Summary: Xi Jinping signed an order to release the flag designs for the newly established military branches: the Space Force, Cyberspace Force, Information Support Force, and Joint Logistic Support Force. The flag designs are based on the August 1st Army Flag and highlight the Party's leadership over the military. The flags will be implemented starting August 1, 2025. The Central Military Commission also issued revisions to the "Military Flag Management Regulations (Trial Implementation)" to standardize flag management.
Summary: Xi Jinping's speech at the National Conference on Ecological and Environmental Protection, to be published in *Qiushi*, emphasizes the historic and transformative changes in China's ecological civilization construction since the 18th Party Congress. The speech highlights the need to balance high-quality development with high-level protection, stressing that China's approach to achieving its "dual carbon" goals will be determined independently, "不受他人左右". It further emphasizes the importance of strengthening ecological protection and restoration. The article stresses the need for Party leadership in building a "Beautiful China."
Summary: This article emphasizes the importance of thoroughly implementing the spirit of the Central Eight-Point Regulation to achieve expected results, stressing strictness and consistency. It highlights the need to avoid complacency and prevent the resurgence of undesirable work styles, advocating for continuous efforts in addressing formalism and reducing burdens at the grassroots level. The piece underscores that all party members are responsible for upholding good work ethics and establishing a lasting mechanism for maintaining positive conduct. It emphasizes the importance of adhering to regulations and internalizing them as a standard of behavior. This article does not mention the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: Xi Jinping signed a commendation order recognizing two units and five individuals for meritorious service. Unit 63920's Second Division was awarded a first-class merit, while Ding Yang of Unit 92853 received a first-class merit for defense-related science and technology. Unit 96712 was awarded a second-class merit. Wang Haidou, Gao Yuqi, Yang Zichun, and Chen Wei were each awarded a third-class merit for defense-related science and technology. The commendations highlight advancements and contributions within the People's Liberation Army. The article does not mention the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The article discusses the Chinese military's focus on strengthening its capabilities and loyalty to the Party, highlighting President Xi Jinping's emphasis on the Party's absolute leadership over the army, and the importance of combat readiness. It mentions Xi Jinping's presence at the commissioning of the Shandong aircraft carrier. The article highlights the military's modernization and its commitment to safeguarding national sovereignty, security, and development interests. It also touches upon the strong bond between the military and the people, emphasizing mutual support and respect and the People's Liberation Army's role in disaster relief and national defense education. The article also briefly mentioned the Shandong carrier's visit to Hong Kong.
Summary: Premier Li Qiang chaired a State Council meeting emphasizing the importance of understanding the Party Central Committee's assessment of the economic situation and consolidating the positive momentum of economic recovery. The meeting focused on enhancing macro-policy effectiveness, addressing challenges, and implementing decisions made by the Party Central Committee, with an emphasis on stimulating internal economic growth and preventing systemic risks. The council also approved guidelines on implementing the "AI+" initiative, aiming to promote the widespread commercial application of artificial intelligence across various sectors. Policies for interest subsidies on personal consumer loans and loans to service industry operators were also implemented to stimulate spending and market activity.
Summary: Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress Zhao Leji conducted an official friendly visit to Switzerland from July 28th to 31st at the invitation of Swiss National Council President Rinis and Council of States President Caroni. During meetings with Rinis and Caroni, Zhao emphasized that China is willing to work with Switzerland to implement the consensus reached by the leaders of both countries and promote the high-level development of the China-Switzerland innovative strategic partnership, opposing unilateralism and protectionism. He also expressed hope for the advancement of the free trade agreement upgrade negotiations and high-quality cooperation in the financial field. Zhao welcomed Swiss-funded institutions to expand their investment in China.
Summary: The article analyzes a recent Politburo meeting that emphasized seizing opportunities, unleashing potential, and leveraging advantages to consolidate the positive economic recovery trend. It stresses the importance of adapting to technological and industrial revolutions to gain a competitive edge. The piece highlights the need for a combination of effective market mechanisms and proactive government policies, particularly in boosting domestic demand and consumption through macroeconomic measures and targeted actions. It also underscores the significance of leveraging China's abundant human resources by promoting education, technological innovation, and talent cultivation to secure future success.
Summary: This article focuses on the theoretical importance of "new quality combat forces" (新质战斗力) and their revolutionary significance for the military. It also emphasizes promoting the spirit of the War of Resistance against Japan, and striving to build a stronger military.
Summary: A state-owned carbon graphite manufacturer, Harbin Electric Carbon Factory, is transforming from a low-end producer to focus on high-end markets like high-speed rail, wind power, and nuclear energy. The company decided to cut low-end products and pursue medium to high-end products. This transition has involved investment in R&D and cultivating a younger generation of engineers. The company has increased its orders and R&D investment in the first quarter of this year. The company is committed to high-quality development and has achieved advancements in nuclear power components, filling domestic gaps.
Summary: An engineer from Harbin Electric Carbon Factory recalls the challenges faced in developing domestically produced aviation motor brushes to replace expensive and strategically controlled imports. The team persevered through numerous setbacks and harsh conditions, driven by a sense of national pride and determination to overcome technological bottlenecks. After countless experiments and failures, they finally succeeded in creating a high-performance brush that met the required standards. The successful development of these brushes, a critical component for aircraft engines, contributed to the advancement of Chinese manufacturing and the success of domestically produced large aircraft. The author emphasizes the importance of the spirit of perseverance and hard work in achieving technological independence.
Summary: China's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, along with nine other departments, jointly released the "Implementation Plan for Promoting Agricultural Product Consumption," outlining 23 specific measures across nine areas. The plan focuses on improving the quality and safety of agricultural products, with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology guiding the development of local specialty food industries. The Ministry of Commerce aims to streamline agricultural product distribution and supply chains, highlighting a 15.8% year-on-year increase in online retail sales of agricultural products. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs is also focusing on developing rural tourism and recreational agriculture to create new consumer experiences.
Summary: Yang Libo, a community Party Secretary in Guizhou, received alerts from the local government regarding potential cases of individuals falling back into poverty. These alerts are generated by Guizhou's rural revitalization cloud platform, which uses data from various government departments to identify vulnerable households. One such case involved the family of a local resident, Wei Ruyu, whose child's medical expenses threatened to push them back into poverty. Yang worked with community members to verify the information, provide assistance, and submit needed applications for aid. The system aims to provide early intervention and prevent large-scale return to poverty.
Summary: The article focuses on Guizhou province's efforts to consolidate poverty alleviation gains through a "precise" approach, leveraging big data for risk monitoring and targeted assistance. It highlights Xi Jinping's emphasis on establishing a unified monitoring and support mechanism for low-income rural populations. Guizhou is using data from education, civil affairs, and medical insurance sectors to identify potential risks of falling back into poverty and tailor support accordingly. The goal is to improve efficiency and ensure resources are allocated effectively to those most in need, while strengthening governance capacity. The approach emphasizes technology-driven solutions for poverty alleviation.
Summary: China's Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security released a draft regulation on protecting the basic rights of older workers on July 31st, soliciting public opinion until August 31st. The draft aims to safeguard the rights of older workers to compensation, rest, safety, and work-related injury protection. It clarifies channels for dispute resolution, including mediation, arbitration, lawsuits, and complaints to the Ministry. The Ministry is accepting feedback through its website, mail, and email.
Summary: China's State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC) recently launched the "AI Innovation Community" platform, designed as an open-source AI innovation hub. The platform offers six functional areas including computing power, models, and data. Initial offerings include over 2,000 domestic computing cards from three telecom operators, over 200 general and vertical industry models, and nearly 160 high-quality datasets. The platform is also opening 40 strategic, high-value AI scenarios from 16 industries for industrial reference.
Summary: The article discusses the instability in the Middle East, highlighting the need for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as well as the Iranian nuclear issue. It criticizes the "might makes right" mentality, arguing it exacerbates conflict. The article suggests that some Western countries, including the U.S., apply double standards and prioritize their own interests, leading to failures in regional security governance. It emphasizes the importance of dialogue, adherence to ceasefires, and protection of civilian populations. It also suggests that influential countries should act responsibly to support the UN and create conditions for peace.
Summary: The China-ASEAN Free Trade Area (CAFTA) 3.0 upgrade negotiations have been completed, with the agreement expected to be signed this year. The upgraded agreement includes new areas such as the digital and green economy, aiming to enhance economic resilience and address external challenges. The agreement is seen as a signal supporting free trade and multilateralism amid rising global protectionism, especially as some Western countries advocate for decoupling from China. China remains ASEAN's largest trading partner, and ASEAN has become China's largest trading partner for five consecutive years. The agreement further strengthens trade links and provides support for ASEAN's position as a regional economic growth center.
Summary: The K11/12 trains on the China-Laos Railway now have Lao employees managing operations, with the first entirely Lao-managed station opening in April. The railway company has promoted 15 Lao employees to management positions after training. One such employee is Bouchan, who manages the station at Namor, while another, Onnya, has become a train conductor. The China-Laos Railway company aims to increase the proportion of Lao staff in management positions and provide training opportunities, as the Lao side originally lacked a suitable system for managing the railway. Currently, 63% of the railway's staff are Lao nationals.
Summary: Chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee Zhao Leji conducted an official friendly visit to Switzerland from July 28-31 at the invitation of Swiss parliamentary leaders. During meetings with Swiss National Council President Riner and Council of States President Caroni, Zhao emphasized that China views Switzerland as a model for cooperation between countries with differing systems, and expressed China's willingness to work with Switzerland to promote their innovative strategic partnership, including upgrading their free trade agreement. He stressed mutual respect as a cornerstone of bilateral relations and welcomed more Swiss leaders and parliamentarians to visit China. Zhao also voiced opposition to unilateralism and protectionism, calling for multilateral collaboration and defense of international trade rules.
Summary: The China Pavilion at the Osaka Expo reached one million visitors since opening in April, with a family from Osaka recognized as the millionth visitors by Pavilion Director Zhang Shujing. The family toured exhibits showcasing Chinese history, culture, and technological achievements, including lunar samples from the Chang'e missions. Zhang stated the pavilion has been popular and played a positive role in cross-cultural exchange, noting that visitors included dignitaries and heads of state. The pavilion plans to host provincial-level events to attract more visitors and showcase a positive image of China.
Summary: Fuzhou's Qingzhou Container Terminal in Fujian Province is experiencing high activity, reflecting the province's growing container manufacturing industry and its increasing export volume. The article highlights the efficient loading, unloading, and transportation operations at the port, emphasizing the responsiveness of Fujian's container manufacturers to market demands. There is no mention of the United States or U.S.-China relations in the article.
Summary: Commerce Ministry spokesperson He Yadong stated that China hopes to deepen dialogue and consultation with the U.S. to achieve more win-win outcomes. During the Sino-U.S. trade talks held in Stockholm from July 28-29, both sides engaged in frank, in-depth, and constructive exchanges on trade relations and macroeconomic policies. He also noted that the 24% tariff portion and Chinese countermeasures are expected to be extended by 90 days according to the Stockholm talks. This extension is aimed at stabilizing Sino-U.S. trade relations and injecting more certainty into the world economy.
Summary: The Chinese Consulate General in Johannesburg and China's National Film Administration jointly hosted a film and photo exhibition commemorating the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. The event was held in Johannesburg and was attended by over 150 representatives from political, business, academic, and Chinese-funded enterprise circles in China and South Africa. The article does not mention the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jia Kun stated that the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Tianjin Summit will be the largest since the organization's founding and a culmination of China's chairmanship. Guo said China has implemented over 100 chair country activities, deepened cooperation in various fields, and promoted reforms in organizational mechanisms. The SCO has spoken out on major international and regional issues, firmly maintained the multilateral trading system, and strongly condemned the abuse of force. The summit will bring together leaders from more than 20 countries and heads of 10 international organizations.
Summary: Iraqi Planning Ministry spokesperson Abdul Al-Hindaoui stated on July 30th that Iraq hopes to learn from China's poverty reduction experience, citing China's significant success in poverty alleviation. Al-Hindaoui made the statement at a Baghdad press conference held by the Iraqi government and the UNDP, where Iraq's Multidimensional Poverty Index report was released for the first time. He noted that China's achievements serve as a model for Iraq's own poverty reduction efforts. The article does not mention the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: Defense Minister Dong Jun addressed a reception celebrating the 98th anniversary of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), attended by senior military officials including Liu Zhenli and Zhang Shengmin. Dong commemorated the 80th anniversary of victory in the Anti-Japanese War and Taiwan's recovery, reiterating the PLA's commitment to national reunification and opposition to "Taiwan independence." He asserted the PLA's readiness to defeat any external interference, while also emphasizing China's commitment to international cooperation and a shared future. Dong also expressed gratitude to various groups, including veterans and those supporting defense initiatives, while welcoming international guests and military attaches. The reception included foreign military attaches, highlighting international military relations.
Summary: This article discusses the fading tradition of carrying wheat harvests by shoulder in rural China and uses it as a metaphor for the dedication required of officials. It argues that officials, like the wheat carriers, must embody a spirit of dedication characterized by reluctance to abandon responsibilities, a refusal to halt progress, and an unwillingness to rest on their laurels. It underscores the importance of genuine affection for the people, a proactive and urgent approach to problem-solving, and unwavering commitment to their duties. By cultivating these qualities, the article suggests, officials can ensure success in their endeavors. The article does not discuss the United States, or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: State Councilor Chen Yiqin addressed the National Football Work Conference in Beijing, emphasizing the need to follow Xi Jinping's directives on sports and football. She called for strengthening Party leadership and leveraging the "new type of whole-nation system" to revitalize Chinese football. The conference highlighted the importance of national youth training, integrating sports and education, developing campus football, strengthening the coaching staff, and promoting healthy development in professional leagues. Furthermore, the conference stressed the need for international exchange, development of social football, and anti-corruption measures within the sport.
Summary: During recent floods, Party organizations and cadres have been actively involved in disaster relief. Ma Baohui, a Communist Party member and director of a power supply station in Beijing, led a team to restore power to a town after a heavy rain. In Hebei, village Party Secretary Wang Xiuying led villagers in creating a temporary road to allow aid to reach a cut-off village. Elsewhere, cadres are providing assistance to residents, such as helping a student apply to college and providing necessities at resettlement sites.
Summary: China's National Disaster Reduction Committee upgraded the national emergency response level for disaster relief in Hebei to Level III following severe rain and flooding in areas including Beijing's Miyun and Chengde in Hebei, dispatching a working group to guide disaster relief efforts. The National Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters initiated a Level IV emergency response for flood and typhoon prevention in Anhui province due to the expected impact of Typhoon No. 8, "Tokage." The National Fire and Rescue Administration also deployed flood control, rescue, and disaster relief efforts, emphasizing search and rescue operations, the transfer of threatened populations, and the rapid response to emergencies. The article does not mention the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: Following severe flooding in Beijing from July 23-29, resulting in 44 deaths and 9 missing, the Beijing municipal government held a press conference on flood control and disaster relief. According to 常务副市长 Xia Linmao, Beijing will deeply learn from the disaster, prioritize the people and their lives, further improve disaster prevention and mitigation measures, "resolutely implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important instructions," and win the battle against flood control, disaster relief, and reconstruction. The strongest rainfall occurred in northern mountainous areas, causing extensive infrastructure damage across 40 townships and 312 villages. Authorities reported rescuing over 5,400 people and transferring 104,000 residents. The authorities are aiming to restore all impacted areas by August 2nd.
Summary: In Xinglong County, Hebei Province, People's Armed Police (PAP) troops were dispatched to deliver supplies and search for missing persons in villages cut off by floods and landslides. Roads to villages such as Xiangshuihu and Zhujiagou were impassable, requiring the PAP to proceed on foot over difficult terrain, including damaged mountain roads and river crossings. Soldiers described carrying injured villagers to safety and creating makeshift pathways. The PAP delivered food and water to villagers in Xiangshuihu, alleviating immediate concerns about shortages due to the disrupted access.
Summary: The State Council has announced personnel changes, appointing Liu Yu and Wang Qianjin as national security technology advisors to the Macau Special Administrative Region National Security Committee. Yin Shuhua was removed from their position as a national security technology advisor to the same committee. The announcement, reported by Xinhua, makes no mention of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: In the first half of 2025, China's disciplinary inspection and supervision system investigated 2,042 disciplinary officials and punished 1,666, according to a Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) announcement. The CCDI received over 16,800 reports concerning disciplinary officials, leading to 4,872 officials being questioned. Among those punished were 49 at the department/bureau level and 319 at the county level, with 101 transferred to judicial organs. Disciplinary organs used the "four forms" of criticism and punishment 6,006 times on their own cadres.
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Summary: The article reports that global public opinion towards China has become more positive, with a recent Pew Research Center report indicating the highest median percentage in six years of favorable views toward China in high-income countries. This positive shift is attributed to China's open policies, such as visa-free transit and tax refunds for tourists, allowing foreigners to experience the country firsthand. Furthermore, China's commitment to an open world economy, exemplified by hosting events like the China International Import Expo, and its role in global governance through initiatives like the International Mediation Institute contribute to its improved image. China's support for developing countries through projects like introducing hybrid rice and establishing vocational training centers, as well as the growing influence of Chinese culture globally, further enhance its international standing. The article emphasizes that this improved image reflects the success of China's modernization path.
Summary: The article compiles three short essays by cadres working in China's western regions, discussing their experiences and reflections on rural development. Wang Wei, a cadre from Shanghai working in Yunnan, focused on developing sales channels for local agricultural products like black-bone chicken, increasing local employment and investment. Shi Qingbo, working in a Sichuan township, emphasized the importance of translating policy language into everyday terms to better serve the people. Adi Lai·Wusiman, a cadre in Xinjiang, highlighted the need to address small, concrete issues ("fine brushwork") while also focusing on larger industrial development strategies (writing "grand articles").
Summary: The 15th National Commendation Conference for Heroes and Role Models in a Just Cause was held in Beijing, honoring 60 individuals and groups for their courageous and righteous acts, including engineers, soldiers, and ordinary citizens. The conference highlighted the importance of supporting and protecting those who act heroically, advocating for legal and institutional safeguards to remove their worries. The event aimed to promote a social ethos of "respecting heroes, learning from heroes, and striving to be heroes" and to encourage more people to act righteously. Since the 20th National Congress of the Party, over 30,000 cases of acts of courage have been confirmed nationwide, involving nearly 40,000 people. There is no mention of the United States.
Summary: Sixteen departments, including the All-China Women's Federation, jointly issued a notice deploying the "Children's Hearts Toward the Party, Hand in Hand to Protect and Accompany Growth" 2025 summer children's care service activities. The initiative aims to optimize childcare services, conduct family education guidance, and strengthen safety hazard inspections. Various regional departments are collaborating to create a synergistic effect of care, helping children spend a happy and fulfilling summer. The poem accompanying the article expresses appreciation for this development. There is no mention of the United States.
Summary: A recent report indicates that young Chinese tourists are increasingly prioritizing in-depth, personalized cultural experiences over traditional sightseeing. This trend involves immersive visits to museums and historical sites, engaging with local culture through experiences like exploring traditional neighborhoods and enjoying local cuisine. This shift reflects a broader consumer demand for quality cultural offerings that resonate with personal values and provide emotional fulfillment. Cities are encouraged to upgrade cultural spaces and integrate cultural elements to attract young travelers and foster a stronger connection between people and place. The article does not mention the United States.
Summary: Fujian province has jointly issued eight measures to improve the quality of entrepreneurship and promote employment. The measures focus on creating a supportive system with policies, services, incubation, and activities that address issues such as financing difficulties and lack of resources. The aim is to foster a positive cycle of entrepreneurship, business growth, and job creation. Policy implementation will be key to the success of these measures, including financial institutions developing suitable loan packages and connecting talent with businesses. Ultimately, the goal is to boost confidence in the market and drive both economic development and stable employment.
Summary: Please provide the article you would like me to summarize. I need the text of the article to provide an accurate and concise summary for professional analysts of Chinese politics.
Summary: At a State Council Information Office press conference, Minister of Veterans Affairs Pei Jinjia reported on achievements in veteran affairs during the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, highlighting the fulfillment of key targets related to veteran placement and service center construction. Efforts were made to provide comprehensive and efficient services, including establishing service centers, creating service lists, developing a service app, and training specialized personnel. Employment was another focus, with measures taken to promote high-quality employment for veterans through collaborations with enterprises and the establishment of entrepreneurship孵化bases. The conference also emphasized honoring heroes and martyrs through memorial activities and the protection of memorial facilities, as well as providing care and support to veterans and their families.
Summary: Professor Fu Wanjuan of the National University of Defense Technology is dedicated to teaching Xi Jinping Thought to military students, aiming to help them contribute to the PLA's centennial goals. Fu emphasizes interactive and engaging teaching methods, incorporating contemporary topics to resonate with students. She leads a team of instructors in refining the core curriculum on Xi Jinping Thought, focusing on thorough preparation and practical application. Fu also mentors junior officers, providing guidance on ideological work and adapting theoretical concepts for soldiers. The article does not mention any U.S. or U.S.-China relatated topics.
Summary: To commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japan and the World Anti-Fascist War, a grand military parade will be held in Tiananmen Square on September 3rd. The article emphasizes the absolute leadership of the CCP over the military, citing Xi Jinping's directives on strengthening the military and ensuring its unwavering loyalty to the Party. It highlights the Shandong aircraft carrier's combat readiness and Xi Jinping's attendance at its commissioning ceremony in 2019, where he urged further contributions to the Party and the people. The piece also underscores the importance of combat readiness and military-civilian unity, emphasizing the military's role in safeguarding national sovereignty and serving the people.
Summary: The 2024 National Volunteer Service "Four 100s" Advanced Models Release Ceremony and On-site Exchange Activity was held in Qingdao, Shandong on July 31st. The event announced the list of advanced models for volunteer services and shared inspiring stories. Volunteer representatives from Qingdao pledged to conduct summer volunteer services in various fields at the grassroots level. The event was hosted by the Central Social Work Department and co-organized by other social work departments and the China Volunteer Magazine. The article does not mention the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The Ministry of Commerce hosted the 2025 National Agricultural Products Production and Marketing Conference (Eastern Region) in Nanchang, Jiangxi, attracting over 2,000 agricultural enterprises from eight provinces and one municipality, including Jiangxi, Shandong and Shanghai. The conference, focused on connecting agricultural production with commerce to support rural revitalization, showcased over 20,000 agricultural products. More than 600 large commercial and trade enterprises from across the country attended to inspect and purchase goods. The Ministry of Commerce has organized a series of national agricultural product production and marketing activities every year since 2018. These initiatives are expected to culminate in four centralized procurement events, divided into eastern, western, southern, and northern regions for 2025.
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: Chengdu is boosting its "first store economy" by attracting domestic and international brands to open their first stores and launch new products in the city, with over 4,000 such stores opening since 2019. The city government is providing support through streamlined approval processes and assistance in overcoming challenges faced by businesses. Chengdu has also implemented action plans to facilitate this, aiming to have 6,500 first stores and over 1,000 related events by 2027. Innovation in technology and new business models are considered key drivers, with local districts like Jinjiang establishing centers to support the entire industry chain from R&D to commercialization. This initiative is part of a broader effort to stimulate consumption and establish Chengdu as a hub for trendsetting culture, advanced technology, and intelligent manufacturing.
Summary: At the Sixth Private Economy Rule of Law Construction Conference in Beijing, All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce (ACFIC) Chairman Gao Yunlong emphasized the need to implement the Private Economy Promotion Law and strengthen market vitality through high-level rule of law. He urged private sector actors to align their thinking with the Party Central Committee's assessments and decisions. Gao also stressed the importance of legally protecting the rights of private enterprises and entrepreneurs, and that ACFIC should serve as a bridge between private business and legal institutions. The speech focused on domestic issues related to the private sector and did not address U.S.-China relations or the United States directly.
Summary: The 9th China Internet Copyright Protection and Development Conference was held in Hefei, Anhui, highlighting twenty years of online copyright protection. The conference released the "Top Ten Cases of National Crackdown on Infringement and Piracy in 2024" and the "Second Batch of Typical Cases of Building a Copyright Strong Country," covering violations related to books, visual works, and music. Attendees emphasized revising copyright regulations, supporting original works, strengthening internet thinking, enhancing copyright publicity, and deepening international cooperation. The event included forums on copyright enforcement, technology, digital music, software legalization, and short dramas. The article does not mention the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) announced a 20-day "Qinglang" campaign starting August 1 to rectify the online environment for the Chengdu Universiade. The campaign will focus on six key areas, including the spread of misinformation related to the Universiade and the local area, regional discrimination, unauthorized internet news services, and impersonation of official Universiade entities. Other target areas include doxxing athletes and inciting cyberbullying, as well as distorting information about emergencies and reviving old news. The CAC aims to prevent panic, protect privacy, and ensure a positive image for the host city during the event.
Summary: To reduce food waste, Beijing has implemented new guidelines encouraging restaurants and supermarkets to donate or discount surplus food. KFC stores in Beijing have created "food stations" for citizens to collect unsold food, while supermarkets like Hema Fresh and Yonghui offer discounts on near-expiration items. Third-party platforms like "Xishi Magic Bag" connect businesses with consumers to sell surplus food at discounted prices. These initiatives aim to create a win-win situation for businesses, consumers, and platforms. An official stated that food security is of paramount importance, and these new policies represent an effective solution to reduce food waste.
Summary: The article commemorates General Chen Jihuan, who died defending Guilin against the Japanese in 1944. Chen, serving as Chief of Staff, helped fortify Guilin before the Japanese assault and fought fiercely until he was mortally wounded, choosing suicide over capture. He left behind a note expressing his determination to die for Guilin rather than be taken prisoner. The memorial site in Guilin, including the Three Generals Memorial Tower and the Eight Hundred Warriors Tomb, now serves as a national patriotic education base.
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Summary: This article commemorates the 80th anniversary of victory in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the 98th anniversary of the PLA's founding by highlighting the spirit of resistance and the PLA's modernization. It recounts stories from veterans of the war against Japan, such as Wu Qingyu, who fought to resist Japanese aggression, and contrasts them with stories from current PLA soldiers, such as Zhang Zhanfang, a pilot in the Southern Theater Command Air Force, who confronted a foreign military aircraft near China's territorial waters. The article emphasizes the importance of political loyalty and combat readiness, echoing Xi Jinping's military thought to build a strong army. The article underscores the PLA's commitment to protecting the people and safeguarding national sovereignty. 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 be able to provide a summary that meets your specific requirements for professional analysts of Chinese politics.
Summary: This article in *People's Daily* discusses the concept of "new quality combat forces" (新质战斗力), a key component of Xi Jinping's military thought, framing it as a response to modern warfare's evolving characteristics, especially the integration of information and intelligent technologies. It highlights Xi's emphasis on the efficient integration of new quality productive forces (新质生产力) with new quality combat forces, viewing them as mutually reinforcing for national strength and military modernization. The article argues that whoever masters new quality combat forces gains a strategic advantage. The piece also mentions the importance of military-civil fusion, and the need to restructure and prepare for "boundless warfare". The United States is alluded to as having previously benefited from having weapons and equipment with generational advantages.
Summary: The article emphasizes Xi Jinping's concept of "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets," which has guided China's ecological civilization construction and achieved significant environmental improvements. It highlights the importance of balancing economic development with environmental protection, meeting the people's growing needs for a beautiful environment, and contributing to global sustainable development. The piece advocates for further advancing ecological progress, pollution prevention, green economic transformation, and institutional reforms to build a beautiful China where humans and nature coexist harmoniously. China has also played an active role in global environmental governance, particularly concerning the Paris Agreement and biodiversity protection.
Summary: The Ministry of Public Security announced the launch of "Safe Wilderness 2025," a nationwide campaign targeting crimes against protected bird species and other wildlife. The campaign will focus on key areas such as markets, restaurants, breeding farms, and online platforms, employing a "full-chain" approach to dismantle criminal networks. Regional police cooperation will be enhanced in critical habitats and migration routes. The effort also involves inter-agency collaboration with natural resources, forestry, and judicial bodies to strengthen law enforcement and address systemic issues. This initiative aims to protect China's ecological environment.
Summary: The Shaanxi Provincial People's Congress Standing Committee passed a decision to strengthen the protection of wild birds, focusing on key aspects such as capture, transportation, sale, consumption, entertainment, and promotion related to wild birds and their products. The decision comprehensively prohibits hunting, trading, and transporting wild birds for consumption. It also specifies prohibited behaviors during birdwatching and photography and mandates the protection and restoration of forests, grasslands, and important wetlands that serve as key habitats and migration routes. Shaanxi will also strengthen monitoring and regulation of wild bird-related information on e-commerce, social media, and live streaming platforms.
Summary: The Qingshan Lake Science and Technology City in Hangzhou is focused on becoming a leading advanced manufacturing center and a national-level economic and technological development zone. It is building a "3+1" advanced manufacturing system, focusing on new equipment, new materials, and health industries, while also developing future industries like intelligent robots. They attracted 36 projects worth over 100 million yuan each this year, with one exceeding 1 billion yuan, and are promoting technological innovation through increased R&D spending and talent acquisition. The city is also working to improve its business environment through policy support and financial services. There is no mention of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
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Summary: China successfully launched the satellite internet low-orbit 06 group of satellites using the Long March 8A carrier rocket from the Hainan commercial aerospace launch site. This launch marks a milestone, demonstrating the launch site's dual-position launch capability and optimized service for commercial users. Yang Tianliang, Chairman of Hainan International Commercial Aerospace Launch Co., Ltd., noted the cost-effectiveness and process innovations involved. The Wenchang International Aerospace City has attracted over 700 aerospace-related enterprises and institutions, fostering a growing commercial aerospace industry. The development of commercial aerospace has also boosted tourism, with viewing sites and related activities becoming increasingly popular.
Summary: China's commercial space industry is rapidly developing, driven by technological and industrial innovation, and supported by both policy guidance and market demand. The industry, encompassing rocket launches, satellite manufacturing, and related fields, is forming a complete industrial chain, exemplified by developments in Hainan. The CCP Politburo emphasized the importance of technological innovation in fostering new productive forces and internationally competitive industries. With a projected market size of 2.5 trillion yuan in 2025, the sector is expected to grow significantly.
Summary: A draft regulation, the "Interim Provisions on the Protection of the Basic Rights and Interests of Older Workers," has been released in China to address the inadequate protections and employment challenges faced by older workers who continue working past retirement age. The regulation aims to define the scope of basic rights, clarify labor standards (including wages and working hours), strengthen occupational safety and health protections, ensure access to worker's compensation, and address the linkage between continued employment and pension/medical insurance. It allows older workers to continue social insurance payments individually or through employers. The provisions aim to provide a basic level of protection for this vulnerable demographic, reflecting a consensus and local experiences in labor rights.
Summary: Zhang Shengping, a Tsinghua University graduate, chose to work in rural Chongqing, becoming a technical expert for local farmers growing Sichuan peppercorns. He learned practical farming techniques from experienced farmers and developed innovative methods to improve yields and standardize the peppercorn industry in Shuangjiang Township. Zhang's efforts led to a significant increase in peppercorn production, benefiting numerous villages. He now plans to experiment with new varieties and promote the integration of agriculture, culture, commerce, and tourism. There is no mention of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: At a press conference on July 31st, the National Energy Administration (NEA) reported on China's energy development in the first half of the year, noting sufficient supply, optimized structure, and accelerated construction of a new energy system. According to NEA officials Xing Yiteng and Liu Mingyang, renewable energy generation neared 40% of total generation, and new installed capacity exceeded 200 GW. Zhang Xing discussed progress in establishing a unified national electricity market. Green certificate transactions doubled, driven by factors including the international RE100 initiative recognizing Chinese green certificates. While overall electricity supply is secure, some regions face peak-hour constraints manageable through targeted measures.
Summary: Tieling County, Liaoning Province, is actively promoting the development of green energy industries such as wind power, photovoltaics, and hydrogen production. The region is focusing on key projects to extend the upstream and downstream chains of the new energy industry. This initiative aims to drive high-quality regional economic development. The provided image showcases wind turbine blades from Tieling Mingyang New Energy Co., Ltd.
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Summary: China is expanding its "silver tourism" train services, aiming to establish a comprehensive national network by 2027 catering to senior citizens. These trains offer multi-stop, slower-paced, and in-depth tours at reasonable prices, adapting to the needs of elderly travelers by modifying train facilities and services, such as adding more charging ports and emergency call buttons, and providing onboard medical care. Local governments are coordinating with railway companies and scenic spots to provide incentives, such as free admission for seniors and subsidies for travel agencies. The goal is to promote regional tourism and consumption, leveraging the spending power of the elderly population.
Summary: China is experiencing a surge in "silver tourism" with specialized train services catering to the elderly, aiming to tap into their significant consumption potential. Government policy is encouraging the development of industries like silver tourism to unlock the potential of the silver economy. The success of these tourism trains hinges on meticulous attention to detail, including accessibility, dietary needs, and medical services tailored to the elderly. Optimizing routes, providing excellent service, and careful planning are key to ensuring a comfortable and enjoyable travel experience for this demographic. This trend is expected to boost overall consumption.
Summary: Please provide the article you would like me to summarize. I need the text of the article to provide an accurate and concise summary for professional analysts of Chinese politics.
Summary: Several regions are addressing summer childcare gaps by offering various托管 (tūo guǎn,托管服务, or summer care) programs. Qingdao schools are providing on-campus care with activities, while Chongqing is using community centers for free,公益 (gōng yì, public service)托管.衡阳 (héng yáng) libraries are managing unsupervised children by implementing stricter rules and designated areas. These initiatives aim to ease the burden on working parents and enrich children's summer experiences. The article did not mention the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: Yan Tao, a 2025 graduate of Shenzhen Polytechnic University (SZPT), is now driving trains for Shenzhen Metro after completing an internship, and tutoring students preparing for skills competitions. SZPT emphasizes practical training, integrating career guidance throughout the educational process and offering extensive employment skills training, including resume optimization and mock interviews. The university's "Hongzhi Navigation" program provides job-seeking support and has trained over 4,200 students from various universities. SZPT plans to expand training modules in emerging fields like AI and intelligent manufacturing.
Summary: Wuhan is revitalizing its revolutionary history and industrial heritage to attract younger generations through immersive experiences and innovative approaches. The city is leveraging historical sites like the Mao Zedong Former Residence and the Wuhan Central China Bureau Site to create engaging political education programs. These efforts include interactive exhibits, AI-guided tours, and cultural events at locations like the Hanyang Iron Works-turned-creative park. Wuhan is also utilizing digital platforms to broaden access to historical narratives through online museum tours and interactive content. The city plans to further develop its "red tourism" by creating cultural IP, digitizing artifacts, and expanding educational outreach.
Summary: This article describes the leisure and fitness activities of citizens in Suzhou Park, Suqian City, Jiangsu Province. It highlights local efforts to create a high-quality living environment and a comfortable, convenient, and livable city. The article emphasizes improvements to the local environment. No mention is made of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The Global Times hosted the 5th City Investment Promotion Conference in Beijing on July 31st, focusing on promoting urban industrial innovation and local economic growth. Nearly 500 participants, including representatives from state ministries, local governments, think tanks, and businesses, attended. Discussions centered on implementing the national strategy for high-quality economic development and innovative approaches to investment in the context of Chinese modernization, following the recent Central Urban Work Conference. Several cities and parks, including Ordos City in Inner Mongolia and the Shenyang Area of the China (Liaoning) Free Trade Zone, showcased their investment promotion practices. The conference aims to provide a platform for exchange between government, parks, and businesses to support local economic development and industrial upgrading.
Summary: With the approval of the CCP Central Committee, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission investigated Liu Weidong, former member of the Party Leadership Group and Deputy General Manager of China South Industries Group Corporation, for severe violations of discipline and law. The investigation found Liu guilty of betraying his ideals and mission, resisting organizational review, violating regulations by accepting banquets, travel, and golf outings, and seeking benefits for others in promotions and recruitment in exchange for money. Liu is also accused of abusing his power for personal gain, accepting bribes, and violating Party discipline. Consequently, Liu was expelled from the Party and removed from public office, with his illicit gains confiscated, and his case transferred to the procuratorate for prosecution.
Summary: The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) and National Supervisory Commission (NSC) investigated Yuan Guangyu, former Deputy General Manager of China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC), for severe violations of discipline and law. Yuan is accused of lacking ideals and betraying his mission, resisting investigation, ignoring regulations against accepting favors, seeking benefits for others in promotions, engaging in "money-for-sex" transactions, and illegally profiting from his former position after retirement. He is accused of leveraging his position for personal gain through bribery and power-money deals. Yuan has been expelled from the Party, had his benefits revoked, and will be prosecuted for suspected crimes.
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Summary: Chen Yuxi won her fourth World Aquatics Championships gold medal in the women's 10m platform, with teammate Xie Peiling winning bronze. Chen expressed excitement and noted that this victory, achieved amidst physical challenges, held a different significance compared to her previous wins. She also emphasized her growth and adjustments over the past year, balancing her athletic pursuits with her studies as a university student. Chen acknowledged her responsibility as a veteran team member and her focus on steady progress. There was no mention of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: This article explains the coding system used to classify diving maneuvers, breaking down the numerical and alphabetical components. The first digit indicates the direction of the jump, the second indicates whether there is a flyby movement, the third digit indicates the number of somersaults, and the fourth indicates the number of twists. The letter indicates the position of the diver's body in the air. It does not discuss Chinese political figures or US-China relations.
Summary: The sixth "Labaizi Kou Cup" Anda Hercules (大力士) Invitational Tournament was held in Diebu County, Gansu Province, featuring traditional Tibetan strength competitions like lifting leather sacks filled with sand, Tibetan wrestling, and tug-of-war. Over 242 participants from Sichuan, Tibet, Shaanxi, and Gansu competed, drawing over 150,000 spectators, primarily from outside Diebu County. Local official Ren Wenzhong noted the tournament's significant draw for tourists. The county has also established a Hercules Association and integrated these events into school sports programs. The article does not mention any discussions regarding the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: Yunnan Province is implementing ten new measures on August 12th to strengthen trust and integrity within its tourism market. These measures establish a credit-based regulatory system, incentivizing honest businesses and punishing those engaging in misconduct like "unreasonable low-price tours," price gouging, or forced shopping. The measures include blacklisting offending businesses, restricting responsible parties from working in the tourism sector, and pursuing criminal charges where applicable. The goal is to improve the tourism environment and protect Yunnan's reputation as a desirable destination. There is no mention of the United States or U.S.-China relations in the article.
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Summary: The Kyrgyz epic *Manas*, a significant part of Kyrgyz culture primarily found in the Kizilsu Kyrgyz Autonomous Prefecture (克州) of Xinjiang, was performed on the 2024 Spring Festival Gala. *Manas*, longer than the Homeric epics, tells the story of the hero Manas and his descendants defending their homeland. The *Manas* epic serves as a cultural link between China and Kyrgyzstan, where it is also widely known. The epic has transitioned from oral tradition to written form, and is performed in various formats, including on stage. Cultural exchanges and performances have taken place between China and Kyrgyzstan, solidifying the epic as a symbol of friendship.
Summary: The article highlights the preservation and promotion of the Manas epic in Kizilsu Kyrgyz Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang, focusing on the work of Manas performer Jusup Mamayi. The prefecture employs a multi-faceted approach ("transmission + performance + promotion") including training programs, competitions, and integration into schools and community life. A new regulation was enacted in May 2024 in Xinjiang to provide a legal basis for the protection of Manas as an intangible cultural heritage. The article emphasizes cultural exchanges between China and Kyrgyzstan regarding the Manas epic, highlighting it as a basis for friendly relations and providing a model for civilizational dialogue.
Summary: Please provide the article you would like me to summarize. I need the text of the article to be able to produce a summary suitable for professional analysts of Chinese politics.
Summary: The "Ode to Peace" art exhibition, co-hosted by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and the National Art Museum of China, opened on July 19th, commemorating the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War through various art forms, including prints. The exhibition highlights the role of woodcut prints as a powerful tool for propaganda during wartime and their subsequent transformation into a bridge for peace and dialogue. It features works from Chinese artists, as well as international artists such as Käthe Kollwitz of Germany and artists from the Mexican "Popular Graphic Arts Workshop", reflecting a global resonance against fascism. Contemporary printmaking is also showcased, with a focus on cross-cultural exchange, citing exhibits with artists from Italy and Germany.
Summary: The article commemorates the siege of Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) during World War II, highlighting the city's resilience and the immense suffering endured by its residents. It describes various memorials and historical sites, such as the "Green Belt of Glory," the Piskaryovskoye Memorial Cemetery, and remnants of wartime infrastructure like the "siege loudspeakers," which serve as reminders of the city's heroic defense against Nazi forces. The piece underscores the importance of remembering the sacrifices made during the siege to prevent future tragedies. The "Road of Life" over Lake Ladoga, which provided a lifeline to the besieged city, is also mentioned. The article emphasizes the enduring spirit of Leningrad and the lessons learned from its historical struggles.
Summary: The article describes the author's experience visiting Rome, focusing on the ancient Roman ruins, including the Colosseum, the Arch of Constantine, and various palace ruins. The author highlights the impressive scale and artistry of these structures, particularly noting the detailed carvings on the stone pillars and the statue of Caesar. The preserved state of these historical sites allows visitors to connect with the past and appreciate the enduring legacy of Roman civilization. The article does not discuss the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The Chinese classic folktale *Legend of the White Snake* was featured at the 21st China (Shenzhen) International Cultural Industries Fair, showcasing original illustrations and related cultural artifacts. The article highlights the story's international influence, noting translations dating back to the 19th century and stage adaptations in countries like Australia, the UK, and the U.S.. A four-act opera adaptation in English premiered in Boston and won the Pulitzer Prize. The story continues to evolve through various modern forms, including AI generated content, reflecting a fusion of Chinese culture with global art forms. The article concludes that The Legend of the White Snake belongs to China, and to the world.
Summary: This article provides contact information for the People's Daily, specifically an email address for international feedback (rmrbgjfk@peopledaily.cn). It also credits Cai Huawei for the page layout design. The article does not contain any reporting on Chinese politics, official statements, or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: A recent report indicates that China's dairy industry is experiencing increased competitiveness and high quality standards, with a 99.96%合格 rate for fresh raw milk in 2024. Industry experts suggest that developing new dairy consumption scenarios, such as incorporating cheese into local cuisine and expanding the B-end market for domestic substitutes like high-end cream, can address industry challenges. The government aims to increase per capita dairy consumption to 47 kg by 2030, promoting cheese and other dry dairy products. To meet diverse consumer demands, the industry is exploring specialized products like sugar-free yogurt and low-purine milk powder and promoting regional specialties like buffalo milk, with industry experts emphasizing the importance of consumer trust through quality assurance. The report also discusses integrating the dairy supply chain, including ways of increasing the profitability of dairy farmers.
Summary: The article discusses the need to align agricultural production with market demand to promote rural revitalization and improve consumer access to diverse, high-quality agricultural products. It highlights examples of successful agricultural ventures that leveraged technology, niche markets (like goat milk), and e-commerce platforms to boost sales and connect with consumers. The piece emphasizes the importance of addressing existing challenges in the agricultural supply chain, such as incomplete industry chains, insufficient branding, and poor information sharing between producers and consumers. A recently released plan by 10 departments, including the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, outlines 23 measures across 9 aspects to boost consumption of agricultural products. Ultimately, the article advocates for a comprehensive approach to improve the production, processing, distribution, and consumption of agricultural products to meet evolving consumer needs.
Summary: An article reports that Helan County in Ningxia has successfully developed aquaculture in its saline-alkali land, becoming a "treasure bowl" and changing perceptions of Northwest China as a "barren area" for aquaculture. Helan County Party Secretary Ding Wei stated that the county has achieved economic, social, and ecological benefits through technological innovation in its aquaculture industry. The county is planning to introduce enterprises to build a 11,000-mu zero-carbon modern fishery science and technology industrial park, investing 2 billion yuan. Helan County Deputy Secretary and Li Gang Town Party Secretary Ma Xiaoping said that Li Gang Town has explored rotating farming of river crabs and prawns, forming a recycling chain of "fish and crabs loosening the soil - straw returning to the field - microbial decomposition", reducing pesticide use by 60% in 3 years, and simultaneously reducing soil salinity by 3.55 grams per kilogram; achieving three-level gradient utilization of "Yellow River water - paddy field water - aquaculture water", saving 1.2 million cubic meters of water annually.
Summary: Please provide the article so I can summarize it for you. I will focus on the key aspects you outlined: the official's statements/actions, accompanying individuals, and any implications for or mentions of the United States or U.S.-China relations. I will keep the summary concise, within the five-sentence limit.
Summary: An elderly care facility in Suzhou is piloting a program where young adults live amongst the elderly, paying a reduced rent in exchange for volunteer services such as companionship, teaching, and emotional support. Young volunteers like Zhang Jin and Chen Wenhui stated that in addition to the financial savings, they have benefitted from the relationships with the elderly, finding the experience rewarding. Elderly residents expressed appreciation for the youthful energy and assistance with modern technology. The facility provides guidelines and training for the volunteers, adjusting service requirements to accommodate their work schedules.
