overall Leadership over Ecological Civilization Construction" (July 17, 2023) This is part of a speech by Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) at the National Ecological and Environmental Protection Conference. The article points out: "Building a beautiful China is an important goal of building a socialist modern country in all respects, and we must adhere to and strengthen the Party's overall leadership." Local Party committees and governments at all levels must resolutely shoulder the political responsibility for building a beautiful China, adhere to the "Party and government share the same responsibility" and "one post, double responsibility" for ecological and environmental protection without wavering, and establish a responsibility system that covers all aspects, has consistent powers and responsibilities, has clear rewards and punishments, and is closely linked. We must improve the scientific and reasonable assessment and evaluation system, and continue to give play to the sharp sword role of the central ecological and environmental protection inspection. We must strengthen the overall coordination and supervision and management of ecology and environment, and strive to build an ecological and environmental protection team that is politically strong, highly skilled, has a solid work style, and dares to take responsibility.
"Instructions on the First National Ecology Day" (August 14, 2023) The article points out: "Ecological civilization construction is a major political issue concerning the Party's mission and purpose, and a major social issue concerning people's livelihood and well-being." On the new journey of building a socialist modern country in all respects, we must maintain strategic focus on strengthening ecological civilization construction, pay attention to simultaneously promoting high-quality development and high-level protection, take "dual carbon" work as the lead, promote the gradual shift of dual control of energy consumption to dual control of carbon emissions, continuously promote the green and low-carbon transformation of production methods and lifestyles, accelerate the modernization of harmonious coexistence between man and nature, and comprehensively promote the construction of a beautiful China. It is hoped that the whole society will take action, be active disseminators and model practitioners of the concept that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets, practice what they advocate, and work tirelessly to make greater contributions to building a clean and beautiful world.
"New Quality Productive Forces Themselves are Green Productive Forces" (January 31, 2024) This is part of a speech by Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) when presiding over the 11th collective study of the Political Bureau of the 20th CPC Central Committee. The article points out: "Green development is the underlying color of high-quality development, and new quality productive forces themselves are green productive forces." We must accelerate the green transformation of development methods and focus on promoting innovation in development methods. We must firmly establish and practice the concept that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets, and unswervingly follow the path of ecological priority and green development.
"Meeting the Challenges of the Times and Working Together to Promote Global Climate Governance" (April 23, 2025) This is a speech by Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) at the Leaders' Video Summit on Climate and Just Transition. The article points out: "Although global climate governance has experienced ups and downs, green and low-carbon development has ultimately become the trend of the times." We must adhere to multilateralism, deepen international cooperation, promote just transition, strengthen pragmatic actions, promote global climate governance and all progressive undertakings in the world to move steadily and far, and promote the joint construction of a clean, beautiful, and sustainable world. It emphasizes: "China is a firm actionist and important contributor to the world's green development. No matter how the international situation changes, China's actions to actively respond to climate change will not slow down, its efforts to promote international cooperation will not weaken, and its practice of promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind will not stop."
(Xinhua News Agency, Beijing (北京), July 6)
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 陈一鸣 时元皓
Local time, July 4th, on the Guanabara Bay (瓜纳巴拉湾) in Rio de Janeiro (里约热内卢), Brazil, the 3rd China-Latin America Green Future and Civilization Mutual Learning International Symposium was held at the Science and Culture Forum Building of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (里约热内卢联邦大学). This symposium was jointly hosted by the State Council Information Office of China (中国国务院新闻办公室), the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (里约热内卢联邦大学), the Federal University of Minas Gerais (巴西米纳斯吉拉斯联邦大学), Renmin University of China (中国人民大学), and the United Nations Environment Programme. Nearly a hundred experts and scholars from China, Brazil, Argentina, Costa Rica, Peru, and other countries gathered to discuss the theme of "Green Development and Shared Civilization - New Opportunities for China-Latin America Cooperation," exploring new ideas and paths for China and Latin America to jointly promote sustainable development and build a community of life for humans and nature.
"China has set an example in promoting green development"
"The 17th BRICS Leaders Meeting, themed 'Strengthening South-South Cooperation to Promote More Inclusive and Sustainable Governance,' was held in Rio de Janeiro. Global South countries can demonstrate more 'Southern responsibility' in promoting green development." Aspásia Camargo, professor at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (里约热内卢联邦大学) and former Deputy Minister of Environment and Climate Change of Brazil, said, "China has applied green technology and artificial intelligence to environmental governance, accumulating valuable experience in promoting the integration of digitalization and greening, which can be called a model in the field of sustainable development. As important members of the Global South, Latin American countries and China need to continue to deepen cooperation and lead global ecological governance."
"China has set an example in promoting green development. During my visit to China, I learned that China's smart cities, smart transportation, and smart energy projects all contain the concept of low-carbon and environmental protection." Gilson Júnior, a consultant at a consulting firm in Rio de Janeiro (里约热内卢), who recently visited China, said that China's cooperation with Latin American countries also incorporates the concept of green development.
In Manabí Province (马纳比省), Ecuador, a number of strategic projects participated in and promoted by the International Bamboo and Rattan Organisation (国际竹藤组织) are helping local residents enhance the economic benefits of natural bamboo forests, injecting new vitality into local development. China and the International Bamboo and Rattan Organisation (国际竹藤组织) jointly launched the "Bamboo as a Substitute for Plastics" initiative and released a global action plan. More and more Latin American countries, including Ecuador, Uruguay, and Dominica, have joined the International Bamboo and Rattan Organisation (国际竹藤组织) to share China's green solutions.
Cláudia Yañez, President of the Brazil-China Innovation and Economic Research Institute, said that "Bamboo as a Substitute for Plastics" embodies the development concept of harmonious coexistence between humans and nature, and is a vivid practice of the concept that **绿水青山就是金山银山** (lǜ shuǐ qīng shān jiù shì jīn shān yín shān - "green mountains and clear water are gold and silver mountains," lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets), bringing inspiration to Latin American countries to achieve sustainable development.
"Ecological prosperity leads to civilization prosperity, and changes in the ecological environment directly affect the evolution of human civilization." Zhang Donggang, Secretary of the Party Committee of Renmin University of China (中国人民大学), said that China and Latin American countries, as important members of the Global South, are firm participants, active practitioners, partners, and important contributors to ecological civilization governance.
"Cooperation with China helps Brazil promote economic development while protecting biodiversity"
"China is an important export destination for many economic crops unique to the Amazon rainforest. Cooperation with China helps Brazil promote economic development while protecting biodiversity." Sônia Ribeiro, a professor at the Federal University of Minas Gerais (米纳斯吉拉斯联邦大学), focuses her research on the connection between biodiversity protection and economic and social development. In her view, China has combined poverty alleviation and development with ecological protection, achieving good results. The Chinese concept is worth learning from Brazil.
"China's project of converting farmland back to forests and grasslands has significantly improved the overall ecological situation." Dong Jiayun, a professor at the School of Economics and Management of Nanjing Forestry University (南京林业大学), said that the successful implementation of this project benefits from the linkage between multi-level governments, the concerted cooperation of cross-departmental units, and the active response of the majority of farmers, which has reference significance for Latin American countries such as Brazil and Costa Rica to carry out ecological restoration projects based on ecosystem payment.
Lucas Figueroa, an environmental policy researcher at the National University of San Martín (阿根廷国立圣马丁大学) in Argentina, told reporters, "China's practice of ecological protection compensation mechanism has important implications for Latin American countries such as Argentina. Exchanges and mutual learning among all parties will provide new directions for optimizing ecological governance."
Wang Weiye, Associate Professor at the School of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development of Renmin University of China (中国人民大学), said: "We are cooperating with scholars from Latin American universities to study how international trade affects the biodiversity of the Amazon rainforest and the Cerrado savanna. We hope that through our academic cooperation, we can contribute to institutional optimization and the improvement of green supply chain management."
"Brazil and China both have large areas of nature reserves. How to ensure the sustainable use of natural resources is a common problem faced by both countries." Jay Amster, a consultant at the United Nations Environment Programme, told reporters that through cooperation on Earth resource satellites, Brazil and China have achieved fruitful results in forest protection, climate change monitoring, and other fields. China is at a leading level in biological research and other aspects. Brazil-China cooperation will help the local area achieve better economic and social development while protecting the Amazon rainforest ecosystem.
"Latin America-China cooperation will help global sustainable development"
"In 2024, China's newly installed renewable energy capacity was 373 million kilowatts, accounting for about 86% of the total newly installed power capacity." Qin Xuan, Dean of the Research Institute of Xi Jinping (习近平) Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era at Renmin University of China (中国人民大学), said that China actively practices the concept of green development and unswervingly promotes the transformation of development methods, becoming a leader in fields such as photovoltaic products, lithium batteries, and new energy vehicles. The export of related products, services, and technologies benefits the world.
Not long ago, in Silvânia (席尔瓦尼亚市), Goiás (戈亚斯州), in central Brazil, people from China and Brazil jointly witnessed another new progress in energy cooperation between the two countries - the commencement of the Silvânia Converter Station of State Grid Brazil Holding Company (中国国家电网巴西控股公司). The project is 1,468 kilometers long and, upon completion, will transmit new energy sources such as wind power and solar energy from northeastern Brazil to areas near Brasília (巴西利亚), the capital of Brazil, which is of great significance for Brazil's energy security and energy transition.
"The world is facing severe challenges from climate change, and countries should reduce the use of fossil fuels." Cynthia Sanborn, Director of the China and Asia-Pacific Studies Center at the Universidad del Pacífico (秘鲁太平洋大学) in Peru, said that Latin American countries are at a critical period of energy transition, and Latin America and China should continue to strengthen policy coordination and knowledge sharing. "Latin America-China cooperation will help global sustainable development."
"The cooperation between the government and enterprises is the key to China's promotion of energy transition and green development." Sheng Chunhong, Associate Professor at the School of International Relations and Public Affairs of Shanghai International Studies University (上海外国语大学), said that on the one hand, the Chinese government guides and promotes the development of manufacturing related to green and low-carbon through green development policies; on the other hand, enterprises actively promote technological innovation and continue to launch more competitive green and low-carbon products, allowing renewable energy products to enter thousands of households. Multiple parties work together to jointly promote China's energy transition process.
In recent years, energy transition cooperation between China and Latin America has been booming, covering multiple fields such as transmission infrastructure construction, new energy project investment, and electric vehicle production. Experts attending the meeting said that China plays a leading role in the global energy transition process, and they hope that Latin American countries will further strengthen cooperation with China in green technology, new energy, and other aspects to achieve mutual benefit and win-win results.
Leonardo Burlamaqui, a professor at the Institute for Advanced Studies of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (里约热内卢联邦大学), said that Brazil has abundant clean energy resources, and China is a leader in clean energy equipment and technology such as wind and solar energy. "Brazil and China can achieve complementary advantages in the field of energy transition."
Nabil Kadri, President of the Environment and Amazon Fund of the Brazilian Development Bank (巴西国家开发银行), said that last year, the Brazilian Development Bank provided financing for companies in key green technology fields for the first time, which was a milestone. He said that Chinese companies investing in Brazil are not only investing funds in industrial zones, but also in forest protection and sustainable development. "This reflects the joint commitment of Brazil and China to address challenges and eliminate inequalities through dialogue, global development, and the search for circular solutions."
(Reported from Rio de Janeiro (里约热内卢) on July 6)
Return to TopBy: 纐纈厚
Japan expended a large amount of military force and military spending in the war of aggression against China, which was the decisive reason for Japan's defeat. This year is a year of special historical significance, and I hope to see the Japanese government demonstrate responsibility in learning from the lessons of the war of aggression and promoting Japan-China friendship.
This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. Japan should take this opportunity to seriously reflect on history. Japan expended a large amount of military force and military spending in the war of aggression against China, which was the decisive reason for Japan's defeat. I express my respect for the courage and achievements of the Chinese people.
On August 15, 1995, then Japanese Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama (村山富市) delivered the "Murayama Statement," which was highly praised both in Japan and internationally. The "Murayama Statement" advocated remembering Japan's war responsibility, advocated an independent and autonomous foreign policy, and solemnly advocated the concept of peace stipulated in the Japanese Constitution. However, for some time, the Japanese government has not governed based on the "Murayama Statement." This year is a year of special historical significance, and I hope to see the Japanese government demonstrate responsibility in learning from the lessons of the war of aggression and promoting Japan-China friendship.
There is an extremely dangerous statement in Japan that "an emergency in Taiwan is an emergency in Japan." Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory, which is a fact that Japan recognized when it established diplomatic relations with Japan and China. Not acknowledging this is fabricating and distorting history, and is equivalent to denying that Japan once launched a war of aggression against China. On the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, the Japanese government and people should take history as a mirror and reflect on the history of aggression. This is a prerequisite for promoting Japan-China friendship.
As a researcher of modern Japanese history, I have written many books related to the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, including *What is the Sino-Japanese War?* and *Research on the Relationship between Politics and Military in Modern Japan - The Historical Origin of Japan's Launch of the War of Aggression Against China*, which have been translated and published in China. My research cites many Chinese documents and articles. Investigating historical events based on reliable documents and materials is a necessary task to further restore the truth of the war of aggression. Chinese researchers are working hard to study war issues, but some Japanese people are not very interested in these events, which is also the reason why the Japanese government and the Japanese people lack understanding of the war of aggression.
It is precisely because Japanese militarism was defeated that Japan had the opportunity to build a peaceful country. We must strengthen the study of history and be vigilant against the resurgence of militarism and fascist words and deeds in Japanese politics. This year is an important year for commemorating history, and I hope it is also the year when Japan-China friendship restarts.
(The author is Professor Emeritus of Yamaguchi University (山口大学) in Japan)
Return to TopXinhua News Agency, Beijing, July 7th (Xinhua) – It was learned from the Central Propaganda Department (中宣部) of the Communist Party of China (中国共产党) and the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (中共中央对外联络部) that the Ministerial Conference of the Global Civilization Dialogue will be held in Beijing (北京) from July 10th to 11th. The theme of the conference is "Upholding the Diversity of Human Civilizations and Jointly Promoting World Peace and Development." Currently, more than 600 Chinese and foreign guests from approximately 140 countries and regions have registered to participate in the conference.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 黄培昭
Stepping into the study of Fatallah Oualalou (فتاح الله ولالو), former Minister of Economy and Finance of Morocco, is like entering a cultural station—carved wooden shelves display Chinese folding fans, blue-and-white porcelain plates, and Moroccan copper lamps; the bookshelves hold an Arabic translation of the *Analects of Confucius* and his 2017 publication, *We and China*, as well as his certificate for the 12th Special Book Award of China.
Oualalou (فتاح الله ولالو) showed the reporter a gift he received—a Suzhou (苏州) silk tapestry fan, the fan surface embroidered with a Silk Road scene composed of camels and sailboats. He said that since the proposal of the "Belt and Road" Initiative, it has brought broad development opportunities to co-building countries. Morocco, as the first country in the North African region to sign a cooperation plan with China to jointly build the "Belt and Road," regards this important initiative as a significant opportunity to achieve national development goals, expand diversified partnerships, and deepen the Sino-Moroccan strategic partnership. "Jointly building the 'Belt and Road' brings new impetus to Morocco's economic and social development, and builds a bridge of opportunity for the common development of Morocco and China," said Oualalou (فتاح الله ولالو).
"A gentleman seeks harmony but not uniformity." Oualalou (فتاح الله ولالو) believes that China never imposes its own development model on others. The "Belt and Road" Initiative adheres to the principles of joint consultation, joint construction, and shared benefits, and helps co-building countries' economic and social development. He cited the Tangier (丹吉尔) Tech City project undertaken by Chinese enterprises in Morocco as an example, saying, "Cooperation with China is helping Morocco continuously improve its industrial chain, create high-skilled jobs, and promote diversified economic growth."
Oualalou (فتاح الله ولالو) has long been committed to the study of Sino-Moroccan and Sino-African relations. His book *From the Third World to the Global South*, published in January 2024, deeply explores the development trend of the Global South and highly praises the important role China plays in the rise of the Global South.
In 1985, Oualalou (فتاح الله ولالو) visited China for the first time and saw workers riding bicycles through the city under construction on the Bund (外滩) in Shanghai (上海). In 2024, in Shanghai (上海), he witnessed unmanned vehicles driving in the smart blocks of Pudong (浦东); in Shenzhen (深圳), he saw the former small fishing village transformed into an international science and technology innovation center; in Xiong'an (雄安), he learned that a future city is rising from the ground. "Over the past 40 years, China has undergone earth-shaking changes." Oualalou (فتاح الله ولالو) said that 40 years ago, China's infrastructure was still to be improved; today, China's high-speed rail is speeding, digital payment is popular, and artificial intelligence is empowering industry development. "China's development speed is beyond imagination, not only economic take-off, but also a comprehensive leap in technological innovation and green transformation," said Oualalou (فتاح الله ولالو).
Oualalou (فتاح الله ولالو) took out a stack of yellowed photos from his desk drawer and handed them to the reporter, including a photo of him accompanying King Mohammed VI (穆罕默德六世) of Morocco on the Great Wall (长城) during his visit to China in 2002, and a photo of him negotiating with Chinese entrepreneurs when he attended the first "Belt and Road" International Cooperation Summit Forum in 2017. "Every time I visit China, I ask myself a question: What kind of miracle will be born on this land next time I come? I always believe that when I set foot on Chinese soil again, I will see a development story beyond my imagination."
Return to TopThis newspaper Rio de Janeiro, July 5th (Reporters Chen Yiming (陈一鸣) and Song Yiran (宋亦然)) The China-Brazil Civilization Exchange and Mutual Learning Cooperation Research Center, jointly established by Renmin University of China, Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (里约热内卢联邦大学), and the Federal University of Minas Gerais (米纳斯吉拉斯联邦大学), was inaugurated on the 5th in Rio de Janeiro (里约热内卢), Brazil.
It is reported that the research center will integrate the traditional advantageous disciplines and emerging fields of the four universities, build a deep academic collaboration network, promote knowledge innovation and resource sharing, and focus on creating a new platform, strategic space, and distinctive brand for China-Brazil youth exchange, education collaboration, cultural dialogue, and civilization mutual learning, setting a model for cooperation among universities in the Global South.
The President of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (里约热内卢联邦大学), Roberto Medronho, said that the establishment of the center is a milestone in Brazil-China educational cooperation. He hopes that the four universities will leverage their unique advantages to form a joint force and jointly draw a new chapter of mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation in Brazil-China educational and technological collaborative innovation, in-depth talent cultivation, and increasingly close exchanges and mutual learning.
The Vice-Provost for Foreign Affairs of the Federal University of Minas Gerais (米纳斯吉拉斯联邦大学), Aziz Saliba, said that the center is an important measure to promote the construction of a Brazil-China community with a shared future. In the current situation of rapid global changes and development, the two countries can provide more interactive cooperation results and contribute to creating a more sustainable society.
On the same day, the Confucius Institute, jointly established by Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (北京航空航天大学) and the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (里约热内卢联邦大学), was officially inaugurated, and Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (北京航空航天大学) and Renmin University of China (中国人民大学) signed a memorandum of understanding on jointly building the Beihang Brazil Innovation Research Institute.
Return to TopXinhua News Agency, London, July 5th (Xinhua) -- On July 4th, local time, the National Copyright Administration of China (中国国家版权局) and the Intellectual Property Office of the United Kingdom held ministerial-level copyright intergovernmental talks in London and updated and signed the "Memorandum of Understanding on Further Strengthening Bilateral Cooperation between the National Copyright Administration of the People's Republic of China (中华人民共和国国家版权局) and the Intellectual Property Office of the United Kingdom." This meeting and the updated signing of the memorandum are important measures to further deepen practical cooperation between the two sides in the field of copyright.
The memorandum is an update to the Sino-British Copyright Strategic Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding signed by the two bureaus in 2010. According to the memorandum, the two sides will further deepen copyright exchanges and cooperation, regularly exchange legal and technical information in the field of copyright and related rights, encourage copyright management personnel and related practitioners from the two countries to conduct exchanges through mutual visits and training, and promote cooperation between copyright collective management organizations. The two sides will jointly formulate and implement annual work plans, carry out specific activities, give full play to the role of the memorandum, and make new contributions to deepening international copyright governance and promoting the development of copyright undertakings in the two countries.
Return to TopThis newspaper reported from Berlin on July 6th (Reporter Xu Xin (徐馨)): Geneva News: China's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office at Geneva and Other International Organizations, Chen Xu (陈旭), recently delivered a joint statement on "Artificial Intelligence to Promote Accessibility Construction" on behalf of more than 70 countries at the annual seminar on technical assistance at the 59th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, calling for strengthening technical assistance and capacity building in the field of artificial intelligence to promote accessibility, and promoting the sharing of artificial intelligence development achievements among countries.
The joint statement pointed out that the construction of an accessible environment is a sign of progress in human civilization and an important guarantee for promoting the enjoyment of human rights for all. Artificial intelligence technology has great potential to eliminate physical, informational, and cultural barriers through innovative solutions, and to promote inclusive social development.
The joint statement put forward three propositions: First, adhere to a people-centered approach to ensure that the development of artificial intelligence technology fully respects, promotes, and protects human rights; second, adhere to universal benefit and inclusion, so that the fruits of artificial intelligence development benefit all types of groups, and promote the realization of equal opportunities and inclusive development for all; third, adhere to cooperation and mutual benefit, increase financial and technical support to developing countries, and jointly improve global artificial intelligence governance through international cooperation.
This is an important measure to implement China's resolution on accessibility for all, which was proposed at the Human Rights Council, and is also one of a series of statements initiated by China at the Human Rights Council on artificial intelligence to promote human rights. China previously initiated joint statements on artificial intelligence to promote the rights of persons with disabilities, artificial intelligence to promote the rights of children, and artificial intelligence to promote the rights of women at the 53rd, 55th, and 56th sessions of the Human Rights Council, respectively, which received widespread support and praise from UN member states.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 徐 馨
The "Lanting Gathering" Chinese Calligraphy Exhibition was recently held at the Chinese Culture Center in Berlin (柏林), Germany. The exhibition is divided into four sections: classic calligraphy from past dynasties, modern calligraphy, seal engraving art, and interactive experience area, showcasing more than 30 calligraphy works. Amidst the ancient charm of calligraphy, German audiences experienced the charm of Chinese art and felt the profoundness of Eastern history and culture at close range.
Upon entering the exhibition hall, a large installation work comes into view: Zhao Mengfu's (赵孟頫) "Thousand Character Classic" (《千字文》) is printed on a huge white silk. Calligraphy exhibits in various forms such as vertical axes, screens, and hand scrolls surround the area, attracting visitors to stop and appreciate.
The famous German sinologist Lothar Ledderose once called calligraphy "the art of art history." This is fully reflected in the classic calligraphy exhibition area. At the scene, the audience carefully savored the lines and layouts of different calligraphy fonts, and appreciated the beauty of Chinese calligraphy. The modern calligraphy area brings together the works of 13 contemporary calligraphers, showcasing innovation in inheritance. The seal engraving area displays dozens of seal works engraved by famous artists, bringing together Shoushan stone (寿山石), Qingtian stone (青田石), chicken-blood stone (鸡血石) and other stone materials, showing a myriad of images in a small space.
Rebecca (黎贝卡), a linguistics major from the University of Potsdam (波茨坦大学) in Germany, and more than 10 classmates visited the exhibition under the guidance of their Chinese teacher. "I didn't expect the types of seals to be so rich, and the inscriptions are also very particular," Rebecca (黎贝卡) said. After the staff's explanation, she learned the meaning of the two seals she had stamped, "Yi Si Mo Yuan" (乙巳墨缘) and "Shu Dao Qian Qiu" (书道千秋). Rebecca (黎贝卡) said that participating in this event deepened her understanding of Chinese traditional culture and will inspire her to continue to learn Chinese well.
Vickert (维克尔特), a Chinese culture enthusiast and special guest, shared his experience of learning Chinese calligraphy with the audience and demonstrated ink painting on the spot. Ms. Flett (弗雷特) from Celle (策勒), a small town in Germany, came to Berlin (柏林) for tourism and made a special arrangement to visit the exhibition. "So many young Germans on the scene are full of interest in Chinese calligraphy, which makes people feel the vitality of cultural exchanges," Flett (弗雷特) said.
"Calligraphy is not only the art of writing Chinese characters, but also a spiritual symbol of Chinese culture." He Wenbo (何文波), Deputy Director of the Chinese Culture Center in Berlin (柏林中国文化中心), said, "We are willing to use calligraphy as a bridge to connect Eastern and Western civilizations, and let cultural activities become a warm bond for Chinese and German people to exchange emotions and enhance understanding."
(Reported by the Berlin (柏林) correspondent of this newspaper)
Return to TopThis newspaper's Hangzhou (杭州) dispatch on July 6th (Reporter Liu Junguo (刘军国)) - The "Liangzhu (良渚) and the World - Liangzhu Ancient City (良渚古城) · Ancient City of Rome" dialogue event was held on the 6th in Hangzhou (杭州), Zhejiang (浙江). More than 110 guests from China and Italy gathered in Liangzhu (良渚), with the theme of "Inheritance and Symbiosis of Civilizations," to discuss topics such as ancient city construction, heritage protection, and value regeneration.
July 6th is "Hangzhou Liangzhu Day (杭州良渚日)." In recent years, Liangzhu Ancient City (良渚古城) has continuously carried out the "Liangzhu (良渚) and the World" dialogue event and has made it the main activity of "Hangzhou Liangzhu Day (杭州良渚日)." With the protection of world cultural heritage and international exchange and cooperation as the main line, Liangzhu Ancient City (良渚古城) has carried out civilization dialogues with Stonehenge in the United Kingdom, the Acropolis of Athens in Greece, and the ancient city of Toledo in Spain. It has also entered 14 countries and regions, including Greece, Cuba, and Brazil, through holding the "Why Civilization · Encounter Liangzhu (良渚)" global巡展 special exhibition, building the "Liangzhu Culture Overseas Jade Database," and promoting the overseas dissemination of Liangzhu (良渚) cultural and artistic works, successfully creating a new platform for world heritage dialogue, a new bridge for international cultural exchange, and a new window for telling Chinese stories.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 贺 勇 蒋云龙
What has pairing assistance to Xinjiang brought, and what has it left behind?
Xinjiang people have so much to say about this question: factories rising from the ground near their homes, hometowns with completely new looks, selfless dedication from doctors and teachers aiding Xinjiang, close interactions with provinces and cities providing assistance... In the new era, people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang so genuinely feel the warmth of the motherland's big family.
In July 2022, General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) pointed out during his inspection in Xinjiang, "The entire Party must recognize the importance of Xinjiang's work from a strategic and overall perspective, increase the efforts of pairing assistance to Xinjiang, improve the mechanism of pairing assistance to Xinjiang, and jointly do a good job in Xinjiang."
As we travel across the north and south of the Tianshan Mountains (天山), the great achievements of pairing assistance to Xinjiang in the new era are demonstrating vigorous dynamism and vitality on the vast land of Xinjiang, leading and promoting the high-quality development of Xinjiang to go deeper and more solid.
Based on what Xinjiang needs, undertake the responsibilities that should be undertaken, and devise pragmatic strategies.
"Pairing assistance to Xinjiang has changed the way our red dates are grown," said Zhao Zhizhong (赵志中), chairman of the Hotan Jujube Association in Makit County (麦盖提县), Kashgar Prefecture (喀什地区), Xinjiang.
In Kashgar (喀什), red dates are the leading industry in Makit County (麦盖提县). The Shandong Rizhao City (山东日照市) Aid-Xinjiang Work Command promoted the "technology empowerment + full-chain integration" industrial project to fully support the development of the entire red date industry chain. The Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences (山东农科院) dispatched doctors to form a team with the Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences (新疆农科院) to cultivate several excellent new varieties of gray dates suitable for planting in southern Xinjiang, which have now been promoted for planting on 2,000 mu. They also delivered new technologies such as high-quality cultivation, sparse planting and dry thinning, efficient water and fertilizer utilization, and mechanized production to more than 4,000 local date farmers.
Currently, 13,500 households in Makit County (麦盖提县) grow red dates, and the output value of the entire red date industry chain has reached 5.6 billion yuan. During the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, Shandong (山东) invested a total of 7.21 billion yuan in aid to Xinjiang, implementing 455 major aid-Xinjiang projects.
In Hami (哈密), Henan's (河南) aid to Xinjiang is bringing Xinjiang's specialties to the Central Plains. Every day, the "Hami Express" subway and buses run in many cities in Henan (河南) such as Zhengzhou (郑州), Hebi (鹤壁), Pingdingshan (平顶山), Anyang (安阳), Xinxiang (新乡), and Puyang (濮阳). Inside the carriages, the scenery of the Great海道 (大海道), Populus euphratica forests (胡杨林), and photos of agricultural and sideline specialties such as Hami melons (哈密瓜) and Hami dates (哈密大枣) are eye-catching. The "Hami Express" has become a comprehensive publicity and promotion platform in Henan (河南) for Hami (哈密), integrating publicity and promotion, tourism promotion, agricultural assistance consumption, exchanges and interactions, and two-way cooperation.
Relying on the "Hami Express," Henan's (河南) aid to Xinjiang has carried out activities such as "Henan People Travel to Hami (哈密)," directly selling more than 160 million yuan of special agricultural and livestock products for Hami City (哈密市), and attracting more than 40,000 Henan (河南) tourists to visit Hami (哈密).
In Yili (伊犁), "Can we go to the front line of Jiangsu's (江苏) economic development to learn on the job?" During a research and exchange, a proposal from an Yili (伊犁) cadre prompted the Jiangsu Aid-Yili Front Command (江苏援伊前方指挥部) to immediately communicate with the rear and promote implementation.
"Since last year, the Yili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture (伊犁哈萨克自治州) has selected four batches of 200 young cadres in the economic field to go to Jiangsu (江苏) industrial parks and production lines to study and train. These cadres brought back to Xinjiang not only Jiangsu's (江苏) experience and practices, but also cumulatively promoted 1,919 mainland enterprises to come to Yili (伊犁) for inspection, signed 429 framework agreements, landed 274 projects, and received 8.452 billion yuan in funds," said Luo Zhiwei (骆治纬), deputy secretary-general of the Yili Prefecture Party Committee (伊犁州党委) and head of the comprehensive group of the Jiangsu Aid-Yili Front Command (江苏援伊前方指挥部). Since the Ninth National Pairing Assistance to Xinjiang Work Conference, Jiangsu (江苏) has invested 6.336 billion yuan in aid to Xinjiang and implemented 401 aid-Xinjiang projects, with more than 80% of the aid-Xinjiang funds invested in people's livelihood and grassroots areas.
Based on what Xinjiang needs, the provinces providing aid to Xinjiang undertake their due responsibilities, devise pragmatic strategies, adhere to comprehensive aid to Xinjiang, precise aid to Xinjiang, and long-term aid to Xinjiang, and continuously improve the comprehensive benefits of pairing assistance to Xinjiang.
Solve the most concerning, most direct, and most realistic interests of the people of Xinjiang.
"The revitalization of Yongku Tongxin Village (甬库同心村) in Kucha City (库车市), Xinjiang, is a successful reference to Zhejiang's (浙江) 'Thousand Villages Demonstration, Ten Thousand Villages Renovation' experience," said Xu Liangliang (徐亮亮), secretary of the Wuqia Town (乌恰镇) Party Committee in Kucha City (库车市). "Our small village in the town used to have no industry, the income of the villagers was limited, and all the roads out were dirt roads. The Ningbo (宁波) Aid-Xinjiang cadres from Zhejiang (浙江) found the right path and built the village into a garden-style new village integrating cultural tourism, leisure and entertainment, and study and vacation, with each villager expected to increase their income by more than 20,000 yuan."
"Pairing assistance to Xinjiang should leave behind industries, provide jobs, and more importantly, change the concepts of the local people, so that they have the internal driving force to increase income and become rich, and to find employment and start businesses," said Yang Yong (杨勇), deputy secretary of the Kucha City Party Committee (库车市委) and secretary of the Party Committee and commander of the Ningbo Aid-Xinjiang Command (宁波援疆指挥部). The women's entrepreneurship action they initiated promoted the transformation of employment concepts among ethnic minority women, encouraging them to step out of their homes and integrate into society, and has helped more than 200 ethnic minority women find employment at their doorsteps.
All provinces providing aid to Xinjiang have run the entire process of pairing assistance to Xinjiang through guaranteeing and improving people's livelihood, solving the most concerning, most direct, and most realistic interests of the people of Xinjiang, and effectively enhancing the sense of gain and happiness of the people in the assisted areas.
In response to the high incidence of pulmonary tuberculosis in the Hotan Prefecture (和田地区) of Xinjiang, with the support of Beijing's (北京) aid to Xinjiang, mobile CT vehicles have entered the townships of Hotan City (和田市), moving the screening of tuberculosis forward and providing free screening for people of all ethnic groups. Beijing (北京市) has continued to carry out "group-style" medical aid to Xinjiang, investing a total of 2.4 billion yuan in Hotan Prefecture (和田地区) and the 14th Division of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (兵团第十四师), building and expanding 20 hospitals, renovating more than 30 township health centers, and creating a medical team that "cannot be taken away."
In Cele County (策勒县) and Yutian County (于田县) in Hotan Prefecture (和田地区), Tianjin's (天津) aid to Xinjiang innovatively implemented the "Hundred Factories and Ten Thousand People" project, building and operating 112 satellite factories and poverty alleviation workshops. Tianjin Food Group (天津食品集团) invested in the construction of a million-head mutton sheep industrialization project, forming a three-level breeding and breeding model of "2 county-level breeding sheep farms + 20 township-level branch farms + 200 village-level cooperatives," with supporting feed, slaughtering, cold chain logistics and other facilities, creating a complete industrial chain, and creating a large number of employment opportunities for the local area.
Deeper feelings and stronger meanings, composing a new song of the era of "national unity as one family."
"Can seagulls and camels be friends?" Yutian County No. 1 Primary School (于田县第一小学) in Hotan Prefecture (和田地区) and Kunwei Road No. 1 Primary School (昆纬路第一小学) in Tianjin (天津) are nearly 4,000 kilometers apart, but on the question walls in the classrooms of the two places, children ask each other questions, full of curiosity and yearning in their childish words. With the help of the Tianjin University of Technology (天津工业大学) teaching group, the children of the two schools exchanged hand-painted postcards - Xinjiang's Populus euphratica forests (胡杨林), ethnic dances, and the "Tianjin Eye" (天津之眼) and Haihe River (海河) scenery met in the brushstrokes. The children made friends, and their hearts became closer and closer.
"Since the launch of pairing assistance to Xinjiang in the new era, the aid-Xinjiang cadres have taken the consolidation of the sense of community of the Chinese nation as the main line, given full play to the role of bridges and links, and taken enhancing cultural identity and promoting exchanges, interactions, and integration as an important starting point for consolidating national unity, composing a new song of the era of 'national unity as one family' with deeper feelings and stronger meanings," said Lu Ying (陆盈), deputy secretary of the Hotan Prefectural Party Committee (和田地委) and general commander of the Tianjin Aid-Xinjiang Front Command (天津市援疆前方指挥部).
Beijing's (北京) aid to Xinjiang has deeply promoted exchanges, interactions, and integration among all ethnic groups. Throughout the year, it has organized more than 10,000 Xinjiang (新疆) teenagers, women representatives, grassroots cadres, and rural wealthy leaders to go to Beijing (北京) and other places outside Xinjiang (疆外) for exchanges, and subsidized more than 4,800 Hotan (和田) students to go to the mainland to study in universities. Beijing's (北京) aid to Xinjiang has also promoted "two-way rush," with more than 500 Western China Volunteer Service Program volunteers going to Hotan (和田) to carry out volunteer service activities, and more than 4,700 college students going to Hotan (和田) to teach. Party and government delegations from Beijing's (北京) Chaoyang District (朝阳区), Haidian District (海淀区), Daxing District (大兴区), Pinggu District (平谷区), and Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area (北京经济技术开发区) have come to Hotan (和田) to carry out pairing assistance and exchange activities with paired assistance counties, cities, and regiments.
Are you, who are retired and idle, willing to go to Xinjiang (新疆) to contribute your remaining heat? This question received many affirmative answers in Zhenjiang (镇江), Jiangsu (江苏). In Kokdala City (可克达拉市), Xinjiang (新疆), many famous "silver-haired" expert doctors from Zhenjiang (镇江) are seeing patients. Based on the needs of the assisted area, the Zhenjiang (镇江) working group of Jiangsu's (江苏) aid to Yili (伊犁) is implementing the "silver-haired" expert doctor project and is launching the second phase of the "silver-haired" teacher project. The "silver-haired" teachers and "silver-haired" expert doctors are experienced and full of feelings, not only working in their positions, but also giving full play to the role of passing on experience and helping others.
Sincere and genuine exchanges and interactions have made the foundation of national unity more solid. Students in Anhui (安徽) and Hotan (和田) have exchanged more than 25,000 letters and more than 100 works of art. 227 Anhui (安徽) families have formed kinship ties in Pishan County (皮山县), Xinjiang (新疆). 11 cities in Anhui (安徽), including Hefei (合肥), Huangshan (黄山), and Bengbu (蚌埠), have signed co-construction agreements with 16 townships in Pishan County (皮山县), and 50 townships in Anhui (安徽) have formed paired co-construction with 50 villages in Pishan County (皮山县), gradually achieving full coverage of paired assistance to villages in Pishan County (皮山县).
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 张云河
"The ceremony for awarding the '50 Years of Glory in the Party' commemorative medal to veteran party member Tang Lianxiang (唐连香) must be solemn."
"It's been raining a lot lately, and Tang Zengliang's (唐增亮) paddy fields are in a low-lying area. He's forgetful, so remember to urge him to drain the water and dry the fields as soon as possible."
"Pan Wei's (盘伟), a monitored household, son has found work in Dongguan (东莞), Guangdong (广东). Take some time to do a follow-up visit and see if his family has any difficulties."
…………
Late at night, the lights in the village office are still on, and the old secretary, Mo Rif (莫日发), is giving instructions one by one. He is about to retire and is still confiding in the newly arrived first secretary stationed in the village.
"I can't bear to leave everyone!" Mo Rif (莫日发) said with tears in his eyes.
On July 2nd, Mo Rif (莫日发) left his post as the first secretary stationed in Baizhu Village (白竹村), Dongshan Yao Ethnic Township (东山瑶族乡), Quanzhou County (全州县), Guangxi (广西), and returned to Guilin Bank (桂林银行), completing his tenth year of work in Baizhu Village (白竹村), and is about to usher in retirement life.
Ten years ago, Mo Rif (莫日发), then the manager of the Security Department of Guilin Bank (桂林银行), volunteered to serve as the first secretary stationed in Baizhu Village (白竹村). He could have left after two years of being stationed in the village, but he was retained by the villagers three times. Why were the villagers reluctant to let Mo Rif (莫日发) leave? The development and changes over the past 10 years are the most touching answer.
Baizhu Village (白竹村), located on the border of Hunan (湘) and Guangxi (桂) provinces, is 870 meters above sea level and surrounded by mountains. It used to be a poverty-stricken village at the autonomous region level. In the past, Baizhu Village (白竹村) only had one hardened road, and the rest were muddy roads that were difficult to walk on in rainy days and dusty in sunny days. When Mo Rif (莫日发) first arrived, "the minibus got stuck in a pit halfway to Liziping (梨子坪), the farthest part of the village." He still remembers the embarrassment at the time, "Villagers passing by helped me push the car. They asked me if I came from the city. I said, 'I came from the village. If you have any difficulties in the future, just tell me.'"
"Fill in whatever is lacking." Mo Rif (莫日发) knew that roads were the key to development. However, road construction involved occupying forests and land, which affected the interests of various households, and several villages were in dispute. So he rolled up his trouser legs, walked all over the mountains, and moved the negotiation table to the fields and courtyards of the villagers. He said: "Many villagers are related to each other. Even if bones are broken, they are still connected by tendons. There are no knots that cannot be untied. Things can be discussed, and everyone can discuss everyone's affairs."
"Think what the masses are thinking, and do practical things for the masses." Over the years, he has secured more than 10 million yuan in funding from government departments and relevant units, hardened 21 kilometers of village roads and 16.5 kilometers of village lanes, and installed 460 street lights.
The healthy growth of children is also Mo Rif's (莫日发) concern. When he first arrived, there was a central school and two teaching points in the village, and the children needed to bring lunch to school. "The children are growing up, how can they eat cold food!" He immediately went around and built a cafeteria in the mountain valley. The hot lunch warmed the stomachs of teachers and students, and also warmed the hearts of the villagers.
In the final analysis, if the countryside is to be revitalized, the industry must be revitalized. In the past, Baizhu Village (白竹村) grew corn and sweet potatoes, and the income of the villagers was meager. Mo Rif (莫日发) started from the village's situation, found out the development of the industry, and adjusted the agricultural industrial structure according to local conditions.
"Sitting and waiting will not bring a good life, we must take the villagers to break through together!" He worked with the villagers, wielding hoes and sharing the wind and rain, and explored the model of "bank + merchant + cooperative + farmer" to develop characteristic planting and breeding industries such as Zijin rice (紫金米), hairy gourd, golden locust, and Dongshan native pigs (东山土猪). In 2024, the fruitful results of 200,000 catties of Zijin rice (紫金米) and 360,000 catties of hairy gourd brought smiles to the villagers' faces. "In order to sell agricultural products at a good price, I also 赶鸭子上架 (gǎn yā zi shàng jià - "force a duck onto a shelf," to force someone to do something beyond their ability; to push someone into doing something)." Mo Rif (莫日发) said with a smile.
At the same time, he encouraged villagers to invest in cooperatives with land and other resources, and helped villagers build 16 planting and breeding and processing bases and 3 assistance workshops such as pear orchards and tea gardens. Villagers become shareholders, resources become assets, and the per capita annual income of Baizhu Village (白竹村) has increased from 3,500 yuan in 2015 to the current 14,500 yuan.
With a happy life and a prosperous industry, the poor mountain village of the past is full of vitality.
Return to TopBy: 李洪兴
"You have an ardent heart for the Party, which is truly touching." Recently, General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) entrusted a leading official from the Organization Department of the Central Committee (中央组织部) to convey his encouragement and regards to You Benchang (游本昌), a first-class actor at the National Theatre of China (国家话剧院).
At 92 years old, he took the oath to join the Party, always feeling that he "hasn't done enough," with a fire constantly burning in his heart. The story of the new Party member You Benchang is truly moving. Recently, another veteran Party member has also inspired respect. Academician Huang Xuhua (黄旭华), the "Father of China's Nuclear Submarines," completed his legendary life and returned to his hometown for burial. His epitaph contains three lines: "This life belongs to the motherland, this life belongs to nuclear submarines, this life without regrets."
The stories of these two Party members, old and new, chasing the light, provide a vivid and profound annotation to "what a Chinese Communist Party member is like," inevitably bringing to mind a past event.
During the Spring Festival of 1948, in Fujin City (富锦城) on the banks of the Songhua River (松花江), several farmers who had come to town to buy New Year's goods approached the counter and earnestly said to the sales staff, "We want to buy a Communist Party portrait."
"Where would we get a Communist Party portrait!" The 13-year-old boy who witnessed this scene let out a knowing chuckle from the bottom of his heart. More than 40 years later, this witness reached the opposite conclusion in a newspaper article recalling the event: "In fact, there is a 'Communist Party portrait.'"
Political parties have an image, but this "image" is not hung on the wall, but rather stands in the hearts of the people. By uniting and leading the people to liberate themselves and live a good life, the Communist Party of China (中国共产党) has an "image" in the hearts of the people. And it is not others who shape this "image," but generations of Communist Party members who continue to struggle. They use faith as their pen and struggle as their ink, writing immortal miracles and magnificent poems on the land of China, and also leaving an indelible and glorious image of the Party in the hearts of the masses.
The image of Party members, when aggregated, is the image of the Party; when Party members "have an image," the Party has strength. True Communist Party members have the noble pursuit of "doing earth-shattering things and being an anonymous person," the spirit of struggle of "as long as there is still strength, we should continue to move forward," and the shining character of "being able to be seen in ordinary times, standing up at critical moments, and being able to sacrifice oneself in times of crisis." They embody both the power of truth and the power of personality.
What gives them the power of personality is their excellent work style. To have a good image, one must first have a good work style. In the early 1940s, the Party organization's assessment of Comrade Xi Zhongxun (习仲勋) included this detail: "One summer, Xi Zhongxun was tired from walking and casually slept on the kang (炕) of a farmer's home. The elderly owner squatted beside him, watching him kindly and shooing away the flies for him." The eyes of the masses are discerning; they can see clearly from every move who is one of their own and who is good to them. The masses often observe and evaluate the Party through the Party members around them, and also use the image of the Party in their hearts to evaluate whether Party members "resemble" it. Doing things with emotion, sitting on the same bench with the masses, listening more to the truth, and doing more good and practical things will win the sincere trust and support of the masses.
General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) pointed out: "The Communist Party of China (中国共产党) is the largest political party in the world. A large party must have the appearance of a large party." The greatness of a large party is not only in its size, but also in its broad mind, grand vision, and great responsibility. To portray this "large appearance" well, every Party member is a person who holds the pen to draw the "image."
"Looking at the North Star, you won't get lost; following the Communist Party, you will be happy." The vast number of Party members better establish the "image they should have," practice their original aspirations and mission in their words and deeds, write their political character with every stroke, and use practical actions to show what is meant by "vanguard of the times," "backbone of the nation," "most reliable backbone," and "public servant of the people." The people will forever have a clear and glorious "Communist Party portrait" in their hearts, and work together to create new historical achievements.
Return to TopBy: 讲述人：浙江省安吉县啡屿咖啡主理人 袁燕培
The beautiful Xitiao River (西苕溪) meanders through Kangshan Village (康山村), Anji County (安吉县), Zhejiang (浙江). Next to the river, there is my first "village cafe" opened in the village. Every day, one or two hundred customers come to the store to drink coffee. During holidays, tourists from Shanghai (上海) and Jiangsu (江苏) fill my small shop, enjoying the beautiful scenery of the Xitiao River (西苕溪) while tasting coffee and relaxing.
I am a "new Anji (安吉) person." My husband's hometown is in Kangshan Village (康山村). After we got married in 2021, we returned from the city and settled here. My family told me that the Xitiao River (西苕溪) flowing through the village carries the beautiful memories of generations of Anji (安吉) people.
The main stream of the Xitiao River (西苕溪) is 139 kilometers long and flows from southwest to northeast through the entire Anji County (安吉县). It is the mother river of the Anji (安吉) people. In my spare time, I stroll with my family in the village and stop on the bridge. The clear river water, playful ducks, lush vegetation, and beautiful sunset... Looking around, every scenery makes me intoxicated.
According to the villagers, Kangshan Village (康山村) used to be a coal base, and there were also some cement processing plants. The river channel of the Xitiao River (西苕溪) was once in disrepair for a long time, and the river water was seriously polluted. With the implementation of the "Five Water Co-Governance," the river ecology has gradually improved. In order to solve the problems of illegal fishing platforms occupying the river channel in the Xitiao River (西苕溪), Kangshan Village (康山村) and Tangpu Community (塘浦社区) upstream of the Xitiao River (西苕溪) leveraged the advantages of the river and lake chief system and jointly carried out work with public security and water conservancy departments. The government has also invested a lot of money to renovate and upgrade the infrastructure around the Xitiao River (西苕溪). Now, the wetland park has been built, the promenade has been renovated, the water surface is clear, and the rarely seen Chinese merganser also appears frequently. Many people have discovered that the water is clear, and even the disappeared white fish have returned to spawn.
Now, I am transforming and growing with the Xitiao River (西苕溪).
I like to drink coffee, and I like to study and make coffee myself. In June 2023, Chen Lei (陈磊), the Party Secretary of Kangshan Village (康山村) and the village-level river chief, approached me and explained the vigorous promotion of youth returning to the countryside for development in Anji County (安吉县) and the development of the county's homestay, camping, and coffee industries. He mobilized me to start a business in the village. I love the beautiful scenery of the Xitiao River (西苕溪) and was also infected by the dedication and enthusiasm of the village cadres. I decided to deeply integrate my hobbies and career and open a "village cafe" in Kangshan Village (康山村).
After signing the contract, I spent 24 days getting all the decoration and equipment done, and on the 25th day, I started the trial operation. The first coffee shop in Kangshan Village (康山村), Feiyu Coffee (啡屿咖啡), opened in a bustling manner.
At first, I was always worried. Can I really open a coffee shop in this village? Is the traffic really enough? What I never expected was that on the first day of the trial operation, the "village cafe" exploded with orders, and I sold 280 cups of coffee that day. What impressed me the most was a customer from Shanghai (上海). He told me that he comes to Kangshan Village (康山村) every year for 2 months. The good river and lake ecology of the Xitiao River (西苕溪) can relieve his fatigue, and now it is more convenient to buy coffee in the village.
Even when I am busy with work, I always pay attention to the changes in the Xitiao River (西苕溪).