Summary: The article discusses the growing trend of community-led, public-benefit summer childcare programs in China aimed at alleviating the burden on working parents during school holidays. These programs, encouraged by the Ministry of Education, are evolving to offer more than just basic supervision, incorporating educational and recreational activities. Local communities are innovating by integrating resources and volunteers to provide diverse services, though concerns remain regarding the quality and safety of these programs. The article emphasizes the need for continuous innovation in both the mechanisms and services provided, advocating for a combination of professional expertise and community volunteerism. While these programs are beneficial, the article also reminds parents that these programs are not meant to replace parental guidance and family time.
Summary: Zhu Jing, director of the disease control department at the Fourth Medical Center of the People's Liberation Army General Hospital, warned of Legionnaires' disease (军团菌肺炎), a lung infection caused by Legionella bacteria. Zhu noted that Legionella bacteria thrive in warm, moist environments like air conditioners, water heaters and humidifiers. To prevent infection, Zhu recommends thorough cleaning and disinfection of air conditioners, maintaining water heater temperatures above 60 degrees Celsius, and using clean water in humidifiers. The article does not discuss or allude to the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: Nanchang University First Affiliated Hospital has implemented parking reforms, prioritizing patient access by reallocating all employee parking spaces to patients starting May 1st. To address employee concerns, the hospital leased 1,700 spaces in nearby commercial parking lots, subsidizing 70% of the cost for employees. The hospital is also implementing digital technologies to improve parking management and provide a better experience for patients. Vice President Jin Guoqiang explained the reforms were necessary due to the limited number of parking spaces relative to the hospital's large staff and daily patient volume.
Summary: Please provide the article. I need the text of the article to summarize it for professional analysts of Chinese politics. I will then follow your specific instructions regarding length, focus, and inclusion of US-China relations.
Summary: The author, a military writer, focuses on non-fiction historical writing, particularly China's revolutionary wars, to explore the power of belief and spirit formed under extreme conditions and its significance for contemporary Chinese. He emphasizes the role of ordinary soldiers and the support of the people, citing the immense civilian support during the Huaihai Campaign as an example of unparalleled logistical strength. The author views revolutionary heroism as a key theme and believes a nation without heroes has no future. He highlights the War of Resistance against Japan as a turning point in China's history, marking the nation's first complete victory against foreign aggression and showcasing national unity. The author writes to inspire contemporary Chinese youth to inherit the nation's spiritual heritage.
Summary: A Beijing resident has been documenting the reading habits of subway commuters for seven years, noting the books they carry and the trends in their reading choices. The observer has noted a shift in reading material from classics to books promoted by short-video platforms, and acknowledges that the platforms can influence readers. While some of these books are good, others are not, and this is a challenge for the publishing industry. Despite changing formats and digital alternatives, reading remains a significant way to build one's individual world.
Summary: Wang Liuyun, a 59-year-old migrant worker who gained internet fame as the "cleaner painter," recently published her first novel, "Moonlight Blown by the Wind," focusing on the stories of left-behind children. Drawing from her experience as an art teacher in a rural school in 2019, where she observed the lives of children whose parents worked away from home, Wang wrote the novel in her spare time while working in Beijing, completing the initial draft in WeChat conversations with her daughter. The novel explores themes of love, connection, and resilience in the context of rural China's social challenges. Her inspiration to write was sparked by her father, who told her stories of people from their area who had succeeded through education, and her early readings of a damaged copy of *Dream of the Red Chamber*.
Summary: The article discusses the development and impact of quinine and artemisinin as antimalarial drugs, highlighting their different origins and paths to success. Quinine, derived from South American cinchona bark, was initially used empirically before its active ingredient was isolated and synthesized. Artemisinin, based on a traditional Chinese medicine remedy, faced numerous challenges before its effective extraction method was discovered during China's "523 Mission" to aid Vietnam. The success of both drugs demonstrates the intertwined relationship between science, medicine, politics, and economics. The author concludes by pondering where the next artemisinin might be found, urging continued research combining traditional medicine and modern science.
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Summary: This article, an excerpt from the introduction to "Information Science for Children," discusses the nature and importance of information technology. It highlights Claude Shannon's definition of information as a measure of uncertainty reduction. The article emphasizes the rapid development of information technology, from early telegraphs to modern AI, and its impact on economic growth. It also touches upon the historical figures who contributed to the field. It aims to inspire young people to understand information science and contribute to its future development.
Summary: This short piece provides publication information for the *People's Daily* book review section, including the email address and the name of the layout designer. It does not contain information about Chinese politics, official statements, or U.S.-China relations.
Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, July 31st. Chairman of the Central Military Commission (中央军委) Xi Jinping (习近平) recently signed an order to promulgate the flag designs for the military space force, the cyberspace force, the information support force, and the joint logistics support force, and extended festive greetings to all officers and soldiers of the People's Liberation Army, officers and soldiers of the People's Armed Police Force, civilian personnel of the military, reserve personnel, and militiamen on the occasion of the August 1st Army Day.
The flag designs for the services released this time are based on the August 1st Army Flag, fully demonstrating the Party's absolute leadership over the military, reflecting the People's Army's consistent high degree of centralization and unity, and marching forward in unison. The flag designs continue the basic pattern of setting up and down the service flags and the golden section, selecting patterns and colors with the characteristics of the corresponding service fields, focusing on strengthening the strategic service attribute positioning, and stimulating the sense of honor and mission of the troops. The release of the service flags marks the establishment of a new era of the People's Army flag system composed of the August 1st Army Flag and the army, navy, air force, rocket force flags, the military space force, the cyberspace force, the information support force, and the joint logistics support force flags. It will surely inspire and encourage the vast number of officers and soldiers to strive unremittingly to achieve the centennial goal of army building as scheduled and accelerate the building of the People's Army into a world-class army, and add new glory to the military flag. The service flags will be put into use on August 1, 2025.
To adapt to the development needs of the military flag system, the Central Military Commission (中央军委) also issued a decision on amending the "Military Flag Management Regulations (Trial Implementation)," making corrections to the composition of military flag types, the occasions for use, etc., to provide legal guarantees for standardizing military flag management and maintaining the dignity of military flags.
Return to TopXinhua News Agency, Beijing, July 31st. The 15th issue of "Qiushi" magazine, to be published on August 1st, will feature the speech given by Xi Jinping (习近平), General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, President of the People's Republic of China, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, on July 17, 2023, entitled "Speech at the National Conference on Ecological and Environmental Protection."
The article emphasizes that 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. Historic, transformative, and comprehensive changes have taken place in ecological civilization construction from theory to practice, achieving a major transformation from focusing on key rectification to systematic governance, from passively responding to proactively taking action, from being a participant in global environmental governance to a leader, and from practical exploration to scientific theoretical guidance. The achievements of ecological civilization construction in the new era are world-renowned and have become a significant symbol of the historic achievements and historic changes in the cause of the Party and the country in the new era.
The article points out that China's economic and social development has entered a stage of high-quality development with accelerated greening and low-carbonization, and ecological civilization construction is still in a critical period of overlapping pressures and heavy burdens. Continuing to promote ecological civilization construction on the new journey requires handling several major relationships well. The first is the relationship between high-quality development and high-level protection. We must plan development from the height of harmonious coexistence between man and nature, and through high-level protection, continuously shape new drivers and new advantages for development, and continuously enhance the potential and stamina of development. The second is the relationship between focusing on key battles and coordinated governance. We must adhere to the concept of systems, grasp the main contradictions and the main aspects of contradictions, take strong measures to address prominent ecological and environmental problems, and at the same time strengthen target coordination, multi-pollutant control coordination, departmental coordination, regional coordination, and policy coordination, and continuously enhance the systematicness, integrity, and synergy of various tasks. The third is the relationship between natural restoration and artificial restoration. We must organically unify natural restoration and artificial restoration, adapt measures to local conditions and times, implement policies according to different regions and categories, and strive to find the best solutions for ecological protection and restoration. The fourth is the relationship between external constraints and internal driving forces. We must stimulate the internal driving force of the whole society to jointly protect the ecological environment, always adhere to protecting the ecological environment with the strictest system and the strictest rule of law, and maintain normalized external pressure. The fifth is the relationship between "dual carbon" commitments and independent actions. Our promised "dual carbon" goals are firm and unswerving, but the paths and methods, rhythms and intensities to achieve these goals should and must be determined by ourselves, and should never be influenced by others.
The article points out that we must comprehensively promote the modernization of harmonious coexistence between man and nature with the construction of a beautiful China. First, we must continue to deeply fight the tough battle against pollution prevention and control. We must adhere to precise pollution control, scientific pollution control, and law-based pollution control, maintain intensity, extend depth, expand breadth, deeply promote environmental pollution prevention and control, and continuously improve the quality of the ecological environment. Second, we must accelerate the green and low-carbon transformation of the development mode. We must adhere to taking green and low-carbon development as the fundamental solution to ecological and environmental problems, accelerate the formation of green production methods and lifestyles, and cultivate the green background of high-quality development. Third, we must focus on enhancing the diversity, stability, and sustainability of ecosystems. Standing at the height of safeguarding national ecological security, the sustainable development of the Chinese nation, and being responsible for human civilization, we must strengthen ecological protection and restoration, and leave a beautiful ecological space for future generations. Fourth, we must actively and steadily promote carbon peaking 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, and implement the "1+N" policy system for carbon peaking and carbon neutrality. Fifth, we must firmly hold the safety bottom line for the construction of a beautiful China. We must implement the overall national security concept, actively and effectively respond to various risks and challenges, and ensure that the natural environment and conditions on which we depend for survival and development are not threatened or damaged. Sixth, we must improve the guarantee system for the construction of a beautiful China. We must coordinate resources in various fields, gather strength from all parties, and play a good "combination punch" of the rule of law, the market, science and technology, and policies, to provide basic support and strong guarantees for the construction of a beautiful China.
The article emphasizes that building a beautiful China is an important goal of building a socialist modern country in an all-round way, and we must adhere to and strengthen the Party's overall leadership. All regions and departments must continuously enhance their sense of responsibility and mission, and implement the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee without compromise. We must continue to give play to the sharp sword role of the central ecological and environmental protection inspection.
Return to TopBy: 仲 音
To ensure that the spirit of the Central Eight-Point Regulation study and education achieves the desired results, we must be strict and realistic, and pursue it 一抓到底 (yī zhuā dào dǐ - "grasp to the end," to carry something through to the end).
Over the past four months, various regions and departments have combined their own realities to thoroughly implement the spirit of the Central Eight-Point Regulation, carrying out study and discussion, "online classrooms," opening up education to accept the masses' "code-scanning questions" and "code-scanning evaluations," solving the urgent difficulties and anxieties of the masses, deeply exploring the blockages in grassroots work styles, and strictly investigating hidden and disguised "Four Winds" problems. This has achieved significant results, powerfully promoted the resolution of prominent work style problems, formed a strong deterrent effect with real action, and won the recognition of the masses with genuine investigation and practical rectification.
Study and education should focus on being "excellent" rather than "passing the test," and must be "grasped to the end," not just be a 一阵风 (yī zhèn fēng - "a gust of wind," a brief and ineffective effort). From a cognitive point of view, a few party members and cadres still have a fluke mentality, thinking that if they wait and endure, the storm will pass. It is necessary to enhance the ideological consciousness and action consciousness of implementing the spirit of the Central Eight-Point Regulation, prevent relaxation and foot-dragging, eliminate the idea of just getting by, and prevent prominent problems such as violations of regulations on eating and drinking from recurring and making a comeback. From an action point of view, rectifying and addressing work style problems is not something that can be done overnight. The more it goes on, the more we must maintain the intensity, grasp the follow-up work tightly and meticulously, and prevent a situation where things are tight at the beginning and loose at the end, or a 虎头蛇尾 (hǔ tóu shé wěi - "tiger's head, snake's tail," a strong start but a weak finish). We must adhere to seeking truth from facts. For those that have been rectified, we must consolidate the results and prevent rebounds; for those that have not been implemented or have not met the expected requirements, we must be aware of them and accelerate their progress to ensure the smooth completion of various tasks.
Study and education is not the end point of work style construction, but a new starting point. We must see that work style problems have tenacity, recurrence, and complexity, and work style construction cannot be tight for a while and then loose for a while. From continuously deepening the rectification of formalism to reduce the burden on the grassroots, strictly investigating and punishing violations of discipline against the wind, to continuously publishing data on the investigation and handling of problems that violate the spirit of the Central Eight-Point Regulation and reporting typical cases, persistently and relentlessly curbing unhealthy tendencies demonstrates our Party's firm determination to carry out work style construction to the end, and releases a strong signal of continuous and long-term efforts. Always adhering to the strict tone and doing a good job in the effective connection between study and education and promoting work style construction can consolidate the hard-won good momentum and good situation, and transform customs in constant and unremitting efforts.
Work style construction has no "bystanders," and all party members are "responsible persons." To win the "protracted war" of work style construction, we must firmly grasp the "bull nose" of the responsibility system, promote the responsibility subject in place, the responsibility requirements in place, and the assessment and accountability in place, to ensure that the main responsibility, the supervisory responsibility, the responsibility of the first person in charge, and the "one post, two responsibilities" form a complete chain, and better create a strict atmosphere and establish a correct atmosphere. The system manages the fundamentals and manages the long term. We must adhere to the combination of "immediate rectification" and "long-term establishment," elevate the good practices and good experiences in study and education to institutional regulations, improve the normalized and long-term institutional mechanism for work style construction, and forge a good work style with iron rules.
The road is solid and far, and diligent practice can reach it; the matter is huge, and firm action will surely succeed. General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) pointed out, "We cannot retreat on the issue of improving work style, and we must not retreat." Work style construction must be consistent and unremitting, grasping the ordinary, grasping the details, and grasping the long term, and constantly improving the consciousness and determination of party members and cadres to adhere to a good work style and resist a bad work style, engraving compliance with rules and discipline in their hearts and internalizing them into daily and unconscious words and deeds, winning the initiative for development with an excellent work style, and embarking on the new era's Long March with high morale.
Return to TopXinhua News Agency, Beijing, July 31st - Chairman of the Central Military Commission (中央军委) Xi Jinping (习近平) recently signed a commendation order, awarding merits to 2 units and 5 individuals.
The Second Research Office of the PLA Unit 63920 (中国人民解放军63920部队二室) was awarded a first-class merit, and Ding Yang (丁阳) of the PLA Unit 92853 (中国人民解放军92853部队) was awarded a first-class merit for National Defense Science and Technology.
The PLA Unit 96712 (中国人民解放军96712部队) was awarded a second-class merit.
Wang Haidou (王海斗) of the former Army Armored Forces Academy (原陆军装甲兵学院), Gao Yuqi (高钰琪) of the Army Medical University (陆军军医大学), Yang Zichun (杨自春) of the Naval University of Engineering (海军工程大学), and Chen Wei (陈薇) of the Academy of Military Medical Sciences (军事科学院军事医学研究院) were each awarded a third-class merit for National Defense Science and Technology.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 金正波 李龙伊
Beijing (北京), Tiananmen Square (天安门广场), the Monument to the People's Heroes (人民英雄纪念碑) points straight to the sky. On September 3rd, a grand military parade will be held here, where the three services will be reviewed by the Party and the people.
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. This review, traversing the smoke of historical battles, is also a review facing the future.
Special temporal and spatial nodes always evoke deep national memories. At the critical moment of national peril, anti-Japanese armed forces led by the Communist Party of China (中国共产党) rushed to the battlefield, building a steel Great Wall to protect the country with their flesh and blood.
Lengthen the time lens again. Since the first shot fired in Nanchang (南昌) on August 1, 1927, the People's Army has gone through ninety-eight years of magnificent journey. The spirit tempered in the flames of war has never dimmed, and the horn of guarding the country has never stopped.
History shows that a strong country must have a strong military, and only a strong military can ensure national security. President Xi Jinping (习近平) pointed out: "Realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is the greatest dream of the Chinese nation since modern times. It can be said that this dream is a dream of a strong country, and for the military, it is also a dream of a strong military."
The journey is long, and the original aspiration remains firm. Under the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee, the Central Military Commission (中央军委), and President Xi Jinping, the People's Army has worked hard to overcome difficulties and has continuously launched new assaults on the journey of strengthening the army.
The Party's absolute leadership over the army is the soul and lifeline of our army, which can never be changed or lost.
The sky is high and the clouds are wide, and the blue waves are vast. Deep in the ocean, the Shandong Ship (山东舰) is like a sharp sword unsheathed, cutting through the boundless deep blue sea.
"Foreign aircraft approaching!" Suddenly, a burst of urgent alarms sounded, and the launch team quickly took their positions. In just a few minutes, a series of gestures guided the carrier-based aircraft to accurately complete taxiing, stopping, afterburner and other actions. Warhawks roared into the air, piercing the sky.
This is a scene from the Shandong Ship aircraft carrier formation's far-sea combat-oriented training. When the warhawk lands on the ship, the arresting cable forms a "V" shape. It is like a medal of victory, imprinted in the minds of the officers and soldiers of the Shandong Ship.
Along with the tide of the Navy's transformation and construction, the Shandong Ship carries the Chinese nation's generations of aspirations to become strong at sea, riding the waves and forging ahead.
On December 17, 2019, President Xi Jinping attended the commissioning ceremony of the Navy's Shandong Ship, and awarded the "August 1st" military flag and the naming certificate to the captain and political commissar of the Shandong Ship respectively. President Xi Jinping met with representatives of officers and soldiers of the aircraft carrier force and representatives of the aircraft carrier construction unit at the pier, encouraging them to make persistent efforts and make new contributions to the Party and the people.
Pursuing the dream of the aircraft carrier cause, the officers and soldiers of the Shandong Ship are wholeheartedly loyal and wholeheartedly devoted to the Party, persevering in using Xi Jinping's thought on strengthening the army to cast their souls and educate people, and continuously promoting political rectification to go deeper and more solid, and striving to strengthen their skills and capabilities towards the deep blue.
"President Xi Jinping mentioned our Shandong Ship many times in his New Year's message!" said Zhou Xiaoyong (周小勇), a first-class sergeant major, proudly. "We must transform this supreme glory into an inexhaustible driving force for building the aircraft carrier cause, and strive to forge a maritime elite force that obeys the Party's command and is politically qualified."
Belief determines the foundation, and the flag gathers strength. The fundamental principle and system of the Party's absolute leadership over the army originated from the Nanchang Uprising (南昌起义), was laid in the Sanwan Reorganization (三湾改编), and finalized in the Gutian Conference (古田会议). It is the political characteristic and fundamental advantage that distinguishes the People's Army from all old armies.
On the long and arduous revolutionary road of wind and rain, thousands of revolutionary soldiers have unswervingly listened to the Party and followed the Party, forging a steel army that cannot be dragged down, beaten down, overcome, or defeated.
"The Party's absolute leadership over the army is the soul and lifeline of our army, which can never be changed or lost." The two "never" that President Xi Jinping has repeatedly emphasized closely link the past, present and future of the People's Army.
Stepping into the new era, the fundamental principle and system of the Party's absolute leadership over the army is being continued in adherence and improved in inheritance. The vast number of officers and soldiers are unremittingly using Xi Jinping's Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era to strengthen their minds and souls, and continuously consolidate the ideological foundation for listening to the Party and following the Party.
"Please take over the post!" Deep in the mountains and dense forests, long swords are arrayed. A missile battalion of a Rocket Force (火箭军) brigade held a grand commissioning ceremony for several officers and soldiers who had just been appointed as commanders of launch units. Under the gaze of all the officers and soldiers of the battalion, these officers and soldiers took over the command whistle symbolizing the identity of the launch unit commander and solemnly hung it on their chests.
"Under the launch pad, temper the original intention. The equipment we operate is a major weapon of the country. We must keep our mission in mind, always listen to the Party's command, and hold up the long sword to fly into the sky." Talking about responsibility, a missile operator said firmly.
On October 17, 2024, when President Xi Jinping inspected the brigade, he emphasized that it is necessary to adhere to the Party's absolute leadership over the army, deepen the arming of the Party's innovative theories, do ideological and political work under the launch pad, and ensure that the troops resolutely obey the command of the Party Central Committee and the Central Military Commission at any time and under any circumstances.
The leaders of the brigade introduced that the brigade's Party committee team studied and refined the implementation measures in light of the spirit of President Xi Jinping's important speech, continuously enhanced the inheritance of the red gene and the brightening of the loyal background, further strengthened the belief in loyalty to the core and striving to strengthen the army, and led the officers and soldiers to create a new situation in the construction and development of the troops with practical actions.
In the long-term practice, the People's Army has advanced under the banner of the Party, forming a complete set of principles for building and administering the army, developing the strategy and tactics of people's war, and cultivating unique glorious traditions and fine work styles. This is the family heirloom of the People's Army from victory to victory, and it is the red bloodline that the People's Army must never forget.
The People's Army adheres to the Party's absolute leadership over the army, implements the new era's strategy of building the army politically, firmly grasps the era requirements of building the army politically, focuses on winning the tough battle to achieve the centenary goal of army building, carries forward the spirit of thorough self-revolution, continuously deepens political rectification, forges strong Party organizations with political firmness and outstanding ability, and forges a high-quality cadre team that is loyal, clean, responsible, and capable of shouldering the heavy responsibility of strengthening the army, providing a strong political guarantee for the cause of strengthening the army.
With a soul in the heart and roots under the feet, the People's Army, fighting to strengthen the army under the banner of the Party, has a more firm ideological guidance, a more high-spirited spiritual outlook, and a more powerful fighting spirit.
All work must adhere to the standard of combat effectiveness and focus on being able to fight and win battles.
In the hot summer, smoke filled the air and chariots roared on a certain training ground in the northern desert grassland. A tactical training exercise of a combined battalion was fiercely launched. The "Liu Lao Zhuang Company" (刘老庄连) of a certain brigade of the 82nd Group Army (第82集团军), which was tasked with the main attack, used new tactics to quickly break through the "enemy's" forward defense line and launched an attack in depth.
During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, 82 officers and soldiers of the company fought to the death with the enemy and eventually all died heroically, composing a magnificent epic that shocked the world and moved the gods.
Dare to fight, dare to win, not afraid of hardship, not afraid of death. The fighting spirit of the predecessors has been passed down to this day.
In recent years, facing new equipment, new topics, and new challenges, the "Liu Lao Zhuang Company" has achieved a series of innovations in combat methods and training methods, making the blade of victory sharper and sharper. "In various tasks, the company always takes the lead and takes the lead. We interpret the company's soul of 'life without end, fighting without end' with actions!" said Zhu Mingchao (朱明朝), the company commander of the "Liu Lao Zhuang Company."
The People's Army is always a fighting team, and the vitality of the People's Army lies in its combat effectiveness. Since its birth, our army has experienced the baptism of blood and fire, and has fought to the death with strong enemies and stubborn bandits, creating war miracles from victory to victory.
"The army is to prepare for war, and all work must adhere to the standard of combat effectiveness and focus on being able to fight and win battles." Entering the new era, President Xi Jinping has been highly concerned about military training and has made important instructions many times.
The commander leads the journey of strengthening the army, and the iron torrent is mighty on the front line of exercises and training. The People's Army firmly establishes combat effectiveness as the only fundamental standard, comprehensively improves the ability to prepare for war and fight in the new era, and resolutely safeguards national sovereignty, security, and development interests.
"Dare to fight, must win, dare to be the first, dare to take responsibility!" On the main road of the camp area of the "Wang Hai (王海) Brigade" of a certain aviation division of the Air Force, there stands a huge stone with 12 powerful characters engraved on it.
Performing tasks under super-meteorological conditions, exploring and forming norms for flight training outlines, and blazing a new path for the reform of the training model of aviation units... Looking through the development history of the "Wang Hai Brigade," every modification is filled with the word "dare."
As the first operational unit of the Air Force to be equipped with J-20 fighters, the "Wang Hai Brigade" shoulders the important responsibility of exploring the way first and always maintains a fighting posture of hard work and progress. In 2016, pilots of the brigade flew aircraft to escort our bombers to successfully advance; in 2022, pilots of the brigade flew J-20 fighters and set a new record with the support of tankers... The "Wang Hai Brigade" in the new era bravely shoulders its mission, strives to strengthen its skills and capabilities, and flies out new combat trajectories.
New systems, new equipment, and new tactics have made the People's Army more confident in winning battles.
Faced with the long-standing problems and malpractices in the field of military training, the new round of national defense and military reform has firmly focused on being able to fight and win battles, deeply promoted the modernization of the army's organizational form, reformed the leadership and command system, built a modern military force system with Chinese characteristics, and promoted the People's Army's combat effectiveness to undergo earth-shaking changes, promoting the all-round transformation of military training.
In recent years, the People's Army has innovatively explored the construction and application model of new types of combat forces, fully liberated and developed new quality combat capabilities, and major national weapons such as domestic aircraft carriers, new nuclear submarines, and "Dongfeng (东风)" series missiles have been equipped. The operational capabilities of strategic early warning, far-sea defense, long-range strike, strategic projection, and information support have reached a new level.
The Military Commission's organs have strengthened the study of major practical issues in military struggle, focusing on improving the ability to plan wars, command wars, and lead troops, and the war zones have actively explored the joint operational command training system under the new system; all units have vigorously promoted war-training coupling, system-based training, and technology-based training, training elite troops who can fight and are good at fighting; military academies and scientific research institutions have focused on actual combat to conduct teaching, cultivate talents, and grasp innovation, and a wave of enthusiasm for strengthening skills and capabilities has continued to surge throughout the army...
The People's Army, which has come from the smoke of war, constantly carries forward the glorious tradition of being able to fight and win battles, and will surely write a more magnificent answer sheet for training troops when called upon, able to fight when they come, and must win when they fight!
Consolidate and develop the rock-solid unity between the government and the army and between the military and the people, and jointly continue to write a new chapter in the era of loving our people and loving our army.
On April 23 this year, the National Model City (County) Naming Conference for Supporting the Army and Giving Preferential Treatment to Families of Servicemen was held in Beijing (北京).
President Xi Jinping made important instructions on the work of supporting the army and giving preferential treatment to families of servicemen, emphasizing: "The military and local authorities should cooperate closely, consolidate and develop the rock-solid unity between the government and the army and between the military and the people, and jointly continue to write a new chapter in the era of loving our people and loving our army."
Supporting the army and giving preferential treatment to families of servicemen and supporting the government and cherishing the people are the fine traditions and unique political advantages of our Party, our army, and our people. The folk song "The last bowl of rice is sent to make military rations, and the last foot of cloth is sent to make military uniforms" is widely sung, which is a vivid embodiment of the unity between the military and the people. Entering the new era, all regions and relevant departments have actively supported and served the construction and reform of the army, and the People's Army has actively supported economic and social development, bravely undertaken urgent, difficult, dangerous, and heavy tasks, and continuously written new annotations for the army loving the people and the people supporting the army.
For the interests of the masses, the people's soldiers go through fire and water and rush to the front -
Recently, Miyun District (密云区), Huairou District (怀柔区), and Yanqing District (延庆区) in Beijing (北京) have been hit by continuous heavy rainfall, and floods and landslides have occurred in many places. After the disaster occurred, the officers and soldiers of the Beijing (北京) Corps of the Armed Police (武警) acted on orders and immediately devoted themselves to the work of rescuing and providing disaster relief.
In Baimaguan River (白马关河) in Miyun District, the floodwaters rose sharply, causing damage to some roads and disrupting the village's power grid. The 8th Detachment of the Beijing (北京) Corps of the Armed Police quickly took action, carrying assault boats and disaster relief supplies, and rushed to the disaster area to carry out flood control and rescue work.
"On the front line of rescue, you are the most beloved people" "Fighting against floods, we feel at ease with you"... Netizens have left messages expressing their respect for the soldiers who are rushing to the front line.
On the front line of flood control, they build human walls with their flesh and blood, and after the earthquake, they rush into the ruins at the cost of their lives... At every moment of need, the soldiers always stand up and practice the fundamental purpose of serving the people wholeheartedly with practical actions, building an indestructible steel Great Wall for the people.
Let soldiers become a profession respected by the whole society, and create a good social atmosphere of caring for national defense, loving the army, and respecting soldiers -
"Thank you, doctor, I feel much better!" Officers and soldiers stationed in a certain unit in Jilin (吉林) lined up in front of the temporary clinic of the China Rongtong (中国融通) medical team. After receiving physiotherapy, a soldier excitedly thanked the medical team members. From June to July this year, the medical team traveled more than 6,000 kilometers and went to many troops to carry out medical patrols, providing officers and soldiers with services such as medical consultation, treatment and medicine delivery, and rehabilitation physiotherapy. In recent years, China Rongtong Group has continued to carry out the practical activity of "Remembering the Original Intention and Mission, Learning from the Army, Loving the Army, and Serving the Army," and has implemented respect and care through a series of pragmatic measures.
The roots of the People's Army are deeply rooted in the vast land of the people. Today, the golden plaque of "Glorious Family" hangs high in front of the homes of the vast number of soldiers; in places such as railway stations and airports, the signs of "Soldiers Have Priority According to Law" are visible everywhere; many young people set "Clear love, only for China (中国)" as their mobile phone wallpaper, interpreting their respect for soldiers... Respect for soldiers has been transformed into action, and the sense of honor of soldiers has been further stimulated.
Strengthen national defense education for all people and cultivate a sense of family and country in a subtle way -
On the morning of July 3 this year, the Navy's Shandong Ship aircraft carrier formation slowly entered the boundary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (香港特别行政区). During the open visit, naval officers and soldiers held national defense knowledge lectures for Hong Kong (香港) teenagers, using vivid cases and interactive exchanges to stimulate students' patriotism and improve their national defense awareness.
Hong Kong (香港) citizens have gained an in-depth understanding of the lives and missions of soldiers and felt the charm of naval culture through contact with naval officers and soldiers. The friendly interaction between the military and the people has made Hong Kong (香港) citizens truly feel that the People's Army is not only the defender of national security, but also a "family" connected to them by blood.
The original intention of the work of supporting the army and giving preferential treatment to families of servicemen in the new era remains unchanged, the mechanism is new, and the position is higher. The rock-solid unity between the government and the army and between the military and the people is constantly consolidated and developed, gathering strong forces for realizing the Chinese dream and the dream of strengthening the army.
2025 is the closing year of the army's "14th Five-Year Plan" and a crucial year for winning the tough battle to achieve the centenary goal of army building.
The mission is as heavy as a mountain, and the horn is urging us to set out. Achieving the centenary goal of army building on schedule is the will of the Party, the expectation of the people, and the historical task that the People's Army must shoulder and the historical answer sheet that must be handed over. We must go all out and ensure success!
Return to TopXinhua News Agency, Beijing, July 31st. Premier of the State Council Li Qiang (李强) presided over an executive meeting of the State Council on July 31st to study and implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's (习近平) important speech on the economic situation in the first half of the year and the work for the second half of the year. The meeting emphasized the need to deeply understand the Party Central Committee's scientific judgment on the economic situation, further enhance the sense of responsibility and mission for doing a good job in economic work in the second half of the year, correctly grasp the situation, strengthen the sense of urgency, adhere to the bottom-line thinking, be courageous in taking responsibility, overcome difficulties, and consolidate and expand the momentum of economic recovery. It is necessary to anchor the annual development goals and tasks, increase the effectiveness of macro policies, continue to tackle and solve difficult problems, and make greater efforts to implement the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee. More attention should be paid to stimulating the endogenous动力 (nèi shēng dòng lì - "endogenous power," internal driving force) of economic development, continuously deepening reforms in key areas, and achieving more results in building a unified national market and optimizing the business environment. We must better coordinate development and security, firmly guard the bottom line of preventing systemic risks, earnestly do a good job in flood prevention, emergency rescue, and disaster relief, implement various response measures more meticulously, and fully protect the safety of people's lives and property.
The meeting reviewed and approved the "Opinions on Deeply Implementing the 'Artificial Intelligence+' Action." The meeting pointed out that the current artificial intelligence technology is accelerating its iterative evolution. It is necessary to deeply implement the "Artificial Intelligence+" Action, vigorously promote the large-scale commercial application of artificial intelligence, and give full play to China's advantages such as a complete industrial system, large market size, and rich application scenarios, so as to promote the accelerated popularization and deep integration of artificial intelligence in various fields of economic and social development, and form a virtuous circle of innovation leading application and application promoting innovation. Government departments and state-owned enterprises should strengthen demonstration leadership and support the implementation of technology through open scenarios. We must focus on optimizing the artificial intelligence innovation ecosystem, strengthen the supply of computing power, algorithms, and data, increase policy support, strengthen the construction of talent teams, and build an open source ecosystem to provide strong support for the development and growth of the industry. It is necessary to improve security capabilities and accelerate the formation of a dynamic, agile, and multi-cooperative artificial intelligence governance pattern.
The meeting deployed the implementation of interest subsidy policies for personal consumer loans and interest subsidy policies for loans to service industry business entities. The meeting pointed out that providing interest subsidies for personal consumer loans and loans to service industry business entities is conducive to reducing residents' credit costs and the financing costs of service industry business entities through fiscal and financial linkages, so as to better stimulate consumption potential and enhance market vitality. We must do a good job in organizing and implementing interest subsidy policies, strengthen departmental coordination, simplify procedures, promote the early implementation of policies, and at the same time, strictly supervise and improve the efficiency of fund use to ensure that fiscal funds are used well and in place.
The meeting discussed and principally approved the "Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection and Quality Improvement of Cultivated Land (Draft)," and decided to submit the draft to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress for deliberation. The meeting pointed out that it is necessary to effectively enhance the sense of responsibility for protecting cultivated land according to law, strictly implement various regulations, adhere to the integrated protection of the quantity, quality, and ecology of cultivated land, implement comprehensive measures to continuously restore and enhance the ecological functions of cultivated land, and ensure sustainable utilization.
The meeting also studied other matters.
Return to TopXinhua News Agency, Geneva, July 31st (Reporters Zhu Chao (朱超) and Wang Yanan (王娅楠)) At the invitation of Andreas Aebi, President of the National Council of the Swiss Federal Assembly, and Brigitte Häberli-Koller, President of the Council of States of the Swiss Federal Assembly, Zhao Leji (赵乐际), Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, paid an official friendly visit to Switzerland from July 28th to 31st.
During his talks with Andreas Aebi and Brigitte Häberli-Koller, Zhao Leji (赵乐际) stated that Switzerland was one of the first Western countries to establish diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China. Over the 75 years since the establishment of diplomatic ties, the two countries have jointly cultivated a spirit of cooperation characterized by "equality, innovation, and mutual benefit," becoming a model of cooperation between countries with different social systems, different stages of development, and different sizes. China is willing to work with Switzerland to implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries and promote the high-level development of the Sino-Swiss innovative strategic partnership.
Zhao Leji (赵乐际) pointed out that mutual respect and mutual trust are an important foundation for the long-term stable development of Sino-Swiss relations. China is willing to maintain the good momentum of high-level exchanges with Switzerland and welcomes more Swiss leaders and parliamentarians to visit China to understand a real, three-dimensional, and comprehensive China. Respecting each other's core interests and major concerns is a valuable experience and the right way for Sino-Swiss exchanges. China appreciates Switzerland's adherence to expanding cooperation with China and hopes to strengthen exchanges and interactions to gather more positive energy for the development of Sino-Swiss relations. Switzerland was the first continental European country to sign a free trade agreement with China. Since the agreement came into effect, bilateral economic and trade cooperation has developed rapidly. It is hoped that we can jointly promote the upgrading of free trade agreement negotiations and high-quality cooperation in the financial field, and welcome Swiss-funded institutions to expand their investment in China. Deepen cooperation in areas such as art, sports, education, and local affairs to consolidate the social and public opinion foundation of friendship between the two countries. China and Switzerland are both important forces that love peace and advocate multilateralism. It is hoped that we will continue to strengthen multilateral cooperation, jointly oppose unilateralism and protectionism, safeguard international trade rules and the world economic order, and promote global governance in a more just and reasonable direction.
Zhao Leji (赵乐际) stated that the National People's Congress of China and the Swiss Federal Assembly have maintained friendly relations for a long time, making positive contributions to the development of Sino-Swiss relations and pragmatic cooperation. The two sides should further strengthen friendly exchanges between legislative bodies, exchange experiences in legislation and supervision, promptly formulate, revise, and approve legal documents that are conducive to cooperation between the two countries, and strengthen communication and coordination within multilateral mechanisms such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union.
Andreas Aebi stated that this year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Switzerland and China. Based on adherence to mutual respect, openness, and goodwill, Swiss-Chinese relations have developed steadily and achieved fruitful results. The National Council of the Swiss Federal Assembly is willing to strengthen cooperation with the National People's Congress of China to play an active role in promoting the upgrading of the free trade agreement between the two countries and promoting sustainable development.
Brigitte Häberli-Koller stated that Switzerland and China both adhere to the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter and firmly safeguard multilateralism. Strengthening cooperation with China is of strategic significance to Switzerland. The Council of States of the Swiss Federal Assembly looks forward to further strengthening exchanges and dialogue with China, enhancing mutual understanding, and promoting common development.
During his visit to Switzerland, Zhao Leji (赵乐际) visited DSM-Firmenich, expressing his welcome to Swiss-funded enterprises to actively expand economic, trade, and technological cooperation with China to achieve mutual benefit and win-win results.
Return to TopBy: 何 娟
The Politburo meeting emphasized "making good use of development opportunities, potential, and advantages to consolidate and expand the momentum of economic recovery." How should we deeply understand and implement this?
In the face of opportunities, the ability to understand changes, respond to changes, and seek changes is tested. The technological revolution and industrial transformation are surging, and whoever can seize the initiative will win. Positioning oneself in the overall situation and making moves at key points are the ways to seize opportunities and stand at the forefront.
To stimulate potential, we must rely on a combination of an effective market and a capable government. In the first half of this year, policies to expand domestic demand were positive and effective, and domestic demand, especially consumption, became the main driving force for economic growth. Practice shows that continuous and timely strengthening of macro policies, in-depth implementation of special actions to boost consumption, and focusing on urban-rural integration and regional linkage can effectively release the potential of domestic demand.
To make good use of advantages, it is especially necessary to maintain focus and enhance initiative. China's rich talent resource advantage provides a strong impetus for technological breakthroughs and innovative development. Increasing the intensity of reform and innovation, and promoting the integrated development of education, technological innovation, and talent cultivation, will not only win in the present but also win in the future.
Continuously transforming potential into actual results and advantages into victories, seeing the future and grasping opportunities in the midst of risks and challenges, will surely promote the great ship of the Chinese economy to break through the waves and move forward.
Return to TopTheory
Fully Recognize the Military Revolutionary Significance of New Quality Combat Capabilities
Ninth Edition
Promoting the Great Spirit of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, Determined to Forge Ahead on the Road to a Strong Military
A Dialogue Across Time and Space Between Veterans of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and Soldiers of the New Era
Eighth Edition
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 郭晓龙
The Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee meeting held on July 30 emphasized adhering to scientific and technological innovation to lead the development of new quality productive forces, accelerating the cultivation of emerging pillar industries with international competitiveness, and promoting the deep integration of scientific and technological innovation and industrial innovation.
"Upgrading traditional industries can also develop new quality productive forces." A piece of electric carbon, a diamond, a spring... New technologies, new materials, and new processes derived from traditional industries bring valuable opportunities to emerging and future industries, and also open up broader application scenarios for themselves.
Starting today, this edition launches a series of reports on "Traditional Strengths in New Industries," telling the stories of the transformation and development of several traditional enterprises.
——Editor
On the banks of the Songhua River (松花江), in the production workshop of Heilongjiang Harbin Electric Carbon Factory Co., Ltd. (黑龙江哈尔滨电碳厂有限责任公司), huge equipment hums, and inconspicuous black carbon-graphite materials flow and take shape on precise assembly lines.
Carbon-graphite products for electric power, referred to as "electric carbon," sound unfamiliar to ordinary people, but are very important in the industrial field. "Electric" clarifies its main use—motors, power grids; "carbon" reveals its essence—mainly composed of carbon-graphite materials. This magical material undertakes multiple missions in harsh environments: conducting electricity like silver, ensuring smooth current flow; being hard and wear-resistant, withstanding the friction of high-speed trains at 300 kilometers per hour; being resistant to flames, remaining stable in a 3,000-degree Celsius environment after isolating oxygen; and providing its own lubrication, silently protecting metal "partners" in key parts such as nuclear power bearings. Harbin Electric Carbon Factory (哈尔滨电碳厂) is an old factory specializing in this.
This enterprise, born during the "First Five-Year Plan" period, was once deeply mired in losses and has experienced ups and downs.
More than 10 years ago, domestic electric carbon companies mainly produced low-to-mid-end products such as motor brushes and mechanical seals, and there was a significant technological gap in the mid-to-high-end field compared with foreign counterparts.
"The predicament of our Harbin Electric Carbon (哈碳) was a microcosm of the domestic electric carbon industry at that time." Ma Qingchun (马庆春), the company's general manager, recalled that by 2019, the mid-to-low-end "mass-market" market that they once relied on for survival, such as ordinary industrial electric brushes and low-end electric vehicle carbon skids, had been completely eroded by other manufacturers, and Harbin Electric Carbon's (哈碳) profit margin had been compressed to a low level.
"We'll just be waiting to die if we don't transform!" After several days of discussion, the factory finally decided, "Cut off most of the low-end product lines and go all out for the mid-to-high-end!" After this "bold" decision, this 60-year-old enterprise restarted and turned to new fields such as high-speed rail, wind power, and nuclear power.
"The pain of transformation was very intense, and some old customers were lost and income once decreased." Ma Qingchun (马庆春) admitted, "But we were not discouraged. At that time, the factory hung a very inspiring slogan, 'Rather earn less for three years, but win in the future.'"
Continuous R&D investment has finally brought rich output. "Spend money where it counts!" On Ma Qingchun's (马庆春) desk is a stack of R&D reports—the successful development of nuclear power main pump water-guided graphite bearings and other products has filled domestic gaps. Orders followed. In the first quarter of this year, Harbin Electric Carbon (哈碳) added 61.52 million yuan in new orders, an increase of 21.1% compared with the same period last year, and the company increased its investment in R&D funding by 3 million yuan.
In the sealing branch factory, the machines are roaring non-stop. Workers are concentrating on the CNC machine tools, just to manufacture the key supporting bearings well. Tian Yu (田宇), Minister of Production and Operation Department, introduced that these bearings need to achieve efficient lubrication deep in the nuclear island, and also have the characteristics of pressure resistance and radiation resistance.
The carbon-graphite material experiment center next to the production workshop is the most active place for innovation. The young engineer Ji Bowen (嵇博文) stared intently at the display screen. As the Deputy Minister of the company's Technology Development Department, the growth trajectory of this post-90s generation reflects Harbin Electric Carbon's (哈碳) emphasis on new forces.
The high-temperature oxidation resistance optimization project of aerospace graphite sealing materials participated by Ji Bowen (嵇博文) is undergoing key verification. "I have only been doing R&D work for 5 years, and the company has allowed me to deeply participate in such key projects."
Today, at Harbin Electric Carbon (哈碳), scientific researchers like Ji Bowen (嵇博文) account for more than 20%, and many are from the post-80s, post-90s, and even post-00s generations. Together, they constitute the backbone of the company's innovation team. "In order to improve our R&D level, the company organizes experienced technical experts to train and guide us every week." Next to the half-person-high handwritten notes, Ji Bowen (嵇博文) told reporters that the masters' decades of front-line experience have steadily passed on the relay baton of innovation.
"We allow failure here and encourage exploration. Successfully developed products can be quickly industrialized, and if they fail, we can also work with the masters to find out the reasons in time," said Ji Bowen (嵇博文).
Not long ago, a young engineer scrapped some samples due to deviations in relevant parameters when tackling nuclear power bearing materials. The company conducted a detailed review and analysis and decided to add funding and increase R&D efforts. Finally, this bearing was successfully applied.
As dusk gradually falls, the workshop is brightly lit. Inside the experiment center, Ji Bowen (嵇博文) and his team are still enthusiastically discussing data.
This issue's coordination: Han Wenrong (韩文榕)
Return to TopBy: 陈碧辉
Thirty years ago, in that deep winter, the white vapor exhaled from the high-altitude test chamber instantly condensed on my eyelashes. I stared at the aviation motor brushes developed by us—they were waiting to replace imported brushes and become the "heart components" of passenger planes. At that time, imported brushes were not only very expensive, but also subject to foreign "strangulation." Our factory had been holding this breath for many years.
"The data is exceeding again!" My colleague's voice was slightly trembling. The delivery time was approaching bit by bit, but the wear rate was still not meeting the requirements. All members, wrapped in thick cotton-padded coats, stayed in the workshop all night. When our fingers froze, we put them in our pockets to warm them; when the ink in our pens froze, we relied on our brains to memorize...
"Can we succeed?" At that time, Xiao Li (小李), who had just arrived, rubbed his hands, his eyes filled with apprehension and expectation. I thought of my master—the stubborn old man who, under the pressure of foreign experts withdrawing, laid a mat on the floor next to the kiln to grind the green compacts. He always said: "The people in our factory have graphite powder mixed in their bones, we are tough!" I patted Xiao Li (小李) on the shoulder: "The older generation could do it back then, why can't we?"