With the use of drones, satellite remote sensing and other equipment, the Xitiao River (西苕溪) seems to have an "AI river chief." The drone automatically patrols, and through AI recognition and capture, automatic image comparison, combined with manual review, it can detect various dynamic changes in the river. Technology helps make the Xitiao River (西苕溪) more beautiful. Under the Wuxiang Dam Bridge (乌象坝桥) on the Xitiao River (西苕溪), Anji's (安吉) largest free stream tracing site has been built, which has become popular on social software. In summer, tourists are endless. Whenever I see these tourists exclaiming because of the beautiful scenery of the Xitiao River (西苕溪), my heart is full of pride.
In the future, my story with the Xitiao River (西苕溪) will continue.
The beautiful Xitiao River (西苕溪) is staging a vivid story of selling experiences and scenery, and it also makes me feel the vigorous vitality of rural development. According to local cadres, the water quality of the two national control sections and two provincial control sections of the Xitiao River (西苕溪) (Anji Section (安吉段)) is stable in Class II. The construction of the Xitiao River (西苕溪) "green water" economic belt has leveraged more than 50 projects with a total investment of over 10 billion yuan. I am sincerely happy to see the local development getting better and better.
The vivid practice of "**绿水青山就是金山银山**" (lǜ shuǐ qīng shān jiù shì jīn shān yín shān - "Green water and green mountains are gold and silver mountains," lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets) happens every day on the banks of the Xitiao River (西苕溪). I heard that there will be a series of renovation and upgrading projects along the Xitiao River (西苕溪) in the future. I believe that the beauty of the Xitiao River (西苕溪) will deeply impress the hearts of more tourists. I hope that more young people with dreams will come to the Xitiao River (西苕溪) to walk around, take a look, and start a business in the village.
The Xitiao River (西苕溪) brings me too many surprises and nostalgia. The gurgling stream carries the memory of nostalgia, the fireworks on both sides are full of happiness, and the clear water and green banks of the Xitiao River (西苕溪) are releasing more ecological dividends. I also hope to contribute more to river management and rural development.
(Reported by Deng Jianyang (邓剑洋) and Dou Hao (窦皓), reporters of this newspaper)
[Reporter's Note]
Yuan Yanpei's (袁燕培) coffee shop is on the north bank of the Xitiao River (西苕溪). Sitting in the coffee shop and looking out the window, on one side is a lush ecological leisure greenway, and on the other side is the clear Xitiao River (西苕溪), attracting many tourists to check in here, which is very lively.
The popularity of Feiyu Coffee (啡屿咖啡) reflects the continuous improvement of the ecological environment of the Xitiao River (西苕溪), and the diversified business formats further stimulate rural vitality. River and lake management requires not only a clear water, but also to let the clear water "flow with gold and silver." Deeply practice the new development concept, and the green waters and green mountains will become more and more beautiful. With the continuous improvement of the river and lake ecological environment, more and more villagers rely on the river at their doorstep to live a better life of common prosperity. Protect the river in front of your house, and look forward to more happy stories being continued here.
Return to TopThis newspaper's Beijing (北京) dispatch on July 6th (Reported by Lin Lili (林丽鹂)) The reporter recently learned that, according to statistics from the National Unified Social Credit Code Data Service Center for Organizations, as of the end of May 2025, the number of legal persons and other organizations in China exceeded 200 million.
Since the implementation of the unified social credit code system in 2015, it has covered 36 types of organizations registered and coded by 19 registration and management departments, including market supervision, civil affairs, institutional establishment, trade unions, agriculture and rural areas, etc. These include enterprises, individual industrial and commercial households, social organizations, private non-enterprise units, institutional legal persons, public institutions, grassroots trade union organizations, and rural collective economic organizations, forming China's identity identification system for legal persons and other organizations.
The unified social credit code, as the unique and lifelong unchanging identity identifier for legal persons and other organizations, is widely used in various industries and fields. Government departments can use the unified social credit code information to more efficiently and accurately identify and manage various organizations, and achieve information sharing and business collaboration. All sectors of society can also query the relevant information of organizations through the unified social credit code, comprehensively understand their credit status, and thus effectively reduce transaction risks.
Return to TopHigh summer is the perfect time to appreciate lotus flowers. On July 6th, tourists enjoyed viewing lotus flowers at Chongyuan Temple (重元寺) on the Yangcheng Lake (阳澄湖) Peninsula in Suzhou (苏州市), Jiangsu Province (江苏省).
Photo by Wang Jianzhong (王建中) (People's Vision (人民视觉))
Return to TopBy: 李 斌
Running errands, exchanging pleasantries over drinks, or borrowing vehicles – how big of a problem could they be?
"Frequently accepting gifts gradually eroded my principles and bottom line." "Half-willingly accepting 'favors' from others as normal social interactions, taking 'gratitude' for granted." "It started with invitations to eat, drink, and have fun, then progressed to cigarettes and alcohol, and then gifts and cash..." A glance at the confession letters of fallen officials reveals that those who don't see misconduct as a problem will sooner or later touch upon major issues of law-breaking and discipline violation. Countless cases show that Party members' "breaking the law" invariably begins with "breaking discipline."
Corruption problems do not arise out of thin air; one of their harbingers is impure conduct. Engaging in image projects and vanity projects, squandering public funds, may hide power-money transactions and interest transfers; in order to use one's power to solicit bribes and accept benefits, one deliberately delays when it's time to make a decision; "eating public letters," "eating from bosses," the desire to "eat" is endless, followed by "taking" and "demanding"... Hedonistic and extravagant tendencies, formalistic and bureaucratic airs, are clearly closely related to undisciplined behavior and unrepentant corruption. Deeply promoting the simultaneous investigation and governance of conduct and corruption is the only way to cut off the transmission chain from conduct to corruption and promote the continuous development of comprehensive and strict Party governance in depth.
General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) emphasized during the 21st collective study session of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee: "Starting with improving conduct to promote comprehensive and strict Party governance is an important experience of the Party's self-revolution in the new era." This is our Party's profound grasp of the laws of comprehensive and strict Party governance in the new era and on the new journey, providing important guidance for unremittingly promoting comprehensive and strict Party governance on the new journey. Starting with improving conduct to promote comprehensive and strict Party governance requires not only severely curbing various unhealthy tendencies and increasing the intensity of simultaneous investigation and governance of conduct and corruption, but also improving the normalized and long-term mechanism of conduct construction, and promoting the continuous achievement of new results in the Party's conduct construction.
Supplementing calcium and strengthening bones, detoxifying and sterilizing in terms of conduct can effectively prevent and reduce corruption. For example, continuously correcting the "Four Winds" has reduced the opportunity for abuse of public power and directly compressed the space for corruption to breed. Furthermore, promoting good conduct and good traditions, and guiding Party members and cadres to establish correct views on power, performance, and career, can gather the powerful positive energy to resist corruption. The vast number of Party members and cadres, being diligent and vigilant, consolidating their foundations and cultivating their vitality, strengthening Party spirit, and unremittingly implementing the spirit of the Central Eight-Point Regulation, will surely build a solid ideological foundation and conscious action for improving conduct and practicing clean governance.
From the experience of the anti-corruption struggle, only correcting conduct without investigating corruption makes it difficult to eliminate both conduct and corruption problems; only investigating corruption without correcting conduct also makes it difficult to consolidate the effect of anti-corruption. Deeply promoting the simultaneous investigation and governance of conduct and corruption, turning the Party's conduct and discipline hard requirements into hard measures, and letting iron rules grow iron teeth, can send a signal to the entire Party of being strict to the end and not giving an inch, forming a deterrent effect. On the one hand, investigating corruption from conduct, deeply digging out corruption problems such as asking for favors and transferring benefits behind unhealthy tendencies; on the other hand, correcting conduct from corruption, carefully investigating conduct problems such as hedonism and extravagance behind corruption, taking a two-pronged approach, dividing and combining forces, is conducive to continuously consolidating and developing the overwhelming victory of the anti-corruption struggle.
General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) emphasized: "Anti-corruption must regulate the operation of power." Adhering to the simultaneous investigation and governance of conduct and corruption requires paying attention to finding loopholes in the operation of power, making up for institutional shortcomings, and preventing abuse of power. In many places in Fujian (福建), special cleanups have been carried out for state-owned enterprise personnel's violations of regulations in engaging in profit-making activities, "eating off the enterprise," and other issues, and loopholes have been blocked and rules have been established by addressing the problem from correcting conduct; Tongjiang (同江) City, Heilongjiang (黑龙江) Province, has promoted the deep integration of clean governance culture and grassroots governance, adding clean governance clauses to village rules and regulations, and establishing "clean governance supervision posts" in rural revitalization projects. The next step is to improve the institutional mechanism that unifies authorization, use of power, and restriction of power, is clear, transparent, and traceable, and completely eliminates the soil and conditions for the breeding of corruption problems and unhealthy tendencies.
Promoting the normalization and long-term effectiveness of conduct construction, creating a strict atmosphere, and establishing a correct atmosphere, an important guarantee lies in the "key few" demonstrating and leading the "vast majority," and unswervingly implementing the various requirements of conduct construction. Abiding by rules and discipline is valuable in perseverance, and not giving an inch in the face of temptations of profit and desire. Party members and cadres must always keep in mind that all power is given by the people, always respect the people, respect the organization, and respect laws and disciplines, and resolutely break the concept that "violating discipline is only a minor matter, and only violating the law will be dealt with." Grasping conduct improvement and Party spirit cultivation with the spirit of nailing nails, good practices can be transformed into habits and become a trend.
Adhering to grasping Party spirit, Party conduct, and Party discipline together, and connecting rectifying conduct, enforcing discipline, and combating corruption, marks the direction for strengthening the Party's conduct construction in the new era and promoting the comprehensive and strict governance of the Party to a deeper level. Taking excellent conduct as a guide, strengthening guarantees with strict discipline, and clearing obstacles with anti-corruption and punishment of evil, promoting cadres to dare to do things boldly on the premise of abiding by rules and discipline, being honest and clean, will surely promote the maintenance of the Party's advanced nature and purity and continuously win the trust and support of the people with new achievements in conduct construction.
Return to TopBy: 武卫政
Cultural activities that are accessible and benefit the people make cultural development more vibrant.
By promoting more cultural activities and products to enter life and be close to the masses, people can more truly feel the charm of culture in rich cultural experiences.
Not long ago, a video of music lovers "checking in" at Tianjin (天津) shared pianos attracted attention. The "check-in person" said that he found more than 20 shared pianos in Tianjin (天津), distributed in subway stations, shopping malls, hotel lobbies, squares, hospitals and other places.
At the Wujiayao (吴家窑) subway station in Tianjin (天津), the author also saw a shared piano. A little girl was playing, although not very fluently and a little embarrassed, but she continued to play with her mother's encouragement. At the end of the song, the surrounding people applauded warmly. Immediately afterwards, the little boy who had been waiting next to him took the stage. He played melodiously, and the passing passengers were attracted by the piano sound and stopped to watch.
In the eyes of many people, the piano is a "high-end" instrument. Even if it appears in hotels, squares and other places, there is a performance threshold, and it must be played by professionals. Nowadays, shared pianos have appeared in some big cities, and ordinary people can also approach it in public places, sit on the piano bench, touch, play, perform, and feel the charm of music.
Shared piano is a carrier for self-expression and exchange of experience. For music lovers, the sound of the piano on the shared piano is particularly attractive. The melodious piano sound echoes in subway stations, large shopping malls, and hospital outpatient halls, which can also add a different artistic atmosphere. Wonderful notes create a good atmosphere, and ordinary people are infected by unexpected music. Because of the shared piano, some music lovers often meet together, learn from each other, make like-minded friends, and even join a band and get more performance opportunities.
A citizen said sincerely: "The shared piano moved me because it is a stage for ordinary people, and everyone can participate. I hope Tianjin (天津) can have more such public cultural spaces to integrate art into people's lives." The innovative practice of integrating art into life demonstrates the city's attention and care for the spiritual and cultural needs of citizens, and enhances the city's cultural taste. With economic and social development, the masses have more needs for spiritual and cultural life, and the characteristics of segmentation, diversification, and high expectations are obvious. In order to adapt to this trend, we must not only continue to enrich the supply of professional performances and professional events, but also try to find ways to bring cultural activities into the grassroots and close to life, and attract the masses to actively participate, co-create and share.
Cultural activities that are accessible and benefit the people make cultural development more vibrant. From the "Village Evening" to the "Village T", the popularity depends on the participation of the masses. Taking the traditional mass cultural activity of Yangko dance as an example, in the 2025 National Yangko Performance held in Yulin (榆林), Shaanxi (陕西), 39 teams took to the streets, twisting out their energy and happiness. Audience comments such as "invigorating" and "really refreshing" are touching and exciting. How can cultural activities be full of vitality? The key is to allow the masses from all walks of life to participate together, and to allow people from all over the world to empathize and resonate. To influence people with culture, we must first be close to the people. By promoting more cultural activities and products to enter life and be close to the masses, people can more truly feel the charm of culture in rich cultural experiences.
Culture is a spiritual bond that unites people's hearts, and it is also a key factor in enhancing people's well-being. Not long ago, the General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (中共中央) and the General Office of the State Council (国务院) issued the "Opinions on Further Ensuring and Improving People's Livelihood and Focusing on Solving the Urgent Problems of the Masses," which proposed to "improve the accessibility of diversified social services" and "build community public cultural spaces that are accessible and accessible to the masses." Making public culture accessible and accessible requires good ideas. The practice of shared pianos inspires us that whether it is music, drama, dance, or other cultural activities, they can enter suitable corners of urban and rural areas and integrate into people's daily lives through open and shared methods.
Culture is like water, silently moisturizing. Allowing cultural facilities, forms, and content to reach the masses more widely, and creating opportunities for more people to perceive and experience, will surely stimulate the potential of the masses to love culture and participate in cultural innovation.
(The author is a reporter from Tianjin Branch of this newspaper)
Return to TopRecently, the State Administration for Market Regulation (市场监管总局) issued the "Notice on Carrying Out Quality Improvement Activities for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises," focusing on the quality shortcomings of small and medium-sized enterprises, promoting the application of advanced quality management tools and methods, and promoting cost reduction, quality improvement, and efficiency enhancement for enterprises. Local market supervision departments will focus on key industrial chains and implement a new model for improving the quality of small and medium-sized enterprises: "government-coordinated promotion, technical institutions leading the organization, and extensive participation of enterprises on the chain."
This is precisely:
Benefiting enterprises and revitalizing industries, quality comes first;
Compensating for weaknesses and promoting strengths, 无废偏 (wú fèi piān - "no waste bias," leaving nothing to waste).
Gathering wisdom and pooling efforts to act together;
To travel far, one must start nearby, and undertake the climb.
Mu Xianwen (慕贤文)
Return to TopBy: 达 仁
The 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico will not feature the Chinese team that Chinese fans have been longing for.
Objectively speaking, are Chinese people incapable of "playing" football? The Chinese men's football team once stepped onto the stage of the World Cup finals in 2002 and won the runner-up in the Asian Cup in 2004. The wonderful scenes are still vivid in the minds of older fans.
Looking at it rationally, is the football atmosphere in China poor? In March of this year, 70,588 fans poured into the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Center (浙江杭州奥体中心) in Zhejiang (浙江), setting a new record for attendance at a men's football home game. On a global scale, this is also an extremely high number. Football in China has a profound fan culture, a passionate development atmosphere, and solid policy support.
Developing and revitalizing football is an inevitable requirement for building a strong sporting nation and a fervent expectation of the people. Developing and building the football industry with a "sense of responsibility" is undoubtedly a task that our generation must shoulder and strive to complete.
To develop the football industry, respecting the rules is the prerequisite.
Professional leagues are the cornerstone of a country's football development, and a stable and well-functioning league is crucial to improving the country's football level. However, for a while, "money football" prevailed in the Chinese Super League (中超联赛). Although the games with a large number of big-name foreign players looked good, they did not bring about a qualitative leap in the competitive level of local players. Fans strongly reacted to the problems of inflated player prices and inflated salaries. Problems such as clubs' insolvency and the abandonment of youth training systems have made the league's operation even worse.
To promote the healthy development of the league, we must not only respect market rules, but also respect football rules and sports rules, and take into account social and economic benefits. There is nothing wrong with the direction of professionalization of Chinese football, but competitive competition should not be simplified into a competition of capital. The purpose of professionalization is to improve the club's financial supervision system, improve revenue levels, improve revenue structure, and carefully cultivate local football culture, so as to promote the sustainable development of clubs and leagues and promote the continuous improvement of football's competitive level.
Developing the football industry is also a legal issue. Over the years, corruption problems have occurred in business management activities related to football, such as athlete selection, competition referees, industry management, and personnel appointments, which have seriously affected the development of Chinese football and damaged the image of Chinese football. The investigation and handling of a series of corruption cases will inevitably promote the improvement of the football field's ecology.
The key to breaking the ice and solving problems in the football industry lies in reform, and the most important task at present is to promote the implementation of the "Overall Plan for the Reform and Development of Chinese Football" (中国足球改革发展总体方案). On the one hand, we must continue to strengthen the popularization of youth football and focus on the construction of the youth training system; on the other hand, sports management departments must accurately identify the focus of supervision, build a firewall of the system, and fundamentally solve a series of problems such as power restriction, event management, and competition supervision to create a healthy football ecology.
Inaccurate shooting, stopping the ball a few meters away, and kicking corner kicks directly out of bounds... These are all typical manifestations of poor basic skills. "If you're bad, practice more" is the unanimous expectation of fans. To achieve results in competitive sports, hard training is the foundation. Top table tennis players train four times a day and review their tactics late at night. Olympic swimming champions swim tens of thousands of meters in basic warm-up training every day. Some top basketball players get up at 4 a.m. to train. As Chinese fans, we hope these stories happen to the men's football team.
A football commentator said: "Please don't believe that victory is as easy to obtain as a dandelion on a hillside, but please believe that there are always some beautiful things in the world that are worth our best efforts." There are always wins and losses in games, but the significance of the national team lies not only in winning, but more importantly in showing a positive and enterprising spirit and stimulating people's patriotism and attention to sports. Even if they lose, fans should be inspired by the sportsmanship shown on the field. We look forward to the day when the men's football team returns from international competitions with honors.
Return to TopBy: 范嘉欣
In the coming decades, proficiency in artificial intelligence is likely to become an essential skill for most professions, profoundly impacting the job market. The essence of job market transformation has always been a two-way street: the evolution of technology and the re-evaluation of human capital value.
The development of new technologies has always been accompanied by the "substitution effect" on employment. In modern automobile factories, engineers who can operate robotic arms are replacing some positions on traditional assembly lines; traditional large retailers have been investing heavily in live-streaming e-commerce in recent years, while companies that refuse digital transformation are struggling... The promotion and application of new technologies often leads to the replacement of repetitive and standardized jobs, which is a challenge we need to face directly.
However, as a "super fertilizer" in the economic soil, new technologies not only bring about the substitution of traditional jobs but also promote the development of emerging industries, directly creating new job demands. In reality, the birth of an artificial intelligence trainer can nurture derivative positions such as data annotation and ethical review; the grid connection of each photovoltaic power station can spawn more intelligent operation and maintenance engineer positions... As some traditional jobs gradually disappear, more new occupations are springing up like bamboo shoots after a rain, providing new opportunities for the prosperity of the job market.
What needs to be viewed rationally is that the employment opportunities created by new technologies are not evenly distributed. For example, the current job market is experiencing a certain degree of "digital divide," with algorithm engineers receiving considerable annual salaries but still unable to fill positions, while a large number of workers in traditional industries face skill gaps. This phenomenon of "having work but no one to do it, and having people but no work to do" highlights the structural contradictions in the job market, the essence of which is the mismatch between labor skills, qualities, and market demand.
Whether the synergy between industry and employment can be enhanced, and how to cultivate new momentum for expanding and improving employment quality, is related to the effective resolution of structural contradictions. On the one hand, it is necessary to develop new quality productive forces in accordance with local conditions, and while promoting the transformation and upgrading of the manufacturing industry, create more new digital economy formats and models, accelerate the integrated development of productive service industries and the diversified development of life service industries, so that the "creation effect" of employment brought about by production expansion is greater than the "substitution effect" brought about by technological progress.
On the other hand, it is necessary to grasp the crux of the mismatch between supply and demand in the job market and promote higher education and vocational education to adapt to the pace of industrial upgrading. For example, closely monitor market demand and dynamically adjust the discipline settings of higher education; promote vocational education reform, build diversified skills training platforms, and help workers in traditional industries update their skills, rather than "using abacuses to deal with quantum computers." Adapting to the new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation trends, and promoting the mutual promotion of innovative technology applications and employment priority, will provide a solid guarantee for high-quality and full employment.
Whether it is the steam locomotive replacing the horse-drawn carriage or the smartphone eliminating the film camera, history and reality have repeatedly proven that technological progress is a "magician" that makes the market cake bigger, promoting the continuous migration of the employment structure to higher-value fields. As long as we accurately grasp the objective laws of new technologies reshaping the job market, adhere to the employment orientation of economic development, and build a comprehensive vocational skills improvement system, we will surely create favorable conditions for the long-term stability of employment.
(Excerpted and edited from *Jiangxi Daily* (江西日报), originally titled "Solving 'Having Work but No One to Do It, and Having People but No Work to Do' (解决“有活没人干、有人没活干”)")
Return to TopBuilding a Thrifty Government from Practical Actions
Xiao Fei (肖飞), Chaoyang District (朝阳区), Beijing (北京市)
In daily office work, seemingly insignificant stationery, paper, water, and electricity are easily overlooked, yet they represent entry points for savings with enormous potential. By applying a "meticulous calculation" mindset and methods, and rationally arranging the use and purpose of various resources and assets, effective control of government office costs can be achieved.
For pencils and pens, do a good job of collecting and classifying them, using them as much as possible until the ink is exhausted or the water dries up, instead of discarding them wherever they are used; when printing documents, non-official documents can be reasonably set up with page layouts and double-sided printing, allowing limited paper to exert greater effectiveness; implement "lights off when people leave and electricity off" in the office, eliminating "daytime lights," "always-on lights," and "air conditioners and electric fans always on without turning off"...
Small acts of saving, when gathered together, can save a lot of money. To prevent the concept of saving from becoming empty talk, it is advisable to start with the details and promote the development of saving habits through refined management. For government agencies, this is a good strategy for reducing costs and increasing efficiency; for society, this is a practical action to help recycle resources and protect the ecological environment.
Small matters and details are related to work style. The revised "Regulations on Practicing Economy and Opposing Waste in Party and Government Organs" proposes to "guide cadres and employees to enhance their awareness of conservation, cherish material and financial resources, and actively cultivate and form a government culture that advocates conservation, practices economy, and opposes waste." Party and government organs should solidly promote the construction of thrifty government organs from the details, adhere to the requirements of conservation in small matters and details, and will surely play an exemplary role in forming a frugal atmosphere in the whole society.
Happy to See "Little Bees" Transform into "Woodpeckers"
Zhao Jiechang (赵杰昌), Shapingba District (沙坪坝区), Chongqing (重庆市)
Upon discovering shared bicycles parked randomly and vendors occupying roads, a food delivery rider took advantage of the waiting time for a meal to open a WeChat mini-program, take clear photos, and fill in relevant information, reporting the problem in less than a minute. Not long ago, Zhuhai (珠海), Guangdong (广东), relying on the "Zhuhai City Butler" mini-program and the "Digital Urban Management System Platform," absorbed food delivery riders to participate in urban governance, hiring them as "social supervisors."
A safe, orderly, clean, and beautiful urban environment allows residents to feel more comfortable. However, in reality, urban governance has many points and a wide scope, facing various contradictions and problems. Food delivery riders shuttle through the streets and alleys, serving a wide range of areas and people, and can often keenly perceive details in urban life that need to be improved. They are usually like hardworking "little bees," creating a better life through labor. Now, in their spare time, they transform into "woodpeckers" of the urban environment, jointly participating in urban governance and eliminating blind spots and dead corners in governance. At the same time, giving them the responsibility and mission of "mobile sentries" for grassroots social governance can also help this new employment group gain more social recognition and professional achievement.
Food delivery riders acting as "social supervisors" is a beneficial measure worth learning from. In actual work, various localities may wish to encourage more new employment groups such as food delivery riders and couriers to participate in optimizing community governance, food hygiene supervision, and urban safety operations, etc., according to local conditions. Formulate and improve relevant reward and incentive mechanisms, provide convenient conditions for public participation in urban governance, and mobilize broader enthusiasm, our city will surely be better.
Return to TopThis edition's email: rmrbpl@peopledaily.cn
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 申智林 付明丽 姚雪青
If they were alive today, they might be vibrant college students, talented artists, or joyful and flustered new parents... However, in the face of national crisis, they abandoned their homes and families to go to the battlefield, defending their homeland with their lives, and even sacrificing themselves without leaving their names.
Their noble spirit will forever shine like the sun and moon, and their red spirit will be passed down from generation to generation. Their figures gradually fade away, but people have not forgotten them. From the depths of the Taihang Mountains to the banks of the Yangtze River, from rural villagers to experts and scholars, all parties are working together to find the names, graves, and relatives of the martyrs, so that nameless martyrs become "named" and more heroes "return home."
A Volunteer's Pursuit
"I'm going to save the country... the enemy is very rampant." In Jiangbian Village (江边村), Huitong County (会同县), Huaihua (怀化), Hunan (湖南), 93-year-old villager Shi Shouchong (石守忠) sits alone on a bench, recalling the last words his fourth uncle, Shi Jitang (石继汤), said before leaving home more than 80 years ago.
They never saw each other again. Shi Shouchong (石守忠) and his family only received a notice of death in battle. "I thought I would never know the whereabouts of my fourth uncle again," Shi Shouchong (石守忠) said with tears in his eyes.
In April of this year, Chen Jian (陈建), a post-90s volunteer from Huitong County (会同县), brought news of his fourth uncle, Shi Jitang (石继汤), "Found him, Uncle Shi (石老爹), your fourth uncle sacrificed in Fengxin (奉新), Jiangxi (江西), and is buried there."
Chen Jian (陈建) has been searching for the names, graves, and relatives of veteran soldiers for five years. "In the past few years, I saw dozens of local anti-Japanese war martyrs with names in the revised *Huitong County Gazetteer* (*会同县志*), and I wanted to find out where they were and whether they still had relatives," Chen Jian (陈建) said, one of whom was named Shi Jitang (石继汤).
"There are four steps to finding relatives of veteran soldiers: first find the name, then the grave, then the deeds, and finally the relatives," Chen Jian (陈建) said with experience.
According to the clues in the county gazetteer, Chen Jian (陈建) found the unit number of Shi Jitang's (石继汤) unit, "During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, Shi Jitang's (石继汤) unit participated in battles in Fengxin (奉新), Jiangxi (江西), and suffered heavy casualties."
Did he sacrifice in Fengxin (奉新)? Chen Jian (陈建) contacted volunteers in Jiangxi (江西) to verify on the ground. Fortunately, the Party History Department of Fengxin (奉新) found a cemetery of anti-Japanese war martyrs and compiled the *History of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression in Fengxin* (*奉新抗战史*) based on cultural relics and archival materials.
Opening this historical material, Chen Jian (陈建) could not calm down for a long time. "From July 25 to September 2, 1938, the 19th Division of the 70th Army of the National Revolutionary Army was ordered to participate in the Lushan Defense War... the bloody battle of Jinguan Bridge (金官桥), the battle was unprecedentedly fierce." Chen Jian (陈建) learned that in this battle, the 19th Division, where Shi Jitang (石继汤) was located, completed the handover of the position with a huge sacrifice of more than 4,000 casualties. Shi Jitang (石继汤) was one of the fallen soldiers.
Later, Fengxin (奉新) local authorities rebuilt the cemetery, and Shi Jitang's (石继汤) name, along with the names of other fallen soldiers, was engraved on the black marble of the Anti-Japanese War Martyrs Monument.
Does he have any descendants? Do they know that he is buried here? Chen Jian (陈建) searched for Shi Jitang's (石继汤) relatives non-stop. Although he knew for sure that Shi Jitang (石继汤) was from Huitong County (会同县), it was not easy to find his family again after nearly a century.
"Without any clues, we can only start with the surname and check them one by one." Chen Jian (陈建) mobilized his classmates and friends to find clues, and searched almost all the townships in the county with relatively large numbers of people with the surname Shi (石), but found nothing.
When the clues were almost interrupted, Chen Jian (陈建) found in relevant historical materials that there was a fallen soldier named Shi Jitang (石继堂) in Jiangbian Village (江边村), Diling Township (地灵乡), Huitong County (会同县), whose name was very close to Shi Jitang (石继汤). Hoping for the best, Chen Jian (陈建) contacted Jiangbian Village (江边村) through the Party History Department of Huitong (会同), and went to the village accompanied by staff from the County People's Armed Forces Department and the County Veterans Affairs Bureau.
Chen Jian's (陈建) party found Shi Jitang's (石继汤) name in the genealogy of the Shi (石) family. After carefully checking the basic information such as the birth dates of Shi Jitang's (石继汤) father and brothers, they confirmed that this was the person they were looking for.
Contacting Shi Jitang's (石继汤) nephew and cousin, the image of a patriotic soldier gradually became clear - Shi Jitang (石继汤) had just been married and joined the army to serve the country with a passion...
"I didn't expect to have news of my fourth uncle after so many years," said the old man Shi Shouchong (石守忠) with great emotion. With the support of multiple departments in the two places, Shi Jitang's (石继汤) relatives are preparing to go to Jiangxi (江西) to pay their respects.
"Commemoration is for better progress." At present, Chen Jian (陈建) has successfully found relatives for 6 anti-Japanese war heroes.
A Group of Villagers' Remembrance
Maji Village (马厩村), Zuoquan County (左权县), Shanxi (山西), has a strategic location suitable for raising horses and soldiers, hence the name.
There is a centralized burial site for revolutionary martyrs here, where 654 anti-Japanese war heroes are buried, of which only 18 can be identified by name.
For a long time, everyone only knew that this was a group of brave Eighth Route Army soldiers—
Beginning in November 1937, the 385th Brigade, the 386th Brigade, and the affiliated organs of the 129th Division of the Eighth Route Army, which were ordered to go north to fight against Japan, were stationed in Maji Village (马厩村) for three years. During this period, there were several fierce battles. Due to the harsh environment and shortage of medicines, many soldiers died heroically. They were buried nearby on the hillside and at the foot of the mountain. Year after year, these nameless martyrs' tombs gradually became difficult to identify.
"There are many remains of martyrs around the village. Who are they? How to protect them?" In 2006, the villagers watched the news of the conference commemorating the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Red Army's Long March together. Moved, they decided to find the names and relatives of the "protectors" of this land.
That year, everyone found two tombstones in the field. The villagers took paint and redrew the inscriptions stroke by stroke, and re-erected the tombstones. Later, these two tombstones were collected by the Liaoxian Anti-Japanese War Memorial Hall (辽县抗日战争纪念馆).
"Finding relatives is also restoring the anti-Japanese deeds of the martyrs," said Wang Aifu (王艾甫), a retired cadre from Zuoquan (左权) and honorary curator of the Liaoxian Anti-Japanese War Memorial Hall (辽县抗日战争纪念馆).
In 2009, Zuoquan County (左权县) built a centralized burial site for revolutionary martyrs in Maji Village (马厩村) to centrally bury the martyrs in the village and nearby villages.
Zuoquan County (左权县) was formerly known as Liaoxian (辽县). During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the anti-Japanese soldiers and civilians paid a huge price. Here, many people volunteered to find relatives for the martyrs. Zhao Yafei (赵亚飞), a villager from Shangkou Village (上口村), Matian Town (麻田镇), is one of them.
In 1993, Zhao Yafei's (赵亚飞) family found a skeleton when they rebuilt their house. Apart from a pocket watch, there was no other information.
"The old people in the village are very sure that this is the Eighth Route Army soldier called 'Zhu Jianmin (朱建民)' in their memory." Zhao Yafei's (赵亚飞) parents carefully preserved the remains, and the family began to look for relatives of the martyr.
It was not until 2009 that, with the help of others, Zhao Yafei (赵亚飞) found in a book that a musician named "Zhu Jiemin (朱杰民)" sacrificed in Shangkou Village (上口村). His original name was Zhou Jiming (周极明), born in Hechuan County (合川县) (now Hechuan District (合川区), Chongqing (重庆)), and once taught in the Music Department of the Jin-Southeast Luxun Academy of Arts (晋东南鲁迅艺术学校) (Frontline Luxun Academy of Arts (前方鲁艺)).
"Could it be the same person?" After several confirmations by Zhao Yafei (赵亚飞), "Zhu Jianmin (朱建民)" in the villagers' mouths was Zhu Jiemin (朱杰民), that is, Zhou Jiming (周极明). With the help of the media, Zhao Yafei (赵亚飞) contacted Zhou Jiming's (周极明) daughter, Zhou Chuanhui (周传慧), and finally allowed the martyr's remains to "return to their roots."
This journey of finding relatives revealed the heroic history of a literary and art worker's war of resistance—
In January 1940, the Frontline Luxun Academy of Arts (前方鲁艺) was established. In the winter of that year, it entered Shangwu Village (上武村), Liaoxian (辽县), and created a large number of artistic works reflecting the unity of the army and the people in the war of resistance. The local area suffered a severe "mopping-up" operation by the Japanese army, and the teachers and students had to go to the battlefield at any time. More than 30 literary and art workers sacrificed one after another.
Today, walking into the former site of the Frontline Luxun Academy of Arts (前方鲁艺) in Shangwu Village (上武村), the anti-Japanese slogans on the mottled walls are still faintly discernible. To its west, the Frontline Luxun Academy of Arts Memorial Hall (前方鲁艺纪念馆) was opened in 2024.
At present, there are 5 centralized burial sites for revolutionary martyrs in Zuoquan County (左权县). More than 2,000 martyrs have no names or origins, and no words have been left in the historical records, but people have always sung and pursued their stories.
A Memorial Hall's Pursuit
"My second brother was full of vigor and joined the army with the determination to drive away the invaders. Although I have difficulty walking, I still want to go to Nanjing (南京) to see the monument with my second brother's name engraved on it; I also hope to find my second brother's wife and daughter in my lifetime."
Wearing a military cap and military medals on his chest, 99-year-old Xia Xunchao (夏训朝) sat in front of the camera, telling the story of his second brother word by word.
His second brother, Xia Xundian (夏训典), was an anti-Japanese aviation hero. "My second brother lost contact after joining the army, until a death notice was sent from the front line. His plane crashed into a mountain and he died at the young age of 31..." Xia Xunchao (夏训朝) introduced that 4 brothers in the family participated in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. He joined the guerrillas, and his second brother joined the air force. They lost contact in the turmoil.
This video is a valuable achievement of the "Flying Eagle · Air Route Historical Materials Search Team" of the Nanjing Anti-Japanese Aviation Martyrs Memorial Hall (南京抗日航空烈士纪念馆).
Before the Qingming Festival (清明节) in 2024, the memorial hall published the list of 1,468 Chinese anti-Japanese aviation martyrs for the first time through the official website of the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum Administration (中山陵园管理局), and carried out the collection of anti-Japanese aviation martyrs' information. Many relatives of the martyrs contacted the memorial hall to provide clues.
Wang Xin (王欣) is one of them, "My grandfather Xia Xunchao (夏训朝) is also a veteran of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, and his second brother is Xia Xundian (夏训典). My grandfather wants to find the descendants of his second brother..."
Upon learning of this news, Gao Wei (高炜), director of the Research Department of the Memorial Hall, led a team to Suzhou (宿州), Anhui (安徽), to visit the old man Xia Xunchao (夏训朝), which led to this oral history that was rescued and excavated.
"This search has given us a deeper understanding of the anti-Japanese aviation martyrs." Gao Wei (高炜) introduced that during the Qingming Festival (清明节) this year, the memorial hall invited the relatives of Xia Xundian (夏训典) to participate in the commemorative activities, and launched a search for clues from the society to help the families of the anti-Japanese aviation martyrs find their relatives.
The information of the anti-Japanese aviation martyrs is constantly being supplemented. Cao Zhiqin (曹植勤), the great-nephew of the anti-Japanese aviation martyr Cao Xugui (曹旭桂), called and said, "My uncle went to the front line of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression with the determination to save the country through aviation, but he lost all contact after training in the United States. After many inquiries, my family found his burial place in the United States in 2018 and learned that he had died in 1944." Cao Zhiqin (曹植勤) said that the whole family hoped that his uncle's name could be added to the monument.
After a series of sorting and comparison, the memorial hall research determined that Cao Xugui (曹旭桂) was an aviation martyr who died during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression: born in Yongchun (永淳), Guangxi (广西), with the military rank of ensign, born in 1923, and died on November 24, 1944, at the age of 21.
Before the Qingming Festival (清明节) this year, the memorial hall announced the second batch of corrected and supplemented names of Chinese anti-Japanese aviation martyrs. The names and information of two anti-Japanese aviation martyrs were added to the martyrs' monument. One was Cao Xugui (曹旭桂), and the other was Liu Yi (刘毅), who was also identified by clues provided by enthusiastic people from the society. Up to now, the total number of Chinese anti-Japanese aviation martyrs has been updated to 1,470.
"In the past year or so, the memorial hall has contacted more than 150 relatives of Chinese anti-Japanese aviation martyrs through various forms such as field visits, telephone receptions, and oral history filming." Dou Ruoqi (窦若琪), a staff member of the memorial hall, introduced that all sectors of society and relatives of anti-Japanese aviation martyrs have provided a large number of vivid and valuable historical materials, which have enriched the memorial hall's exhibition and allowed visitors to understand the deeds of the martyrs in a more three-dimensional and perceptible way.
Return to TopBy: 新华社记者 陈 诺 屈 彦
"Seagulls flap their wings, displaying the ambition of great birds; a riverside city is willing to listen to the sounds of wind and rain from all over the world..." On the banks of the Yangtze River, a reporter heard such a school song on the campus of Wuhu No. 2 Middle School (芜湖市第二中学) in Anhui Province (安徽省). The song is sung to Dai Anlan (戴安澜), a famous general of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression who emerged from the "riverside city."
Dai Anlan (戴安澜) styled himself "Seagull." He was a native of Wuwei (无为), Wuhu (芜湖), and a graduate of the Huangpu Military Academy (黄埔军校). He participated in the Northern Expedition. During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, he repeatedly performed meritorious deeds in the Battle of Taierzhuang (台儿庄战役), the Battle of Wuhan (武汉会战), and the Battle of Kunlun Pass (昆仑关战役).
In early 1942, the Chinese Expeditionary Force marched into Burma. Dai Anlan (戴安澜) led the 200th Division as the vanguard of the Chinese Expeditionary Force to participate in the war in Burma, engaging in a bloody battle with the Japanese army, which outnumbered them several times, in Toungoo. He took the lead in making a will: as long as there is still a soldier left, we must defend to the end. If the division commander dies in battle, the deputy division commander will replace him, and if the deputy division commander dies, the chief of staff will replace him... All levels of commanders in the division followed suit, vowing to coexist and die with Toungoo.
In the 12-day Battle of Toungoo, the 200th Division repelled more than 20 Japanese assaults at the cost of 800 casualties, annihilating more than 4,000 enemy soldiers, capturing more than 400 enemy soldiers, inflicting heavy damage on the enemy, and demonstrating national power.
Not long after, the troops encountered an enemy attack, and Dai Anlan (戴安澜) was seriously injured. In Maobang Village (茅邦村), only 100 kilometers away from the motherland, the 38-year-old "Seagull" gazed arduously in the direction of the motherland for a moment before closing his eyes forever, leaving behind the last words: "Counterattack! Counterattack! Long live the motherland!"
The memorial service for General Dai Anlan (戴安澜) was held in Quanzhou (全州), Guangxi (广西). Chairman Mao (毛主席) personally inscribed a eulogy. After the victory of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, Dai Anlan's (戴安澜) coffin was moved back to Wuhu (芜湖) for burial. "Along with General Dai (戴) 'returning' was also the Anlan Industrial Vocational School (安澜工业职业学校), which is the predecessor of our school," said Mao Hong (毛红), Secretary of the Party Committee of Wuhu No. 2 Middle School (芜湖市第二中学). The school also has a name called "Anlan Middle School (安澜中学)."
Walking into Fenghuo Village (风和村), Lianxi Community (练溪社区), Hongxiang Town (洪巷镇), Wuwei City (无为市), a blue brick and black tile house comes into view. This is the former residence of Dai Anlan (戴安澜), which now displays his life deeds, photos, and some medals.
"Dai Anlan (戴安澜) was born here in 1904. Later, he continued to study and grow, embarking on the road of defending the country," said Dai Maobiao (戴茂标), a cadre of Hongxiang Town (洪巷镇) and a descendant of General Dai Anlan (戴安澜). He told reporters that Dai Anlan (戴安澜) was rejected by the military academy due to his weak physique, but then worked hard to become a student of the 3rd class of Huangpu (黄埔). It was also at this time that he changed his name to "Dai Anlan (戴安澜)" and styled himself "Seagull." "To express his ambition with his name, to secure the country and stabilize the nation, and to fight against the wind and waves," said Dai Maobiao (戴茂标).
Not far from the former residence of Dai Anlan (戴安澜), there is an old maple tree with lush branches and leaves. It is said that Dai Anlan (戴安澜) passed under the tree and embarked on the revolution, and now it has become a place of remembrance for tourists.
Villagers told reporters that Dai Anlan (戴安澜) is not only a hero in textbooks, but also a kind hometown person: he loved to sing operas and was good at playing female roles; he valued education, and his relatives founded Renquan Primary School (仁泉小学) in his hometown, and he took the lead in donating money; he had feelings, naming his children "Fudong (覆东)," "Jingdong (靖东)," "Chengdong (澄东)," and "Fanli (藩篱)," meaning to stabilize the East and defend the country; he advocated new-style marriages and was extremely loving with his wife, but wrote in a farewell letter: "Now I am fighting alone, determined to sacrifice everything to repay the country's upbringing. It is extremely glorious to die for the country..."
Today, Renquan Primary School (仁泉小学) is still full of the sound of reading, the old maple tree is drawn into the school badge, seagulls are embroidered on the chests of students, and the name "Anlan (安澜)" is hung on the bookstore. "The seagull is the general, and also us," said a student.
On Zheshan Mountain (赭山) in Wuhu City (芜湖市), a scenic spot, the remains of Dai Anlan (戴安澜) are buried, and citizens often offer flowers to express their admiration and remembrance of the hero.
In many places in the "riverside city," the "traces" of seagulls and Anlan (安澜) can be found. The road named Anlan (安澜) is full of traffic, and the bridge named Anlan (安澜) witnesses the Yangtze River (长江) rushing. Seagulls are affixed to the relief wall of Wuhu No. 2 Middle School (芜湖二中) and also hang on the roof of the school history museum. Mao Hong (毛红) told reporters that the school is building a school history museum that reflects the deeds of Dai Anlan (戴安澜), integrating the spirit of Dai Anlan (戴安澜) into the school motto, students have established various clubs, and adapted his story into a drama, inheriting the hero's legacy in a youthful way.
"We must learn from General Seagull's (海鸥将军) spirit of not fearing difficulties, being brave to move forward, and having a big picture in mind," said Cao Mulin (曹沐霖), a junior high school student at Wuhu No. 2 Middle School (芜湖市第二中学).
In her and many Wuhu (芜湖) people's view, the "seagull" flying out from under the maple tree has long been transformed into thousands of forms to "return home": a bridge, a road, a school, a group of water birds... This is the most enduring life of a hero.
(According to Xinhua News Agency, Hefei (合肥), July 4)
Return to TopBy: 本报记者
A gentle breeze came, blowing away the afternoon heat, rustling the corn leaves, the setting sun shone on the horizon, wisps of smoke rose, setting off the colorful clouds in the sky. What a beautiful natural landscape before us!
On the evening of July 7, 1937, Hong Dazhong (洪大中), then the secretary of the Wanping County (宛平县) government, looked at the cornfields outside the city and was filled with emotion.
If there had been no war, this would have been a peaceful summer in people's memories.
However, this illusory peace was soon completely shattered.
Beacon Fire
"My father required the officers and soldiers to shout 'Better to be a ghost who dies in battle than a slave of a fallen nation' before eating and before going to bed."
-- Jin Tianyu (金天愚) (son of Jin Zhenzhong (金振中))
Late at night on July 7, the sound of gunfire at the Lugou Bridge (卢沟桥) pierced the night sky.
The Japanese army, which was conducting illegal exercises near Wanping City (宛平城), forcibly demanded to enter the city to search for a missing soldier, which was refused. Afterwards, the Japanese army opened fire on the Chinese garrison and shelled Wanping City (宛平城).
Jin Zhenzhong (金振中), who had made meritorious service in the Battle of Xifengkou (喜峰口战斗), was then stationed in Wanping City (宛平城) and Lugou Bridge (卢沟桥) as the battalion commander of the 3rd Battalion, 219th Regiment, 110th Brigade, 37th Division of the National Revolutionary Army (国民革命军) 29th Army (29军).
In the spring of 1933, the Japanese army created incidents in the Great Wall (长城) area and launched an attack. The soldiers of the 29th Army (29军), armed with broadswords, fought the Japanese invaders in the Battle of Xifengkou (喜峰口战斗), annihilating more than 5,000 enemies and becoming famous in one battle.
"My father gave speeches to the soldiers every day, using historical heroes as role models to give them reports. In addition, he required the officers and soldiers to shout 'Better to be a ghost who dies in battle than a slave of a fallen nation' before eating and before going to bed to inspire the soldiers' fighting spirit," Jin Tianyu (金天愚), son of Jin Zhenzhong (金振中), recalled.
Facing the Japanese army that was rushing like a tide, Jin Zhenzhong (金振中) decisively issued a combat order: "As long as they enter within 100 meters of my position, destroy them with fierce firepower and never let them return alive!"
While subsequently directing the pursuit of the fleeing enemy, Jin Zhenzhong (金振中) had his left leg blown off by a grenade and was shot in the head by a bullet.
"It was all for the nation and for the country. Not only my father Jin Zhenzhong (金振中) did this, but anyone else would have done the same," said Jin Tianyu (金天愚).
Not far from Jin Zhenzhong (金振中), the railway bridge and the Huilong Temple (回龙庙) near Lugou Bridge (卢沟桥) were attacked by the Japanese army at dawn on July 8. Shen Zhongming (沈忠明), the platoon leader of the 1st Platoon, 10th Company, 3rd Battalion, and an underground member of the Communist Party of China (中共), led his troops to resist desperately. Except for two soldiers who went back to report the news, all the officers and soldiers of the entire platoon heroically sacrificed their lives.
Those who gave their lives without regard for their own safety may not have realized that everything they were experiencing at this moment meant the beginning of the national war of resistance.
After that, China and Japan fought fiercely many times in the Lugou Bridge (卢沟桥) and Wanping City (宛平城) area, and the two sides entered a stage of fighting and talking.
Turmoil
"This is by no means an accidental event."
-- Ren Zhigong (任之恭)
For most ordinary people in Beiping (北平), it was not until the next day that they gradually learned about the changes that had taken place at Lugou Bridge (卢沟桥).
On the morning of July 8, Wu Dayou (吴大猷), a professor at Peking University (北京大学), heard the sound of machine guns and thought it was ordinary target practice, so he didn't pay attention and went out for a picnic with friends as planned. When they returned, the Xizhimen (西直门) city gate was half-closed, and they brushed shoulders with rows of military vehicles several times. Later, he learned that the Lugouqiao Incident (卢沟桥事变) had occurred.
The summer of 1937 was also the time when Ren Zhigong (任之恭), a professor at Tsinghua University (清华大学), and his fiancée planned to get married.
On the morning of July 27, he set off from Tsinghua Yuan (清华园) to go to the wedding venue, but when he arrived at Xizhimen (西直门), he found the huge iron city gate tightly closed. Ren Zhigong (任之恭) disguised himself as a vegetable farmer and finally squeezed into the city. Only a few dozen guests arrived. After the ceremony was hastily completed, the streets were already empty. The newlyweds could not return to their new home and had to hide in the nearest hotel. In the evening, they heard "the sound of cannons rumbling and machine guns firing." "Three days later, the Japanese opened the city gate at irregular intervals," and they "risked going to Tsinghua Yuan (清华园) to take a look." "The most valuable things were gone - stolen or destroyed."
Beiping (北平) and Tianjin (天津) fell one after another. The Japanese army wantonly killed, looted wildly, and enslaved and poisoned the local people.
When the Lugouqiao Incident (卢沟桥事变) broke out, the young Zheng Fulai (郑福来) lived near Lugou Bridge (卢沟桥). Under the attack of artillery fire, he followed his mother to flee. After Beiping (北平) fell, they had to risk going home after suffering from hunger and cold outside. On the way home, he saw corpses everywhere. "Piles and piles of dead people, men, women, old and young, some were even disemboweled, all killed by the Japanese army! They were all innocent people, the devils were too hateful!" Zheng Fulai (郑福来) clenched his fists when he talked about this during an interview before his death.
"This (the Lugouqiao Incident (卢沟桥事变)) is by no means an accidental event," Ren Zhigong (任之恭) later wrote in his book.
Resistance
"This painful lesson is: only resistance to Japan can lead to survival, there is no other choice."
-- "A Brief History of the 29th Army Training Corps" ("29军军训团简史")
In Ren Zhigong's (任之恭) recollection, after the Lugouqiao Incident (卢沟桥事变) occurred, "for about 20 days, it seemed surprisingly calm. The incident seemed like a brief thunderstorm in the summer. The thunder subsided and the rain stopped."
However, beneath this superficial calm, there was a surging wave.
In the process of fighting and talking, the Kuomintang (国民党) authorities, harboring illusions of peace, repeatedly made concessions, and the Japanese army took the opportunity to increase its troops and press closer step by step. By July 25, the Japanese army that had successively assembled in Pingjin (平津) had reached more than 60,000.
On July 27, just as Ren Zhigong (任之恭) was stumbling through his wedding, outside Beiping (北平) City, at the Nanyuan (南苑) position, 17-year-old Li Hongbin (李鸿斌) stepped onto the battlefield for the first time that evening.
Eight months earlier, he was just a junior high school student. With a heart to serve the country, he "heard that the broadsword team in the 29th Army (29军) was powerful," so he abandoned his studies and joined the 29th Army Military Training Corps (29军军事训练团) and became a student soldier.
At dawn on July 28, the Japanese army launched an attack on Nanyuan (南苑), the southern gateway to Beiping (北平).
Li Hongbin (李鸿斌) described the bloody battlefield of that year in an interview before his death: "At about 6:00 in the morning, the Japanese army first dispatched a dozen or twenty planes to bomb our positions in turn... Then, enemy planes began to strafe at low altitude. Because there was no air defense equipment, the soldiers suffered heavy casualties..."
Li Hongbin (李鸿斌) recalled that most of the student soldiers not only held a gun for the first time, but also went to the battlefield for the first time, and were quite frightened when they were ambushed in the trenches. But after the first shot was fired, they were determined to hold the position and couldn't care about so much anymore. "There was a classmate in my class named Zhao Shirong (赵世荣), whose lips were covered in blood, but he was still holding his gun and shooting desperately," he said.
The "Continental War History" ("大陆战史") published by Japan during the war also recorded the tragic nature of this battle from their perspective, saying that "Zhao Dengyu's (赵登禹) defense was very solid and it was not easy to take it down after several battles" and that "white-blade warfare occurred everywhere" and "this was a nightmare in broad daylight."
In this most intense battle between the Chinese and Japanese armies during the Lugouqiao Incident (卢沟桥事变), more than 5,000 of the 7,000 Nanyuan (南苑) defenders were killed or wounded. Two generals, Tong Linge (佟麟阁), deputy commander of the 29th Army (29军), and Zhao Dengyu (赵登禹), commander of the 132nd Division of the 29th Army (29军132师师长), who fought alongside the student soldiers, heroically died for their country.
Just one day before Tong Linge (佟麟阁) died, he specially asked his subordinates to bring his children's homework back home from the battlefield.
On July 28, Nanyuan (南苑) fell; on July 29, Beiping (北平) fell.
"This painful lesson is: only resistance to Japan can lead to survival, there is no other choice," reads the record in "A Brief History of the 29th Army Training Corps" ("29军军训团简史").
Seed of Fire
"Ten thousand miles of solitary expedition, the heart is promised to the country, frequent years of dreaming, the intention is to pity the children."
-- Zheng Tianting (郑天挺)
With the fall of Pingjin (平津), Tsinghua University (清华大学), Peking University (北京大学) and other universities also suffered unprecedented looting, and Nankai University (南开大学) was razed to rubble in the bombing. In order to protect the seeds of education and culture, university teachers and students, including Wu Dayou (吴大猷) and Ren Zhigong (任之恭), evacuated in batches.
Zheng Tianting (郑天挺), then the secretary-general of Peking University (北京大学), had just experienced the pain of losing his wife at the beginning of the year. He dragged his five young children and took on the heavy responsibility of transferring teachers, students, books, and instruments in the midst of the crisis.
Zheng Tianting's (郑天挺) children described the scene at the time in the article "Thirty Years of Wind and Rain" ("三十年风风雨雨"): "On a certain day in August, Japanese military police searched the Peking University (北京大学) office. There were very few people in the school. Only Mr. Zheng Tianting (郑天挺) was dealing with the situation in the office, and the situation was extremely tense."
Faced with the enemy's threats and persecution, Zheng Tianting (郑天挺) calmly mediated and completed the aftermath work until the question of whether to go south was placed on his desk.
Take care of the children, or take the students? Give lectures in the occupied area, or teach in the south?
In the midst of the chaos, torn between love and morality, in order to facilitate the transfer, Zheng Tianting (郑天挺) reluctantly left his children in Beiping (北平) and went south alone. The youngest of the children was only 3 years old, and the oldest was only 13 years old. This separation lasted for several years.
"Ten thousand miles of solitary expedition, the heart is promised to the country, frequent years of dreaming, the intention is to pity the children." In his diary, he wrote again and again: "My poor children!"
The teachers and students of Peking University (北京大学), Tsinghua University (清华大学) and Nankai University (南开大学) who moved south first gathered in Changsha (长沙) to form the National Changsha Temporary University (国立长沙临时大学), and then moved all the way to Kunming (昆明) due to the approaching war, and were renamed the National Southwestern Associated University (国立西南联合大学).
In the conditions of leaking rain in summer and wind in winter, the Southwestern Associated University (西南联大), this "temporary university" built with the strength of three universities, developed into an ideal place for teaching and educating people and a spiritual highland for saving the nation.
In more than 8 years, the Southwestern Associated University (西南联大) had more than 8,000 students, including 2 Nobel Prize winners, 5 winners of the National Top Science and Technology Award (国家最高科学技术奖), 8 winners of the "Two Bombs, One Satellite Achievement Medal" ("两弹一星功勋奖章"), more than 170 academicians and more than 100 cultural scholars.
Cohesion
"From a dead China that was just a large piece of fertile land and a plate of loose sand, it is now a living China with flesh and blood."
-- Zhu Ziqing (朱自清)
"The guns are finally pointed outwards. The Chinese sleeping lion, which has suffered all kinds of bullying and humiliation from the great powers for a hundred years, has roared. How can people not be overjoyed?" In July 1937, Zhao Rongsheng (赵荣声), a student at Yenching University (燕京大学) who was participating in a summer camp in the Western Hills (西山) of Beiping (北平), was very excited when he heard that the 29th Army (29军) had started fighting with the Japanese soldiers.
On July 8, the day after the Lugouqiao Incident (卢沟桥事变), the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (中共中央) issued a telegram to the whole country: "Pingjin (平津) is in danger! North China (华北) is in danger! The Chinese nation is in danger! Only national resistance is our way out!" On the same day, Mao Zedong (毛泽东), Zhu De (朱德), Peng Dehuai (彭德怀) and other Red Army leaders sent a telegram to Chiang Kai-shek (蒋介石), expressing that the Red Army soldiers were willing to "serve the country, fight with the enemy, and achieve the goal of defending the country."
Various groups in Beiping (北平) City immediately responded.
On the afternoon of July 8, the Beiping Student Federation (北平学联) and other organizations organized student representatives to visit the front line. Zhao Shi (赵石), a student at Tsinghua University (清华大学) at the time, described the scene in his article "My Revolutionary Years at Tsinghua" ("我的清华革命岁月"). "In Dongzhimen (东直门), a platoon leader led us to the city to see the defense situation. When our representative finished speaking, the platoon leader turned around and said to his brothers: 'Did you hear that? What they mean is to tell us to resist Japan!'"
On July 10, the Beiping Student Federation (北平学联) and other progressive groups launched a campaign to donate sacks. In a few days, the sacks on the university campus were "piled up like a mountain." These sacks were sent to the front line, filled with sand and soil, and built into defensive fortifications.
The vast majority of ordinary people also joined the struggle against the invaders.
"We saw many civilians in their fifties and sixties who could not withstand the day and night non-stop work and whose limbs were swollen. Many donkeys that were supposed to be on duty were transporting day and night without even having time to drink water, and gradually became thin and fell down," Fan Changjiang (范长江) wrote what he saw and heard in "By the Lugou Bridge" ("卢沟桥畔") and lamented that "they have no complaints about this kind of hard service."
Looking back at history, this kind of national cohesion is not accidental, but the inevitable result of history.
In the spring of 1935, the Japanese invaders created the North China Incident (华北事变), and the national crisis was unprecedentedly serious. Two artists, Tian Han (田汉) and Nie Er (聂耳), used their pens as knives and their songs as horns to create the "March of the Volunteers" ("义勇军进行曲"), and "The Chinese nation is at its most dangerous time" became the strongest voice.
On August 1, 1935, the delegation of the Communist Party of China (中共) to the Communist International drafted the "Letter to All Compatriots from the Chinese Soviet Government and the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China for Resisting Japan and Saving the Country," (《中国苏维埃政府、中国共产党中央为抗日救国告全体同胞书》) also known as the "August 1st Declaration" ("八一宣言"), which was published soon after. On December 9 of that year, under the leadership of the underground organization of the Communist Party of China (中共), students in Beiping (北平) held a large-scale anti-Japanese parade. The "December 9th Movement" ("一二·九"运动) that started from this quickly spread throughout the country.
The call to resist Japan and save the country resounded inside and outside the Great Wall (长城), on both sides of the Yellow River (黄河), and in the north and south of the Yangtze River (长江), and the call to establish the broadest anti-Japanese national united front gradually took root in people's hearts.
Through the unremitting efforts of the Communist Party of China (中国共产党), a brand-new situation of the entire nation jointly resisting the enemy, which had never existed in modern times, was realized:
In August 1937, the main force of the Red Army was reorganized into the Eighth Route Army (第八路军) of the National Revolutionary Army (国民革命军).
In September 1937, the second cooperation between the Kuomintang (国民党) and the Communist Party of China (共产党) was officially formed.
The anti-Japanese national united front was finally established.
"Regardless of party affiliation, class, men, women, old or young, or even domestic and overseas Chinese, everyone can participate in such a war. This is a necessary and most basic condition for our victory in the War of Resistance," said Zhang Shanzhen (张珊珍), a professor in the Department of Party History Teaching and Research at the Party School of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (中共中央党校) (National Academy of Governance (国家行政学院)).
"Those who have strength contribute strength," "those who have money contribute money," "fathers send their sons, wives send their husbands, and brothers compete to be soldiers," "don't eat candy today, save the money to save the country"... The anti-Japanese enthusiasm and strength that erupted from all walks of life gathered like a tide into a magnificent anti-Japanese torrent.
On July 7, 1939, Zhu Ziqing (朱自清) expressed such emotion in his article "This Day" ("这一天"): "From a dead China that was just a large piece of fertile land and a plate of loose sand, it is now a living China with flesh and blood."
Echo
"As the ancient saying goes: '**众志成城** (zhòng zhì chéng chéng - "unity of will is an impregnable stronghold," unity of the people is powerful),' the city formed by the unity of our 400 million people cannot be broken by any kind of artillery fire!"
-- Feng Zikai (丰子恺)
After the July 7th Incident (七七事变), China's local war of resistance turned into a national war of resistance, and from this opened up the Eastern main battlefield of the World Anti-Fascist War, and also promoted the formation of the international anti-fascist united front.
On July 7, 1942, the London News Chronicle published an article stating that "The war that Britain is struggling to support today was actually launched in 1937 by China's July 7th Incident (七七事变)." "China's refusal to surrender to Japan has greatly benefited Britain and the United States."
"China started the War of Resistance the earliest, lasted the longest, and long-term contained and resisted the main force of Japanese militarism. With the great national sacrifice of 35 million casualties, it finally won the great victory of the War of Resistance Against Japan, made a great contribution to the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War, and also won the respect of peace-loving people in the world," said Zang Yunhu (臧运祜), a professor in the Department of History at Peking University (北京大学). "Due to the important contribution made by China's War of Resistance, in the later stages of the war, China participated in the establishment of the United Nations and the construction of a new post-war international order as one of the four major anti-fascist powers, making an important contribution to maintaining world peace."
Today, when we walk through Tong Linge Road (佟麟阁路) and Zhao Dengyu Road (赵登禹路), we seem to still be able to hear the sound of gunfire from the Lugou Bridge (卢沟桥) traveling through time and space. That "overnight" was forever engraved in the annals of history. It witnessed not only the resistance, but also the awakening and cohesion of a nation in crisis - "The city formed by the unity of our 400 million people cannot be broken by any kind of artillery fire!"
This cohesion has also been tempered into the deepest part of the national gene, penetrating time, until today, and until the future.
(Our reporter Zhang Yixuan (张意轩), Zhu Xiaoxi (朱笑熺), Yang Wanchen (仰婉晨), Liu Zhenjie (刘镇杰), Feng Huiwen (冯慧文))
Return to TopThis newspaper reported from Beijing on July 6th (Reporter Qiu Chaoyi (邱超奕)): The reporter learned from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (中国民航局): The Civil Aviation Administration of China (中国民航局) and the China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. (国铁集团) recently issued the "Key Work Task List for Promoting High-Quality Development of 'Air-Rail Intermodal Transportation' (2025-2027)", to further promote pragmatic cooperation and integrated development between civil aviation and railways.
The task list focuses on solving the difficulties and pain points related to service standards, information sharing, and technical support in air-rail intermodal transportation, and clarifies seven aspects of tasks. These include building integrated air-rail intermodal transportation facilities, encouraging the construction of comprehensive transfer centers, consolidating the foundation for hardware facility connectivity, and promoting effective connection and efficient transfer between air and rail. It also includes improving the entire process of air-rail intermodal transportation products, supporting more domestic airlines to establish cooperation with the 12306 platform, steadily expanding the coverage of domestic air-rail intermodal transportation, and encouraging airlines and railway departments to jointly develop international inbound tourism air-rail intermodal transportation products. Providing convenient and comfortable air-rail intermodal transportation services, with a focus on optimizing passenger services by improving the convenience of transfer security checks, strengthening emergency coordination, and improving the level of passenger rights protection under abnormal circumstances. Deepening the interconnection and interoperability of air-rail intermodal transportation information, through the establishment of docking platforms, optimizing liaison mechanisms, and strengthening information sharing on operations and services. The Civil Aviation Administration of China (中国民航局) and the China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. (国铁集团) will refine work measures and accelerate the promotion of "hard connectivity" such as the planning and construction of railway and civil aviation infrastructure, and "soft connectivity" such as transportation service organization, standards, and information.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 郭晓龙
In a common residential building in Daowai District, Harbin (哈尔滨), Heilongjiang Province (黑龙江省), 95-year-old Wang Jitang (王济堂) sits up straight, full of vigor, the medals on his chest gleaming.
Sunlight shines on the historical photos of the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army (东北抗联) on the wall, illuminating a deep scar on his left brow bone, and an old scar on his left shoulder is faintly visible at the collar of his military uniform—the mark of the 14-year-old special agent "Little Cat" fighting the Japanese invaders with bayonets 81 years ago.
Why did the teenager become a special agent?
"I never want to live the life of a subjugated slave, worse than cattle or horses."
In 1930, Wang Jitang was born into a poor family in Harbin (哈尔滨). After losing his mother at the age of 8, he was left alone and depended on his uncle, Wang Shoubi (王守璧), in a tofu shop.
In his youth, Wang Jitang witnessed Japanese military police acting like robbers, eating and taking whatever they wanted from the tofu shop, and beating and kicking his uncle at the slightest dissatisfaction.
In January 1943, when three "soybean merchants" stepped into the tofu shop, Wang Jitang heard fresh anti-Japanese propositions and the heroic deeds of the Anti-Japanese United Army (抗联) for the first time: ambushing Japanese puppet transport teams, cleverly seizing Zhaoyuan County (肇源县) ... he was thrilled.
"From now on, my tofu shop will be your secret liaison point, and you can take my nephew to fight the Japanese!" Wang Shoubi (王守璧), who also hated the invaders, opened the curtain of the inner room, and three figures appeared from the shadows—they were Zhang Ruilin (张瑞麟), Secretary of the Harbin (哈尔滨) Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China (中共哈尔滨市委), Dong Liquan (董丽泉), Secretary of the underground party branch of the Sankeshu (三棵树) Railway Factory, and Grandpa Han (韩大爷), a liaison officer of the Anti-Japanese United Army (抗联). The Mauser pistol hidden under the cotton robe was faintly visible.
"He's not even as tall as a 'Type 99' rifle, he looks just like a little cat!" Zhang Ruilin (张瑞麟) pinched Wang Jitang's (王济堂) thin shoulders, "He can't even carry a gun, how can he fight the Japanese?"
"I never want to live the life of a subjugated slave, worse than cattle or horses! I never want to see my uncle bullied by the Japanese again!" Hearing the question, Wang Jitang (王济堂) suddenly grabbed the iron tongs from the stove and smashed them against the millstone, sparks flying everywhere, "You can even let me bite the necks of the Japanese!"
In this way, 13-year-old Wang Jitang (王济堂), under the arrangement of Zhang Ruilin (张瑞麟), infiltrated the Sankeshu (三棵树) Railway Factory as an apprentice with the code name "Little Cat." A thin teenager thus burrowed into the "heart" of the enemy.
In the factory, which was tightly controlled by the Japanese army, the clever special agent "Little Cat" began a "ants gnawing at bones" style of sabotage: taking advantage of the enemy's unpreparedness to smash precision machines, removing key valves and replacing them with waste products, secretly stuffing iron filings into the oil boxes of axles and lathes, and quietly cutting off the rubber pipes connecting the locomotives... At only 13 years old, he repeatedly made military exploits with his cleverness. Someone commented on him: "He is sallow and thin like a kitten, but his heart for fighting the Japanese is harder than iron."
"It's a lie to say I wasn't afraid. My palms were full of sweat when I sabotaged the machines, but when I thought of the soldiers on the front lines, my hands became steady." Recalling the past, Wang Jitang (王济堂) clenched his fists.
Which lurking experience was the most dangerous?
"My lip was split open, and blood gurgled into my throat."
In order to broaden the source of intelligence, the agile Wang Jitang (王济堂) quickly developed the ability to chase trains, hitch rides on trains, and jump off trains. In the second year of his infiltration, at the age of 14, he experienced a dangerous incident.
In July 1944, in order to gather military intelligence on the Japanese Kwantung Army (关东军), Wang Jitang (王济堂) put on a railway uniform, carried a railway "identity certificate" and a commuter ticket, and carried an inspection hammer, hitching a ride on a troop train bound for Xinjing (新京) (Changchun (长春)), the "capital" of the puppet state of Manchukuo.
"Where are you going? To the Soviet Union?" His undercover work had quickly enabled Wang Jitang (王济堂) to master Japanese. Relying on his standard accent and childlike appearance, he inquired about intelligence from the Kwantung Army (关东军) inside the train.
"No, we're going to Burma." Seeing Wang Jitang (王济堂), who was wearing a railway uniform and was short in stature, the Kwantung Army (关东军) soldier who was spoken to was not very wary. But just as Wang Jitang (王济堂) was about to leave the train, another vigilant Kwantung Army (关东军) soldier suddenly pounced on him, grinning and holding a bayonet to his back: "Come into the carriage for questioning!"
"If I go in, it will definitely be a disaster!" At the critical moment, Wang Jitang (王济堂) immediately yanked open the train door and jumped out, a cold light flashing.
"If I were a big guy, my stomach would have been pierced! I squatted down, and the bayonet 'popped' into my left brow bone!" Blood instantly blurred his vision. Wang Jitang (王济堂) tilted his head to dodge again, and the second knife plunged deeply into his left shoulder. "My lip was split open, and blood gurgled into my throat." In the gap between the Japanese soldiers pulling out their knives, Wang Jitang (王济堂), his face covered in blood, curled up like a kitten and jumped off the speeding train.
Wild grass and gravel scraped his clothes, and in the mix of rain and blood, Wang Jitang (王济堂) dragged his wounded body and trudged with difficulty. When he returned to the tofu shop, he immediately handed over the military intelligence he had gathered.
This blood-stained intelligence was urgently sent to the Soviet Union by the underground party. After comprehensively considering various information, the Soviet side decided to transfer 760,000 troops stationed in Siberia to the Soviet-German battlefield. The young special agent made a remarkable contribution.
How is the spirit of deep concealment of fame inherited?
"I hope more people can learn about the fighting years of the Anti-Japanese United Army (抗联) through the small medal."
The smoke of the Anti-Japanese War had dissipated, but Wang Jitang's (王济堂) figure did not leave the battlefield. He successively participated in the Liberation War and the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, and finally continued to serve the motherland on the public security front. The Internal Security Section of the Daowai (道外) Branch of the Harbin (哈尔滨) Public Security Bureau became his new "position." He and his colleagues solved more than 300 cases in three years and were named "crack case experts."
That thrilling period under the code name "Little Cat," along with the origin of the numerous scars, was buried deep in his heart for decades. Strictly guarding the secrets of the Party is the iron law of the warriors on the hidden front, and they keep their mouths shut even to their closest relatives. His daughter, Wang Tiaoying (王窕颖), admitted: "My father's identity was special, and we only vaguely learned about it later."
In 2015, Russian President Vladimir Putin personally signed an order to award Wang Jitang (王济堂) the "70th Anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945" commemorative medal.
Faced with this medal symbolizing supreme glory, Wang Jitang's (王济堂) heart was as still as water: "This honor belongs to all the martyrs of the Anti-Japanese United Army (抗联), not to me alone." Soon, this extraordinary medal was solemnly donated by him to the National Museum of China. "I hope more people can learn about the fighting years of the Anti-Japanese United Army (抗联) through the small medal," he said. "As a survivor, what I have done is insignificant compared to the martyrs."
After his identity was revealed, Wang Jitang (王济堂) was given a new mission. The light on his desk often shone late into the night, and the tip of his pen rustled on the manuscript paper. "Hero Without Regret," "Escaping from Under the Bayonets of the Japanese Invaders"... memoirs filled with blood and tears were published one after another. He also joined the Harbin (哈尔滨) Municipal Party History Research Association, and together with hundreds of veteran party members, transformed the sealed Anti-Japanese United Army (抗联) stories into vivid teaching materials.
His home has also become a miniature "Anti-Japanese United Army (抗联) Spirit Exhibition Hall." In the photos on the wall, he sits side by side with young officers and soldiers and students, surrounded by banners and certificates. After retiring, Wang Tiaoying (王窕颖) became her father's most capable assistant, carefully sorting out the vast amount of Anti-Japanese United Army (抗联) historical materials: "My father's story is a treasure, and more people need to know the weight of that history."
At the beginning of last year, such a scene in the Exhibition Hall of Evidence of Crimes Committed by Unit 731 of the Japanese Invading Army moved countless netizens: Learning that the Taiwanese child "Xiao Danggui (小当归)" and his family were coming to visit, Wang Jitang (王济堂) made a special trip to go. He gently and firmly told the children about the common pain and history of resistance of the nation, and presented them with a piece of calligraphy he had written himself—"I hope Xiao Danggui (小当归) will come home often to see, which will surely promote peaceful development across the Taiwan Strait." Amidst the fragrance of ink, the tragedy of history and the expectations for the future are intertwined, and the feelings of home and country transcend the strait.
Wang Jitang (王济堂) always says: "I am a small person, and what I do is also small." However, it is precisely the fearless courage that bursts forth from this "small" body, the espionage warfare carried out under this "small" code name, and the indifference of this "small" self to fame and fortune that have forged the hardest steel of the national backbone.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 李 纵
In recent years, artificial intelligence technology has accelerated the empowerment of various industries. Restaurant delivery robots, with their advantages of intelligent delivery and reduced labor costs, have been widely used in catering service scenarios. If a delivery robot injures someone while performing a delivery task, who should bear the responsibility? Recently, the Xiangqiao District People's Court of Chaozhou (潮州市) City, Guangdong (广东省) Province, concluded a case of a dispute over the right to physical integrity, sounding an alarm for the safe application of intelligent equipment in public places.
On March 16, 2024, Xiao Gui (小贵) (pseudonym), a minor, went to a restaurant in Chaozhou (潮州市) with his mother. During this time, Xiao Gui (小贵) was running in the restaurant and, unable to avoid it in time, was accidentally knocked down by a robot performing a delivery task. After the incident, Xiao Gui (小贵) was rushed to a local hospital for examination and was diagnosed with a laceration of the left eyebrow arch. After receiving treatment that night, Xiao Gui (小贵) went to the hospital twice for follow-up examinations, during which a total of 470 yuan was incurred in medical expenses. The restaurant paid 441 yuan of this amount and waived the 318 yuan meal fee for that day.
Later, because the two parties failed to reach an agreement on compensation issues, Xiao Gui's (小贵) legal representative filed a lawsuit with the Xiangqiao (湘桥) Court.
The plaintiff claimed that no safety signs were posted on the surrounding walls and floor of the dining area, the restaurant's safety protection measures were inadequate, and it did not fully fulfill its safety guarantee obligations. They requested that the defendant be ordered to compensate the plaintiff for various economic losses, including medical expenses, lost work expenses, and mental distress compensation, totaling 13,881 yuan.
The defendant argued that the plaintiff was playing and running around after entering the store, and the staff had repeatedly reminded his mother to fulfill her supervisory responsibilities. After the incident, the restaurant staff accompanied him to the hospital multiple times, during which they paid medical expenses and reduced meal fees. Therefore, they requested that the court reject the plaintiff's claim in accordance with the law.
The court held that, according to Articles 1165, 1198, and 1173 of the Civil Code of the People's Republic of China (中华人民共和国民法典), the evidence provided by the restaurant was insufficient to prove that it had fulfilled its safety guarantee obligations. As the operator of the place where the incident occurred, it was at fault and should bear the liability for compensation. Because Xiao Gui (小贵) was under four years old and had no capacity for civil conduct, Li (李)某, as Xiao Gui's (小贵) guardian, was negligent in his supervision and was also at fault for Xiao Gui's (小贵) injury. Taking into account factors such as the degree of fault of both parties and the degree of participation in the causal relationship, the court ruled that the restaurant should bear 50% of the compensation responsibility for Xiao Gui's (小贵) various losses.
Judge Xie Zefen (谢泽芬), who handled the case, reminded: For the use of intelligent equipment, operators should fully consider the operational risks of the equipment, improve safety protection measures, such as setting up obvious warning signs, scientifically and reasonably optimizing the robot's operating routes, regularly conducting comprehensive inspections and maintenance of the robot equipment, and providing safety operation training for employees. At the same time, they should remind consumers to pay attention to the robot's operating path to effectively protect the personal safety of consumers. Only when both operators and consumers earnestly fulfill their respective obligations can they effectively prevent risks and truly safely benefit the public with technological dividends.
Return to TopAccording to a report from Beijing on July 6th in this newspaper (Reporter Zhang Tianpei (张天培)), the second ministerial meeting on the joint crackdown on telecom and online fraud crimes by China, Myanmar, and Thailand was held recently in Naypyidaw, Myanmar. At the meeting, relevant departments of the three countries reached a series of consensuses on deepening police law enforcement cooperation. They will continue to join hands to severely crack down on telecom and online fraud crimes in areas such as Myawaddy, comprehensively eliminate telecom fraud industrial parks, arrest all personnel involved in fraud, resolutely eradicate the soil for fraud crimes, and earnestly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of the people of all countries.
It is understood that since the beginning of this year, relevant departments of China, Myanmar, and Thailand have cooperated closely to jointly launch a fierce offensive against telecom and online fraud crimes in the Myawaddy area, arresting and centrally repatriating more than 5,400 Chinese nationals involved in fraud, achieving significant results.
Return to TopThis newspaper reported from Beijing on July 6th (Reporter Jin Xin (金歆)) - A reporter learned from the Cyberspace Administration of China (国家网信办): Recently, the Cyberspace Administration of China (国家网信办) has solidly organized and carried out the special action of "Qinglang (清朗) · Optimizing the Business Network Environment - Rectifying Enterprise-Related Online 'Black Mouths'," deploying local cyberspace administrations to actively accept and handle illegal online infringement acts involving enterprises, urging key websites and platforms to strengthen the management of enterprise-related information content, and strictly and quickly deal with a number of enterprise-related illegal and irregular accounts. Recently, the Cyberspace Administration of China (国家网信办) reported some typical cases.
These typical cases include: First, accounts such as "Chai Duidui (柴怼怼)" fabricated false and untrue information involving enterprises, maliciously slandering and attacking enterprises. The Douyin account "Chai Duidui (柴怼怼)" and others deliberately smeared the product quality of a certain enterprise without factual basis, maliciously slandered the image and reputation of a certain enterprise and entrepreneur, and took the opportunity to attract fans and divert traffic to sell goods. Second, accounts such as "Mengqi Bitan (孟栖笔谈)" released negative information involving enterprises to seek illegal benefits. WeChat public accounts such as "Mengqi Bitan (孟栖笔谈)" and "Huichang Guancha (辉常观察)" have long collected and released negative and untrue information involving enterprises. When the enterprise communicated with them to delete the untrue information, they threatened to carry out business cooperation. Third, accounts such as "Che Shuodao (车说道)" hyped up hot topics involving enterprises and released false and untrue information. Dongchedi (懂车帝) account "CHE Che Shuodao (CHE车说道)", Sohu (搜狐) account "Che Shuodao (车说道)" and others, in order to attract attention and traffic, maliciously hyped up hot topics in the automotive industry such as intelligent driving and assisted driving, released untrue information about a certain brand of car, fabricated casualty accidents, fabricated court judgments, and maliciously slandered the product quality of the enterprise. Fourth, accounts such as "Internet of Things Consulting Room (物联网咨询室)" disseminated enterprise trade secrets and spread false and untrue information. WeChat public accounts "Internet of Things Consulting Room (物联网咨询室)" and "Internet of Things Consulting Room Extra (物联网咨询室号外)" have long published the trade secrets of a certain high-tech enterprise in order to obtain traffic, and maliciously spread false information, interfering with the normal production, operation and development of the enterprise. Fifth, accounts such as "Xingdewangye (兴德旺业)" impersonated enterprises and entrepreneurs to carry out marketing. The above-mentioned accounts have been dealt with according to laws and regulations, the relevant account subjects have been included in the platform blacklist management, and the relevant infringing information has been cleared.
Return to TopOn July 7, 1937, the gunfire at Lugou Bridge (卢沟桥) shattered the long night. The nationwide War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression erupted.
At this critical moment of life and death, through the unremitting efforts of the Communist Party of China (中国共产党), a united front against Japanese aggression, based on the cooperation between the Kuomintang (国民党) and the Communist Party, and with the broad participation of all ethnic groups, democratic parties, patriotic armies, people from all walks of life, and overseas Chinese, was formed and developed.
Across the north and south of the Yangtze River (长江), inside and outside the Great Wall (长城), the sons and daughters of all ethnic groups in China braved the enemy's artillery fire and went to the national crisis together, demonstrating a strong sense of cohesion, centripetal force, and combat effectiveness.
"Contribute strength if you have strength, contribute money if you have money, contribute guns if you have guns, contribute knowledge if you have knowledge," the inspiring slogan resounded across the Chinese land, becoming a bugle call to inspire the entire nation's resistance. In Pingshan (平山), Hebei (河北), young people responded enthusiastically, expressing their determination to "join the Eighth Route Army (八路军) and drive away the Japanese soldiers." More than 1,500 young people from Pingshan actively joined the army and participated in the war. Ma Benzhai (马本斋), a Hui (回族) general in the anti-Japanese war, organized young adults to rise up and resist, forming the Hui Anti-Japanese Volunteer Army.
Intellectuals used their pens as guns. Yu Dafu (郁达夫) published a large number of articles to encourage the morale of the resistance fighters. Xian Xinghai's (冼星海) "Yellow River Cantata" (《黄河大合唱》) roared out the national soul. Chen Jiageng (陈嘉庚), a leader of overseas Chinese, raised funds to purchase materials. More than 3,000 mechanics from Nanyang (南洋) risked their lives to support the Yunnan-Burma Road (滇缅公路). The national enterprise Minsheng Company (民生公司) devoted all its resources to transport strategic materials to the rear. Women sewed millions of military uniforms day and night, and children's groups stood guard, kept watch, and delivered intelligence... The word "resistance" was deeply engraved into the spine of every Chinese person.
(Reported by Xu Leipeng (徐雷鹏), our reporter)
Return to TopThis newspaper reported from Beijing on July 6th (Reporter Zhang Tianpei (张天培)) The reporter learned from the Beijing General Station of Immigration Inspection (北京边检总站) that as of June 30th, the number of inbound and outbound passengers at Beijing ports this year has exceeded 10 million, an increase of 19.6% year-on-year; among them, the number of inbound and outbound foreigners reached more than 2.9 million, accounting for 29% of the total number of inbound and outbound passengers, an increase of 36.5% year-on-year.
In recent years, a series of policies to facilitate foreigners' entry into China have continued to take effect, and international tourists have flocked to China, making "China tours" for foreigners continue to be popular. From the perspective of foreigners entering the country, as of June 30th, the number of foreigners entering Beijing ports this year reached 1.49 million, of which more than 840,000 foreigners entered the country with visa-free and 240-hour temporary entry permit policies, which is twice that of the same period last year. The reasons for foreigners to come to China are mainly tourism, accounting for nearly 50%, followed by conferences, business, and visiting relatives and friends.
From the perspective of mainland residents entering and leaving the country, as of June 30th, the number of mainland residents who chose to enter and leave the country through Beijing ports this year reached more than 6.55 million, which is about 1.1 times that of the same period last year.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 宋豪新
"Recently, the system issued an early warning that a low-income recipient, Zeng Moumou (曾某某), in Huangshi Community, Baima Town, Shizhong District, simultaneously received both minimum living allowance subsidies and decentralized special hardship assistance funds." The Party Conduct and Government Style Supervision Office of the Neijiang Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection (内江市纪委监委) in Sichuan Province and relevant department staff received the system alert simultaneously. After investigation, it was found that due to deviations in communication and coordination between the district-level competent department and the township, and a lack of understanding by relevant handlers, Zeng Moumou (曾某某) received "double subsidies" for three consecutive months.
After recovering the illegally obtained subsidies, the Shizhong District Commission for Discipline Inspection (市中区纪委监委) sent a work reminder to the District Civil Affairs Bureau (区民政局), requiring further strengthening of system data entry review, system comparison frequency, and grassroots personnel investigation efforts.
Since last year, the Neijiang Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection (内江市纪委监委) has deeply implemented the "Digital Empowerment" action, upgraded the "Yikatong" (一卡通) distribution supervision platform, added supervision modules for subsidy projects such as minimum living security funds and living allowances for boarding students from compulsory education families with financial difficulties, and at the same time, powerfully improved the accuracy of big data comparison. "We have incorporated the use of the 'Yikatong' (一卡通) distribution supervision platform into the important practice of collaborative supervision between discipline inspection and supervision and finance, promoting mutual transfer of clues, coordinated investigation and handling, special rectification, and the establishment of systems." The relevant person in charge of the Neijiang Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection (内江市纪委监委) said.
Return to TopLayout design: Zhang Danfeng (张丹峰)
Return to TopFrom July 3rd to 6th, the 2025 National Industry Vocational Skills Competition—the 2nd National Cultural Relics Industry Vocational Skills Competition was held in Luzhou (泸州), Sichuan Province (四川省). The competition was co-sponsored by the National Cultural Heritage Administration (国家文物局), the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (人力资源社会保障部), and the All-China Federation of Trade Unions (中华全国总工会).
The theme of this competition was "Protecting Cultural Heritage and Promoting the Spirit of Craftsmanship." The content covered six competition projects: metal, ceramics, paper calligraphy and painting, woodwork, brick and tile cultural relics restorers, and archaeological excavation workers. Nearly 300 contestants from all over the country participated in the competition, the oldest being 59 years old and the youngest being 19 years old. After fierce competition, a total of 6 first prizes, 24 second prizes, and 59 third prizes were awarded.
Behind the contestants are thousands of cultural relic restoration workers who are struggling on the front lines. They persevere and find joy in their tedious work, meticulously repairing and restoring damaged cultural relics, giving them new life, and allowing the historical culture they carry to shine again.
The foundation of restoring cultural relics lies in "restoration," and the focus is on "preserving authenticity." This visual edition uses pictures to record the wonderful moments of the competition, reveals the difficulties of cultural relic restoration techniques, and shows how craftsmen skillfully "restore."
(Reporters Yang Xuemei (杨雪梅), Zhou Feiya (周飞亚), and Song Haoxin (宋豪新) of this newspaper)
All pictures in this edition are taken by Zhang Wujun (张武军), a reporter of this newspaper, except for those with signatures.
The expert comments in this edition were all compiled by Song Haoxin (宋豪新) and Zhang Wujun (张武军), reporters of this newspaper.
Return to TopBy: 曾亦辰
The older, middle-aged, and younger generations of cultural relic restoration skilled personnel competed on the same stage. Different teams of cultural relic restorers learned from and communicated with each other, bringing their skills into the spotlight, and the craftsmanship sparked new inspiration in the exchange. The holding of the competition allows the spirit of craftsmanship to be continuously demonstrated and promoted in the protection of cultural heritage.
On the field, the skills of cultural relic restoration and archaeological exploration moved from behind the scenes to the front. The meticulous polishing of metal rust removal, the precise splicing of ceramic fragments, the modulation and outlining of painting pigments... These "unique skills" that were once hidden behind the scenes have been transformed into a tangible and knowable wonderful display through the competition site. The competition of skill levels has become the focus of people's attention, and it has also allowed more people to see the surging enthusiasm in the hearts of practitioners in these "niche" industries.
In the competition, talents and skills have been grown and tempered. Checking for omissions and filling in gaps in practical operations, learning from others' strengths and compensating for one's weaknesses in observation, the competition is not only a concentrated presentation of skills, but also a practical classroom for talent growth. Experienced craftsmen demonstrate standard and standardized skills, while young craftsmen bring innovation and vitality. They jointly relay and inherit in the protection of cultural heritage. It is believed that through such competitions, the cause of cultural heritage protection will usher in a broader space for development.
Return to TopLayout design: Cai Huawei (蔡华伟)
Return to TopThis year, July 7th marks the 88th anniversary of the outbreak of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) pointed out: "The Chinese people nurtured the great spirit of resisting aggression in the magnificent process of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, demonstrating to the world the patriotic feelings of everyone being responsible for the rise and fall of the world, the national integrity of regarding death as home and never yielding, the heroic spirit of not fearing violence and fighting to the end, and the belief in certain victory of being 百折不挠 (bǎi zhé bù náo - "hundred folds not bend," indomitable) and persevering."
The great spirit of resisting aggression, like a towering monument, stands deep in the national memory; like an unextinguished torch, it illuminates the journey of great rejuvenation. It is the invaluable spiritual wealth of the Chinese people, stirring in the hearts of every Chinese son and daughter, transforming into an indestructible will, leading us to overcome all difficulties and obstacles, and bravely advance towards national rejuvenation!
-- Editor
The Patriotic Feelings of Everyone Being Responsible for the Rise and Fall of the World
Our reporter Zhang Yang (张洋)
On July 7, 1937, at the Lugou Bridge (卢沟桥), gunshots tore through the night sky, and iron hooves shattered the mountains and rivers. At this moment of national survival, the patriotic spirit of the Chinese sons and daughters rose unprecedentedly, building an unyielding spiritual Great Wall.
In the Changbai (长白) forest and sea, the north wind is like a knife. At the moment when ammunition and food were exhausted, General Yang Jingyu (杨靖宇) only ate dry grass, bark, and cotton wadding. The body of the martyr was dissected, and the clump of indigestible grass wadding in his stomach shocked the Japanese military doctor. The grass wadding was silent, but it was more scalding than any shout: for the sake of the revolution, persevere to the end, even if it means death, we cannot surrender to the enemy.
On the summit of Langya Mountain (狼牙山), the smoke of gunpowder covered the sun. Five Eighth Route Army (八路军) soldiers, in order to cover the transfer of the masses and the main force, resolutely led the enemy to the top of Qipantuo (棋盘陀). When the bullets ran out, they used stones. When the last stone was also smashed at the enemy, they smashed their guns and jumped down, their shouts resounding through the deep valley: "Down with Japanese imperialism!" "Long live the Chinese Communist Party!"
On the North China Plain (华北平原), a thrilling war was "digging" on. Facing the Japanese invaders' "mopping-up" and "three-all" policies, the people of Jizhong (冀中) used hoes and wisdom to dig a crisscrossing underground network - hiding, transferring, fighting, and producing, plunging the invaders into the vast ocean of people's war, making it difficult for them to move an inch.
Everyone is responsible for the rise and fall of the world. The Chinese Communist Party (中国共产党) is the mainstay of the entire nation's resistance against aggression. Under the banner of the anti-Japanese national united front advocated and established by the Chinese Communist Party, Chinese sons and daughters at home and abroad have competed to devote themselves to the great struggle to defend their homes and the country.
"Patriotism is the deepest and most lasting emotion in the world, and it is what every Chinese person's heart is tied to and where their feelings belong. It is the broad mind of benefiting the world, and the collective power of unity." Zhang Taiyuan (张太原), director and professor of the Department of Party History of the Chinese Communist Party at the Central Party School (National Academy of Governance) (中央党校（国家行政学院）) said, "The spirit of patriotism is deeply rooted in the hearts of the Chinese nation, inspiring generations of Chinese sons and daughters to work tirelessly for the development and prosperity of the motherland."
The smoke of gunpowder has dissipated, and the red flag is flying. This feeling, soaked in blood and fire, has been tempered to be more pure and ardent in the crucible of the times.
Looking up at the starry sky, the "Chang'e" (嫦娥) team, with the ambition of embracing the moon in the nine heavens, asks the sky with excellence, turning the romantic dream of flying to the sky for thousands of years into a world-shaking aerospace feat; bowing to the countryside, the "Huang Wenxius (黄文秀)" bloom the flowers of youth on the battlefield of poverty alleviation, measuring the people's conditions with feet covered in mud, and interpreting the original mission of the Communists with burning lives; guarding the border, the young soldiers use the pure oath of "pure love, only for China" to build an indestructible boundary marker with loyalty and blood... Patriotic feelings have been transformed into unremitting struggle in every position.
Today, the nourishment of patriotism is like a spring breeze and rain, silently moisturizing everything: in the campus in the early morning, at the flag-raising ceremony, all teachers and students stand in salute and sing the national anthem; in the memorial hall, the solemn eyes gazing at the rusty steel guns and mottled family letters allow the smoke of history and today's peace to have a silent dialogue in the depths of the soul. Listen, that sound of "Please rest assured, Party, a strong country has me" is the loudest youthful echo of the new era's "responsibility of everyone"!
The patriotic feelings of "everyone being responsible for the rise and fall of the world" have long been forged into the spiritual genes of the Chinese nation. Every individual, as ordinary as you and me, is consciously or unconsciously merging the trickle of life into the mighty torrent of national development. This is the secret of the endless life of Chinese civilization and the deepest foundation for national rejuvenation.
The National Integrity of Regarding Death as Home and Never Yielding
Our reporter Zhao Cheng (赵成)
On the bank of the Suzhou River (苏州河) in Shanghai (上海), a huge wall covered with shell holes and bullet holes is engraved with the scars of history -
In 1937, during the Battle of Songhu (淞沪会战) on August 13th, Xie Jinyuan (谢晋元), the deputy commander of the 524th Regiment of the 88th Division, led more than 400 people to defend the Sihang Warehouse (四行仓库). Facing the Japanese army, the "Eight Hundred Heroes" (八百壮士) fought alone for 4 days and nights before breaking through the encirclement until they received the order to retreat.
In the southern foothills of the Taihang Mountains (太行山), Sili Town (思礼镇), Jiyuan City (济源市), Henan Province (河南省), is a town named after a hero -
In October 1943, Yu Sili (于思礼), then deputy secretary of the Jiyuan County Party Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, was arrested due to betrayal by a traitor. Facing the brutal torture of the Japanese puppet army, he remained steadfast and refused to reveal the secrets of the Party. When he was being buried alive by the Japanese puppet army, he still shouted: "Long live the Chinese Communist Party!" "Down with Japanese imperialism!"
"Better to be a dead ghost than a slave to a conquered country!" Countless Chinese sons and daughters, like the "Eight Hundred Heroes" and Yu Sili and other heroes, regarded death as home and never yielded, building an unbreakable wall of flesh and blood for the Chinese nation.
Bai Wenguan (白文冠), the mother of the anti-Japanese hero Ma Benzai (马本斋), swore to die rather than obey when the Japanese army used both soft and hard tactics to force her to write a letter to her son to persuade him to surrender. She eventually died of starvation for 7 days for the country, writing a national epic of "Son, bravely resist Japan and deter the enemy; Mother, rather be a broken jade than a whole tile."
Wang Jiantang (王建堂), a young man from Anxian County (安县), Sichuan (四川), volunteered to join the army to kill the enemy. His old father, Wang Zhecheng (王者诚), gave his son a white cloth flag with the powerful word "death" written in the center. The small characters on the left side of the flag read: "...Grant a flag, always carry it with you. Wipe blood when injured, wrap the body after death. Go forward bravely, do not forget your duty."
As a newspaper editorial during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression wrote: "Today, on the northern and southern battlefields, people are vying to die and rushing to die, because everyone has absolute faith, knowing that sacrificing oneself is to exchange for the independence and freedom of the Chinese nation for generations to come, and is sure to achieve it."
Times have changed, but the spirit is immortal and the integrity lasts forever. The great spirit of resisting aggression has always inspired the Chinese people to overcome all difficulties and obstacles and defeat all powerful enemies.
At the beginning of the founding of New China, facing the flames of war burning at their doorstep, the Chinese People's Volunteer Army marched valiantly across the Yalu River (鸭绿江). After 2 years and 9 months of arduous and bloody battles, they won the great victory of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea (抗美援朝战争), and more than 197,000 heroic sons and daughters gave their precious lives.
In the peaceful era, behind the tranquility of the years, some people are carrying the weight forward, guarding the lights of thousands of homes with their lives. "Rather shed all the blood than lose an inch of land." On the towering Karakoram (喀喇昆仑) Plateau, facing the deliberate provocations of foreign troops, battalion commander Chen Hongjun (陈红军) and his comrades braved the enemy's "stone rain" and "stick formation" to build a towering boundary marker with their flesh and blood.
The heroic spirit of heaven and earth is still awe-inspiring for thousands of years. "National integrity is the spiritual quality and noble pursuit of never yielding in order to maintain the dignity of the country and the nation. It stems from the identification with the national culture and the responsibility for the fate of the country. It is the spiritual awakening of placing personal life and death after the national righteousness, and it is the spiritual pillar of the Chinese nation that has always stood tall despite hardships." said Pan Jingguo (潘敬国), a researcher at the Central Party History and Literature Research Institute (中央党史和文献研究院).
On the new journey, constantly drawing strength from the spirit of resisting aggression, inheriting the ambition of heroes, cultivating national integrity, and enhancing the ambition, backbone, and confidence of being Chinese, we will surely be able to promote the cause of the Party and the people to continuously move from victory to new victory.
The Heroic Spirit of Not Fearing Violence and Fighting to the End
Our reporter Geng Lei (耿磊)
"The first battle at Pingxingguan (平型关), its fame spread throughout the world." In the Pingxingguan Victory Memorial Hall (平型关大捷纪念馆) in Lingqiu County (灵丘县), Datong (大同), Shanxi (山西), a song "The Eighth Route Army March" is still sung today, bringing people's thoughts back to that era of war.
Only by not fearing violence can there be hope. In September 1937, the Japanese army advanced westward along the Ping-Sui Railway (平绥铁路) in an attempt to occupy Shanxi and control the entire North China. The 115th Division of the Eighth Route Army was ordered to defend Pingxingguan in the face of danger. Facing an enemy with several times the strength and sophisticated equipment, the Eighth Route Army soldiers relied on simple weapons and iron will to fight bravely... The victory at Pingxingguan broke the myth of the invincibility of the Japanese army and greatly boosted the confidence of the military and civilians across the country in resisting aggression.
More than 300 kilometers south of Datong, on the summit of Shinao Mountain (狮脑山) in Yangquan (阳泉), the Hundred Regiments Offensive Memorial (百团大战纪念碑) stands like a sharp bayonet piercing the clouds. This was one of the main battlefields of the Hundred Regiments Offensive.
Only by fighting to the end can we win. In 1940, the Japanese army stepped up its implementation of the "Purification and Construction Plan" and the "Cage Policy." The headquarters of the Eighth Route Army launched the "Hundred Regiments Offensive" in North China. In the raid on the Zhengtai Railway (正太铁路), Jia Bosen (贾柏森) and his comrades used only a few grenades and dozens of bullets to fight with the enemy until the main force successfully defeated the enemy; in the battle of Niangziguan (娘子关), Deng Shijun's (邓仕均) company ran out of ammunition and food, but still engaged in bayonet fighting with the enemy, killing a bloody path and successfully breaking through... The Hundred Regiments Offensive broke the Japanese army's "Cage Policy" and dealt a heavy blow to the arrogance of the Japanese invaders.