Repeated "clumsy efforts" brought us a turning point, repeatedly adjusting the matrix material formula and trying different impregnation processes. We failed hundreds of times, and the notebooks piled up like a small mountain. Finally, one early morning, the new material sample ran an encouraging curve on the simulator—the wear rate dropped significantly!
On the day of the real machine test, the air seemed to freeze. When the engine started smoothly, and all the data on the monitoring screen steadily fell into the green zone, a long-suppressed cheer erupted in the hangar. Several young men excitedly hugged each other. We finally had "wings" that were not inferior to imports!
Now, watching domestically produced large airplanes soar in the blue sky, I often think of those cold nights. What generations of Harbin Carbon (哈碳) people have passed down is not only the formula and process, but also this toughness "frozen" out. This toughness is the most solid "brush" supporting the take-off of Made in China!
(The author is a former engineer of Harbin Electric Carbon Factory (哈尔滨电碳厂), interviewed and compiled by Guo Xiaolong (郭晓龙), a reporter of this newspaper)
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 朱 隽
New-style tea drinks, low-fat cheese, grain energy bars... Unlike the traditional demand for rice, flour, oil, meat, eggs, milk, fruits, vegetables, and tea, today's consumers pay more attention to the quality, personalization, and functionality of agricultural products, and many new consumption scenarios are constantly emerging.
Recently, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (农业农村部), the National Development and Reform Commission (国家发展改革委), and other 10 departments jointly issued the "Implementation Plan for Promoting Agricultural Product Consumption" (《促进农产品消费实施方案》), proposing 23 specific measures in 9 aspects.
How to optimize supply?
The source of agricultural product consumption is agricultural production. In the first half of this year, the pass rate of routine monitoring of agricultural product quality and safety remained at a relatively high level of 97.9%. Since the "14th Five-Year Plan," 36,000 new green, organic, famous, special, excellent, and new agricultural products and geographical indication agricultural products have been certified, an increase of 70% compared with the end of the "13th Five-Year Plan." More than 200 million tons of green and high-quality agricultural products are provided to the society every year. In 2024, the sales of green food reached 609.78 billion yuan, driving agricultural product production towards standardization, greening, and high quality.
In the first half of the year, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (工业和信息化部) selected and released the first batch of 39 key local specialty food industry lists, including Harbin Red Sausage (哈尔滨红肠), Pixian Douban (郫县豆瓣), and West Lake Longjing Tea (西湖龙井茶), guiding various regions to deeply explore the characteristic agricultural product resources of grains, oils, livestock, poultry, fruits, and vegetables in their regions, and increase the intensity of intensive processing and transformation. "The upstream of the food industry undertakes the planting and breeding links of agricultural products, and the downstream drives daily food consumption. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology will strengthen planning guidance and factor support, promote the quality and upgrading of the food industry, and drive the integrated development of the primary, secondary, and tertiary industries," said Li Qiang (李强), Deputy Director of the Consumer Goods Industry Department of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (工业和信息化部消费品工业司副司长).
How to smooth circulation?
Agricultural product consumption is connected to agricultural production on one end and people's lives on the other, and circulation is an important link in between. "Building a smooth, safe, and efficient modern agricultural product circulation system is conducive to reducing circulation losses, improving the consumption quality of agricultural products, broadening the upward channels of agricultural products, and promoting farmers' income increase," said Zhang Xiang (张祥), First-level Inspector of the Department of Circulation Development of the Ministry of Commerce (商务部流通发展司一级巡视员).
To promote the construction of a modern agricultural product circulation system, the Ministry of Commerce (商务部) is accelerating the improvement of the agricultural product supply chain, promoting the high-quality development of rural e-commerce, and focusing on building an agricultural product production and sales docking platform. In 2024, the national online retail sales of agricultural products increased by 15.8% year-on-year.
As a major country in agricultural product production and consumption, China's annual consumption scale of fresh agricultural products alone reaches 1 billion tons. It is no longer a problem for fresh agricultural products to cross mountains and seas and be "fresh" all the way from the place of origin to the table. An important reason for this is the support and guarantee of cold chain logistics. If the cold chain cannot keep up and the distribution cannot keep up, it will restrict the consumption of fresh agricultural products.
During the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (农业农村部) focused on the "first kilometer" and continued to promote the construction of a cold chain logistics network at the place of origin. The central government's financial cold chain project was implemented to support family farms, farmers' cooperatives, and rural collective economic organizations to build cold storage and preservation facilities at the place of origin, adding more than 98 million cubic meters of new storage capacity, doubling that of the end of the "13th Five-Year Plan."
"We are studying and formulating the '15th Five-Year Plan' for the development of the national agricultural product origin market system, focusing on making arrangements for cold storage and preservation facilities at the place of origin, pre-cooling facilities, cold chain distribution centers at the place of origin, and post-production processing capacity construction, and continuously optimizing the cold chain logistics network at the place of origin," said Lei Liugong (雷刘功), Director of the Market and Informatization Department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (农业农村部市场与信息化司司长).
How to activate the market? "Village BA" (村BA), village running, village innovation... From the perspective of consumption scenarios, while consumers pay attention to the quality and safety of agricultural products, they are paying more and more attention to the sense of experience, showing trends such as the integration of tourism and shopping, and the integration of online and offline.
"Vigorously developing rural leisure tourism is an important way to shape new consumption scenarios and expand new consumption space. In recent years, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (农业农村部) has deeply explored the multiple functions of agriculture and the multiple values of rural areas, built a rural leisure tourism development pattern combining 'points, lines, and surfaces,' and continued to cultivate new consumption growth points," said Jiang Wensheng (江文胜), Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (农业农村部副部长).
Relying on the resource advantages of pastoral scenery and folk customs, develop new business formats and new products such as agricultural experience, and create good places for urban and rural residents to consume. In 2024, the operating income of leisure agriculture was nearly 900 billion yuan, becoming one of the most active fields in tourism scene innovation and business format integration.
How to activate the urban and rural consumer market? The implementation plan proposes to continue to build the China Farmers' Harvest Festival Golden Autumn Consumption Season (中国农民丰收节金秋消费季), etc., and innovate festival exhibition consumption platforms. In 2024, various regions organized more than 3,000 China Farmers' Harvest Festival (中国农民丰收节) activities, which cumulatively drove agricultural product consumption of more than 30 billion yuan. "This year, the China Farmers' Harvest Festival Golden Autumn Consumption Season (中国农民丰收节金秋消费季) will carry out a series of consumption promotion activities such as '100 anchors + 1,000 villages + 10,000 products' public welfare assistance to farmers to create more consumption scenarios," introduced Lei Liugong (雷刘功).
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 苏 滨
At 10:35 AM, Yang Libo's (杨黎波) phone popped up with a message from the subdistrict office: This month's early warning clues have been sent, please verify and provide feedback as soon as possible.
Yang Libo (杨黎波) is the first secretary of the Banabu Community (巴纳布社区) of Gaoluo Subdistrict (高洛街道) in Ceheng County (册亨县), Qianxinan Buyi and Miao Autonomous Prefecture (黔西南布依族苗族自治州), Guizhou Province (贵州省). He is responsible for monitoring the prevention of returning to poverty at the relocation site for poverty alleviation. Upon receiving the message, he put down his work, opened the message, and scrolled through it. There were a total of 12 items. Yang Libo (杨黎波) categorized them by grid, called each grid member, and took 4 early warning clues himself, and everyone acted separately.
"The Wei Ruyu (韦如玉) family has high self-paid medical expenses due to illness." This early warning clue came from the Guizhou Provincial Medical Security Bureau (贵州省医疗保障局). After the family settled the medical expenses, the relevant data information was captured by the system. After reading the information, Yang Libo (杨黎波) felt a little worried, "Who is sick? What kind of illness? Why are the self-paid expenses so high? I hope everything is okay."
Last year, the poverty-stricken household of Wei Ruyu (韦如玉) welcomed their second child. However, the child's diagnosis broke the happiness, and Wei Ruyu (韦如玉), who had been doing odd jobs for a long time, became a full-time dad.
"Several diseases were found, and the situation is very dangerous." Wei Ruyu (韦如玉) took the child straight to the prefectural hospital and then transferred to Chongqing (重庆) for treatment. Fortunately, after careful treatment, the child's condition stabilized and was temporarily discharged from the hospital. Seeing Yang Libo's (杨黎波) call, Wei Ruyu (韦如玉) was surprised, "I didn't expect the community to take the initiative to come."
"The child has spontaneous intracranial hematoma, intraventricular hemorrhage, bronchitis, etc. Fortunately, the condition is stable and waiting for the follow-up examination. Excluding the reimbursed part, we paid 50,000 yuan ourselves," said Wei Ruyu (韦如玉).
Ending the 17-minute call, Yang Libo (杨黎波) opened his notebook and calculated the income and expenditure of Wei Ruyu's (韦如玉) family: Wei Ruyu (韦如玉) does odd jobs locally, earning 1,800 yuan a month; his father has a public welfare job, earning 800 yuan a month; his mother works in Guangdong (广东), earning 3,000 yuan a month; his sister is a temporary worker in a company, earning 1,100 yuan a month. The family's annual wage income is 80,400 yuan, plus 2,040 yuan in transfer income such as pensions. Although the family's annual per capita income is 10,305 yuan, after deducting the 50,000 yuan in rigid expenses for sudden illnesses, the income is far below the monitoring range of 8,000 yuan of the annual per capita net income of households delineated by Guizhou (贵州) last year, and there is a risk of returning to poverty due to illness.
Together with other grid members, everyone spent 3 days verifying each early warning message, analyzing the reasons for the early warning, and forming electronic files. "Previously, we received an average of 22 early warning clues per month, but now there are only 11 per month on average. The early warnings are more accurate, and the burden on grassroots cadres has also been reduced a lot," said Yang Libo (杨黎波).
After completing all the verification work, Yang Libo (杨黎波) organized community cadres and representatives of the masses to hold a meeting to report on the verification of early warning clues, put forward suggestions, and finally voted by a show of hands. That month, everyone unanimously agreed to include Wei Ruyu's (韦如玉) family in the monitoring, then publicized it, and then reported it level by level to the subdistrict and the County Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau (县农业农村局), and implemented precise assistance after approval.
"The province has clear requirements that for eligible families, the prevention of returning to poverty, from early warning to assistance, should not exceed 15 days, which is a race against time," said Wei Shengxin (韦盛馨), director of the Gaoluo Subdistrict Office (高洛街道办事处).
The early warning clues that Yang Libo (杨黎波) regularly receives come from the subdistrict office. Where is the source of the information?
In order to effectively connect the consolidation and expansion of poverty alleviation achievements with rural revitalization, in 2021, Guizhou (贵州) built a Rural Revitalization Cloud Platform (乡村振兴云平台). With the help of digital means, it intelligently monitors three types of people: households with unstable poverty alleviation, households at risk of becoming poor, and households with sudden and serious difficulties. It provides precise assistance, makes up for shortcomings, eliminates risks, achieves early detection, early intervention, and early assistance, and resolutely guards the bottom line of not allowing large-scale return to poverty.
"Per capita net income, rigid expenditure, potential risk points, and independent coping ability are the main considerations for including monitoring objects," said Yang Xiaohong (杨小红), deputy director of the Guizhou Provincial Rural Revitalization Monitoring Center (贵州省乡村振兴监测中心). Through the Guizhou Provincial Data Sharing and Exchange Platform (贵州省数据共享交换平台), departments such as Human Resources and Social Security, Civil Affairs, and Health and Health upload corresponding group data every month. After the background obtains and manages the data, eliminates invalid and duplicate data, it is transmitted to the Guizhou Provincial Rural Revitalization Cloud Platform (贵州省乡村振兴云平台) again for data governance, and finally automatically dispatches early warning clues.
In addition to departmental screening and early warning, Guizhou (贵州) has also launched channels such as grassroots cadre investigation and farmer self-declaration, and the three methods complement each other.
"The data sharing and docking between departments is smoother, the technical means are constantly updated, and the early warning clues are more accurate," said Yang Xiaohong (杨小红). Now only 12 departments share data, and each department provides very few data items, with an average of only one or two items. After the big data information system for preventing return to poverty and helping the poor, covering the entire rural population, is built, the number of departments sharing data will be expanded to 17, and the number of data items provided by departments will also increase, realizing more data running, improving the efficiency of cadres, and reducing the burden on the masses, and effectively reducing the burden on the grassroots.
After being included in the monitoring object, how to carry out precise assistance?
"Based on early warning clues and visits and verification, we will quickly formulate assistance measures." In response to the actual situation of Wei Ruyu's (韦如玉) family, Yang Libo (杨黎波) helped them apply for subsistence allowances, recommended more employment opportunities, and applied to the County Medical Insurance Bureau (县医保局) for medical assistance. Through monthly visits, we closely monitor the family's income and expenditure and the child's condition.
Offline precise policies are implemented, and online efforts are synchronized. The Guizhou Provincial Rural Revitalization Cloud Platform (贵州省乡村振兴云平台) also synchronizes information to departments such as Human Resources and Social Security, and Health and Health, to implement assistance policies and gather assistance efforts.
"In the future, the platform will also add a toolbox of assistance policies, which will automatically generate assistance plans based on the monitoring object's risk of returning to poverty, family structure, etc., which will be more precise," said Yang Xiaohong (杨小红).
As the county with the largest number of relocated people for poverty alleviation in Guizhou (贵州), Ceheng County (册亨县) is making every effort to do a good job in monitoring and assisting in preventing return to poverty, of which Banabu Community (巴纳布社区) has a total of 1,662 households, more than half of which are poverty-stricken households, and a total of 86 households have been included in the monitoring, and there are currently 5 households whose risks have not been eliminated. "We will go all out to ensure that no fellow villager is left behind," Yang Libo (杨黎波) said confidently.
This issue is coordinated by: Qi Jiarun (祁嘉润)
Layout design: Wang Zheping (汪哲平)
Return to TopBy: 王志凌
The comprehensive victory in the battle against poverty alleviation cannot be separated from "precision," and consolidating and expanding the achievements in poverty alleviation also requires "precision."
Xi Jinping (习近平) emphasized during his inspection in Guizhou (贵州): "A unified monitoring and classified assistance mechanism should be established for the rural low-income population to secure the bottom line of people's livelihood."
Starting from reality, Guizhou (贵州) fully considers the superposition of multiple risks of returning to poverty, the lack of personalized assistance measures, and insufficient motivation for endogenous development. It has explored a precise monitoring mechanism for preventing return to poverty and new poverty, combining big data monitoring, cadre visits, and voluntary reporting by the masses, allowing data to run more, cadres to improve efficiency, and the masses to run less errands, effectively improving the effectiveness of monitoring and assistance.
As a national big data comprehensive experimental zone, Guizhou (贵州) promotes data linkage among multiple departments such as education, civil affairs, and medical insurance, accurately identifying potential risks of returning to poverty and new poverty, quickly formulating precise assistance plans, and accurately matching resource allocation with individual needs, "supplementing what is lacking," so that policies directly reach those who need them most, reducing administrative costs and enhancing governance effectiveness.
This year is the final year of the 5-year transition period for consolidating and expanding the achievements in poverty alleviation and effectively linking them with rural revitalization. The more this is the case, the more it is necessary to consistently do a good job in precise assistance, adhere to technological empowerment, and secure the bottom line of people's livelihood.
(The author is a researcher at the Guizhou (贵州) Basic-Level Social Governance Innovation High-End Think Tank of Guizhou University (贵州大学), and this article was compiled and edited from an interview with Su Bin (苏滨), a reporter from this newspaper.)
Return to TopThis newspaper's Beijing (北京) dispatch on July 31st (Reporter Qiu Chaoyi (邱超奕)) On July 31st, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (人力资源社会保障部) released the "Interim Provisions on the Protection of Basic Rights and Interests of Super-Age Workers (Draft for Public Comment)" (《超龄劳动者基本权益保障暂行规定（公开征求意见稿）》), soliciting public comments from now until August 31st.
The draft for comment focuses on the actual needs of super-age workers, clarifies the content of basic rights protection, strengthens the protection of super-age workers' basic rights and interests such as obtaining labor remuneration, rest and vacation, labor safety and hygiene, and work injury protection, and smooths dispute resolution channels. It clarifies that super-age workers can safeguard their legitimate rights and interests through labor dispute mediation and arbitration, filing lawsuits with the People's Court (人民法院), and filing complaints with the human resources and social security departments.
During the period of public consultation, the public can submit opinions by logging into the website of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (人力资源社会保障部网站), writing letters, sending e-mails, and other means.
(Related reports on page eleven)
Return to TopAccording to information from the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council (国务院国资委), the People's Daily Beijing (北京) July 31st dispatch (reporter Li Xinping (李心萍)): The Artificial Intelligence "Revitalization Community" platform was recently released, serving as an open-source and open innovation carrier for artificial intelligence facing the entire society, providing six types of functions such as computing power, models, and data.
In terms of aggregating computing power, the community gathers over 2000 cards of domestic computing power resources from 3 telecommunications operators; in terms of displaying models, it gathers over 200 general and vertical industry models from industry leaders and central state-owned enterprises; in terms of gathering data, it covers 5 types of general datasets such as text and images, 13 types of industry datasets such as telecommunications and petrochemicals, and a total of nearly 160 high-quality datasets; in terms of promoting scenarios, the first batch opened 40 strategic high-value artificial intelligence scenarios from 16 industries, providing excellent experience references for the industry.
Return to TopThe Middle East is unstable, and the world is uneasy. The Middle East cannot be in the shadow of conflict forever, and the people of the Middle East should have a future free from fear.
From July 28th to 30th local time, the High-Level International Conference on the Peaceful Resolution of the Palestinian Issue and the Implementation of the "Two-State Solution" was held at the United Nations Headquarters. High-level representatives from 125 countries and regions attended the meeting, further consolidating the international community's consensus on the Palestinian issue and sending a strong message calling for a political solution to the "Two-State Solution." The core issue of Middle East peace is the implementation of the "Two-State Solution," but "time is running out." United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres called on the international community to take the necessary urgent, concrete, and irreversible steps to make the "Two-State Solution" a reality.
Recently, security alerts have continued to sound in the Middle East, the "five seas and three continents" region, causing deep concern in the international community about the regional security situation. From the new round of conflict in the Gaza Strip, which has caused tens of thousands of deaths and an unprecedented humanitarian disaster, to Israel's continued attacks on Syria and Lebanon, maintaining an illegal military presence, and exacerbating tensions, to Israel's attacks on Iranian territory, triggering retaliatory military action by Iran, which has seriously impacted the regional security architecture and the international non-proliferation system... Conflicts and contradictions have escalated in turn, with military strikes and direct confrontations carried out without restraint, leading to a situation that may further spiral out of control and even trigger a wider regional conflict. The French newspaper *Le Monde* pointed out that the practice of ensuring one's own security by creating regional tensions is dangerous. The international community must be clearly aware that military intervention will only increase the security deficit, and the abuse of force will only trigger greater conflicts. Only by adhering to a political solution can the cycle of violence in the Middle East be truly broken.
An article on the website of the American magazine *Time* believes that the Middle East is entering a new era, which is increasingly characterized by the assumption that "might makes right." Behind this advocacy of "peace after strength" is a completely power-based logic, which places the confrontational thinking of strength deterrence above international rules and justice, which is tantamount to adding fuel to the fire and increasing the risk of war. Strength cannot bring true peace, and judging right and wrong solely on the basis of strength will obliterate international rules and justice.
The Middle East is unstable, and the world is uneasy. The Middle East cannot be in the shadow of conflict forever, and the people of the Middle East should have a future free from fear. Restoring peace and stability in the Middle East, political dialogue is the only way.
The Palestinian issue, as the core of regional contradictions, cannot be ignored. The current tensions should not divert the international community's attention from this issue, the humanitarian disaster in Gaza cannot continue, the legitimate demands of the Arab people must be realized as soon as possible, and the just voices of the vast Islamic world should be valued. The "Two-State Solution" is the only realistic way to solve the Palestinian issue, establishing an independent Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, and with full sovereignty, to ultimately achieve peaceful coexistence between Palestine and Israel, in order to eliminate the deep-seated roots of regional tensions. The President of the 79th United Nations General Assembly, Philemon Yang, said that if the Israeli-Palestinian conflict cannot be resolved once and for all through the "Two-State Solution," lasting peace and stability cannot be achieved in Palestine and the Middle East.
The Iranian nuclear issue must return to the track of dialogue. The Iranian nuclear issue could have become an example of resolving international disputes through dialogue and consultation, but individual major countries unilaterally withdrew from the Iranian nuclear agreement and exerted maximum pressure on Iran, and the door to peace ultimately failed to open, and the situation returned to confrontation. At present, although Israel and Iran have reached a ceasefire arrangement, the problem is far from being resolved, and its fragility cannot be ignored. Some Western countries have resorted to the old trick of sanctions threats, exacerbating tensions and confrontation. For a long time, the West has dominated the global security system, but it pursues double standards based on maintaining the interests of itself and its allies, and ignores the importance of building "common security." Analysts believe that the stalemate surrounding the Iranian nuclear issue reflects the failure of the Western security governance concept.
The Israeli-Iranian ceasefire must be effectively implemented. All parties to the conflict must strictly abide by the ceasefire commitments with a high sense of responsibility, avoid any provocative actions, so as to prevent the situation from escalating in turn, resolutely curb the risk of war spillover, create a stable environment for subsequent dialogue, and ultimately reach an agreement acceptable to all parties. Iran's commitment not to seek to develop nuclear weapons should be valued, and Iran's right to the peaceful use of nuclear energy as a signatory to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons should be respected. The international community should work together to create favorable conditions for negotiations and gradually restore regional stability.
Protecting civilian safety is the top priority. The Gaza conflict has been going on for 21 months, and the humanitarian situation has deteriorated to an unprecedented extent. "The humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip is shocking," said UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths in a statement recently, adding that one-third of the population of the Gaza Strip has not eaten for days. At any time, the red line of protecting civilians in military conflicts cannot be crossed, and the indiscriminate use of force is unacceptable. All parties to the conflict should strictly abide by international law, prioritize the well-being of the people, eliminate attacks on civilian targets, and provide convenience for the evacuation of third-party citizens. The international community should, through UN humanitarian agencies, increase assistance to conflict-affected areas in the Middle East to alleviate the suffering of the people caused by the war. Countries that have a significant influence on the parties concerned should uphold a fair and responsible attitude and truly play a positive and constructive role.
Communication and dialogue are the right path to achieve lasting peace. The road to peace is at our feet. Standing at the crossroads of peace and conflict, where the Middle East situation is heading tests the conscience and responsibility of all parties. China's position on the Middle East issue has been consistent: adhering to fairness and justice and advocating common security. The international community, especially influential major countries, should abandon geopolitical calculations, take practical actions, support the United Nations in playing a coordinating role, create conditions for peace, and jointly build a balanced and orderly regional security architecture.
Return to TopBy: 余 虹
The comprehensive completion of negotiations for Version 3.0 of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area demonstrates that both sides are taking practical actions to support free trade and multilateralism. ASEAN's choice to further deepen economic and trade ties with China demonstrates a long-term vision of openness, inclusiveness, and win-win cooperation.
The negotiations for Version 3.0 of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area have been fully completed, and the protocol will be signed within the year. Version 3.0 covers both existing areas of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement and emerging areas with great potential for cooperation between the two sides, which will help both sides jointly cope with external risks and challenges and further enhance regional economic resilience and vitality.
The China-ASEAN Free Trade Area is ASEAN's first free trade area and China's first free trade area to be negotiated and established with foreign countries. Since its full completion in 2010, the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area has become an important platform for promoting bilateral economic and trade cooperation. China has remained ASEAN's largest trading partner for 16 consecutive years and has become ASEAN's second-largest source of foreign direct investment; ASEAN has been China's largest trading partner for 5 consecutive years. The mutual interdependence between the two sides in the economic and trade fields continues to strengthen, becoming an important pillar of the development of bilateral relations. In recent years, ASEAN countries' economies have maintained steady growth and have become one of the world's most important centers of economic growth. Many Chinese companies have been actively investing in the ASEAN market, expanding their investments in the region, and sharing in the dividends of ASEAN's economic growth. For example, BYD (比亚迪) and GAC Aion's (广汽埃安) Thai factories have been completed and put into operation one after another, and Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited (宁德时代) is investing in building a factory in Indonesia (印度尼西亚)... These investments not only promote the development of local manufacturing but also help ASEAN build a complete industrial chain for new energy vehicles.
As the world's second-largest economy, China's economy is showing a steady growth momentum and has always been an important export market for ASEAN. ASEAN and China's upgrading of free trade area construction and continuous expansion of economic and trade ties will not only help improve the level of trade facilitation but also provide solid support for ASEAN to build itself into a regional economic growth center, promoting regional integration to deepen and become more practical.
Currently, global geopolitical and international trade patterns are facing major changes. The comprehensive completion of negotiations for Version 3.0 of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area demonstrates that both sides are taking practical actions to support free trade and multilateralism. As Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong (黄循财) said, upgrading the free trade agreement is an important move, especially against the backdrop of rising global protectionism. This move will send a clear and important signal to the world that free trade and mutually beneficial market cooperation are essential.
From a content perspective, Version 3.0 of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area includes nine new chapters on the digital economy, green economy, supply chain connectivity, customs procedures and trade facilitation, which will inject new impetus into strengthening cooperation and promoting the deep integration of production and supply chains between the two sides under the new situation. By promoting the free flow of products, services, investment, and other factors between the two sides, Version 3.0 will help create a more resilient regional industrial chain network, especially in emerging fields such as the green economy and the digital economy, creating a more stable and predictable business environment for companies on both sides. In the digital economy field, Version 3.0 is committed to promoting paperless trade, electronic invoices, digital identities, and electronic payments, which will help companies on both sides expand cooperation in areas such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and fintech. By optimizing customs procedures and trade facilitation, Version 3.0 will further strengthen cooperation on customs rules and standards, which will help promote regional "soft connectivity."
The China-ASEAN Free Trade Area covers a population of over 2 billion, accounting for 1/4 of the world's population. The combined economic volume of both sides exceeds 1/5 of the world's total, making it an important engine for the current global economic recovery. Against the backdrop of individual Western countries clamoring for "decoupling and breaking chains" and "de-risking" from China, ASEAN's choice to further deepen economic and trade ties with China demonstrates a long-term vision of openness, inclusiveness, and win-win cooperation. ASEAN and China working together will help create a more prosperous and dynamic Asia-Pacific economy.
(The author is a senior research fellow at the East Asian Institute of the National University of Singapore (新加坡国立大学))
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 杨 一
In the afternoon, the K12 train, which departed from Vientiane (万象), the capital of Laos (老挝), in the early morning, arrived at Namos Station (纳磨站) on time. Bouchan (布赞), the head of Namos Station (纳磨站), was already waiting on the platform, guiding passengers with other staff to stand behind the yellow line in front of the corresponding carriages to wait for boarding.
Namo County (纳磨县) in Oudomxay Province (乌多姆塞省), northern Laos (老挝), is a small border town bordering Yunnan Province (云南省) in China (中国). The China-Laos Railway Namos Station (中老铁路纳磨站) is built here against the mountain, and the K11/12 slow train in Laos (老挝) stops here every day.
"In April this year, during the Lao New Year Water Splashing Festival, Namos Station (纳磨站) officially became the first station to be fully managed and operated by the Lao side," Bouchan (布赞) said while leading the reporter to the dispatching room. In addition to several devices that monitor the train operation in real time, there are also basic living facilities such as beds, desks and chairs, and water dispensers in the dispatching room. This is where Bouchan (布赞) works and lives every day. "Our station now has a total of 6 employees, all of whom are Laotian, and they are responsible for ticketing, ticket checking for entry and exit, and passenger transport safety," Bouchan (布赞) introduced. "The station has limited staff. If an employee is on vacation, other colleagues will have to temporarily take over and manage the work of other colleagues."
In 2024, China-Laos Railway Co., Ltd. (老中铁路有限公司) selected 15 outstanding Lao employees from various stations and positions to work in management positions through written tests and interviews. After a series of training, they have officially taken up their respective positions this year. Bouchan (布赞) is one of them.
Since the opening of the China-Laos Railway (中老铁路) at the end of 2021, Bouchan (布赞) has been the station duty officer at the railway stations along the line, responsible for receiving and dispatching trains, passenger safety, and cargo crane operations. Bouchan (布赞) said: "I especially hope to have the opportunity to study and participate in training in Chinese universities in the future, so that I can be competent for more important positions after returning to Laos (老挝)."
According to the train schedule, the K11 train from Boten Station (磨丁站) in Luang Namtha Province (琅南塔省) will arrive at Namos Station (纳磨站) at 15:29. Approaching the arrival time, the computer in the dispatching room issued a voice prompt - "The train is about to enter the station." Bouchan (布赞) then asked his colleagues to prepare for receiving the train through the walkie-talkie, and returned to the platform to guide passengers into the station to wait for the train.
On board the K11 train, the reporter met the train conductor, Ounnyah (温雅). She is also one of the Lao employees in the position of foreman of the China-Laos Railway (中老铁路), and was promoted from train attendant to train conductor in January this year.
"The job of a train attendant is very hard and stressful," Ounnyah (温雅) told reporters frankly. She introduced that the K12 train departs from Vientiane Station (万象站) at about 8:00 in the morning, and she and her colleagues need to enter the carriages early to prepare; the returning K11 train arrives at Vientiane Station (万象站) at about 8:00 in the evening, and they need to complete all the finishing work before leaving.
In the past three years, Ounnyah (温雅) has encountered passengers who were angry with her because the train was delayed due to heavy rain, and also encountered passengers who suddenly fell ill on the train and needed treatment. On the day of the interview, the train she was on duty also assisted in transferring a pregnant passenger who accidentally fell. "I have gradually found a way to get along with different passengers in my work, and I am increasingly aware that my work can help many people. Although it is very hard, I still like this job very much," Ounnyah (温雅) said.
Now, 26-year-old Ounnyah (温雅) manages a team of 11 people, and several newly hired train attendants often ask her for advice on work and report on the train situation. Ounnyah (温雅) also often takes short videos in her spare time and posts them on social media to tell more Laotians about the stories that happened on the China-Laos Railway (中老铁路).
According to reports, Lao employees currently account for 63% of the China-Laos Railway (中老铁路). "Many small stations along the line can now achieve localized operation. In the next step, stations such as Nateuy (纳堆) and Kasi (嘎西) are also expected to be managed by the Lao side," said Zhang Tiechi (张铁翅), Minister of Human Resources Department of China-Laos Railway Co., Ltd. (老中铁路有限公司). "Since Laos (老挝) did not have standard gauge railways and supporting railway talent system, localization is a long-term process. We will provide outstanding Lao employees with opportunities for multi-position training, gradually increase the proportion of Lao people in management positions, and contribute to the cultivation of railway talents in Laos (老挝)."
(Reported from Vientiane (万象) by Liu Yingjia (刘莹嘉) and Su Peng (苏朋) from the Asia-Pacific Center Branch of this newspaper)
Return to TopXinhua News Agency, Geneva, July 31st (Reporters Zhu Chao (朱超) and Wang Yanan (王娅楠)) At the invitation of Andreas Aebi, President of the National Council of the Swiss Federal Assembly, and Brigitte Häberli-Koller, President of the Council of States of the Swiss Federal Assembly, Zhao Leji (赵乐际), Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, paid an official friendly visit to Switzerland from July 28th to 31st.
During his talks with Andreas Aebi and Brigitte Häberli-Koller, Zhao Leji said that Switzerland was one of the first Western countries to establish diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China. Over the 75 years since the establishment of diplomatic ties, the two countries have jointly cultivated a spirit of cooperation characterized by "equality, innovation, and mutual benefit," becoming a model of cooperation between countries with different social systems, different stages of development, and different sizes. China is willing to work with Switzerland to implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries and promote the high-level development of the Sino-Swiss innovative strategic partnership.
Zhao Leji pointed out that mutual respect and mutual trust are an important foundation for the long-term stable development of Sino-Swiss relations. China is willing to maintain a good momentum of high-level exchanges with Switzerland, and welcomes more Swiss leaders and parliamentarians to visit China to understand a real, three-dimensional, and comprehensive China. Respecting each other's core interests and major concerns is a valuable experience and the right way for Sino-Swiss exchanges. China appreciates Switzerland's commitment to expanding cooperation with China and hopes to strengthen exchanges and interactions to gather more positive energy for the development of Sino-Swiss relations. Switzerland was the first continental European country to sign a free trade agreement with China. Since the agreement came into effect, bilateral economic and trade cooperation has developed rapidly. It is hoped that we can jointly promote the upgrading of free trade agreement negotiations and high-quality cooperation in the financial field, and welcome Swiss-funded institutions to expand their investment in China. Deepen cooperation in areas such as arts, sports, education, and local affairs to consolidate the social and public opinion foundation of friendship between the two countries. China and Switzerland are both important forces that love peace and advocate multilateralism. It is hoped that we will continue to strengthen multilateral cooperation, jointly oppose unilateralism and protectionism, safeguard international trade rules and the world economic order, and promote global governance in a more just and reasonable direction.
Zhao Leji said that the National People's Congress of China and the Swiss Federal Assembly have maintained friendly relations for a long time, making positive contributions to the development of Sino-Swiss relations and pragmatic cooperation. The two sides should further strengthen friendly exchanges between legislative bodies, exchange experiences in legislation and supervision, promptly formulate, revise, and approve legal documents that are conducive to cooperation between the two countries, and strengthen communication and collaboration within multilateral mechanisms such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union.
Andreas Aebi said that this year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Switzerland and China. Based on adherence to mutual respect, openness, and goodwill, Swiss-Chinese relations have developed steadily and achieved fruitful results. The National Council of the Swiss Federal Assembly is willing to strengthen cooperation with the National People's Congress of China to play a positive role in promoting the upgrading of the free trade agreement between the two countries and promoting sustainable development.
Brigitte Häberli-Koller said that both Switzerland and China adhere to the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter and firmly safeguard multilateralism. Strengthening cooperation with China is of strategic significance to Switzerland. The Council of States of the Swiss Federal Assembly looks forward to further strengthening exchanges and dialogue with China, enhancing mutual understanding, and promoting common development.
During his visit to Switzerland, Zhao Leji visited DSM-Firmenich, expressing his welcome to Swiss-funded enterprises to actively expand economic, trade, and technological cooperation with China to achieve mutual benefit and win-win results.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 朱玥颖
On July 30th, long queues formed outside the China Pavilion at the Osaka World Expo in Japan.
At 2:20 PM, Akira Asakawa (浅川辉和) from Osaka and his family entered the China Pavilion. Simultaneously, the screen in the entrance hall displayed the message "China Pavilion welcomes its 1 millionth global visitor." This marked that since its opening on April 13th, the China Pavilion had received over 1 million visitors.
Zhang Shujing (章书靖), the curator of the China Pavilion, congratulated the Asakawa family and presented them with souvenirs such as panda dolls and cultural and creative badges. Yumi Asakawa (浅川有美), Akira Asakawa's (浅川辉和) wife, said, "We feel very lucky. My older brother works in China and often tells me about China. Today, I specifically came with my family to visit the China Pavilion."
Following the volunteer's explanation, the Asakawa family carefully visited the "Harmony between Man and Nature," "Green Waters and Lush Mountains," and "Endless Life" exhibition areas. They sat with great interest in the "Jiaolong" (蛟龙) submersible experience cabin to enjoy precious deep-sea images, closely viewed the lunar soil samples collected by China's Chang'e-5 (嫦娥五号) and Chang'e-6 (嫦娥六号) probes from the front and back of the moon, and finally scanned a QR code at the end of the exhibition area to leave their family's mark on the giant painting of "Co-creating a Peach Blossom Garden" generated by artificial intelligence technology.
After the visit, Akira Asakawa (浅川辉和) said, "China is a country with a long history. The China Pavilion cleverly integrates traditional wisdom and modern technology to showcase China's splendid history, culture, and the latest development achievements, which is impressive. I am very much looking forward to going to China to take a walk and have a look." The panda wood carvings, kites, and tea displayed in the pavilion left a deep impression on Yumi Asakawa (浅川有美). She said, "This visit has further enhanced my understanding of China."
Zhang Shujing (章书靖) said that since the opening of the Osaka World Expo, the China Pavilion has always been one of the most popular pavilions. The China Pavilion welcoming its 1 millionth visitor is an important moment worth celebrating. This reflects the global Expo audience's love and recognition of the China Pavilion, and also shows that the China Pavilion has played a positive role in promoting Chinese and foreign cultural exchanges, economic and trade cooperation, and people-to-people connectivity.
According to reports, among the current 1 million visitors to the China Pavilion, in addition to ordinary tourists, there are also more than 200 politicians and well-known people from all over the world, 10 foreign heads of state and principal heads of international organizations, as well as guests from more than 80 national pavilions and international organization pavilions. As the Expo enters the second half, the China Pavilion will also successively hold a series of activities such as theme weeks, theme days, and enterprise days in more than 10 provinces and cities. "The China Pavilion will continue to use rich exhibitions, wonderful activities, immersive experiences, and especially warm and thoughtful services to attract more tourists, and show a real, beautiful, credible, lovable, and respectable image of China," said Zhang Shujing (章书靖).
(Reported from Osaka (大阪), this newspaper, July 31)
Return to TopRecently, the Qingzhou Container Terminal in Fuzhou (福州), Fujian Province (福建省) was brightly lit, with cargo ships loading and unloading cargo in an orderly manner at the berths. The quay cranes at the terminal were operating efficiently, and transport vehicles were shuttling back and forth, creating a busy scene. Fujian Province (福建省) is one of China's (中国) important container manufacturing bases. In recent years, container manufacturing enterprises in Fujian Province (福建省) have actively responded to market demand, and the scale of exports has gradually expanded.
Wang Wangwang (王旺旺) Photo (Image China (影像中国))
Return to TopXinhua News Agency, Beijing, July 31 (Reporter Wang Yuxiao (王雨萧) and Zhang Xiaojie (张晓洁)) Ministry of Commerce (商务部) spokesperson He Yadong (何亚东) said on July 31 that China looks forward to further deepening dialogue and consultation with the United States to strive for more win-win results.
He Yadong (何亚东) said at a regular press conference held by the Ministry of Commerce (商务部) that from July 28 to 29, China and the United States held economic and trade talks in Stockholm, Sweden, and conducted frank, in-depth, and constructive exchanges on Sino-US economic and trade relations, macroeconomic policies, and other economic and trade issues of common concern to both sides. They reviewed and affirmed the consensus reached at the Sino-US Geneva economic and trade talks and the implementation of the London framework. China looks forward to working with the United States to continue to follow the important consensus reached in the phone call between the two heads of state, give full play to the role of the Sino-US economic and trade consultation mechanism, further deepen dialogue and consultation, and continuously strive for more win-win results.
He Yadong (何亚东) said that according to the consensus reached at the Sino-US Stockholm economic and trade talks, both sides will continue to promote the scheduled 90-day extension of the suspended 24% portion of the US reciprocal tariffs and China's countermeasures, further stabilize Sino-US economic and trade relations, and inject more certainty into world economic development and stability.
Return to TopJohannesburg, July 31st (People's Daily reporter Yang Ou (杨讴) and Dai Kairan (戴楷然)) On July 30th, the Consulate General of the People's Republic of China in Johannesburg and the China National Film Administration jointly held a film and photo exhibition in Johannesburg to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. More than 150 representatives from the political, business, and academic circles of South Africa, as well as Chinese-funded enterprises, attended the event.
Return to TopThis newspaper reported from Beijing on July 31st (Reporter Han Xiaoming (韩晓明)) Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jia Kun (郭嘉昆) stated at a regular press conference on July 31st that the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Tianjin Summit will be the largest summit since the SCO's establishment and the culmination of China's chairmanship. China will work with all member states to prepare for the final sprint.
Guo Jia Kun (郭嘉昆) said that since assuming the rotating presidency of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in July last year, China has practiced the slogan "Promoting the 'Shanghai Spirit': The SCO in Action," and has steadily advanced its chairmanship, achieving positive progress and results.
First, cooperation in various fields has become more in-depth. China has implemented more than 100 chairmanship activities, nearly half of which are institutional activities, covering politics, security, military affairs, economy and trade, investment, energy, education, connectivity, scientific and technological innovation, green industries, the digital economy, cultural exchanges and other fields, promoting SCO countries to enhance unity and mutual trust, strengthen mutual learning, and achieve mutual benefit and win-win results.
Second, the organizational mechanism has been further improved. China, together with other member states, has promoted the reform and innovation of the SCO in terms of its deliberation mechanism, cooperation model, and permanent institutions, making the organization operate more smoothly and efficiently. All parties are stepping up consultations on the establishment of a comprehensive center for responding to security threats and challenges, an information security center, a center for combating transnational organized crime, and a drug control center, to improve the level of law enforcement and security cooperation and build a new pattern of regional security cooperation.
Third, the "Shanghai Spirit" is more distinctive. The SCO speaks out for justice on major international and regional issues, firmly safeguards the multilateral trading system, strongly condemns the abuse of force, and issues a strong SCO voice for maintaining fairness and justice. China and other member states actively carry out exchanges and dialogues between political parties, media, and think tanks, so that the "Shanghai Spirit" is more deeply rooted in the hearts of the people and the "SCO family" is getting closer and closer.
"One month later, the SCO summit will be held in Tianjin (天津), China, and leaders from more than 20 countries and heads of 10 international organizations will gather on the banks of the Haihe River (海河). This will be the largest summit since the establishment of the SCO and the culmination of China's chairmanship," said Guo Jia Kun (郭嘉昆).
Return to Top(People's Daily, Dubai, July 31st) (Guan Kejiang (管克江), Inas Ibrahim) Baghdad News: Iraqi Ministry of Planning spokesman Abdul Al-Hindawi (阿卜杜勒·阿勒欣达维) said on July 30 that China's poverty alleviation has achieved great success, and Iraq hopes to learn from China's poverty reduction experience.
On the same day, the Iraqi government, together with the United Nations Development Programme and other agencies, held a press conference in Baghdad to release Iraq's first Multidimensional Poverty Index Report. Abdul Al-Hindawi (阿卜杜勒·阿勒欣达维) made the above remarks at the press conference. He said that China's success in poverty alleviation provides a model for poverty reduction in Iraq.
Return to TopThis newspaper reported from Beijing on July 31st (Reporter: Feng Chunmei (冯春梅)) The Ministry of National Defense of the People's Republic of China held a reception in the Great Hall of the People on July 31st to warmly celebrate the 98th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People's Liberation Army. Liu Zhenli (刘振立), member of the Central Military Commission (中央军委) and Chief of the Joint Staff Department of the Central Military Commission (军委联合参谋部), and Zhang Shengmin (张升民), member of the Central Military Commission (中央军委) and Secretary of the Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Central Military Commission (军委纪律检查委员会), attended the reception. Minister of National Defense Dong Jun (董军) attended and delivered a speech.
At about 17:30, the reception began with the playing of the "Military Song of the Chinese People's Liberation Army" (中国人民解放军军歌). Dong Jun (董军) delivered a speech, extending festive greetings to all officers and soldiers of the People's Liberation Army, officers and soldiers of the People's Armed Police Force (武警部队), civilian personnel of the military, reserve personnel, and militiamen. He expressed cordial greetings to retired veterans, demobilized soldiers, revolutionary disabled soldiers, and families of martyrs who have contributed to the construction of the People's Army. He paid high tribute to the heroic models of the entire army and national models of supporting the army and giving preferential treatment to families of revolutionary soldiers and martyrs, extended sincere greetings to comrades on the defense science, technology, and industry front, expressed heartfelt gratitude to Party committees and governments at all levels, people's organizations, and people of all ethnic groups across the country who care for and support national defense and army building, and extended a warm welcome to military attachés from various countries to China, representatives of international organizations, and distinguished guests attending the reception.
Dong Jun (董军) said that 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, the 80th anniversary of the restoration of Taiwan, and the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations. Under the banner of the Party, the People's Army has made immortal contributions to saving the nation from peril and realizing national liberation, and has made tremendous contributions to the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War. In just over a month, the People's Army will accept the review of the Party and the people with the heroic appearance of a peace-loving, just, and mighty force. We will unite more closely around the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) at its core, take Xi Jinping's (习近平) thinking on strengthening the military as our guide, unswervingly promote the building of the military politically, comprehensively strengthen military training and preparedness, and effectively fulfill the missions and tasks of the People's Army in the new era. We will never allow any "Taiwan independence" separatist schemes to succeed, and we are ready at any time to defeat any external military interference. For the complete reunification of the motherland, the Chinese People's Liberation Army is always ready! The Chinese military is willing to work with the militaries of all countries to practice the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind and the three global initiatives, jointly address risks and challenges, and work together to build a world of lasting peace, universal security, common prosperity, openness and inclusiveness, and cleanliness and beauty!
In the joyful music, Chinese and foreign guests jointly raised their glasses to congratulate the 98th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People's Liberation Army and to wish the friendship between the Chinese People's Liberation Army and the militaries of all countries to last forever.
Leaders from various departments of the Central Military Commission (中央军委) and relevant units stationed in Beijing (北京) attended the reception.