"If you are brave and martial, you will be strong and invincible." From the difficult obstruction in the strategic defense stage to the tenacious maneuvering in the stalemate stage, and finally to the thunderous outbreak of the all-out counter-offensive... During the difficult years of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, hundreds of millions of Chinese people shared the same hatred and countless soldiers generously went to their deaths, writing heroic epics with their lives.
As time goes by, this heroic spirit, forged in blood and fire, becomes more and more radiant after years of baptism.
"The technological blockade of us by foreign countries forces us to take a path of self-reliance." Facing the unilateral termination of research and development by foreign partners due to pressure, "People's Scientist" Wang Xiaomo (王小谟) led his team to take root in the vast Gobi Desert and build China's own early warning aircraft.
"If there is danger, I will come!" Facing a criminal who frantically wielded a knife and resisted arrest, "Public Security Model" Qiu Jianjun (邱建军) was brave and fearless, rushed to the front, and fought desperately with the criminal suspect. He was stabbed 15 times but still endured the severe pain and tried his best to arrest him, protecting the lives of the people at the scene with his life.
Heroes are Chinese soldiers who stand up at critical moments, scientific researchers who independently innovate without waiting or relying, and Party member cadres who take root at the grassroots level and guard the people... They are in their respective positions, using different methods to continue writing the moving stories of contemporary heroes and interpreting the contemporary connotation of heroic spirit.
"The Chinese nation is a great nation with a large number of heroes, and it has a glorious tradition of not fearing violence and resisting foreign aggression. The Chinese people, who were unwilling to be slaves to a conquered country, carried out a heroic resistance against the Japanese militarist aggression, writing a heroic chapter that shocked the world and made the ghosts cry." said Zhang Weibo (张卫波), a professor at the Central Party School (National Academy of Governance). "History tells us that the more we face a complex situation, the more we must maintain our determination, inherit and carry forward the great spirit of resisting aggression, not avoid difficulties, strengthen our confidence, and bravely face and overcome the difficulties and challenges we face."
The Belief in Certain Victory of Being 百折不挠 (bǎi zhé bù náo - "hundred folds not bend," indomitable) and Persevering
Our reporter Li Linwei (李林蔚)
On the Heroic Mother Square in Zhangjiafen Village (张家坟村), Shicheng Town (石城镇), Miyun District (密云区), Beijing (北京市), a granite statue of Deng Yufen (邓玉芬) stands quietly.
After the outbreak of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, this widely praised "heroic mother" sent her husband and 5 children to the front line. She cooked water and food for the Eighth Route Army, sewed and mended clothes, and carefully took care of the wounded by feeding them soup and water. She asked someone to send a message to her son: "Don't worry about the family, concentrate on fighting the Japanese devils."
However, misfortune followed: her husband, Ren Zongwu (任宗武), and her fifth son, Yong'an (永安), were killed by the Japanese army, her eldest son, Yongquan (永全), died heroically in battle, and her fourth son, Yonghe (永合), died tragically in Anshan (鞍山) Prison... A series of heavy blows, Deng Yufen persevered. She told herself that she wanted to see the day of victory with her own eyes.
When the July 7th Incident (七七事变) broke out, the Japanese invaders arrogantly declared that they would destroy China in three months. However, they underestimated the firm determination and strong will of a nation to resist to the end.
In the memorial hall of the Liu Laozhuang (刘老庄) Company Memorial Park of the New Fourth Army (新四军), a rifle that was severely distorted by the flames of war and has become bow-shaped tells the story of this heroic company.
In March 1943, in order to cover the safe transfer of local people and Party and government leading organs, 82 warriors of the 4th Company of the 2nd Battalion of the 19th Regiment of the 7th Brigade of the 3rd Division of the New Fourth Army fought with more than 1,000 Japanese puppet troops. When the bullets ran out, they used bayonets to stab, when the bayonets were bent, they used gun butts to smash, and when the gun butts were broken, they used small shovels to chop. The battle lasted from dawn to dusk. They repelled 5 attacks by the enemy in a row, and finally, due to being surrounded and running out of ammunition, they died heroically.
The position was gained and lost again; the battle was a back-and-forth seesaw; the battle situation was sometimes good and sometimes bad... In 1938, in response to the two ideological trends of "national subjugation theory" and "quick victory theory," "On Protracted War" pointed out: "The War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression is a protracted war, and the final victory belongs to China - this is our conclusion." The belief in certain victory illuminated the long night of hardship and guided the Chinese sons and daughters to defeat the ferocious invaders and win the final victory of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression.
Today, crossing the long river of time, the belief in certain victory of being 百折不挠 (bǎi zhé bù náo - "hundred folds not bend," indomitable) and persevering is constantly bursting out with powerful spiritual strength.
How hard are the stones in the Taihang Mountains? In some places, only 0.3 meters deep was drilled with a wind drill, and more than 40 drill bits were broken. For 10 years, the people of Linxian County (林县), Henan (河南) refused to accept their fate, refused to give in, and dared to fight against heaven and earth, and they carved out a 1,500-kilometer river of life on the cliffs.
How big was the wind and sand in Dongshan (东山) in the past? Previously, the wind and sand swallowed 13 villages and more than 1,000 houses. In order to overcome the wind and sand, people built sand barriers, but they were blown down by the wind and sand; they sowed grass seeds, but they were buried by the wind and sand... "There is no success without failure, if you fail, do it again." With this unyielding energy, Gu Wenchang (谷文昌) led cadres and the masses to "plant trees every ten days" on the flying sand beach, and finally turned the barren island into an oasis!
What was Camel Bay (骆驼湾) like in the past? "Longquanguan (龙泉关) has high mountains and deep gullies, and it is difficult to make money in the cracks of the rocks." The word "poor" has trapped generations of people. In order to get rid of poverty, Camel Bay has taken many detours: planting walnuts, but the natural conditions are poor and the seedlings die; planting jujubes, but they are affected by competing products and cannot be sold; raising cattle and sheep, but the feeding costs are high and there is no competitiveness... After repeated failures, it has developed industries such as edible fungi and tourism, turning "poor mountains and bad waters" into "good mountains and good waters."
Smoothing out the bumps becomes a broad road, and the more difficult it is, the more forward we go. "The Chinese nation has a spirit of perseverance. It never gives up, retreats, or stops in the face of any difficulties and risks, and struggles for its own future and destiny with 百折不挠 (bǎi zhé bù náo - "hundred folds not bend," indomitable)." said Qi Biao (齐彪), a professor at the Central Party History and Literature Research Institute. "At present, facing an extremely complex international environment and arduous and heavy tasks of reform, development, and stability, only by knowing the difficulties and advancing and facing the difficulties can we win the initiative and win the future."
Return to TopThis edition coordinated by: Zhao Cheng (赵成)
Layout design: Zhang Fangman (张芳曼)
Return to Top"We are the 'Night Tigers' that the enemy cannot defend against."
People's Daily reporter Fan Haotian (范昊天)
"Climbing onto the speeding train, like riding a galloping steed, the station and the railway line are our good battlefields for killing the enemy..." In the General Hospital of the Central Theater Command, centenarian Li Defu (李德富) hums the tune of "Play My Beloved Pipa." It is hard to imagine that this kind old man, who loves to sing, practice Tai Chi, and attend senior citizen's university after retirement, was once a member of the Railway Guerrilla, who struck fear into the hearts of the invaders.
Li Defu (李德富) was born in Hebei (河北) in 1924. At the age of 5, he followed his family to join his father, Li Liansheng (李连生), who was a railway worker in Shandong (山东). In October 1939, the father and son joined the Eighth Route Army's Su Yu Detachment (八路军苏鲁支队) with the team.
From the winter of 1940 to the spring of 1943, the Japanese and puppet troops adopted methods such as "mopping up" and encroachment on the Lunan Anti-Japanese Base Area (鲁南抗日根据地), intending to eliminate the local anti-Japanese armed forces. The military and civilians of Lunan (鲁南) adopted the tactic of "the enemy advances, we advance" to break the enemy's blockade. "We are the 'Night Tigers' that the enemy cannot defend against. We march quickly and lightly, and are good at 'sudden pounces'," said Li Defu (李德富).
In October 1943, Li Defu (李德富) was appointed political instructor of the Lunan Railway Brigade's Long Gun Team (鲁南铁道大队长枪队). This brigade was the prototype of the well-known Railway Guerrilla. He and his comrades adopted flexible and mobile guerrilla tactics, relying on the support of the masses in the Weishan Lake area (微山湖地区) to derail trains, intercept railways, and blow up bridges, constantly destroying the Japanese army's transportation lines and intercepting military supplies.
In order to deal with the Railway Brigade, Japanese senior agent Watanabe Ichiro (渡边一郎) organized a "puppet Railway Brigade" in Lincheng (临城), posing as Railway Brigade members to sneak into villages at night and wantonly arrest innocent villagers. Li Defu (李德富) and his comrades vowed to "eliminate this scourge."
One day, the Railway Brigade discovered the enemy's whereabouts near Xia Yinzhuang (下殷庄). Brigade Commander Liu Jinshan (刘金山) ordered the main force to follow the enemy, while Li Defu (李德富) led a platoon to ambush on a small high ground near Lijialou (李家楼). After the Japanese devils entered the ambush circle, Li Defu (李德富) directed the long gun team to fiercely shoot at the enemy's direction in the dark. After dawn, they learned from the prisoners that Watanabe Ichiro (渡边一郎) had been killed.
In 1945, after Japan announced its unconditional surrender, Li Defu (李德富) also participated in the surrender ceremony in Shagou (沙沟). At that time, the Japanese army refused to surrender to the Lunan Railway Brigade (鲁南铁道大队). Our side argued on the basis of reason, rejected the other side's unreasonable demands, and forced them to surrender their weapons. It was extremely rare in the history of the War of Resistance against Japan for a Japanese army to surrender its weapons to a local guerrilla force that was far inferior to itself in terms of numbers and equipment.
After the victory of the War of Resistance against Japan, Li Defu (李德富) participated in the War of Liberation. In 1965, he followed his troops to work in Wuhan (武汉), Hubei (湖北). After retiring from the army in 1980, he spent his later years in the Wuhan Seventeenth Retired Cadre Sanatorium of the Hubei Military Region (湖北省军区武汉第十七离职干部休养所).
After retirement, Li Defu (李德富) often went to primary and secondary schools to give voluntary lectures, using the battle stories of that year to educate and guide children to love the Party and the country, and to establish lofty ideals from an early age. "We didn't wear shoes when marching and fighting at that time. We only put on shoes before the battle. We didn't know how many times our toenails fell off when walking normally. We didn't care about the pain, we only thought about how to eliminate the enemy..." Simple words revealed the original intention of a veteran of the War of Resistance against Japan.
"When the bugle sounds, we must charge forward."
People's Daily reporter Zhang Wenhao (张文豪)
Wearing reading glasses and stroking the photo frame, in a small courtyard in Minquan County (民权县), Henan (河南), veteran Liu Deshan (刘德山) was fascinated by a photo: it was a scene of him participating in the military parade commemorating the 70th anniversary of the victory of the War of Resistance against Japan in Beijing (北京) 10 years ago. At that time, as a model representative of supporting the front during the War of Resistance against Japan, the old man drove an open-top car through Chang'an Avenue (长安街) and was captured by the media waving his hand in a historical moment.
"At that moment, I had inexhaustible energy all over my body, as if I had returned to the battlefield!" Although he is old, Liu Deshan's (刘德山) voice is still loud. On his chest, the commemorative medals for the 50th, 60th, and 70th anniversaries of the victory of the War of Resistance against Japan, as well as various honorary medals, are shining brightly. "This year is the 80th anniversary of the victory of the War of Resistance against Japan, and I want to wait for another one."
Time goes back to the 1920s. Liu Deshan (刘德山) was born in Minquan County (民权县) on the south bank of the old course of the Yellow River (黄河). At the age of two, he was taken out by his family to escape the famine. In 1942, he dropped his begging bowl and joined the Fourth Division of the New Fourth Army (新四军四师).
In the flames of the War of Resistance against Japan, he fought in various parts of eastern Henan (豫东). In Daizhuang (代庄), Yongcheng (永城), his superiors ordered them to cooperate in attacking the Japanese puppet traitors. He and his comrades used "millet plus rifles" to kill and capture more than 300 traitors, and then took advantage of the victory to pursue and capture the traitors stationed in Lüzhai (吕寨), and wiped out the local traitor armed forces in one fell swoop.
"When the country is prosperous, everyone is responsible. I would rather die than be a traitor." The old man said that although the equipment was backward, the New Fourth Army (新四军) had a good mass base, and the military and civilians jointly won many victories.
One battle made him unforgettable to this day. In the spring of 1945, in Ershilipu (二十里铺), Yongcheng (永城), the company to which Liu Deshan (刘德山) belonged was to block the Japanese army from invading. "I fired the first shot! At that time, we had rifles in our hands, and we had to reload after firing one shot, while the enemy was well-equipped and had heavy machine guns." The old man recalled that in the end, the troops fought and retreated, and bullets whizzed past his ears. Carelessly, a comrade-in-arms running in front of him was shot and killed. Speaking of this past event, the old man could not hide his grief.
At night, he took two soldiers from his squad, groped to the position in the dark, and found the fallen comrade-in-arms. "At that time, there was no stretcher. Two comrades-in-arms carried his shoulders in front, and I carried his legs in the back. I didn't have time to drink a sip of water, and sent him to his hometown dozens of miles away."
Did he regret going to the battlefield with a gun? The old man raised his trouser legs, and the indentation at the knee joint of his left leg was obvious. In a battle, a grenade exploded beside him, and Liu Deshan (刘德山) had no time to dodge, and was injured in 7 places on his leg. "When the bugle sounds, we must charge forward!" The old man said that his hard body and iron bones were tempered by the flames of war.
In his old age, Liu Deshan (刘德山) is very concerned about national affairs and always remembers the years of war in his youth. Ten years ago, comrades from the county's armed forces department brought good news: they invited him to Beijing (北京) to participate in the military parade commemorating the 70th anniversary of the victory of the War of Resistance against Japan. Liu Jianhua (刘建华), the son who accompanied Liu Deshan (刘德山) to Beijing (北京), recalled that his father talked with the veterans as if he had returned to the youth camp. When the open-top car drove through Tiananmen (天安门), he straightened his spine and waved to the crowd. "That kind of glory makes me feel that I have not lived in vain in this life," said Liu Deshan (刘德山).
"It is our duty to defend our homeland."
People's Daily reporter Shao Yuzi (邵玉姿)
In the Jingxin Garden Talent Apartment in Jingxing County (井陉县), Shijiazhuang (石家庄), Hebei (河北), there is a special resident - a centenarian veteran of the War of Resistance against Japan, Xie Shunxiang (郄顺祥).
In the living room, photos of military uniforms from different periods are all over the TV wall, and several commemorative medal collection boxes are neatly placed on the coffee table. "These are all the old man's most precious things!" Xie Shunxiang's (郄顺祥) son-in-law Liu Jianwen (刘建文) said with a smile.
"When I was 19 years old, my brother and I were 'militia under the blockhouse'." Xie Shunxiang's (郄顺祥) hometown is in Xijie Village (西街村), Weizhou Town (威州镇), Jingxing County (井陉县). At that time, the Japanese army had occupied the village and built a blockhouse on the high ground of the village to monitor the villagers and the Eighth Route Army (八路军). Xie Shunxiang (郄顺祥) and his brother acted under the surveillance of the blockhouse, secretly guarding guns and other supplies for the local guerrillas.
Soon after, an accident happened. "A militiaman in the neighboring village was discovered by the Japanese army. The Japanese army burned down his house and killed his family." Although many years have passed, Xie Shunxiang (郄顺祥) still feels very sad whenever he thinks of it. "It is our duty to defend our homeland!" In August 1944, Xie Shunxiang (郄顺祥) officially joined the local guerrillas.
"We all acted at night, mainly to harass and attack the blockhouses guarded by the Japanese army." Xie Shunxiang (郄顺祥) said that the blockhouses were built on high ground and were difficult to capture. Most of the time, everyone either carried out harassment operations around the blockhouses, or laid landmines on the roads where the Japanese or puppet troops went down the mountain, which played a deterrent role and prevented them from harming the people and the Eighth Route Army (八路军) in the village. In more than a year, Xie Shunxiang (郄顺祥) and his team members harassed and attacked nearly a hundred blockhouses in Tu'an (土岸), Sunzhuang (孙庄) and other places.
"Which one impressed you the most?" the reporter asked.
"The surprise attack on Nanfangkou (南方口), they successfully captured the blockhouse." Worried that his father-in-law was tired, Liu Jianwen (刘建文) added from the side. Xie Shunxiang (郄顺祥) waved his hand anxiously: "I remember it most clearly, let me tell it myself."
"At that time, we ambushed around the blockhouse in advance, and rushed in quickly while the drawbridge was lowered." Xie Shunxiang (郄顺祥) said that they quickly controlled the puppet troops on the blockhouse, but 3 Japanese soldiers escaped down the passage inside the blockhouse and hid in the tunnel. In order to completely eliminate the Japanese army in the blockhouse, they finally burned down the entire blockhouse.
In June 1945, Xie Shunxiang (郄顺祥) joined the Jin-Cha-Ji Military Region (晋察冀军区) troops and participated in more than 10 major and minor battles. He was shot 3 times in the back, the upper side of his right arm was pierced by enemy bullets, and 5 toes on his left foot were injured by artillery shells... "Now these 5 toes of mine cannot be bent, which affects normal walking." The war has left indelible marks on this centenarian.
"Aren't you afraid of being injured so many times?"
"Not afraid! Our Communist Party members are not afraid of death, and it is an honor to sacrifice!" Xie Shunxiang's (郄顺祥) voice was firm and powerful.
"We fought for the happiness of the people, and so is developing the economy." Now, Xie Shunxiang (郄顺祥) reads newspapers and watches news every day. "Good days are hard-won, we must continue to struggle and continue to work hard."
"Even if the situation is dangerous, there is no retreat."
People's Daily reporter Men Jiewei (门杰伟)
"Thousands of mountains and valleys, copper walls and iron walls, the flames of the War of Resistance are burning on the Taihang Mountains (太行山), with a momentum of thousands of feet..." In Erdao District (二道区), Changchun (长春), Jilin (吉林), Meng Fande (孟繁德), a 98-year-old veteran of the War of Resistance against Japan, sits at home and sings the anti-Japanese song "On the Taihang Mountains" (在太行山上), his voice loud. The impassioned singing brings people's thoughts back to the years of war.
In October 1927, Meng Fande (孟繁德) was born in Zouping (邹平), Shandong (山东). When he was a child, his father was an underground liaison officer of the Eighth Route Army (八路军). Under the influence of his father, the young Meng Fande (孟繁德) joined the local Children's Corps and went to more than 40 surrounding villages and towns to sing anti-Japanese songs to save the country. Meng Fande (孟繁德) said: "Although we were young at the time and could not take up guns and go to the battlefield, we also had to contribute our strength to the anti-Japanese war to save the country."
In 1940, Meng Fande (孟繁德), who was only 13 years old, participated in the health training team established by the Eighth Route Army (八路军) in Shandong (山东), and officially joined the army.
Meng Fande (孟繁德) recalled that the Japanese army's "mopping up" was very serious at that time. While fighting against the "mopping up" and fighting against the enemy, they seized every minute and second to learn medical knowledge. "The conditions in the mountains were very difficult. If there were no houses, we would build wooden sheds ourselves. If there were no lighting lamps, we would light torches. If there were no medical devices, we would make them with wood and iron wire." Three months later, Meng Fande (孟繁德) successfully completed his study task and was assigned to the Qingxi Military Region (清西军分区) as a health worker.
The battlefield hospital had no fixed place, and the wounded were scattered and hidden in various villages. "3 people live in this village, and 5 people live in that village." Meng Fande (孟繁德) recalled that the medicine basket contained simple medical supplies such as disinfectant, gauze, tweezers, and ointment. He needed to carry the medicine basket wrapped in a package between the villages. The inconspicuous medicine basket became a link to the hope of life and a weapon for him to fight.
Danger is everywhere. A moment of horror in the autumn of 1943 was unforgettable for Meng Fande (孟繁德). "I was walking on the road with a medicine basket in my arms, and I saw the Japanese cavalry head-on, no more than three or four hundred meters away from me! The basket contained the hope of survival for the wounded. If it was discovered, it would be all over." In a hurry, Meng Fande (孟繁德) flashed to the side of the road, tightly protecting the medicine basket in his arms, and held his breath. The Japanese devils saw that Meng Fande (孟繁德) was still young and did not think much about it, so they brushed past him.
Meng Fande (孟繁德) participated in many dangerous tasks like this. He clearly remembered that he was ordered 3 times to escort seriously wounded people through the enemy-occupied area, and fought for a glimmer of life for the wounded in the roads tightly blocked by the Japanese puppet troops. Every crossing was a brush with the edge of life and death. "Even if the situation is dangerous, there is no retreat." Meng Fande (孟繁德) said, "We must resolutely resist to the end and not be afraid of bloodshed and sacrifice!"
After the smoke of gunpowder dissipated, Meng Fande (孟繁德) followed the troops to fight and continued to engage in medical work, and finally settled in Changchun (长春). "Although I can no longer put on armor for the country, I always stick to my original intention and dedicate my remaining energy to the country." Meng Fande (孟繁德) said, "The victory of the War of Resistance was hard-won. I hope that today's young people will take on the burden and build the country better!"
"The enemy is fierce, but we are not afraid."
People's Daily reporter Wang Haonan (王昊男)
In a residential building in Jinsong Jiuyuan (劲松九区), Chaoyang District (朝阳区), Beijing (北京), 97-year-old Zhang Yuhe (张玉和) lies quietly on the bed. Her daughter Zhang Weiwei (张维维) took out her mobile phone, opened the WeChat account of "Little Zhang of the Eighth Route Army" (八路小张), and sent it to the old man's eyes. Zhang Yuhe's (张玉和) lips moved, and a light suddenly burst out in her eyes.
"When we encounter content related to the War of Resistance against Japan, we will forward it to him as soon as possible. He loves to watch it!" Zhang Weiwei (张维维) said that this WeChat account was registered by Zhang Yuhe's (张玉和) grandson a few years ago, and the old man is very satisfied with this nickname. "We know that it is the anti-Japanese memory that is engraved in my father's bones."
Zhang Yuhe (张玉和) was born in 1928. His mother died when he was 8 months old, and his father died when he was 12 years old. His grandmother raised him single-handedly. In 1942, 14-year-old Zhang Yuhe (张玉和) witnessed the atrocities of the Japanese invaders and resolutely joined the Youth National Salvation Association (青年报国会) under the leadership of the Communist Party of China. Zhang Yuhe (张玉和) recalled: "At that time, I had only one thought: I must drive the Japanese devils out of China!"
When he first joined the revolution, Zhang Yuhe (张玉和) did not have a gun. Without a gun, hot blood was a weapon. Zhang Yuhe's (张玉和) first special battle unfolded under the night.
At that time, near Zhang Yuhe's (张玉和) hometown (now Pinggu (平谷), Beijing (北京)), the Japanese devils built a blockhouse every two miles along the highway, and dug deep ditches four or five meters wide on the roadside, intending to trap the mobile forces of the Eighth Route Army (八路军) in the nearby mountains. There was one way for the Eighth Route Army (八路军) to cross the ditch - to dig "foot nests" on the walls of the trench. The "foot nests" were like a dark ladder. The officers and soldiers of the troops stepped on it and climbed up from the ditch, and they could find a way to pass through the enemy's blockade line.
"At that time, my father's task was to secretly dig 'foot nests' on the walls of the blockade ditch for the Eighth Route Army (八路军)." Zhang Weiwei (张维维) said that whenever she recalled the task at that time, her father was very excited. "The enemy's blockhouse was close at hand. We had to avoid the searchlights and act quickly. The troops were waiting!"
The battle was far more than that. Digging telephone poles, cutting power lines, ambushing... Every action of Zhang Yuhe (张玉和) and his comrades was like walking on the tip of a knife. In an ambush, he had just lowered his body behind the earthen wall to load the bullets when a bullet shot over with a "whoosh", and the hot air wave brushed past his ears.
"That time was the most dangerous." Many years later, Zhang Yuhe (张玉和) recalled to his daughter, "If the bullet was one inch off, I would have died on the battlefield." In Zhang Weiwei's (张维维) memory, her father often muttered about those thrilling nights: "I didn't sleep a sound sleep, I used the grave as a pillow, I held the gun in my arms, and I listened to the movement with my ears... The enemy is fierce, but we are not afraid!"
In September 1943, Zhang Yuhe (张玉和) officially joined the Communist Party of China. After the smoke of gunpowder dissipated, his life trajectory changed from people's armed work and rural work to finally devoting himself to the treatment of the Beijing (北京) North Canal (北运河). The position has changed, but "Little Zhang of the Eighth Route Army" (八路小张) has always been the same. After retirement, he taught his children: "Don't be greedy for money! Compare who does their job better!"
"In those days, a total of 7 young people from the same village joined the army, and the other 6 were sacrificed." Zhang Weiwei (张维维) said that in the past few years, Zhang Yuhe (张玉和) often suddenly punched and kicked in his sleep in the middle of the night, "and he would also shout sharply, 'Charge!' 'Be careful of grenades!'... That is the deepest memory in his mind."
"When the shells fly, you have to lie on the wounded soldiers."
People's Daily reporters Xu Jing (徐靖) and Jin Zhengbo (金正波)
In the small courtyard on the first floor of Jiuzhou Community (九洲小区), Xuancheng (宣城), Anhui (安徽), the sunlight shines through the branches and leaves on the wheelchair. Bao Qitai (鲍启太), 96 years old, often sits in it and goes to the nearby park for a walk.
In the old man's home, the furnishings are simple, with a military uniform photo prominently displayed in the living room. In the photo, the old man looks hale and hearty, and the medals on his chest shine brightly, silently telling the story of that war-torn era.
Bao Qitai (鲍启太) was born in 1929. "Back then, my family was poor, with nothing to eat or wear," the old man said with a smile, unable to afford the three dan of rice for schooling, so he helped with odd jobs and herded cattle on weekdays.
However, the arrival of the Japanese invaders shattered the originally peaceful life. As a teenager, Bao Qitai (鲍启太) heard too many stories of the Japanese army's cruel atrocities in the surrounding villages and even witnessed the Japanese army stabbing an old man to death. "Wear a military uniform, go to the battlefield, fight the Japanese devils!" quietly sprouted in the young Bao Qitai's (鲍启太) heart.
At the age of 11, he applied to join the army many times, but he was rejected each time because "he wasn't even as tall as a gun." Unable to join the army, he didn't give up, organizing his peers in the village to train in formation, preparing to go to the battlefield.
In recent years, Bao Qitai's (鲍启太) memory has gradually declined, and his speech is no longer clear, but when he recalls his youth, his eyes are bright.
In 1941, Bao Qitai (鲍启太) joined the New Fourth Army for the first time, but later lost contact with the army due to troop movements. In 1943, he found the New Fourth Army again, serving as a communication soldier and orderly.
Bao Qitai (鲍启太) was once sent to the New Fourth Army's nursing school to study, and later worked as a medic in a branch of the New Fourth Army's Seventh Division Hospital, initially mainly responsible for dispensing medicine.
"There couldn't be a single mistake in dispensing medicine, so I copied the first, middle, and last few letters of the English names of the medicines on my arm and checked them one by one," Bao Qitai (鲍启太) said, adding that to do a good job as a medic, he worked hard to memorize English, reciting the 26 letters of the alphabet from beginning to end until he knew them by heart.
For a medic, the lives of the wounded are more important than anything else. "When shells fly over, you have to lie on top of the wounded soldiers. It doesn't matter if I get killed, but the wounded soldiers can't be killed," Bao Qitai (鲍启太) said firmly.
On the battlefield amidst gunfire, he witnessed his comrades falling in machine gun fire, and the river was dyed red. Bao Qitai (鲍启太) said, "Revolutionaries are not afraid of death; those who are afraid of death are not revolutionaries. The more difficult it is, the more we must drive out the invaders."
Bao Qitai (鲍启太) once followed his troops to Zaozhuang (枣庄), Shandong (山东). "I was quite skilled, and the company sent me to climb the city wall to take out a few Japanese devils." Just as he climbed to the top of the wall, a shell came head-on. The old man Bao Qitai (鲍启太), touching his left chest, told reporters that he was injured in that battle.
After the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, Bao Qitai (鲍启太) also participated in the War of Liberation and the Korean War. "In those years, I can't remember how many injuries I suffered." The old man unfolded his right thumb, and in the thick joints, there were still remnants of shrapnel from that time.
The numerous scars have been exchanged for a happy life today. Recently, the Xuancheng (宣城) City Veterans Affairs Bureau organized veterans to go to the No. 11 Elementary School of the city to carry out patriotic education activities. On the podium, Bao Qitai (鲍启太) told the children about the preciousness of peace and the meaning of struggle, urging them to "study hard." When the red scarf was tied around his neck, the old man smiled brightly, as if he saw the red bloodline continuing on the tender shoulders.
"No guns, no cannons, the enemy makes them for us."
By Zheng Yangyang (郑洋洋), reporter of this newspaper, and Wang Yanru (王晏如), reporter of People's Daily Online (人民网).
"Life was hard back then, and the conditions for the troops were also very difficult, but no matter how hard it was, we had to persevere in resisting Japan." In a residential house in Tianhe Community (田和社区), Beiying Street (北营街道), Xiaodian District (小店区), Taiyuan (太原) City, Shanxi (山西) Province, 98-year-old veteran Zhao Mingxiu (赵明秀) told reporters about that unforgettable past.
"The Japanese invaded China and implemented the 'Three Alls' policy: burn all, kill all, loot all." Due to the degradation of his lung function, Zhao Mingxiu's (赵明秀) breathing was heavy, and his voice was low and hoarse, but when he mentioned the invaders' atrocities, his tone was noticeably higher.
In 1927, Zhao Mingxiu (赵明秀) was born in Xinyaoping Village (辛窑坪村), Shenchi (神池), Shanxi (山西). At the age of 14, he joined the army in his hometown and became a young soldier in the Eighth Route Army.
As a teenager, Zhao Mingxiu (赵明秀) was tall, strong, and quick-witted, and climbing walls and heights was no problem for him. Seeing that he was bold, clever, and agile, the cadres of the armed work team often took him with them when carrying out armed work behind enemy lines. "I was just a little kid back then, and it wasn't easy to arouse the enemy's suspicion." He put on ragged clothes, smeared his face with dirt, and entered the Japanese army's blockhouse under the guise of delivering foreign cigarettes to scout out the enemy's situation.
Under the cover of night, Zhao Mingxiu (赵明秀) and his comrades attacked the Japanese blockhouse strongholds, touching sentries, digging roads, and cutting telephone lines, cutting off the enemy's supply and communication links.
"When I was on missions, the cadres of the armed work team always followed far behind to protect me." His outstanding performance repeatedly earned him praise from the cadres of the armed work team. Speaking of this, Zhao Mingxiu (赵明秀) suddenly straightened his hunched body, raised his right hand, and his trembling thumb trembled slightly: "The cadre gave me a thumbs up, patted me on the shoulder, and praised me as a good 'little devil'!" He grinned, like a mischievous child.
Later, as he grew older, Zhao Mingxiu (赵明秀) went to the front lines of battle. The combat conditions were very difficult, the soldiers were not well-fed or well-clothed, and the level of weapons and equipment was far behind that of the enemy. "No guns, no cannons, the enemy makes them for us!" Zhao Mingxiu (赵明秀) said.
Attacking Nanxinzhuang Village (南辛庄村), Shenchi County (神池县), was the first time Zhao Mingxiu (赵明秀) went to the battlefield. That battle was a great victory, and the comrades seized a large number of weapons. Zhao Mingxiu (赵明秀) also captured a "crooked-neck" machine gun, thus becoming a heavy machine gun shooter, "using the enemy's weapons to arm our troops!"
After hard practice, Zhao Mingxiu's (赵明秀) shooting skills improved rapidly. In many battles in Shenchi (神池), Wuzhai (五寨), and other places, he used machine guns to fight the Japanese invaders, "On the battlefield, I captured many light and heavy machine guns and was also rated as an 'excellent shooter'."
Guns and cannons have no eyes, and the battlefield is full of dangers. Once, Zhao Mingxiu (赵明秀) was crouching down to dig a trench when he suddenly felt something brush past the back of his neck. When he returned to his residence and took off his clothes, he found that the back brim of his military cap and the back collar of his military uniform had been pierced by enemy bullets.
Zhao Mingxiu (赵明秀) could not remember how many times he had experienced such thrilling moments. He said slowly, "When you go to the battlefield, you must charge forward, be brave and fearless, and not be afraid of sacrifice."
Having experienced the baptism of the Anti-Japanese War, Zhao Mingxiu (赵明秀) later participated in the War of Liberation and the Korean War, charging in battle after battle. Eating hardship before enjoying comfort is a creed he has practiced throughout his life.
"The only thought was to defend our home and country."
By Wang Zhe (王者), reporter of this newspaper.
"Revolutionary soldiers must all remember, the Three Main Rules of Discipline and the Eight Points for Attention..." Walking into the Yishui County (沂水县) Elderly Care Service Center (养老事业发展服务中心) in Linyi (临沂) City, Shandong (山东) Province, the corridor echoed with the sonorous singing of anti-Japanese war veteran Jing Baomei (景宝梅).
Born in Yishui County (沂水县) in 1926, Jing Baomei (景宝梅) joined the revolutionary ranks in October 1944, experiencing the baptism of the Anti-Japanese War and the War of Liberation.
At the age of 18, facing the Japanese invasion, Jing Baomei (景宝梅) resolutely joined the army and devoted herself to resisting Japan and saving the country. From the hospital to the front lines, she followed her troops in battles across Shandong (山东), completing urgent tasks at the risk of her life many times, without ever retreating in the slightest. "We are not afraid of sacrifice in our hearts; the only thought is to defend our home and country!"
While serving as a medic in the army, Jing Baomei (景宝梅) stood guard day and night at the post of treating the wounded, engaging in a thrilling contest with death. Tall, she was often assigned to carry stretchers and wounded soldiers on the front lines, shuttling through gunfire.
In one battle, as the Japanese offensive intensified, the number of wounded on our side increased sharply. Jing Baomei (景宝梅) had just carried a seriously wounded soldier onto a stretcher and had not had time to catch her breath when she heard a comrade shouting not far away: "There are more wounded, come and help!"
Ignoring her fatigue, Jing Baomei (景宝梅) immediately turned and ran in the direction of the shout. In the smoke of gunfire, she found a soldier with a leg injury, his pants already stained red with blood. Without thinking, Jing Baomei (景宝梅) quickly squatted down and simply bandaged the soldier's wound, and together with her comrades, carried the stretcher and ran.
Just then, a shell exploded not far away, and the powerful impact knocked them to the ground. Her cheek was scratched by shrapnel, but Jing Baomei (景宝梅) ignored the pain and immediately checked the condition of the wounded soldier. After confirming that the wounded soldier was unharmed, she and her comrades carried the stretcher again, eventually successfully sending the wounded soldier back to the rear.
"It used to be a long line here, but now there are more wrinkles, so it's not so obvious." During the interview, Jing Baomei (景宝梅) gently touched her cheekbones, and the scar was faintly visible.
During one night march, Jing Baomei (景宝梅) felt a piercing pain in her toes after running for several hours on a rough and uneven gravel road. Afraid of holding the troops back, she gritted her teeth and endured the pain, moving forward. When she reached the temporary rest stop, she took off her shoes and saw that the oozing blood had stuck to her socks.
Due to poor recovery in the later stages, Jing Baomei's (景宝梅) toes were severely deformed and still often red, swollen, and painful. But she said, "Compared to the knife wounds and gunshot wounds suffered by the soldiers, my pain is nothing." The scars are not only a testament to the years but also a medal that accompanies her throughout her life.
After the founding of New China, Jing Baomei (景宝梅) actively devoted herself to grassroots construction. She participated in the management of the Yi River (沂河) and the construction of the Ba Shan Reservoir (跋山水库), rolling up her cotton trouser legs and standing in the cold water to dig sand and clear the foundation, working for months on end... "To do work, you have to overcome all difficulties!" she said.
"This is my brother; he was brutally killed by the enemy. Our whole family is willing to serve the country." At the end of the interview, looking at the warm sunlight shining through the green shade, Jing Baomei (景宝梅) took out a cherished old photo, "Now it's considered the end of hardship and the beginning of happiness; he should also be happy and proud of me."
"Without enduring these hardships, how could we have a happy life?"
By Shen Zhilin (申智林), reporter of this newspaper.
"The Japanese invaders swept through the base area and massacred six of my relatives in one fell swoop." Stroking his chest repeatedly, Zhang Qinggong (张庆功), nearly a hundred years old, still felt immense pain when he recalled the afternoon of the twenty-first day of the twelfth lunar month 84 years ago, "I will never forget that day!"
Zhang Qinggong (张庆功) was born into an ordinary family in Qinyuan County (沁源县), Shanxi (山西) in November 1926. In 1941, the Japanese army gathered heavy troops and launched a frenzied "encirclement and suppression" against Qinyuan (沁源), implementing the inhumane "burn all, kill all, loot all" policy.
"That day, my family and my third aunt's family moved to a dilapidated cave five kilometers away, but we were still discovered by the enemy. My one-and-a-half-year-old brother was held in my mother's arms, and a bullet pierced his head and then passed through my mother's body, which was extremely cruel," Zhang Qinggong (张庆功) said with great sorrow.
"National hatred and family hatred made me put on a military uniform!" Zhang Qinggong (张庆功) said. In February 1942, Zhang Qinggong (张庆功), 16, joined the Qinyuan County (沁源县) First District Anti-Japanese Guerrilla. "I joined the army in the morning and went to the battlefield in the afternoon, and I wasn't afraid at all," he said.
One of the combat missions in the base area was to protect the people's production. One night in the spring of 1943, in response to the continuous harassment of the masses' spring plowing by the Japanese stronghold in Qinyuan (沁源) at that time, the battalion to which Zhang Qinggong (张庆功) belonged joined forces with several other troops to launch a surprise attack on the Japanese stronghold in the Qinyuan County (沁源县) county seat.
"Our army's three assault teams launched an attack at the same time, respectively confronting the enemy from the north and south barracks and the central command post," Zhang Qinggong (张庆功) said, adding that the command post was built on the hillside of a small earthen hill, with a bunker on top. He and his comrades "touched" the enemy's sentries all the way and went straight to the command post.
Amidst the gunfire, Zhang Qinggong (张庆功) disregarded his own life and death. Once, because of a traitor's betrayal, the unit to which he belonged was about to be surrounded by the Japanese army. During the breakout, an enemy bullet pierced through Zhang Qinggong's (张庆功) calf. Fortunately, the bullet did not explode in his body, nor did it break his bone. "After the breakout, I stayed in a fellow villager's house for seven or eight days to recover from my injuries. When I could get out of bed, I followed the troops again," Zhang Qinggong (张庆功) recalled.
During the Anti-Japanese War, Zhang Qinggong (张庆功) served as a squad leader and platoon leader, leading a team of nearly 30 people at most. "There were only a few rifles, and not many bullets. The soldiers fought the enemy with homemade grenades, and all the other supplies were seized. Over the years, we slowly replenished all the guns," Zhang Qinggong (张庆功) said with a smile.
Gradually, the troops' combat area gradually expanded from the base area, fighting all the way from Qinyuan County (沁源县) to Qin County (沁县), and even further. "Later, I felt that the enemy didn't dare to come out to fight and was shrinking more and more," Zhang Qinggong (张庆功) said. In 1945, when the news of Japan's surrender came, Zhang Qinggong (张庆功) was still thinking amidst the cheers: "If they hadn't run away so fast, I would have sent them a few more bullets."
Later, Zhang Qinggong (张庆功) followed the troops and participated in the War of Liberation and the Korean War. In 1955, he was transferred to local work. "Protecting life and protecting production, always rushing to the front where it was the hardest and most tiring, I have suffered a lot in my life," Zhang Qinggong (张庆功) sighed softly, then smiled again, "But without enduring these hardships, how could we have a happy life?"
"Behind me are the common people; I cannot retreat."
By Liu Xinwu (刘新吾), reporter of this newspaper.
After the rain, the reporter came to the home of Wu En (武恩), a 105-year-old anti-Japanese war veteran in Yuzhong District (渝中区), Chongqing (重庆). Wu En (武恩) opened an old photo album and told the reporter about that glorious era.
In 1940, Wu En (武恩), 20, was studying in Tianjin (天津), but the Japanese invasion shattered his peaceful life. "The Japanese invaders promoted 'enslavement education'. One day, my classmates and I didn't give way and salute to the Japanese, and they beat and scolded us in the street." Hatred and passion surged in Wu En's (武恩) heart, and he was determined "not to be a subjugated slave."
With the country in ruins, encouraged by his teacher, he and his classmates secretly ran to Tangshan (唐山) to participate in a workers' strike. Several members of the Jidong Anti-Japanese Guerrilla (冀东抗日游击队) of the 115th Division (一一五师) were promoting the anti-Japanese cause on the street. Hearing that these young people wanted to fight the Japanese invaders, they took Wu En (武恩) and his classmates to the guerrilla base area. From then on, Wu En (武恩) became a glorious guerrilla fighter.
"I went to the battlefield two days after joining the army." Wu En (武恩) said, holding up two fingers, "At that time, I didn't have a gun, so Squad Leader Liu (刘班长) gave me two grenades. After the battle started, he climbed to my side and taught me how to throw the first grenade."
In 1942, Wu En (武恩), then the squad leader of the enemy rear armed work team of the Pingxi Military Subdistrict (平西军分区) of the Jin-Cha-Ji Anti-Japanese Base Area (晋察冀抗日根据地), went to a village in Pingshan County (平山县), Hebei Province (河北省) to rescue the masses and found that there were still Japanese troops on the opposite mountain. The company commander immediately ordered a charge. Wu En (武恩) charged to the front and engaged in close combat with a Japanese soldier.
"When his rifle stabbed into my chest, I endured the pain and quickly fired a shot, killing him." Wu En (武恩) opened his collar and pointed to the scar on his chest with a smile, explaining, "At that time, the bullets in the other party's gun were empty, and I had one left, so I 'picked up' a life."
"Were you afraid when you went to the battlefield?" the reporter couldn't help but ask.
"When charging, everyone was full of enthusiasm and not afraid. After the war, when I thought of the scene of my comrades sacrificing, I was also afraid," Wu En (武恩) replied, "But I am an Eighth Route Army soldier, and behind me are the common people; I cannot retreat."
From a patriotic youth who cared about his country to an anti-Japanese fighter who was wholeheartedly devoted to the revolution, Wu En (武恩) constantly tempered his fighting will on the battlefield. In 1944, Wu En (武恩) went to the Pingxi Military Subdistrict (平西军分区) to serve as a news propaganda officer. The troops seized a camera from the Japanese army, but no one knew how to use it. The instructor found Wu En (武恩), gave him this precious camera, and asked him to learn how to use it as soon as possible and use it well to serve the troops.
After the troops marched to a county town in Hebei (河北), Wu En (武恩) quickly found a local photo studio, asked the owner for advice, and learned how to take pictures and develop film. Using the camera as a "weapon," Wu En (武恩) also charged to the front, shooting battle scenes, exposing the crimes of the Japanese army, boosting our morale, and the photos he took were very popular among the soldiers.
After the founding of New China, Wu En (武恩) retired and was assigned to work in Southwest China, continuing to serve the people. As time passed, Wu En (武恩) always maintained a firm and unwavering heart devoted to the Party: charging to the front in the face of national crisis, shouldering heavy responsibilities in building the motherland, and serving the people after leaving his post and retiring.
Even today, Wu En (武恩), who is enjoying his twilight years at home, still cares about national affairs and insists on watching the news every day. "Seeing the country peaceful and prosperous, and the people living in peace and happiness, our struggle was not in vain, it was worth it!" said Wu En (武恩).
(Xu Xiao (徐潇) participated in the writing)
Return to TopBy: 金正波
Going to the battlefield, are you afraid?
This is the answer from the veterans of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression—
"I joined the army in the morning and went to the battlefield in the afternoon. I was never afraid." Zhang Qinggong (张庆功), who is nearly 100 years old, said that in the hail of bullets, he had long put life and death out of his mind.
"I am the Eighth Route Army, and I have the common people behind me, so I cannot retreat." Wu En (武恩), 105 years old, still feels his blood boiling when he talks about that glorious period.
"Not afraid! We Communists are not afraid of death, and it is an honor to sacrifice!" The voice of Xi Shunxiang (郄顺祥), who is over a hundred years old, is firm and powerful.
Simple answers and an unwavering belief have a heart-stirring power.
The young people who crossed the smoke of gunpowder in those years now have gray hair and faltering steps. Approaching the veterans of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, listening to the stories hidden deep in their memories, and looking through their weathered faces, one can touch the faith that has never faded.
The veterans of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression are the heroes of the country, the backbone of the nation, and the witnesses of victory. More than 80 years ago, these veterans of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression stepped forward in times of crisis, fought for the nation, for the motherland, and for dignity, defended the great rivers and mountains of the motherland, and wrote a magnificent epic that moved the heavens and the earth. Their heroic spirit of bloody battles, their tenacious fighting spirit against foreign aggression, and their noble qualities of sacrifice and dedication are worthy of our eternal admiration.
In the name of the country, pay tribute to the meritorious deeds. In 2015, the military parade commemorating the 70th anniversary of the victory of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression arranged a formation composed of more than 300 veterans of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, who were reviewed as the first phalanx, including veterans of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, representatives of models of support for the front, and representatives of the children of martyrs, reflecting the lofty respect for the heroic predecessors. When they passed through Tiananmen (天安门), they left behind touching classic moments, which moved people of all ethnic groups across the country and the world.
Now, 10 years have passed, and most of the surviving veterans of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression are nearly 100 years old. These veterans are the participants and witnesses of history, and are vivid teaching materials for us to understand revolutionary history and inherit the revolutionary spirit. Approaching them is not only about recording stories, but also about continuing the spirit.
Memories are in urgent need of protection. This is a heavy data from Zhangzhou (漳州) City, Fujian (福建) Province this year: there are only 14 registered veterans of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression in the city, with an average age of over ninety. Rescuing memories is urgent. The Zhangzhou (漳州) Municipal Veterans Affairs Bureau has joined hands with multiple departments to carry out the "Rescue of Memories of Veterans of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression" campaign. Conduct in-depth face-to-face interviews with veterans with clear thinking to preserve images; interview relatives or comrades-in-arms of veterans who cannot communicate effectively; and photograph historical objects such as medals, certificates, and letters and preserve them digitally. The stories of the veterans of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, whether impassioned or whispered, are the most touching national memories. It can remind us where we come from and where we are going.
The spirit needs to be inherited even more. In the magnificent Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, thousands of heroes of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression shed their blood and made significant contributions to the victory of the war. In the heroes of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, we can see the patriotic feelings of everyone being responsible for the rise and fall of the world, the national integrity of regarding death as home and never yielding, the heroic spirit of not being afraid of violence and fighting to the end, and the 百折不挠 (bǎi zhé bù náo - "hundred setbacks not yield," undaunted by setbacks) and indomitable belief in victory. Today, we are closer than ever in history to achieving the goal of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. To achieve our goals, we need heroes and the spirit of heroes.
A promising nation cannot be without heroes, and a promising country cannot be without pioneers. All national heroes, including the heroes of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, are the backbone of the Chinese nation, and their deeds and spirit will always inspire us to forge ahead.
Return to TopThis edition coordinated by: Jin Zhengbo (金正波)
Layout design: Cai Huawei (蔡华伟)
Return to Top"We are the 'Night Tigers' that the enemy cannot defend against."
Reporter Fan Haotian (范昊天)
"Climbing onto the speeding train, like riding a galloping steed, the station and the railway line are our good battlefields for killing the enemy..." In the Central Theater Command General Hospital, centenarian Li Defu (李德富) hummed "Play My Beloved Tu Pipa." It is hard to imagine that this kind old man, who likes to sing, practice Tai Chi, and attend senior citizen's university after retirement, was once a member of the Railway Guerrilla, who made the invaders tremble with fear.
Li Defu (李德富) was born in Hebei (河北) in 1924. At the age of 5, he followed his family to Shandong (山东) to join his father, Li Liansheng (李连生), who worked as a railway worker. In October 1939, the father and son followed the team to join the Eighth Route Army's (八路军) Su Yu Detachment.
From the winter of 1940 to the spring of 1943, the Japanese and puppet troops adopted methods such as "mopping up" and nibbling at the Lunan Anti-Japanese Base Area (鲁南抗日根据地), in an attempt to eliminate the local anti-Japanese armed forces. The military and civilians of Lunan (鲁南) adopted the tactic of "the enemy advances, we advance" to try to break the enemy's blockade. "We are the 'Night Tigers' that the enemy cannot defend against. We march quickly and lightly, and are good at 'sudden pounces'," said Li Defu (李德富).
In October 1943, Li Defu (李德富) was appointed political instructor of the Lunan Railway Brigade's (鲁南铁道大队) rifle team. This brigade is the prototype of the well-known Railway Guerrilla. He and his comrades adopted flexible and mobile guerrilla tactics, relying on the support of the masses in the Weishan Lake (微山湖) area, derailing trains, intercepting railways, and bombing bridges, constantly destroying the Japanese army's transportation lines and intercepting military supplies.
In order to deal with the Railway Brigade, Japanese senior agent Watanabe Ichiro (渡边一郎) organized a "puppet railway team" in Lincheng (临城), posing as Railway Brigade members to sneak into villages at night and wantonly arrest innocent villagers. Li Defu (李德富) and his comrades vowed to "eliminate this scourge."
One day, the Railway Brigade discovered the enemy's whereabouts near Xia Yinzhuang (下殷庄). Brigade Commander Liu Jinshan (刘金山) ordered the main force to follow the enemy, while Li Defu (李德富) led a platoon to ambush on a small highland near Lijialou (李家楼). After the Japanese devils entered the ambush circle, Li Defu (李德富) directed the rifle team to fire fiercely at the enemy's direction in the dark. After dawn, they learned from the prisoners that Watanabe Ichiro (渡边一郎) had been killed.
In 1945, after Japan announced its unconditional surrender, Li Defu (李德富) also participated in the surrender ceremony in Shagou (沙沟). At that time, the Japanese army refused to surrender to the Lunan Railway Brigade (鲁南铁道大队). Our side argued on the basis of reason, rejected the unreasonable demands put forward by the other side, and forced them to surrender their weapons. It was very rare in the history of the War of Resistance Against Japan for a Japanese army to surrender its weapons to a local guerrilla force that was far inferior to itself in terms of numbers and equipment.
After the victory of the War of Resistance Against Japan, Li Defu (李德富) participated in the War of Liberation. In 1965, he followed his troops to work in Wuhan (武汉), Hubei (湖北). After retiring from the army in 1980, he spent his later years in the Wuhan Seventeenth Retired Cadre Sanatorium of the Hubei Provincial Military Region (湖北省军区武汉第十七离职干部休养所).
After retirement, Li Defu (李德富) often went to primary and secondary schools to give voluntary lectures, using the battle stories of the past to educate and guide children to love the Party and the country, and to establish lofty ideals from an early age. "We didn't wear shoes when we marched and fought at that time. We only put on shoes before the battle. We didn't know how many times our toenails fell off when we walked normally. We didn't care about the pain, we just thought about how to annihilate the enemy..." These simple words expressed the original intention of a veteran of the War of Resistance Against Japan.
"When the bugle sounds, we must charge forward."
Reporter Zhang Wenhao (张文豪)
Wearing reading glasses and stroking the photo frame, in a small courtyard in Minquan County (民权县), Henan (河南), veteran Liu Deshan (刘德山) was fascinated by a photo: it was a scene of him participating in the military parade commemorating the 70th anniversary of the victory of the War of Resistance Against Japan in Beijing (北京) 10 years ago. At that time, as a model representative of supporting the front during the War of Resistance Against Japan, the old man drove an open-top car through Chang'an Street (长安街) and was captured by the media waving his greetings in a historic moment.
"At that moment, I had inexhaustible energy all over my body, as if I had returned to the battlefield!" Although he is old, Liu Deshan's (刘德山) voice is still loud. On his chest, the commemorative medals for the 50th, 60th, and 70th anniversaries of the victory of the War of Resistance Against Japan, as well as various honorary medals, shone brightly. "This year is the 80th anniversary of the victory of the War of Resistance Against Japan, and I want to wait for another one."
Time goes back to the 1920s. Liu Deshan (刘德山) was born in Minquan County (民权县) on the south bank of the old course of the Yellow River (黄河). When he was two years old, his family took him out to escape the famine. In 1942, he dropped his begging bowl and joined the Fourth Division of the New Fourth Army (新四军四师).
In the flames of the War of Resistance Against Japan, he fought in various parts of eastern Henan (豫东). In Daizhuang (代庄), Yongcheng (永城), his superiors ordered them to cooperate in attacking the Japanese and puppet traitors. He and his comrades used "millet plus rifles" to kill and capture more than 300 traitors, and then took advantage of the victory to pursue and capture the traitors stationed in Luzhai (吕寨), and wiped out the local traitor armed forces in one fell swoop.
"When the country is prosperous, everyone is responsible. I would rather die than be a traitor." The old man said that although the equipment was backward, the New Fourth Army (新四军) had a good mass base, and the military and civilians jointly won many victories.
One battle made him unable to forget it until now. In the spring of 1945, in Ershilipu (二十里铺), Yongcheng (永城), the company where Liu Deshan (刘德山) was located had to block the Japanese army from invading. "I fired the first shot! At that time, we had rifles in our hands. We had to reload after firing one shot, but the enemy was well-equipped and had heavy machine guns." The old man recalled that the troops finally fought and retreated, and bullets whizzed past his ears. Carelessly, a comrade-in-arms running in front of him was shot and killed. Speaking of this past event, the old man could not hide his grief.
At night, he took two soldiers from his squad, groped to the position in the dark, and found the fallen comrade-in-arms. "At that time, there were no stretchers. Two comrades-in-arms carried their shoulders in front, and I carried their legs in the back. I didn't bother to drink a sip of water and sent him to his hometown dozens of miles away."
Did he regret taking up a gun and going to the battlefield? The old man raised his trouser legs, and the indentation at the knee of his left leg was obvious. In a battle, a grenade exploded beside him. Liu Deshan (刘德山) had no time to dodge, and was injured in 7 places on his leg. "When the bugle sounds, we must charge forward!" The old man said that his hard body and iron bones were tempered by the flames of war.
In his old age, Liu Deshan (刘德山) is very concerned about national affairs and always remembers the years of war in his youth. Ten years ago, comrades from the county's armed forces department brought good news: they invited him to Beijing (北京) to participate in the military parade commemorating the 70th anniversary of the victory of the War of Resistance Against Japan. Liu Jianhua (刘建华), the son who accompanied Liu Deshan (刘德山) to Beijing (北京), recalled that his father chatted with the veterans as if he had returned to his youth camp. When the open-top car drove through Tiananmen Square (天安门), he straightened his spine and waved to the crowd. "That kind of glory makes me feel like I haven't lived in vain in this life," said Liu Deshan (刘德山).
"It is our duty to defend our homeland."
Reporter Shao Yuzi (邵玉姿)
In the Jingxin Huayuan (井新花园) talent apartment in Jingxing County (井陉县), Shijiazhuang (石家庄), Hebei (河北), there is a special resident - centenarian veteran of the War of Resistance Against Japan, Xie Shunxiang (郄顺祥).
In the living room, photos of military uniforms from different periods are plastered on the TV wall, and several commemorative medal collection boxes are neatly placed on the coffee table. "These are all the old man's most precious things!" Xie Shunxiang's (郄顺祥) son-in-law, Liu Jianwen (刘建文), said with a smile.
"When I was 19 years old, my brother and I were 'militiamen under the blockhouse'." Xie Shunxiang's (郄顺祥) hometown is in Xijie Village (西街村), Weizhou Town (威州镇), Jingxing County (井陉县). At that time, the Japanese army had occupied the village and built a blockhouse on the high ground of the village to monitor the villagers and the Eighth Route Army (八路军). Xie Shunxiang (郄顺祥) and his brother acted under the surveillance of the blockhouse, secretly guarding guns and other supplies for the local guerrillas.
Soon after, an accident happened. "A militiaman in the neighboring village was discovered by the Japanese army. The Japanese army burned down his house and killed his family." Although many years have passed, Xie Shunxiang (郄顺祥) still feels very sad whenever he thinks of it. "It is our duty to defend our homeland!" In August 1944, Xie Shunxiang (郄顺祥) officially joined the local guerrilla.
"We all acted at night, mainly to harass and attack the blockhouses guarded by the Japanese army." Xie Shunxiang (郄顺祥) said that the blockhouses were built on high ground and were difficult to attack. Most of the time, everyone either carried out harassment operations around the blockhouses, or laid landmines on the roads where the Japanese or puppet troops went down the mountain, which played a deterrent role and prevented them from harming the people and the Eighth Route Army (八路军) in the village. In more than a year, Xie Shunxiang (郄顺祥) and his team members harassed and attacked nearly a hundred blockhouses in Tuan (土岸), Sunzhuang (孙庄) and other places.
"Which one impressed you the most?" the reporter asked.
"The surprise attack in Nanfangkou (南方口), they successfully captured the blockhouse." Worried that his father-in-law was tired, Liu Jianwen (刘建文) added from the side. Xie Shunxiang (郄顺祥) waved his hands anxiously: "I remember it most clearly, let me tell it myself."
"At that time, we ambushed around the blockhouse in advance, and rushed in quickly while the drawbridge was lowered." Xie Shunxiang (郄顺祥) said that they quickly controlled several puppet troops on the blockhouse, but 3 Japanese soldiers escaped down the passage inside the blockhouse and hid in the tunnel. In order to completely annihilate the Japanese army in the blockhouse, they finally burned down the entire blockhouse.
In June 1945, Xie Shunxiang (郄顺祥) joined the Jin-Cha-Ji Military Region (晋察冀军区) troops and participated in more than 10 major and minor battles. He was shot 3 times in the back, the upper side of his right arm was pierced by enemy bullets, and 5 toes on his left foot were injured by artillery shells... "Now these 5 toes of mine cannot be bent, which affects normal walking." The war has left indelible marks on this centenarian.
"Aren't you afraid of being injured so many times?"
"Not afraid! Our Communist Party members are not afraid of death. It is an honor to sacrifice!" Xie Shunxiang's (郄顺祥) voice was firm and powerful.
"We fought for the happiness of the people, and so is developing the economy." Now, Xie Shunxiang (郄顺祥) reads newspapers and watches news every day. "Good days are hard-won. We must continue to struggle and continue to work hard."
"Even if the situation is dangerous, there is no retreat."
Reporter Men Jiewei (门杰伟)
"Thousands of mountains and valleys, copper walls and iron walls, the flames of the War of Resistance are burning in the Taihang Mountains (太行山), with a height of thousands of feet..." In Changchun (长春), Jilin (吉林), Erdao District (二道区), Meng Fande (孟繁德), a 98-year-old veteran of the War of Resistance Against Japan, sat at home and sang the anti-Japanese song "On the Taihang Mountains" (在太行山上), his voice loud. The impassioned singing brought people's thoughts back to the years of war.
Meng Fande (孟繁德) was born in Zouping (邹平), Shandong (山东) in October 1927. When he was a child, his father was an underground liaison officer of the Eighth Route Army (八路军). Under the influence of his father, the young Meng Fande (孟繁德) joined the local children's corps and went to more than 40 surrounding villages and towns to sing songs of anti-Japanese national salvation. Meng Fande (孟繁德) said: "Although we were young at the time and could not take up guns and go to the battlefield, we still had to contribute our strength to the anti-Japanese national salvation."
In 1940, Meng Fande (孟繁德), who was only 13 years old, participated in the health training team established by the Eighth Route Army (八路军) in Shandong (山东), and officially joined the army.
Meng Fande (孟繁德) recalled that the Japanese army's "mopping up" was very serious at that time. While fighting against the "mopping up" and fighting against the enemy, they seized every minute and second to learn medical knowledge. "The conditions in the mountains were very difficult. If there were no houses, we would build wooden sheds ourselves. If there were no lights, we would light torches. If there were no medical devices, we would make them with wood and iron wire." Three months later, Meng Fande (孟繁德) successfully completed his study task and was assigned to the Qingxi Military Region (清西军分区) as a health worker.
The battlefield hospital had no fixed place, and the wounded were scattered and hidden in various villages. "Three live in this village, and five live in that village." Meng Fande (孟繁德) recalled that the medicine basket contained simple medical supplies such as disinfectant, gauze, tweezers, and ointment. He needed to carry the medicine basket wrapped in a package between villages. The inconspicuous medicine basket became a link to the hope of life and a weapon for him to fight.
Danger is everywhere. A moment of horror in the autumn of 1943 was unforgettable for Meng Fande (孟繁德). "I was walking on the road with a medicine basket in my arms when I saw the Japanese cavalry head-on, no more than three or four hundred meters away from me! The basket contained the hope of survival for the wounded. If it was discovered, it would be all over." In a moment of desperation, Meng Fande (孟繁德) flashed to the side of the road, tightly protecting the medicine basket in his arms, and held his breath. The Japanese devils saw that Meng Fande (孟繁德) was still young and did not think much about it, so they brushed past him.
Meng Fande (孟繁德) participated in many dangerous tasks like this. He clearly remembered that he had been ordered three times to escort seriously wounded people through the enemy-occupied area, and fought for a chance of survival for the wounded in the roads tightly blocked by the Japanese and puppet troops. Every crossing was a brush with the edge of life and death. "Even if the situation is dangerous, there is no retreat." Meng Fande (孟繁德) said, "We must resolutely resist the war to the end and not be afraid of bloodshed and sacrifice!"
After the smoke of gunpowder dissipated, Meng Fande (孟繁德) followed the troops to continue to engage in medical work, and finally settled in Changchun (长春). "Although I can no longer put on armor for the country, I always stick to my original intention and dedicate my remaining energy to the country." Meng Fande (孟繁德) said, "The victory of the War of Resistance was hard-won. I hope that today's young people will take on the burden and build the country better!"
"The enemy is ruthless, but we are not afraid."
Reporter Wang Haonan (王昊男)
In a residential building in Jinsong Jiuyuan (劲松九区), Chaoyang District (朝阳区), Beijing (北京), 97-year-old Zhang Yuhe (张玉和) lay quietly on the bed. His daughter, Zhang Weiwei (张维维), took out her mobile phone, opened the WeChat account of "Little Zhang of the Eighth Route Army" (八路小张), and sent it to the old man. Zhang Yuhe's (张玉和) lips moved, and a light suddenly burst out in his eyes.
"Whenever we encounter content related to the War of Resistance Against Japan, we will forward it to him as soon as possible. He loves to watch it!" Zhang Weiwei (张维维) said that this WeChat account was registered a few years ago with the help of Zhang Yuhe's (张玉和) grandson. The old man is very satisfied with this nickname. "We know that it is the anti-Japanese memory that is engraved in his bones."
Zhang Yuhe (张玉和) was born in 1928. His mother died when he was 8 months old, and his father died when he was 12 years old. His grandmother brought him up. In 1942, 14-year-old Zhang Yuhe (张玉和) witnessed the atrocities of the Japanese invaders and resolutely joined the Youth National Salvation Association (青年报国会) under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (中国共产党). Zhang Yuhe (张玉和) recalled: "At that time, I had only one thought: I must drive the Japanese devils out of China!"
When he first joined the revolution, Zhang Yuhe (张玉和) did not have a gun. Without a gun, his blood was his weapon. Zhang Yuhe's (张玉和) first special battle unfolded under the cover of night.
At that time, near Zhang Yuhe's (张玉和) hometown (now Pinggu (平谷), Beijing (北京)), the Japanese invaders built a blockhouse every two miles along the highway, and dug deep ditches four or five meters wide on the roadside, intending to trap the mobile forces of the Eighth Route Army (八路军) in the nearby mountains. There was one way for the Eighth Route Army (八路军) to cross the ditch - to dig "foot nests" on the walls of the trenches. The "foot nests" were like a dark ladder. The officers and soldiers of the troops stepped on it and "picked up" from the ditch, climbed up the edge of the ditch, and could find a way to pass through the enemy's blockade line.
"At that time, my father's task was to secretly dig 'foot nests' on the walls of the blockade ditch for the Eighth Route Army (八路军)." Zhang Weiwei (张维维) said that whenever she recalled the task at that time, her father was very excited. "The enemy's blockhouse was close at hand. We had to avoid the searchlights and act quickly. The troops were waiting!"
The battle was far more than that. Digging telephone poles, cutting off power lines, ambushing... Every action of Zhang Yuhe (张玉和) and his comrades was like walking on the tip of a knife. In an ambush, he had just lowered his body behind an earthen wall to load a bullet when a bullet "whooshed" and shot over, and the hot air wave brushed past his ears.
"That time was the most dangerous." Many years later, Zhang Yuhe (张玉和) recalled to his daughter, "If the bullet had been an inch off, I would have died on the battlefield." In Zhang Weiwei's (张维维) memory, her father often talked about those thrilling nights: "I didn't sleep a wink, I used the grave as a pillow, I held the gun in my arms, and I pricked up my ears to listen to the movement... The enemy is ruthless, but we are not afraid!"
In September 1943, Zhang Yuhe (张玉和) officially joined the Communist Party of China (中国共产党). After the smoke of gunpowder dissipated, his life trajectory changed from people's armed work and rural work to finally devoting himself to the management of the Beijing (北京) North Canal (北运河). The position has changed, but "Little Zhang of the Eighth Route Army" (八路小张) has always been the same. After retirement, he taught his children: "Don't be greedy for money! Compare who does their job better!"
"In those days, a total of 7 young people from the same village joined the army, and the other 6 were sacrificed." Zhang Weiwei (张维维) said that in the past few years, Zhang Yuhe (张玉和) often suddenly punched and kicked in his sleep in the middle of the night, "and he would also shout sharply, 'Charge!' 'Be careful of grenades!'... That is the deepest memory in his mind."
"When shells fly, you have to lie on the wounded soldiers."
Reporters Xu Jing (徐靖) and Jin Zhengbo (金正波)
In the small courtyard on the first floor of Jiuzhou Community (九洲小区), Xuancheng (宣城), Anhui (安徽), the sunlight shines through the branches and leaves on the wheelchair. Bao Qitai (鲍启太), 96 years old, often sits on it and goes to the nearby park for a walk.
In the old man's home, the furnishings are simple, with a military uniform photo prominently displayed in the living room. In the photo, the old man looks hale and hearty, and the medals on his chest shine brightly, silently telling the story of that war-torn era.
Bao Qitai (鲍启太) was born in 1929. "Back then, my family was poor, with nothing to eat or wear," the old man said with a smile, unable to afford the three dan of rice for schooling, so he helped with odd jobs and herded cattle on weekdays.
However, the arrival of the Japanese invaders shattered the original peaceful life. As a teenager, Bao Qitai (鲍启太) heard too many cruel atrocities committed by the Japanese army in the surrounding villages, and even witnessed the Japanese army stabbing an old man to death. "Wear a military uniform, go to the battlefield, and fight the Japanese devils!" quietly sprouted in the heart of young Bao Qitai (鲍启太).
At the age of 11, he applied to join the army many times, but he was rejected each time because "he wasn't even as tall as a gun." Unable to join the army, he didn't give up, organizing his peers in the village to train in formation, preparing to go to the battlefield.
In recent years, Bao Qitai's (鲍启太) memory has gradually declined, and his speech is no longer clear, but when he recalls his youth, his eyes are bright.
In 1941, Bao Qitai (鲍启太) joined the New Fourth Army for the first time, but later lost contact with the army due to troop movements. In 1943, he found the New Fourth Army again, serving as a communication soldier and orderly.
Bao Qitai (鲍启太) was once sent to the New Fourth Army's nursing school to study, and later worked as a health worker in a branch of the New Fourth Army's Seventh Division Hospital, initially mainly responsible for dispensing medicine.
"There can't be any mistakes in dispensing medicine, so I copied the first, middle, and last few letters of the English names of the medicines on my arm and checked them one by one," Bao Qitai (鲍启太) said, adding that to do a good job as a health worker, he worked hard to memorize English, reciting the 26 letters of the alphabet from beginning to end until he knew them by heart.
For a health worker, the lives of the wounded are more important than anything else. "When shells fly over, you have to lie on top of the wounded soldiers. It doesn't matter if I get killed, but the wounded soldiers can't be killed," Bao Qitai (鲍启太) said definitively.
On the battlefield amidst gunfire, he personally witnessed his comrades falling in machine gun fire, and the river water was dyed red. Bao Qitai (鲍启太) said, "Revolutionaries are not afraid of death; those who are afraid of death are not revolutionaries. The more difficult it is, the more we must drive out the invaders."
Bao Qitai (鲍启太) once followed his troops to Zaozhuang (枣庄), Shandong (山东). "I was quite skilled, and the company sent me to climb the city wall to take out a few Japanese devils." Just as he climbed onto the wall, a shell came head-on. The old man Bao Qitai (鲍启太) told reporters, touching his left chest, that he was injured in that battle.
After the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, Bao Qitai (鲍启太) also participated in the Liberation War and the Korean War. "In those years, I don't remember how many injuries I suffered." The old man unfolded his right thumb, and in the thick joints, there were still remnants of shrapnel from those years.
Numerous scars have been exchanged for a happy life today. Recently, the Xuancheng (宣城) City Veterans Affairs Bureau organized veterans to go to the No. 11 Primary School in the city to carry out patriotic education activities. On the podium, Bao Qitai (鲍启太) told the children about the preciousness of peace and the meaning of struggle, urging them to "study hard." When the red scarf was tied around his neck, the old man smiled brightly, as if he saw the red bloodline continuing on the tender shoulders.
"Without guns and cannons, the enemy makes them for us"
Reporter Zheng Yangyang (郑洋洋) from this newspaper, reporter Wang Yanru (王晏如) from People's Daily Online
"Life was hard back then, and the conditions in the army were also very difficult, but no matter how hard it was, we had to persevere in resisting Japan." In a residential house in Tianhe Community (田和社区), Beiying Subdistrict (北营街道), Xiaodian District (小店区), Taiyuan (太原) City, Shanxi (山西), 98-year-old veteran Zhao Mingxiu (赵明秀) told reporters about that unforgettable past.
"The Japanese invaded China and implemented the 'Three Alls' policy: burn all, kill all, loot all." Due to the deterioration of his lung function, Zhao Mingxiu's (赵明秀) breathing was heavy and his voice was low and hoarse, but when he mentioned the invaders' atrocities, his tone was noticeably higher.
In 1927, Zhao Mingxiu (赵明秀) was born in Xinyaoping Village (辛窑坪村), Shenchi (神池), Shanxi (山西). At the age of 14, he joined the army in his hometown and became a young soldier in the Eighth Route Army.
As a teenager, Zhao Mingxiu (赵明秀) was tall, strong, and quick-witted, and climbing walls and heights was no problem for him. Seeing that he was bold, clever, and agile, the cadres of the Armed Work Team often took him along when carrying out armed work behind enemy lines. "I was just a little kid back then, and it wasn't easy to arouse the enemy's suspicion." He put on ragged clothes, smeared his face with dirt, and entered the Japanese army's blockhouse under the guise of delivering foreign cigarettes to scout out the enemy's situation.
Under the cover of night, Zhao Mingxiu (赵明秀) and his comrades attacked the Japanese blockhouse strongholds, touching sentry posts, digging up roads, and cutting telephone lines, cutting off the enemy's supply and communication lines.
"When I was young, the cadres of the Armed Work Team always followed far behind to protect me when I was carrying out missions." His outstanding performance repeatedly earned him praise from the cadres of the Armed Work Team. Speaking of this, Zhao Mingxiu (赵明秀) suddenly straightened his hunched body, raised his right hand, and his trembling thumb trembled slightly: "The cadre gave me a thumbs up, patted me on the shoulder, and praised me as a good 'little devil'!" He grinned, like a naughty child.
Later, as he grew older, Zhao Mingxiu (赵明秀) went to the front lines of battle. The combat conditions were very difficult, the soldiers were not well-fed or clothed, and the level of weapons and equipment was even more vastly different from that of the enemy. "**没有枪没有炮，敌人给我们造**" (méi yǒu qiāng méi yǒu pào, dí rén gěi wǒ men zào - "without guns without cannons, the enemy makes them for us," a saying indicating that weapons were often captured from the enemy). Zhao Mingxiu (赵明秀) said.
Attacking Nanxinzhuang Village (南辛庄村), Shenchi County (神池县), was the first time Zhao Mingxiu (赵明秀) went to the battlefield. That battle was a great victory, and the comrades captured a large number of weapons. Zhao Mingxiu (赵明秀) also captured a "crooked-neck" machine gun, thus becoming a heavy machine gun shooter, "using the enemy's weapons to arm our troops!"
After diligent practice, Zhao Mingxiu's (赵明秀) shooting skills improved rapidly. In many battles in Shenchi (神池), Wuzhai (五寨), and other places, he used machine guns to fight the Japanese invaders. "On the battlefield, I captured many light and heavy machine guns and was also awarded the title of 'Excellent Shooter'."
Guns and cannons have no eyes, and the battlefield is full of dangers. Once, Zhao Mingxiu (赵明秀) was crouching down to dig a trench when he suddenly felt something brush past the back of his neck. When he returned to his residence and took off his clothes, he found that the back brim of his military cap and the back collar of his uniform had been pierced by enemy bullets.
Zhao Mingxiu (赵明秀) could not remember how many times he had experienced such thrilling moments. He said slowly, "When you go to the battlefield, you must charge forward, be brave and fearless, and not be afraid of sacrifice."
Having experienced the baptism of the Anti-Japanese War, Zhao Mingxiu (赵明秀) later participated in the Liberation War and the Korean War, charging in battle after battle. Eating hardship before enjoying comfort is a creed he has practiced throughout his life.
"The only thought was to defend our country"
Reporter Wang Zhe (王者) from this newspaper
"Revolutionary soldiers must all remember, the Three Main Rules of Discipline and the Eight Points for Attention..." Walking into the Yishui County (沂水县) Elderly Care Service Center (养老事业发展服务中心) in Linyi (临沂) City, Shandong (山东), the corridor echoed with the resounding singing of anti-Japanese veteran Jing Baomei (景宝梅).
Born in Yishui County (沂水县) in 1926, Jing Baomei (景宝梅) joined the revolutionary ranks in October 1944, experiencing the baptism of the Anti-Japanese War and the Liberation War.
At the age of 18, facing the Japanese invasion, Jing Baomei (景宝梅) resolutely joined the army and devoted herself to resisting Japan and saving the country. From the hospital to the front lines, she followed her troops in battles across Shandong (山东), completing urgent tasks at the risk of her life many times, without ever retreating in the slightest. "We are not afraid of sacrifice in our hearts; the only thought is to defend our country!"
While serving as a medic in the army, Jing Baomei (景宝梅) stood guard day and night at the post of treating the wounded, engaging in a thrilling contest with death. Tall and slender, she was often assigned to carry stretchers and wounded soldiers on the front lines, shuttling through gunfire.
In one battle, as the Japanese offensive intensified, the number of wounded on our side increased sharply. Jing Baomei (景宝梅) had just carried a seriously wounded soldier onto a stretcher and had not had time to catch her breath when she heard a comrade shouting not far away: "There are more wounded, come and help!"
Ignoring her fatigue, Jing Baomei (景宝梅) immediately turned and ran in the direction of the shouts. In the smoke of gunfire, she found a soldier with a leg injury, his pants already stained red with blood. Without thinking too much, Jing Baomei (景宝梅) quickly squatted down and simply bandaged the soldier's wound, and together with her comrade, carried the stretcher and ran.
Just then, a shell exploded not far away, and the powerful impact knocked them to the ground. Her cheek was scratched by shrapnel, but Jing Baomei (景宝梅) ignored the pain and checked the wounded soldier's condition first. After confirming that the wounded soldier was unharmed, she and her comrade lifted the stretcher again and finally successfully sent the wounded soldier back to the rear.
"It used to be a long line here, but now there are more wrinkles, so it's not so visible." During the interview, Jing Baomei (景宝梅) lightly touched her cheekbone, and the scar was faintly visible.
During a night march, Jing Baomei (景宝梅) felt a piercing pain in her toes after running for several hours on a rough and uneven gravel road. Afraid of holding back the troops, she gritted her teeth and endured the pain, moving forward. When she reached the temporary rest stop, she took off her shoes and saw that the oozing blood had stuck to her socks.
Due to poor recovery later, Jing Baomei's (景宝梅) toes were severely deformed and still often red and swollen and painful. But she said, "Compared to the knife and gun wounds suffered by the soldiers, my pain is nothing." Each scar is not only a witness to the years but also a medal that accompanies her throughout her life.
After the founding of New China, Jing Baomei (景宝梅) actively devoted herself to grassroots construction. She participated in the management of the Yi River (沂河) and the construction of the Ba Shan Reservoir (跋山水库), rolling up her cotton trousers and standing in the cold water to dig sand and clear the foundation, working for months... "When doing work, you have to overcome all difficulties!" she said.
"This is my brother; he was killed by the enemy. Our whole family is willing to serve the country." At the end of the interview, looking at the warm sun shining through the green shade, Jing Baomei (景宝梅) took out a treasured old photo, "Now it's considered the end of hardship and the beginning of happiness; he should also be happy and proud of me."
"Without enduring these hardships, how could there be a happy life?"
Reporter Shen Zhilin (申智林) from this newspaper
"The Japanese invaders swept through the base area and massacred six of my relatives in one go." Stroking his chest again and again, Zhang Qinggong (张庆功), nearly a hundred years old, still felt immense pain when recalling the afternoon of the twenty-first day of the twelfth lunar month 84 years ago, "**我永远忘不了那一天！**" (wǒ yǒng yuǎn wàng bù liǎo nà yī tiān! - "I will never forget that day!," expressing a deep and lasting memory of a tragic event).
Zhang Qinggong (张庆功) was born into an ordinary family in Qinyuan County (沁源县), Shanxi (山西) in November 1926. In 1941, the Japanese army gathered heavy troops and launched a frenzied "encirclement and suppression" against Qinyuan (沁源), implementing the inhumane "burn all, kill all, loot all" policy.
"That day, my family and my third aunt's family moved to a dilapidated cave five kilometers away, but we were still discovered by the enemy. My one-and-a-half-year-old brother was held in my mother's arms, and a bullet pierced his head and then passed through my mother's body. It was extremely cruel," Zhang Qinggong (张庆功) said with great sorrow.
"National hatred and family hatred made me put on a military uniform!" Zhang Qinggong (张庆功) said. In February 1942, 16-year-old Zhang Qinggong (张庆功) joined the Qinyuan County (沁源县) First District Anti-Japanese Guerrilla Force. "**我上午参军，下午就上了战场，一点没有怕过。**" (wǒ shàng wǔ cān jūn, xià wǔ jiù shàng le zhàn chǎng, yī diǎn méi yǒu pà guò - "I joined the army in the morning and went to the battlefield in the afternoon, not afraid at all," showing courage and determination). he said.
One of the combat missions in the base area was to protect the people's production. One night in the spring of 1943, in response to the continuous harassment of the masses' spring plowing by the Japanese invaders stationed in Qinyuan (沁源), Zhang Qinggong's (张庆功) battalion joined forces with several other troops to launch a surprise attack on the Japanese invaders' stronghold in Qinyuan County (沁源县) City.
"Our army's three assault teams launched an attack simultaneously, respectively confronting the enemies from the north and south barracks and the central command post," Zhang Qinggong (张庆功) said. The command post was built on the hillside of a small earthen mound, with a bunker on top. He and his comrades "silently eliminated" the enemy's sentries all the way and went straight to the command post.
Amidst the gunfire, Zhang Qinggong (张庆功) disregarded his own life and death. Once, because of a traitor's betrayal, his troops were about to be surrounded by the Japanese invaders. During the breakout, an enemy bullet pierced through Zhang Qinggong's (张庆功) calf. Fortunately, the bullet did not explode inside his body, nor did it break his bone. "After the breakout, I stayed in a villager's house for seven or eight days to recover from my injuries. When I could get out of bed, I followed the troops again," Zhang Qinggong (张庆功) recalled.
During the Anti-Japanese War, Zhang Qinggong (张庆功) served as a squad leader and platoon leader, leading a team of nearly 30 people at most. "We only had a few rifles, and not many bullets. The soldiers fought the enemy with homemade grenades. All other supplies relied on capture. Over the years, we slowly replenished our guns," Zhang Qinggong (张庆功) said with a smile.
Gradually, the troops' combat area expanded from the base area to the outside, fighting all the way from Qinyuan County (沁源县) to Qin County (沁县) and even further. "Later, I felt that the enemy didn't dare to come out to fight and became more and more contracted," Zhang Qinggong (张庆功) said. In 1945, when the news of Japan's surrender came, Zhang Qinggong (张庆功) was still thinking amidst the cheers: "If they hadn't run away so fast, I would have definitely sent them a few more bullets."
Later, Zhang Qinggong (张庆功) followed the troops and participated in the Liberation War and the Korean War. In 1955, he was transferred to local work. "Protecting life and protecting production, always rushing to the front where it was the hardest and most tiring, I have suffered a lot in my life," Zhang Qinggong (张庆功) sighed softly and smiled again, "But without enduring these hardships, how could there be a happy life?"
"I have the people behind me; I cannot retreat"
Reporter Liu Xinwu (刘新吾) from this newspaper
After the rain, the reporter came to the home of Wu En (武恩), a 105-year-old anti-Japanese veteran in Yuzhong District (渝中区), Chongqing (重庆). Wu En (武恩) opened an old photo album and told the reporter about that glorious era.
In 1940, 20-year-old Wu En (武恩) was studying in Tianjin (天津), but the Japanese invasion shattered his peaceful life. "The Japanese invaders promoted 'enslavement education.' One day, my classmates and I didn't give way and salute to the Japanese, and they beat and scolded us in the street." Hatred and passion surged in Wu En's (武恩) heart, and he decided "**不做亡国奴**" (bù zuò wáng guó nú - "not to be a slave of a conquered nation," expressing a determination to resist foreign oppression).
With the country in ruins, encouraged by his teacher, he and his classmates secretly ran to Tangshan (唐山) to participate in a workers' strike. Several members of the 115th Division Jidong Anti-Japanese Guerrilla Force (一一五师冀东抗日游击队) were promoting the Anti-Japanese War on the streets. Hearing that these young people wanted to fight the Japanese invaders, they took Wu En (武恩) and his classmates to the guerrilla base area. From then on, Wu En (武恩) became a glorious guerrilla fighter.
"I went to the battlefield two days after joining the army." Wu En (武恩) said, holding up two fingers, "I didn't have a gun at the time, so Squad Leader Liu (刘班长) gave me two grenades. After the battle started, he climbed to my side and taught me how to throw the first grenade."
In 1942, Wu En (武恩), then the squad leader of the Armed Work Team behind enemy lines in the Jinchaji Anti-Japanese Base Area (晋察冀抗日根据地) Pingxi Military Region (平西军分区), went to a village in Pingshan County (平山县), Hebei Province (河北省) to rescue the masses and found that there were still Japanese soldiers on the opposite mountain. The company commander immediately ordered a charge, and Wu En (武恩) charged to the front, engaging in close combat with a Japanese soldier.
"When his rifle pierced my chest, I endured the pain and quickly fired a shot, killing him." Wu En (武恩) opened his collar and pointed to a scar on his chest with a smile, explaining, "At the time, the bullets in his gun were empty, and I had one left, so I 'picked' back a life."
"Were you afraid when you went to the battlefield?" the reporter couldn't help but ask.
"When charging, everyone was full of enthusiasm and not afraid. After the war, when I thought of the scene of my comrades sacrificing, I was also afraid," Wu En (武恩) replied, "But I am a soldier of the Eighth Route Army, and I have the people behind me; I cannot retreat."
From a patriotic youth who cared about his country to an anti-Japanese fighter who was wholeheartedly devoted to the revolution, Wu En (武恩) constantly tempered his fighting will on the battlefield. In 1944, Wu En (武恩) went to the Pingxi Military Region (平西军分区) to serve as a news and propaganda officer. The troops captured a camera from the Japanese army, but no one knew how to use it. The instructor found Wu En (武恩), gave him this precious camera, and asked him to learn how to use it as soon as possible and use it well to serve the troops.
After the troops marched to a county town in Hebei (河北), Wu En (武恩) quickly found a local photo studio, asked the owner for advice, and learned how to take pictures and develop film. Using the camera as a "weapon," Wu En (武恩) also charged to the front, shooting battle scenes, exposing the crimes of the Japanese army, boosting our morale, and the photos he took were very popular among the soldiers.
After the founding of New China, Wu En (武恩) retired and was assigned to work in Southwest China, continuing to serve the people. As time passed, Wu En (武恩) always maintained a steadfast and loyal heart to the Party: charging to the front in the face of national crisis, taking the lead in building the motherland, and serving the people after leaving his post and retiring.
Even today, Wu En (武恩), who is enjoying his retirement at home, still cares about national affairs and insists on watching the news every day. "Seeing the country peaceful and prosperous, and the people living in peace and happiness, our struggle was not in vain, it's worth it!" said Wu En (武恩).
(Xu Xiao (徐潇) participated in the writing)
Return to TopBy: 金正波
Going to the battlefield, are you afraid?
This is the answer from the veterans of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression—
"I joined the army in the morning and went to the battlefield in the afternoon. I was not afraid at all." Zhang Qinggong (张庆功), who is nearly a hundred years old, said that in the hail of bullets, he had long put life and death out of his mind.
"I am the Eighth Route Army, and I have the common people behind me, so I can't retreat." Wu En (武恩), 105 years old, is still passionate when he talks about that glorious time.
"Not afraid! We Communists are not afraid of death, and it is an honor to sacrifice!" The voice of Xie Shunxiang (郄顺祥), who is over a hundred years old, is firm and powerful.
Simple answers and a belief in victory have a heart-stirring power.
The young people who crossed the smoke of gunpowder in those years have now graying hair and faltering steps. Approaching the veterans of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, listening to the stories hidden deep in their memories, and through their weathered faces, we can touch the faith that has never faded.
The veterans of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression are the heroes of the country, the backbone of the nation, and the witnesses of victory. More than 80 years ago, these veterans of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression stepped forward in times of crisis, fighting for the nation, for the motherland, and for dignity, defending the great rivers and mountains of the motherland, and composing a moving and magnificent epic. Their heroic spirit of fighting bloody battles, their tenacious fighting spirit against foreign aggression, and their noble qualities of sacrifice and dedication are worthy of our eternal admiration.
In the name of the country, pay tribute to the meritorious deeds. In 2015, the military parade commemorating the 70th anniversary of the victory of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression arranged a formation composed of more than 300 veterans of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression to be reviewed as the first formation, including veterans of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, representatives of models of support for the front, and representatives of the children of martyrs, reflecting the supreme respect for the heroic predecessors. When they passed through Tiananmen (天安门), they left a series of deeply moving classic moments, touching the people of all ethnic groups across the country and the world.
Now, 10 years have passed, and most of the surviving veterans of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression are nearly a hundred years old. These veterans are the participants and witnesses of history, and they are vivid teaching materials for us to understand revolutionary history and inherit the revolutionary spirit. Approaching them is not only about recording stories, but also about continuing the spirit.
Memory is in urgent need of protection. This is a heavy set of data from Zhangzhou City (漳州市), Fujian (福建) Province this year: there are only 14 registered veterans of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression in the city, with an average age of over ninety. Rescuing memories is urgent. The Zhangzhou Municipal Bureau of Veterans Affairs has joined forces with multiple departments to carry out the "Memory Rescue Action for Veterans of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression." Conduct in-depth face-to-face interviews with veterans who are clear-minded to preserve images; interview relatives or comrades-in-arms of veterans who cannot communicate effectively; and photograph historical objects such as medals, certificates, and letters and preserve them digitally. The stories of the veterans of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, whether impassioned or whispered, are the most moving national memories. It can remind us where we come from and where we are going.
The spirit needs to be inherited even more. In the magnificent Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, thousands of heroes of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression shed their heads and shed their blood, making significant contributions to the victory of the war. In the heroes of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, we can see the patriotic feelings of everyone being responsible for the rise and fall of the world, the national integrity of regarding death as home and never yielding, the heroic spirit of not being afraid of violence and fighting to the end, and the belief in victory of being unyielding and persevering. Today, we are closer than ever in history to achieving the goal of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. To achieve our goals, we need heroes and the spirit of heroes.
A promising nation cannot be without heroes, and a promising country cannot be without pioneers. All national heroes, including the heroes of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, are the backbone of the Chinese nation, and their deeds and spirit will always inspire us to forge ahead.
Return to TopThis edition coordinated by: Jin Zhengbo (金正波)
Layout design: Cai Huawei (蔡华伟)
Return to TopOn July 7th, in the name of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (中共中央), the State Council (国务院), and the Central Military Commission (中央军委), a ceremony commemorating the 88th anniversary of the outbreak of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression was held at the Museum of the War of Chinese People's Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (中国人民抗日战争纪念馆). At the same time, the opening ceremony of the theme exhibition "For National Liberation and World Peace - Commemorating the 80th Anniversary of the Victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War" was held.
During the arduous and 艰苦卓绝 (jiān kǔ zhuó jué - "arduous and outstanding," extremely difficult; describing a situation or task that is very challenging and requires great effort) War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, all Chinese sons and daughters fought for national survival, national rejuvenation, and human justice. The breadth of social mobilization, the depth of national awakening, the tenacity of fighting will, and the firmness of the conviction to win all reached unprecedented heights.
This edition selects and publishes some photos with precious historical value from the exhibition. Each photo witnesses the Chinese people, together with the people of the world, completely defeating fascism with tenacious will and heroic struggle, and achieving the great victory of justice over evil, light over darkness, and progress over reaction. Let us jointly promote the great spirit of the War of Resistance, 以史为鉴 (yǐ shǐ wéi jiàn - "take history as a mirror," to learn from history) and face the future, and jointly cherish peace and safeguard peace.
All pictures in this edition are provided by the Museum of the War of Chinese People's Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (中国人民抗日战争纪念馆).
Return to TopThis edition coordinated by: Zhang He (张贺)
Layout design: Shen Yiling (沈亦伶)
Return to TopBy: 福建省习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想研究中心
A scientific strategic plan is a "roadmap" for anchoring the coordinates of progress, and also a "commanding baton" for winning the initiative in development. General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) pointed out: "Strategy is to make judgments and decisions from the overall situation, the long-term, and the general trend." "Chinese-style modernization has goals, plans, and strategies, and it will definitely be achieved." Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) has personally planned, deployed, and promoted the work of national development planning, and put forward a series of new ideas, new viewpoints, and new conclusions on development strategies, providing guidance and leadership for drawing a grand blueprint for Chinese-style modernization. Fujian is an important birthplace and practice ground for Xi Jinping (习近平)'s Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. The "Xiamen Economic and Social Development Strategy for 1985-2000" (hereinafter referred to as the "Xiamen 15-Year Strategic Plan") personally presided over by Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) during his work in Xiamen is one of the earliest economic and social development strategic plans spanning 15 years compiled by a local government in China. It is the result of the organic combination of the Marxist strategic concept with the characteristics of the times and the actual situation of Xiamen. Many of its important concepts and development measures are pioneering, forward-looking, and strategic, demonstrating the enduring value of the times and the great power of practice.
This year is the closing year of the "14th Five-Year Plan" and also the planning year of the "15th Five-Year Plan." Not long ago, General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) made important instructions on the preparation of the "15th Five-Year Plan," requiring "adhering to scientific decision-making, democratic decision-making, and law-based decision-making" and "completing the planning work with high quality." We must draw valuable experience and inspiration from the presiding over the preparation process and main content of the Xiamen 15-Year Strategic Plan, deeply study and implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平)'s important speeches and important instructions and approvals, plan strategic plans from a high starting point and high standards, and comprehensively promote the construction of a strong country and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
Deeply Understand the Contemporary Value of the Xiamen 15-Year Strategic Plan
"If you are prepared for anything, you will succeed; if not, you will fail." As early as 1986, Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) pointed out at the mobilization and work deployment meeting for full-time personnel of the three topics of Xiamen's economic and social development strategy, the overall plan for economic system reform, and administrative system reform: "To engage in modern economic construction, we must have long-term considerations and coordinate the overall situation. We cannot only focus on the present and deal with things as they come. That would be counterproductive and even lead to losing direction and failing to grasp the initiative of the overall situation." Forty years ago, facing the unprecedented development opportunities and challenges brought about by reform and opening up, Xiamen urgently needed a strategic plan to guide future development. Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平), then a member of the Standing Committee of the Xiamen Municipal Party Committee and Executive Deputy Mayor, personally presided over the preparation of the Xiamen 15-Year Strategic Plan, making systematic and strategic plans for Xiamen's economic and social development with far-sighted reform thinking and innovative concepts, which still shines with the dazzling light of the times.
Systematically planning local medium and long-term development plans sets a successful example for using strategic plans to guide economic and social development. Using medium and long-term plans to guide economic and social development is an important experience of our party in governing the country. During his work in Xiamen, Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) led more than a dozen departments and more than 100 experts and professors in the city to form a research group. After extensive research and repeated argumentation, the Xiamen 15-Year Strategic Plan was finally compiled. This plan puts the Xiamen Special Economic Zone in the overall situation of China's reform and opening up and the overall situation of world economic development for review, clarifying a series of major issues such as Xiamen's urban development strategic positioning, development model, strategic goals, strategic priorities, and strategic countermeasures, becoming a strategic blueprint for guiding Xiamen's medium and long-term construction and development. This pioneering plan focuses on grasping the relationship between the overall situation and the local situation, seeking momentum from the overall situation and making moves in key areas, fully demonstrating Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平)'s systematic thinking and strategic vision of basing himself on the overall situation and seeking long-term development, providing vivid teaching materials for leading cadres in the new era to actively use medium and long-term strategic plans to guide economic and social development.
Forward-looking layout of a comprehensive and export-oriented economic structure to carry out pioneering exploration for expanding high-level opening to the outside world. Special economic zones bear the historical mission of exploring and experimenting for China's reform and opening up and modernization construction, and exploring the way forward. When presiding over the preparation of the Xiamen 15-Year Strategic Plan, Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) planned and laid out a comprehensive and export-oriented economic structure focusing on industry and taking into account tourism, commerce, finance, and the real estate industry with a forward-looking vision, and clarified the progressive and step-by-step approach to build Xiamen into a "free port-type special economic zone." Facing the new challenges of how to build a free port, how people can freely enter and exit, and how to explore and implement financial and monetary policies, Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) not only led the research group to Singapore to learn from international experience, but also set up two special chapters to deeply study the concept of Xiamen Special Economic Zone gradually implementing certain free port policies and the near-term implementation plan, and for the first time proposed a specific plan to establish the Xiangyu Free Trade Zone in Xiamen, and for the first time proposed forward-looking ideas such as "gradually carrying out offshore financial business at an appropriate time." This pioneering plan focuses on grasping the relationship between the present and the long-term, fully demonstrating Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平)'s far-sighted strategic vision and extraordinary courage and boldness, which has pioneering significance for steadily expanding institutional opening up and building a new system of a higher-level open economy in the new era.
High-level promotion of the coordinated development of social undertakings to build a people-oriented foundation for improving the public service system. Social undertakings are an important part of the cause of the Party and the country, which is related to the long-term governance of our Party and the long-term stability of the country, and related to social harmony and stability and the people's happiness and well-being. When planning and studying the Xiamen 15-Year Strategic Plan, Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) always grasped the issues that the masses are most concerned about, took benefiting the people as the fundamental value orientation, promoted the development of social undertakings such as culture, education, health, and sports to be adapted to economic construction, and put the development of science and technology in the first place. On the basis of improving labor productivity and economic benefits, he promoted a substantial increase in national actual income, so that the people of the city could get more benefits from participating in the construction of the special zone. This pioneering plan focuses on grasping the relationship between development and people's livelihood, fully demonstrating Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平)'s scientific grasp of the characteristics of social undertaking development and his pragmatic and people-oriented political character, providing a pioneering demonstration for promoting the development results to benefit all the people more and more fairly and improving the level of public services in the new era.
Taking into account economic, social and environmental benefits to explore practical ways to build a modern city where people and nature coexist in harmony. A city is an organic living body, and only by taking into account economic, social and environmental benefits can sustainable development be achieved. When presiding over the preparation of the Xiamen 15-Year Strategic Plan, Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) took the lead in proposing the concept of "ecological niche," emphasizing "respecting urban characteristics and development laws," focusing on coordinating the three major spatial layouts of urban ecology, production, and life, and requiring urban construction to make overall plans on the premise of fully considering economic, social, and environmental benefits, and comprehensively adjust the layout of productive forces, urban functions, population distribution, transportation networks, and ecological environment, and set up a special chapter to study Xiamen's urban system and ecological environment issues, promoting the coordination of Xiamen's economic and social development with resources and the environment. This pioneering plan focuses on grasping the relationship between development and protection, fully demonstrating Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平)'s pragmatic spirit of respecting and conforming to the laws of urban development, accumulating practical experience for the construction of beautiful cities in the new era.