Also attending the reception were responsible persons from relevant departments of the CPC Central Committee (中共中央) and the State Council (国务院), and Beijing (北京市); representatives of retired military cadres, heroic models of the armed forces, capital militia, families of revolutionary martyrs and soldiers, national models of supporting the army and giving preferential treatment to families of revolutionary soldiers and martyrs, representatives of former Kuomintang (国民党) uprising personnel, and Chinese and foreign guests such as military attachés and their spouses stationed in China.
Return to TopBy: 王锦涛
Summer harvest, the wheat on the mountain is ripe, but no one is carrying it.
The so-called carrying of wheat is to carry the wheat from the field back home. In the past, this was a crucial and extremely strenuous step in the wheat harvest in the northwest mountain villages. A carrying pole, two bundles of wheat, more than 100 pounds, all pressed on people's shoulders. But even if their shoulders were red and chafed, the carriers would not put down their loads. Because if they did, grains of wheat would fall out, which they couldn't bear to see; if they rested for too long, they might carry one less load, as the ripe wheat wouldn't wait for anyone, so they couldn't stop; if they rested once, they would want to rest twice or three times, and once their spirit scattered and their motivation waned, it would be a case of 再而衰，三而竭 (zài ér shuāi, sān ér jié - "again decline, thrice exhaust," weakening with each effort), so they couldn't rest.
Now, with the comprehensive revitalization of the countryside being steadily advanced, rural roads have been hardened to the fields, and agricultural machinery has become popular in mountain villages, carrying wheat is gradually becoming history. But the spirit of the wheat carriers has not become outdated and is still worth learning from. In a sense, carrying wheat and carrying responsibilities are different in form but the same in principle. Understanding the reluctance, the inability to stop, and the inability to rest in the sweat of the wheat carriers will lead to greater progress in career development.
With true feelings, one will be reluctant to give up. Farmers work hard to grow grain, every grain is hard-earned, and they are reluctant to plant one less seedling or let a single grain of wheat fall, so that they can finally have a full granary. Similarly, cadres who take on responsibilities are responsible for creating benefits for the people, so they must be reluctant to let their fellow villagers be poor and reluctant to let the masses suffer. Qiu Jun (邱军), the "Role Model of the Times" (时代楷模), was rooted in the front line of poverty alleviation, and at the last moment of his life, he was concerned about the village's wealth-generating industries; Li Tingjun (李廷俊), who won the title of National Excellent County Party Secretary (全国优秀县委书记), took the lead in contacting village groups and visiting fields, conducting research in villages and communities for more than 120 days each year, and he firmly believed that "if you have the Party and the people in your heart, you will know who you are working for and who you are busy for, and you will voluntarily and consciously work"... Creating benefits for the people is indeed a heavy responsibility, and only with true feelings for the masses can one shoulder this heavy burden.
With aspirations, one will not stop. The wheat harvest is urgent, and the focus is on "grabbing." More than 10 years ago, in the northwest mountainous areas, even village primary schools had to take "busy leave" because once the wheat was overripe, it would fall to the ground as soon as it was touched, making it difficult to return to the granary. So, how could the wheat carriers stop? Starting a business also requires "grabbing." "Grabbing" is both a sense of urgency and a sense of initiative. In the revolutionary era, they rushed to carry explosive packs; during the period of socialist construction, they rushed to difficult places; now, they must rush to be willing oxen, pioneers, and old oxen. Stimulating the drive of not being able to wait, not being able to slow down, and not being able to sit still, being proactive and striving actively, not avoiding difficulties, not shirking responsibilities, and everyone striving for excellence and everything striving for the top, we can live up to the times, live up to the people, and live up to ourselves.
With faith, one will naturally not stop. At "Happy Three Miles" (快活三里) on the waist of Mount Tai (泰山), the porters dare not stay for long, for fear that their legs will become "lazy." The wheat carriers dare not unload their loads on the road, also for fear that their legs will become "lazy." Whether carrying wheat or carrying responsibilities, one must have a spirit. The brave have enough courage and full motivation. Huang Dafa (黄大发), the old village party secretary of Zunyi (遵义), Guizhou (贵州), worked non-stop for 36 years, finally leading the people to open up the "life canal" that bypassed the mountains, crossed the cliffs, and passed through dangerous cliffs; the "Six Old Men" (六老汉) of Gulang County (古浪县), Gansu (甘肃), continued to control the desert for three generations, building a green corridor to protect nearly 100,000 mu of farmland... In starting a business, one is not afraid of being slow, but of standing still. Slow but non-stop, a small step can lead to a thousand miles; standing still, even if close, is difficult to reach. Those who take on responsibilities are always worried, worried about being slack, worried about loosening up, so they keep moving forward.
Carrying wheat is the only way to get the wheat into the granary, and carrying responsibilities is the only way to succeed. Cultivating the reluctance to give up, the consciousness of not being able to stop, and the resilience of not being able to rest, being courageous to take responsibility, what is there to worry about not succeeding?
Return to TopXinhua News Agency, Beijing, July 31st. The National Football Work Conference was held in Beijing on the 31st. State Councilor Chen Yiqin (谌贻琴) attended the meeting and delivered a speech. She emphasized the need to thoroughly study and implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's (习近平) important instructions and endorsements on sports and football work, adhere to the Party's comprehensive leadership, leverage the advantages of the new type of nationwide system, follow the laws of football development, take the construction of a national youth training system as a strategic breakthrough, and focus on building a complete and high-quality football talent system, training system, competition system, and governance system, and unswervingly embark on a new path for the revitalization and development of Chinese football.
The meeting pointed out that it is necessary to adhere to the combination of an active government and an effective market, accelerate the construction of youth training centers at all levels, deepen the integration of sports and education, promote the high-quality development of campus football, strengthen the construction of the coaching staff, solidly promote the "two pilots" in key cities and western cities and counties, vigorously promote the healthy development of professional leagues, deepen international exchanges and cooperation, popularize the development of social football, and actively improve the social football cultural literacy.
The meeting emphasized that all regions and relevant departments should strengthen organizational leadership, improve systems and mechanisms, strengthen work forces, increase support, coordinate development and security, 持之以恒 (chí zhī yǐ héng - "persist, persevere," to persevere in doing something), rectify misconduct and fight corruption, continuously correct conduct in the industry and sportsmanship, strengthen the construction of stadium civilization, and improve the long-term mechanism for implementing policies to ensure that policies and measures to promote the revitalization and development of football are implemented in place.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 潘俊强 沈童睿 翟钦奇
In recent days, Party organizations at all levels and the vast number of Party members and cadres have fully played their roles on the front lines of flood prevention, emergency rescue, and disaster relief, safeguarding the peace and tranquility of thousands of families in the wind and rain.
On the evening of July 31, the lights in the disaster area of Liulimiao Town (琉璃庙镇), Huairou District (怀柔区), Beijing (北京市) gradually lit up. Looking at the twinkling lights, Ma Baohui (马宝辉), the director of the Liulimiao Power Supply Station and a Communist Party member, showed a gratified expression on his tired face, "I feel relieved when the lights are on."
Five days earlier, on the evening of the 26th, Huairou District (怀柔区) was hit by torrential rain, and Liulimiao Town (琉璃庙镇) lost power. Ma Baohui (马宝辉), who had just returned home, received a level-one emergency response order for flood prevention and rushed to the Huaibei Power Supply Station to assemble. "I am most familiar with the situation, I will be the guide." Ma Baohui (马宝辉) grabbed a satellite phone and led a team of more than 60 rescue team members, more than 30 emergency power generation vehicles, and a large number of supplies, braving the rain. The road was completely interrupted just 4 kilometers away from the Liulimiao Town (琉璃庙镇) government. "Follow me!" Ma Baohui (马宝辉) led two team members on foot to charge towards the "isolated island."
After arriving at the Liulimiao Town (琉璃庙镇) government, Ma Baohui (马宝辉) and his team immediately checked the circuit, "Prepare the lines so that the emergency power generation vehicle can be directly connected when it arrives." Inside the town government, they raced against time to repair; outside the town government, the emergency power generation vehicle moved forward with all its strength.
"Water recedes, people advance, electricity flows, this is our responsibility for emergency rescue," said Ma Baohui (马宝辉). "There are still villages without lights, we must rush to get all the lines through as soon as possible."
On July 29, at the entrance of Gaowopu Village (高窝铺村), Dencheng Manchu Township (邓厂满族乡), Luanping County (滦平县), Hebei Province (河北省), a road gap of about 3 meters long blocked rescue forces and supplies. On one side of the gap was a rushing river, and on the other side, Wang Xiuying (王秀英), the secretary of the village Party branch, was leading several villagers in vigorously compacting the soil on a cornfield that had been flooded. "We need to urgently open up this area and reinforce it into a temporary passage to allow supplies to come in," said Wang Xiuying (王秀英). It was this "lifeline" jointly created by Party members and the masses that allowed subsequent rescue vehicles loaded with supplies to drive in.
The floodwaters receded, and the villagers returned to their homes one after another. Many villagers carried iron shovels and hoes and worked with Party members and cadres to clear silt, repair roads, and rebuild their homes. Villager Huang Haiqing (黄海清) met Li Xu (李旭), a cadre from the township Party building office and a post-95 Party member, at the door and talked about his family's urgent matter: the Hebei Province (河北省) vocational college volunteer application had begun, and his daughter wanted to apply, but the village's network had not yet been restored. Without saying a word, Party member Li Xu (李旭) took Huang Haiqing's (黄海清) daughter to the county seat to handle it, "Leave it to us, don't worry!"
Previously, the township Party committee and township government had made advance arrangements, and cadres were assigned to villagers' groups and stayed there. "The roads were broken, and the phones were also broken. Party members and cadres used 'iron feet' to deliver information and supplies," said Wang Bowen (王博文), secretary of the township Party committee.
On the evening of July 25, in the temporary resettlement site of Zhongzhuan Road Street (中专路街道), Saihan District (赛罕区), Hohhot City (呼和浩特市), Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (内蒙古自治区), dozens of relocated people began to eat dinner. "Auntie, don't worry, food and accommodation are free here." Party member volunteer Guo Songjia (郭嵩嘉) helped resident Lu Xiulan (陆秀兰) check in. Inside the resettlement site, daily necessities and medicines were readily available. "Seeing the Party members and cadres makes me feel at ease," said Lu Xiulan (陆秀兰). During this heavy rainfall, Saihan District (赛罕区) set up 14 resettlement sites, cumulatively relocating 199 people and distributing more than 2,000 pieces of living materials.
(Yang Fan (杨凡) participated in the writing)
Return to TopThis newspaper's Beijing (北京) dispatch on July 31st (Reporters Liu Wenxin (刘温馨) and Qi Yukun (亓玉昆)) – In response to the severe rainstorms and flooding disasters in Miyun (密云), Beijing (北京), Chengde (承德), Hebei (河北), and other places, the National Disaster Reduction Committee (国家防灾减灾救灾委员会) has upgraded the national disaster relief emergency response level for Hebei (河北) to Level III on July 31st, based on activating the National Level III disaster relief emergency response for Beijing (北京). A working group composed of relevant departments has been dispatched to the disaster-stricken areas to guide disaster relief work, verify the disaster situation, express condolences to the affected people, and earnestly do a good job in various tasks such as ensuring the basic living needs of the affected people.
According to meteorological department forecasts, Typhoon No. 8 this year, "Tokage," will move into Anhui (安徽) on the evening of July 31st. Affected by the typhoon, from July 31st to August 1st, some areas in central and southern Anhui (安徽) will experience heavy to torrential rain, with localized areas experiencing extremely heavy torrential rain. The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters (国家防汛抗旱总指挥部) decided to activate a Level IV emergency response for flood and typhoon prevention in Anhui Province (安徽省) at 12:00 on the 31st.
On July 30th, the National Fire and Rescue Administration (国家消防救援局) deployed flood control, rescue, and disaster relief work. It requested that, based on the previous rescue efforts, it should actively work with local Party committees and governments and relevant departments to further carry out tasks such as searching for missing and trapped personnel and transferring threatened people. It should implement various flood prevention measures in a detailed and practical manner, deeply analyze the rain, flood, and disaster situations, and ensure that it responds and handles emergencies in the first time. While making every effort to do a good job in flood control, rescue, and disaster relief, it should also 毫不松懈 (háo bù sōng xiè - "not at all slacken," to not relax efforts) in preventing fire safety risks and fully protect the safety of people's lives and property.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 王昊男 李建广
From July 23rd to 29th, Beijing (北京) experienced extreme heavy rainfall, and flash floods occurred in the northern mountainous areas, causing significant casualties and property losses. As of 12:00 on July 31st, 44 people had died and 9 were missing due to the disaster in Beijing (北京). Among them, 31 people died in the Yanglao Zhaoliao Center (养老照料中心) in Taishitun Town (太师屯镇), Miyun District (密云区), and 4 of the missing were village Party branch secretaries on the front line of rescue and disaster relief. This flood disaster affected more than 300,000 people and damaged 24,000 houses.
On July 31st, Beijing (北京) held a press conference on flood prevention and disaster relief. Xia Linmao (夏林茂), member of the Standing Committee of the Beijing (北京市) Municipal Party Committee and Executive Deputy Mayor, stated that Beijing (北京) will deeply learn from the lessons, adhere to the principle of putting the people first and lives first, and further improve various measures for disaster prevention, mitigation, and relief, "Resolutely implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's (习近平) important instructions, and with a highly responsible attitude towards the Party and the people, resolutely win the battle against flood prevention, disaster relief, and post-disaster reconstruction, and make every effort to protect the safety of people's lives and property and the overall social stability."
The recent heavy rainfall was mainly concentrated in the northern mountainous areas of Beijing (北京), with local rainfall reaching more than 500 millimeters. The heavy rainfall formed flash floods, coupled with the surge of water from upstream, resulting in extreme destructive power. The infrastructure of 40 townships and 312 administrative villages in the northern mountainous areas was severely damaged.
"During this heavy rainfall, the city's maximum hourly rainfall intensity was in Dongyu Village (东峪村), Liulimiao Town (琉璃庙镇), Huairou District (怀柔区)." Zhang Qiang (张强), Secretary of the Huairou District (怀柔区) Party Committee, introduced that preliminary statistics show that the disaster affected nearly 100,000 people in Huairou District (怀柔区). About 113,000 people in Miyun District (密云区) were affected by the disaster, and 37 people died. Yu Weiguo (余卫国), Secretary of the Miyun District (密云区) Party Committee, said, "The painful lessons have alerted us that adhering to the principle of putting the people first and lives first should be earnestly implemented in our measures."
After the disaster occurred, Beijing (北京) immediately organized rescue and disaster relief work, quickly organized forces to relocate 104,000 people, and rescued more than 5,400 trapped people. A central-local and military-civilian collaborative mechanism was launched to coordinate the Central Theater Command, the Beijing (北京) Garrison, the Armed Police Force, and central enterprises such as Aneng Group (安能集团), and mobilize troops and large machinery and equipment to participate in rescue and disaster relief. Relevant work is still ongoing.
As of the afternoon of July 31st, 364 of the 424 blocked rural roads had been cleared, all affected administrative villages had achieved emergency water supply, 105 of the 213 power outage administrative villages had restored power supply, 23 of the 72 damaged communication optical cables had been restored, and 638 of the 1971 out-of-service base stations had been restored.
In terms of relocation and resettlement, gymnasiums, schools, guaranteed housing, village committees, and other places were used to centrally resettle affected people, and 300,000 pieces of daily necessities and rescue and disaster relief supplies in 15 categories were urgently allocated, equipped with medical personnel and related medicines.
"The Beijing (北京市) Fire and Rescue Corps has received more than 16,000 alarms, handled 790 flood-related police situations, dispatched personnel 6,830 times, vehicles 1,356 times, and boats 296 times." Wu Zhenkun (吴振坤), Chief of the Beijing (北京市) Fire and Rescue Corps and Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee, introduced that a total of 1,879 trapped people were rescued, 3,521 people were evacuated and transferred, and about 56 tons of emergency supplies were transported.
Miyun Reservoir (密云水库) effectively played the role of flood interception and peak shaving. Liu Bin (刘斌), Director of the Beijing (北京市) Municipal Water Affairs Bureau, introduced that as of 12:00 on July 31st, the water level of Miyun Reservoir (密云水库) had dropped back to 155.38 meters, with a storage capacity of 3.593 billion cubic meters, and the reservoir dam was safe and stable.
Efforts will be made to achieve full "four connections" (roads, power, water, and communications) by August 2nd for damaged roads, power supply, water supply, and communication facilities; a comprehensive investigation will be conducted on damaged mountains, rivers, and other key facilities and parts; garbage cleaning, channel dredging, environmental remediation, and disinfection and epidemic prevention will be strengthened; the repair of damaged houses will be accelerated, and the resumption of production and business operations will be fully promoted... Currently, Beijing (北京) is organizing all parties to provide support and is working to restore normal production and living order in the disaster-stricken areas.
Beijing (北京) will further enhance the capacity for disaster prevention and mitigation in mountainous areas. "Shift the reduction of disaster losses to the mitigation of disaster risks, and comprehensively enhance the disaster prevention and mitigation capabilities and resilience of mountainous areas," said Xia Linmao (夏林茂).
Yu Junsheng (余俊生), Deputy Director of the Beijing (北京市) Municipal Party Committee Propaganda Department, Director of the Municipal Government Information Office, and Spokesperson of the Municipal Government, said that Beijing (北京) is still in a critical period of flood prevention. Miyun Reservoir (密云水库) is still continuously discharging water, and the Chahe River (潮河), Baihe River (白河), and Chaobai River (潮白河) downstream still maintain high water levels. "After the heavy rain, the risk of geological disasters such as collapses and landslides has increased. Please avoid activities in high-risk areas such as mountainous rivers recently."
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 张腾扬
On the morning of July 31st, in front of the Liudaohe Town (六道河镇) government building in Xinglong County (兴隆县), Hebei Province (河北省), hundreds of armed police officers and soldiers, holding iron shovels and picks, and carrying supplies, stood in formation ready to depart.
In recent days, due to heavy rainfall causing mountain floods and mudslides, several villages in Liudaohe Town (六道河镇), Xinglong County (兴隆县) were once cut off from contact. Currently, roads to the villages, power, and communication facilities are still under intense repair, and vehicles cannot enter.
This time, the armed police officers and soldiers will walk to Xiangshuihu Village (响水湖村) and Zhujiagou Village (朱家沟村) to distribute living supplies to the affected people and search along the river for missing persons.
Liudaohe Town (六道河镇) has high mountains and deep valleys, and the mountain road has been washed away by floods. During the march, they frequently encountered large areas of collapsed sections, and the officers and soldiers had to carefully move forward close to the mountain wall.
"When the disaster just happened, I was among the first group to walk into the affected villages," said armed police soldier Zhang Guoyu (张国宇), pointing to a nearly vertical cliff above his head. "Until yesterday, we still needed to use both hands and feet to climb over it." Fortunately, engineering rescue personnel urgently laid gravel and soil at the bottom of the cliff, barely opening up a "lifeline" for personnel and light equipment to pass through.
Arriving at the confluence of two rivers upstream, the road was completely cut off. The officers and soldiers moved from the damaged road surface to the river beach nearly two meters away, wading forward. After wading through knee-deep, icy rapids, the team took a short break on a slightly flat rocky beach. A 19-year-old soldier from Inner Mongolia (内蒙古) took off his combat boots to pour out the mud and sand, and vigorously wrung out his soaked socks. Someone asked him, "Are you tired?" He firmly said, "Not tired! I have strength when I follow the troops!"
Soldier Fu Binglu (付丙禄) mentioned the rescue in Yangjiatai Village (杨家台村) a few days ago: "The mountain road was difficult to walk, so we found sticks and used clothes to make a stretcher, and carried the injured elderly step by step down the mountain with our comrades." His voice was a little tired, but with pride, "Within 12 hours, we made two round trips, walking dozens of kilometers of mountain roads. Now, all the villagers have been safely evacuated."
At 10:00 a.m., the team arrived at the village committee courtyard of Xiangshuihu Village (响水湖村). The officers and soldiers unloaded all the supplies they carried on their shoulders and in their hands - ham sausages, marinated eggs, mineral water, steamed buns... all kinds of food were piled into the village committee's small house. Villager Zhang Wang (张旺), who had planned to walk to the town with his wife and children to purchase supplies, rushed over after hearing the news. "Our third group is located on higher ground, and most of the houses are fine, but the road is broken, there is no water, no electricity, and no food, and it is far and dangerous to go to town," Zhang Wang (张旺) said. "Now I feel much more at ease!"
Return to TopXinhua News Agency, Beijing, July 31st (Xinhua) -- The State Council has appointed and removed state personnel.
Liu Yu (刘煜) and Wang Qianjin (王前进) were appointed as National Security Technical Advisors to the Committee for Safeguarding National Security of the Macao Special Administrative Region (澳门特别行政区维护国家安全委员会).
Yin Shuhua (殷树华) was removed from the post of National Security Technical Advisor to the Committee for Safeguarding National Security of the Macao Special Administrative Region (澳门特别行政区维护国家安全委员会).
Return to TopThis newspaper Beijing (北京) July 31st (Reporter Zhao Cheng (赵成)) - The website of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission (中央纪委国家监委) published a message on the 31st, announcing the supervisory inspection and investigation of discipline inspection and supervision cadres in the first half of 2025 by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission (中央纪委国家监委). The announcement shows that in the first half of 2025, the national discipline inspection and supervision system filed cases against 2,042 discipline inspection and supervision cadres, and disciplined 1,666 people.
The announcement shows that in the first half of 2025, the national discipline inspection and supervision system received more than 16,800 pieces of clues or reports involving discipline inspection and supervision cadres, disposed of 14,000 pieces of clues involving discipline inspection and supervision cadres, interviewed and sent letters of inquiry to 4,872 discipline inspection and supervision cadres, filed cases against 2,042 discipline inspection and supervision cadres, disciplined 1,666 people, and transferred 101 people to judicial organs. Among them, 49 cadres at the department and bureau level and 319 cadres at the county level were disciplined.
According to the announcement, in the first half of 2025, discipline inspection and supervision organs at all levels used the "four forms" to criticize, educate, and handle discipline inspection and supervision cadres 6,006 times. Among them, the first form was used to criticize, educate, and handle 4,242 times, the second form was used to handle 1,439 times, the third form was used to handle 199 times, and the fourth form was used to handle 126 times.
Return to TopBy: 陈 凌
A more authentic, three-dimensional, and comprehensive China allows more people to break through cognitive cocoons, shatter stereotypes, remove "colored glasses," and gain emotional resonance.
"Beautiful environment, convenient shopping, and friendly people make you want to come back!" Not long ago, Turkish tourist Feridun Koç (费里敦·科奇) praised China's open measures and convenient services after experiencing the "buy and refund" off-airport tax refund. Koç's praise vividly reflects the continued surge in the popularity of "China tours" and also reflects the continuous improvement of foreign friends' "impression score" of China.
Recently, the American polling agency Pew Research Center released a report showing that in the past year, global public opinion of China has continued to rise. Among high-income countries, the median percentage of respondents with a positive view of China is the highest in six years. China's image is gaining increasingly widespread recognition around the world. Why is this phenomenon happening?
In the short term, with the continuous optimization of a series of policies such as the 240-hour visa-free transit and the "buy and refund" off-airport tax refund, more and more foreigners are coming to China, feeling China, and discovering China, and refreshing the world's understanding of China through live broadcasts and social platforms. China is "becoming cooler," "there are new discoveries everywhere," and the Chinese style is "full of charm"... A more authentic, three-dimensional, and comprehensive China allows more people to break through cognitive cocoons, shatter stereotypes, remove "colored glasses," and gain emotional resonance.
The "impression score" is not improved in a day. The world's view of China is becoming more positive and friendly because China has always firmly stood on the right side of history and promoted the construction of an open world economy with its own practical actions, and is an open force for world development. When economic globalization encounters headwinds, China sends out the strong voice of the times: "The ocean of the world economy is there, whether you want it or not." When individual countries build tariff barriers, China insists on opening its doors and embracing the world, holding events such as the China International Import Expo (进博会), the Canton Fair (广交会), and the China International Supply Chain Expo (链博会). Adhering to "opening the door" rather than "closing the door," "dismantling walls" rather than "building walls," and "integration" rather than "decoupling," open China brings hope and the future to the world, and is increasingly winning the recognition of the world.
At the end of May this year, the International Mediation Institute "settled" in Hong Kong (香港). This institution, initiated and promoted by China, fills the gap in the international mediation field mechanism and provides important legal public products for improving global governance. Today's world is not peaceful, and changes and chaos are intertwined. China firmly stands on the side of human civilization and progress, injecting stability into a world of increasing conflicts and increasing divisions. The continuous improvement of the "impression score" is also because China is a stable force for world development.
Chinese people not only hope to live well themselves, but also sincerely help people in other countries to live a good life. A seed allows three meals to be secured. After Burkina Faso (布基纳法索) introduced hybrid rice from China, grain production increased significantly, basically achieving "zero imports" of rice. A workshop makes life more promising. In Tajikistan (塔吉克斯坦), the first Luban Workshop (鲁班工坊) in Central Asia provides learning and practical training opportunities for more than 1,500 students. Thanks to cooperation with China, roads and railways have been extended, schools and hospitals have sprung up, and industrial parks have grown and expanded, bringing tangible benefits to various countries. Measures that continuously benefit the people always have lasting vitality and always win the recognition of the world. The continuous improvement of the "impression score" is also because China is a progressive force for world development.
The improvement of the "impression score" also reflects the continuous enhancement of the country's cultural soft power and the influence of Chinese culture. From the popularity of *Black Myth: Wukong* (*黑神话：悟空*) to the first "intangible cultural heritage version" of the Spring Festival allowing the world to share the charm of Chinese New Year, to Yunnan (云南) Laoshan Tea (老山茶) entering the United Nations headquarters on "International Tea Day," Chinese culture is moving towards the world in exchanges and mutual learning, adding a beautiful color to the garden of world civilizations. The continuous improvement of the "impression score" is also because China is a civilized force for world development.
The "impression score" is accumulated bit by bit. The greater recognition of China's image also confirms that the path of Chinese-style modernization is correct and feasible. Continuing to unswervingly follow this path, being an open force, a stable force, a progressive force, and a civilized force for world development, the credible, lovable, and respectable image of China will be increasingly presented to the world in a three-dimensional way.
Return to TopThe west is a vast stage for showcasing talent and a great classroom for enhancing skills. What are the experiences and gains from going to the west and serving at the grassroots level? In this issue, we have selected three submissions to share the reflections and insights of the three authors with our readers.
——Editor
"Touching the Soil" and "Finding Ideas"
Wang Wei (王伟)
In 2024, I was fortunate to be selected by the organization to become a member of the Shanghai Aid-to-Yunnan Cadre Team, undertaking a three-year counterpart assistance mission in Yunnan. From the banks of the Huangpu River to a small western town, from government offices to the front lines of the grassroots, the questions I have constantly pondered are: What is the purpose of this temporary assignment, what should I do, and what can I leave behind?
The place where I am temporarily assigned is Yanjin County (盐津县) in Zhaotong (昭通), Yunnan (云南). The area is rich in products, and agricultural products such as Yanjin Black-boned Chicken (盐津乌骨鸡) are very distinctive, but they lack sales channels. I volunteered to go deep into remote mountain villages and found ideas through on-the-ground research: only by keeping up with the demand for consumption upgrades can products increase market share; only by opening up channels from production areas to markets can sales channels be broadened. Therefore, we adopted the "Yanjin Base (盐津基地) + Shanghai Market (上海市场)" model, relying on e-commerce platforms to build sales channels, radiating and driving more than 300 rural people to achieve employment nearby, with an average monthly salary of about 4,000 yuan.
Through "touching the soil," I also realized that collaboration should achieve win-win results through resource integration, so that it can be sustainable. Following this idea, we connected resources and attracted investment through Shanghai-Yunnan (沪滇) collaboration channels. The local area gains market access, and enterprises gain profits. Several agricultural product processing enterprises have added 55 million yuan in investment, and the soil of collaboration has nurtured fruitful results.
The more soil you touch, the more accurate the ideas you find. Always keeping the overall situation in mind and keeping your feet on the ground, those past confusions will naturally have the best answers.
(The author is a temporarily assigned cadre of the People's Government of Yanjin County (盐津县人民政府), Zhaotong (昭通), Yunnan (云南))
"Everyday Language" and "Living Textbook"
Shi Qingbo (施清波)
When I first arrived in a western township to work in a village, I was full of enthusiasm, but I was soon "hit": when chatting with the villagers about specific policies, the villagers were not "interested." At first, I was puzzled. It was clearly a policy that benefited the people, so why did everyone feel "unresponsive"? Only after more communication did I understand that it was because they couldn't understand the language of the policies. I also realized that in grassroots work, you must be good at transforming policy language into "everyday language."
Serving the masses and using "everyday language" to explain policies clearly is only the first step. It is even more important to understand the joys, sorrows, and concerns behind the "everyday language" of the masses. In "everyday language," there are the concerns of the masses, as well as the focus points for promoting the implementation of policies. Here, "social assistance" is not an abstract noun, but rather that Grandpa Zhang's (张大爷) medical expenses are settled; "industrial revitalization" is not just a concept in a report, but rather the abundant fruits in Aunt Li's (李大姐) tangerine orchard. Finding the concerns of everyone will make serving the masses more precise and effective.
The countryside is a "living textbook" that is always new when read. In two years, the daily lives of the 1,513 households in the village have given me a deeper understanding of how to carry out grassroots work, and have also allowed me to grow in helping villagers solve urgent and difficult problems. I will continue to work hard to put in more hard work and tackle tough challenges, so that good policies can take root, blossom, and bear fruit.
(The author is a cadre of the People's Government of Tiantaishan Town (天台山镇人民政府), Qionglai City (邛崃市), Chengdu (成都), Sichuan (四川))
"Meticulous Painting" and "Grand Article"
Adilai Wusiman (阿迪来·吾斯曼)
As a selected graduate, I was both excited and apprehensive when I first came to Lianmuqin Town (连木沁镇), Shanshan County (鄯善县), Xinjiang (新疆) in November 2019. The excitement was that I had the opportunity to use what I had learned to contribute to rural development as soon as I left school; the apprehension was that, although I was no stranger to rural life, I was also afraid that I would not do well when I first arrived.
In the past five years, I have been working and thinking, and I have realized two truths. One is that to do a good job at the grassroots level, you need to create a good "meticulous painting." Grassroots work often involves all aspects of people's lives, and many of them are small things. What to do if an elderly person has difficulty moving around and their TV is broken; how to solve the "difficult travel" problem when the road into the village is old, dilapidated, and seriously damaged; how to manage grape cultivation, and whether agricultural technicians can be invited to guide pest and disease control... Small things are not small, and the key is to do them well. Solving one specific and micro problem after another will gain the recognition of the masses.
If solving specific problems for the masses is creating a good "meticulous painting," then promoting industrial development is a "grand article" that requires finding a clear idea and clarifying the logic of development. For example, the grape industry is the pillar industry of our village. From transforming grape trellises to contacting agricultural technology experts to guide pest and disease control, to opening up dried grape sales channels and realizing the entire industry chain, the grape yield and output value of the village have been steadily increasing.
When I see the happy smiles on the faces of the villagers, all the efforts have a concrete "return." Only by creating a good "meticulous painting" and writing a good "grand article" can we truly do our work to the hearts of the masses.
(The author is the first secretary of Tongxin Community (同心社区), Lianmuqin Town (连木沁镇), Shanshan County (鄯善县), Turpan (吐鲁番), Xinjiang (新疆))
Return to TopBy: 张 驰
# Role Model of Heroic Deeds
## [Event]
Not long ago, the 15th National Commendation Conference for Heroes and Role Models of Heroic Deeds was held in Beijing (北京), grandly commending 60 individuals and groups of heroes and role models of heroic deeds. Among them, 8 individuals and 2 groups were awarded the title of "National Hero of Heroic Deeds," and 40 individuals and 10 groups were awarded the title of "National Role Model of Heroic Deeds."
## [Commentary]
In a moment of crisis, what would you choose?
There is a group of people who, even in the face of mortal danger, steadfastly choose courage and justice, performing righteous deeds with kindness and rescuing people from danger.
Seeing two workers faint in a sewage well, engineer Cai Wen (蔡文) disregarded his personal safety and went down the well to rescue them. Facing people who had fallen into the water, armed police soldier Li Linyu (李林雨) unhesitatingly jumped into the water to rescue them, but unfortunately died. In a barbecue restaurant, Ma Lianmei (马莲梅), a Hui girl from Yunnan (云南), bravely disarmed the assailant of the knife... Among the 15th National Commendation Conference for Heroes and Role Models of Heroic Deeds, there are retired soldiers, armed police soldiers, as well as hot pot restaurant owners and security guards; some are born in the 2000s, and some have already retired. Ordinary figures step forward bravely, which is deeply moving and inspires more people to admire virtue and do good.
Heroic deeds originate from people's simple empathy and sense of justice. Seeing heroes and caring for heroes is the most powerful defense of justice. Holding a commendation conference is not only a high tribute to heroes and role models, but also a heartfelt praise for the spirit of heroic deeds. When stories of people stepping forward in moments of crisis are widely spread, and when the shining names of those who give light to others are remembered, the kind starlight of heroes and role models can ignite the fire of kindness in everyone's heart, converging into the civilized starry sky of the entire society. In recent years, the construction of civic morality has been continuously promoted, and commendation forms close to the masses, such as the "List of Warriors of Heroic Deeds" and "People's Heroes," have emerged continuously, helping to form a value orientation of "respecting heroes, learning from heroes, and striving to be heroes," so that "the weak are supported, the distressed are helped, and the endangered are rescued" becomes a social trend.
To make noble conduct a common practice, not only moral advocacy is needed, but also sound institutional guarantees to eliminate the worries of those who do good. The law is the most solid foundation. Articles 183 and 184 of the Civil Code, known as the "Good Samaritan Clause," stipulate not only the protection measures for the rights and interests of those who perform heroic deeds when their own rights and interests are infringed, but also that "a rescuer shall not bear civil liability for damage caused to the assisted person due to voluntary emergency rescue." China's Criminal Law provides a "safety net" for good deeds and righteous acts from the two dimensions of legitimate defense and emergency avoidance. The constantly improving legal system supports those who perform heroic deeds and gives rescuers confidence.
Good deeds sometimes come at a price, and allowing those who do good to have sufficient positive feedback while not suffering losses is also an important factor in encouraging society to be good. Jiang Zhaopeng (姜昭鹏), a candidate from Shandong (山东), missed the exam because he rescued a classmate who had gone into shock. With approval, the Shandong Provincial Education Admissions Examination Authority activated a supplementary paper in accordance with regulations and arranged for him to take a make-up exam. Jiang Zhaopeng (姜昭鹏) was also awarded the honorary title of "Yantai (烟台) City Advanced Individual in Heroic Deeds." From awarding honors to giving bonuses, to implementing precise assistance, poverty alleviation and education assistance, and medical assistance projects, various localities and departments are constantly improving the identification and reward mechanisms for heroic deeds, providing more comprehensive and systematic support for those who perform righteous deeds. Strengthening the protection of the rights and interests of personnel who perform heroic deeds, and realizing "the virtuous are rewarded, the brave are honored, the righteous are praised, and those who help others are blessed," will enable more people to "be willing to take action" and "dare to take action," allowing the flowers of justice to bloom everywhere.
Since the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, more than 30,000 cases of heroic deeds and nearly 40,000 people involved in heroic deeds have been confirmed nationwide in accordance with laws and regulations, and the social atmosphere of **急公好义** (jí gōng hào yì - "eager for public good and fond of justice," public-spirited and eager to help others) is becoming increasingly strong. Safeguarding justice with sound systems and nourishing people's hearts with noble spirits will surely inspire more people to transform from bystanders into actors, gathering small acts of kindness into a mighty force, and illuminating every corner of society with the light of harmony and civilization.
Return to TopNot long ago, 16 departments, including the All-China Women's Federation (全国妇联), jointly issued a notice to deploy the "Children's Hearts Towards the Party, Hand in Hand to Protect and Escort Growth" 2025 summer children's care service activities. From optimizing托管 services to carrying out family education guidance, and then to strengthening safety hazard investigation... relevant departments in various regions have joined hands to form a joint force of care, helping children spend a happy and fulfilling holiday.
This is precisely:
Shadows of trees dance in the long summer days,
Children's laughter and reading voices are clear.
Diligently weaving a protective net for seedlings,
Every branch of new lotus fills the garden with fragrance.
By Xu Zhiwen (徐 之文)
Return to TopBy: 陈炳旭
Why visit a city? "Follow your feelings" is the answer for many young people.
The recently released "2025 Shanghai Cultural Tourism Scene Consumption Report" shows that "experience" consumption, carried by cultural and expo venues, and "pleasing oneself" consumption, represented by the performing arts economy, are quietly rising. Recently, from graduation trips to summer vacations, young people's travel lists are no longer dominated by their parents, but are planned independently, not only to see the scenery, but also to meet the needs of in-depth experience and personalized travel. From the past "visiting and checking in" to "participating in experience," young people "follow their feelings," not satisfied with 走马观花 (zǒu mǎ guān huā - "riding a horse and looking at flowers," to gain a superficial understanding through cursory observation), but listening to their inner preferences, pursuing the satisfaction of emotional value and the release of individual expression, which has become a new trend in cultural tourism consumption.
The experience of the intersection of time and space, the blending of ancient and modern, often stimulates people's complex and profound emotional resonance.
Walking into the "Exploring the Ancient and Modern Overnight" event at the Luoyang Museum (洛阳博物馆) in Henan (河南), listening to the farewell story of a father and daughter in the Spring and Autumn Period and the hawking of Hu merchants in the Sui and Tang Dynasties in immersive explanations and scene-based restoration performances, you can feel the freshness of history; strolling through the Sanxingdui Museum (三星堆博物馆) in Sichuan (四川), wearing MR (mixed reality) glasses, triggering digital scenes, and feeling the local customs carried by fragments of light; wandering in the Hubei Provincial Museum (湖北省博物馆), talking with the national comic IP image based on the Sword of Goujian (越王勾践剑), and feeling the grandeur of thousands of years... Traveling through the dust of history and perceiving the treasures of civilization not only opens a dialogue across time and space, but also drives introspection in the depths of the soul, allowing young travelers to "shake hands" with the profound cultural context.
Exploring alleys and lingering in the fireworks of the market fits the needs of young people to change their lifestyle.
In Beijing (北京), among the red walls and green tiles of the Drum Tower (鼓楼), the drumbeats of the Jingxi Taiping Drum and the tunes of Western string music are intertwined, and a new Beijing charm comes to the fore; in Chengdu (成都), Sichuan (四川), walking on the bluestone slabs of Kuanzhai Alley (宽窄巷子), the fresh tea fragrance of gaiwan tea and the rich aroma of coffee blend together, blending the taste of Shu land today; in Changsha (长沙), Hunan (湖南), rock music and regional cultural elements are integrated, and the story of Hunan is told slowly... The urban texture is embedded with cultural narratives, and the urban temperament is integrated with artistic fragrance. What young people yearn to embrace is not entirely the concrete symbols of bricks and pillars, but also the scenes and life that exude a fresh atmosphere.
Taking photos and sharing them, "planting grass" and sharing, starting a "go as you please" trip... Young people's similar interests and similar demands reflect the transformation of people's consumption needs, that is, from purely "seeing mountains, seeing water, and seeing scenery" to "viewing culture, tasting history, and experiencing life," from simple "shopping, shopping, shopping" to "feeling culture and experiencing history." This consumption demand, which pays more attention to individual experience and highlights spiritual value, confirms the trend of consumption upgrading and calls for more high-quality cultural supply.
Thinking while walking, thinking then walking far. "Follow your feelings" is not so much a rush to a trip or a satisfaction of expectations, as it is an opportunity to temper the mind. For the city, this is also an opportunity for growth. Promote the transformation and upgrading of public spaces such as museums, art galleries, and art museums, better build popular performing arts spaces, immersive theaters, novel experience venues, urban parks and other new cultural consumption scenarios, and promote the continuous "renovation" and "new launch" of new cultural tourism products and new formats... When cultural spaces provide more "admission tickets" and better "audience seats," and when cultural elements are embedded in the details of the city, people can linger in encounters with the city, and the desire to meet again will also sprout.
Historical culture is the soul of a city, and youthful vitality is the style of a city. Enriching spiritual nourishment in supply and demand, and building cultural connections between people and cities, can make the city more attractive and achieve mutual progress between people and cities. Inheriting the charm of history, adhering to cultural taste, activating the dopamine of youth, and keeping up with the new trends in cultural tourism demand can create vibrant cities, and will also accumulate richer nourishment and spread a broader stage for the growth of young people.
Return to TopBy: 李焕泉
In recent days, the Fujian Provincial Department of Human Resources and Social Security (福建省人力资源和社会保障厅) and six other departments jointly issued the "Notice on Eight Measures to Improve the Quality of Entrepreneurship and Promote Entrepreneurship-Driven Employment," which, through the implementation of support policies and increased financing, strives to build a "four-creation linkage" support system of entrepreneurial policies, services, incubation, and activities, providing precise escort for entrepreneurial innovation.
The "gold content" of entrepreneurial support affects the "confidence value" of the job market. In the past, difficulty in financing, high site costs, and weak capabilities were the "three big mountains" on the road to entrepreneurship. The policies introduced this time directly address the pain points of entrepreneurship, including both financial support such as entrepreneurial loan guarantees, special loans for stabilizing employment and expanding posts, and subsidies for driving employment, as well as "escort" support mechanisms such as "follow-up accompaniment" and entrepreneurial mentor consultations. When policy resources are accurately aligned with entrepreneurial needs, they nourish the confidence of entrepreneurs like a timely rain. This confidence becomes a solid foundation for stabilizing employment.
The more active entrepreneurship is, the stronger its driving force for employment. For example, in Jinjiang (晋江), Fujian (福建), on average, 1 in every 7 people is a boss, and 1 in every 21 people owns a business. With 1/200 of Fujian's land area, it creates 1/16 of the province's total economic output. The atmosphere of entrepreneurship and employment is very strong, and the number of new urban jobs in 2024 increased by 11.72% compared with the previous year. The eight measures not only build a support system and inherit the entrepreneurial gene of daring to fight and win, but also generate more business entities, and promote the formation of a virtuous circle of "entrepreneurial fertile ground - enterprise growth - employment expansion" by incubating high-quality projects and activating market space.
The value of policies lies not only in establishing guidance but also in providing timely help. Whether financial institutions can develop more suitable credit products, whether revitalized idle resources can benefit entrepreneurs at inclusive prices, and whether the "one network" of human resources services can truly clear the blockages of enterprise talent shortages... Whether policies can be effectively implemented is crucial to the success or failure of entrepreneurship. Only by continuously creating a good business environment, establishing and improving a public service system covering the entire life cycle of enterprises, reducing the cost of entrepreneurial trial and error, and improving the quality of entrepreneurship can more people dare to venture, be good at creating, and create successful businesses.
The eight measures are not only tangible "policy red envelopes," but also a firm confidence conveyed to the market. The "wutong tree" has already been planted, and we look forward to thousands of entrepreneurial "golden phoenixes" spreading their wings and soaring, using the "progress" of economic development to drive the "stability" of employment, and ultimately supporting the "warmth" of people's livelihoods.
(Excerpted and compiled from "Fujian Daily" (《福建日报》), original title "Providing Precise Escort for Entrepreneurship-Driven Employment")
Return to TopThis edition's email: rmbpl@peopledaily.cn (Please indicate the column name when submitting articles)
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 李龙伊
On July 31st, the State Council Information Office (国务院新闻办公室) held a series of thematic press conferences on "High-Quality Completion of the '14th Five-Year Plan'," introducing the high-quality development achievements of veteran affairs work during the "14th Five-Year Plan" period.
"The '14th Five-Year Plan' for Veteran Affairs Services and Support is the first national special plan in the field of veteran affairs. Since the implementation of the plan, we have conscientiously grasped its implementation, and all tasks have reached expectations." Minister of Veterans Affairs, Pei Jinjia (裴金佳), said, "All binding indicators such as the veteran placement rate have been achieved as scheduled, and expected indicators such as the construction of veteran service centers (stations) and martyrs' memorial facilities have been steadily implemented, with some exceeding expectations, effectively improving the level of veteran service and support."
Providing More Precise, Convenient, High-Quality, and Efficient Services for Veterans
Veteran service centers (stations) are a bridge and link for the Party and the government to closely connect, unite, and gather the vast number of veterans. "'Since the '14th Five-Year Plan,' the Ministry of Veterans Affairs has attached great importance to the construction of service centers (stations) and continuously improved the basic effectiveness of service and support," Pei Jinjia (裴金佳) introduced.
Striving for full coverage in the service system. Further improving the construction of 6-level service centers (stations) from the national to the village (community) level, with 610,000 service institutions currently available. At the same time, service stations are also being established in qualified universities, enterprises, and business districts to provide daily services for veterans nearby.
Implementing a list-based approach to service content. Establishing a service list with clear responsibilities, mutual connection, and standardized order based on the needs of veterans.