Steadily promoting the reform of systems and mechanisms that meet the requirements of economic development to accumulate valuable experience for enhancing the endogenous driving force of regional development. Reform is the driving force of development, and every step forward in development requires reform to move forward. In the early stage of presiding over the preparation of the Xiamen 15-Year Strategic Plan, Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) specially convened a mobilization and work deployment meeting for full-time personnel of the three topics of Xiamen's economic and social development strategy, the overall plan for economic system reform, and administrative system reform, and required the Xiamen Special Economic Zone to jump out of the existing system and mechanism constraints in planning the strategic plan, systematically and profoundly expounding the development direction, principles, methods, and key tasks of political system reform, enterprise management mechanism reform, market mechanism reform, and supporting social undertaking reform. This pioneering plan focuses on grasping the relationship between reform and development, fully demonstrating Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平)'s responsibility to be enterprising, courageous in exploration, and diligent in practice, providing an important guideline for stimulating regional development vitality by deepening the reform of systems and mechanisms in the new era.
Creatively put forward strategic ideas to promote economic and technological exchanges and cooperation between the mainland of the motherland and the Taiwan region, making historical plans to deepen cross-strait integrated development. Compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are connected by blood and are one family with blood thicker than water. Xiamen has special location and outstanding advantages in developing relations with Taiwan, and shoulders an important mission. When presiding over the preparation of the Xiamen 15-Year Strategic Plan, Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) always attached importance to promoting the peaceful development of cross-strait relations, emphasizing that "the central government's strategic decisions on Taiwan must be implemented in the planning of the special zone's economic construction and social development," and creatively proposed that "in economic and technological exchanges and cooperation, we must gradually develop from the current small-scale indirect trade to large-scale open and direct trade, and carry out comprehensive exchanges and cooperation in academics, culture, art, sports, and other aspects." At the same time, a special chapter was set up to study the status, role, and prospects of Xiamen in the great cause of the reunification of the motherland. This pioneering plan focuses on grasping the relationship between strategy and tactics, fully demonstrating Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平)'s broad vision of grasping the overall situation of cross-strait relations from the height of the overall interests of the Chinese nation, laying a historical foundation for promoting cross-strait exchanges and cooperation and deepening cross-strait integrated development in the new era.
Deeply Understand the Practical Power of the Xiamen 15-Year Strategic Plan
The vitality of a strategic plan lies in drawing a blueprint to the end and doing it one term after another. General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) pointed out: "A good blueprint, as long as it is scientific, realistic, and in line with the people's wishes, should be carried on like a relay race, one stick after another." Over the past 40 years, Xiamen has firmly grasped the essence of the 15-Year Strategic Plan, unswervingly followed the direction guided by General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平), and strived to turn the grand blueprint drawn by General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) for Xiamen into a beautiful reality.
Focusing on the overall positioning and constantly strengthening the connection of plans. The overall positioning is to plan regional development in the national development pattern horizontally, and to continuously promote the interlocking of development goals vertically. The Xiamen 15-Year Strategic Plan gives full play to the policy advantages of the first batch of special economic zones and the location advantages of being coastal, close to Taiwan, and near the port, accurately positioning Xiamen's urban development, and focusing on enhancing Xiamen's strategic position in the overall national development. Over the past 40 years, Xiamen has always anchored the goals and tasks of the 15-Year Strategic Plan, paid attention to giving play to the strategic guiding role of the plan, strengthened the plan's connection function, adapted to the needs of the times and urban development, and formulated and implemented the "Xiamen Implementation Outline for Accelerating the Construction of a Bay-type City," "Xiamen Resolution on Comprehensively Promoting the Integrated Construction of Inside and Outside the Island," "Beautiful Xiamen Strategic Plan," "Xiamen High-Quality and High-Value Modern International City Development Strategy (2020-2035)," "Xiamen 'One Two Three' Strategic Plan," "Xiamen Territorial Space Overall Plan (2021-2035)," etc., promoting the iterative upgrading of Xiamen's development positioning. Looking back at the 40-year history of planning-led development, from adhering to the goal to consistently implementing it, Xiamen has accurately positioned itself and forged ahead in "inheritance" and "success," always maintaining the strong determination to "draw a blueprint to the end."
Focusing on overall coordination and constantly improving urban quality. Overall coordination is a strategic thinking based on the whole and the overall situation, and it is also an important method of systematic deployment and integrated promotion. The Xiamen 15-Year Strategic Plan made systematic plans for the overall layout of urban construction, infrastructure construction, port construction, etc., laying a solid foundation for Xiamen to continuously improve the quality of urban construction. Over the past 40 years, Xiamen has thoroughly implemented the important requirements of "building a harbor scenic city," "upgrading the island and developing across the island," and "building a high-quality and high-value modern international city" put forward by Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平), organized and implemented urban renewal, new area expansion, environmental governance, traffic accessibility, safety and resilience and other urban function quality improvement projects, won the title of National Civilized City for "seven consecutive times," and was approved as a national-level cultural ecological protection zone, the first batch of national modern commercial and trade circulation system pilot cities, etc., and the city's livability index ranks among the top in the country. Looking back at the 40-year history of planning-led development, from the accumulation of momentum to the leap of energy, Xiamen has cultivated the quality of urban development in "planning" and "breaking," and constantly thickened the green and beautiful background of the city.
Focusing on deepening reform and constantly enhancing development vitality. Reform is the key to liberating and developing social productive forces, and comprehensively deepening reform is the fundamental driving force for promoting Chinese-style modernization. The Xiamen 15-Year Strategic Plan demonstrates the responsibility of the Xiamen Special Economic Zone to be a "pioneer" and "vanguard" of reform, and opened up Xiamen's reform and innovation practice in many "firsts" in the country. Over the past 40 years, Xiamen has undertaken national-level reform pilot tasks such as free trade pilot zones, independent innovation demonstration zones, and "multi-plan integration," taken the lead in promoting the "single window" for international trade in the country, taken the lead in forming a comprehensive intellectual property protection system, and taken the lead in implementing the environmental impact assessment approval notification commitment system, which has greatly released the vitality of economic and social development and formed a large number of innovative measures and typical experiences that can be replicated and promoted throughout the country. Looking back at the 40-year history of planning-led development, from reform exploration to comprehensive reform pilot, Xiamen has bravely acted as a pioneer of reform in "struggle" and "innovation," and constantly released development potential.
Focusing on guaranteeing people's livelihood and constantly enhancing people's well-being. Making the people live a good life is the starting point and end point of all our work. The Xiamen 15-Year Strategic Plan clarifies the value coordinates of the plan, adding a people's livelihood temperature to Xiamen's development. Over the past 40 years, Xiamen has always taken enhancing people's well-being as an important part of the strategic goal, and insisted on guaranteeing and improving people's livelihood in development. In terms of social security, it took the lead in building a multi-level housing security system in the country, and took the lead in implementing the policy of allowing people with serious illnesses and severe disabilities to enjoy the minimum living security benefits separately. In terms of education and health, it took the lead in building an online system for "one thing for enrollment" and established a unique hierarchical diagnosis and treatment system. In terms of cultural benefits for the people, it was awarded the National Public Cultural Service System Demonstration Zone, and "Gulangyu: Historical International Community" was successfully included in the World Cultural Heritage List. In terms of social stability, it was awarded the National Social Security Prevention and Control System Construction Demonstration City and the Safe China Construction Demonstration City. Looking back at the 40-year history of planning-led development, from benefiting one side to benefiting all the people, Xiamen has always adhered to the original intention of serving the people in "benefit" and "enjoyment," and constantly gathered a strong development synergy.
Focusing on expanding opening up and constantly improving the level of the open economy. Opening up to the outside world is a channel to the world and a way to show the international image. The Xiamen 15-Year Strategic Plan systematically deployed a series of important measures to expand opening up, laying a solid foundation for Xiamen to become an important window for China's opening up to the outside world. Over the past 40 years, Xiamen has built export processing zones, bonded zones, bonded port areas, free trade pilot zones, the core area of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, the BRICS National New Industrial Revolution Partnership Innovation Base, the Central Legal Affairs Zone of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, and the Cross-Strait Integrated Development Demonstration Zone and other open carrier platforms in a ladder-like manner, deeply integrated into the high-quality joint construction of the "Belt and Road" and the global economic system, and hosted the Ninth BRICS Leaders Meeting, the first China-GCC Countries Industry and Investment Cooperation Forum and other important foreign affairs activities, realizing the iterative upgrade from commodity and factor flow-type opening up to institutional opening up, and becoming an important hub for international transportation, an important gathering place for international capital, and an important window for international exchanges and interactions. Looking back at the 40-year history of planning-led development, from exploring the layout to boldly trying, Xiamen has bravely stood at the forefront of opening up in "tolerance" and "integration," and constantly improved its modernization and internationalization level.
Focusing on ecological governance and continuously promoting green development. Continuously promoting ecological and environmental governance is the inherent meaning of brightening the background of green development and guarding the bottom line of environmental safety. Xiamen's 15-year strategic plan incorporates ecological and environmental protection into the overall economic and social development, exploring a new path of coordinated symbiosis between development and protection. Over the past 40 years, Xiamen has taken the lead in launching the "multi-plan integration" exploration in the country, integrating urban construction with natural landscapes, and building an ecological security pattern of "one screen, one bay, and ten corridors" and an urban spatial pattern of "one island, one belt, and multiple centers." Anchoring the goal of "being a pioneer in the construction of an ecological province," and guided by the comprehensive management of Yundang Lake (筼筜湖), it has built a comprehensive protection and governance pattern from the top of the mountain to the ocean, successfully carried out the "Xiamen Practice" of ecological civilization construction, and won many honors such as the United Nations Habitat Award, International Garden City, and National Environmental Protection Model City. Looking back on the 40-year history of planning-led development, from a small isolated island city in the past to a seaside garden today, Xiamen has deeply practiced the concept of ecological civilization in "green" and "beauty," and continuously consolidated the green foundation for high-quality development.
Deeply Grasping the Experience and Enlightenment of Xiamen's 15-Year Strategic Plan
Great achievements inspire people to forge ahead, and valuable experiences indicate the future. At present, scientifically planning the "15th Five-Year Plan" and even the longer-term economic and social development of our country is a mission on our shoulders. General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) pointed out: "The formulation and implementation of the '15th Five-Year Plan' is of great significance for fully implementing the strategic deployment of the 20th National Congress of the Party and promoting Chinese-style modernization." Xiamen's 15-year strategic plan contains valuable ideological wisdom and practical strength. We must accurately grasp the Marxist standpoints, viewpoints, and methods that run through it, summarize and refine the practical experience of planning-led development, continuously rise to the level of regular understanding and continue to enrich and deepen it, and better play the leading and guiding role of planning in economic and social development.
Always adhere to the combination of the Party's leadership and the supremacy of the people, and gather the joint force of planning and compilation with the style of widely opening up opinions. Adhering to the unity of the Party's leadership and the supremacy of the people to form a superimposed joint force is an important experience formed in our country's long-term practice. The compilation process of Xiamen's 15-year strategic plan has always adhered to the Party's leadership throughout, giving full play to the Party's role in grasping the direction, planning the overall situation, formulating policies, and promoting reforms, while fully absorbing social expectations, mass wisdom, expert opinions, and grassroots experience, and gathering into a strong development joint force. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) at its core has adhered to the people-centered development thought, actively gathered the wisdom and strength of the people in promoting planning and compilation, and incorporated it into the top-level design in various fields, so that the plan not only reflects the Party's propositions but also reflects the people's will. Not long ago, the "National Development Plan Law of the People's Republic of China (Draft)" was submitted to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress for the first time for deliberation and publicly solicited opinions, once again demonstrating the unique advantages of whole-process people's democracy. In the new era and new journey, the formulation of strategic plans should not only give play to the Party's leading core role in grasping the overall situation and coordinating all parties, anchoring the direction with political height, building a solid framework with professional accuracy, and grasping the direction and pace of reform with a macro vision; but also listen to public opinion with an open mind, gather people's wisdom with diversified co-governance, and build consensus through open consultation, and unify top-level design and asking the people for advice, and continuously improve the scientific and democratic nature of planning and compilation work.
Always adhere to the combination of systematic planning and step-by-step implementation, and promote the grand goal into a beautiful reality with the determination to draw a blueprint to the end. Reform and development is a complex system engineering, which requires overall planning with a global perspective and systematic thinking, and should be steadily promoted in stages and steps. Xiamen's 15-year strategic plan decomposes the strategic goal of building a "free port-type special economic zone" into a phased strategy of "one model, two transformations," making the medium- and long-term goals and short-term goals superimposed on each other and closely linked, which has become a major feature. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) at its core has systematically planned major strategies concerning the overall development of the Party and the country, proposed goals and strategic layouts, and clarified phased task arrangements, effectively promoting the implementation of the plan and achieving practical results. In the new era and new journey, the formulation of strategic plans should not only draw a "panoramic view" from a macro level, clarify the direction and strategic focus of medium- and long-term development; but also carefully draw a "construction map" from a micro level, grasp the rhythm and progress, formulate detailed implementation plans, roadmaps and timetables, and pay attention to the systematic, holistic and synergistic nature of goals, tasks and policy measures to ensure the operability of the plan and its ability to be implemented.
Always adhere to the combination of forward-looking thinking and basing on the present, and run the scientific concept of seeking truth from facts through the entire process of plan implementation. Taking into account both the present and the long term is an important working method that our Party has always adhered to. This requires us to think ahead, plan ahead, and play a good hand; but also to base ourselves on the present, work hard and do a good job in front of us. Xiamen's 15-year strategic plan focuses on the overall situation of reform and opening up, the strategy of major national regions, and the overall situation of world economic development, accurately grasps the historical orientation and strategic positioning, and determines scientific development ideas; at the same time, based on the phased characteristics and realistic foundation of urban development, clearly marks the development coordinates, and proposes pragmatic strategic measures. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) at its core has scientifically planned strategic goals, formulated strategic measures, and made strategic deployments to promote the effective implementation of strategic plans. In the new era and new journey, the formulation of strategic plans should not only "not be afraid of floating clouds blocking our view," accurately locate ourselves in the domestic and international overall situation, and make the tentacles for exploring opportunities more sensitive and the actions for grasping opportunities faster; but also "seek development in a down-to-earth manner," reasonably determine goals and tasks and propose ideas and measures in one field after another, and respond to the uncertainty of the situation with the certainty of plan implementation.
Always adhere to the combination of upholding the right and consolidating the foundation and being brave in innovation, and stimulate the vitality and impetus of planning-led development with the courage to be the first. Upholding the right and consolidating the foundation is the premise and foundation of being brave in innovation, and being brave in innovation is the purpose and path of upholding the right and consolidating the foundation. Only by adhering to the combination of upholding the right and consolidating the foundation and being brave in innovation can we not lose our direction and lead the era. The strategic goals and development measures formulated in Xiamen's 15-year strategic plan are all directional and principled, and are all innovative developments based on adhering to existing scientific mechanisms and practices. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) at its core has always adhered to upholding the right and innovation, continuously improved the planning and implementation system, promoted the integrated development of technological innovation and industrial innovation, and promoted the continuous achievement of new results in my country's high-quality development. In the new era and new journey, the formulation of strategic plans should adhere to holding the helm steadily while upholding the right and consolidating the foundation, resolutely change what should be changed, and not change what should not be changed, and adhere to the direction, principles, and position; and seek breakthroughs in being brave in innovation, vigorously promote theoretical innovation, practical innovation, institutional innovation, and other aspects of innovation to provide strong impetus for economic and social development.
Always adhere to the combination of overall advancement and key breakthroughs, and promote the realization of planning tasks as scheduled with the perseverance of making persistent efforts. Overall advancement and key breakthroughs are an important relationship that needs to be properly handled in promoting development. Only by grasping the key points and tackling the difficulties on the basis of overall advancement can the work have both comprehensive arrangements and specific grasps. Xiamen's 15-year strategic plan has always adhered to a global perspective, paying attention to the comprehensive coverage and coordinated advancement of various fields, while also paying attention to holding the "nose" of system reform, technological development, and talent development, and achieving a combination of overall advancement and key breakthroughs. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) at its core has made strategic deployments for winning the decisive victory in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and comprehensively building a modern socialist country, achieving key breakthroughs in overall advancement, and promoting overall advancement with key breakthroughs, and promoting the smooth completion of planning goals and tasks. In the new era and new journey, the formulation of strategic plans should correctly handle the relationship between the whole and the part, the comprehensive and the key, and not only work hard on overall advancement, so that the goals, tasks, ideas and measures comprehensively cover the overall requirements of promoting Chinese-style modernization; but also grasp the key and decisive factors, pay attention to consolidating and expanding advantages, breaking through bottlenecks and blockages, strengthening weaknesses and shortcomings, and improving quality and efficiency, and achieve "lifting the net by the rope, and all eyes are open." 举网以纲，千目皆张 (jǔ wǎng yǐ gāng, qiān mù jiē zhāng - "lift the net by the rope, all eyes open," to achieve overall progress by focusing on key aspects).
Return to TopBy: 孔庆元
Sports are an important component of a country's soft power, carrying the dream of national strength and rejuvenation. A strong sports nation means a strong China, and the nation's prosperity leads to sports' flourishing. General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) emphasized at the symposium with experts and representatives in the fields of education, culture, health, and sports held in September 2020: "We must innovate the talent cultivation, selection, incentive and guarantee mechanisms for competitive sports and the national team management system." This important exposition puts forward overall requirements for strengthening innovation in the talent cultivation, selection, incentive and guarantee mechanisms for competitive sports and the national team management system, providing fundamental guidance and pointing out the direction for the work of competitive sports talent cultivation.
To accelerate the construction of a strong sports nation, it is necessary to promote the Chinese sports spirit, promote sports ethics, be confident, strive hard, improve the comprehensive strength of competitive sports, better play the role of the new type of national system, make competitive sports better and stronger, improve the ability to win glory for the country, and let sports provide strong positive energy for society. Since the new era, the construction of a strong sports nation has achieved new and significant achievements, while also facing some new problems and new situations that urgently need to be solved. For example, some young athletes have low cultural literacy, a single growth environment, increased concerns for parents, and insufficient enrollment in some sports schools. Effectively solving these problems is a realistic need to strengthen sports talent cultivation and will lay a solid foundation for building a strong sports nation.
Strengthen the cultivation of sports spirit. General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) emphasized: "The Chinese sports spirit, with 'winning glory for the country, selfless dedication, scientific and realistic approach, abiding by discipline and law, unity and cooperation, and tenacious struggle' as its main content, which has been summarized by the vast number of sports workers in long-term practice, is hard-won and precious, and must be inherited, innovated, and carried forward." Sports spirit is the "soul" of sports activities. Without lofty ideals and good moral character, no matter how high the level of sports is, it cannot become an excellent athlete. Sports talent cultivation should pay more attention to moral cultivation while focusing on improving sports level. Adolescents are in a critical period of establishing a correct worldview, outlook on life, and values, and spiritual nourishment is essential. To create a new channel for cultivating outstanding sports reserve talents, it is necessary to strengthen the guidance of young athletes' worldview, outlook on life, and values in all aspects and at a deep level in their sports training, daily life, and competition, and pay attention to cultivating their self-discipline, teamwork spirit, and sense of social responsibility.
Strengthen the construction of the sports education worker team. Teachers are the backbone of education work. Without a high-level sports education worker team, it is difficult to cultivate high-level sports talents. General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) pointed out: "Good schools have different characteristics, but they have one thing in common: they all have an excellent teaching staff. For teachers, if you want to cultivate students into what kind of people, you should first become what kind of people." It is necessary to accelerate the promotion of sports master teachers, sports backbone teacher construction projects, etc., increase investment in the training and capacity building of sports education workers, and guide sports education workers to further improve their moral quality, scientific knowledge quality, and innovation and creation quality by promoting the Beijing Winter Olympic spirit, etc., and continuously improve their professional level and teaching ability. Establish a good incentive mechanism to attract and retain outstanding sports education workers, and create conditions and lay the foundation for creating a new channel for cultivating outstanding sports reserve talents. At the same time, it is necessary to give full play to the role of social forces and market mechanisms, such as by hiring high-level professional coaches from the society to further improve the competitive training quality of campus sports teams.
Connect the sports talent cultivation path. General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) pointed out: "We must provide classified guidance, start with children, and improve the level of competitive sports in a down-to-earth manner, carry out mass sports persistently, and continuously move from a large sports country to a strong sports country." This important exposition profoundly reflects the use of a connected and developing perspective to view the development of competitive sports, and points out the direction for improving the level of competitive sports step by step and following the rules. It is necessary to strengthen school sports work, establish and improve a sports talent enrollment system that connects primary schools, junior high schools, high schools, and universities, and promote the coordinated development of youth cultural learning and sports exercise; provide diversified sports programs and activities, encourage students to participate, cultivate their interest and love, and provide them with systematic professional training. For example, the "Overall Plan for the Reform and Development of Chinese Football" requires promoting the popularization of campus football, and plans to have 50,000 campus football characteristic schools in primary and secondary schools across the country by 2025, of which schools that carry out women's football account for a certain proportion, which will further promote the popularization of campus football, improve students' sports literacy, and at the same time create conditions for athletes to realize the connection and connection of growth paths such as middle school, university, professional club, and national team. For outstanding sports talents, adopt flexible methods such as retaining student status and extending the length of schooling to coordinate the relationship between cultural learning and competitive training, so that they can participate in competitive sports training and have convenient conditions for further study.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 李 舫 郑 娜 熊 建
On the occasion 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 Museum of the War of Chinese People's Resistance Against Japanese Aggression has launched a themed exhibition, which includes a special audio-visual space for letters from the war, exhibiting letters from revolutionary martyrs. The Family Letters Museum of Renmin University of China collects and displays a batch of precious letters from the war. The Nanjing (南京) Municipal Party History Office has launched a campaign to collect letters from the war. The Pingbei (平北) Anti-Japanese Martyrs Memorial Park is digitizing the 16 letters it holds... Behind each letter from the war is a story intertwined with blood and tears, carrying lofty beliefs, heroic spirit, and unwavering loyalty, and condensing the collective memory of an era. Today, let us relive the deeply moving letters from the war and understand the patriotic feelings within them.
For more details about the letters from the war, please pay attention to the relevant reports in today's overseas edition of the People's Daily.
——Editor
"I hope you don't forget that your mother sacrificed herself for the country"
A few days ago, the State Council Information Office held a press conference to introduce the themed exhibition for the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, as well as the launch of excellent literary and artistic works and activities. The themed exhibition launched by the Museum of the War of Chinese People's Resistance Against Japanese Aggression includes a special audio-visual space for letters from the war. For the first time, the letters of martyrs such as Zuo Quan (左权) and Zhao Yiman (赵一曼) have been transformed into immersive experiences, allowing the audience to more truly feel the heroic spirit in each letter.
Letters from the war refer to letters written to family and friends by the Eighth Route Army, New Fourth Army, and Northeast Anti-Japanese Armed Forces led by the Communist Party of China, officers and soldiers on the front lines of the Chinese army, people from all walks of life, and overseas Chinese during the 14-year War of Resistance from 1931 to 1945.
"In the torrent of the War of Resistance, there were both tragic refugee migrations and passionate national cries; there were both heroic frontline battles and love stories from the rear, military heroism, and everyday life. All of this is truthfully recorded in the letters," said Zhang Ding (张丁), deputy curator of the Family Letters Museum of Renmin University of China and director of the Family Letters Research Center. "Letters from the war represent the individual memories of the War of Resistance, and each letter converges into the collective memory of the War of Resistance."
In the exhibition hall of more than 300 square meters, yellowed letters and old photos are either displayed in glass cabinets or hung on red walls, forming a timeline that silently tells the story of the War of Resistance and the history of the nation in the historical turmoil.
As the first museum in the country with the theme of family letters, the Family Letters Museum of Renmin University of China currently houses more than 80,000 letters of various types since the early Qing Dynasty, including a batch of precious letters from the war. "In 2005, we jointly launched a campaign to collect folk family letters from home and abroad with the National Museum of China and other units, including many letters written during the War of Resistance. So far, we have collected more than 200 letters from the war," said Zhang Ding.
These letters are particularly touching. For example, one of the letters from Zuo Quan (左权) in the museum's collection is the last letter he wrote to his beloved wife, Liu Zhilan (刘志兰), three days before his heroic sacrifice.
"I think Taibei (太北) is taller and knows a lot more. How is she doing in the nursery? Can you visit her often? I hope you can report everything about Taibei in your letters. In leisure and solitude, I always feel like you and Beibei (北北) are playing and talking with me, especially Beibei is very naughty, sometimes on the ground, sometimes climbing into her mother's arms, and then from her mother's arms to her father's arms, making a lot of noise, it's really happy." In the letter, Zuo Quan (左权) recalled the details of his daughter, and his love for his child was overflowing.
Zhao Yiman's (赵一曼) letter is equally moving. Before her execution, she left these words to her son: "Mother and you will never have the chance to see each other again in this life. I hope you, Ning'er (宁儿), grow up quickly to comfort your mother in the ground! My dearest child! Mother will not use thousands of words to educate you, but will educate you with practice. After you grow up, I hope you don't forget that your mother sacrificed herself for the country!"
"When the motherland is in danger, it is the time for young people to strive to serve"
In the letters from the war, the letters from overseas Chinese are particularly eye-catching. Overseas Chinese letters are also known as Qiaopi (侨批) in the Minyue (闽粤) overseas Chinese areas. Faced with the invasion of the Japanese invaders, overseas Chinese children responded immediately.
Fu Ke (符克), a young overseas Chinese who had lived in Vietnam, returned to China to study at the Shaanbei Public School and joined the Communist Party of China. He was then selected by the Party Central Committee to engage in overseas Chinese service for the War of Resistance. On February 21, 1940, he wrote to his father and eldest brother: "I voluntarily participated in the national salvation work, and I am willing to sacrifice my own life, in order to contribute my duty and ability to the national liberation. I believe you understand: if the country is lost, we will be slaves. It is not a few people who can afford to fight against Japan and save the country to win victory."
"Overseas Chinese compatriots generally live a relatively stable life, and some have abundant family assets. They originally had good jobs and lives, but in order to defend their homes and the country, they were willing to give up their comfortable lives and devote themselves to the battlefield of blood and fire," said Zhang Ding (张丁).
For example, Bai Xuejiao (白雪娇), an overseas Chinese from Malaysia. In 1939, when the country was in danger, she concealed her parents and applied for the Nanyang Overseas Chinese Mechanic, becoming a member of the Yunnan-Burma Road Mechanic Team. Before returning to China to fight against Japan, Bai Xuejiao's (白雪娇) letter to her parents was published in many newspapers, inspiring countless young people to go to the country's difficulties together.
She wrote in the letter: "Dear parents, although this trip is thousands of miles away... However, it is even more regrettable to waste a useful body and useful time in comfort and meaninglessness. Because life is a struggle, especially when the motherland is in danger, it is the time for young people to strive to serve."
"Create a strong and intelligent modern youth to strive for the new China"
"Today, I have strengthened my iron will - to fight back to my hometown. Goodbye, on the front line, the nation has reached the critical moment of life and death, and the War of Resistance has reached the critical moment. What are you afraid of bleeding, what are you talking about sacrifice. Friends, let's meet again, in the enemy's rear - in the guerrilla team."
This is a letter written by the anti-Japanese martyr Gao Chuanji (高传纪) to his father. A few days ago, staff from the Pingbei (平北) Anti-Japanese Martyrs Memorial Park in Yanqing District (延庆区), Beijing (北京) went to Shandong (山东) to receive 16 letters from Gao Chuanji's (高传纪) sister, Gao Yun (高云), which she had treasured. Currently, the Pingbei (平北) Anti-Japanese Martyrs Memorial Park is digitizing these 16 letters and will display them publicly when the exhibition is renovated next time.
On May 21, the Nanjing (南京) Municipal Party History Office in Jiangsu Province (江苏省) launched a campaign to collect letters from the war, focusing on collecting letters written to family and friends in the Nanjing (南京) area by patriotic soldiers such as the Eighth Route Army, the New Fourth Army, and the Northeast Anti-Japanese Armed Forces led by the Communist Party of China, letters written to family and friends by the New Fourth Army and other anti-Japanese armed forces fighting against Japan around Nanjing (南京), and letters written to family and friends by people from all walks of life in the Nanjing (南京) area, such as teachers, students, staff, and businessmen.
"Family letters are the records of the war by those who experienced it, and they are personal historical materials that record the author's observations, experiences, and feelings, providing some details of the history of the War of Resistance and providing us with a new perspective for reviewing, restoring, and studying that period of history," said Zhang Ding (张丁).
Many authors of letters from the war devoted themselves to the anti-Japanese battlefield against the background of national crisis. They are steel-like soldiers, but also have the emotions of ordinary people. "They love this country and their relatives. The letters reflect the traditional Chinese virtues of respecting the old and loving the young, brotherly friendship, and conjugal love everywhere," said Zhang Ding (张丁). However, for the sake of national love, they gave up their small families and personal feelings, and this patriotic feeling is admirable.
In 1939, Wang Yuting (王雨亭), an overseas Chinese from the Philippines, personally sent his 16-year-old son, Wang Weizhen (王唯真), back to China to participate in the War of Resistance. At the time of parting, Wang Yuting (王雨亭) wrote these words: "Goodbye, Zhen'er (真儿)! I hope you will learn with an open mind and not forget my usual teachings of 'seven points of perseverance and three points of optimism' (有恒七分，达观三分), exercise your physique, enrich your knowledge, and create a strong and intelligent modern youth to strive for the new China!"
On the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, let us relive these deeply moving letters from the war, understand history, and draw strength.
Return to TopBy: 陈 亮
The Museum of the War of Chinese People's Resistance Against Japanese Aggression has a brown lamp cabinet (see picture), 80 cm high, with a top surface of 46 cm square. The four corners of the top of the lamp cabinet are engraved with the character "福" (fú - "fortune/good luck"), the middle is cracked, and the top is engraved with "I am ordered to go to Sichuan (川) to participate in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. I will go to the front line. I hope you will not forget the national crisis, study hard, and strengthen our China." The inscription is "The eighth month of the 26th year of the Republic of China, belonging to the year Ding Chou (丁丑)",傅常 (Fu Chang)", and next to it is engraved "傅常 (Fu Chang)" seal. The upper left and lower left corners of the lamp cabinet door are also engraved with the character "福" (fú - "fortune/good luck"), and in the center is engraved "Do not forget the national crisis, study hard, and strengthen our China", with the inscription "傅常 (Fu Chang)", and engraved with the "傅常 (Fu Chang)" seal.
This lamp cabinet is a national first-class cultural relic, witnessing the tragic history of the Chinese people resisting aggression and rushing to the national crisis.
傅常 (Fu Chang) was born in 1887 in Tongnan, Sichuan (四川潼南) (now Tongnan District, Chongqing (重庆潼南区)). In 1908, he entered the Sichuan Army Rapid Training School (四川陆军速成学堂), and later joined the Tongmenghui (同盟会), participating in the Guangzhou Uprising (广州起义), the "Second Revolution" (二次革命), and the National Protection Movement (护国运动), etc. In 1924, he served as the Chongqing Customs Superintendent (重庆海关监督), and later joined Liu Xiang's (刘湘) Sichuan Army (川军) camp, serving successively as the Chief of Staff of the 21st Army (第21军参谋长), the Chief of Staff of the Chuan Kang Pacification Commissioner's Office (川康绥靖公署参谋长), etc. In 1937, he followed Liu Xiang (刘湘) out of Sichuan (川) to fight against the Japanese, serving as the Chief of Staff of the Seventh War Zone Headquarters (第七战区司令长官部参谋长), and later as the Chief of Staff of the Chongqing Garrison Headquarters (重庆行营参谋长), etc. He died of illness in Chengdu (成都) in 1947.
In 1937, the July 7th Incident (七七事变) broke out, and Liu Xiang (刘湘) telegraphed to volunteer, calling for a united resistance against Japan. On August 25, Liu Xiang (刘湘) issued the "Letter to the Military and Civilians of Sichuan and Kang (川康军民书)", calling on the military and civilians of Sichuan (四川) to fully resist Japan. On September 5, the Sichuan Provincial Anti-Enemy Support Association (四川省抗敌后援会) held a rally in Shaocheng Park (少城公园) (now People's Park (人民公园)) in Chengdu (成都市), attended by about 10,000 people from all walks of life to bid farewell to the generals and soldiers who went out of Sichuan (川) to resist the Japanese. Deng Xihou (邓锡侯), commander of the First Column and commander of the 45th Army (第一纵队司令兼第45军军长), delivered a passionate speech at the meeting: "The Sichuan Army (川军) goes out of Sichuan (川) to fight against the Japanese. If we win, we will return in triumph; if we do not win, we are determined to return wrapped in horsehide!"
Deng Xihou's (邓锡侯) bold words made the soldiers present feel excited and invigorated. Many officers and soldiers who went out of Sichuan (川) to fight against the Japanese made wills in advance, vowing to serve the country with their lives. 傅常 (Fu Chang) also wrote a letter to his wife and children.
After 傅常 (Fu Chang) went on the expedition, his wife found a craftsman to engrave the family letter on the lamp cabinet in the same style as her husband's handwriting, firstly to educate future generations to serve the country, and secondly to preserve this family letter for a long time, so that the family letter could accompany her, her children, and be passed down with the lamp cabinet.
During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, countless soldiers, like 傅常 (Fu Chang), bid farewell to their families and resolutely rushed to the front line of the war against Japan. They used their loyalty to the nation, their blood and lives, to show the world the unyielding spirit of the Chinese nation, unafraid of violence and brave in resisting foreign aggression.
Today, the original manuscript of 傅常's (Fu Chang) family letter has been lost, but the lamp cabinet engraved with the family letter has been preserved through hardships. The words on the lamp cabinet have touched many viewers. People stand silently in front of the cabinet, some identifying and reading aloud word by word, and some silently reciting and pondering. The twelve characters "勿忘国难，努力学习，强我中华" ("Do not forget the national crisis, study hard, and strengthen our China") are 振聋发聩 (zhèn lóng fā kuì - "deafening," a wake-up call). The smoke of gunpowder has dissipated, and peace is hard-won. The patriotic feelings of our ancestors inspire us to face difficulties and challenges in the new era, to bravely stand up, to take on our own responsibilities, to constantly strive forward, and to make unremitting efforts to realize the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
(The author is an associate researcher at the Museum of the War of Chinese People's Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (中国人民抗日战争纪念馆), and this article was compiled by Shi Fang (施芳), a reporter from this newspaper)
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 王 珏
On July 3rd, the China Journalists Association (中国记协) News Ethics Committee held a special evaluation meeting on "Improving Work Style and Writing Style in the All-Media Era" at the People's Daily (人民日报社). The meeting focused on the construction of work style and writing style on the news front in the all-media era, exchanged experiences and practices, gathered industry consensus, and promoted journalists to enhance their "four capabilities" with excellent writing style.
Relevant responsible comrades and editor and reporter representatives from media outlets such as People's Daily (人民日报社), Xinhua News Agency (新华社), China Media Group (中央广播电视总台), Guangming Daily (光明日报社), China Daily (中国日报社), China Finance & Economic News (中国财经报社), Zhejiang Radio & Television Group (浙江广播电视集团), and Henan Daily (河南日报社) attended the meeting and made exchange speeches. The participating representatives believed that with the rapid development of information technology and the profound changes in the communication landscape, the all-media era has placed higher demands on the work style and writing style of news media, and the news front needs to continue to work hard to enhance the ideological leadership, practical guidance, and spiritual appeal of reports.
Yu Chunhui (于春晖), a member of the Theoretical Department Committee of the People's Daily (人民日报社), proposed that the People's Daily (人民日报社) should improve the quality of theoretical publicity and improve writing style by starting with concepts, planning, and mechanisms, "firmly establish the concept of 'political + professional' and 'news + theory', highlight ideology, academic nature, and popularization, create new columns and new brands, publish important theoretical articles, and innovate the working mechanism of theoretical publicity planning."
Wan Chuanming (万川明), Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Henan Daily (河南日报社), said that in the all-media era and the Internet environment, it is necessary to lead the change of writing style with the change of layout, rebuild user connections by deeply cultivating vertical categories, and create communication masterpieces by strengthening planning.
Members of the China Journalists Association (中国记协) News Ethics Committee participated in the evaluation. Liu Fuguang (刘福广), Director of the干部教育培训中心 of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (国务院国资委), said that it is necessary to adhere to the equal emphasis on "major themes" and "small entry points," adhere to the equal emphasis on "going online" and "going to the grassroots," adhere to the equal emphasis on "following hot spots" and "setting the melody," and adhere to the equal emphasis on "using technology" and "talking about humanity."
Yin Xiaobei (尹小贝), a member of the Party Committee of the China Financial Ideological and Political Work Research Association (中国金融思想政治工作研究会), said that to improve work style and writing style in the all-media era, news media should always adhere to maximizing news value and be recorders of history; always adhere to their own positioning and continue to provide specific audiences with news services with their own distinct characteristics.
"The homogenization of new media platforms, the discount of communication effectiveness, the unsound interactive feedback mechanism, the superficial application of technology, and the insufficient depth of media integration innovation have become prominent problems in the work style and writing style of the all-media era." Ji Weimin (季为民), Secretary of the Party Committee and President of China Social Sciences Press (中国社会科学出版社), said that for this reason, efforts should be made on the word "short" to highlight information density and communication accuracy, articles should be made on the word "practical" to focus on scenario-based expression and refined narration, and breakthroughs should be sought on the word "new" to actively adopt new technologies and appoint new people.
Zhang Ren (张韧), Minister of Industry Self-Discipline Department of the Capital Internet Association (首都互联网协会), said that to improve work style and writing style in the all-media era, it is necessary to start from multiple dimensions, to temper the "four capabilities" to strengthen the professional foundation, to go deep into the grassroots to focus on people's livelihood concerns, to give full play to the advantages of all-media communication, and to effectively use AI technology.
In order to hold a good evaluation meeting, the China Journalists Association (中国记协) conducted special research to understand the experiences, practices, difficulties, problems, and countermeasures and suggestions for "improving work style and writing style in the all-media era." Liu Siyang (刘思扬), Secretary of the Party Group and Vice Chairman of the China Journalists Association (中国记协), emphasized in his concluding remarks that the writing style is backed by the Party's work style and work style, and improving the writing style is an inevitable requirement of news work in the new era. The evaluation meeting is problem-oriented and aims at practical results, promoting the news front to eliminate malpractices with the courage of 刀刃向内 (dāo rèn xiàng nèi - "blade facing inward," self-criticism) and open up a new situation with the wisdom of upholding integrity and innovation, so that excellent writing style can radiate new vitality in the all-media era.
Return to TopThis newspaper Hohhot (呼和浩特) July 6 (Reporter Zheng Haiou (郑海鸥)) On the 6th, the 2025 China Original Folk Song Festival, sponsored by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism (文化和旅游部), closed in Hohhot (呼和浩特), Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (内蒙古自治区).
The China Original Folk Song Festival is held every two years. This year's folk song festival is themed "Original Natural Sound, Folk Song Chinese Sentiment," with nearly 400 people from 65 teams across the country participating in the performance. The programs cover 42 national-level representative projects of intangible cultural heritage and 23 provincial-level representative projects of intangible cultural heritage. Among them, there are both classic folk songs and innovative adaptations of characteristic songs, vividly demonstrating the latest achievements in the inheritance and development of music-related intangible cultural heritage in China.
During the folk song festival, performance teams from various regions and local Ulan Muqir (乌兰牧骑) formed small teams and went to Hohhot (呼和浩特), Ulanqab (乌兰察布市), and Ordos (鄂尔多斯市), entering local squares, campuses, pastoral areas, etc., to carry out 6 centralized performances and 8 grassroots benefit performances.
Return to TopThis newspaper reported from Beijing on July 6th (Reporter: Yu Sinan (喻思南)) Abnormal typhoon paths and sudden changes in intensity, a new generation of low-energy, low-cost carbon capture and storage technology, and the development of regenerative biomaterials in aging states... On July 6th, at the main forum of the 27th Annual Conference of the China Association for Science and Technology (中国科协), the China Association for Science and Technology (中国科协) released major scientific questions, engineering technology challenges, and industrial technology problems for 2025.
This year's solicitation and release event was jointly organized by 80 national learned societies. In the first stage, 56 strategic scientists recommended 90 questions and challenges, covering 23 sub-directions in ten fields such as basic sciences of mathematics, physics, and chemistry, earth science, and ecological environment. In the second stage, a final selection academic committee composed of 23 strategic scientists strictly evaluated the submissions from four dimensions: frontier nature, leading nature, innovation, and strategic nature, and selected 10 frontier scientific questions, 10 engineering technology challenges, and 10 industrial technology problems.
Since 2018, the China Association for Science and Technology (中国科协) has organized problem and challenge solicitation and release activities for eight consecutive years. The China Association for Science and Technology (中国科协) will continue to pay attention to the released problems and challenges, guide the vast number of science and technology workers to focus on major national needs, carry out original and leading research, help win the battle of tackling key and core technologies, and continuously consolidate the scientific and technological support for high-quality development.
Return to TopThis newspaper's Guangzhou (广州) dispatch on July 6th (Reporter Cheng Yuanzhou (程远州)): On July 6th, the 300 MW variable-speed pumped storage unit AC excitation system of Langjiang (浪江), Zhaoqing (肇庆), Guangdong (广东) passed the factory test and officially rolled off the production line. The engineering application will enter the on-site installation stage from research and development manufacturing.
The pumped storage unit is mainly composed of a generator motor and a pump turbine, which uses two reservoirs on the mountain to convert water energy and electrical energy into each other. Among them, the unit AC excitation system maintains the stability of the voltage according to the load adjustment needs, which is equivalent to the "lungs" of a person maintaining normal breathing. Compared with the traditional fixed-speed pumped storage unit, the variable-speed pumped storage unit can achieve nearly 50% range of pumping and power generation power adjustment by changing the speed by about 7%, and more efficiently and stably store and flexibly call the volatile and intermittent new energy. According to reports, the capacity of the newly launched AC excitation system is more than 10 times that of the conventional fixed-speed pumped storage unit, which can fully meet the control accuracy and output capacity of the variable-speed pumped storage unit operation, and successfully break the long-term foreign technology monopoly.
Return to TopLayout Design: Zhang Danfeng (张丹峰)
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 李茂颖 屈 佩
"Red Heart's Merits"—A 9-meter-high monument stands on the Western Hills (西山) in Kunming (昆明), Yunnan (云南), with these four characters engraved on its base.
The inscription reads: More than three thousand passionate Overseas Chinese mechanics from Southeast Asia… used their lives, blood, and sweat to write a magnificent chapter in the history of Overseas Chinese patriotism, and also established indelible merits in the history of the Chinese people's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the world people's anti-fascist war.
From 1939 to 1942, at a critical moment in the War of Resistance, on the Burma Road (滇缅公路), known as the "Death Road," more than 3,200 Overseas Chinese youths who had returned from Southeast Asia drove trucks through gunfire, rushing to transport military supplies and repair transport vehicles, building an "unsinkable supply line" for the War of Resistance.
The smoke of war has dissipated, but the merits remain. They have a common name—the Overseas Chinese Mechanics Returning to China Service Corps (南洋华侨机工回国服务团) (referred to as "Nanyang Mechanics (南侨机工)"). On April 15 this year, during his state visit to Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur (吉隆坡), President Xi Jinping (习近平) published a signed article in the local media, pointing out: "More than 80 years ago, Malaysian Nanyang Mechanics rushed to Yunnan (云南) at a critical moment in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, helping to open up the lifeline of the Burma Road (滇缅公路). These stories are still widely circulated among the people of China and Malaysia."
Relying on courage and technology, they continued to travel under enemy bombing.
After the full-scale outbreak of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression on July 7, 1937, China's important coastal ports basically fell, and the Northwest Highway and the Yunnan-Vietnam Railway were cut off one after another. The Burma Road (滇缅公路) became an important international transportation channel connecting China with the outside world.
The Burma Road (滇缅公路) is 1,146 kilometers long, running from Kunming (昆明), Yunnan (云南) to Myanmar (缅甸), crossing the Gaoligong Mountains (高黎贡山), Yunling Mountains (云岭) and other high mountains. It was manually excavated by 200,000 road-building civilians in 9 months. After it opened to traffic in August 1938, it became the "lifeline of China's War of Resistance."
The road was built, but the problem remained serious: at that time, China severely lacked technicians familiar with automobile driving and maintenance.
At a critical moment, Tan Kah Kee (陈嘉庚), then chairman of the Nanyang Federation of China Relief Fund (南侨总会), issued the "Sixth Notice of the Nanyang Federation of China Relief Fund for Refugees in the Motherland" in the *Nanyang Siang Pau* (《南洋商报》) in February 1939, recruiting Overseas Chinese youths who understood driving and could repair cars to return to China to serve. The notice ended with: "This matter concerns the great cause of the motherland's rejuvenation, and it is imperative to pay close attention to handling it."
After the notice was issued, 80 people responded in just 10 days, and subsequent applicants continued to sign up. Among them were teachers, doctors, businessmen, and engineers, including many from wealthy families. The notice required applicants to be between 20 and 40 years old, but the oldest person who came to sign up was 49 years old, and the youngest was only 13 years old. They concealed and falsely reported their age, and some even disguised themselves as men, hoping to return to China to participate in the War of Resistance. In 1939, a total of 9 batches of more than 3,200 Nanyang Mechanics (南侨机工) returned to China to provide support. They came from today's Singapore (新加坡), Malaysia (马来西亚), Indonesia (印度尼西亚), Myanmar (缅甸), Vietnam (越南), Thailand (泰国) and other countries, and at least 5 of them were women.
The group photo before departure captured the former glory of the Nanyang Mechanics (南侨机工): suits and leather shoes, neat ties, and shiny hair wax. This was a group of young people who could play the harmonica, sing English songs, and loved to drink coffee. For the victory of the War of Resistance, they did not hesitate to leave Southeast Asia and rush to the motherland invaded by war.
In Yunnan (云南), after about two months of military training, the Nanyang Mechanics (南侨机工) took up their posts: those who could drive served as truck drivers, responsible for transporting supplies; those who understood maintenance were stationed at major stations and repair shops along the line, responsible for vehicle maintenance and support.
From Kunming (昆明) to Myanmar (缅甸), it took seven or eight days to drive one way. The Nanyang Mechanics (南侨机工) used the steering wheel as a weapon and the truck as a cover, relying on courage and technology to continue to travel under enemy bombing. They transported military supplies such as weapons and ammunition from Myanmar (缅甸) and transported Chinese tung oil, minerals and other materials overseas, providing valuable support for China during the war.
From 1939 to 1942, more than 500,000 tons of military supplies were transported via the Burma Road (滇缅公路), as well as countless civilian supplies.
"After the Burma Road (滇缅公路) was cut off in 1942, some of the Nanyang Mechanics (南侨机工) joined the Hump Route (驼峰航线) jointly opened by China and the United States, undertaking the task of transferring various military supplies to the Chinese battlefield; some also stayed in Kunming (昆明), serving as translators and clerks in the Allied forces," said Xia Yuqing (夏玉清), a professor at the School of Chinese Language and Culture of Yunnan Normal University (云南师范大学华文学院) who has long studied the history of the Nanyang Mechanics (南侨机工).
During the War of Resistance, Overseas Chinese did their best to support China. A "Statistical Table of Overseas Chinese Donations to Aid the War in Various Parts of the World" shows that from 1937 to 1945, Overseas Chinese in Myanmar (缅甸) donated 19 airplanes, the Nanyang Federation of China Relief Fund (南侨总会) raised 200 trucks, and the Nanyang region donated more than 7 million pieces of winter clothing… In this worldwide "Overseas Chinese patriotism" campaign, the Nanyang Mechanics (南侨机工) wrote a heroic and moving chapter with their flesh and blood.
On average, one Nanyang Mechanic (南侨机工) sacrificed his life for the country for every kilometer.
"When I returned to Yunnan (云南) from Southeast Asia, I was already prepared to sacrifice myself, and I never thought about going back alive," said Luo Kaihu (罗开瑚), a centenarian, when this reporter interviewed him for the first time in 2018. At that time, he was in good health and still retained his habit of drinking coffee and reading newspapers in Southeast Asia.
In July 1939, Luo Kaihu (罗开瑚), only 21 years old, and more than 300 passionate young people from the eighth batch of Nanyang Mechanics (南侨机工) took a boat back to China.
On the Burma Road (滇缅公路), there were life-and-death tests everywhere. The mountain road meandered through the mountains, and a slight carelessness in driving would lead to a fall into an abyss. When driving on muddy, narrow sections of road near cliffs, the co-driver even needed to "hang" outside the car to act as a "human navigation." Mosquitoes and malaria were rampant on the road, and thousands of mechanics fell on the way. Enemy bombing was even more commonplace, and once a vehicle was hit, the mechanics had little hope of survival.
"Malaria, and non-stop artillery fire, many of my comrades sacrificed," Luo Kaihu's (罗开瑚) calm voice revealed the pain that the years could not erase.
The Nanyang Mechanics (南侨机工) were not only soldiers, but also engineers. They used their wisdom to cope with many difficulties: they made their own anti-skid triangular wood, cooling water tanks, and sight measurement rods to cope with landslides, high temperatures, and sharp turns.
"The sight measurement rod was invented by Nanyang Mechanic (南侨机工) Xie Chuanzhou (谢川周). The truck's field of vision was limited, so he cut bamboo into two small bamboo poles and inserted them on both sides of the headlights as ranging marks, which could also protect the front of the car to a certain extent, equivalent to the bumper of a car now," said Yu Youlan (余有兰), a docent at the Nanyang Overseas Chinese Mechanics Returning to China Anti-Japanese War Memorial Hall (南洋华侨机工回国抗日纪念馆).
Gongguo Bridge (功果桥), which spans the Lancang River (澜沧江), was the "throat" of the Burma Road (滇缅公路) and had repeatedly become a key bombing target for the enemy. After the Japanese army bombed Gongguo Bridge (功果桥), Japanese radio stations claimed that "the Burma Road (滇缅公路) has been cut off, and there is no hope of traffic within 3 months." Nanyang Mechanic (南侨机工) Liao Guoxiong (廖国雄) recalled that in order to restore the Burma Road (滇缅公路) traffic line as soon as possible, the Nanyang Mechanics (南侨机工) and local people used hundreds of empty oil drums to tie up a pontoon, laid wooden boards on it, and built a 300-meter-long pontoon bridge in just 10 hours, ensuring the smooth flow of this anti-Japanese transportation artery.
Not long ago, Yang Ting (杨婷), the granddaughter of Nanyang Mechanic (南侨机工) Li Yuemei (李月美), and a group of descendants of mechanics retraced the Burma Road (滇缅公路) to commemorate the heroic deeds of their ancestors. Yang Ting (杨婷) often heard her family tell stories about the Nanyang Mechanics (南侨机工) when she was a child. Li Yuemei (李月美) was an excellent driver with quick reactions and was good at avoiding bombing. When Japanese planes circled in the sky, she and her comrades cooperated tacitly, either using branches to cover the reflective rearview mirrors of the car, or racing against time to drive the car into the dense forest.
"My grandmother joined the Nanyang Mechanics (南侨机工) team disguised as a man," Yang Ting (杨婷) said that Li Yuemei (李月美) successfully passed various assessments with her extraordinary wisdom and perseverance, "She was tall and strong, and the people at the registration office at the time did not see through her disguise." It was not until an accidental rollover that Li Yuemei (李月美) was discovered by a passing mechanic and sent to the hospital for treatment. Her identity was revealed during the emergency treatment. The story of "Contemporary Mulan (花木兰)" was widely reported at the time and caused a sensation at home and abroad.
There are many heroes like Li Yuemei (李月美) among the Nanyang Mechanics (南侨机工): Jiang Yinsheng (蒋印生), who returned to China to participate in the war at the age of 13, Wang Wensong (王文松), who gave up his high-paying job in Southeast Asia, and Wu Huimin (吴惠民), who went to the front line after self-studying driving for only a week… According to incomplete statistics, of the more than 3,200 Nanyang Mechanics (南侨机工), more than 1/3 heroically sacrificed along the Burma Road (滇缅公路). On the Burma Road (滇缅公路), on average, one Nanyang Mechanic (南侨机工) sacrificed his life for the country for every kilometer.
After the smoke of war dissipated, their names remained here.
On the China-Myanmar border, in Wanting (畹町), Dehong (德宏), Yunnan (云南), the Nanyang Overseas Chinese Mechanics Returning to China Anti-Japanese War Memorial (南洋华侨机工回国抗日纪念碑) stands tall. At dawn, Ye Xiaodong (叶晓东), the monument keeper, rides his electric car to the monument, climbs the long steps, wipes the monument, waters the flowers and plants, and sweeps the fallen leaves on the ground… day after day for twenty years.
Behind the monument, in the relief corridor describing the Nanyang Mechanics (南侨机工) returning to China to fight against Japan, the list of heroes of the Nanyang Mechanics (南侨机工) is engraved. Whenever he goes here, Ye Xiaodong's (叶晓东) eyes always linger on the name "Chen Tuanyuan (陈团圆)", which is his biological father.
"My father's name is here, and my father is here." This is what Ye Xiaodong (叶晓东) thought when he saw his father's name on the list of heroes for the first time. As a descendant of the Nanyang Mechanics (南侨机工), Ye Xiaodong (叶晓东) was immersed in the grief of national mourning from birth. In 1944, his father, Chen Tuanyuan (陈团圆), was brutally buried alive by the Japanese army for refusing to betray his comrades. At that time, Ye Xiaodong (叶晓东) was only 3 months old.
In 2005, the Nanyang Overseas Chinese Mechanics Returning to China Anti-Japanese War Memorial (南洋华侨机工回国抗日纪念碑) was completed in Wanting Town (畹町镇), Ruili City (瑞丽市), Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture (德宏傣族景颇族自治州). Ye Xiaodong (叶晓东) took the initiative to serve as the monument keeper, cleaning and wiping the monument and the list of heroes for his father and his father's comrades every day.
For 20 years, Ye Xiaodong (叶晓东) has guarded the monument every day, rain or shine. When descendants of Nanyang Mechanics (南侨机工) from home and abroad come to find their relatives and cry while stroking the names on the monument, he will cry with them and bow deeply to the monument; when tourists come here, he will tirelessly tell the heroic deeds of the Nanyang Mechanics (南侨机工).
Chen Daya (陈达娅), a descendant of the Nanyang Mechanics (南侨机工), joined hands with other descendants of mechanics to create and perform the large-scale symphonic chorus "Ode to Nanyang (南侨颂)". This work has gone from domestic theaters to overseas stages, allowing the story of the Nanyang Mechanics (南侨机工) to be known by more people. Many people came from afar to watch the performance, and many audience members shed tears on the spot.
Today, Malaysia (马来西亚) and Singapore (新加坡) also have Nanyang Mechanics (南侨机工) monuments. Malaysia (马来西亚) is promoting the construction of a Nanyang Mechanics (南侨机工) Memorial Park and a Nanyang Mechanics (南侨机工) Memorial Hall. Every year on the anniversary of the victory of the War of Resistance, Overseas Chinese communities in Malaysia (马来西亚) and other places hold activities in front of the monument to commemorate the great contributions made by the Nanyang Mechanics (南侨机工) to the War of Resistance.
In 2020, Luo Kaihu (罗开瑚) passed away; in 2022, Jiang Yinsheng (蒋印生) passed away. Since then, there are no more Nanyang Mechanics (南侨机工) in the world, but their story of "sacrificing themselves without regard and destroying their families without complaint" will be forever remembered.
In 2018, the "Historical Archives of the Nanyang Mechanics (南侨机工历史档案)" was selected into the "Asia-Pacific Regional List of the Memory of the World." The archives truly record the entire process of Overseas Chinese volunteers returning to China to fight against Japan during the War of Resistance, and also engrave the memory of Overseas Chinese resisting tyranny and safeguarding human peace. In 2019, the Malaysian Second World War History Research Association awarded the Nanyang Mechanics (南侨机工) the "Asian Peace Award."
Luo Kaihu (罗开瑚) said in an interview before his death: "It is the responsibility of every Chinese to do their best to contribute when the country is in danger, whether alive or dead."
"On one side is a rich and comfortable life, and on the other side is a battlefield full of artillery fire. The Nanyang Mechanics (南侨机工) resolutely chose the latter, which stems from the unbreakable connection in the blood of the Chinese nation. Their feat not only built a mobile steel Great Wall for the Chinese nation to resist foreign aggression and strive for national independence, but also engraved the historical imprint of the Overseas Chinese community for the cause of world peace. Fighting for national independence and dedicating themselves to world peace, the names of the Nanyang Mechanics (南侨机工) will be forever engraved in the annals of the Chinese nation's struggle for survival and the common memory of mankind's anti-fascism," said Xia Yuqing (夏玉清), "Today, in the face of the turbulent international situation, our commemoration of the Nanyang Mechanics (南侨机工) is not just a review of history, but also a inheritance of spirit. Their beliefs across time and space remind us that peace needs to be guarded and the future needs to be built together."
For video reports, please see the "People's Daily International (人民日报国际)" WeChat official account.
Bai Xuejiao's (白雪娇) farewell letter to her parents
Dear parents:
Goodbye, nothing can stop me from joining the army now. I know that my parents have always been reasonable, and they will not object to my daughter's actions. The reason why I left without saying goodbye is because my daughter is not brave enough, because the love between flesh and blood is always inevitable. I am deeply afraid that if I suddenly propose this idea, my mother will definitely be excited and cry. Although I am determined to serve the country, I may be overcome by personal feelings because of this natural emotional weakness. Therefore, in order to remedy this shortcoming, I had to harden my heart, hide it from you, and leave. I know that my mother will be sad because of this, but I believe that my father will not blame his daughter for this, but will definitely regard it as a matter of glory.
Before leaving, I was extremely sad. Every minute, my heart was filled with repeated contradictions and conflicts. Home is what I love, and my parents, siblings are what I love, but the broken motherland is what I miss and love even more. Therefore, although I hesitated several times, I finally embarked on the journey with sad emotions and tears of bitterness.
This time I went, purely to serve the motherland. Although I am the most insignificant worm in society, and although my strength is simply not enough to be a "drop in the ocean (沧海一粟 - cāng hǎi yī sù - "a millet in the vast sea," insignificant power)," in the great cause of saving the country, but I can gather the water droplets of the world to form an ocean. I hope that I can do my best in the ocean of national salvation.
Dear parents, although this trip is thousands of miles away, and the safety is unpredictable, it is inevitable that it will be sad and bitter. However, it is even more regrettable to waste a useful body and useful time in comfort and meaninglessness. Because life is a struggle, especially when the motherland is in danger, it is the time for young people to work hard. At this time, being able to see with my own eyes the desperate struggle of the motherland and the difficulties of the new China's gestation, and being able to do something for the motherland, I feel that I have not failed my parents' kindness in raising me.
Now what you two can worry about is not me, but the reading of my siblings. They are too ignorant and regard going to school as a pastime, which needs to be urged and taught urgently. Because "jade that is not cut will not become a useful object (玉不琢，不成器 - yù bù zhuó, bù chéng qì - "jade that is not cut will not become a useful object," one must be educated to become useful)."
Your daughter is unfilial. I hope my parents will be broad-minded and comfort themselves, and take good care of themselves. I am in a hurry to leave, and I will only leave this as a farewell. There will be a future meeting.
I will not write separately to my uncles and aunts.
Finally, I wish you good health!
May 18th, 28th year of the Republic of China.
(Note: In 1939, Bai Xuejiao (白雪娇), a 25-year-old Overseas Chinese from Malaysia (马来西亚), returned to China to fight against Japan and became a female mechanic on the Burma Road (滇缅公路).)
Farewell to Southeast Asia
Lyrics: Tian Han (田汉) Music: Nie Er (聂耳)
Goodbye, Southeast Asia!
Your sea waves are green, and the sea clouds are long,
You are our second hometown.
The blood and sweat of our nation,
Has been sprinkled on these hundreds of desolate islands.
Goodbye, Southeast Asia!
Your coconuts are fat, and your nutmeg is fragrant.
You are blessed with abundant natural offerings,
But under the exploitation of imperialism,
Millions of oppressed people are starving!
Goodbye, Southeast Asia!
Don't you see corpses lying across Changbai Mountain (长白山),
Blood flowing through the Heilongjiang River (黑龙江)?
This is the survival of the Chinese nation!
Goodbye, Southeast Asia!
Goodbye, Southeast Asia!
We are going to fight for a glimmer of hope!
"Farewell to Southeast Asia" is a song created by Tian Han (田汉) and Nie Er (聂耳). It was released in 1934. The song shows the diaspora experience of Overseas Chinese in Southeast Asia and their deep feelings for China. The Nanyang Mechanics (南侨机工) often sang this song when they left to support the War of Resistance.
Return to TopIn recent years, Zhongning County (中宁县), Zhongwei City (中卫市), has focused on the "Six New, Six Special, Six Superior + N" industrial system layout of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region (宁夏回族自治区), highlighting the advantage of Zhongning wolfberry as an authentic producing area. It has established and improved the "three major systems" of modern agriculture, vigorously implemented the "six major projects" of stabilizing wolfberry with bases, securing wolfberry with leading enterprises, revitalizing wolfberry with science and technology, establishing wolfberry with quality, strengthening wolfberry with brands, and enlivening wolfberry with culture. It has accelerated the construction of a wolfberry trading and distribution center and a "large base" for authentic medicinal materials. As of the end of 2024, the comprehensive output value of the wolfberry industry reached 12.6 billion yuan, and the brand value exceeded 20.5 billion yuan, ranking tenth in China's brand value evaluation information. The transformation and development of the industry has accelerated, and the brand value has reached a new level.
Planning a grand strategy with a broad vision to enhance development concepts. Zhongning insists on large-scale operation, standardized planting, scientific management, green prevention and control, modernized processing, and branded operation. It adheres to the two-pronged approach of "stabilizing area and increasing yield per unit area." It has built 17 standardized demonstration parks of more than 1,000 mu and 3 autonomous region-level breeding bases for improved varieties of seedlings, and has obtained 106 various certifications such as Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) and Good Agricultural Practices (GAP). It continuously improves the mechanism for linking and benefiting farmers, and continues to deepen the development model of "leading enterprises + bases + cooperatives + farmers + socialized service organizations." Under the background of strictly implementing the policy of cultivated land protection, it explores a new path for wolfberry planting of "going up the mountains and entering the parks." The wolfberry planting area is stabilized at 100,000 mu, which can drive more than 50,000 farmers in the county to work during the wolfberry picking season every year, striving to find a new way of industrial development ecologicalization, ecological restoration industrialization, and intensive and economical utilization of land and water resources.
Creating a big brand with great planning to brighten the characteristic name card. Through the "Zhongning Wolfberry Brand (中宁枸杞品牌) + Enterprise Independent Brand" model, Zhongning has created a marketing and promotion matrix, and more than 80 independent well-known brands such as "Zaokang (早康)," "Ningxia Red (宁夏红)," and "Xizan (玺赞)" have emerged. The number of wolfberry brands accounts for 70% of the entire region. It has held the Wolfberry Industry Expo at a high standard for seven consecutive years, enhancing the industrial driving effect of "one conference, one festival, and one forum," with a cumulative investment promotion and signing amount of 35.2 billion yuan. The development momentum of the wolfberry industry is strong and the market potential is huge. It has carried out a series of publicity activities such as the Ningxia Quality China Tour, and was selected as the official designated product of the Hangzhou Asian Games. It has successively won honors such as the Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) certification demonstration county, the Chinese Characteristic Agricultural Product Advantage Zone, and the 2025 Rural Revitalization Authentic Medicinal Material Development Demonstration County. The reputation and influence of the "Zhongning Wolfberry (中宁枸杞)" brand continue to increase.
Improving big services with big circulation to improve the marketing system. Zhongning strengthens financial policy support, establishes a wolfberry industry fund, optimizes the approval procedures of financial institutions, and has successively helped 18 wolfberry technology-based enterprises obtain loans of 46.748 million yuan, effectively alleviating the difficulties and high costs of financing faced by enterprises in scientific research investment, achievement transformation, and industrial development. The overall efficiency of enterprise technological innovation has steadily improved. Accelerating the construction of the national-level Ningxia Zhongning Wolfberry Market (宁夏中宁枸杞市场), implementing the service industry cluster area project, the "six major centers" of wolfberry market logistics distribution, price formation, industrial information, scientific and technological exchange, exhibition trade, and brand construction are continuously improved. In the past 10 years, the cumulative transaction volume and transaction value of the wolfberry market have reached 1.34 million tons and 59.2 billion yuan respectively. Working with Jingdong (京东), Tmall (天猫), and others to jointly build an e-commerce platform for wolfberry sales, the online retail sales of wolfberry and its products reached 4.5 billion yuan in 2024. More than 1,100 Zhongning wolfberry specialty stores and counters, 2 Zhongning wolfberry regional marketing centers, 9 Zhongning wolfberry "One Wolfberry" lifestyle halls, and 5 original juice shops have been built across the country. Many wolfberry products are exported to more than 50 countries and regions such as Europe, America, and Southeast Asia.
Escorting the big market with big supervision to strengthen the system construction. Zhongning strengthens the promotion and application of standards, and formulates and issues the "Zhongning Wolfberry Standard (中宁枸杞标准)." It improves the green prevention and control system, vigorously promotes the "five-step method" of green prevention and control technology, and sets up 580 monitoring and reporting sample points to achieve full coverage of green prevention and control of wolfberry diseases and insect pests. It improves the inspection and testing system, builds the National Wolfberry Product Quality Inspection and Testing Center (Ningxia) (国家枸杞产品质量检验检测中心（宁夏）), and implements the "two must-inspects" of pre-collection inspection and market entry inspection to ensure that the number of inspections and tests reaches 2,500 batches every year. It strengthens the construction of the product traceability system, builds the Zhongning Wolfberry Traceability Big Data Supervision and Service Platform, traces 88 enterprises, and traces 628 products. It builds a 10,000-ton Zhongning wolfberry dried fruit and 50,000-ton original pulp product authenticity storage system, and the sales products are uniformly affixed with the "Zhongning Wolfberry (中宁枸杞)" quality traceability logo of "determining production by land and verifying standards by production" to ensure that all products enter the market for sale with a "unified ID card" to achieve full-chain traceability from the field to the workshop to the tip of the tongue.
Promoting big development with big projects to strengthen industrial support. Zhongning accelerates the implementation of key projects such as the development and construction of high-value wolfberry functional health products, as well as the construction of fresh-locking wolfberry and wolfberry original pulp processing production lines and cold storage facilities. It has innovatively launched more than 120 kinds of deep-processed products in 10 categories, such as wolfberry lipstick, chocolate, and facial masks, with a processing conversion rate of 37.8%. It continues to implement the "Dragon Breeding Plan" action, and the number of wolfberry processing enterprises has developed to 124, including 15 enterprises above designated size, with an output value of 980 million yuan in 2024. It establishes a "enterprises propose questions, universities solve questions, and governments help questions" technical cooperation mechanism, innovates the "science and technology deputy general manager" model, hires 6 experts as industrial consultants, and implements 6 scientific and technological innovation projects such as wolfberry leaf substitute tea research and wolfberry functional polysaccharide differential research, attracting 11 expert teams from Ningxia University (宁夏大学), Ningxia Academy of Agricultural Sciences (宁夏农林科学院), and other institutions to "lead the project and tackle key problems." It promotes enterprises to cooperate with Jiangnan University (江南大学) and other universities to develop 22 kinds of high value-added products such as wolfberry hawthorn, wolfberry beverages, and wolfberry vinegar drinks, with a new product annual output value exceeding 50 million yuan. Relying on platforms such as academician workstations and technology research centers, it has established cooperation intentions with 19 domestic universities and research institutions, linking 20 well-known experts and academicians in the field of wolfberry research, and the number of experts in the entire industry chain has increased to 113.
Nurturing big integration with big industries to empower cultural tourism development. Adhering to the cultural tourism development positioning of "China Wolfberry Township, Health Preservation Zhongning (中华杞乡 康养中宁)," Zhongning deeply explores and sorts out wolfberry historical allusions, folk legends, and folk stories, carries out the creation of wolfberry root carving, bonsai, paper-cutting and other cultural and creative products, and builds more than 10 sightseeing and experience cultural tourism bases such as Xizan (玺赞) and Qixin (杞鑫). It has built three national 3A-level tourist attractions: Xizan Ecological Wolfberry Manor (玺赞生态枸杞庄园), Huabao Wolfberry Health Experience Hall (华宝枸杞健康体验馆), and Zhongning Wolfberry Traditional Chinese Medicine Health Culture Center (中宁枸杞中医康养文化中心). It carefully plans four high-quality tourism routes: Yellow River Ecological Folk Tour, Wolfberry Health Resort Tour, Wolfberry Industrial Research Tour, and Qixiang Ecological Manor Tour. Eating wolfberry banquets, tasting wolfberry tea, enjoying wolfberry dances, singing wolfberry songs, and telling wolfberry stories have become new highlights of Zhongning's tourism industry.
With green planting bases, vibrant entrepreneurial and innovative business entities, and leading industrial leading enterprises, the wolfberry industry in Zhongning County (中宁县) is full of vitality, and a magnificent picture of rural revitalization with a strong "agricultural" ink is slowly unfolding in the land of Qixiang. Looking to the future, Zhongning County (中宁县) will adhere to leading enterprises as the basis, industrial parks as the support, and characteristic development as the goal, to promote enterprise value-added, industrial efficiency, and farmer income, and make the brand of "China's Wolfberry Township (中国枸杞之乡)" even brighter.
Data source: Zhongning County Wolfberry Industry Development Service Center (中宁县枸杞产业发展服务中心)
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 姜 波 吴 勇 环球时报记者 樊 巍 环球人物记者 田 亮
The Yellow River outlines a magnificent "几" (jǐ, resembling the character for "several") shaped bend in the Inner Mongolia Plateau. Baotou (包头), located on the northern bank of this bend, has historically been at the intersection and integration point of grassland and agricultural cultures. Caravans departed from here, heading north through Guyang County (固阳县), traversing the Yin Mountains (阴山), and connecting to the Mongolian Plateau and even Saint Petersburg along the Tea Road; westward, it served as a crucial node on the Grassland Silk Road.
Today, this important hub of the Grassland Silk Road has developed into the "Steel City of the Grassland." As a northern industrial powerhouse, Baotou continues to carry forward the spirit of the Silk Road, leveraging its geographical advantage of bordering Mongolia and its cultural advantages of shared language and similar customs to engage in vibrant international science and education cooperation. Batches of Mongolian students come here to acquire new knowledge and skills, injecting momentum into Mongolia's modernization and contributing to enhancing the friendship between the peoples of China and Mongolia.
Science and Education Cooperation –
A New Calling Card for Foreign Exchange in the "Deer City"
As you enter the center of Baotou (包头), you are greeted by a sculpture of "Three Deer Soaring." Baotou is a transliteration of the Mongolian word "Бугат" (Bugat), meaning "place with deer." Legend has it that more than 300 years ago, the Daqing Mountains (大青山) near Baotou were lush with trees and flowing springs, attracting large herds of deer to drink and play by the springs. The local herders called this place "Бугат," hence Baotou is also known as "Deer City" (鹿城).
In recent years, Baotou's rich higher education and vocational education resources, and its favorable learning environment, have attracted batches of energetic young students from neighboring countries, like young deer, to study here. From jointly cultivating professional talents to co-building scientific research laboratories, from academic seminars and exchanges to sharing technological achievements, science and education cooperation is becoming a "new calling card" for Baotou's foreign exchange.
Early in the morning, at the mining engineering training base of the Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology (内蒙古科技大学), Sukh-Ochir Khuyag, an international student from Ulaanbaatar (乌兰巴托), Mongolia, is intently staring at the large screen, using a virtual simulation system to simulate the digital operation process of an open-pit mine. "During my years studying in China, I have gained a lot. I have not only learned Chinese, but also acquired solid professional knowledge." Sukh-Ochir Khuyag is a senior majoring in mining engineering. Last year, he participated in a research project on "Optimization of Metal Smelting Technology," and the tailings recovery plan was applied to a copper mine in Dornod Province (东方省), Mongolia, effectively reducing local pollution.
Sukh-Ochir Khuyag is quite famous at the school. He not only plays basketball and football well, but also sings Chinese songs well, and is one of the school's "Top Ten Singers." During his studies, he made many Chinese friends. Last year, several Chinese classmates took advantage of the summer vacation to visit him in Mongolia. He also took his whole family to travel to Shanghai (上海), and his family was proud to see him communicating fluently in Chinese. His younger brother has already started learning Chinese at a private school in Mongolia and plans to come here to study at university next year.
With so many universities in China, why choose to study here? The relevant curriculum design of the Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology (内蒙古科技大学) provides the answer. "Our school has many Mongolian teachers. We use this unique resource to tailor a curriculum system for Mongolian students," said Sun Yanbai (孙岩柏), Dean of the International Education College of the university. For professional compulsory courses, Mongolian international students attend classes together with Chinese students. At the same time, Mongolian teachers in various majors will specifically offer Mongolian elective courses and courses on Chinese economy and culture. The teaching plan is designed to fully consider the students' actual situation and professional needs, so that students can bring the technical experience they have learned back to their country for practical application after graduation.
"Now, many Mongolian students want to study in China, and several of my high school classmates are also studying in China," said Anahubaatar (阿那胡巴亚), an international student majoring in civil engineering. "During my studies in China, I have not only mastered various mechanical processing skills such as turning, milling, planing, casting, forging, welding, 3D printing, and intelligent multi-axis processing through practical training and other courses, but also greatly improved my Chinese proficiency. In the future, whether I continue to study at Chinese universities or return to Mongolia to work, I will have a great advantage."
In recent years, more and more Mongolian international students have graduated from Baotou (包头) universities, including the Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology (内蒙古科技大学), and have devoted themselves to Mongolia's modernization construction and China-Mongolia economic and trade cooperation. A few years ago, the Alumni Association of Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology (内蒙古科技大学) in Mongolia was established in Ulaanbaatar (乌兰巴托). The seeds of friendship sown by China-Mongolia science and education cooperation are quietly sprouting, growing, and blossoming.
Vocational Education Going Overseas –
Cultivating Skilled Talents for Mongolia
"Chilchigir River, under the Yin Mountains (阴山). The sky is like a yurt, covering all directions. The sky is vast, the wilderness is boundless, and cattle and sheep are seen when the wind blows the grass low." The folk song "Ode to Chilchigir" from the Northern Dynasties has been passed down for thousands of years. The location described in "Ode to Chilchigir" is located in today's Tumd Right Banner (土默特右旗) of Baotou (包头). The broad mind and spirit of mutual assistance and symbiosis contained in this folk song have also been given new interpretations in the foreign exchanges of the "Industrial City" of Baotou.
In the classroom of Baotou Railway Vocational and Technical College (包头铁道职业技术学院), a teacher of railway transportation is explaining the relevant knowledge of automatic signal control. After class, Yundenjamts, a Mongolian international student, asked his Chinese Mongolian classmate in the same class about the parts he didn't understand in class. "The school has specially arranged Mongolian students to pair up with us. We can ask them for help when we encounter difficulties in learning and life. Fortunately, this arrangement allows me to adapt to my study abroad life faster and better," said Yundenjamts.
Enkhbayar (恩合巴雅尔), a Mongolian international student, came here two years ago to study railway traffic operation management. "My grandparents both worked in the Mongolian railway system. They know that Chinese vocational education institutions have complete hardware equipment and high teaching quality. With the support of my family, I came here to study," he said. "I like the school's training room the most. It is built according to the latest standards of the railway industry. For example, in the train operation command training center, we can carry out practical training operations on equipment such as the railway catenary safety inspection platform and the signal control simulation system. In the future, if we devote ourselves to railway work, we can get on the job faster."
Since 2017, Baotou Railway Vocational and Technical College (包头铁道职业技术学院) has cooperated with Ulaanbaatar Railway University (乌兰巴托铁道大学) in Mongolia to recruit international students from Mongolia majoring in railway signal automatic control, railway locomotives, railway vehicle technology, and railway engineering technology, adopting a "3+1" teaching model. Mongolian international students study at Baotou Railway Vocational and Technical College (包头铁道职业技术学院) for 3 years, and then return to Ulaanbaatar Railway University (乌兰巴托铁道大学) for 1 year, and they can get a local bachelor's degree. In the past 7 years, more than 100 Mongolian youths have obtained dual-certified degrees. Baotou Railway Vocational and Technical College (包头铁道职业技术学院) has also established the "Mongolia Tengri College" with Ulaanbaatar Railway University (乌兰巴托铁道大学), and plans to recruit 80 students this year to realize joint overseas training.
"When I think of the professional knowledge I have learned in China, and that I can use what I have learned when I return to Mongolia, I am full of confidence in my future work," said Yundenjamts. "The closer the cooperation between China and Mongolia in railway transportation in the future, the bigger my stage will be, and I will contribute my knowledge to the friendship between the two countries."
Moving in Both Directions –
Drawing a New Picture of China-Mongolia Friendship
"This time, I have collected the cooperation intentions of teachers in 17 different majors. The next step is to work closely with the teachers in Mongolia to do a good job in the docking." Yingjirimutu (应吉日木吐), a teacher at the Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology (内蒙古科技大学), has been busy with the construction of the "China-Mongolia International Science and Technology Cooperation Base" project recently. This base is jointly built by the Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology (内蒙古科技大学) and the National University of Mongolia (蒙古国国立大学), and is scheduled to be officially established in August this year. In the future, the two sides will rely on the base to further promote in-depth exchanges between the two universities in materials science and environmental ecology, and promote the transformation of achievements and technologies in fields such as nanomaterial application and sewage treatment.
"Last November, when the delegation from the College of Engineering and Technology of the National University of Mongolia (蒙古国国立大学) visited our school, they were very interested in our research results in the field of water pollution data detection, and immediately proposed cooperation needs in sewage treatment issues," said Yingjirimutu (应吉日木吐). They immediately took action to start docking and cooperation. At present, the "Water Pollution Big Data Monitoring Platform" jointly developed by the two sides has been applied in relevant areas of Mongolia, making the local river and lake pollution control efficiency increased by 40%.
This year, the two Chinese teachers of the project will also take graduate students to Mongolia, combined with local data and conditions, to promote the application of the results to more areas in Mongolia, and help local water pollution control work. Hearing this news, Chono-Ukh Sonomdagva (乔诺库乌·索诺姆达格瓦), Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology of the National University of Mongolia (蒙古国国立大学), was particularly happy. He said: "Chinese technology has not only brought us green mountains and clear waters, but also helped us cultivate talents in this field."
With the continuous deepening of China-Mongolia education exchange and cooperation, vocational education institutions in Baotou (包头) are carrying out various forms of in-depth cooperation with Mongolian universities. Baotou Vocational and Technical College (包头职业技术学院) gives full play to its professional expertise in the field of equipment manufacturing, and carries out automobile repair and welding technology training for teachers and students of the Mongolian University of Finance and Economics (蒙古国财经大学) and the Mongolian New Era Vocational Training Center, and holds automobile sheet metal spraying skills competitions to help improve the professional practical ability of Mongolian teachers and students; at the same time, the school is also preparing to build the "China-Mongolia Engineering Technology College" with the Mongolian University of Arts and Culture (蒙古国工业艺术学院), and plans to open training centers for welding technology, mechatronics, and digitalization; Baotou Light Industry Vocational and Technical College (包头轻工职业技术学院) relies on its characteristic professional advantages in food and dairy products, and joins hands with the Mongolian State University of Agriculture (蒙古国国立农业大学) to jointly build a food (dairy) major, and trains professional and technical personnel for the food industry.
Today's Baotou (包头) is not only a production base for steel and equipment, but also a cradle for cultivating skilled talents from China and abroad. From university classrooms to mines and factories, from training rooms to railway stations, the road of China-Mongolia cross-border science and education cooperation continues to extend, drawing a new picture of China-Mongolia friendship. Mongolian international students who return home after completing their studies are not only disseminators of knowledge and skills, but also envoys of civilization and mutual learning. This road of China-Mongolia science and education cooperation, which starts from Baotou (包头), is like the magnificent Yellow River, heading towards a wider ocean.
■Link·Inner Mongolia Baotou (内蒙古包头)
Baotou (包头) is located in the western part of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (内蒙古自治区), bordering Mongolia to the north, facing the Yellow River to the south, and connecting the Tumochuan Plain (土默川平原) and the Hetao Plain (河套平原) to the east and west. It is an important hub connecting North China and Northwest China. This city has a profound historical heritage. Since King Wuling of Zhao (赵武灵王) established Jiuyuan County (九原县) in 307 BC, it has become an important area for the integration of northern grassland nomadic culture and Central Plains agricultural culture. After years of precipitation, today's Baotou (包头) has developed into a modern city integrating modern industry, technological innovation, and ecological livability. It has the largest steel, aluminum, and equipment manufacturing processing enterprises in Inner Mongolia, and enjoys the reputation of "Steel City of the Grassland."
In recent years, Baotou (包头) has actively participated in the joint construction of the "Belt and Road" and the China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor, continuously improving the level of opening up to the outside world and expanding international cooperation. From January to April this year, the cumulative cargo throughput of Mandula Port (满都拉口岸) exceeded 3.2 million tons, an increase of 43% year-on-year, becoming an important channel for regional trade. Relying on its industrial advantages, Baotou (包头) has built a vocational education system with distinctive characteristics, attracting foreign students, including those from Mongolia, to study here. Baotou (包头) vocational education institutions carry out various pragmatic cooperation with Mongolian universities in the field of vocational education, helping to train more Mongolian students to master a skill and promote economic, trade, cultural and friendly exchanges between the two countries.
Return to TopBy: 姜 波
"From tempering comes steel," this is the motto of the Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology (内蒙古科技大学), located in Baotou (包头), and it also reflects the city's profound industrial imprint. Baotou (包头), this old industrial base, is now using vocational education as a link to build a bridge for China and Mongolia to enhance friendship.
At the Electrical Engineering Department's electrician training base of Baotou Vocational and Technical College (包头职业技术学院), Chinese and Mongolian students cooperate and encourage each other. The "on-site demonstration + real-time explanation" model improves students' practical electrical skills. At the Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology (内蒙古科技大学), students from both countries are repeatedly polishing the details of how to better apply their graduation design projects to practice. Mongolian students bring the advanced mining, pollution control and other knowledge and skills learned in Baotou (包头) classrooms back to their country, becoming "transnational craftsmen" to promote Mongolia's modernization.
Connected by skills and understanding through cooperation, this educational collaboration is a journey of mutual nourishment. When Mongolian students follow their Chinese classmates to experience Chinese culture and customs, the "Chinese impression" in textbooks is transformed into tangible warmth. At campus parties, Mongolian long tunes resonate in harmony with Shanxi (山西) folk songs, and the melody of the horse-head fiddle incorporates dialogue between throat singing and the guzheng. This is a sharing of technology and knowledge, and it also demonstrates a civilized way of getting along with mutual respect, equal cooperation, and common growth. The educational cooperation bridges built between China and Mongolia carry the expectations of the people of both countries for a better life, and consolidate the friendly foundation of mutual understanding and affinity between the two peoples.
Return to TopLayout design: Cai Huawei (蔡华伟)
Return to TopTo expand diversified consumer financing channels, increase financial support for key consumption areas, and continuously optimize payment services... Recently, the People's Bank of China (中国人民银行) and six other departments issued the "Guiding Opinions on Financial Support for Boosting and Expanding Consumption" (关于金融支持提振和扩大消费的指导意见), introducing 19 key measures, clarifying the direction and focus of current financial support for consumption growth.
Supporting the boosting and expansion of consumption is an important part of financial services for the real economy. Nowadays, as financial services deeply penetrate various consumption scenarios, financial products are becoming closer to daily life, and financial "living water" is constantly flowing into the consumption field. How can we continuously improve the financial service system, enhance financial service capabilities, and better meet the financial service needs in the consumption field? This reporter recently visited consumer markets in various places to see new practices in which finance better supports the boosting and expansion of consumption.
——Editor
Innovative Services Add Momentum to Automobile Consumption
By Wu Jun (吴君), reporter of this newspaper
On the morning of June 20, Luo Xi (罗希), who lives in the East Lake High-tech Development Zone (东湖高新区) in Wuhan (武汉), Hubei Province (湖北省), left home early. An AITO M8 (问界M8) he had previously booked at the AITO User Center on University Park Road (大学园路) in the East Lake High-tech Development Zone had arrived at the store, and he was notified to pick up the car that day.
"I used to buy fuel vehicles, and I've been driving them for many years. In recent years, domestic new energy vehicles have been continuously developing, and I also wanted to experience them," Luo Xi said. When the AITO M8 was first launched, he had been paying attention to it and even took his family to the mall to see it. After seeing the actual car's appearance and experiencing the intelligent driving functions, safety configuration, and vehicle system, he was completely attracted.
On June 14, the East Lake High-tech Development Zone launched the second round of the "Hi Shopping Festival" (嗨购节) for automobiles. For vehicles exceeding 250,000 yuan, each vehicle received a subsidy of 4,000 yuan, and it could also be combined with used car replacement. Having missed the first round of the automobile "Hi Shopping Festival," Luo Xi rushed to the automobile sales center as soon as possible this time and ordered a new car.
"The purchase subsidy combined with the used car replacement subsidy resulted in a comprehensive discount of 20,000 yuan," Luo Xi said. For this purchase, he made a down payment of 202,800 yuan, took out a loan of 202,000 yuan, to be repaid in 5 years, with a monthly payment of 3,785.82 yuan.
In addition to direct cash discounts, loan facilitation also enhanced Luo Xi's car buying experience. "From submitting the materials to issuing the loan, all the procedures were completed in 1 day," Luo Xi said. After the payment, he was also given an additional 1,888 yuan JD.com (京东) consumer voucher and a 360 yuan 3C consumer voucher, further enriching the consumption experience.
It is understood that the second round of the automobile "Hi Shopping Festival" in the East Lake High-tech Development Zone lasted for a total of 17 days, co-hosted by the East Lake High-tech Development Zone Bureau of Commerce and Foreign Affairs (东湖高新区商务外事局), China Construction Bank (中国建设银行) Guanggu Free Trade Zone Branch (光谷自贸区分行), and automobile dealers, attracting more than 1,100 participants and driving consumption of more than 300 million yuan.
According to the relevant person in charge of the East Lake High-tech Development Zone Bureau of Commerce and Foreign Affairs, this event covered 79 stores of 26 brands in the city. Consumers could apply for subsidy qualifications through the "CCB Life" (建行生活) APP. Purchasing new cars worth 200,000 yuan (inclusive) to 250,000 yuan could receive a subsidy of 2,000 yuan, and new cars worth 250,000 yuan (inclusive) or more could receive a subsidy of 4,000 yuan. The two rounds of automobile "Hi Shopping Festival" activities held in the East Lake High-tech Development Zone this year have cumulatively driven automobile sales of more than 800 million yuan, effectively stimulating the vitality of bulk commodity consumption.
In order to better promote automobile consumption, banks and other financial institutions actively innovate automobile financial products and services, lower the threshold for purchasing cars, and enhance the car buying experience. "We have introduced a 'zero down payment' support policy for car installment purchases, increasing the original loan issuance ratio for new energy vehicle purchases from 85% of the car price to 100%, reducing the down payment pressure on customers," said Qiu Yan (邱焱), head of the Credit Card Center of China Construction Bank Guanggu Free Trade Zone Branch.
"For some automobile manufacturers and models that cooperate with CCB headquarters, the manufacturers provide interest subsidies to customers when they apply for our bank's car installment business; for Dongfeng (东风) series automobiles produced locally in Hubei, customers can directly enjoy preferential rate policies," Qiu Yan said. They also jointly organized a park tour exhibition of more than 50 models with the Hubei Automobile Circulation Association (湖北省汽车流通协会), attracting more than 2,700 consumers and driving automobile sales of 562 million yuan, of which new energy vehicle orders accounted for more than 70%.
The support of various financial policies not only brought car buying benefits to consumers, but also brought benefits to automobile dealers. "With various financial support, our sales are constantly increasing," said Tao Delin (陶德麟), delivery manager of Wuhan Sanhuan Shengtong Technology Co., Ltd. (武汉三环盛通科技有限公司) AITO Center. In June, their single store's automobile sales exceeded 400 units, an increase of more than 10% month-on-month.
Since the beginning of this year, Hubei has actively guided financial institutions in its jurisdiction to strengthen financial services for residents' personal consumption. "We encourage financial institutions to innovate consumer credit products, enrich service scenarios, and enhance consumer financial service efforts, providing financial assistance for residents' car purchases, home purchases, and consumer goods trade-ins," said Wu Jianfeng (吴剑峰), director of the Credit Policy Management Division of the People's Bank of China Hubei Branch (中国人民银行湖北省分行). The branch also relies on major projects and key enterprise financing service docking platforms to guide financial institutions to strengthen financing docking with business entities serving the consumption field, providing precise and efficient financing services. As of the end of May, the balance of personal consumption loans (excluding housing loans) in the province was 480.6 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 12.1%.
Credit Support Makes Cultural Tourism Industry a Hit
By Li Zong (李纵), reporter of this newspaper
With the arrival of summer vacation, tourists flock to the Danxia Mountain Scenic Area (丹霞山风景名胜区) in Shaoguan (韶关), Guangdong Province (广东省), to enjoy the scenery. "This year, the number of tourists has significantly increased compared to previous years, and the feedback from tourists has also improved significantly compared to previous years," said Zhang Dong (张栋), deputy general manager of Xiangyuan Danxia Mountain Tourism Co., Ltd. (祥源丹霞山旅游有限公司).
Danxia Mountain is famous for its unique Danxia landform. The mountain covers an area of approximately 292 square kilometers and is a World Natural Heritage Site and one of the first Global Geoparks in the world. It is also a national 5A-level tourist attraction. "In recent years, in order to improve the service level of the scenic area, we have comprehensively upgraded the scenic area, but the demand for funds has become a difficult problem," Zhang Dong said. "Thanks to the loan from Postal Savings Bank of China (邮储银行) Shaoguan Branch (韶关市分行), we have the financial confidence to complete the scenic area renovation."
"In response to the pain points of difficult and expensive financing in the cultural tourism industry, after learning about the needs of the Danxia Mountain project, Postal Savings Bank of China Shaoguan Branch quickly established a special team, quickly assessed the company's qualifications through the big data risk control system, and opened a green approval channel. The provincial and municipal branches cooperated to compress the traditional months-long process to 30 days," said Hu Diefei (胡蝶飞), deputy director of Postal Savings Bank of China Shaoguan Branch.
At the end of last year, Postal Savings Bank of China Shaoguan Branch issued a loan of 90 million yuan to Shaoguan Xiangyuan Danxia Mountain Tourism Co., Ltd., which was the bank's first cultural tourism project and franchise transfer loan. "Behind this loan is a set of differentiated policies for the cultural tourism industry," Hu Diefei introduced. Postal Savings Bank of China Shaoguan Branch implements special inclination for national 5A-level tourist attractions such as Danxia Mountain, launching low-interest loans and franchise pledge financing models; for small and micro enterprises, a special quota of 100 million yuan has been set up.
"After the funds were in place, the scenic area immediately launched projects such as cableway technology upgrades, tour boat replacements, and parking lot expansions, which have now been put into use," Zhang Dong said. Today, the smart visitor center and resort hotels in the Danxia Mountain Scenic Area are being built one after another, and the traffic connection and commercial facilities outside the scenic area are becoming increasingly perfect. The tourist experience has been greatly improved, and the passenger flow and income have increased significantly.
In Kaiping (开平), Jiangmen (江门), financial "living water" has also injected new vitality into the development of the local cultural tourism industry. More than 1,800 overseas Chinese buildings combining Chinese and Western styles, "Kaiping Diaolou" (开平碉楼), constitute the only World Cultural Heritage in Guangdong Province. In order to activate this unique cultural resource, the local government innovatively implemented the "state-owned asset integration + government-enterprise linkage" model, integrating the superior agricultural, cultural, and tourism resources of 7 towns to create a demonstration zone for all-area tourism. The "Overseas Chinese Rhyme" (侨海华韵) night economy project came into being. However, funding problems became a stumbling block for the project's advancement.
"Cultural tourism projects generally have the characteristics of long investment cycles and slow returns, and traditional financing models are difficult to match their development needs," said the relevant person in charge of Postal Savings Bank of China Kaiping Branch. The bank matched the "Overseas Chinese Rhyme" night economy project with a financing plan with a long term and preferential interest rate by innovating the credit granting model and combining it with the new urbanization construction policy, and invested more than 100 million yuan in development loans. At the same time, industrial loans were launched for small and micro businesses such as hotels, homestays, cultural and creative souvenirs, and snacks around the scenic area to increase support for the development and supporting construction of high-quality tourism resources.
Under the leverage of financial leverage, the "Overseas Chinese Rhyme" night economy project quickly landed and became a demonstration sample of Kaiping's cultural tourism transformation and upgrading. During the "May Day" holiday this year, the project attracted many tourists as soon as it was launched. It is estimated that the project will attract more than 5 million passengers per year.
In recent years, Postal Savings Bank of China Guangdong Branch has actively explored the development path of "cultural tourism + finance" and launched new models of tourism financial services tailored to local conditions. As of the end of May this year, the bank has cumulatively invested more than 2 billion yuan in credit in the pan-cultural tourism industries such as culture, sports, entertainment, accommodation, and catering.
Exclusive Products Make the Sports Industry Run
By Wang Pei (王沛), reporter of this newspaper
In the live broadcast room of a fishing gear production enterprise in Weihai (威海), Shandong (山东), the anchor is facing the camera, holding a fishing rod and vigorously introducing the product; at the same time, on the enterprise's production line, fishing rods are becoming hot-selling products through processes such as cutting cloth, grinding, and painting. This summer, the person in charge of the enterprise felt another "hotness."
"With funds, the production capacity can keep up, and we can use our hands and feet to further open up online channels," said the person in charge of the enterprise.
As a fishing gear production enterprise, fishing rods are the enterprise's flagship product, which has been operating for more than 10 years. With the rise of outdoor sports, fishing is loved by many people, and fishing gear sales have also steadily increased.
"Now online sales are developing better than offline sales. The market is changing, and we will miss the opportunity if we don't transform," the enterprise explored e-commerce last year and quickly found a new way. In addition to the main fishing rods, new products such as fishing boxes, fishing lines, fishing hooks, and floats are in short supply, and annual sales have rapidly increased.
But new troubles also followed: the demand for new products has increased sharply, and the enterprise urgently needs funds to expand production capacity, otherwise the newly launched new products may face the risk of dying prematurely.
At a loss, Sun Ji (孙骥), a representative of inclusive finance from the Postal Savings Bank of China Weihai Huancui District Branch (威海市环翠区支行), called: "We have launched the 'Weihai Sports Loan' (威海体育贷), would you like to consider it?"
"We don't have heavy assets to mortgage, what do we rely on to get a loan?" The person in charge of the enterprise was skeptical.
His concerns are not unreasonable. In Weihai, there are more than 1,400 fishing tackle production and supporting enterprises, forming a 10 billion-level industrial cluster. Walking around the local fishing tackle market for an hour, you can equip a complete set of fishing tackle. However, like this enterprise, some small and micro fishing tackle production enterprises are limited by light assets and lack of collateral, and generally face problems such as narrow financing channels and high costs when financing.
This year, Postal Savings Bank of China Weihai Branch and Weihai Sports Bureau (威海市体育局) jointly launched a special financial product - "Weihai Sports Loan" to inject financial "living water" into the high-quality development of the local sports industry. Due to the good product sales and excellent technology, the enterprise had previously been included in the high-tech enterprise directory of Postal Savings Bank of China Weihai Branch. "The enterprise's turnover and asset situation are normal, and its credit is good. You can apply for the 'Weihai Sports Loan' without collateral, and you can also do principal-free renewal loans when they expire," Sun Ji said.
"After signing the contract, 3 million yuan arrived on time 3 days later, which really solved our urgent need," said the person in charge of the enterprise.
In order to nourish more small and medium-sized sports industry enterprises to grow better, Shandong has included 3,000 sports enterprises in the financial service list, tailored financing plans, and cumulatively solved financing needs of 1.6 billion yuan. This year, the list was upgraded to the "Sports Industry White List" to further strengthen policy guidance and resource inclination, and to help the entire industrial chain of sports manufacturing, event economy, and fitness training. It is expected that the total scale of Shandong's sports industry will exceed 600 billion yuan in 2025.
Luan Fengyan (栾风岩), member of the Party Group and Deputy Director of Shandong Provincial Sports Bureau (山东省体育局), said that in the future, differentiated financial products will be released through financial institutions, a series of sports consumption financial subsidy policies will be launched, and a consumption ecosystem will be created, so that finance will become a strong engine for promoting the development of the sports industry.
Payment Guarantee, Consumer Rights Have a Guardrail
By Liu Junguo (刘军国), reporter of this newspaper
In a music studio in Gongshu District (拱墅区), Hangzhou (杭州), Zhejiang Province (浙江省), Ms. Li (李女士) is experiencing the rhythm of the drums. After the 60-minute course, she verified and confirmed the payment of the course fee online through the Meituan (美团) "Anxin Xue" (安心学) product service.
"I never dared to sign up for courses at institutions before, fearing that the merchants would 'run away' and my money might be wasted. Now that I have chosen the 'Anxin Xue' course, I don't have to worry about this problem. If I am not satisfied with the course, I can also be guaranteed a refund," Ms. Li said.
Payment is one of the most basic financial services and an important part of the consumption process. In response to the difficulties and pain points of consumer rights protection such as prepaid fees, relevant payment institutions and enterprises have joined hands to innovate financial service models, making consumers spend money more comfortably and buy more confidently.