Achieving convenience in service methods. Organizing and promoting the construction of a veteran service APP, continuously enriching and improving service functions, and improving service levels through information-based empowerment of service processes.
Gradually achieving professionalization in the service team. Establishing a new occupation of veteran affairs officer, and regularly conducting business training, exchange visits, and skills competitions for service personnel to continuously improve their service capabilities and levels in their work.
"We will further promote the deep integration of service centers (stations) with grassroots governance and coordination with public service institutions, continuously expand service functions and responsibilities, and provide more precise, convenient, high-quality, and efficient services for veterans," Pei Jinjia (裴金佳) said.
Veterans have dedicated their youth and made contributions to national defense and military construction. For veterans in difficulty, the Ministry of Veterans Affairs actively explores various measures and methods of care and assistance.
During the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, in accordance with the principle of combining universal benefits and preferential treatment, documents such as the work norms for helping and assisting veterans in difficulty and strengthening judicial assistance for veterans were issued, making clear provisions and requirements for helping and assisting those in difficulty; a service system for helping veterans in difficulty through information technology was established, and data was regularly compared with civil affairs departments; and special actions such as "Warmth to Veterans" were carried out in conjunction with relevant departments and social organizations to effectively solve the practical difficulties of veterans.
Pei Jinjia (裴金佳) said that it is necessary to effectively improve the timeliness and accuracy of assistance work, strive to ensure that every call is answered, every difficulty is helped, and every weakness is supported, and actively help veterans in difficulty overcome their difficulties.
Continuously Promoting High-Quality Development of Veteran Employment Work
Employment has always been the core concern of the vast number of veterans.
"We insist on taking the promotion of high-quality and full employment of veterans as the top priority, guiding them to become a vital force in all walks of life, and contributing to economic and social development," said Sheng Baochen (盛保晨), head of the Employment and Entrepreneurship Department of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs.
Sheng Baochen (盛保晨) introduced that the Ministry of Veterans Affairs has successively signed contracts with 69 central enterprises, state-owned enterprises, and large private enterprises, driving veteran affairs departments at all levels to cooperate with nearly 20,000 enterprises across the country, guiding enterprises to implement preferential policies such as "priority employment of veterans under the same conditions" and "appropriately relaxing requirements for academic qualifications and age"; organizing special actions for veteran employment services every year, holding more than 50,000 job fairs, and reaching employment intentions with more than 1.4 million veterans; supporting veterans with the conditions and willingness to start businesses and innovate, and guiding localities to establish 1,988 entrepreneurship incubation bases.
In terms of leveraging the role of veterans, the Ministry of Veterans Affairs has strengthened the cultivation of "soldier branch secretaries," "soldier teachers," and "national defense education instructors," promoted the special recruitment of firefighters, and guided veterans to continue to contribute to the country. Approximately 370,000 outstanding veterans serve as members of the "two committees" in villages (communities), more than 14,800 veterans have entered primary and secondary schools to teach, and more than 18,000 veterans have entered the national comprehensive fire and rescue teams.
"'During the '14th Five-Year Plan' period, the transfer and placement work has always adhered to one main line, which is to insist on receiving and placing veterans well and giving full play to their roles," said Xu Yao (徐耀), Vice Minister of Veterans Affairs.
Xu Yao (徐耀) introduced that the Ministry of Veterans Affairs continuously revitalizes the "two resources" of positions and talents, mobilizes the enthusiasm of Party and government organs, mass organizations, institutions, and state-owned enterprises for placement, optimizes the placement ratio of various units, guides various units to come up with more positions suitable for veterans, and achieves "matching people to positions and making the best use of their talents"; promotes direct placement of professional talents, "revitalizes and makes good use of" general talents such as scientific research and aviation, and achieves "changing jobs without changing positions." As of now, more than 8,000 people have been directly placed.
"We will continue to improve the system of placement policies and systems, focus on grasping the three key points of increasing job supply, optimizing placement procedures, and strengthening service management, and continuously promote the high-quality development of placement work," Xu Yao (徐耀) said.
Continuously Promoting the Whole Society to Respect Heroes, Remember Martyrs, and Strive to Be Pioneers
Heroes and martyrs are the most shining coordinates of the nation, and their deeds and spirit are the valuable wealth of the country.
"'During the '14th Five-Year Plan' period, the veteran affairs departments have taken publicizing the deeds of heroes and martyrs and promoting the spirit of heroes and martyrs as an important starting point, and continuously promoted the whole society to respect heroes, remember martyrs, and strive to be pioneers," introduced Chen Erwei (陈二伟), Director of the Department of Ideological and Political Affairs and Rights Protection of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs.
Deeply cherishing the memory of revolutionary martyrs. The seventh batch of national-level martyrs' memorial facilities was selected and announced. During the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, four batches of 265 remains of Chinese People's Volunteer Army martyrs in South Korea were welcomed back and solemnly buried. The National Martyrs' Remains Search Team and the National Martyrs' Remains DNA Identification Laboratory were established.
Respecting and learning from the spirit of heroes and martyrs. Every year, activities such as "Qingming Festival to Commemorate Martyrs" are carried out, special programs are produced and broadcast, and local areas are guided to leverage the advantages of red resources to create a strong atmosphere of respecting martyrs and learning from heroes throughout society. Jointly with embassies and consulates abroad, pay tribute to overseas martyrs' memorial facilities.
Vigorously inheriting the red gene. The National Heroes and Martyrs Interpreters Competition has been held for four consecutive sessions, and practical activities such as the "Red Scarf Interpreters" theme team day have been carried out in conjunction with relevant departments to guide the vast number of young people to establish correct worldviews, outlooks on life, and values with the spirit of heroes and martyrs.
"We will grasp the implementation of the newly revised 'Regulations on Commendation of Martyrs,' manage, protect, and utilize martyrs' memorial facilities well, and promptly announce the fourth batch of national-level anti-Japanese war memorial facilities, sites, and famous anti-Japanese war martyrs and heroic group lists, tell the stories of anti-Japanese war martyrs and heroic groups, and better gather the strength of national progress," Chen Erwei (陈二伟) said.
The vast number of entitled groups have made sacrifices and contributions to the revolution, national defense, and military construction. The Party and the state have always cared for and cared for them, and society respects and respects them.
"'In the past five years, we have always adhered to the purpose and concept of serving the entitled groups wholeheartedly, and strived to better reflect and implement the care and love of the Party and the state on the entitled groups," Xu Yao (徐耀) said.
Strengthening preferential treatment in accordance with the law, revising and formulating more than 10 regulations and policies such as the "Regulations on Military Personnel Pension and Preferential Treatment" and the "Measures for Medical Security for Entitled Groups"; strengthening preferential security, increasing the standards for regular pensions and subsidies year by year, actively carrying out visits and condolences and helping to solve difficulties, and solidly promoting the reform and development of preferential treatment institutions; strengthening honor incentives, hanging "Glorious Family" plaques for entitled group families, and issuing preferential treatment cards for entitled groups.
"We will continuously increase our care efforts and improve the quality and efficiency of services through strengthening humanistic care, efficiently handling one matter, and 'one-stop' services, so that the sense of gain, happiness, and honor of the entitled groups will be more perceptible and accessible," Xu Yao (徐耀) said.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 金正波
"To achieve the centennial goal of building a strong military as scheduled, what should we, as military academy students, do?"
"Solidify professional knowledge and constantly hone skills," "Strive to make achievements that are truly useful for enhancing combat effectiveness"... The classroom interaction was enthusiastic.
The lecturer is Professor Fu Wanjuan (傅婉娟) from the Military and Political Basic Education College of the National University of Defense Technology (国防科技大学). She has long been rooted in the front line of teaching, dedicated to cultivating people with her soul, and has conducted nearly a hundred theoretical lectures and seminars in the military. She won the second prize of the All-Army Excellent Achievement Award for Political Theory Research and was awarded the Second Class Merit once and the Third Class Merit four times.
"To give students a bowl of water, teachers must not only have a bucket of water, but also know how to use what method to let the water soak into the students' hearts." Standing on the platform, Fu Wanjuan (傅婉娟) thinks most about: teaching the class well, leading the students well, and spreading the Party's innovative theories well.
"To teach political theory well, you can't simply go from book to book." Fu Wanjuan (傅婉娟) said that she likes to listen to the lectures of old professors in the college, collect lecture videos of famous teachers from various schools, watch, learn, and learn from them repeatedly, and form her own style. Interactive, inquiry-based, on-site teaching... On the platform, Fu Wanjuan (傅婉娟) constantly stimulates the ideological resonance of students.
"Faced with massive amounts of Internet information, young students prefer to explore and verify for themselves." Fu Wanjuan (傅婉娟) said that what teachers have to do is to use the Marxist position, viewpoint, and method to help students understand and grasp the laws and form scientific cognition.
Before the start of each semester, Fu Wanjuan (傅婉娟) will hold a teaching preparation meeting to actively understand the topics that students are interested in and find out their concerns and interests. After the course, she will also review and reflect, and improve it in a targeted manner.
Gradually, Fu Wanjuan's (傅婉娟) classroom became more and more vivid and down-to-earth. "《Black Myth: Wukong》 (《黑神话：悟空》), 《The Three-Body Problem》 (《三体》), these things that young people like, Teacher Fu (傅老师) will talk about." Wang Lequan (王乐泉), a junior student, rushes to sit in the first row every time he attends class.
In Wuhan (武汉), Jiangcheng (江城), the discussion was incessant in the brightly lit conference room. As the chief professor of the core course team of "An Overview of Xi Jinping (习近平) Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era" (《习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想概论》) at the school, Fu Wanjuan (傅婉娟) led more than 20 political theory teachers from different campuses to prepare and discuss lessons here.
During the week-long discussion, she led the team to work more than ten hours a day, polishing the lesson plans word by word, reviewing the courseware line by line, and discussing the difficulties one by one, striving to make this course a high-quality "golden course." Zou Xiaojun (邹小军), a member of the team, said: "This lesson preparation made me feel like I had experienced a big exam. Although the process was difficult, the harvest was great."
In Fu Wanjuan's (傅婉娟) view, to build a strong team, it is necessary to combine giving people "fish" and teaching people "fishing," both giving "dry goods" and teaching "methods." Every time she goes to the military to give lectures, she will communicate with the theoretical backbones of the other unit, teach them how to prepare and give lectures, how to do ideological work, and concentrate on helping and making progress together.
A few years ago, Li Nanxin (李南辛), a student who ranked first in the comprehensive evaluation, chose to go to the frontier troops. Recently, as the instructor of the company, he wanted to give the soldiers a lesson on online ideology, so he consulted Fu Wanjuan (傅婉娟) through video.
From Marx (马克思) and Engels' (恩格斯) discussion of ideology to basic principles and important concepts, Fu Wanjuan (傅婉娟) imparted everything she knew. "Before he gave the soldiers a lesson, it was equivalent to me giving him a lesson first." Fu Wanjuan (傅婉娟) said with a smile. Because the communication was full and detailed, "class was over" at dawn the next day.
"Soldiers in the new era have broad knowledge and high education, I have to work harder and teach the theory vividly like Teacher Fu (傅老师)." After successfully finishing the lecture, Li Nanxin (李南辛) sent a text message.
Fu Wanjuan (傅婉娟) replied: "As long as there is a need, the teacher is always there."
In Fu Wanjuan's (傅婉娟) view, teaching ideological and political lessons well and lighting up the lamp of ideals in the students' hearts is a happy experience. She said: "I am willing to be so happy for the rest of my life."
(Li Zhe (李哲) participated in the writing)
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 金正波 李龙伊
Beijing (北京), Tiananmen Square (天安门广场), the Monument to the People's Heroes (人民英雄纪念碑) points straight to the sky. On September 3rd, a grand military parade will be held here, and the three armed forces will be reviewed by the Party and the people.
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. A review that travels through the smoke of history is also a review facing the future.
Special time and space nodes can always evoke deep national memories. At the critical moment of national peril, anti-Japanese armed forces led by the Communist Party of China (中国共产党) rushed to the battlefield and built a steel Great Wall to protect the country with their flesh and blood.
Let's lengthen the time lens again. Since the first gunshot in Nanchang (南昌) on August 1, 1927, the people's army has gone through ninety-eight years of magnificent journey. The spirit tempered in the flames of war has never dimmed, and the horn to guard the country has never stopped.
History shows that a strong country must have a strong military, and national security can only be achieved with a strong military. President Xi Jinping (习近平) pointed out: "Realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is the greatest dream of the Chinese nation since modern times. It can be said that this dream is a dream of a strong country, and for the army, it is also a dream of a strong military."
The journey is long, and the original aspiration remains firm. Under the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee, the Central Military Commission (中央军委), and President Xi Jinping, the people's army has worked hard to overcome difficulties and continuously launched new offensives on the journey of strengthening the military.
The Party's absolute leadership over the army is the soul and lifeline of our army, which can never be changed or lost.
The sky is high and the clouds are wide, and the blue waves are vast. Deep in the ocean, the Shandong aircraft carrier (山东舰) is like a sharp sword unsheathed, cutting through the boundless deep blue sea.
"Foreign aircraft approaching!" Suddenly, a burst of urgent alarms sounded, and the launch team quickly took their positions. In just a few minutes, a series of gestures guided the carrier-based aircraft to accurately complete taxiing, stopping, afterburner and other actions. Warhawks roared into the air and pierced the sky.
This is a scene from the Shandong aircraft carrier formation's far-sea combat-oriented training. When the warhawk lands on the ship, the arresting cable forms a "V" shape. It is like a medal of victory, imprinted in the minds of the officers and soldiers of the Shandong aircraft carrier.
Along with the tide of the Navy's transformation and construction, the Shandong aircraft carrier carries the generations-old wish of the Chinese nation to become strong at sea, forging ahead and striving forward.
On December 17, 2019, President Xi Jinping attended the commissioning ceremony of the Navy's Shandong aircraft carrier, and awarded the "August 1st" military flag and the naming certificate to the captain and political commissar of the Shandong aircraft carrier respectively. President Xi Jinping met with representatives of the officers and soldiers of the aircraft carrier force and representatives of the aircraft carrier construction unit at the pier, and encouraged them to make persistent efforts and make new contributions to the Party and the people.
Pursuing the dream of the aircraft carrier cause, the officers and soldiers of the Shandong aircraft carrier are wholeheartedly loyal and iron-heartedly devoted to the Party. They unremittingly use Xi Jinping's thought on strengthening the military to cast their souls and educate people, and continue to promote political rectification to go deeper and more solid, and strive to strengthen their skills and capabilities towards the deep blue.
"President Xi Jinping mentioned our Shandong aircraft carrier many times in his New Year's message!" said Zhou Xiaoyong (周小勇), a first-class sergeant major, proudly. "We must transform this supreme glory into an inexhaustible driving force for building the aircraft carrier cause, and strive to forge a maritime elite force that obeys the Party's command and is politically qualified."
Belief determines the foundation, and the flag unites strength. The fundamental principle and system of the Party's absolute leadership over the army originated from the Nanchang Uprising (南昌起义), was laid in the Sanwan Reorganization (三湾改编), and finalized in the Gutian Conference (古田会议). It is the political characteristic and fundamental advantage that distinguishes the people's army from all old armies.
On the long revolutionary road of wind and rain, thousands of revolutionary soldiers were unswervingly listened to the Party and followed the Party, and forged a steel army that could not be dragged down, defeated, conquered, or invincible.
"The Party's absolute leadership over the army is the soul and lifeline of our army, which can never be changed or lost." The two "never" that President Xi Jinping has repeatedly emphasized closely link the past, present and future of the people's army.
Stepping into the new era, the fundamental principle and system of the Party's absolute leadership over the army are continued in adherence and improved in inheritance. The vast number of officers and soldiers unremittingly use Xi Jinping's thought on socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era to strengthen their minds and souls, and continue to consolidate the ideological foundation for listening to the Party and following the Party.
"Please take over the post!" Deep in the mountains and dense forests, long swords are lined up. A missile battalion of a Rocket Force (火箭军) brigade held a grand ceremony for several officers and soldiers who had just been appointed as commanders of launch units. Under the gaze of all the officers and soldiers of the battalion, these officers and soldiers took over the command whistle symbolizing the identity of the launch unit commander and solemnly hung it on their chests.
"Under the launch pad, hone the original aspiration. The equipment we operate is a major weapon of the country. We must keep our mission in mind, always listen to the Party's command, and hold up the long sword to fly into the sky." Talking about responsibility, a missile operator said firmly.
On October 17, 2024, when President Xi Jinping inspected the brigade, he emphasized that it is necessary to adhere to the Party's absolute leadership over the army, deepen the arming of the Party's innovative theories, do ideological and political work under the launch pad, and ensure that the troops resolutely obey the command of the Party Central Committee and the Central Military Commission at any time and under any circumstances.
The leaders of the brigade introduced that the brigade's Party committee team studied and refined the implementation measures in light of the spirit of President Xi Jinping's important speech, continuously enhanced the inheritance of the red gene and the polishing of the loyal background, further strengthened the belief and conviction of loyally safeguarding the core and striving to strengthen the army, and led the officers and soldiers to create a new situation in the construction and development of the troops with practical actions.
In the long-term practice, the people's army has advanced under the banner of the Party, formed a complete set of principles for building and administering the army, developed the strategy and tactics of people's war, and cultivated unique glorious traditions and fine work styles. This is the family heirloom for the people's army to move from victory to victory, and it is the red bloodline that the people's army must never forget.
The people's army adheres to the Party's absolute leadership over the army, implements the new era's strategy of building the army politically, firmly grasps the era requirements of building the army politically, focuses on winning the tough battle to achieve the centenary goal of army building, promotes the spirit of thorough self-revolution, continues to deepen political rectification, forges strong Party organizations that are politically firm and capable, and forges a high-quality cadre team that is loyal, clean, responsible, and capable of shouldering the heavy responsibility of strengthening the army, providing a strong political guarantee for the cause of strengthening the army.
With souls in their hearts and roots under their feet, the people's army is fighting to strengthen the army under the banner of the Party, with a more firm ideological guidance, a more high-spirited spiritual outlook, and a more powerful fighting spirit.
All work must adhere to the standard of combat effectiveness and focus on being able to fight and win battles.
In the hot summer, smoke filled a certain training ground in the northern desert grassland, and war vehicles roared. A tactical training of a combined battalion was fiercely launched. The "Liu Laozhuang Company" (刘老庄连) of a certain brigade of the 82nd Group Army (第82集团军) of the Army, which was responsible for the main attack mission, quickly broke through the "enemy's" forward defense line and launched an attack in depth using new tactics.
During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, 82 officers and soldiers of the company fought desperately with the enemy, and finally all died heroically, writing a magnificent epic that shocked the world and moved the gods.
Dare to fight, dare to win, 一不怕苦、二不怕死 (yī bù pà kǔ, èr bù pà sǐ - "not afraid of hardship, not afraid of death," fearless and indomitable). The fighting spirit of the predecessors has been passed down to this day.
In recent years, facing new equipment, new topics, and new challenges, the "Liu Laozhuang Company" has achieved a series of innovative results in combat methods and training methods, and has sharpened the blade of victory. "In various tasks, the company always takes the lead and takes the lead. We interpret the company's soul of 'life is endless, fighting is endless' with actions!" said Zhu Mingchao (朱明朝), the company commander of the "Liu Laozhuang Company".
The people's army is always a fighting team, and the vitality of the people's army lies in its combat effectiveness. Since its birth, our army has experienced the baptism of blood and fire, and has successively competed with strong enemies and stubborn bandits, creating war miracles from victory to victory.
"The army is to prepare for war, and all work must adhere to the standard of combat effectiveness and focus on being able to fight and win battles." Entering the new era, President Xi Jinping has been highly concerned about military training and has made important instructions many times.
The commander leads the journey of strengthening the army, and the iron torrent is mighty on the front line of exercises and training. The people's army firmly establishes the only fundamental standard of combat effectiveness, comprehensively improves the ability to prepare for war and fight in the new era, and resolutely safeguards national sovereignty, security, and development interests.
"Dare to fight and win, dare to be the first, dare to take responsibility!" On the main road of the camp area of the "Wang Hai Air Group" (王海大队) of a certain aviation brigade of the Air Force, there stands a huge stone with 12 powerful characters engraved on it.
Performing tasks under super-meteorological conditions, exploring and forming norms for flight training outlines, and opening up a new path for the reform of the training model of aviation troops... Looking through the development history of the "Wang Hai Air Group", every modification is filled with the word "dare".
As the first batch of Air Force combat troops to be equipped with J-20 fighters, the "Wang Hai Air Group" shoulders the important responsibility of exploring the way first and always maintains a fighting posture of hard work and progress. In 2016, the pilots of the squadron drove their planes to escort our bombers to successfully advance; in 2022, the pilots of the squadron drove J-20 fighters and set a new record with the support and guarantee of tankers... The "Wang Hai Air Group" in the new era bravely shoulders its mission, strives to strengthen its skills and capabilities, and flies out new combat trajectories.
With new systems, new equipment, and new tactics, the people's army is more confident in winning battles.
In the face of the long-standing problems in the field of military training, the new round of national defense and military reform focuses firmly on being able to fight and win battles, deeply promotes the modernization of the army's organizational form, reforms the leadership and command system, builds a modern military force system with Chinese characteristics, and promotes the transformation of the people's army's combat effectiveness, promoting an all-round transformation of military training.
In recent years, the people's army has innovatively explored the construction and application models of new types of combat forces, fully liberated and developed new quality combat capabilities, and major weapons such as domestic aircraft carriers, new nuclear submarines, and "Dongfeng" series missiles have been equipped. The operational capabilities of strategic early warning, far-sea defense, long-range strike, strategic projection, and information support have reached a new level.
The Central Military Commission strengthens the research on major practical issues in the preparation for military struggle, and strives to improve the ability to plan battles, command battles, and lead troops to fight battles. The war zones actively explore the joint operations command training system under the new system; the troops vigorously promote war-training coupling, system training, and technology training, and train elite troops who can fight and are good at fighting; military academies and scientific research institutions focus on actual combat to carry out teaching and educate talents and grasp innovation, and the enthusiasm for strengthening skills and capabilities is surging throughout the army...
The people's army, which has come from the smoke of war, constantly promotes the glorious tradition of being able to fight and win battles, and will surely write a more magnificent training answer sheet!
Consolidate and develop the rock-solid unity between the government and the army and between the army and the people, and jointly continue to write a new chapter in the era of loving our people and loving our army.
On April 23 this year, the National Model City (County) Naming Conference for Supporting the Army and Giving Preferential Treatment to Families of Servicemen was held in Beijing (北京).
President Xi Jinping made important instructions on the work of supporting the army and giving preferential treatment to families of servicemen, emphasizing that "the military and local authorities should cooperate closely, consolidate and develop the rock-solid unity between the government and the army and between the army and the people, and jointly continue to write a new chapter in the era of loving our people and loving our army."
Supporting the army and giving preferential treatment to families of servicemen and supporting the government and cherishing the people are the fine traditions and unique political advantages of our Party, our army, and our people. The folk song "The last bowl of rice is sent to make military rations, and the last foot of cloth is sent to make military uniforms" is widely sung, which is a vivid reflection of the unity of the army and the people. Entering the new era, all regions and relevant departments actively support and serve the construction and reform of the army, and the people's army actively supports economic and social development, is brave in undertaking urgent, difficult, dangerous, and heavy tasks, and constantly writes new annotations for the army to love the people and the people to support the army.
For the interests of the masses, the people's soldiers go through fire and water and charge ahead -
Recently, Miyun District (密云区), Huairou District (怀柔区), and Yanqing District (延庆区) in Beijing (北京) have encountered continuous heavy rainfall, and floods and landslides have occurred in many places. After the disaster occurred, the officers and soldiers of the Beijing (北京) General Detachment of the Armed Police acted on orders and immediately devoted themselves to the rescue and disaster relief work.
In Baimaguan River (白马关河) in Miyun District, the flood surged, causing damage to some roads and disrupting the village's power grid. The 8th Detachment of the Beijing (北京) General Detachment of the Armed Police quickly took action, carrying assault boats and rescue materials, and rushed to the disaster area to carry out flood control and rescue work.
"On the front line of rescue, you are the most lovable people" "Fighting against floods, you are at ease"... Netizens left messages expressing their respect for the soldiers who charged on the front line.
On the front line of flood control, they built human walls with their flesh and blood, and after the earthquake, they ventured into the ruins... At every moment of need, the soldiers can always stand up and practice the fundamental purpose of serving the people wholeheartedly with practical actions, building an indestructible steel Great Wall for the people.
Let soldiers become a profession respected by the whole society, and create a good social atmosphere of caring for national defense, loving the army, and respecting soldiers -
"Thank you doctor, I feel much better!" Officers and soldiers stationed in a certain unit in Jilin (吉林) lined up in front of the temporary clinic of the China Rongtong medical team. After receiving physiotherapy, a soldier excitedly thanked the medical team members. From June to July this year, the medical team traveled more than 6,000 kilometers and went to many troops to carry out medical patrols, providing officers and soldiers with services such as medical consultation, treatment and medicine delivery, and rehabilitation physiotherapy. In recent years, China Rongtong Group has continued to carry out the practical activity of "Remembering the Original Intention and Mission, Learning from the Army, Loving the Army, and Serving the Army", and has implemented respect and care through a series of pragmatic measures.
The roots of the people's army are deeply rooted in the vast land of the people. Today, the golden plaque of "Glorious Family" hangs high in front of the homes of the vast number of soldiers; in places such as stations and airports, the signs of "Soldiers Prioritized According to Law" can be seen everywhere; many young people set "Pure Love, Only for China" as their mobile phone wallpaper, interpreting their respect for soldiers... Respect for soldiers is transformed into action, and the sense of honor of soldiers is further stimulated.
Strengthen national defense education for all people and cultivate patriotic feelings imperceptibly -
On the morning of July 3 this year, the Navy's Shandong aircraft carrier formation slowly entered the boundary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (香港特别行政区). During the open visit, naval officers and soldiers held national defense knowledge lectures for Hong Kong (香港) teenagers, using vivid cases and interactive exchanges to stimulate students' patriotism and improve their national defense awareness.
Hong Kong (香港) citizens learned more about the lives and missions of soldiers and felt the charm of naval culture through contact with naval officers and soldiers. The friendly interaction between the military and the people made Hong Kong (香港) citizens truly feel that the people's army is not only the defender of national security, but also a "family" connected to them by blood.
The original intention of the work of supporting the army and giving preferential treatment to families of servicemen in the new era remains unchanged, the mechanism is new, and the position is higher. The rock-solid unity between the government and the army and between the army and the people is constantly consolidated and developed, gathering strong forces for realizing the Chinese dream and the dream of strengthening the army.
2025 is the closing year of the army's "14th Five-Year Plan" and a crucial year for winning the tough battle to achieve the centenary goal of army building.
The mission is as heavy as a mountain, and the horn urges people to move forward. Achieving the centenary goal of army building on schedule is the will of the Party, the expectation of the people, and the historical responsibility that the people's army must shoulder and the historical answer sheet that must be handed over. We must go all out and ensure success!
Return to TopThis newspaper Qingdao (青岛), July 31st (Reporter Wu Chuqi (吴储岐)) On July 31st, the 2024 National Volunteer Service "Four 100s" Advanced Model Release Ceremony and On-site Exchange Activity was held in Qingdao (青岛), Shandong (山东).
The event centrally released the 2024 National Volunteer Service "Four 100s" Advanced Model List, shared the touching stories of advanced models carrying out volunteer services, and encouraged various regions to introduce incentive measures to give preferential treatment to volunteers and support the development of volunteer service organizations and projects. Volunteer representatives from Qingdao (青岛) in the fields of medical care, literature and art, science and technology, sports, mental health, and emergency rescue read out a volunteer service proposal. Next, they will go into townships (街道) and villages (communities) to carry out various summer volunteer services.
This event was hosted by the Central Social Work Department (中央社会工作部), undertaken by the Shandong Provincial Party Committee Social Work Department (山东省委社会工作部) and China Volunteer (《中国志愿》) Magazine, and co-organized by the Qingdao Municipal Party Committee Social Work Department (青岛市委社会工作部).
Return to TopThis newspaper's Nanchang (南昌) dispatch, July 31st (Reporters Wang Ke (王珂) and Zhou Huan (周欢)) From July 30th to 31st, the 2025 National Agricultural Products Production and Marketing Conference (Eastern Region), sponsored by the Ministry of Commerce (商务部), was held in Nanchang (南昌), Jiangxi (江西). With the theme of "Agricultural and Commercial Docking Hand in Hand to Help Rural Revitalization," the conference attracted more than 2,000 leading agricultural enterprises from eight provinces and one municipality, including Jiangxi (江西), Shandong (山东), and Shanghai (上海), showcasing more than 20,000 kinds of distinctive and high-quality agricultural products, and attracting more than 600 large commercial and trade circulation enterprises from across the country for inspection and procurement.
According to reports, the 2025 National Agricultural Products Production and Marketing Conference is divided into eastern, western, southern, and northern regions, holding 4 centralized procurement activities. Since 2018, the Ministry of Commerce (商务部) has organized a series of national agricultural product production and marketing activities every year. By the end of 2024, the national commercial system had cumulatively carried out more than 3,300 activities, facilitating nearly 100 billion yuan in agricultural product transactions.
Return to TopLayout Design: Cai Huawei (蔡华伟)
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 李凯旋
Large industrial drones, fully implantable brain-computer interface microsystems, high-altitude welding robots... At the Chunxi Road (春熙路) Square in Jinjiang District (锦江区), Chengdu (成都) City, Sichuan Province (四川省), the "First Release in Chunxi" (首发春熙) event for high-growth technology products from the Jinjiang Economic Development Zone (锦江经开区) showcased over 40 cutting-edge technological achievements, attracting citizens and tourists to experience the charm of technology "at zero distance."
The "Special Action Plan for Boosting Consumption" issued by the General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the General Office of the State Council proposes promoting the first-store economy according to local conditions, encouraging domestic and foreign high-quality commodity and service brands to open first stores and hold first releases, first shows, and first exhibitions. The first-store economy has become a new track for various regions to compete for, and it is also an important engine for promoting urban economic development.
Since 2019, Chengdu has attracted over 4,000 first stores from home and abroad, maintaining growth for six consecutive years. In the major business districts of Chengdu, first release events bring peaks in visitor traffic, with people visiting first stores, viewing first exhibitions, and enjoying first shows... "Chasing first releases" has become a new consumption trend.
New Experiences, Many Highlights
First Release Events Quickly "Gain Fans"
On a super-clear giant screen, a huge sperm whale slowly swims by, with schools of fish following and dancing. At the Lang Art Museum in the Eastern Suburb Memory (东郊记忆) Park in Chengdu, a large digital image exhibition of polar creatures is being held, which is also the first exhibition in Chengdu of the natural documentary brand "BBC Earth."
"On the screen, the figures of animals shuttling back and forth are very dynamic, and you can even observe the growth of plants up close," exclaimed Mr. Wang (王先生), a citizen who came to see the exhibition, adding that the experience of seeing a digital art exhibition is very novel and shocking.
New experiences are an important source of attraction for the first-store economy. "In the 5,000-square-meter fully immersive digital exhibition hall, we use ultra-clear digital images, immersive sound fields, VR interactive experiences, and multi-dimensional sensory technologies such as environmental fragrances to express the content of the documentary in a brand new way," introduced Chen Yu (陈昱), head of the Lang Art Museum.
Red brick factory buildings and extending pipelines: Eastern Suburb Memory was rebuilt from the former state-owned Hongguang Electronic Tube Factory (国营红光电子管厂). It retains the architectural style of the industrial site while being full of fashion, art, and trendy elements. Currently, Eastern Suburb Memory has introduced over 80 first stores, forming diverse business formats such as music performances, digital cultural creation, and trendy fashion, becoming one of Chengdu's calling cards for the first-store economy.
"By creating differentiated scenes through 'industrial heritage + cultural ecology,' we provide support for the development of the first-store economy," introduced Ma Jianqiang (马建强), chairman of Chengdu Dongfang Zhenghuo Culture Media Co., Ltd. (成都东方正火文化传媒有限公司), the operator of Eastern Suburb Memory. He added that the operator encourages merchants to carry out personalized space design and conducts overall checks on the appearance and style of each block, resulting in an eye-catching "chemical reaction."
For merchants, to turn first release "check-ins" into tangible consumption, the goods must have new highlights. At the first store of the trendy bag brand Fun Valley (粉谷) in Eastern Suburb Memory, the counters are filled with eye-catching pendants and badges.
"Our design concept is to create 'editable fashion,'" introduced Deng Qiwen (邓绮雯), the brand's principal. Consumers can create individual items that reflect their personal aesthetics by freely combining badges, ribbons, pendants, and other accessories.
After the first release event "gained fans," Deng Qiwen put a lot of effort into updating her products. She designed a denim guitar bag for the music festival and turned the scenery of Eastern Suburb Memory into badges and other cultural and creative products. "Accumulating loyal users depends on the 'daily renewal' of products and services," said Deng Qiwen.
In Chengdu, new types of commercial carriers like Eastern Suburb Memory bring rich innovative scenarios for the first-store economy. In 2024, half of the top ten commercial projects in Chengdu with the most first stores were attracted by new types of commercial carriers such as Luxelakes CPI and This Land CyPARK. In addition, thriving traditional commercial projects and characteristic commercial blocks also provide ample choices for brand layout.
Superior Environment, Policy Support
First Store Openings Run at "Accelerated Speed"
Suspended bear and flower spaceship decorations, various goods with a strong sense of design... In the Chunxi Road business district, the "dopamine color" decorated Wiggle Wiggle Chengdu store has attracted many customers to check in and shop. This well-known Korean lifestyle IP brand store opened in September last year and is the first store in western China.
Chengdu is striving to build an international consumer center city, with a market capacity of over one trillion yuan in annual total retail sales of consumer goods. The active commercial ecosystem provides a broad market space for the first-store economy, and continuous and strong policies further stimulate development vitality.
"From inspection and contact to decoration and opening, it took less than 5 months for the first store to land in Chengdu," introduced Liu Jianxue (刘建学), store manager of Wiggle Wiggle Chengdu. He added that the decoration of the first store is different from ordinary stores, and it is necessary to improve the recognition through scene-based design, and the facade decoration is very complicated. The local government coordinated in many ways to ensure the smooth progress of the construction. When applying for a business license, the Jinjiang District Bureau of Commerce opened a "green channel," and it only took 2 hours from submitting the materials to obtaining the business license.
A relevant person in charge of the Market Construction Department of the Chengdu Municipal Bureau of Commerce introduced that for first release projects, Chengdu not only optimizes the approval process through the "green channel" service, but also strives to solve various problems encountered by brands in first store entry, new store opening, and new product release, improving the efficiency of first release activities and allowing first store openings to run at an "accelerated speed."
"With government support, the store opened smoothly, and the current development momentum is very good," said Liu Jianxue. He added that the passenger flow during the summer vacation is relatively stable, and Chengdu-limited panda peripheral products and various pop-up events have been launched, which are very popular among consumers.
In April of this year, the Chengdu Municipal Bureau of Commerce took the lead in issuing the "Three-Year Action Plan for Promoting the Development of the First Release Economy in Chengdu (2025-2027)," which plans to have a cumulative total of 6,500 first stores landed by the end of 2027, over 1,000 high-level first shows, first exhibitions, and other first release activities, 100 first release economic landmark carriers built, and 500 new consumer brands cultivated. It is clear that it will focus on international brands and principal brands, and help boost consumption by implementing five major first release actions: new product first release breakthroughs, first store introduction and cultivation, activity matrix creation, characteristic carrier construction, and business environment improvement.
"We have launched the Fa@Chengdu—'I Want to Release First' service code. Enterprises can scan the code to inquire about relevant policies and measures for the first release economy and learn about first store, first show, and other first release activity information," introduced a relevant person in charge of the Market Construction Department of the Chengdu Municipal Bureau of Commerce. The local government is also striving to create the "Chengdu First Release Season" activity brand, and will regularly hold a series of first release economic activities.
Innovation-Driven, Exploring Potential
Protecting the Continued Growth of the First Release Economy
Wearing a smart "hat," the fluctuating lines displayed on the computer screen next to it show the brainwave information of the test subject. In the Chengdu Frontier Brain-Like Artificial Intelligence Innovation Center Co., Ltd. (成都市前沿类脑人工智能创新中心有限公司) located in Jinjiang District, multiple sets of brain-computer interface equipment designed for the diagnosis and rehabilitation of children with autism are being tested.
"We have developed achievements such as an autism auxiliary diagnosis system based on brainwave biomarker technology, and two products have been released first in Jinjiang District," said Feng Rui (冯睿), director of the center. After the first release, more than 30 medical units in China were willing to introduce the company's products.
"With the government's connection, we have established an autism digital rehabilitation center and also entered many community health centers to serve children. The scene support is becoming more and more abundant, and we are more confident in developing new products," said Feng Rui.
In Chengdu, over 30% of first stores and first release activities are concentrated in Jinjiang District. According to estimates, the first release economy drove a year-on-year increase of 6.8% in consumption in Jinjiang District in the first half of this year, a significant increase.
From first shows and first stores to new business formats and new models, and then to new services and new technologies, the first release economy has been iterating and upgrading. The development of Chengdu's electronic information, biomedicine, and other industrial clusters provides a solid foundation for the cultivation of first release products and technologies. "Innovation-driven is the top priority of the first release economy," said Zheng Tao (郑涛), dean of the School of Economics and Management of Sichuan Normal University (四川师范大学). He believes that the first release economy innovates supply, creates consumer demand, and then leads consumer trends. For cities to develop the first release economy, they need to build a complete industrial chain and create a good business environment.
In February of this year, the Jinjiang District First Release Economic Development Promotion Center (锦江区首发经济发展促进中心) was officially inaugurated. "The center integrates the strengths of various departments such as development and reform, financial services, business and trade, and investment promotion, and has formed a team that understands both industry and services," introduced Sun Qiu (孙秋), director of the Jinjiang District First Release Economic Development Promotion Center. By vigorously supporting enterprises to display and release products and empowering the entire industrial chain from research and development to transformation, Jinjiang District is accelerating the formation of a first release economic ecosystem.
The Jinjiang District First Release Economic Development Research Institute (锦江区首发经济发展研究院) has also emerged. "What kind of driving effect can the first release economy have on business districts and urban economies? Which business formats and brands are suitable 'first release partners'? These are all topics we are currently researching," said Zheng Tao, as the executive dean of the research institute, is studying the establishment of relevant standards and evaluation indicator systems for the first release economic industry field. "The research results can be applied to Chengdu's development practice and can also provide reference for more cities to cultivate the first release economy."
In the first half of this year, Chengdu has settled a total of 395 first stores and held over 180 high-level first exhibitions, first shows, and other first release activities, and the city's brand attractiveness has continued to increase. "Chengdu will take the construction of a 'trend culture source, fashion life leader, cutting-edge technology incubation place, and intelligent manufacturing leader' as the lead, improve the first release economic promotion system, and continue to explore consumption potential and stimulate market vitality," said a relevant person in charge of the Chengdu Municipal Bureau of Commerce.
This issue's coordination: Lu Tao (卢涛)
Layout design: Wang Zheping (汪哲平)
Return to TopXinhua News Agency, Beijing, July 31st. The 6th Private Economy Rule of Law Construction Conference was held in Beijing (北京) on the 31st. Gao Yunlong (高云龙), Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and Chairman of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, attended the conference and delivered a speech.
Gao Yunlong (高云龙) pointed out that it is necessary to thoroughly implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's (习近平) important speech at the symposium on private enterprises, jointly implement the Law on Promoting the Private Economy, and enhance market vitality and serve the overall development situation with a high level of the rule of law. We must strengthen confidence and stabilize expectations under the guidance of policies, guide the vast number of private entrepreneurs to unify their thoughts and actions with the Party Central Committee's scientific judgment and decision-making arrangements on the situation; strengthen guarantees and promote development in the implementation of laws, solidly implement policies and measures to promote the development of the private economy, and work together to protect the legitimate rights and interests of private enterprises and entrepreneurs in accordance with the law; strengthen the foundation and strive for excellence on the track of the rule of law, and unswervingly follow the path of modernizing corporate governance. All levels of federations of industry and commerce and their affiliated chambers of commerce should play the role of bridge and link and assistant, actively strengthen communication and contact with legislative, law enforcement, and judicial organs, and law societies, and strengthen and consolidate services for enterprises.
Return to TopThis newspaper Hefei (合肥) July 31st (Reporter) The 9th China Network Copyright Protection and Development Conference, hosted by the Copyright Administration of the Central Propaganda Department (中央宣传部版权管理局) and co-organized by the Copyright Bureau of Anhui Province (安徽省版权局) and the Hefei Municipal People's Government (合肥市人民政府), was held in Hefei (合肥), Anhui (安徽) on the 31st. The conference released achievements such as the "Top Ten National Cases of Combating Infringement and Piracy in 2024" and the "Second Batch of Typical Cases of Building a Copyright Powerhouse."
The "Top Ten National Cases of Combating Infringement and Piracy in 2024" include the case of Beijing Jia Mou Education Consulting Co., Ltd. (北京嘉某教育咨询有限公司) infringing on the copyright of juvenile books, the case of Beijing Ning Mou (北京宁某) and others infringing on the copyright of fine art works, the case of Shanghai Du Moumou (上海杜某某) and others infringing on the copyright of written works, the case of Shanghai Chen Moumou (上海陈某某) and others infringing on the copyright of fine art works, the case of Zhang Mou (张某) and others in Wuxi (无锡), Jiangsu (江苏) infringing on the copyright of audio-visual works, the case of Li Moumou (李某某) and others in Xuzhou (徐州), Jiangsu (江苏) destroying technical measures to infringe on copyright, the case of Qi Moumou (祁某某) and others in Hangzhou (杭州), Zhejiang (浙江) infringing on copyright, the "11·23" case in Chuzhou (滁州), Anhui (安徽) infringing on the copyright of musical works, the case of He Moumou (何某某) in Nanchang (南昌), Jiangxi (江西) infringing on copyright, and the "3·04" case in Loudi (娄底), Hunan (湖南) infringing on the copyright of books.
Participating guests stated that it is necessary to accelerate the revision of supporting administrative regulations for the Copyright Law, strengthen guidance on the creation and production of original quality products, continuously strengthen Internet thinking, increase publicity on network copyright, and deepen international exchanges and cooperation on network copyright.
The conference, themed "Twenty Years of Network Copyright Protection," held sub-forums focusing on topics such as copyright enforcement, technological development, digital music, software legalization, and micro-dramas.
Return to TopThis newspaper's Beijing (北京) dispatch on July 31st (Reported by Jin Xin (金歆)) The reporter learned from the Cyberspace Administration of China (中央网信办) on the 31st that in order to do a good job in guaranteeing the Chengdu Universiade (成都世运会), it has been decided to launch a 20-day special action called "Qinglang (清朗) · Chengdu Universiade (成都世运会) Network Environment Rectification" starting from August 1st.
The special action will focus on the holding of the Universiade (世运会) and concentrate on rectifying the following six prominent problems: First, spreading false information about the Universiade (世运会) and related areas of public policy and social livelihood, fabricating rumors of disaster accidents, crimes, food and product quality issues that may cause panic, especially the behavior of fabricating and spreading rumors after the release of authoritative debunking information. Second, publishing information about discrimination against people and regions, inciting group antagonism, and maliciously damaging the image of the host city and related regions. Third, carrying out Internet news information service activities related to the Universiade (世运会) without permission; using artificial intelligence technology to create and publish false game videos. Fourth, using the same or similar names, domain names, logos, pages, etc. to counterfeit websites, mobile applications, quick applications, and mini-programs of the Universiade (世运会); counterfeiting official institutions and news media in related regions in account names, avatars, profiles, live broadcast rooms, or short video backgrounds. Fifth, organizing "human flesh searches," deliberately leaking personal privacy information of athletes, referees, coaches, etc., inducing online violence; implementing bad behaviors in the sports fan circle such as stepping on and provoking wars, tearing and scolding each other, affecting athletes' preparations and the holding of events. Sixth, one-sidedly and distortedly disseminating information on emergencies, impersonating the parties involved or related personnel to speak out, and associating and rehashing old news.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 王 洲
Light meals and cooked foods that have just passed their prime, unsold bread and cakes from the day, and vegetables and fruits with slightly inferior appearances... These foods have no safety issues, but they are often unappealing. Businesses suffer losses, and food faces huge waste. Besides being discarded, do they have better destinations?
In order to implement the Anti-Food Waste Law, the Beijing Cuisine Association (北京烹饪协会) took the lead in drafting the local standard "Technical Guidelines for Food Loss Reduction in the Catering Industry," which officially came into effect in July. It clearly proposes that "catering institutions should dispose of surplus food through food donation, discounted promotions, and other methods," finding a "home" for these surplus foods that are difficult to sell but still within their shelf life.
Many KFC stores in Beijing (北京) have opened "Food Stations." "We will seal and package the food that has not been sold on the day but is still within its shelf life and put it in the refrigerator for citizens in need to collect for free. Each product packaging bag is marked with the storage date and consumption guidelines to ensure food safety," the store staff introduced.
Hema Fresh (盒马鲜生), Yonghui (永辉), and many other supermarkets offer discounts on near-expiry foods during specific periods every day. After 9 pm, "Daily Fresh" products such as vegetables, milk, fresh-cut fruits, and salmon are discounted at the Hema Fresh (盒马鲜生) Shilipu Store (十里堡店), attracting many surrounding residents to purchase. "We offer discounts both online and offline, and many consumers also choose to place orders online," introduced Xu Chuanxin (许传新), the store manager of Hema Fresh (盒马鲜生) Shilipu Store (十里堡店). These goods have no quality problems, but according to supermarket regulations, they can only be sold on the same day. The discounted sales method reduces waste and losses for businesses and benefits consumers, making it very popular.
Many businesses have joined the "anti-waste" team with the help of third-party platforms. The "No Food Waste" platform uses positioning matching and inventory management technology to accurately connect the surplus food of more than 200 stores in Beijing (北京) to consumers, saving a cumulative total of 10,000 tons of food in three years. Many businesses package surplus food into "magic bag" blind boxes and sell them at a discount on the platform. Through this method, the overall daily scrap rate of each store of the Chinese pastry brand Luxihe (泸溪河) has decreased by 40%.
"Food security is a matter of national importance (国之大者 - guó zhī dà zhě - "the most important thing for the country," refers to matters of paramount importance to the nation), and anti-food waste is urgent. The innovative measures taken by catering and supermarket businesses to dispose of surplus food have formed a virtuous model that benefits businesses, consumers, and platforms." Wang Mengfan (王梦凡), Deputy Director of the Legal Policy Working Committee of the China Urban Development Research Association (中国城市发展研究会), said, "At the same time, we must consolidate safety supervision and platform supervision to ensure that good things are done practically and well."
Return to TopBy: 新华社记者 林凡诗
Walking into the Putuo Mountain Bowangping of the Qixing Scenic Area in Guilin (桂林) City, Guangxi (广西), a solemn anti-Japanese war site complex is nestled among the green pines and cypresses—the Memorial Tower for the Three Martyred Generals and the Tomb of Eight Hundred Warriors. Here lie the remains of three senior generals of the National Revolutionary Army and more than 800 soldiers who died heroically in the Battle of Guilin (桂林) in 1944, witnessing the more than 10-day Battle of Guilin (桂林) over 80 years ago.
Martyr Chen Jihuan (陈济桓) was one of these three generals.
Chen Jihuan (陈济桓) was born in 1893 in Cenxi (岑溪), Guangxi (广西). He served as a senior staff officer of the Guangxi (广西) Pacification Headquarters. In his youth, influenced by Sun Yat-sen's (孙中山) democratic revolutionary ideas, he joined the Tongmenghui (同盟会) revolutionary organization. During the Xinhai Revolution, he participated in the struggle to overthrow the Qing government.
In May 1944, the invading Japanese army concentrated its main force and launched the Henan-Hunan-Guangxi Campaign. Luoyang (洛阳) and Changsha (长沙) fell successively, and Hengyang (衡阳) also fell on August 8. Then, the Japanese army drove south along the Hunan-Guangxi Railway, approaching Guilin (桂林).
The Sixteenth Army received orders to defend Guilin (桂林) to the death and prevent the Japanese army from continuing to advance. Wei Yunsong (韦云淞), then Deputy Commander of the Sixteenth Army and Commander of the Guilin (桂林) Garrison, hoped that his old partner Chen Jihuan (陈济桓) would serve as Chief of Staff. At this time, Chen Jihuan's (陈济桓) wife was about to give birth, and relatives repeatedly advised him to reconsider, but Chen Jihuan (陈济桓) left a family letter expressing his firm will: "I have nothing to repay the country with, only my five-foot body. Guilin (桂林) lives, I live; Guilin (桂林) dies, I die. My mind is made up, either success or martyrdom..."
Chen Jihuan (陈济桓) immediately rushed to Guilin (桂林) and was appointed Chief of Staff of the Guilin (桂林) Garrison Headquarters, defending Guilin (桂林) together with more than 25,000 soldiers. Chen Jihuan (陈济桓) knew that this battle was a desperate defense of a besieged city. Therefore, he cooperated with Wei Yunsong (韦云淞) to direct the various troops to divide the combat areas, clarify the security measures for the junctions of each unit, and according to the combat mission of defending Guilin (桂林) City, he supplemented and stored a large amount of grain and ammunition. He also guided the establishment of a city defense works construction committee, mobilizing the military and civilians to use the mountainous terrain of Guilin (桂林) to build solid field fortifications, and further communicated the communication network at all levels.
On October 28, 1944, the Japanese army gathered more than 70,000 troops and began to besiege Guilin (桂林), and a full-scale frenzied attack began on the 29th. Under the command of Wei Yunsong (韦云淞), Chen Jihuan (陈济桓), and others, the anti-Japanese soldiers bravely fought the enemy, taking advantage of the favorable conditions of the many caves in the suburbs of Guilin (桂林) to hold their ground. Starting in the early morning of November 4, the Japanese army, which had repeatedly failed to attack, brazenly used poison gas bombs, incendiary bombs, and flamethrowers, and dispatched aircraft and artillery to strafe and bombard. The two sides fought fiercely, and the Chinese soldiers suffered heavy casualties.
On November 9, the Japanese army gathered a large number of troops and once again broke into Guilin (桂林), and the two sides turned to fierce street fighting. Chen Jihuan (陈济桓) commanded the soldiers to fight desperately, but in the end, he was outnumbered and unable to reverse the decline. Wei Yunsong (韦云淞) and Chen Jihuan (陈济桓) had no choice but to lead their troops to break through in order to preserve the troops. When they led their troops out of the West Gate of Guilin (桂林), broke through the enemy's encirclement, and reached Monkey Mountain, they encountered Japanese troops again, and the two sides launched a brutal bloody battle.
At this time, Chen Jihuan (陈济桓) had been seriously injured and could not break through with the team. He used a pen to write on his business card, "Unable to leave the position, decided to commit suicide for righteousness, to avoid humiliation," and handed it to his personal guard. After that, he issued the last order, ordering the accompanying officers to organize the mobile personnel and lightly wounded to break through before dawn. Chen Jihuan (陈济桓), who insisted on fighting to the last moment, ended his life with the last bullet and died heroically.
Today, the Memorial Tower for the Three Martyred Generals and the Tomb of Eight Hundred Warriors, located in the Qixing Scenic Area of Guilin (桂林) City, have been listed as national-level anti-Japanese war memorial facilities, and visitors come to pay their respects every day. According to the relevant person in charge of the Guilin (桂林) Veterans Affairs Bureau, the local government transforms historical sites into patriotic education bases by holding memorial activities, organizing veterans to give lectures, and mobilizing volunteers to carry out environmental cleaning of memorial facilities, creating a good atmosphere for the whole society to protect historical memory and inherit the great spirit of the anti-Japanese war. This anti-Japanese war memorial facility, which carries a profound history, has become an important landmark witnessing the indomitable spirit of the Chinese military and civilians in the anti-Japanese war.
(According to Xinhua News Agency, Nanning (南宁), July 27)
Return to TopGeneral Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) pointed out: "The Chinese people nurtured the great spirit of resisting Japan in the magnificent process of the War of Resistance Against Japan, demonstrating to the world the patriotic feelings of 'everyone is 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必胜信念 of 'unyielding and persevering.'"
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, and the 98th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People's Liberation Army. During the War of Resistance Against Japan, the Communist Party of China (中国共产党) was the most steadfast in defending national independence, the most resolute in safeguarding national interests, and the most courageous in resisting foreign aggression. In the new era and on the new journey, the Chinese People's Liberation Army and the People's Armed Police Force, guided by Xi Jinping's (习近平) thought on strengthening the military, are firmly following the path of strengthening the military with Chinese characteristics and resolutely fighting the tough battle to achieve the centennial goal of the army's founding. This edition launches a special plan today, listening to the stories of veterans of the War of Resistance Against Japan and the stories of soldiers of the new era about strengthening the military, presenting the inheritance of the great spirit of resisting Japan in dialogues spanning time and space.
-- Editor
Why did you choose to join the army?
Wu Qingyu (吴清玉), a 99-year-old demolition soldier of the Qiongya Column (琼崖纵队):
"In order not to be bullied, we must fight the Japanese devils to the end."
By Dong Zeyang (董泽扬), reporter of this newspaper
Surrounded by soldiers of a certain unit of the Hainan (海南) Contingent of the People's Armed Police (武警海南总队), 99-year-old veteran Wu Qingyu (吴清玉) came to the barracks in a wheelchair, the commemorative medal on his chest shining with golden light.
In 1926, Wu Qingyu (吴清玉) was born in Chengmai County (澄迈县), Hainan (海南). At the age of 15, Wu Qingyu (吴清玉), carrying half a baked sweet potato, joined the Qiongya Anti-Japanese Independent Column (琼崖抗日独立总队) (later reorganized into the Qiongya Anti-Japanese Independent Column (琼崖抗日独立纵队)), and followed the troops to fight guerrillas in the Liuqinshan (六芹山) area.
At that time, the enemy was stepping up its "nibbling" and "mopping up" of the base areas. "The Japanese army was very hateful, throwing bombs from airplanes, killing people and burning houses, doing all kinds of evil," Wu Qingyu (吴清玉) recalled vividly. "In order not to be bullied, we must fight the Japanese devils to the end."
In 1943, Wu Qingyu (吴清玉) followed the troops to carry out anti-"nibbling" and anti-"mopping up" struggles. "The Japanese wanted to trap us with fortresses, so we bombed the fortresses and jumped out," Wu Qingyu (吴清玉) said.
Wu Qingyu (吴清玉) was a demolition soldier, and he had to race against time. "Fighting guerrillas and bombing fortresses, you must not be afraid of death," Wu Qingyu (吴清玉) said. To bomb fortresses, you have to go at night, and withdraw after bombing. After装好七八斤的炸药包, wait for the enemy to approach, and then press the button to detonate.
Wu Qingyu (吴清玉) joined the Communist Party of China (中国共产党) in December 1944 and participated in nearly 70 battles of all sizes.
"Attention, everyone, salute!" After hearing his story, the armed police soldiers' eyes turned red, and they paid tribute to the old hero. Wu Qingyu (吴清玉) slowly raised his hand and returned a military salute. These stories are their common spiritual wealth.
(Tao Yu (陶昱) participated in the writing)
Guo Qiangping (郭强平), company commander of a certain Red Army company of the Xinjiang Military Region (新疆军区):
"The 先辈们's disregard for death inspires me to guard my position well."
By Li Longyi (李龙伊), reporter of this newspaper
"Successfully occupied a certain highland!" At a certain exercise field in the hinterland of the Karakoram Plateau (喀喇昆仑高原), a red and blue confrontation exercise was in full swing. Guo Qiangping (郭强平), company commander of a certain Red Army company of the Xinjiang Military Region (新疆军区), led the airborne detachment to directly attack the flank of the target position, playing a key role in winning the battle.
"The company I am in is a Red Army company that originated from the Autumn Harvest Uprising (秋收起义). It has made outstanding achievements in the War of Resistance Against Japan, the War of Liberation, and other periods, and has produced models such as Zhang Fuqing (张富清), winner of the 'Republic Medal'," Guo Qiangping (郭强平) said. "The 先辈们's disregard for death inspires me to guard my position well, without regret."
Over the years, Guo Qiangping (郭强平) has been leading the officers and soldiers of the company to fight against wind and snow and lack of oxygen, and to stand guard on the towering plateau. The company's synthetic transformation faces many tests, system training, plateau stationing training, live-fire confrontation exercises... Feeling "skill panic," Guo Qiangping (郭强平) led all the officers and soldiers of the company to enter their positions, study tactics, refine their skills, and strengthen their abilities. In the permafrost-covered training ground, he led the team to build bunkers and rush to seize points during the day, and worked overtime at night to write teaching plans for plateau subject research. Guo Qiangping (郭强平) led the officers and soldiers to overcome multiple bottleneck problems, explored a training path with one specialty and multiple abilities, and many "hexagonal warriors" emerged, producing a large number of skilled soldiers.
In his 16 years of military service, Guo Qiangping (郭强平) has climbed the plateau for stationing training and performing tasks 8 times, and was rated as a "national military preparedness pacesetter." Guo Qiangping (郭强平) said: "No matter how strong the wind and snow or how dangerous the road, when the motherland needs us, we will definitely charge forward."
(Peng Shanyu (彭善宇) participated in the writing)
How to firmly "listen to the Party and follow the Party"?
Shi Wenxun (史文勋), a 97-year-old veteran of the Eighth Route Army (八路军):
"Only the Communist Party can save China."
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)
In 1928, Shi Wenxun (史文勋) was born in Leting County (乐亭), Hebei (河北). After Leting (乐亭) fell, the Japanese invaders colluded with puppet troops to establish a puppet regime and frequently carried out "mopping up" campaigns. When he heard that a children's corps was to be established in the village, 10-year-old Shi Wenxun (史文勋) picked up a red-tasseled spear to stand guard, sentry, and deliver messages.
"My parents supported the Communist Party very much. When the troops came, they helped with this and that. My elder brother Shi Jianxun (史建勋) joined the Party in 1941 and engaged in underground work," Shi Wenxun (史文勋) said. "If the Chinese people want to no longer be bullied by the invaders, they must fight bravely! Only the Communist Party can save China!"
In 1943, 15-year-old Shi Wenxun (史文勋) made up his mind to join the Eighth Route Army (八路军) and became a health worker.
He worked hard to learn battlefield first aid knowledge and did his best to rescue the wounded and sick. He valued the small satchel containing medicines more than his own life. Shi Wenxun (史文勋) followed the guerrillas to dig tunnels, trenches, and build bunkers to encircle and suppress the Japanese devils and deal with the puppet troops.
Under the tempering of the troops, Shi Wenxun (史文勋) made rapid progress and later became a guard in the military sub-district. "The leaders were all old Red Army soldiers and old Party members. They were not afraid of death when fighting! The political commissar and his guard were surrounded by the enemy and sacrificed after a fierce battle." Under the light, the old soldier Shi Wenxun (史文勋) had firm eyes and tears filled his eyes. "For the motherland, for the people, they were resolute, strong, brave, and not afraid of sacrifice!"
Zhang Zhanfang (张占方), pilot of a certain flight squadron of a certain aviation brigade of the Air Force of the Southern Theater Command (南部战区):
"I am a Party member, and I will resolutely step up wherever there is a need."
By Jin Zhengbo (金正波), reporter of this newspaper
The sea of clouds is vast, and the war eagles roar. Between the clouds, two warplanes pierced through the rain and fog like sharp knives, continuously forcing away and changing direction, sometimes pulling up at an elevation angle and sometimes diving to attack...
As a sharp knife force guarding the motherland's airspace, such high-intensity confrontation training has become the norm for the officers and soldiers of the squadron.
Last year, a real video of Chinese military aircraft driving away foreign military aircraft sparked heated discussions among netizens. At that time, a foreign military aircraft flew at low altitude towards our territorial waters for close reconnaissance. Zhang Zhanfang (张占方) and Zhang Yao (张耀), pilots of a certain flight squadron of a certain aviation brigade of the Air Force of the Southern Theater Command (南部战区), who were on combat readiness duty, quickly obeyed orders and took off to deal with the situation.
Faced with the foreign military aircraft's infringement and provocation, Zhang Zhanfang (张占方) overcame the adverse effects of the weather, decisively adjusted the aircraft's attitude, gradually increased the slope and reduced the interval towards the foreign military aircraft, and implemented voice warnings. The foreign military aircraft finally turned its course and left.
"During the War of Resistance Against Japan, the armed forces led by our Party dared to fight the enemy to the end. Faced with strong enemies, we cannot bend our backs or shake our legs. I am a Party member, and I will resolutely step up wherever there is a need!" Zhang Zhanfang (张占方) said firmly. Where does the confidence to dare to face strong enemies come from? "The officers and soldiers of the flight squadron thoroughly study and implement Xi Jinping's (习近平) thought on strengthening the military, continuously forge a political character of iron-blooded loyalty, work hard to improve their ability to win battles, and resolutely achieve 'the warplane listens to me, and I listen to the Party'," said the leader of the flight squadron. "Aiming at the opponent and training according to fighting, training harder in peacetime will increase the chances of winning in wartime!" The officers and soldiers are on standby, consciously shouldering their mission and responsibility in one sword-shining after another in the sea and sky.
(Li Yixuan (李艺轩) and Chen Siyi (陈思屹) participated in the writing)
What is the main reliance for winning battles?
Xi Shurong (席树荣), a 98-year-old veteran of the New Fourth Army (新四军):
"If the weapons are poor, the will cannot be poor. Fighting is about拼命的."
By Yang Yanfei (杨颜菲), reporter of this newspaper
In the winter of 1927, Xi Shurong (席树荣) was born into a poor peasant family in Xijia Village (席家村), Qiaodong Township (桥东乡), Fengcheng (丰城), Jiangxi (江西).
In 1942, the "mopping up" of the Japanese Kou broke the tranquility of the village, and Xi Shurong (席树荣), who fled in a hurry, painfully lost his loved ones. In the spring of 3 years later, on a mountain road at the junction of Gan (赣) and Zhejiang (浙), Xi Shurong (席树荣) met the New Fourth Army (新四军) and became a soldier of the 1st Company, 1st Battalion, 48th Regiment, 6th Column of the New Fourth Army (新四军).
When he participated in training for the first time, the scene in front of him made Xi Shurong (席树荣) sad: "The 'weapon' I was assigned at the time was a sharpened wooden stick, and some comrades' 'rifles' were carrying poles wrapped in rags," Xi Shurong (席树荣) recalled.
Despite the simple equipment, Xi Shurong (席树荣) and his comrades still frequently attacked and fought dozens of battles with the Japanese and puppet troops. "If the weapons are poor, the will cannot be poor. Fighting is about 拼命的. If the bones are hard and the people are united, we can also win battles," he recalled.
Just two months after joining the army, the flames of war left an indelible mark on Xi Shurong (席树荣). In May 1945, Liyang (溧阳), Jiangsu (江苏), shrapnel flew across the battlefield, and he suddenly felt a burning pain in his left abdomen - when he looked down, he saw intestines mixed with blood gurgling out. He was carried down by his comrades and carried to a farmhouse on a stretcher, where the military doctor carried out on-the-spot rescue, and Xi Shurong (席树荣) escaped danger.
On the wall hangs an old photo of Xi Shurong (席树荣) that he has treasured for many years. "Now that life is better and the country is stronger, we must also remember how this peace came about," Xi Shurong (席树荣) said.
He Jianbo (何剑波), sergeant major of a certain detachment of a certain brigade of the Rocket Force (火箭军):
"War is not only a confrontation of weapons, but also a contest of spiritual will."
By Jin Zhengbo (金正波), reporter of this newspaper
"Launchers in place!" At the training ground of a certain brigade of the Rocket Force (火箭军), the command sounded, and under the launch pad, the commanders and launchers cooperated closely, the command orders were compact, the operation actions were skilled, and each launch pad successfully completed the task as required.
"Only by setting high goals can we train to a high level," said He Jianbo (何剑波), a third-level sergeant major, leading the backbone to review.
The officers and soldiers of the detachment's attention to detail stems from a failed "case." In that year's red and blue confrontation assessment, the simulated launch entered the countdown, and a launcher accidentally got the portable launch control panel wet, and the timer was blurred. The launcher's vision was already limited by wearing a gas mask, which affected the operation, and the ignition time was 1 second slower than the node error requirement.
"War is not only a confrontation of weapons, but also a contest of spiritual will. We must strictly demand ourselves with higher standards and temper our psychological quality and excellent combat capabilities that cannot be crushed or overwhelmed. Compared with the predecessors during the War of Resistance Against Japan, the dangers and difficulties, hardships and fatigue in our military training and preparation are nothing," He Jianbo (何剑波) said. The detachment's training requirements are almost harsh. The launcher's personal equipment and the loading of combat readiness materials must form muscle memory; the removal and placement of combat readiness tools and the plugging and unplugging of conventional cables should be achieved as much as possible through blind operation.
"Dare to gnaw on hard bones and dare to rush to the forefront!" This is a line from the detachment's war song, which shows the spiritual characteristics of the officers and soldiers of the detachment. In recent years, the launch pad to which the detachment belongs has completed thousands of full-process simulated launch exercises, and more than 20 training methods and tactics have been promoted by the higher authorities...
"Deep mountains and dense forests hide their sharpness, and the flames of the sky shake all directions." The officers and soldiers of the detachment said that this is the detachment's original intention of sharpening its sword, and it is also a vivid microcosm of the Rocket Force's (火箭军) loyal sword sharpening.
(Tian Liang (田亮) and Wang Tianlin (王天林) participated in the writing)
How heavy is the word "people"?
Jin Yuzhen (金玉真), a 95-year-old soldier of the Eighth Route Army (八路军) arsenal:
"The more we protect the common people, the more the common people support us."
By Zhai Qinqi (翟钦奇), reporter of this newspaper, and Zhang Liangcheng (张梁诚), correspondent of this newspaper
In an ordinary community in Hailar District (海拉尔区), Hulunbuir City (呼伦贝尔市), Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (内蒙古自治区), the morning light just洒进窗户, Jin Yuzhen (金玉真), a 95-year-old veteran of the War of Resistance Against Japan, sat upright in front of the window.
From the computer screen in front of him came the voice of Han Liqing (韩李庆), company commander of a certain border defense company of the Northern Theater Command (北部战区): "I should have come to visit you with the soldiers, but the unit has a heavy flood control task recently, so I can only say hello to you online." Although he is old, Jin Yuzhen (金玉真) is still full of energy: "Disaster relief and protecting the lives and property of the people are also combat missions, you must complete them well."
In 1944, Jin Yuzhen (金玉真), who was only 14 years old, resolutely came to the logistics arsenal of the Second Military Sub-district of the Lunan Military Region (鲁南军区) of the Eighth Route Army (八路军).
During the War of Resistance Against Japan, our army's arsenals were always the key targets of the Japanese army's "mopping up." "The more we protect the common people, the more the common people support us," Jin Yuzhen (金玉真) said. Every time the enemy attacked, the Eighth Route Army (八路军) would protect the masses to transfer. Over time, as soon as the Japanese devils came to "mop up," the common people would report in advance, and the arsenal would quickly transfer.
With the support and help of the common people, the arsenal transferred again and again, and resumed production again and again. At the end of 1944, the Lunan Military Region (鲁南军区) arsenal could produce 30 rifle grenade launchers, 15,000 hand grenades, and 1,200 jin of black gunpowder every month. With these weapons and equipment, the soldiers on the front line became more and more confident in打击日寇 and protecting the common people.
Unconsciously, they had been talking across the screen for more than an hour. When saying goodbye, the soldiers stood at attention and saluted Jin Yuzhen (金玉真). Jin Yuzhen (金玉真) also stood up and gave a standard military salute.
Peng Xiaohao (彭晓昊), cadre of a certain squadron of the Beijing (北京) Contingent of the People's Armed Police (武警):
"Behind us are the masses, we must do our best to strengthen the dam."
By Li Longyi (李龙伊), reporter of this newspaper
In late July, Beijing (北京) continued to experience heavy rainfall, causing floods and geological disasters. The people's soldiers acted on orders and quickly rushed to the disaster area to carry out rescue.
On the evening of July 28, the Beijing (北京) Contingent of the People's Armed Police (武警) sent more than a thousand officers and soldiers to support Ningcun New Bridge (宁村新桥) in Miyun District (密云区), Beijing (北京), to undertake the task of building a dam. Ningcun New Bridge (宁村新桥) is located in the southern part of Miyun (密云) urban area. At that time, it was the flood discharge period of Miyun Reservoir (密云水库). The Chaohe River (潮河) under the bridge was turbulent, and the north side of the bridge was a continuous residential area. If the river water overflowed the dam, the consequences would be disastrous.
After arriving at the scene, without taking a rest, the officers and soldiers of a certain squadron immediately投入战斗. The rain was getting heavier and heavier, and the sandbags, which originally weighed 10 kilograms, became heavier and heavier after being soaked in water.
"In the heavy rain, the clothes were already soaked with rain and sweat. Everyone encouraged each other, hoping to complete the task as soon as possible," said Tang Si (唐斯), the squad leader of the squadron. Many comrades did not close their eyes all night, but no one complained or complained of fatigue. One shovel after another was loaded, and one bag after another was stacked. At 5:00 a.m. on July 29, the officers and soldiers finally ended a stage of work and dozed off slightly under the trees.
"Comrades, the water level continues to rise. We have received a task to continue to strengthen the dam!" the commander conveyed the order. Everyone had no complaints and immediately threw themselves into a new round of battle.
"Behind us are the masses, we must do our best to strengthen the dam and protect the lives and property of the people," said Peng Xiaohao (彭晓昊), a cadre of the squadron. "Although the clothes were stuck to our bodies and the combat boots were full of rain, the officers and soldiers became more and more skilled in their movements and the efficiency became higher and higher, and finally completed the task successfully in the morning."
"Will you come again next time there is a rescue mission?" the squad leader next to him asked, looking at a tired post-05s young soldier.
"Yes!" the soldier's answer was斩钉截铁.
Return to TopThis issue coordinated by: Xu Leipeng (徐雷鹏)
Layout design: Cai Huawei (蔡华伟), Zhang Danfeng (张丹峰)
Return to TopBy: 郭高民
Editor's Note: Today, the Chinese People's Liberation Army (中国人民解放军) celebrates its 98th birthday. Over the past 98 years, the people's army has gone through the smoke of war, overcoming obstacles and making great sacrifices, achieving one brilliant victory after another, and establishing great historical achievements for the Party and the people. At present, with the accelerated development of a new round of technological revolution and military revolution, profound changes have taken place in the form of war and combat methods, and the competition for strategic initiative in military competition has become more intense. Chairman Xi Jinping (习近平), in response to the changes of the times, technology, war, and development, keenly grasped the development trend of world military affairs and the laws of modern warfare, creatively put forward the concept of new quality combat capabilities, and systematically answered the question of "what kind of war to fight and how to fight" for our army. In-depth study of the characteristics and laws of modern warfare, accelerating the development of new quality combat capabilities, is not only an urgent task for our army to build a world-class army, but also the requirement of the times for our army to win future wars. So, what is new quality combat capability? How to develop new quality combat capability? The theoretical edition of this newspaper publishes expert articles around these issues for our readers.
Xi Jinping's (习近平) thought on strengthening the military is formed and developed under the historical conditions of socialism with Chinese characteristics entering a new era and profound changes in the world, national, and military situations. It is the theoretical crystallization and scientific guide for the great practice of strengthening the military in the new era. Focusing on realizing the Chinese dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, Chairman Xi (习近平) led the entire army to conduct in-depth theoretical exploration and practical creation around what kind of powerful people's army to build in the new era and how to build a powerful people's army, profoundly answering the major issues such as the mission and tasks, struggle goals, fundamental principles, strategic layout, and important paths of strengthening the military in the new era, forming Xi Jinping's (习近平) thought on strengthening the military, the latest achievement of the Party's military guiding theory. The original concept and iconic concept of new quality combat capabilities systematically answered the question of "what kind of war to fight and how to fight" for our army, profoundly revealing the characteristics and laws of modern warfare and the mechanism of winning, and is an important part of Xi Jinping's (习近平) thought on strengthening the military. Fully understanding the military revolutionary significance of this important concept can provide us with scientific theoretical and practical guidance for seizing the commanding heights of military struggle, seeking new advantages in competition and development, and achieving the centenary goal of army building.
The concept of new quality combat capability is proposed based on accurately grasping the characteristics and laws of modern warfare and the mechanism of winning, and firmly grasping the only fundamental standard of establishing combat capability to strengthen the military.
Engels pointed out: "The theoretical thinking of every era, including the theoretical thinking of our era, is a historical product." New quality combat capability is an original concept and iconic concept proposed by Chairman Xi (习近平) based on keenly grasping the development trend of world military affairs and the laws of modern warfare.
The problem is the voice of the times. With the accelerated development of a new round of technological revolution and military revolution, wars are showing trends of being invisible, silent, and unmanned, and the question of "where does combat capability come from" has become a question of the times that national defense and army building must face. Judging from the recent local wars and military operations in the world, such as the Ukraine crisis and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the degree of informatization of modern warfare is constantly improving, and the characteristics of intelligence are becoming increasingly apparent. Some new technologies and equipment have formed a dimensionality reduction strike against traditional equipment, and major changes have taken place in the concept of winning wars, the elements of winning, and the ways of winning. The collective emergence of innovative achievements in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence and their widespread application in the military field have made the war show a new trend of integrated development of mechanization, informatization, and intelligence, manifested as the integration of battlefield space into a multi-dimensional space, the leap of combat platforms to unmanned, the evolution of combat command to intelligence, the development of military strikes to precision and instantaneous, and the upgrading of war control to "brain control," as well as the characteristics of modern warfare, and the era characteristics of the mechanism of winning wars highlighting information dominance, strategic deterrence, overall operations, and new quality decisive victory.
Chairman Xi (习近平) pointed out as early as 2013: "We must focus on strengthening the construction of new types of combat forces, reduce the number of old equipment within a time limit, and make room for new types of combat forces." The concept of new quality combat capability initially took shape. In January 2019, Chairman Xi (习近平) pointed out at the Central Military Commission's military work conference: "We must strengthen the construction of new types of combat forces and increase the proportion of new quality combat capabilities." The concept of new quality combat capability was formally proposed. On the eve of "August 1" in 2020, Chairman Xi (习近平) emphasized during his inspection of the Air Force Aviation University: "We must closely follow the development trend of the world's new military revolution" and "promote the accelerated incubation and generation of new quality combat capabilities." In October 2022, Chairman Xi (习近平) pointed out in the report to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China: "Build a strong strategic deterrence force system and increase the proportion of new domain and new quality combat forces." In March 2024, Chairman Xi (习近平) emphasized when attending the plenary meeting of the delegation of the People's Liberation Army and the People's Armed Police Force at the Second Session of the 14th National People's Congress: "Promote the efficient integration and two-way pull of new quality productive forces and new quality combat capabilities" and "create growth poles for new quality productive forces and new quality combat capabilities."
Combat capability is the army's combat capability. In the agricultural era, combat capability was expressed as a "muscle competition" of manpower plus ironware; in the industrial era, combat capability was expressed as a "mechanized crushing" of oil plus steel; in the information era, the dominant form of combat capability presents an "informationized confrontation" based on system power.
New quality combat capability relies on emerging technological means and advanced combat concepts, and is a system combat capability based on information systems. Its "new" lies in the all-element implantation of information genes, the integration into networked channels, and the use of new technologies, new equipment, and new tactics to give the military system new advantages such as strategic guidance, information empowerment, network aggregation, technology strengthening, and system release. Taking artificial intelligence technology as an example, it can realize real-time perception and advanced prediction of battlefield situations through technical means such as machine learning and big data analysis, effectively improving decision-making science, battlefield control, and combat winning rate.
Chairman Xi (习近平) pointed out: "The army is to prepare for war, and all work must adhere to the combat capability standard and focus on being able to fight and win battles." Only by grasping the characteristics and laws of modern warfare and the mechanism of winning can we clarify what kind of war to fight in the future and how to fight it, so as to anchor the logical basis of war preparation and find the direction of army combat capability development. The concept of new quality combat capability is proposed based on accurately grasping the characteristics and laws of modern warfare and the mechanism of winning, and firmly grasping the only fundamental standard of establishing combat capability to strengthen the military, focusing on improving the combat capability of our army.
From "combat capability" to "new quality combat capability" is not only an evolution of terms and concepts, but also reflects the profound grasp of the great changes unseen in a century in the world by the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) as the core, the profound grasp of the development trend of the new round of technological revolution and military revolution, and the profound grasp of the laws of modernization construction and development of the Chinese army.
Military revolution is not a simple weapon update, but a systematic project driven by the application of subversive technologies, guided by the innovation of combat theories, leveraged by the adjustment of systems and establishments, and driven by the needs of strategic game, and new quality combat capability is the core component and measurement standard of this systematic project. In this constantly developing and changing systematic project, military revolution provides broad space and sufficient conditions for new quality combat capability to display its talents, and new quality combat capability provides intelligent support and directional guidance for the deepening evolution of military revolution. The two are conditional on each other and interact with each other, jointly determining a country's position of victory or defeat in future wars. Historically, every military revolution has prominently manifested as the generational crushing of new types of combat forces on the old system. From a technical level, new quality combat capability essentially stems from the cluster breakthrough of key technologies. At present, cutting-edge technologies represented by artificial intelligence, quantum information, hypersonic, directed energy, and biological intersection are forming a "technology group" in the military field, which generates system combat capabilities far exceeding the effectiveness of a single weapon through the full-link coupling of computing power carrier-algorithm-data-platform-system. From the perspective of the army's system and establishment, new quality combat capability requires the army's organizational system to compress the intermediate levels, transform from a bureaucratic system of stacked beds and houses to a networked and flattened system, and transform from a system of self-contained services to a flexible combination of forces driven by combat missions, making room for new quality combat capability. From the perspective of the strategic competition pattern of major powers, whoever takes the lead in forming and effectively using new quality combat capability will be able to obtain the "first move" and "initiative" in strategic game.
Regarding how to promote the generation of new quality combat capability, Chairman Xi (习近平) pointed out several key points. First, in terms of fundamental principles, we must adhere to and strengthen the Party's absolute leadership over the army. Chairman Xi (习近平) pointed out: "The Party's absolute leadership over the army is the essential characteristic of socialism with Chinese characteristics, an important political advantage of the Party and the country, and the foundation of the army building and the soul of the army strengthening of the people's army." Second, in terms of support carriers, it is clear that "science and technology are the core combat capability of modern warfare." We must seize the "bull nose" of emerging technologies, promote major projects in national defense science and technology and weapons and equipment to achieve "corner overtaking" in key areas such as intelligent unmanned systems and network information systems, and build a new quality combat capability system. Third, adhere to the essential requirements of Chinese characteristics. The "Decision" of the Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee clearly proposed "building a modern military force system with Chinese characteristics," and the report to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China proposed "prospering and developing a strong military culture and strengthening the cultivation of combat spirit," clearly answering the question of how new quality combat capability reflects the essential requirements of Chinese characteristics. These three aspects are not only the inheritance and development of our army's fine traditions, but also the Sinicization and modernization innovation of Marxist military theory, which has been fully confirmed in the practice of strengthening the military.
The concept of new quality combat capability has achieved multiple strategic value breakthroughs in the history of military thought, academic history, and practical history.
New quality combat capability is essentially the product of technological innovation and theoretical innovation. Engels pointed out: "Every new insight put forward by a science contains a revolution in the terminology of this science." Standing at the forefront of the times, Chairman Xi (习近平), on the basis of the existing military thoughts of Marxist classical writers, carried out a "revolution of terminology" through original terms such as "new type of combat capability," "strategic capability in emerging fields," and "new quality combat capability," forming the unique logo of Xi Jinping's (习近平) thought on strengthening the military, adding new cornerstones to the building of Marxist military theory, and achieving multiple strategic value breakthroughs in the history of military thought, academic history, and practical history.
Conceptual transcendence in the history of military thought. Chairman Xi (习近平) pointed out: "Scientific military theory is combat capability." Scientific military theory can reveal the laws of war, the laws of war guidance, and the laws of army building, guide the construction and application of military forces, and scientific military theory always originates from a specific concept of combat capability. From ancient times to modern times, combat capability has always been understood as a complex composed of people, weapons, and the combination of people and weapons. Engels pointed out in "Anti-Dühring" that the army "first depends on the then level of production and transportation conditions," and for the first time placed combat capability in the overall chain of social production methods for examination.
The significance of the concept of new quality combat capability in the history of military thought lies in shifting the focus of combat capability from weapon competition to system confrontation, realizing the transcendence of traditional combat capability theory. First, the transcendence of the conceptual base. The traditional concept of combat capability is based on mechanical energy and chemical energy, and always follows the linear competition logic of "spear tip" and "shield thickness." The concept of new quality combat capability relies on new types of energy such as data, algorithms, and computing power to form a non-linear advantage. Second, the transcendence of the conceptual element composition. The traditional concept of combat capability focuses on the three-element composition of personnel, weapons, and force configuration, emphasizing the tactical combination of "human-machine collaboration." The concept of new quality combat capability pays more attention to the "new three elements" composition of data elements, algorithm elements, and cross-domain elements on this basis, emphasizing the integrated role of "human, machine, and intelligence" to form a new quality advantage. Third, the transcendence of the conceptual combat domain. The traditional concept of combat capability focuses on the competition for control of physical spaces such as land, sea, air, and space; the concept of new quality combat capability focuses on emerging fields, directly intervening in the enemy's decision-making in the network domain, information domain, and cognitive domain to achieve the strategic goal of subduing the enemy without fighting.
Terminology innovation in military academic history. Engels pointed out that "the entire organization and combat methods of the army and the victories and defeats related to it depend on material, that is, economic conditions," laying the foundation for the historical materialism methodology of combat capability research. Soviet Marshal Ogarkov once proposed a "military technology revolution," but did not break through "technological determinism"; the frequent "military transformation" in the United States fell into the logic of "combat platform replacement" from old weapons to new weapons. Since the new era, Chairman Xi (习近平) has made important expositions on "promoting the efficient integration and two-way pull of new quality productive forces and new quality combat capabilities," enriching and developing the conceptual system of Marxist military theory.
Its military academic history contribution lies in identifying technological mutations with "new," characterizing the qualitative change of combat capability structure with "quality," avoiding the technological omnipotence thinking of one key opening all locks; incorporating data, algorithms, talents, and organizations into the integration and pull system of productivity and combat capability, reshaping the underlying logic of combat capability generation, and opening up channels for complexity science to enter military research. The terminology system determines the discourse system. The innovation of military terminology has a foundational, leading, and supporting role in military science innovation. It is not a simple update at the language level, but a theoretical shaping of military understanding deepening, strategic thinking upgrading, and combat method innovation. Once a new military concept is fixed in the form of terminology, it means that its theoretical abstraction work on the characteristics, laws, and winning mechanism of war has been completed. Only by forming a theoretically self-consistent group of terms can we get rid of the simple transplantation of foreign military terms and lay the foundation for the systematic development of military science.
In recent years, with the continuous expansion of emerging fields and battlefield space, new wars and combat theories have emerged one after another, such as the "network-centric warfare," "global rapid strike," and "all-domain warfare" proposed by the United States, the "non-nuclear deterrence strategy" and "strategic aerospace campaign" proposed by Russia, and the "cross-domain defense" proposed by Japan, all of which are attempts to win new military advantages through theoretical innovation.
The proposal of the original concept and iconic concept of new quality combat capability creatively reveals the dialectical unity relationship between "new" and "quality," clarifies the theoretical connotation of new quality combat capability, profoundly reveals the general laws of generation and development of new quality combat capability, expands the new vision of military theory, deepens the new understanding of military theory, thereby getting rid of the traditional combat capability generation model and development path, realizing the optimization adjustment and innovative transformation of the constituent elements of combat capability, opening up a new path for liberating and developing combat capability, and significantly improving the discourse weight of China's military science research in the global military academic field.
Qualitative breakthrough of combat capability in military practice history. The core of the qualitative breakthrough of combat capability lies in the generation and development of new quality combat capability. The concept of new quality combat capability has promoted the development of Marxist military theory, innovated the combat capability generation model, and led the leap of military practice. In the years of revolutionary war, our army adhered to "learning war from war" and created the people's war strategy and tactics marked by the "sixteen-character formula" (游击战，运动战，在有利条件下打集中战 - yóu jī zhàn, yùn dòng zhàn, zài yǒu lì tiáo jiàn xià dǎ jí zhōng zhàn - "guerrilla warfare, mobile warfare, fight concentrated battles under favorable conditions," a summary of Mao Zedong's military strategy), generating extraordinary combat capabilities to defeat strong enemies with inferior equipment; after the founding of New China, facing the dangerous situation on the Korean battlefield, the Volunteer Army created combat methods such as "nibbling at ox hide candy" (零敲牛皮糖 - líng qiāo niú pí táng - "nibbling at ox hide candy," a tactic of attrition), accumulating small victories into big victories, breaking the myth that the US military was invincible; with the successful development of "two bombs and one star" (两弹一星 - liǎng dàn yī xīng - "two bombs one satellite," refers to the atomic bomb, hydrogen bomb, and artificial satellite), our army achieved a qualitative leap in strategic deterrence capabilities, winning valuable peaceful development environment for our country.
Entering the new era, facing the bottleneck of combat capability generation under long-term peace conditions, Chairman Xi (习近平) profoundly insighted into the key to developing new quality combat capability, requiring the army to "strengthen the consistency of war and training, adhere to leading training with war and promoting war with training, achieve training according to actual combat requirements, and realize the integration of combat and training," pointing out the "actual combat" mode of strengthening the army for generating new quality combat capability.
Xi Jinping (习近平) pointed out: "It is necessary to accelerate the development of advanced equipment, step up the training of professional talents, strengthen targeted and confrontational training, and promote the accelerated improvement of new quality combat capabilities." In order to maximize the proximity to actual combat, the Central Military Commission (中央军委) has unified standards and requirements, establishing specialized confrontation training bases and "Blue Army" units with sophisticated equipment and first-class quality. This completely broke the traditional confrontational exercise pattern of "the Red Army must win," and even scenarios where the "Red Army" was defeated by the "Blue Army" before it could even deploy occurred. As a result, officers and soldiers are guided to treat failure as a whetstone and to hone their skills in winning from "defeats," gradually creating a training culture of real fighting and resistance, so that the improvement of combat effectiveness directly points to the future battlefield.
The concept of new quality combat capabilities has far-reaching strategic guiding significance for winning the initiative on the future battlefield.
Xi Jinping (习近平) pointed out: "We must take a broad and long-term view, see the changes and trends in the development of the world's military field, see the major impact of the world's new military revolution, and form a scientific understanding and judgment." This important exposition has far-reaching strategic guiding significance for us to accelerate the generation and application of new quality combat capabilities and win the initiative on the future battlefield.
Foreseeing the borderless transformation of war forms. In 2015, Xi Jinping (习近平) emphasized that the Army should "accelerate the transition from regional defense to full-domain operations." "Full-domain" is a multi-dimensional concept. "Full-domain operations" refers to the ability of the military's combat capabilities to cover the entire domain. At present, the temporal and spatial characteristics of war have undergone major changes, and multi-dimensional battlefield spaces have merged into one, and the boundaries between strategy, campaign, and tactics are becoming blurred. This requires our military to implement the overall national security concept, adapt to the trend of borderless war transformation in war preparedness and combat, break through the boundaries of traditional operations such as the military and the people, the front and the rear, offense and defense, the local and the overall, the war space and the peace space, and the expansion of national borders and national strategic interests, and focus on the overall strategic situation to generate full-domain operational combat capabilities, providing comprehensive security guarantees for the country and society.
From the perspective of combat effectiveness mechanisms, traditional combat effectiveness is based on physical energy and chemical energy as the dominant forms of energy, and operations are generally "point" and "line" movements, and war has boundaries; new quality combat effectiveness is based on information energy and intelligence as the dominant forms of energy, and operations are generally "surface" and "network" movements, and war is borderless. For example, for network weapons that are rapidly evolving, they have neither a time barrier - "always present" - nor a space barrier - "penetrating everywhere." This revolutionary change in the form of energy makes war present a borderless war form.
From the perspective of war elements, whether it is a war full of gunpowder smoke or a war without gunpowder smoke, the main body, object, tool, and method of operation have no clear boundaries. The Ukraine crisis and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict both exhibit the "globalization" characteristic of affecting the world with one move: in addition to the direct belligerent countries, many countries in the world are involved as indirect participants or related parties.
From the perspective of war space, whether it is in "hard battlefields" such as gun battles, ship and aircraft battles, and unmanned platform battles, or in "soft battlefields" such as trade wars, technology wars, and cyber wars, war has integrated multi-dimensional spaces such as land, sea, air, space, electricity, network, information, mind, and intelligence into one, forming an infinitely broad "super battlefield." A prominent feature of the borderless transformation of war is that non-military forces are increasingly showing extraordinary power. This requires us to grasp the new characteristics and requirements of people's war under the new era conditions in promoting the construction of new quality combat capabilities, inherit and carry forward the fine traditions of people's war, innovate and develop the strategies and tactics of people's war, enhance national cohesion and military combat capabilities, and build a steel great wall for winning wars without boundaries and without gunpowder smoke.
Gaining insight into the revolutionary changes in the mechanism of winning war. Xi Jinping (习近平) pointed out: "Modern warfare has indeed undergone profound changes. These changes seem dazzling, but there are rules to follow behind them, and the fundamental thing is that the mechanism of winning war has changed." Only by understanding the mechanism of winning war can we grasp the laws of war and win the victory of war.
At present, with the rapid development and in-depth application of science and technology, many war elements such as war forms, combat fields, combat methods, and weapons and equipment have undergone profound changes, and the mechanism of winning war has also undergone revolutionary changes, mainly unfolding in four aspects.