In March of this year, Meituan, together with Xiaobao Online (校宝在线) and 13 interest course institutions, established the "Anxin Xue Alliance" in Shanghai (上海). Consumers can purchase short-term courses with the "Anxin Xue" logo on the platform through the Meituan and Dianping (大众点评) APPs, and can realize the "pay once per class, verify once per payment" per-time deduction model. At the same time, consumers can also enjoy the Anxin refund service guarantee. If the merchant closes down and cannot provide services, consumers can apply to the platform to return the remaining unused fees.
"It is very convenient to experience. Find your favorite store, pay directly to buy the course, verify at the store, and settle one class after finishing one class," Ms. Li said. With "Anxin Xue," you can safely purchase more courses on the platform, which not only enriches your life, but also improves yourself.
The reporter noted that on the "Anxin Xue" related pages, the platform marked rules such as "deduction per class, refund with peace of mind" and mentioned that "after verification by the platform, if the merchant cannot continue to provide services due to business suspension/bankruptcy, users can contact the platform to apply for a refund." At present, Meituan "Anxin Xue" has more than 36,000 cooperative merchants, covering more than 270 cities.
In June, Meituan launched the "Anxin Le Life Plan" (安心乐生活计划) consumption guarantee in Hangzhou, launching the "runaway compensation" solution of "flexible payment, store runaway, platform compensation" for the sports and fitness field. After purchasing the "runaway compensation" product, if you encounter a store "runaway" situation, consumers can ask the platform for compensation.
"I am not very dare to buy long-term prepaid gym cards, but this kind of single-time makes people feel very at ease, not afraid of expiration, and not afraid of the gym suddenly closing down," Ms. Xu (许女士), who lives in Xihu District (西湖区), Hangzhou, recently purchased a gym experience card course, and the consumption method of paying per time and paying per month allows her to experience the course more at ease.
Flexible short-term course group purchases have become the choice of more and more consumers. In Zhejiang, many gyms have begun to launch new flexible payment models such as per-time or per-month on platforms such as Meituan. Meituan data shows that as of mid-June, the number of fitness merchants in the Hangzhou area alone that provide short-term course group purchases such as monthly cards has increased by 97% compared with the same period last year, and the number of "per-time card" and "monthly card" fitness group purchase orders has increased by 64%.
"Over 40% of our new customers come from Meituan. The 'Runaway Compensation' service launched by the platform this time greatly reduces consumers' concerns when placing orders," said Xia Dong (夏东), CEO of the fitness brand LeKe. Only by creating a convenient, safe, and trustworthy consumption environment for users can we gain their favor.
By: 赵展慧
The focus of financial efforts to boost consumption lies in serving the real economy and improving people's livelihoods. It is necessary to combine promoting consumption with benefiting the people, allowing financial services to find the right leverage point and further focus on meeting the people's needs for a better life.
"National subsidies" combined with interest-free installments offer many discounts for trade-ins; mortgage and auto loan rates have decreased, reducing repayment pressure; using credit cards for purchases allows consumers to enjoy a certain percentage of cash back... In recent years, with policy support, more and more consumers have enjoyed the convenience and benefits brought by financial services. Recently, financial promotion of consumption has a more systematic and comprehensive "roadmap" – the People's Bank of China (中国人民银行) and other six departments jointly issued guidance, proposing 19 key measures to provide strong financial support for better leveraging the fundamental role of consumption in economic development.
This "roadmap" promotes both consumer demand and consumption supply. On the one hand, it takes consumers as the main service object, supporting the provision of higher-quality and more favorable financial products and services; on the other hand, it focuses on supporting the operating entities in the consumer industry, increasing the financial supply through channels such as credit, bonds, and equity. Starting from both the supply and demand sides, finance not only becomes a catalyst for consumer demand but also an accelerator for the upgrading of the consumer industry, promoting the formation of a virtuous cycle in the consumer market where demand drives supply and supply creates demand.
This "roadmap" optimizes both the consumer experience and enhances consumption capacity. The policy not only focuses on the present, helping to create a better consumer experience through promotional activities, optimizing payment services, and strengthening consumer rights protection, but also looks to the long term, supporting the enhancement of consumption capacity through supporting residents' employment and income growth, and optimizing the security system.
To better leverage the financial power of boosting and expanding consumption, it is necessary to combine promoting consumption with benefiting the people, allowing financial services to find the right leverage point and further focus on meeting the people's needs for a better life.
Promote more inclusive consumer finance. In recent years, the accessibility of financial services in China has continued to improve. On this basis, consumption promotion should be used as a starting point to further expand the coverage of financial services, such as increasing financial support for the consumption of key groups such as new urban residents, and launching more suitable products and services to meet their financial needs in the process of settling down, finding employment, and starting businesses in cities.
Help consumption upgrades be more precise. Consumption upgrading is an important fulcrum for resolving the current structural contradiction between supply and demand. We should guide financial "living water" to more accurately irrigate the high-quality consumer supply side, including not only supporting the transformation and upgrading of related operating entities, but also paying more attention to strengthening financial support for the transformation and upgrading of consumer infrastructure and the circulation system.
Hold the line on safety without relaxation. While financial products and services in the consumer field help lower the threshold for consumption, it is also necessary to firmly hold the bottom line of people's livelihoods, accurately and moderately leverage consumers' real needs, and avoid inducing consumption and excessive consumption. In addition, while financial institutions are increasing the coverage of consumer financial products and providing more benefits to consumers, they must also balance the expansion of scale with their own risk prevention and control.
The public's "shopping cart" contains not only goods but also aspirations and confidence in a better life. By standing firm on the foothold of benefiting the people and adhering to the purpose of serving the real economy, finance will surely inject stronger momentum into consumption.
Return to TopBy: 邱超奕
Looking back at the development history of the J-10 aircraft (歼—10飞机), from project initiation and first flight to finalization, spanning decades, the "three drops of oil" seem insignificant, but they further illustrate that innovation requires meticulous attention and long-term cultivation.
In the Chengdu (成都) Aviation Theme Education Base in Sichuan Province (四川省), there stands a sculpture of "three drops of oil." Why do these inconspicuous drops of oil deserve a dedicated sculpture by the AVIC Chengdu Aircraft Industrial Group (中国航空工业集团成飞), placing it alongside famous fighter jets such as the J-10 (歼—10) and J-20 (歼—20)?
Don't underestimate these "three drops of oil," they have a significant background. On March 23, 1998, China's first independently developed third-generation fighter jet, the J-10 aircraft (歼—10飞机), successfully completed its maiden flight. However, the initial first flight date was not this day. It turned out that during an engine test run before the first flight, mechanic Zhang Fenggui (张凤贵) discovered three drops of oil leaking from the engine. The development team did not take it lightly, troubleshooting the leak overnight, repeatedly disassembling and testing the engine, and finally solved the problem. Although the original first flight time was "delayed," it ensured the successful first flight of the aircraft. In retrospect, the engine oil leak lasted only 3 seconds. If it weren't for the mechanic's rigorous attention to detail and the development team's preventive measures, the consequences would have been unimaginable.
These small drops of oil contain the "big principles" of how to do technological innovation well.
It is important to race against time, but quality should come first. The new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation is accelerating, and technological competition is in full swing. Whoever can seize the opportunity can shape advantages and gain the initiative. However, in addition to the speed of innovation, we should pay more attention to the quality of innovation. If speed and efficiency are built on sacrificing quality, the results are often counterproductive. There is a "Heinrich's law" in the aviation industry, which states that behind every serious accident, there are 29 minor accidents and 300 near misses, as well as 1,000 potential safety hazards. Imagine, if the aircraft development team only focused on saving time and meeting deadlines, 萝卜快了不洗泥 (luó bo kuài le bù xǐ ní - "radishes are pulled so fast they are not washed," focusing on speed over quality), how could the J-10 (歼—10) have set the world record for "zero crash" during the finalization flight tests of a third-generation aircraft? The story of the "three drops of oil" tells us: when pursuing innovation, "one step at a time" is also important. Strictly adhering to procedures and paying close attention to details can reduce wasted effort and detours.
It is important to be bold in innovation, but also to be down-to-earth. Innovation is an exploration full of chance and imagination. Sometimes, the more disruptive the innovation, the more it requires unconstrained thinking and even breaking conventions. However, even the best "golden ideas" must be able to be implemented effectively and find feasible implementation methods, rather than being carried out blindly or haphazardly. The development of the J-10 aircraft (歼—10飞机) adopted a large number of unprecedented new technologies in China. Its success lies in the fact that it brought together a team that understood both cutting-edge innovation and the front lines of the industry, and was able to closely integrate innovative ideas with engineering practice and application scenarios. The story of the "three drops of oil" is an example of seeking innovation in a realistic and pragmatic manner. Only such results can be solid and stand the test of time.
It is important to allow for failure, but also to strive for excellence. On the road to innovation, mistakes are inevitable, and failures are even more common. The so-called failure is the mother of success. The process of innovation cannot be without struggling through setbacks. Just like aircraft development requires the integration of a series of cutting-edge technologies, it is a huge and complex system engineering. Only by facing failure and learning from mistakes, drawing inferences from one instance, can we avoid repeating similar errors. The story of the "three drops of oil" is also a link in the chain of innovation iteration. Through continuous accumulation of experience and refinement of details, significant progress has been made in the aviation industry.
Looking back at the development history of the J-10 aircraft (歼—10飞机), from project initiation and first flight to finalization, spanning decades, the "three drops of oil" seem insignificant, but they further illustrate that innovation requires meticulous attention and long-term cultivation. It's like digging a deep well, requiring repeated and tedious drilling before water is struck. Today, China's (中国) technological innovation is accelerating towards high-level self-reliance and self-improvement in science and technology. On the road to bravely venturing into the "no man's land" of innovation, we will encounter more predictable and unpredictable difficulties and challenges. By understanding and learning from the meticulousness, patience, and determination of scientific research work from the "three drops of oil," we will surely penetrate more "deep wells" and reap gushing sweet springs.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 刘诗瑶
In adverse weather, achieving dynamic prediction of aircraft takeoffs and landings; across vast farmlands, assisting crops in resisting pest and disease infestations; during tunnel construction, accurately grasping the complex underground environment; eliminating snow thickness, helping Mount Everest (珠峰) height measurement to be more precise... These important areas concerning the national economy and people's livelihoods are all supported by radar technology. In recent years, Chinese (我国) researchers have independently developed various types of radar products, which not only serve national defense but are also widely used in civilian fields, profoundly changing production and life.
Observing "Thousand-Mile Eyes"
Capturing and monitoring tiny electrons in space hundreds to thousands of kilometers away.
It is undoubtedly a fantasy to see a candle hundreds of kilometers away with the naked eye. But with the help of radar, people can have "thousand-mile eyes."
A phased array incoherent scatter radar, currently the largest aperture and highest power internationally, can analyze and amplify weak scattered signals, capturing and monitoring the "every move" of tiny electrons in space hundreds to thousands of kilometers away.
Looking closely, this behemoth is covered with thousands of precision components, through which it can transmit and receive signals to obtain the parameters of the ionosphere. "The higher the altitude, the sparser and more difficult to detect the density of electrons in the ionosphere, and the weaker the signal reflected and received by the ionosphere, which places extremely high demands on the radar's signal receiving sensitivity, waveform design, and algorithms." According to the relevant technology leader of the radar at China Electronics Technology Group (中国电子科技集团), without any reference experience, the research team proposed an economical and efficient research and development plan after hundreds of modeling simulations and module-by-module analysis, which increased the ionospheric detection height to thousands of kilometers, and can also capture changes in more subtle particles such as plasma, with detection accuracy and sensitivity reaching international leading levels.
Every time the Shenzhou spacecraft (神舟飞船) returns to Earth, it passes through a "blackout zone" as it traverses the atmosphere, the capsule undergoes extreme high-temperature tests, and the connection with ground signals is also cut off. In fact, it is thanks to multiple pairs of "wise eyes" continuously tracking and measuring the return capsule that the tracking and positioning of the Shenzhou spacecraft (神舟飞船) is achieved.
In the critical few minutes, the signal energy emitted by the Shenzhou spacecraft (神舟飞船) return capsule is attenuated due to absorption by plasma, and the ground telemetry and control receiver cannot capture the signal. At this time, radio wave radar will step forward.
"Radio wave radar tracks and measures the return capsule by actively transmitting signals and receiving echo signals from the spacecraft, 'keeping a close eye' on the 'invisible' return capsule in the blackout zone to prevent it from deviating from the predetermined landing area." Experts from China Electronics Technology Group (中国电子科技集团) introduced that through reflective measurement technology, the radar can intelligently determine the state of the blackout zone, select the optimal waveform, scheduling method, and processing algorithm in real time, and verify it through iterative simulation of electromagnetic models to ensure that the return capsule is within the radar's "line of sight" throughout the entire process.
Travel "Guardian"
Even in adverse weather with extremely low visibility, it can penetrate clouds and fog.
For travelers, the most important thing is safety.
Radar is like a loyal aerial "traffic guard," constantly scanning the airspace, accurately capturing the position, speed, and heading information of each aircraft, and even in adverse weather with extremely low visibility, it can penetrate clouds and fog, providing reliable data support for the safe takeoff and landing of aircraft.
Completing 40 layers of volume scanning in 90 seconds, with a spatial resolution of 75 meters, and using distributed transmission and reception technology, the reliability is increased from 600 hours to more than 3000 hours... At Beijing Daxing International Airport (北京大兴国际机场), the C-band all-digital active phased array weather radar is the first in the world to realize the application of the latest radar system in the civil aviation field, making the detection of meteorological targets more refined and rapid.
To achieve ubiquitous spatiotemporal intelligence in the air, space, ground, and sea, radar is a key device.
Experts said that by configuring lidar, millimeter-wave radar, and cameras, combined with advanced algorithms such as intelligent decision-making, trajectory planning, and scene simulation, autonomous vehicles can achieve "beyond visual range" perception and timely transmit dangerous information such as road construction, running red lights, intersection conflicts, speed limits, and pedestrian collisions to the vehicle.
"Our independently developed ultrasonic radar is mainly used for object detection within a range of 0 to 10 meters. In intelligent driving systems, it forms a whole-vehicle perception system from near to far together with millimeter-wave radar and lidar. Ultrasonic radar can also be used in scenarios such as door anti-collision, wading depth detection, and automatic parking. Currently, the cumulative installed volume has reached 20 million units," introduced the relevant technology leader of China Electronics Technology Group (中国电子科技集团).
Disaster Prevention "Good Helper"
Achieving the measurement of harmful insect wing-beat frequency, body length, weight, etc.
To cope with extreme weather, China (我国) has independently developed a full-spectrum meteorological radar for measuring wind, rain, and clouds. For example, S-band dual-polarization phased array weather radar, C-band phased array weather radar, etc., can quickly monitor disastrous weather and provide early warning information.
Radar is not only a "thousand-mile eye" but also an "X-ray eye."
Ground-penetrating radar has the advantages of being non-destructive, efficient, intuitive, high resolution, and flexible and convenient to operate. It can be widely used in tunnel detection, geological exploration, building structure detection, road collapse detection, and water conservancy project detection.
Life search and rescue radar can emit ultra-wideband electromagnetic pulses into building ruins, generating reflected signals from human life activities such as breathing and heartbeat encountered in front, and processing the signals to restore human vital signs, thereby achieving "life detection" function. After an earthquake, this equipment enters the disaster area with the rescue team as soon as possible to carry out rescue work, find and rescue trapped people.
Pests and diseases are major enemies of agricultural production. Traditional pest and disease monitoring mainly relies on manual field inspections, which are inefficient and difficult to provide early warnings. With the unremitting efforts of researchers, China's (我国) first high-resolution multi-band full-polarization insect detection radar has been widely used in the agricultural field. This insect detection radar, which combines "sharp eyes" and a "smart brain," achieves the measurement of harmful insect wing-beat frequency, body length, weight, radar cross-section, and head orientation through data processing of detection and tracking results.
Currently, this radar has obtained a large amount of scientific observation data on migratory insects, providing key data support for studying the aerial migration patterns and population structure characteristics of agricultural pests. The relevant research results have laid a technical foundation for building a national insect migration early warning platform.
Experts said that they are accelerating the deep integration of radar technology and artificial intelligence technology to enable radar to have higher autonomous decision-making capabilities, develop towards intelligence, and inject new momentum into more industries.
Return to TopRecently, the "Project X: Interstellar Friendship Program" Aerospace Science Fiction Extended Reality (XR) Large-Space Experience Exhibition, hosted by the China Science and Technology Museum (中国科学技术馆) and TianShu HuanYu (Beijing) Aerospace Technology Co., Ltd. (天枢寰宇（北京）航天科技有限公司), opened at the China Science and Technology Museum (中国科学技术馆).
The exhibition is built around an original aerospace science fiction IP, presenting a "future universe" scene, integrating real-scene construction, interactive plots, and virtual reality technology. With an ultra-large space and multi-zone immersive experience layout, it brings a rich viewing experience to the audience.
The picture shows the entrance to the Aerospace Science Fiction Extended Reality (XR) Large-Space Experience Exhibition.
Xinhua News Agency (新华社) reporter Jin Liwang (金立旺) photographed.
Return to TopThe ModelScope community serves 16 million artificial intelligence large model developers.
Recently, the first ModelScope Developer Conference was held in Beijing (北京). Experts from research institutions such as the Chinese Academy of Sciences (中国科学院), Shanghai Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (上海人工智能实验室), and Zhejiang Lab (之江实验室), as well as many domestic and foreign open-source model teams, participated. At the conference, a developer incentive program was released, and developers who contribute to the community will receive support such as free computing power and generative artificial intelligence training vouchers. It is understood that as one of the largest artificial intelligence large model open-source communities in China (中国) , the ModelScope community has gathered more than 500 institutions since its establishment, hosting more than 70,000 open-source models, serving 16 million developers, and the total number of calls has exceeded 100 million.
(Gu Yekai (谷业凯))
Spatial Intelligence Innovation Consortium Established
Recently, at the 2025 Spatial Intelligence Software Technology Conference, SuperMap Software Co., Ltd. (北京超图软件股份有限公司) , jointly with the Information Center of the Ministry of Natural Resources (自然资源部信息中心), the Qingyang Municipal People's Government of Gansu Province (甘肃省庆阳市人民政府), the Qingdao Institute of Surveying and Mapping of Shandong Province (山东省青岛市勘察测绘研究院), and others, initiated the establishment of the Spatial Intelligence Innovation Consortium. The consortium focuses on the research and development and application promotion of key technologies of artificial intelligence geographic information systems, providing intelligent and efficient solutions for fields such as natural resources and emergency management. In recent years, SuperMap Software (超图软件) has accelerated the promotion of industry-university-research integration, expanded cooperation between universities and enterprises with Peking University (北京大学), Wuhan University (武汉大学), and other institutions, and promoted geographic information technology innovation and the transformation of scientific and technological achievements.
(Xu Ziyi (徐子艺))
Return to TopBy: 吴月辉
The sun, the closest star to Earth, continuously provides light and heat to our planet. However, this celestial body, which has evolved for 4.6 billion years, still holds many unsolved mysteries, awaiting human exploration.
Recently, humanity has gained another "discerning eye" for observing the sun: the "2.5-meter Large Field-of-View High-Resolution Solar Telescope," a major national scientific research instrument development project, has commenced construction in Daocheng (稻城), Sichuan (四川). It is expected to be completed, adjusted, and put into trial operation in 2027. Once completed, the telescope will be the world's largest axisymmetric solar telescope. While unraveling the mysteries of the sun's "growth," the telescope will also explore more unknown answers in time-domain astronomy observations such as supernovae, gamma-ray bursts, black hole tidal disruptions, and stellar flares.
Science, this "discerning eye," always empowers humanity with the ability to transcend the limits of the senses and perceive the essence of things. Not long ago, Academician Shen Shuzhong (沈树忠) of Nanjing University (南京大学) and his team used supercomputers and artificial intelligence algorithms to construct the world's first high-temporal-resolution (less than 45,000 years) fusulinid foraminifera diversity curve. With the help of this "time microscope," the team successfully "restored" the life fluctuation process of marine organisms around 300 million years ago, revealing the driving role of climate change on biological evolution.
In addition to seeing the world clearly, the "discerning eye" of science can also distinguish truth from falsehood. Plant parasitic nematodes cause billions of dollars in losses to global agriculture every year. When nematodes infect plants, they secrete effector proteins that can tamper with the physiological processes of the plants. However, how these effector proteins precisely destroy plant immunity has always been a mystery. Recently, this mystery was finally revealed: the team at the Institute of Plant Protection (植物保护研究所) of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (中国农业科学院) revealed for the first time that the beet cyst nematode destroys plant immunity by "hijacking" the plant cell's "protein degradation system" - the ubiquitination system.
Perhaps even more worrying to humanity than the harm of nematodes is the safety of artificial intelligence. Recently, at an international forum held at Tsinghua University (清华大学), Turing Award winner and renowned computer scientist Yao Qizhi (姚期智) warned that the "existential" risks arising from the deceptive behavior of large language models deserve attention. He also said that if humans want to avoid being "deceived," they may try to define the "behavioral boundaries" of AI when designing systems.
From tiny quarks to the vast universe, from the code of life to the laws of nature, the "discerning eye" of science is constantly redefining the boundaries of "visible" and "knowable." It is not only the "eye" of discovery, but also the source of power for creating and changing the future.
In the 1920s, after the opening of the tomb of Tutankhamun in Egypt (埃及图坦卡蒙陵墓), the archaeological team members who participated in the excavation successively experienced health problems, and various speculations about the ancient tomb emerged one after another. Decades later, scientists discovered that these tombs often contained a fungus called Aspergillus flavus (黄曲霉), whose spores can remain dormant in the air for a long time, and once inhaled, can cause fatal infections. Today, this microorganism, once considered toxic, has achieved "turning harm into benefit" in the laboratory. Recently, a team of scientists led by the University of Pennsylvania (宾夕法尼亚大学) in the United States (美国) discovered a potent anti-cancer compound from it, which is expected to be used in the treatment of leukemia.
From fungi in tombs to potential new drugs in the laboratory, scientists have used an interdisciplinary approach to unearth this molecular treasure hidden in nature. Perhaps the next life-changing drug is hidden in those tiny organisms that we once avoided, and we look forward to more scientific "discerning eyes" being able to discover their new characteristics and new value as soon as possible.
Return to TopBy: 刘笑伟
1937. That night, the stones on the stone bridge
Emitted a painful groan
Letting the blood-red moon in the sky
Hear this indignant voice
In the voice, there was the silver river conveying
Sorrow from the Changbai Mountains (长白山) and the Black Water
Each day of humiliation
Soaked through the weathered stones
The arch like a huge wound
All shining moments stopped here
All tender water turned into frost here
On this day, among the five hundred and one stone lions
Steel was also growing secretly
When the painful groan became a roar
The blood within the body
Began to burn into a raging torch
When the young soldiers put the final bugle
Into the scorched earth, blood-stained flags
Rose on that day, illuminating every Chinese person
The clanging bones
The bone's carving knife, engraved inscriptions deep in the bronze:
"Those who have been sleeping for a long time will eventually awaken at the speed of light
These stones will eventually blossom into flowers of freedom planted all over the world."
Return to TopBy: 李 彦
I was born in Jing Mountain Back Street (景山后街) under the imperial city, and I was familiar with the famous sites of Beijing (北京) from a young age. However, it wasn't until 2015 that the Lugou Bridge (卢沟桥), famous at home and abroad, came into my view.
In the early autumn of that year, during the most charming days of the ancient capital, I led a small team from Canada to China to participate in a series of important events commemorating the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.
Several Canadians in the team were carefully selected scholars, writers, and researchers. They were all admirers of Dr. Bethune and each had a special sense of mission.
Bill Smith (比尔·史密斯), an old Canadian Communist Party member, was a social activist whose parents were early representatives of the Communist Party of Canada. In the Spanish Civil War, his father, Edward (爱德华), served as the brigade commander of the Canadian Volunteer Army, fighting alongside Dr. Bethune's medical team. His mother, Lillian (莉莲), retained the world's only photograph of Bethune and Chairman Mao Zedong (毛泽东), as well as Bethune's last letter to her from the Jin-Cha-Ji (晋察冀) battlefield, urging her to go to China to participate in the war.
On September 9, the anniversary of Chairman Mao Zedong's death, Bill Smith donated a batch of precious historical relics of the Chinese revolution to the China Huaxia Cultural Heritage Foundation (中国华夏文化遗产基金会) in the Golden Hall of the Beijing Hotel (北京饭店), fulfilling his parents' 76-year wish.
Dennis Bock (丹尼斯·鲍克) is a famous Canadian novelist. In his 2006 novel, *The Communist's Daughter*, he described a heartbreaking letter written by Bethune amidst the death and chaos caused by the Japanese army's invasion of the North China mountains, analyzing his journey to revolutionary path.
Bock came to China with me on this trip, hoping to participate in the "Following Bethune's Footsteps" travel activity and personally experience the places where this hero lived and fought in those years.
Dr. Margaret Remer (玛格丽特·雷默), like Bock, is a writer and editor of academic journals. During their stay in Beijing, they visited the Lu Xun Academy of Literature (鲁迅文学院) and were extremely envious of the unique learning environment available to Chinese writers.
Professor Darrell Bratt (戴罗尔·勃兰特), a renowned scholar, is my colleague. He grew up in the United States and attended Harvard University. To avoid the Vietnam War draft, he immigrated to Canada in 1967 and devoted himself to research in the field of cultural spirit, serving as the editor of the World Religions entry in the *Encyclopedia Britannica*.
Professor Bratt was the only one of these guests who had visited China before. In May 2012, he came to Shandong (山东) to participate in the Second "Nishan Forum on World Civilizations" (尼山世界文明论坛) and interviewed and investigated various religious factions in China, producing materials for overseas teaching.
John Moore (约翰·摩尔) was the only medical professional in the team. He is a researcher at Western University in London, Ontario, Canada. His area of expertise is the use of image-guided technology in cardiac surgery to translate new technologies into clinical medical applications.
Moore and his colleagues' latest invention is the "simulated heart," intended for heart valve repair surgery. The commercial value of the entire device is $23,000. Moore brought this device to China specifically to donate it to Peking Union Medical College (北京协和医学院).
After various donation activities, we came to Lugou Bridge. In the eyes of foreigners, this attraction, known as the "Marco Polo Bridge," is of extraordinary significance, simply because the Italian traveler once stepped into the ancient capital through this stone bridge, leaving behind fascinating descriptions.
The bridge's unparalleled beauty reflects the wisdom and hard work of the working people. Countless texts have described it since ancient times, so I will not repeat them. Members of the delegation stepped onto the uneven stone slabs, stroked the exquisite carvings on the bridge railings, excitedly shouted, and posed for photos in various poses.
I stopped and stayed at the bridgehead, fearing that my footprints would accelerate the wear and tear of the years.
Looking into the distance, what came to my mind was a letter written by New Zealand nurse Kathleen Hall (凯瑟琳·霍尔) to Bethune one day in 1939.
Dear Dr. Bethune:
The day after I met you, I set off for Beiping (北平). After several days of trekking, I finally arrived in this beautiful ancient city of the East. What a pity you couldn't travel with me, otherwise I could be your guide and accompany you to visit all the places of interest. I guarantee you will sincerely like everything you see!
The day after arriving in Beiping, I went to the large pharmacy on Morrison Street (莫里森大街) (Note: Wangfujing Street (王府井大街)) with the list you gave me. Because the quantity I needed was too large, the store refused to sell me any medicine. Obviously, the Japanese spent a great deal of effort to strictly prevent any medical supplies, including medicines, from flowing out of the Japanese-occupied areas for military purposes. I learned that medical supplies must have a formal approval document from the enemy authorities before they can be sold. In retail stores, small amounts of medicine can be purchased without approval. But I found that if I relied entirely on the retail store channel, I would probably have to spend at least half a year to buy all the things you needed, so...
Did Kathleen pass over this bridge in front of me when she entered Beijing? I stared blankly, as if I saw her driving a mule cart across the bridgehead.
I learned from historical records that Dr. Bethune was in the Taihang Mountains (太行山) for two years, cut off from news and feeling lonely, and he longed to go to Beijing. However, until his sacrifice, this wish was not fulfilled.
While pondering, a soft call came from beside me. Professor Bratt came over and took a photo of me.
Not far from the bridge stands the Museum of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (中国人民抗日战争纪念馆). When Bill Smith saw the huge photo of Dr. Bethune rescuing Eighth Route Army (八路军) wounded soldiers in a small temple, he solemnly raised his fist and swore in his mouth.
The next morning, the group said goodbye to Beijing. The bus got off the Beijing-Shijiazhuang Expressway (京石高速) and headed west towards the hinterland of the Taihang Mountains. In the distant blue sky, a strangely shaped mountain suddenly appeared, like a knife-edged saw tooth, piercing the clouds. Undoubtedly, that was Langya Mountain (狼牙山).
I hurried to the front of the bus and asked the tour guide to tell the foreign guests on the bus the story of the Five Heroes jumping off the cliff. The tour guide's almond eyes widened: "Langya Mountain? Never heard of it!"
I was also surprised. "I see you introduced a lot of famous Hebei (河北) sites just now, how come you don't even know this!"
Seeing her face turn red, I stopped nagging, took the microphone from her hand, pointed out the window, and told the story of Langya Mountain in English. As soon as I finished speaking, Bill Smith shouted: "Thank you, Yan! This is what we want to hear!"
Stepping into the Jin-Cha-Ji Martyrs Cemetery (晋察冀烈士陵园), Dennis Bock, who had been talking and laughing all the way, fell silent when he saw the thousands of names engraved on the tombstones. He followed everyone, circling around Bethune's cenotaph, mourning the immortal hero.
Then we came to Gegong Village (葛公村). While browsing in the simple and crude "Bethune Health School" (白求恩卫生学校) courtyard, John Moore asked how Bethune solved his bathing needs.
The tour guide pointed to the thatched shed in the corner. After going in and looking, everyone's expression changed.
"Yan, without firm and lofty beliefs, it is difficult for a Westerner to live in such a place, even for just a few days!" Margaret Remer sighed to me.
At dusk, the men, women, old and young in the village came to the roadside to wave goodbye to the delegation. Everyone pinned a Bethune commemorative badge on the children's chests.
Soon after returning to Canada, Professor Bratt and I discussed editing and publishing an English collection, *Re-reading Bethune*. Ten Canadian and Chinese scholars, from poetry and prose to academic research, expressed their sincere voices for the common pursuit of mankind.
As Tianjin (天津) writer Ren Fukang (任芙康) said, "Bethune's long-lasting honor, like the vast blue sky and the vast ocean... For many years, Bethune has never left us."
Return to TopBy: 陈其浩
Addressing someone is a perennially discussed topic.
Once upon a time, greeting people didn't require deliberate wording; a simple "comrade" (同志) would suffice, leaving the listener feeling at ease and comfortable. Later, with economic development and cultural diversity, forms of address became varied and numerous. "Mister" (先生), "Miss" (小姐), and "Boss" (老板) flew everywhere. Initially, it felt novel, but after a while, it became tiresome, especially the term "Miss" (小姐), which often carried a sense of frivolousness. Nowadays, "Miss" (小姐) seems to have been replaced by "beauty" (美女), but the latter has also gradually lost its meaning of praise and has become a generic term.
Forms of address have their own trends, moving with the times. For example, "comrade" (同志). In the years of simple and honest folk customs, people emphasized equality for all, whether at work or in life. Therefore, the egalitarian term "comrade" (同志) was used for a long time, and "comrade" (同志) also carries a sense of shared aspirations. Another example is "shifu" (师傅), which has also been used for quite some time, and I personally find it very affectionate. When I was young, I worked as a locomotive fitter apprentice in the locomotive depot for three years, and after completing my apprenticeship, I independently did vehicle repair work for about a year. At that time, I had to call all the senior brothers and sisters who joined the company a few days earlier than me "shifu" (师傅). In the locomotive maintenance front line, where technology comes first, learning skills is the top priority, and the form of address is related to the etiquette of imparting knowledge and teaching skills, so naturally it cannot be sloppy. The term "shifu" (师傅) is a respectful term for laborers with a skill, and also a respect for those with great virtue. Decades later, although the bustling labor scene has long gone, I still use this "shifu" (师傅). I think that as long as the other person's expression is not frivolous and their spirit is not petty, regardless of age, they can be respectfully called "shifu" (师傅).
Another familiar form of address, "teacher" (老师), has become somewhat overused. Those who are teachers should possess both virtue and ability, but they do not. Both the caller and the one being called have become accustomed to it, and one party feels at ease. I think "teacher" (老师) and "mister" (先生), as titles, should still have a threshold, otherwise it is inevitable that there will be suspicion of verbal bribery. In addition, in our daily lives, there are also many who address each other as brothers, perhaps this tradition is to highlight the spirit of brotherhood.
Although there are various forms of address, people still have a scale in their hearts. For example, when encountering something and looking for the police, people will generally call out "comrade" (同志), and will not abruptly call them "handsome guy" (帅哥) or "beauty" (美女). From this, we know that in an emergency, people's basic consensus is still: affectation is embarrassing, falsehood is annoying, and only honesty and appropriateness are welcome.
Many years ago, I wrote a miscellaneous essay discussing the issue of forms of address within the system. The issue of forms of address is not a small issue. Some officials feel that calling their real position is not prestigious enough, so those who are opportunistic cater to their preferences, calling them "leader" (头儿), "boss" (老大), or "owner" (老板) loudly. People who hear it suddenly think they have arrived at some company or shopping mall! The caller may be casual or have ulterior motives, and the one being called accepts it happily, like being addicted to smoking, and gradually it becomes difficult to quit. The harm is not obvious at first, but over time it will breed a distorted mentality of being superior, and things like "public servant" (公仆) and "serving the people" (为人民服务) are gradually forgotten, replaced by perhaps stubbornness or even reckless behavior. You see, the power of sugar-coated bullets in forms of address cannot be guarded against!
Regarding forms of address, I also have a vivid memory of one thing. That was the place where I used to be a sent-down youth. A cadre who had worked in the commune for nearly a decade was being transferred elsewhere. A villager in the township who was good at writing poems bid farewell on behalf of the villagers. This cadre had served as the secretary of the commune Party committee. He was self-righteous, approachable, shared weal and woe with the masses, and was fair and honest, doing many practical and good things for everyone. The villagers usually only called him "Secretary Chen" (陈秘书), simple and straightforward. On the day of Secretary Chen's (陈秘书) departure, the villagers composed a poem to bid farewell, which shows that ordinary forms of address contain deep emotions, and the more straightforward the form of address, the closer the relationship.
Forms of address are not only related to etiquette in communication, but also to the honesty or frivolity of social customs. In recent years, there have been many voices calling for the term "comrade" (同志) to return to the mainstream, which is also a manifestation of the return of social customs to simplicity. I welcome this with both hands. The true feelings in forms of address are worth pursuing and praising.
Return to TopBy: 陈冬梅
I have always felt that Quanzhou is a city that grew out of the sea.
Quanzhou was formerly known as "Citong" (刺桐), named after the kapok flowers (刺桐花) that bloom all over the city. In spring, the flame-like flowers blaze at the Luoyang Bridge (洛阳桥), each petal seemingly engraved with the glory of the "largest port in the East" during the Song and Yuan dynasties. This eternally unfading kapok red has been painted on the red brick buildings of southern Fujian for thousands of years. Perhaps, this kapok red is the spiritual foundation of the Quanzhou people's spirit of 爱拼才会赢 (ài pīn cái huì yíng - "If you dare to fight, you will win," a common saying in Southern Fujian, emphasizing hard work and determination), allowing them to dare to set sail from the narrow space of eight mountains and one river.
The tide of memory takes me back to the moment I first met Quanzhou. That year, I was hired from Xiamen (厦门) to work for a company in Quanzhou. The aroma of coffee from Egret Island (鹭岛) had not yet dissipated, and the tea fragrance of Anxi Tieguanyin (安溪铁观音) was already permeating the tip of my tongue. Quanzhou welcomed me with its azure blue. Having grown up on the island of Zhangpu (漳浦) since childhood, I was no stranger to the slightly fishy sea breeze.
Unexpectedly, this stop has lasted for nearly 20 years.
In 2007, a cold wave surged. That winter, the kapok tree outside the office shed all its red leaves in the cold wind, its jagged branches piercing the lead-gray sky. I led the team to keep running around, working tirelessly to polish the products, with an average of less than 5 hours of sleep per day. When the approved development loan documents finally landed on my desk, I suddenly saw the kapok flowers blooming outside the window - it turned out that it had also accumulated the strength of a winter, all brewed into a tree full of fiery heat.
The belief of "three points are determined by heaven, and seven points depend on hard work" allowed me to touch the pulse of this city. And the fireworks in the alleys made me completely fall in love with her soul.
West Street (西街) is an old street in Quanzhou, and also the most vivid expression of this city. Nanyang arched windows and Southern Fujian red brick houses stand side by side. Downstairs, the sound of needles from the tailor shop and the sound of sipping from the milk tea shop are intertwined into the echo of the market. On West Street, Yafo Runbing (亚佛润饼) skin is as thin as cicada wings, and the heat of ginger duck (姜母鸭) floats on the eaves. Whenever friends come to Quanzhou, I always take them to taste it.
Quanzhou, a city of fireworks condenses thousands of years of flavor. Silky noodles in the morning light, soft and glutinous Manjian cake (满煎糕) in the streets and alleys, refreshing Siguo soup (四果汤) in midsummer... The taste of a hundred flavors is clearly a vivid footnote to Li Zhi's (李贽) saying that "dressing and eating are human ethics." The vicissitudes and weight of history have been transformed into the eternity between the lips and teeth.
And what makes Citong City (刺桐城) forever vibrant is the Yingying spring on the hair of the Xunpu women (蟳埔女). Before dawn, they have already turned jasmine and Michelia into a floating flower market, and the golden pendants on their ears make a subtle tinkling sound. They squat in front of the oyster shell houses (蚵壳厝) to pry oysters, and the bracelets reflect the glaze of the dripping beasts. Between the rise and fall of the oyster knife, the salty and fishy juice flows along the granite foundation, overflowing the texture of the ballast stones of the Song and Yuan merchant ships. Look, the ancient oyster shell houses that have been eroded by the years still stand stubbornly, building the spirit of the sea into the mottled walls.
In 2017, I stepped down as a senior executive of the company and returned to campus to pursue a doctorate. Few people know that I am the online writer who obsessively writes about Quanzhou. The tutor joked that I had given myself a "Quanzhou Gu" (泉州蛊), he must have heard the sound of the kapok roots branching in my blood.
In those nights of obsessively writing about Quanzhou, the moonlight sprinkled on my daughter's curved eyelashes. My young daughter is the little tail of my fieldwork. Walking through the streets and alleys, those years soaked in puppet shows and Nanyin (南音) music were accompanied by her. My daughter learned to identify the wind-praying stone carvings on Jiuri Mountain (九日山) very early, and her little hands always loved to touch the ferns in the stone crevices, as if confirming the temperature of the city's memory. In her paintings of Citong City, there is always a glowing sea horizon passing through the East-West Towers (东西塔).
The summer of 2021 was a season that all Quanzhou people will never forget. The city of Quanzhou was boiling! "Quanzhou: Emporium of the World in Song-Yuan China" was successfully included in the World Heritage List, and 22 heritage sites were connected like stars, illuminating the millennium maritime Silk Road of Citong City. On the day of the announcement of the World Heritage Conference, I stood in front of the Moonlight Bodhisattva stone statue at the Luoyang Bridge, and the voice of the volunteer guide and retired teacher Chen (陈老师) beside me suddenly choked up: "When I was a child, my grandfather (阮阿公) said that this bridge is the road from Quanzhou to the world..."
The sea of Citong City gently pushes every soul that docks to a wider azure blue.
Return to TopBy: 穆 肃
Having lived in Guangdong (广东) for 20 years, every June and July, even if I don't buy lychees, I still receive them as gifts from friends, satisfying my appetite. Initially, I didn't understand their flavor, like 囫囵吞枣 (hú lún tūn zǎo - "swallowing a date whole," to accept something without thinking or understanding), but after eating them more, I gradually began to appreciate the different flavors in a rudimentary way.
Lychees originate in Lingnan (岭南), but the production areas vary. In Guangdong (广东), the Bála (白蜡), Bái Táng Yīng (白糖罂), and Jī Zuǐ Lì (鸡嘴荔) varieties from places like Gaozhou (高州) in western Guangdong (粤西) are among the first to hit the market. Then, the lychees in Dongguan (东莞), where I live, also begin to ripen, such as the Sān Yuè Hóng (三月红), Huái Zhī (怀枝), Hēi Yè (黑叶), Guì Wèi (桂味), and Nuòmǐ Cí (糯米糍) varieties, which last until the end of June after the summer solstice. If you still haven't had enough lychees, you can continue with the lychees from areas further north in Conghua (从化) and Zengcheng (增城), whose representative varieties are Xiān Jìn Fèng (仙进奉) and Guà Lǜ (挂绿). As for the "Fēizǐ Xiào (妃子笑)" lychee, many are produced in Hainan (海南) and are an early-maturing variety.
People in Lingnan (岭南) are actually quite particular about eating lychees. Lychees change color in one day, fragrance in two days, and flavor in three days. In the eating process, freshness from the branch and sweetness on the tongue are both indispensable. If you want to further explore the source of the deliciousness of lychees, you have to trace the origin of the lychee tree, just like tea drinkers are obsessed with ancient tree tea.
A few days ago, a friend invited me to his house to eat lychees. The newly picked Guì Wèi (桂味) lychees, with their tender green leaves and dewdrops, had a sweet, crisp, and beautiful flesh with a hint of osmanthus fragrance. When I learned that the lychee tree in the yard was planted and grafted by him personally and bore its first abundant fruit this year, I couldn't help but share my story. Three years ago, I planted nearly 10 kinds of northern fruit trees in my hometown, not seeking to eat the fruit, but just to add some anticipation in the long passage of time. This year, the apricot trees were the first to bear fruit. After my mother picked them, she took a picture of a large bowl of wheat-yellow apricots and sent it to me, which was a real comfort to a traveler living away from home.
The two fruit tree planters chatted more and more enthusiastically, and couldn't help but talk about the impact of the differences in climate between the north and south on fruits. As a landmark delicacy of Lingnan (岭南), the cultivation and growth of lychees also has its own unique set of rules.
I always thought that lychee trees were conceived from fruit pits, but in fact, the fruits of lychee trees cultivated from fruit pits are sour and unpalatable. Delicious lychee trees must be painstakingly cultivated, either using cutting techniques to ensure the purity of the variety, or using grafting methods to improve the genes.
My friend's Guì Wèi (桂味) originated from an excellent ancient lychee tree. In August and September after the lychees are harvested, a strong branch with leaves is cut from the old tree with the bark, trimmed, and the barked part is wrapped in a mud paste made of grass and wet mud, waiting for it to take root and sprout, and then planted in the ground the following year. This is called cutting, which can avoid lychee variation. Before grafting technology became popular, fruit farmers had been using this technique to propagate lychees.
My friend also has an Bīng Lì (冰荔) and a Guānyīn Lǜ (观音绿), both rare varieties. This year, there were only a few fruits on the two trees. I picked one of each and tasted them carefully. The Bīng Lì (冰荔) has a thin skin, crystal clear flesh, a tender and smooth taste, and a unique crispness. The other Guānyīn Lǜ (观音绿) was originally a Guà Lǜ (挂绿) transplanted from Zengcheng (增城), but it may have been passed down for many generations and has already mutated, so my friend separately selected a good Guānyīn Lǜ (观音绿) variety for cutting and grafting. Its peel is yellowish-green, and the flesh is soft and glutinous, seemingly having a secret connection with another variety, Nuòmǐ Cí (糯米糍).
My friend is a local of Dongguan (东莞) and is one of the people who led me to understand the local customs of Dongguan (东莞). I respectfully call him Uncle Tai (泰叔). Uncle Tai (泰叔) knows the local anecdotes, especially the farming culture, like the back of his hand. He also likes photography. After tasting the lychees together, we went back to his old home to take a set of photos, and I then understood the original intention of planting lychees in his yard instead of exotic flowers and trees.
More than 20 years ago, Uncle Tai (泰叔) photographed the disappearance of the last rice fields in his hometown. This time, his camera once again recorded the potential changes on the land of Lingnan (岭南). In one photo, I seemed to see Uncle Tai's (泰叔) shadow: a fruit farmer found what he thought was the best tree from the fallen lychee trees, packed it, and prepared to transplant it to his home, like putting a collection into a museum. In the future, he will pick fruits from this specimen-like lychee tree and taste the homesickness that belongs exclusively to the people of Lingnan (岭南).
Return to TopBy: 王张应
Leaving Fuyang County (阜南县), we headed to Wangjiaba (王家坝). It was the wheat harvest season, and the Huai River (淮河) plain was a scene of bustling activity with the roar of machinery. The Huai River water humbly flowed at a low level, and the wheat fields on the banks were assured of a good harvest. Wangjiaba's location is precisely at the junction of the upper and middle reaches of the Huai River. From Wangjiaba to the mouth of the Huai River, the river flows smoothly all the way. Whenever floods are about to overflow the Huai River dikes, the "First Sluice Gate on the Thousand-Li Huai River" (千里淮河第一闸) built in Wangjiaba will be opened to divert the floodwater that cannot flow out of the Huai River to a place called "Mengwa" (蒙洼).
The so-called "Mengwa" refers to a large area of low-lying land in the Meng River (蒙河) basin within Fuyang (阜南). When the Huai River is in danger, "Mengwa" stands by the Huai River like a **顶天立地** (dǐng tiān lì dì - "towering and unflinching," describes someone of great stature and integrity), facing the raging flood, patting its chest and saying, come on, come at me. Thus, the residents on the ground of "Mengwa" are evacuated overnight, giving their homes to the flood, so that it does not sweep down and endanger other places along the middle and lower reaches of the Huai River. Until the situation in the upper reaches of the Huai River stabilizes and the river channel returns to its original width, the river water of "Mengwa" returns to where it should go.
After the flood leaves, the relocated "Mengwa" residents return to their homes, clean up the houses they lent to the flood for temporary residence after they left, turn over the soil that was trampled solid by the waves of the flood, and begin to sow the seeds of summer and autumn crops. A few weeks later, "Mengwa" returns to a state of vibrant and fertile wilderness.
We came to the Wangjiaba Flood Resistance Memorial Hall (王家坝抗洪纪念馆). An exhibition board in the hall aroused my curiosity - the "twists and turns" on the Zhuangtai (庄台). Local friends said that the high spots dotted on the great plain are all piled up. The ancestors built earth into platforms, so the villages in this area are called Zhuangtai, and the houses are built on the Zhuangtai higher than the wheat fields.
"Twists and turns" seem to have **八竿子打不着** (bā gān zi dǎ bù zháo - "cannot reach with eight poles," unrelated) with these Zhuangtai people. Looking closely at the pictures and texts, it turns out that "twists and turns" does not refer to the character traits of the Zhuangtai people, but to two rather meaningful things on the Zhuangtai.
"Twist" refers to a tree. On the artificially piled Zhuangtai, the area is small, and the houses are next to each other, with few courtyards for planting trees and flowers. However, a tree grows in the wrong place, growing under the eaves of a house. As it grows taller day by day, it is about to break through the eaves, and the owner of the house picks up a knife and axe. This man on the Zhuangtai must love trees. He did not cut off the tree that might endanger the house, but only removed the crown of the tree. The tree also seemed to have figured out the owner's mind, and then made the newly grown trunk take a big turn, bypassing the eaves and then spreading its branches and leaves in the air, spreading a large area of green shade in front of the house.
What about "turn"? It is a real "turn" - removing a corner of a wall. The wall with the missing corner is located at the entrance of an alley. The alley is too narrow, and the ends of the carrying poles on the shoulders of pedestrians can easily hit the protruding corner of the wall, causing the manure or grain at both ends of the pole to spill on the ground. To facilitate the neighbors, the owner of the house removed a corner of his own wall. The family on this Zhuangtai took the initiative to "turn", which reminds people of the Six-Foot Lane (六尺巷) in Tongcheng (桐城), hundreds of kilometers south of Fuyang. In the same ancient Anhui (皖) land, the north and south cultures are different, but their essence is the same: one gives way to three feet of land, and the other gives way to a corner of the wall, both are "giving way".
Looking at this exhibition board, I suddenly thought that the biggest concession is not that the Zhuangtai people give way to their neighbors at the entrance of the alley, but that they give up all their belongings and even the place where their whole family depends on for survival as a flood discharge area, giving it to the roaring flood, so as to avoid the flood from harming more people.
Walking out of the Wangjiaba Flood Resistance Memorial Hall, the "twists and turns" on the Zhuangtai lingered in my mind. We should not forget the simple and heroic Zhuangtai people.
Return to TopThis edition's email: dadi@peopledaily.cn
Layout design: Zhao Siru (赵偲汝)
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