First, from firepower-led to information-led. In the past, war was mainly manifested as physical domain firepower confrontation, and the advantage of military strength and firepower often determined the outcome of the battle. Now, the development of informatization makes operational confrontation prominently manifested as a system contest in the physical domain, information domain, and cognitive domain, and new tactics such as controlling the "sky" and breaking the "network," hitting points and breaking chains, and hitting the "essential" and paralyzing the "body" have emerged, and system advantages are mainly achieved through data, algorithms, and other information forces to create cognitive advantages and decision-making advantages.
Second, from campaign showdown to strategic game. In the past, war was mainly a campaign decisive battle of steel torrents, and war decision-makers often formulated plans based on relatively vague situation judgments. Now, the intelligent development of weapons and equipment has made the battlefield situation self-perception ability increasingly improved, thereby catalyzing the war to rise to the level of strategic game, that is, through "war pre-practice" platforms such as war chess systems, accurate judgments such as the war process, the cost of both sides, and the outcome of victory or defeat can be obtained, making the war increasingly manifested as a strategic contest at the "pre-war" level.
Third, from local confrontation to overall operations. In the past, war was manifested as local confrontation, and even in the two world wars, there was a peaceful space for countries that did not participate in the war. Now, with the deepening development of the borderless transformation of war, the "globalization" characteristics of war are becoming increasingly prominent.
Fourth, from element showdown to new quality decisive victory. In the past, human resources, material resources, and people's strategic capabilities were the core elements for measuring the victory or defeat of war, and the traditional framework for winning war has never been broken, such as the US military relying on the deployment of troops in strategic locations around the world and the generational advantage of weapons and equipment to dominate the world. Now, with the "new quality" development of war, new quality combat capabilities have become a key variable in the victory or defeat of war.
Promoting the iterative transformation of military organizational forms. The development of new quality combat capabilities inevitably requires corresponding adjustments to the military command system. The massive emergence and rapid changes of battlefield information present a new scenario of "second kill and instant decision," requiring the military command system to upgrade and transform from the traditional layered and cumulative bureaucratic system to a "distributed network structure" to ensure that the military has the agile response capability of real-time "speed." For example, after the Cold War, the US military, driven by "network-centric warfare," abolished traditional military service institutions such as the Tactical Air Force Command and formed new types of operational forces such as multi-domain task forces to adapt to the requirements of the information age war.
Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (党的十八大), through deepening the reform of national defense and the military, our military has formed a new pattern of the Central Military Commission (军委) exercising overall control, war zones focusing on combat, and military services focusing on construction, realizing an overall revolutionary reshaping, with increasingly flattened operational command, and increasingly standardized, procedural, and refined operational organization and management, taking an important step in building a modern military force system with Chinese characteristics. Focusing on the needs of winning battles, our military has also formed new operational force systems such as the Strategic Support Force (战略支援部队) and the Information Support Force, laying a solid organizational foundation for the full development of new quality combat capabilities.
The efficient integration and two-way pull of new quality combat capabilities and new quality productive forces.
Xi Jinping (习近平) emphasized: "We must take advantage of the momentum, grasp the characteristics and laws of development in emerging fields, and promote the efficient integration and two-way pull of new quality productive forces and new quality combat capabilities." This important exposition by Xi Jinping (习近平) reveals the inherent unity and mutual promotion relationship between new quality productive forces and new quality combat capabilities, providing a direction for us to promote high-quality development and ensure high-level security, and providing fundamental guidance.
New quality productive forces and new quality combat capabilities support each other and pull each other. The degree of development of new quality productive forces determines the degree of development of new quality combat capabilities. As Engels pointed out: "The victory of violence is based on the production of weapons, and the production of weapons is based on the entire production." Only by fully developing new quality productive forces can a country have a solid economic foundation and strong scientific and technological strength, and can it forge strong new quality combat capabilities. In addition to advanced weapons and equipment and technical resources, new quality productive forces can also provide new quality combat capabilities with high-quality military talents, scientific operational concepts, and rich operational methods.
From another perspective, the development of new quality combat capabilities can effectively guide and promote the development of new quality productive forces, because "once society has a technical need, this need will push science forward more than ten universities can." At the same time, the development of new quality combat capabilities enables the military to have stronger winning capabilities, which helps to maintain national security and economic construction, and ensure the development of new quality productive forces. In the early days of human history, stone tools and wooden spears were used for production activities such as gathering and hunting, and they were also used for war activities; with the development of history, the emergence of metal smelting technology and industry led to the advent of metal weapons; in agricultural society, with the prosperity of gunpowder and firearms manufacturing technology and the metallurgical industry, firearms and artillery were used in war, and the focus of combat effectiveness generation shifted from close combat to long-range attacks; in industrial society, steam engines, internal combustion engines, and electricity gave rise to mechanized combat weapons such as tanks... Every change in productive forces will inevitably inject new vitality into the development of military combat capabilities and promote the upgrading and leap of combat effectiveness.
At present, the rapid development of a new generation of information technology, artificial intelligence, quantum technology, virtual reality, and brain-computer interface technology continues to demonstrate the unity and symbiosis of the inherent mechanisms of productive forces and combat capabilities. Promoting the efficient integration and two-way pull of new quality productive forces and new quality combat capabilities is an inevitable requirement for continuously enhancing the overall strength of the country, and it is of strategic significance for promoting the high-quality development of our military and winning modern wars, and comprehensively promoting the construction of a strong country and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
Promoting the "two-way embedding" of the innovation chain of new quality productive forces and new quality combat capabilities. At present, there is still a lot of room for the integration, use, and collaborative innovation of new quality productive forces and new quality combat capabilities in emerging fields, and it is necessary to open up the path of interaction and transformation between the two from the innovation mechanism and solve the integrated generation of strategic systems and capabilities in emerging fields from the source. It is necessary to anchor key nodes in emerging fields, further improve the docking platform for the "military industry demand list" and the "civilian technology catalog," both transplanting some military technology achievements to various fields of the national economy and actively promoting the participation of advantageous civilian technologies in military industrial scientific research and production, forming a good situation of two-way transformation, benign interaction, and spiral rise of military and civilian technologies; further improve the military-local registration system for scientific and technological innovation achievements to stimulate innovation vitality; and increase the construction of shared infrastructure such as national laboratories and large scientific devices for weak links in basic research to catalyze the efficient generation of original capabilities.
Promoting the deep coupling of the industrial chain and the operational chain. New quality productive forces and new quality combat capabilities are coupled and promote each other, and the demand for "military-to-civilian" and "civilian-to-military" is constantly increasing. This requires us to deeply couple the industrial chain and the operational chain and cultivate an industrial support system that is compatible with new quality combat capabilities. It is necessary to continuously improve the system and mechanism for the efficient integration and two-way pull of new quality combat capabilities and new quality productive forces, establish and improve a complete, independent, and controllable strategic emerging industry system for the industrial chain, supply chain, and innovation chain, realize the interconnection and mutual complementation of civil industry and national defense science and technology industry, and provide safe, strong, stable, and reliable industrial support for the updating and innovative development of weapons and equipment, so as to better promote the generation and development of new quality combat capabilities.
Promoting the cross-border flow of talent elements. Xi Jinping (习近平) pointed out: "The way to strengthen the military lies in obtaining talent. Talent is a key factor in promoting the high-quality development of our military and winning military competition and future wars." Whether in production activities or in military activities, people are the organizers and practitioners, and if people's innovation ability is strong, they can empower various elements of productive forces and combat capabilities and promote the upgrading of productive forces and combat capabilities. Therefore, talent is always an important resource and promoter leading the development of new quality productive forces and new quality combat capabilities. It is necessary to improve the talent training mode adapted to the integrated development of new quality productive forces and new quality combat capabilities, make full use of China's world's largest higher education system, cultivate emerging interdisciplinary talents such as intelligent unmanned systems and cyberspace security, cultivate "engineer + commander" compound talents, and promote the co-frequency resonance and coordinated development of military education and national higher education. Increase policy incentives, optimize the cultivation, introduction, and use mechanism of leading talents, high-end talents, and general-purpose talents for military-local integrated development, and provide strong talent guarantees for the formation and development of new quality combat capabilities.
The efficient integration and two-way pull of new quality combat capabilities and new quality productive forces have effectively promoted the overall leap of China's comprehensive strength. Xi Jinping (习近平) pointed out at the symposium on cybersecurity and informatization work in 2016 that core technologies "can be grasped from three aspects. The first is basic technology and general technology. The second is asymmetric technology and 'trump card' technology. The third is cutting-edge technology and disruptive technology. In these fields, we are on the same starting line as foreign countries. If we can deploy ahead of schedule and concentrate on tackling key problems, it is very likely that we will achieve a shift from following and running to running side by side and leading." This important judgment and instruction on the international scientific and technological competition situation points out the strategic direction and injects strong impetus for the transformation of our military's combat capabilities to intelligence and the sprint to "running side by side and leading." In order to seize the initiative in international competition in emerging fields, Xi Jinping (习近平) emphasized that the military should "strengthen the pre-positioning of emerging fields, strengthen the construction of cutting-edge disciplines, strengthen the training of new types of talents, and promote the accelerated incubation and generation of new quality combat capabilities." Xi Jinping (习近平) has personally visited the front line of combat effectiveness transformation and upgrading for many times to conduct research and guidance, emphasizing the need to make a fuss about "strengthening military-local synergy and making good use of local advantageous forces and resources," which has significantly accelerated the pace of new quality combat capabilities construction and greatly enhanced the country's comprehensive strength. The powerful synergy generated by the interactive development of new quality productive forces and new quality combat capabilities is sufficient to support China to assume its due responsibilities and obligations for realizing its own development and maintaining world peace.
(The author is a former researcher at the Research Department of the National Defense University (国防大学) of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (中国人民解放军)).
Return to TopBy: 黄润秋
On August 15, 2005, Xi Jinping (习近平), then Secretary of the Zhejiang Provincial Party Committee, first proposed the scientific thesis that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" during a research trip to Anji (安吉). Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) has repeatedly emphasized and expounded on the idea that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" on various occasions, promoting the continuous deepening and expansion of this major concept in terms of theoretical depth and practical breadth. It has gradually developed into a landmark viewpoint and representative thesis of Xi Jinping's (习近平) thought on ecological civilization, guiding China's ecological civilization construction to achieve remarkable achievements that have attracted worldwide attention. On the new journey, we must thoroughly implement Xi Jinping's (习近平) thought on ecological civilization, firmly establish and practice the concept that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets," and coordinate the promotion of high-quality development and high-level protection, striving to build a beautiful China where humanity and nature coexist in harmony.
Deeply Grasping the Theoretical Connotation and Practical Requirements of the Concept That Lucid Waters and Lush Mountains Are Invaluable Assets
"Lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" is an important development concept, an inherent requirement for achieving sustainable development, and a major principle for promoting modernization, with rich theoretical connotations and contemporary significance, which must be deeply studied, understood, and conscientiously implemented.
"Lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" profoundly expounds on the dialectical unity between economic development and ecological environmental protection. General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) pointed out that economic development cannot **竭泽而渔** (jié zé ér yú - "drain the pond to catch all the fish," to seek short-term benefits at the expense of long-term interests) with regard to resources and the ecological environment, and ecological environmental protection is not **缘木求鱼** (yuán mù qiú yú - "climb a tree to catch fish," a futile approach) by abandoning economic development. The concept of "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" eliminates the erroneous understanding of the rigid opposition between environment and economy in the past, and points out a new path for achieving coordinated coexistence between development and protection. On the one hand, ecological and environmental problems arise in development and must be solved through development. Economic development can provide an important material foundation and conditions for ecological and environmental protection, and we must adhere to green and low-carbon development as the fundamental solution to ecological and environmental problems. On the other hand, a good ecological environment is an important condition for the sustainable development of the economy and society. Without "lucid waters and lush mountains," all the wealth of human society will become water without a source and a tree without roots, and lucid waters and lush mountains themselves contain infinite economic value, which can continuously bring invaluable assets. We must adhere to protection in development and development in protection, coordinate economic and social development with population, resources, and environment, and make a good ecological environment a strong support for the continuous and healthy development of the economy and society.
"Lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" profoundly responds to the people's growing need for a beautiful ecological environment. General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) pointed out that a good ecological environment is the fairest public product and the most inclusive benefit to people's livelihood. The concept of "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" clarifies the equally important status of "lucid waters and lush mountains" and "invaluable assets," and is a positive response to the people's growing need for a beautiful ecological environment, reflecting our Party's people-centered development thought. The environment is people's livelihood, green mountains are beauty, and blue skies are happiness. Developing the economy is for the people's livelihood, and protecting the ecological environment is also for the people's livelihood. With the continuous improvement of people's living standards, lucid waters and lush mountains are increasingly becoming an important part of people's happy life, and the people's demand for high-quality ecological products is becoming more and more urgent. We must adhere to ecological benefits for the people, ecological benefits for the people, and ecology for the people, provide more high-quality ecological products, and let the people live and work in an ecological environment with blue skies, green land, and clear water.
"Lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" profoundly reveals a brand-new path for global sustainable development. General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) pointed out that, throughout the history of human civilization, civilization thrives when ecology thrives, and civilization declines when ecology declines. The process of industrialization has created unprecedented material wealth, but also produced irreparable ecological wounds. Humanity has only one Earth, and building a green home is the common dream of mankind. We must uphold the concept of a community of life on Earth, continuously deepen international cooperation in the field of ecological environment, actively participate in and lead global environmental and climate governance, continuously strengthen the international dissemination of the concept that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets," and contribute more Chinese wisdom and Chinese solutions to promoting global sustainable development and building a clean and beautiful world together.
The Concept That Lucid Waters and Lush Mountains Are Invaluable Assets Leads to Major Achievements in Ecological Civilization Construction in the New Era
Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, under the scientific guidance of the concept that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets," China has unswervingly followed the path of civilized development featuring production development, affluent living, and a good ecology. Historic, transformative, and comprehensive changes have taken place in ecological civilization construction, and major strides have been made in building a beautiful China.
The green undertone of development is more distinct. Adhering to planning development from the height of harmonious coexistence between man and nature, promoting the formation of green development modes and lifestyles, and creating ecological miracles and green development miracles that have attracted worldwide attention. The world's largest clean power system and clean steel production system have been built, and more than 96% of coal-fired power units have completed ultra-low emission retrofits. The world's largest carbon emission trading market has been built and is operating stably, and a national voluntary greenhouse gas emission reduction trading market has been launched. Vigorously promote the demonstration creation of ecological civilization and the practical innovation of "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets," and form a batch of replicable and scalable experience models. Since 2017, 572 demonstration zones for ecological civilization construction and 240 practical innovation bases for "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" have been organized and named successively, providing vivid practices and fresh samples for ecological civilization construction.
Significant progress has been made in improving the quality of the ecological environment. Starting from solving the prominent ecological and environmental problems around the people, we have continued to fight the tough battle against pollution prevention and control, creating the successful practice of the largest developing country effectively protecting the ecological environment while achieving rapid economic and social development. Compared with 10 years ago, the average concentration of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in key cities across the country has decreased by 56%, and the number of heavily polluted days has decreased by 92%; the proportion of sections with excellent water quality in surface water has increased from 64.1% to 90.4%, and the water quality of the main stream of the Yangtze River (长江) has remained stable at Class II for 5 consecutive years, and the water quality of the main stream of the Yellow River (黄河) has remained stable at Class II for 3 consecutive years; 90% of terrestrial ecosystem types and 74% of national key wild animal and plant populations have been effectively and properly protected. Through hard work, the people's sense of gain, happiness, and security in the ecological environment has been significantly improved, and the national public's satisfaction with the ecological environment has exceeded 90% for 4 consecutive years.
The public's awareness of ecological and environmental protection has been significantly enhanced. Deeply practicing ecological civilization is a cause that the people jointly participate in, jointly build, and jointly enjoy, mobilizing the whole society to act and be active disseminators and exemplary practitioners of the concept that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets." As of now, the number of ecological environment volunteers in the country has exceeded 35 million, and the number of volunteer service projects has exceeded 1.5 million. The national action system for building a beautiful China has been initially constructed, the main theme of ecological civilization is more resounding, the concept that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" has become the consensus and action of the whole Party and the whole society, and a simple, moderate, green, low-carbon, civilized, and healthy lifestyle has gradually become a new social trend.
Global environmental governance contributions are becoming more and more prominent. Deeply practicing the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind, taking the initiative to assume responsibility and demonstrate the responsibility of a major country, playing a constructive role in global environmental governance, and realizing a major transformation from participant to leader. Actively promoting the conclusion, signing, entry into force, and implementation of the Paris Agreement, and making a solemn commitment to carbon peaking and carbon neutrality. As the host country, the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the Convention on Biological Diversity was successfully held, promoting the achievement of the landmark "Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework." Advocating the establishment of the "Belt and Road" Green Development International Alliance, and signing cooperation and assistance agreements on addressing climate change with more than 40 countries, becoming a firm action faction and an important contributor to world green development.
Accelerating the Construction of a Beautiful China Where Humanity and Nature Coexist in Harmony
The concept that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" originated in Zhejiang (浙江) and is practiced throughout the country. 20 years of practical exploration have opened up a new realm of ecological civilization construction and ecological environmental protection, demonstrating the enduring practical power and lasting vitality of the concept that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets." In the new era and on the new journey, we must thoroughly implement Xi Jinping's (习近平) thought on ecological civilization, firmly establish the concept that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets," and coordinate the promotion of carbon reduction, pollution reduction, green expansion, and growth, support high-quality development with a high-quality ecological environment, and strive to build a beautiful China with evergreen mountains, long-flowing rivers, and ever-fresh air.
Actively Promote the Construction of a Beautiful China. Deepen the implementation mechanism for promoting the construction of a beautiful China, coordinate and promote the comprehensive development of actions in various fields, and study and formulate methods for assessing the effectiveness of the construction of a beautiful China. Promote the construction of pilot zones for a beautiful China at all levels in an integrated manner, build beautiful cities to a high standard, build beautiful villages in accordance with local conditions, and accelerate the implementation of actions to build and upgrade beautiful rivers and lakes and beautiful bays. Deeply promote the central ecological environmental protection inspection, and further consolidate the political responsibility of all regions and departments for grasping the construction of a beautiful China.
Continue to Deeply Promote the Tough Battle Against Pollution Prevention and Control. Comprehensively and accurately implement the principles of precise pollution control, scientific pollution control, and law-based pollution control, and fight the battle to defend blue skies, clear waters, and clean soil to a higher standard. Carry out actions to improve the quality and efficiency of air pollution prevention and control in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (京津冀) region and surrounding areas, continue to promote the protection and management of major rivers and lakes such as the Yangtze River (长江) and the Yellow River (黄河) and important lakes and reservoirs, strengthen the source prevention and control of soil and groundwater pollution, increase the treatment of solid waste and new pollutants, strengthen ecological protection and restoration and supervision, and promote the comprehensive improvement of ecological environmental quality.
Accelerate the Comprehensive Green Transformation of Economic and Social Development. Deepen multi-field and multi-level collaborative innovation in pollution reduction and carbon reduction, and accelerate the optimization and adjustment of industrial structure, energy structure, transportation structure, etc. Implement a national strategy to actively address climate change, continue to build a more effective, more dynamic, and more internationally influential carbon market, and accelerate the establishment of a product carbon footprint management system and a carbon label certification system. Deepen scientific and technological innovation in the field of ecological environment, and build a green and intelligent digital ecological civilization.
Further Deepen the Reform of the Ecological Civilization System. Accelerate the improvement of the system and mechanism for implementing the concept that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets," improve the mechanism for realizing the value of ecological products, promote comprehensive ecological compensation, and continue to carry out demonstration creation of ecological civilization. Promote the codification of ecological environment laws, implement ecological environment management systems with regional, differentiated, and precise control, improve ecological environment monitoring and evaluation systems, and implement fiscal, taxation, financial, investment, price policies, and standard systems that support green and low-carbon development, providing strong impetus and institutional guarantees for the construction of a beautiful China.
(The author is a member of the Environmental and Resources Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and the Minister of Ecology and Environment)
Return to TopThis newspaper reported from Beijing on July 31st (Reporter Zhang Tianpei (张天培)) The reporter learned from the Ministry of Public Security (公安部): Recently, the Ministry of Public Security (公安部) organized national public security organs to carry out the "Safe Wilderness-2025" special action to crack down on criminal activities that endanger national protected birds and other wildlife in accordance with the law, resolutely curb the frequent occurrence of such crimes, and fully protect Beautiful China.
According to reports, public security organs will strengthen key crackdowns, comprehensively conduct clue investigations, deeply explore clues of illegal and criminal activities, and regard flower, bird, and cultural playthings, trade markets, wild game restaurants, major distribution areas of migratory birds, migration channels, breeding farms, and Internet trading platforms as key areas and key parts. They will severely crack down on criminal activities that endanger national protected birds and other wildlife, **露头就打** (lù tóu jiù dǎ - "strike at the first sign," to crack down on something as soon as it appears), and form a high-pressure deterrent posture; strengthen regional collaboration, and public security organs in important habitats and migration channels of birds and other wildlife should establish and improve regional police cooperation mechanisms, strengthen investigation and evidence collection, case handling, and other collaborative cooperation, and adhere to fighting upstream and downstream together and investigating the source and the end together for cross-regional and serial cases, and implement "full-link, full-element, and full-chain" crackdown; closely link police types, relying on the new police operation mode of "professional + mechanism + big data," relevant police types perform their respective duties, assume their respective responsibilities, and cooperate closely.
In addition, public security organs will strengthen law enforcement linkage with natural resources, forestry and grassland, and other departments, strengthen the connection between administrative and criminal law, and further smooth the two-way transfer channel; closely communicate and coordinate with courts and procuratorates, and strengthen communication and consultation on difficult cases; promote comprehensive governance, and work with relevant departments to investigate and rectify key areas and industries with prominent problems, and resolutely eradicate relevant black and gray industrial chains; and promote and cooperate with relevant departments to improve relevant systems and norms.
Return to TopThis newspaper Xi'an (西安) July 31st (Reporter Zhang Danhua (张丹华)) On July 30th, the 17th meeting of the 14th Shaanxi Provincial People's Congress Standing Committee voted and approved the "Decision of the Standing Committee of the Shaanxi (陕西) Provincial People's Congress on Strengthening the Protection of Wild Birds."
The "Decision" focuses on the key links of "capture, transport, sale, consumption, playing, and publicity," and makes clear prohibitions on illegal hunting, trading, transporting, and eating wild birds and their products, and makes clear provisions on prohibited behaviors in the process of bird watching and bird photography. It comprehensively prohibits the hunting, trading, and transportation of wild birds that naturally grow and reproduce in the wild for the purpose of consumption.
The "Decision" legally determines and announces the scope of the main habitats and migration routes of wild birds, and makes provisions for the protection and restoration of forests, grasslands, and important wetlands, focusing on main habitats and migratory bird migration routes. The Provincial People's Government should organize the municipal and county people's governments to promote the protection and restoration of forests and grasslands, focusing on the main habitats and migratory bird migration routes of wild birds in areas such as the Qinling Mountains (秦岭), Bashan Mountains (巴山), Huanglong Mountain (黄龙山), Ziwuling (子午岭), Longshan Mountain (陇山), and Baiyu Mountain (白于山).
According to the "Decision," Shaanxi (陕西) will strengthen the monitoring and supervision of information related to wild birds on e-commerce platforms, social networks, and live broadcast platforms in accordance with the law.
Return to TopIn recent years, Qingshan Lake Science & Technology City (青山湖科技城) in Lin'an District (临安区), Hangzhou (杭州), has set its sights on the goal of "building an advanced manufacturing center in the Hangzhou West Science and Technology Innovation Corridor (杭州城西科创大走廊) and striving to become a national-level economic and technological development zone." It adheres to the principle of "doing everything around projects and revolving everything around enterprises," and takes the three major battles of "project acceleration, enterprise cultivation, and scientific and technological innovation breakthroughs" as its starting point, delivering a high-quality answer sheet of innovative breakthroughs and industrial quality improvement. From January to June this year, the service industry revenue of Qingshan Lake Science & Technology City (青山湖科技城) increased by 110.4% year-on-year, fixed asset investment increased by 11.6% year-on-year, and manufacturing investment increased by 16.5% year-on-year.
Moving Towards the New, Shaping a Modern Industrial Pattern
Facing the profound adjustment of the global industrial chain, Qingshan Lake Science & Technology City (青山湖科技城) bravely shoulders its mission and draws a clear industrial development map. It systematically prepared the "Industrial Development Plan for the Advanced Manufacturing Center of the Hangzhou West Science and Technology Innovation Corridor (杭州城西科创大走廊)," focusing on building a "3+1" advanced manufacturing industrial system, that is, anchoring the "two new and one big" leading industrial tracks of new equipment, new materials, and big health, accelerating the layout of the intelligent robot future industry new growth pole, and drawing an industrial space map to empower high-quality industrial development.
The future industrial layout is advancing steadily. In cutting-edge fields such as embodied intelligence and low-altitude economy, Qingshan Lake Science & Technology City (青山湖科技城) systematically constructs a full-chain cultivation system of "planning leadership - platform foundation - incubation acceleration - ecological empowerment," and the first domestic key core component and engineering innovation service platform for humanoid robots has been put into use. In addition, Qingshan Lake Science & Technology City (青山湖科技城) also takes the Binhe Industrial Park (滨河产业园) as a pilot to take the lead in solving the problem of industrial community construction.
The industrial cluster pattern has been renewed. From January to June this year, the hundred-billion-level enterprise Hangcha (杭叉) and Wanma (万马) moved forward steadily, and the output value of 20 technology-based enterprises such as Kangbei (康钡), Qingwei (擎威), and Tianrui (天睿) increased by 67.1% year-on-year. New quality productivity in various fields is booming and growing towards the sun.
Gathering Chains into Momentum, Gathering New Momentum for Industrial Development
Qingshan Lake Science & Technology City (青山湖科技城) actively innovates investment promotion models, and the three strategies of "land supply + building entry," "manufacturing + service industry," and "outside the district + inside the district" are simultaneously recruited. "Operating on a map" and "list management" make the investment promotion closed loop smoother, and "knocking on the door investment promotion" provides enterprises with point-to-point services. The investment promotion "strong engine" has significantly enhanced its momentum.
The investment promotion results are both "heavy" and "new." 36 projects with a value of over 100 million yuan have been successfully landed, of which 8 projects have a value of over 1 billion yuan. With the landing of the Demarc (德玛克) project with a total investment of 1 billion yuan, the total number of business entities in Lin'an District (临安区) exceeded the 100,000 mark, and the "magnetic attraction effect" of industrial agglomeration began to appear.
Innovation Leadership, Education, Science and Technology Talents Work Together
Innovation is an important engine for the development of Qingshan Lake Science & Technology City (青山湖科技城). Qingshan Lake Science & Technology City (青山湖科技城) released the "Work Plan for the Construction of the 'One Body, Two Chains' Science and Technology Innovation System (2025-2027)," promoting the new declaration of 55 national high-tech enterprises and 79 new provincial science and technology small and medium-sized enterprises, and the R&D investment intensity of industrial enterprises above designated size continues to increase.
The "strong magnetic field" of the platform releases strong attraction. Innovation entities in Qingshan Lake Science & Technology City (青山湖科技城) are accelerating their gathering, and the innovation "goose array" is initially taking shape. The newly built 7 provincial-level key laboratories and 1 provincial-level key enterprise research institute, 2 provincial-level enterprise research institutes, and 35 provincial and municipal-level R&D centers constitute an innovation matrix, and the technology transaction volume from January to June this year exceeded 420 million yuan.
Talent is the "first resource" for development. From January to June this year, the introduction of college students under the age of 35 in Qingshan Lake Science & Technology City (青山湖科技城) increased by 38% year-on-year, the number of doctors under the age of 40 increased by 27.3% year-on-year, and the number of newly recognized G-level and above high-level talents increased by 23.3% year-on-year. The upgrading of postdoctoral workstations and the formation of an innovative ecosystem of "patent transformation into gold" for scientific research achievements have enabled the successful issuance of the first intellectual property securitization project in Lin'an District (临安区) on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange (深交所), raising more than 50 million yuan, and the authorization of 7 invention patents and 21 utility model patents provides strong support for enterprise development.
Vitality Rising, Creating a New Model for the Business Environment
Service is valuable in its precision, and the "Invest in Qingshan Lake (投资青山湖)" gold business card is becoming more and more shining. Qingshan Lake Science & Technology City (青山湖科技城) seized the opportunity of artificial intelligence and iteratively upgraded the intelligent equipment industry policy. The "Quick Redemption (兑得快)" window allows policy dividends to run out of "acceleration," and the payment of innovation and development funds from January to June this year increased by 22.3% year-on-year, setting a new historical high.
The service mechanism continues to be upgraded. The 12 new measures centered on the three mechanisms of "pro-business escort team," "group assistance," and "worry-free bottom line" have been implemented and achieved results. The "Bottom Line Handling (兜底办)" window and the 24-hour hotline provide smooth channels for demands, and the "Wednesday Hospital-Enterprise Service Day (周三院企服务日)" and "Tianmu Medical Sharing (天目医享)" benefit thousands of people and enterprises.
Financial living water is precisely irrigated. Exclusive financial products such as "Park Loan (园区贷)" and "Talent Loan (人才贷)" bring full-cycle, low-cost financing solutions to landed enterprises and talents. In addition, three exclusive technology insurance projects of "Innovation Insurance (创新保)" were launched to provide a bottom line for the risk of technology achievement transformation, with an insured amount of 3.2 million yuan.
In the future, Qingshan Lake Science & Technology City (青山湖科技城) will set its sights on the goal of "building an advanced manufacturing center in the Hangzhou West Science and Technology Innovation Corridor (杭州城西科创大走廊) and striving to become a national-level economic and technological development zone," and accelerate the transition from a "manufacturing highland" to an "intelligent manufacturing highland."
Data source: Qingshan Lake Science & Technology City Management Committee (青山湖科技城管理委员会), Hangzhou (杭州), Zhejiang (浙江)
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 曹文轩 董泽扬
At 15:49 on July 30, China successfully launched the satellite internet low-orbit 06 group satellites into space using the Long March 8 A (长征八号甲) carrier rocket at the Hainan Commercial Space Launch Site (海南商业航天发射场). The satellites successfully entered their predetermined orbit, and the launch mission was a complete success.
After the successful maiden launch at the No. 2 launch position at the end of November 2024 and the successful maiden launch at the No. 1 launch position in mid-March this year, China's first commercial space launch site has the capability of dual-position launches. The successful completion of this mission is an exploration of optimizing personnel, resource allocation, and processes based on the experience of the previous two launches, to achieve more efficient and smoother services for commercial users. Supported by the new model, what is rising into the sky is not only the rocket, but also the expectations and confidence of related practitioners.
What is the progress of commercial space construction?
More than 700 space-related enterprises and institutions have settled in.
"The launch was a complete success!" In the telemetry and control hall of the Hainan Commercial Space Launch Site (海南商业航天发射场), applause and cheers continued. "This launch has technological innovations that reduce costs and increase efficiency, as well as process innovations that optimize resource allocation, which is a beneficial exploration for ushering in a period of high-density commercial space launches," said Yang Tianliang (杨天梁), Chairman of Hainan International Commercial Aerospace Launch Co., Ltd. (海南国际商业航天发射有限公司).
In the coastal coconut groves of Dongjiao Town (东郊镇), Wenchang City (文昌市), Hainan Province, the roar of machines is intertwined with the sound of waves. On January 25 this year, the second phase of the Hainan Commercial Space Launch Site (海南商业航天发射场) officially started construction here.
"We plan to complete the second phase of the project in a year and a half, and achieve the maiden launch of the new launch position by the end of 2026, forming a stronger launch support capability," said Yang Tianliang (杨天梁). The second phase of the project includes a launch area, a technical area, and the Gusong (古松) telemetry and control station, with the annual launch capacity of the new No. 3 and No. 4 launch positions being 16 launches each. By then, the total annual launch capacity of the Hainan Commercial Space Launch Site (海南商业航天发射场) is expected to reach more than 60 launches.
Walking in the Wenchang International Aerospace City (文昌国际航天城), everyone is racing against time.
"The main structure of the satellite super factory has been capped, and we strive to complete construction and put the first satellite off the assembly line by the end of this year," said Wu Jianfeng (吴剑锋), General Manager of the Park Construction Department of Hainan Wenchang Aerospace City Investment and Development Co., Ltd. (海南文昌航天城投开公司). This is the largest satellite super factory under construction in Asia, and the only satellite production base in the country that can realize satellite assembly and star-rocket integration. After completion, it will realize launch upon delivery and operation upon launch, greatly reducing satellite transportation costs.
"When I first came to work here in 2020, the roads were bumpy and empty. Now, the three horizontal and five vertical road networks in the starting area of the Aerospace City are fully open to traffic, and the commercial space launch site, the star-rocket industrial park, and the satellite data and application research center have sprung up," said Wu Jianfeng (吴剑锋).
At the beginning of 2024, Hainan proposed "strengthening itself through space" and developing the aerospace industry in accordance with local conditions. Hainan Interstellar Glory Aerospace Launch Technology Co., Ltd. (海南星际荣耀航天发射技术有限责任公司) decided to set up its rocket recovery and reuse business in Wenchang (文昌).
"The reusable factory project for the final assembly and testing of launch vehicles and the offshore recovery platform system project are progressing smoothly," said Li Baohai (李宝海), Deputy General Manager of the company. The Interstellar Glory Hyperbola-3 (星际荣耀双曲线三号) launch vehicle is planned to achieve its first "entry into orbit + offshore recovery" flight by the end of this year. Through vertical landing technology, the launch cost of this rocket is reduced to 1/5 of that of traditional rockets, which can provide support for low-orbit constellation networking, space tourism, and more.
Around the rocket chain, satellite chain, and data chain, more than 700 space-related enterprises and institutions have settled in Wenchang International Aerospace City (文昌国际航天城). "The completion of the commercial space launch site, the gathering of industrial projects and talents, coupled with policy support, the future development of the commercial space industry is promising," said Li Baohai (李宝海).
What has commercial space brought about?
Upstream and downstream enterprises in the industrial chain are accelerating their gathering.
The line of sight shifts from Wenchang City (文昌市) to Chengmai County (澄迈县), nearly 100 kilometers away. In the factory area of Hainan Fengli Gas Co., Ltd. (海南锋利气体有限公司), the air in the white fractionation tower is undergoing separation and purification. Hainan Fengli Gas Co., Ltd. has participated in all three consecutive launch missions of the Hainan Commercial Space Launch Site (海南商业航天发射场) since its completion.
Fengli Gas (锋利气体), founded in 2003, is a high-tech enterprise that produces and operates various gases such as liquid oxygen, liquid nitrogen, and liquid carbon dioxide. In 2023, the company reached a cooperation with Hainan International Commercial Aerospace Launch Co., Ltd. (海南国际商业航天发射有限公司) to specifically provide liquid oxygen propellant and liquid nitrogen coolant for rocket launches.
Aerospace gases have particularly strict quality requirements. What advantages does Fengli Gas (锋利气体) have?
"In 2022, during the preparation stage of the Hainan Commercial Space Launch Site (海南商业航天发射场), the commercial launch team came to our company for inspection and exchange many times," said Huang Shifeng (黄仕锋), General Manager of Fengli Gas (锋利气体). In addition to qualified product quality, high market share, and recognized quality control system, local suppliers in Hainan better meet the needs of commercial space for safety, efficiency, and low cost.
"The aerospace gas supply link is complex. Shortening the transportation distance from the production site to the launch site is conducive to reducing risks and saving time and costs. In addition, the rocket launch date is uncertain, and the local service team responds more quickly and flexibly," said Huang Shifeng (黄仕锋). In the future, rockets will be launched more and more frequently in Hainan (海南), and upstream and downstream enterprises in the industrial chain are also accelerating their gathering. The company will further expand its production capacity through innovative processes. This year, the company plans to invest 200 million yuan to expand the third phase of the project next to the existing factory area. After the project is put into production, the production capacity will double.
Giving full play to advantages in accordance with local conditions allows more business entities to benefit from the development of commercial space.
A batch of special rice seeds recently ushered in the harvest at the Sanya National Southern Breeding Research and Breeding Base (三亚国家南繁科研育种基地) in Hainan (海南). Last year, after layers of selection, they were carried into space by the Shijian-19 (实践十九号) satellite, underwent mutagenesis in a special environment, and were selected and bred after returning to the ground.
"Hainan's (海南) unique light and heat conditions, coupled with the microgravity and high-vacuum space environment, will bring unlimited possibilities for the breeding industry. We look forward to more high-quality germplasm resources returning from space, taking root and sprouting in the Southern Breeding Base, and growing together with the commercial space industry," said Wang Shiming (王仕明), Chairman of Hainan Nongle Nanfan Technology Co., Ltd. (海南农乐南繁科技有限公司), full of expectations.
What are the spillover effects of commercial space?
"High popularity" can be transformed into "consumption power."
Under the scorching sun, the Hainan Commercial Space Launch Site (海南商业航天发射场) is crowded with people. In addition to watching the spectacular scenery of rockets taking off and clouds rising, the audience also received a special gift - a space seed guest certificate. Tear it open, bury it in the soil, water it, and wait a few days to bloom a "blind box" plant.
In Hainan (海南), there is more than one way to touch the universe. On March 27, the Jixing Meteorite Museum (极星陨石博物馆) in Wenchang International Aerospace City (文昌国际航天城) started trial operation. On the same day, the Shanghai World Foreign Language Affiliated Haikou School (上海世外附属海口学校) study tour group became the first group of visitors. The children were in high spirits, listening to the guide introduce interesting knowledge.
"The museum is divided into six themed areas, displaying more than 400 meteorite specimens from all over the world with different shapes and characteristics. Visitors can observe meteorite specimens up close, visit meteorite evolution scenes, and immerse themselves in the 'interstellar exploration' through virtual reality technology," said Mei Hua (梅华), curator of the museum.
Mei Hua (梅华) was originally a meteorite collector. Why did he decide to "move" his collection to Wenchang (文昌)? "First, I hope that the collection can play its value and be appreciated by more space enthusiasts; second, I am optimistic about the traffic potential brought by commercial space," said Mei Hua (梅华). In 2023, their team reached a cooperation with Hainan Modern Technology Group Co., Ltd. (海南现代科技集团有限公司) and built this unique museum with the support of the local government.
Space meets tourism, and the spillover effect is evident.
From the top of the Shanhaitian International Convention and Exhibition Center (山海天国际会展中心) along the Qishui Bay (淇水湾) coast in Wenchang (文昌), the rocket launch site a few kilometers away is clearly visible. Since last year, this building, which mainly undertakes conventions and exhibitions and provides entertainment space for surrounding residents, has opened up a new business - rocket viewing.
"Hainan (海南) has a good natural environment, and it also has the only low-latitude, coastal rocket launch site in China. Every launch can attract a large number of tourists to watch," said Xin Guotao (辛国涛), the person in charge of the convention and exhibition center's operation. In Longlou (龙楼) and Dongjiao (东郊) towns, many homestays operate rooftop viewing businesses.
Watching a rocket launch only takes tens of seconds, and the waiting time can be as long as several hours. How to make the tourist experience better? Xin Guotao (辛国涛) has been thinking about it. The roof of the convention and exhibition center can currently accommodate more than 300 people watching the ceremony at the same time, and provides refreshments, aerospace knowledge lectures, and movie viewing activities.
This year, the Wenchang Municipal Bureau of Tourism and Culture, Radio, Television and Sports (文昌市旅游和文化广电体育局) has successively announced two batches of white lists of aerospace launch viewing spots. "The aerospace tourism market is becoming more standardized. Our top priority is to create characteristics and transform 'high popularity' into 'consumption power'," said Xin Guotao (辛国涛).
Return to TopBy: 韩春瑶
China's commercial aerospace has entered a period of rapid development, with high-frequency, low-cost commercial launches becoming a reality. From rocket launches to satellite manufacturing, from space breeding to cultural tourism integration, Hainan's commercial aerospace is using a "point-to-area" approach to connect diverse business formats, and a complete industrial chain is accelerating its formation.
How can commercial aerospace "fly high"? It cannot be separated from the deep integration of technological innovation and industrial innovation. The Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee (中共中央政治局) meeting held on July 30 pointed out that it is necessary to adhere to using technological innovation to lead the development of new quality productive forces, accelerate the cultivation of emerging pillar industries with international competitiveness, and promote the deep integration of technological innovation and industrial innovation. To promote emerging industries towards the "sea of stars," it is necessary to achieve scientific allocation of industrial elements through resource integration, and even more so to have the determination of 十年磨一剑 (shí nián mó yī jiàn - "ten years to grind a sword," to spend a long time honing one's skills) to continuously break through key core technologies.
Policy guidance and market demand are breeding unlimited possibilities for the growth of emerging industries. This year's "Government Work Report" proposed: "Promote the safe and healthy development of emerging industries such as commercial aerospace, the low-altitude economy, and deep-sea technology." China has rich market demand and application scenarios, providing broad prospects for the development of emerging industries. It is estimated that the market size of commercial aerospace will exceed 2.5 trillion yuan in 2025. Driven by the strong engine of innovation, emerging industries such as commercial aerospace will surely fly to a higher and farther future.
Return to TopBy: 黄 昆
With the promotion and implementation of the national strategy to actively respond to population aging, many elderly people still have the willingness and ability to work after reaching the statutory retirement age, and can continue to exert their labor value in their jobs, forming a group of older workers. However, affected by legal policies, social concepts and other factors, older workers are currently facing problems such as low employment quality and insufficient protection of labor rights. Considering the above background factors, the "Interim Provisions on the Protection of Basic Rights and Interests of Older Workers (Draft for Public Comment)" (hereinafter referred to as the "Interim Provisions") is imperative, and is of great significance for effectively protecting the basic rights and interests of older workers and implementing the national strategy to actively respond to population aging.
The "Interim Provisions" adheres to a problem-oriented approach, focusing on the main demands of older workers, improving the institutional framework and policy system, and preventing and resolving related conflicts and disputes. This is specifically reflected in:
First, reasonably define the scope of basic rights and interests. Comprehensively protect the employment rights and labor rights and interests of older workers, and reasonably determine the responsibilities of employers in guaranteeing basic labor rights and interests such as remuneration payment, labor protection, and occupational safety and health.
Second, clarify basic labor standards. The "Interim Provisions" adheres to the principle of ensuring the basics, without significantly increasing the burden on employers, and clarifies some basic obligations that employers should bear when employing older workers, including: signing a written employment agreement to clarify the rights and obligations of both parties, paying labor remuneration no less than the local minimum wage standard on time and in full, and reasonably agreeing on working hours based on the characteristics of older workers.
Third, strengthen occupational safety and health and work-related injury protection responsibilities. Safety production protection and occupational health protection are the basic rights of every worker. The "Interim Provisions" clearly requires employers to assume relevant responsibilities for safety production and occupational disease prevention and control in accordance with the law, and to protect the safety and health of older workers. At the same time, older workers are included in the scope of application of work-related injury insurance to protect their right to compensation after suffering work-related injuries.
Fourth, solve the problem of connecting old-age insurance and medical insurance for older workers. The "Interim Provisions" fully considers the different situations in which older workers enjoy old-age and medical insurance benefits. In order to avoid affecting their employment opportunities, for older workers who have not yet reached the minimum payment period for receiving basic old-age pensions on a monthly basis or the national regulations for basic medical insurance, it is clarified that they can continue to pay relevant social insurance premiums as individuals, or they can negotiate with the employer to participate in insurance and pay premiums through the employer.
Fifth, unblock channels for resolving rights and interests. On the one hand, the "Interim Provisions" includes the basic rights and interests of older workers in the scope of labor security supervision, safety production and occupational disease prevention and control supervision and management; on the other hand, it includes disputes over the basic rights and interests of older workers in the scope of labor dispute mediation and arbitration, giving older workers more convenient and efficient channels for rights and interests protection.
Overall, the "Interim Provisions" takes the protection of basic rights and interests as its starting point, and provides bottom-line and basic protection for the basic rights and interests that older workers most urgently need to protect in the employment process. It fully reflects social consensus and local experience, and is an important exploration in China's protection of workers' basic rights and interests.
(The author is the Director and Researcher of the Labor and Personnel Dispute Research Office of the China Academy of Labor and Social Security Sciences (中国劳动和社会保障科学研究院) )
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 刘新吾
In summer, the Chinese prickly ash (Zanthoxylum bungeanum) base in Shuangjiang Town (双江镇), Tongnan District (潼南区), Chongqing (重庆) is lush and green. Just as dawn breaks, villagers, wearing straw hats, shuttle through the prickly ash forest, pruning branches, weeding, and fertilizing.
"Leaf curling requires pest control," a young man instructs the farmers. His name is Zhang Shengping (张升平), also known as "Technician Zhang" by the villagers. He is the technical director of the prickly ash base. In his "Prickly Ash School," complex agricultural techniques are transformed into easy-to-understand "local methods," which the villagers listen to with nods of approval.
Five years ago, Zhang Shengping (张升平), a graduate of Tsinghua University (清华大学), wanted to "展拳脚" (zhǎn quán jiǎo - "display fists and feet," to display one's skills) at the grassroots level. During a survey in the mountainous area of Tongnan (潼南), he saw the mountains covered with ripe prickly ash, but the villagers were frowning due to a lack of sales channels. Zhang Shengping (张升平) made up his mind and plunged into the local mountain valleys.
"A 'University Zhang' has come to the village!" The news spread like wind, but when the villagers pointed to the yellowing prickly ash seedlings and asked the reason, Zhang Shengping (张升平) couldn't answer.
"Relying solely on book knowledge is far from enough. To lead the villagers to increase their income and become wealthy, I must become a 'primary school student' again," Zhang Shengping (张升平) recalled. To make up for his lack of agricultural knowledge, he went to Jiangjin (江津), the "hometown of prickly ash" in Chongqing (重庆), more than 10 times in three months to learn techniques such as soil testing and moisture measurement, and pest and disease identification from experienced prickly ash farmers. He worked in the fields during the day, studied agricultural technology and consulted experts by phone in the evening, filling several notebooks with notes.
Zhang Shengping (张升平) explored the "three-dimensional management method" for prickly ash - building supports and protective nets for the prickly ash tree branches to enhance their ability to resist wind and rain. At first, the villagers didn't buy it: "Just building scaffolding!" "Can plastic nets be stronger than ancestral methods?" Faced with doubts, Zhang Shengping (张升平) didn't argue, but just busied himself with his experimental fields.
One night, a heavy rain suddenly fell on Shuangjiang Town (双江镇). The next morning, the ground was covered with prickly ash knocked down by the rain, but in Zhang Shengping's (张升平) experimental field, the protective nets steadily held the fruit. "The child who has studied is really clever." A farmer who has been growing prickly ash for many years exclaimed. From that day on, "University Zhang" became "Technician Zhang" trusted by the villagers. The pepper farmers who adopted the new technology found that the full-year fruit setting rate increased by 20% to 30%.
Under the leadership of Zhang Shengping (张升平), Shuangjiang Town (双江镇) promoted the establishment of a standardized system for the prickly ash industry, using 47 indicators to make planting quantifiable and standardized, and the industrial chain shifted from experience-driven to data-driven. At present, the town has a prickly ash planting area of approximately 10,000 mu and an annual output of more than 200 tons of dried prickly ash, driving the planting of 19 surrounding villages and communities.
As the prickly ash base continues to grow, Zhang Shengping (张升平) has new plans - to experiment with more new varieties, increase the added value of the industry, and promote the integration of agriculture, culture, commerce and tourism. "I want to continue to be a seed rooted in the soil." Envisioning the future, he is full of energy.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 丁怡婷
Nearly 1.8 trillion kilowatt-hours, with renewable energy power generation accounting for nearly 40% of the country's total; 348 million green certificates traded, doubling the scale of green certificate transactions... On July 31, the National Energy Administration (国家能源局) held a press conference to announce the "mid-year report card" for energy development. "In the first half of the year, the national energy supply was sufficient, the supply and demand were generally relaxed, the energy structure continued to optimize, and the construction of a new energy system was accelerated, helping my country's economy to continue to recover and improve," said Xing Yiteng (邢翼腾), Deputy Director of the Development and Planning Department of the National Energy Administration (国家能源局发展规划司).
In the first half of the year, the energy security guarantee capacity was steadily improved. Among them, the output of raw coal, crude oil, and natural gas from industrial enterprises above the designated size increased by 5.4%, 1.3%, and 5.8% year-on-year, respectively. Excluding the number of days, the average daily power generation of industrial enterprises above the designated size increased by 1.3% year-on-year. Since July, the country's maximum power load has hit a record high four times, reaching a maximum of 1.508 billion kilowatts. As of now, the power load of 19 provincial power grids, including Jiangsu (江苏), Shandong (山东), and Guangdong (广东), has broken historical records 46 times. What is the current situation of energy and power supply guarantee?
Let's look at coal supply. This year, advanced coal production capacity has been released in an orderly manner, and the average daily scheduled coal production has remained above 12 million tons since July. At present, the national unified dispatch power plant coal inventory exceeds 200 million tons, which can be used for 30 days. Coal prices are relatively stable, and both medium and long-term contract prices and spot prices have fallen to varying degrees. In July, the medium and long-term contract price of 5500 kcal power coal in Qinhuangdao (秦皇岛) was 666 yuan/ton, a decrease of 27 yuan/ton compared with the beginning of the year.
Let's look at power support. In the first half of the year, the newly added installed power generation capacity in the country exceeded 200 million kilowatts, including 30 million kilowatts of supporting and regulating power sources such as hydropower, gas power, and coal power. Renewable energy power generation accounted for nearly 40% of the country's total power generation, exceeding the sum of power consumption by the tertiary industry and urban and rural residents during the same period. The newly added power generation from wind power and photovoltaic power exceeded the increase in total social electricity consumption. "At present, the national power supply is generally guaranteed. The power supply in some provinces in East China (华东), Central China (华中), and South China (南方) is tight during peak hours, but it can be effectively controlled by taking relevant measures," said Liu Mingyang (刘明阳), Deputy Director of the Electricity Department of the National Energy Administration (国家能源局电力司).
The green and low-carbon transition is accelerating. Following the historical surpassing of thermal power by wind power and solar power installed capacity nationwide at the end of March, the proportion of non-fossil energy power generation installed capacity exceeded 60% for the first time at the end of May. In the first half of the year, the newly installed capacity of wind power and solar power doubled compared with the same period last year. As of the end of June, the national renewable energy installed capacity reached 2.159 billion kilowatts, accounting for approximately 59.2% of the total installed power generation capacity. Among them, hydropower installed capacity was 440 million kilowatts, wind power installed capacity was 573 million kilowatts, solar power installed capacity was 1.1 billion kilowatts, and biomass power installed capacity was 47 million kilowatts.
As the concept of green electricity consumption becomes more and more popular, the vitality of the green certificate market is constantly stimulated. In the first half of the year, a total of 348 million green certificates were traded nationwide, a year-on-year increase of 1.18 times. Since April, with the acceleration of the construction of the green certificate market, especially the full recognition of Chinese green certificates by the international Renewable Energy 100% (RE100) initiative, the demand for green certificates has grown rapidly, and the price of green certificates has steadily rebounded. The average price in the first half of the year was 5 yuan/piece, and the average price in June reached 6.5 yuan/piece, an increase of 4.4 times compared with the lowest price this year, and the environmental value of renewable energy green electricity is gradually returning to a reasonable level.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the implementation of a new round of power system reform and the year when the national unified power market plan is initially completed. Zhang Xing (张星), Deputy Director of the Comprehensive Department of the National Energy Administration (国家能源局综合司), introduced that with the joint efforts of all parties, the construction of a national unified power market has improved in quality and speed, and new achievements have been made in the cross-operating area normalized power trading mechanism, the construction of regional power markets, and the construction of provincial power spot markets. In June of this year, the Southern Regional Power Market (南方区域电力市场) transitioned to continuous settlement trial operation, realizing the unified optimization and allocation of multi-province power resources for the first time nationwide. The Yangtze River Delta (长三角) power market innovatively explored trading mechanisms for pumped storage and green electricity between provinces and cities, and established a market management committee in June.
(Zhang Ling (张玲) participated in the writing)
Return to TopTieling County (铁岭县) in Tieling City (铁岭市), Liaoning Province (辽宁省) is actively promoting the development of green energy industries such as wind power, photovoltaics, and hydrogen production. The area is using key projects as a guide to extend the upstream and downstream chains of the new energy industry, driving high-quality regional economic development. The picture shows the wind turbine blades of Tieling Mingyang New Energy Co., Ltd. (铁岭明阳新能源有限公司).
Xinhua News Agency reporter Yang Qing (杨青) photographed.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 王永战 胡婧怡 阿尔达克
Introduction
The sound of voices, songs, and musical instruments fills the air... Not long ago, over 460 tourists boarded the "Panda Express·Shifang" (熊猫专列·什邡号) silver-haired tourism train from Chengdu (成都), Sichuan (四川). After visiting scenic spots such as Yuntai Mountain (云台山) in Jiaozuo (焦作), Henan (河南), they headed towards Northeast China. Upon arriving at Yichun (伊春) Station in Heilongjiang (黑龙江), performers dressed in Hezhe (赫哲族) ethnic costumes boarded the train, playing the mouth harp and performing ethnic dances to welcome guests from all directions.
At Kuche (库车) Station in Xinjiang (新疆), 70-year-old passenger Zhu Yan (朱燕) disembarked from the "New Orient Express" (新东方快车), joining over 60 other tourists to appreciate the beauty of Xinjiang.
In Shenyang (沈阳), Liaoning (辽宁), passenger Zhang Fengling (张凤玲) boarded the "Shen Tie Holiday" (沈铁假日号) silver-haired tourism train, heading southwest to visit Xi'an (西安), Shaanxi (陕西), Jiuzhaigou (九寨沟), Sichuan, Chongqing (重庆), and other places.
In January of this year, nine departments, including the Ministry of Commerce (商务部), the Ministry of Culture and Tourism (文化和旅游部), and the China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. (国铁集团), jointly issued the "Action Plan on Increasing the Number of Silver-Haired Tourism Trains to Promote the Development of Service Consumption," proposing to "build a silver-haired tourism train product system that covers the entire country, offers diverse routes and themes, and provides comprehensive services by 2027." Data shows that the total number of silver-haired tourism trains operating nationwide this year is expected to exceed 2,000.
What is the tourist experience like traveling by train? How does a train connect scenic spots, boost cultural tourism, and drive consumption? Recently, a reporter boarded three trains and followed them to conduct interviews, to see what makes silver-haired tourism trains different from other trains.
Multiple attractions, slow pace, in-depth tours...
Closely following market demand, scientifically planning routes, and reasonably setting prices
Shortly after boarding the "Shen Tie Holiday" train, Zhang Fengling and three friends sat around a table playing poker. The old friends chatted and played cards, thoroughly enjoying themselves.
"Traveling on a silver-haired tourism train is not like a self-driving tour where you have to worry about everything. You just follow along, which is especially worry-free," Zhang Fengling said enthusiastically. She had previously traveled on the "Shen Tie Holiday" train and not only became a repeat customer but also invited her old friends.
In the two years since retiring, Zhang Fengling has visited many places, and the picturesque southwest region has always been her dream destination. In March of this year, she saw promotional information about a Sichuan-Chongqing (川渝) tour on the WeChat official account of Shenyang Railway Cultural Tourism Group (沈阳铁道文旅集团) and immediately signed up.
The Sichuan-Chongqing tour is a customized route designed by China Railway Shenyang Bureau (国铁沈阳局) for silver-haired tourism trains. Xiao Liguo (肖力国), Deputy General Manager of Shenyang Railway Cultural Tourism Group Co., Ltd. (沈阳铁道文旅集团有限公司), explained that the company is responsible for organizing the silver-haired tourism trains of China Railway Shenyang Bureau. At the beginning of each year, they adjust and optimize the routes based on passenger feedback, formulate operating plans, and submit them to China State Railway Group for approval.
"Last year, many passengers expressed their desire to visit Sichuan and Chongqing, so we designed this route this year," Xiao Liguo said. Initially, due to train schedule reasons, the route did not include a stop in Chongqing. Later, they heard from tour groups that if they didn't go to Chongqing, passengers' willingness to travel would be greatly affected. "To avoid leaving passengers with regrets, we made adjustments."
Tourists "make wishes," and companies "listen to advice." "Although only one stop was added, it involved a lot of scheduling and coordination work," Xiao Liguo told reporters. Silver-haired tourism trains are not fixed-schedule trains and must operate during off-peak passenger transport periods. "The train schedule was not finalized until two days before the Sichuan-Chongqing tour began."
When organizing silver-haired tourism trains, various regions focus on soliciting intended destinations from senior citizens and travel agencies, closely follow passenger needs to develop routes, and determine operating plans based on seasonal characteristics and destination tourism resources.
The northeastern region is cold in winter. In response to the needs of local elderly people for "migratory bird-style elderly care," Shenyang Railway Cultural Tourism Group plans tourism routes by season. "In winter, we generally arrange trips to warm places such as Hainan (海南) and Guangxi (广西), and in spring, we go to Hunan (湖南), Jiangxi (江西), and other places to enjoy the spring scenery," Xiao Liguo said.
This year's "Panda Express" trip to Raohe (饶河) and other places in Heilongjiang is related to passenger suggestions and local recommendations. Last year, the "Panda Express" visited Mohe (漠河) and other places in Heilongjiang. Many passengers expressed a strong interest in Hezhe culture when the special train solicited opinions. In March of this year, the cultural and tourism department of Raohe County (饶河县), the birthplace of the "Fisherman's Song of Wusuli" (乌苏里船歌), actively contacted the operator of the "Panda Express," Sichuan Seasons Joy International Travel Service (四川四季乐游国际旅行社). "The two parties hit it off, and a tourist spot in Raohe showcasing Hezhe culture was added to the tour route," said Mei Hongge (梅洪戈), General Manager of Seasons Joy Travel Service.
Traveling on the "Panda Express," Xie Houping (谢厚平), a passenger from Deyang (德阳), Sichuan, is full of expectations for this trip. Unlike Zhang Fengling, who learned about the trip from online channels, he accidentally learned from a travel agency that the "Panda Express" would be heading to Northeast China. Xie Houping, who had never been to Northeast China before, immediately became interested. After learning that the route included the birthplace of "Fisherman's Song of Wusuli," a song he loved to sing, he immediately signed up with his wife.
The silver-haired group relies more on offline channels to receive information. Combining the characteristics of the silver-haired group, the railway department promotes route information through channels such as the 12306 client and WeChat official accounts, online travel platforms, and also connects with travel agencies to facilitate passenger registration. Currently, passengers who register for silver-haired tourism trains through travel agencies account for more than 60%.
In recent years, silver-haired tourism trains have become a "new favorite" for elderly people to travel. Data released by China State Railway Group shows that a total of 1,860 tourism trains were organized and operated in 2024, the largest number in history, an increase of nearly 50% compared to 2019, transporting more than 1 million tourists, of which elderly tourists accounted for nearly 80%.
Why do silver-haired people favor tourism trains?
"Multiple attractions, slow pace, in-depth tours, and more importantly, the price is more affordable compared to independent travel," Xie Houping chose a lower bunk in a standard four-person compartment on the "Panda Express," with a total cost of 5,280 yuan, including accommodation and some meals along the way.
Adapting to the needs of different consumer groups, silver-haired tourism trains include three types: quality, comfort, and affordable. High cost-effectiveness is a significant advantage of comfort and affordable trains. The "Panda Express" belongs to the comfort type train.
When choosing the "Panda Express Slow Tour of Northeast China 15-Day Tour" product, Xie Houping compared and found that if traveling independently, the cost of a second-class seat on a bullet train to the first stop, Jiaozuo, Henan, would be more than 500 yuan per person. If he completed the entire trip, the train fare alone would cost thousands of yuan per person. "Adding the cost of accommodation and meals along the way would be much higher than taking a silver-haired tourism train," Xie Houping said. If you want to be more comfortable, the "Panda Express" also has deluxe four-person compartments, priced at more than 7,000 yuan.
The "Shen Tie Holiday" train that Zhang Fengling took belongs to the affordable type. "The train has soft sleeper and hard sleeper seats, with prices ranging from 3,000 yuan to 5,000 yuan, which is much cheaper than traveling on your own," Zhang Fengling said with emotion. The 14-day tour itinerary is worry-free, safe, and affordable.
As silver-haired tourism trains become more frequent, the challenges of organizing and operating them are increasing. "Capacity in some popular directions is very tight," said Li Xiaobo (李晓博), Section Chief of Industrial Development of the Business Development Department of China Railway Urumqi Bureau (国铁乌鲁木齐局). Due to seasonal climate changes, there are obvious peak and off-season differences in the operation of Xinjiang tourism trains. "There are fewer passengers in the off-season, and tickets are hard to get in the summer."
In response, railway departments are carefully exploring seasonal tourism resources and innovating service methods. China Railway Urumqi Bureau has joined forces with scenic spots to launch "exclusive off-season discounts," increase discounts on off-season tickets and accommodation fees, and arrange special services such as folk song and dance performances to attract more passengers.
Accessibility, comfort, safety...
Renovating supporting equipment and facilities to create a mobile "silver-haired home"
Walking into the train's shower room, turn on the showerhead, and water splashes everywhere.
In the summer, Xie Houping takes a shower every day. Before departure, Xie Houping was worried about this: "The trip is 15 days, and half the time is spent on the train. What if I can't take a shower?"
"The running time of silver-haired tourism trains is long, and showering is related to the travel experience," recalled Liu Fapeng (刘发鹏), Director of the Project Management Department of the Passenger Car Division of CRRC Chengdu Locomotive & Rolling Stock Co., Ltd. (中车成都机车车辆有限公司), which undertook the renovation task of the "Panda Express." At the beginning of the train renovation, solving the showering problem was listed as the top priority.
To take a shower, there must be enough water. Based on previous renovation experience, several water tanks and pressurization equipment were added to the car body. "Each carriage has a shower and washroom," Liu Fapeng said. The train can replenish water in a timely manner when it stops at passenger stations.
It is also necessary to ensure safety. In the train's shower room, the floor is covered with non-slip fiberglass, and non-slip handrails are installed on the walls. Emergency call buttons have been added to each carriage. "The elderly can call the attendants at any time," said Li Qinyao (李沁瑶), train captain of the "Panda Express·Shifang."
Taking silver-haired tourism trains, getting on and off the bunks is a frequent scenario. When renovating the car body at the beginning of 2024, Liu Fapeng collected a lot of passenger feedback through the train operator: some people reported that the treads of the bunk ladder were too narrow, and it hurt to step on them. Many elderly people have difficulty with their legs and feet, and the small ladder is related to personal safety.
"During the renovation, we widened the ladder treads to 9 centimeters and reduced the distance between each ladder to facilitate the elderly to go up and down," Liu Fapeng introduced.
The accessibility renovation of the car body shows service in the details: each "room" in the train carriage is equipped with 4 charging sockets and 1 USB interface, the electric heater is embedded in the car body, and soft reading lights and high-definition LCD TVs have been added to the car...
Different from the comfortable "Panda Express," affordable tourism trains generally do not renovate the car body structure and space. In recent years, many tour groups and tourists have reported problems to Shenyang Railway Cultural Tourism Group: not enough charging sockets, inconvenient ladders, and high thresholds in corridors and toilets...
Widely absorbing opinions, China Railway Shenyang Bureau is further carrying out accessibility renovations on the car body according to the standards of affordable tourism trains. "We plan to eliminate corridor thresholds, lower toilet thresholds, increase the width of hard sleeper ladder pedals, and add non-slip rubber pads; add bedside lamps and USB interfaces to the head of the bed," revealed Liu Yaojun (刘尧君), Section Chief of the Passenger Car Section of the Vehicle Department of China Railway Shenyang Bureau. The new car body is expected to be put into use this year.
To create a mobile "silver-haired home," accessibility renovations of supporting facilities at stations and scenic spots are also indispensable.
When arriving in Jiaozuo, a series of supporting services made Xie Houping give a thumbs up. From the platform to the exit, a smooth barrier-free passage can be directly reached. Outside the station, shuttle buses coordinated by the local transportation department are already parked in front of the station.
Zhang Bangkuan (张邦宽), a third-level researcher at the Jiaozuo Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism (焦作市文化广电和旅游局), introduced that the local area has also opened green channels in scenic spots, and planned vehicle driving routes and parking spots in advance to facilitate passengers to travel smoothly all the way.
However, the reporter found in the interview that although many tourist attractions have opened green channels, problems such as queuing in scenic spots during peak seasons and insufficient rest seats still exist. To this end, the railway department is negotiating with the cultural and tourism department to explore the establishment of a "silver-haired tourism reservation linkage mechanism" and introduce big data to predict passenger flow and guide scenic spots to rationally allocate resources.
Watching performances, tasting food, having medical care...
Optimizing product supply, enriching service formats, making eating, living, traveling, shopping, and entertainment more intimate
In the evening, the "New Orient Express" gallops on the land of southern Xinjiang. Outside the window, the Gobi undulates, and inside the car is lively and extraordinary. Accompanied by the singing of the attendants, the tourists spontaneously beat the rhythm: "In that distant place, there is a good girl..."
"Singing, dancing... the train's cultural activities are rich and colorful!" Zhu Yan said that some passengers will also change into ethnic costumes to experience the performance.
To create a quality train, the "New Orient Express" has launched a series of cultural activities. On the train, the operator regularly holds song and dance performances. Off the train, in every place, tourists can see performances arranged by the scenic spots along the route.
To make the silver-haired journey interesting, railway departments in various places continue to enrich service formats. On the "Panda Express," Sichuan opera face-changing and other performances are wonderful; on the "Shen Tie Holiday," the collective birthday party on each train is unique...
High-quality service requires a professional crew team.
"Click," the picture freezes. Li Qinyao often takes photos and edits videos for the elderly on the train. "Many uncles and aunts don't understand the shooting angle very well, so I teach them how to shoot."
In 2024, with the commissioning of the "Panda Express·Shifang," the Chengdu Passenger Transport Section of China Railway Chengdu Bureau (国铁成都局成都客运段) established a tourism fleet and created a multifunctional study room to facilitate the crew to learn skills such as dancing, bartending, and video editing.
At the beginning of joining the fleet, Li Qinyao learned bartending and tea art. Originally interested in shooting and editing videos, her level has been continuously improved through learning and practice. Now, the "Panda Express" has gathered many crew "specialists" who are good at Sichuan opera face-changing and ethnic dance. "Our more than 10 crew members are all 'proficient in all kinds of skills'," Li Qinyao said with a smile.
Dinner time, the aroma of rice is fragrant. Following the aroma, Zhu Yan walked into the dining car. In front of her, a variety of Xinjiang specialties have been placed on the table, mutton pilaf, big plate chicken... diverse varieties. However, many silver-haired passengers belong to the "three highs" group. How can they eat healthier?
"To adapt to the light diet needs of silver-haired passengers, we have adjusted the types of dishes," said Li Yaxuan (李亚轩), director of the dining car of the "New Orient Express." The fat content of the mutton pilaf supplied by the dining car has been reduced by 30%, and the naan has also been replaced by steaming instead of frying. Steamed sea bass with pumpkin multigrain porridge is the healthiest dinner that Li Yaxuan recommends to passengers the most.
On the "Shen Tie Holiday," Zhang Fengling experienced a buffet: 30 yuan per person, 8 hot dishes, 2 staple foods, and soup and fruit. Luo Zhiyuan (罗志远), the person in charge of the catering company that supplies meals for the "Shen Tie Holiday," introduced that in March of this year, the "Shen Tie Holiday" upgraded the box lunch to a buffet, with more abundant dishes and more diverse choices. The average turnover per meal on the train increased by more than 400 yuan.
At night, the singing gradually subsided. On the "New Orient Express," accompanying doctor Wang Qing (王青) walked into a carriage to measure the blood pressure of passengers. "The blood pressure is stable, remember to take medicine on time and rest well," Wang Qing exhorted while recording data. The Chinese medicine carried by the passengers needs to be refrigerated. After she took the sealed bag, she walked to the train's medical refrigerator and stored the medicine at the prescribed temperature.
On many silver-haired tourism trains, the operator has specially arranged accompanying doctors to provide passengers with common disease diagnosis and treatment and chronic disease prevention services. "We have also established a green referral channel. Once a passenger has a sudden major illness, we will contact the nearest station as soon as possible and transfer them to the hospital for treatment in a timely manner," Wang Qing said.
The "Panda Express" once had a passenger faint. "After emergency treatment by the accompanying doctor, the passenger woke up," Li Qinyao recalled. Because the doctor judged that the patient might have a sudden cerebral hemorrhage, the train quickly launched an emergency plan, contacted the nearest station, and an ambulance drove into the station to transfer the passenger to a local hospital for treatment, and finally turned the crisis into safety.
Many railway departments have established emergency rescue liaison mechanisms with stations and hospitals along the route, but there is still room for improvement. "At present, it mainly relies on the railway department's unilateral liaison and coordination, which sometimes affects timeliness," Xiao Liguo suggested that relevant departments should establish a standardized mechanism to improve the emergency rescue process and promote the formation of a joint force between the railway department and the local authorities.
Focusing on experience, expanding space, promoting consumption...
Linking local areas, driving regional development, cultural tourism development ushers in new opportunities, and the silver-haired economy accelerates
Walking off the "New Orient Express" and stepping into the ancient city of Kashgar (喀什古城) in Xinjiang.
In the old teahouse, the aroma of milk tea is overflowing, and tourists sit around together, learning to make naan with the master, feeling the authentic Kashgar life; in the travel photography shop, many tourists change into ethnic costumes and leave group photos in the ancient city streets; in a traditional woodenware shop, Zhu Yan holds woodenware in one hand and carefully carves with tools in the other, "I like this kind of experience project the most, it's interesting."
Silver-haired tourism trains have many passengers, long travel times, and great consumption potential. How can local areas along the route work together to provide thoughtful services to passengers and create consumption scenarios?
Long-distance travel is prone to fatigue, especially for silver-haired travelers, and the quality of rest directly affects the travel experience. On the 15-day itinerary of the "New Orient Express," passengers spend half their time getting off the train for accommodation. To this end, China Railway Urumqi Bureau (国铁乌鲁木齐局) has signed cooperation agreements with more than 30 hotels and homestays along the route through various travel agencies. "We have carefully selected hotels or homestays with good environments, new facilities, and excellent services based on the consumption capacity of passengers," said Li Xiaobo (李晓博).
In Kashgar Old City (喀什古城), in addition to interesting tourism projects, many special products are also very popular among silver-haired tourists. Atlas silk (艾德莱斯绸), Yingjisha knives (英吉沙小刀), distinctive hand-held strings of beads... many tourists compare repeatedly and choose their favorite products.
"When formulating itineraries and promoting them, we made it clear that the tourism positioning is pure play experience, and there are no shopping stops on the itinerary," said Li Xiaobo (李晓博). If passengers are interested, they can purchase voluntarily. "According to our observation, the more distinctive the products, the more innovative and experiential the consumption projects, the more popular they are with passengers."
The silver-haired economy is accelerating on the rails, sparking with local cultural and tourism industries.
To welcome tourists, Jiaozuo (焦作) has introduced measures such as free admission to Yuntai Mountain (云台山) and other scenic spots for all tourists over 60 years old. Jiange Pass (剑门关) in Guangyuan (广元), Sichuan (四川) has also taken the same free admission measures.
To divert traffic to the region, support is given to travel agencies. Jiaozuo (焦作) has introduced a special train reward policy, which rewards travel agencies that organize tourist special trains and reach a certain number of people. "With the reward funds, we can provide better catering and accommodation conditions to attract more passengers," said Zhang Guoxing (张国兴), general manager of Jiaozuo Friendship Travel Agency (焦作市友谊旅行社).
Silver-haired tourism trains have received good reviews in the areas along the route. The car body is light blue, and the words "Honey Capital Raohe (蜜都饶河)" are sprayed on the car body, which is beautiful and unique. In May of this year, the "Panda Train (熊猫专列)" went all the way north, and many fans came to the area around the train's route in advance to shoot short videos and upload them to online platforms, making Raohe (饶河) a small hit on the Internet. Wang Qun (王群), Director of the Raohe County Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism Bureau (饶河县文化广电和旅游局局长), said that the silver-haired tourism train has brought new opportunities for the local cultural and tourism development and opened up new development space.
"Taking the train to travel" is gradually becoming a trend. Since its first departure in April 2024, the "Panda Train·Shifang (熊猫专列·什邡号)" has operated 30 trains, receiving 13,300 tourists. Since the China Railway Shenyang Bureau (国铁沈阳局) opened its first silver-haired tourism train in May 2023, it has operated more than 400 trains, receiving more than 150,000 tourists. In the first half of this year, the China Railway Urumqi Bureau (国铁乌鲁木齐局) operated 30 silver-haired tourism trains, receiving more than 8,800 tourists.
Return to TopBy: 王永战
"Panda Express·Shifang" ("熊猫专列·什邡号"), "New Orient Express" ("新东方快车"), "Shenyang Railway Holiday Express" ("沈铁假日号")... Today, an increasing number of senior-oriented tourism trains are operating across China, activating the consumption vitality of the silver-haired population.
Silver tourism has enormous potential. The "Special Action Plan for Boosting Consumption" issued by the General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (中办) and the General Office of the State Council (国办) proposes to actively develop industries such as anti-aging and silver tourism to unleash the potential of the silver consumption market. According to predictions from the China Tourism Academy (中国旅游研究院), by the end of 2025, the number of healthy, younger elderly people in China with higher travel rates and tourism consumption will exceed 100 million, and silver tourism revenue is expected to exceed one trillion yuan. Traveling by tourist train is becoming an increasingly popular choice for older adults.
To develop silver tourism and operate silver trains well, the key is to put effort into the details. The silver-haired group is often mobility-impaired and prefers a light diet. Providing a good consumption experience for the silver-haired group requires attention to detail in every aspect.
The train operation requires accurate positioning. Where do silver-haired groups like to travel, what do they like to do, and what are the preferences of different groups? For tourism train organizers, only by fully researching the market and collecting passenger feedback in a timely manner can they target the needs of the silver-haired group, continuously optimize the train's operating direction and frequency, and bring the train into the hearts of passengers.
Passenger travel requires excellent service. Some silver-haired tourists are not good at using smart terminals, so only by unblocking online and offline information channels can accurate marketing be achieved. Adaptations for aging should be made to train berths and shower rooms, meals should also be suitable for the elderly, and medical services need to be followed up in a timely manner. Every aspect cannot be taken lightly.
Silver tourism requires detailed arrangements. Silver tourism trains connect regions and attractions. How to provide silver-haired tourists with a comfortable and thoughtful travel experience tests the service level of local travel agencies and scenic spots. Whether it is meal arrangements, hotel accommodations, or scenic spot transportation organization and consumption scene design during the itinerary, only by making the details solid can silver-haired tourists live with peace of mind, buy with confidence, and travel comfortably.
The wheels turn with demand, and service is innovative and heartfelt. Putting effort into the details allows silver-haired passengers to experience "poetry and the distance" at a slow pace and with deep experiences, and injects surging momentum into boosting consumption.
Return to TopLayout Design: Shen Yiling (沈亦伶)
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 王 沛 王欣悦 杨 迅
Many netizens have reported that some parents drop off their children, who are on summer vacation, at the library in the morning, order them takeout for lunch, and then pick them up after work. Some younger children, lacking supervision, make noise, run around, and disrupt the normal order of the library.
After the summer vacation starts, what should many parents do if they have to go to work or go out to work and no one is taking care of their children? How can the pain points of summer care be solved? How can the normal operation of public facilities be guaranteed? Some places use on-campus resources and community venues to carry out various forms of care services, while others refine the management of public facilities and increase investment to help share the burden of childcare for parents and enrich the summer lives of children. Reporters conducted interviews in Shandong, Chongqing (重庆), Hunan (湖南), and other places.
On-Campus Care
Focuses on care, providing services such as independent reading and arts and sports activities.
"Pay attention to the slight bend in your knees, land with your toes first, and then quickly transition to the entire sole..." In the gymnasium of Qingdao Yuxin Primary School (青岛育新小学) in the Shibei District (市北区) of Qingdao City (青岛市), Shandong Province (山东省), students participating in the summer care parkour course nimbly cross obstacles and agilely climb and jump. From July 7th to August 29th, Qingdao (青岛) is carrying out summer on-campus care services for students in the compulsory education stage throughout the city, with "one school, one plan" and each two weeks as one phase, for a total of 4 phases, with student parents voluntarily signing up.
On-campus summer care is mainly provided by schools, with 137 schools offering services and 1,012 teachers participating; supplemented by social forces, 32 social service points have been developed, with 875 social personnel from other departments (units) participating in support; and attracting third-party participation, with 60 schools introducing third-party institutions. Approximately 13,000 students with care needs will be met.
The care service focuses on care, with schools or social organizations providing services such as independent reading, arts and sports activities, science education, and practical activities, and is not allowed to organize online classes, extra tutoring, teaching new lessons, or academic tests.
"There are many classmates in the school's care class, and the teachers will also take us to do many interesting things." Wang Ruixin (王瑞馨), a student in Class 1 of the second grade of Qingdao Yuxin Primary School (青岛育新小学), made a cup of summer fruit drink under the guidance of her teacher. "You can also play parkour, knead colored clay, play games on the playground, and read books in the book corner," she said.
Sun Jian (孙健), the principal of Qingdao Yuxin Primary School (青岛育新小学), introduced that the school has created an 8-week summer care activity, mainly focusing on courses such as art and parkour, and organizing students to go out for research and study every Friday. The number of participants in each phase is thirty to forty people.
"The child has developed good work and rest habits and has also made new friends. This kind of summer care solves the worries of parents." said Hu Yu (胡宇), the parent of Hu Shuran (胡书冉), a student in Class 2 of the first grade of Qingdao Yuxin Primary School (青岛育新小学).
How is on-campus care charged? Relevant officials from the Qingdao Municipal Education Bureau (青岛市教育局) introduced that, in accordance with the principle of public welfare and inclusiveness, schools can appropriately charge for care services, with the charging standard not exceeding 24 yuan per person per day (excluding lunch fees), which is used for the payment of subsidies to teachers or volunteers participating in the care service. Students from families with financial difficulties are exempt from service fees.
Sun Jian (孙健) expects more social volunteers with education-related qualifications to participate, giving full play to their expertise and helping children expand their knowledge horizons and improve their comprehensive abilities.
Public Welfare Care
Relying on community locations, prioritizing the protection of children in difficult situations and left-behind children.
At 8 o'clock in the morning, the sound of reading aloud came from the Party-Masses Service Center of Yiwanshui Community (一碗水社区) in Shuanghekou Street (双河口街道), Wanzhou District (万州区), Chongqing (重庆). In the summer love care class, a dozen small colored tables are arranged in a semicircle, and the students are reciting poems with emotion. This summer, public welfare care services jointly created by 10 units have been rolled out in Wanzhou (万州).
The 15 care locations extend from the urban youth palace to the township street Party-Masses Service Center. From June 30th to August 29th, more than 100 phases of care services have been carried out, benefiting more than 3,000 children aged 6 to 12, prioritizing special groups such as orphans, left-behind children, and children from families in difficulty.
"Public welfare care is completely free except for lunch fees. The funding for running the classes mainly comes from the special funds for holiday care allocated by the Chongqing Municipal Committee of the Communist Youth League (团重庆市委), the youth career development funds of the Wanzhou District Committee of the Communist Youth League (团万州区委), and the investment of the Social Work Department of the District Committee (区委社工部)." introduced Ni Jing (倪婧), the main person in charge of the Wanzhou District Committee of the Communist Youth League.
In response to the difficulty of academic tutoring for left-behind children during the summer vacation, the Wanzhou District Committee of the Communist Youth League (共青团万州区委) has joined hands with Chongqing Three Gorges University (重庆三峡学院) and other universities to select more than 80 college student volunteers and send them to various care locations, with at least 3 college student volunteers assigned to each location, including 1 college student volunteer majoring in teacher education.
At 9:30, in Chenjiaba Community (陈家坝社区), Chenjiaba Street (陈家坝街道), Wanzhou District (万州区), Miao Miao (淼淼), a left-behind child, is checking her math homework with college student volunteer Long Yu (龙雨). Long Yu (龙雨) is from the Chinese Language and Literature major of Chongqing Three Gorges University (重庆三峡学院) and is the head teacher of the community's summer love care point. "I feel very accomplished to be able to help the children. Participating in the activities can also increase my volunteer hours, and I also get a subsidy every day," said Long Yu (龙雨).
The care class adopts a "basic + characteristic" dual-track curriculum system: compulsory courses include homework tutoring, extracurricular reading, safety self-protection, etc.; elective courses rely on local cultural resources to carry out practical courses such as intangible cultural heritage fan design and safe electricity science experiments in the Youth Palace. Each care point orders classes according to needs.
The reporter found that public welfare care is welcomed by parents, but some aspects still need to be further improved.
The shortage of teachers is a prominent problem. "The teaching staff mainly consists of college student volunteers and community workers, and there is a lack of professional course teachers in psychological counseling, intangible cultural heritage inheritance, etc.," said Ni Jing (倪婧).
In response, Wanzhou (万州) is actively building a long-term mechanism for a professional teaching staff pool, attracting professional talents such as retired teachers and representative inheritors of intangible cultural heritage from the society. "We have established an on-demand service mechanism, collecting parents' needs every week and responding in a timely manner," said Ni Jing (倪婧).
There is also room for improvement in the utilization of venues. The existing care points are mainly located in Party-Masses Service Centers and Youth Palaces, and the activity space is relatively limited. Many primary and secondary schools in the district are in a state of idleness. "We are negotiating with the education department and plan to pilot the opening of campus venues in some primary schools in the urban area, which can not only revitalize resources but also set up characteristic courses based on the venues," said Ni Jing (倪婧).
Public Facility Care
Refine management and maintain good public order.
The new Hengyang City Library (衡阳市图书馆) in Hunan Province (湖南省) opened in 2022, with complete facilities and a comfortable environment, attracting many people to come and read and cool off. In mid-July, nearly 100 children were left alone in the library without parental supervision every day.
Deng Songtao (邓松涛), the curator of the Hengyang City Library (衡阳市图书馆), introduced that the daily number of visitors to the library is five to six thousand, and about 60% are children. Parents send their children to the library because they trust them. Through appeals, some parents have also realized that putting young children in the library at will may affect the experience of other readers, so they have increased their supervision of their children. The library has also taken targeted measures, such as strengthening publicity and education, and displaying uncivilized behaviors such as loud noises and chasing on the big screen.
Hu Congqi (胡从启), the deputy curator of the Hengyang City Library (衡阳市图书馆), introduced that the library has carried out more detailed zoning management, separating the children's area, the youth area, and the adult area, and has also opened a well-soundproofed glass room for children to read and carry out handicraft activities. When the reporter interviewed, some readers reported that the reading environment has been significantly improved after the library took measures.
Wen Yuqiong (温玉琼), a parent who lives nearby, accompanies her 12-year-old child every time. She hopes that the library will divert children of different ages and that volunteers will hold up signs to strengthen civilized publicity. If parents really have something to do and cannot accompany their children, they should tell their children to be civilized and abide by the rules, and register their contact information in the library so that they can be contacted in case of emergency.
In order to solve the problem of summer care, Hengyang City (衡阳市) launched a volunteer service project, organizing activities to care for left-behind children and children of new employment groups from July 21st to August 31st. Concentrated care points are set up in areas where new employment groups are relatively concentrated, such as around large industrial parks and in urban areas with dense express delivery and takeaway stations, with village (community) activity centers and "Women and Children's Homes" as the main venues. In rural areas far from the centralized care points, decentralized care points are set up by village, using village activity rooms, farmers' bookstores, etc.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 吴 丹
After about half a year of internship training as a trainee driver at Shenzhen Metro Company (深圳地铁公司) in Guangdong (广东), Yan Tao (颜涛), a 2025 graduate of the Urban Rail Transit Operation and Management major at Shenzhen Polytechnic (深圳职业技术大学), began to undertake driving tasks. "Today is my early shift, and I happen to have some free time in the afternoon to answer questions online for my younger schoolmates who are preparing for the skills competition," said Yan Tao (颜涛).
"Learning without practice is like not learning at all, and practicing without competing is like practicing for nothing." This saying is widely circulated among students at Shenzhen Polytechnic (深圳职业技术大学), reflecting their dedication and persistence in honing their skills. In his sophomore year, Yan Tao (颜涛) was selected for the WorldSkills Competition training team. During 60 days of closed training, Yan Tao (颜涛) and his teammates repeatedly refined and optimized the emergency procedures for passenger transport.
At the finals of the high-speed rail signal and passenger transport organization competition, the strength accumulated through sweat revealed its sharpness: Yan Tao (颜涛) and his teammates quickly completed the design and high-quality construction of signal equipment, and through on-site programming and debugging of intelligent detection equipment, accurately located the fault in the signal equipment in just 5 seconds. At the moment of standing on the podium, Yan Tao (颜涛) raised the gold medal high, with a smile on his face: "The sweat was not in vain, and this skill has truly grown on me."
When he first entered the university as a freshman, the career planning course helped Yan Tao (颜涛) better understand himself and the industry, and initially clarified his future direction. In his sophomore year, he used competitions as a substitute for practice, and the touch of first entering the training room still impresses him deeply—the real subway signal equipment was fully equipped, and the joystick of the simulated driving cabin was polished brightly. In his junior year, the "Hongzhi Navigation" (宏志助航) program provided security for his job search.
As one of the first "National University Graduates' Employment Ability Training Bases" of the Ministry of Education (教育部), Shenzhen Polytechnic (深圳职业技术大学) closely follows the requirements of the "Hongzhi Navigation" (宏志助航) program, integrates career education throughout the school's enrollment, training, and employment processes, and constructs an employment ability training model of "individual diagnosis + ability improvement + thematic training + expert guidance + practical exercises" to help students enhance their employment competitiveness.
In the "resume clinic" session, employment guidance teacher Lan Chunfeng (兰春锋) optimized Yan Tao's (颜涛) resume. "Before, I listed the awards in 3 lines, but I didn't highlight the key points." Yan Tao (颜涛) clearly remembers that Lan Chunfeng (兰春锋) circled the parts that needed to be modified with a red pen, and wrote a note next to it reminding him that "the awards and internship practices should highlight abilities, and you can focus on introducing the solid skills you have developed in the skills competition."
"The self-introduction must be clear and precise." In the mock interview session, two senior students who had already joined the workforce served as "examiners," not letting go of every detail of expression, and giving timely adjustment suggestions. It was this near-real combat exercise that allowed Yan Tao (颜涛) to be at ease during the real interview.
On the day he received the admission notice from Shenzhen Metro (深圳地铁), Lan Chunfeng (兰春锋) specifically instructed: "Admission is not the finish line, you can't drive the subway well if you 躺平 (tǎng píng - "lie flat," to do the bare minimum; to not strive for more in life)."
The relevant负责人 (fù zé rén - person in charge) of the Employment Guidance Center of Shenzhen Polytechnic (深圳职业技术大学) introduced that the school relies on the "National University Graduates' Employment Ability Training Base" to train more than 4,200 students. Taking 2024 as an example, the original plan was to train 600 people, but actually recruited 981 people, and the students came from more than 40 universities including Sun Yat-sen University (中山大学) and Shenzhen University (深圳大学), covering graduate students, undergraduates, and junior college students.
Yan Tao's (颜涛) growth story is an epitome of Shenzhen Polytechnic's (深圳职业技术大学) cultivation of highly skilled talents. "We will deepen the implementation of the 'Hongzhi Navigation' (宏志助航) program, focus on promoting the personalized development of the curriculum system, add training modules for emerging fields such as artificial intelligence and intelligent manufacturing, and ignite the love and dreams of vocational school students," said Cui Lian (崔莲), director of the school's Admissions and Employment Office.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 吕钟正
In Wuhan (武汉), Hubei (湖北), the summer heat simmers in Hongxiang Alley (红巷). In the courtyard of a late Qing Dynasty (晚清) residential building, many young people are drawn to the performance inside. This play, "The Last Reunion" (《最后的团聚》), staged in the Former Residence Memorial of Mao Zedong (毛泽东旧居纪念馆), is part of the "Wuhan 1927" immersive ideological and political lesson.
Having traversed over a century, Wuhan (武汉) has accumulated and preserved abundant red resources. Visiting Wuhan (武汉), one can experience the city's revolutionary glory and trace the 145 red revolutionary relics scattered throughout the city. Under the concept of protecting, inheriting, and revitalizing, a batch of new business forms are unfolding, showcasing new vitality to the younger generation through red and industrial heritage.
Tanhualin (昙华林) Historical and Cultural Block gathers numerous century-old buildings, historical sites, and former residences of celebrities. Last year, all the century-old historical buildings were upgraded, attracting citizens and tourists to check in. "Here, you can feel the history, and there are all kinds of fun things to do," said tourist Ms. Huang (黄女士). Many cultural and creative shops and art venues are interesting, and there are also special delicacies, which can meet the "shopping, eating, and buying" needs in one stop. "During this year's 'May Day' holiday, the scenic spot's daily average passenger flow exceeded 50,000, most of whom were young people," said the relevant person in charge of Tanhualin (昙华林) Historical and Cultural Block.
In Jiang'an District (江岸区) of Wuhan (武汉), the "Jiang'an Light" (江岸之光) ideological and political brand, created with innovative models such as situational experience, immersive participation, and story sharing, continues to "attract fans" among young people. With the help of artificial intelligence explanation and augmented reality technology, the Former Site Memorial of the Wuhan (武汉) Office of the Eighth Route Army (八路军武汉办事处旧址纪念馆) staged a red drama tour of "Jiang'an Light: Walking Classroom" (江岸之光·行走课堂), leading young people to experience that era of war.
At the intersection of Shengli Street (胜利街) and Lihuangpi Road (黎黄陂路), three buildings attract many tourists to stop and take pictures. Wan Juan (万娟), deputy curator of the Former Site Memorial of the CPC Central Committee in Wuhan (武汉中共中央机关旧址纪念馆), introduced that the number of young visitors received by the venue has increased significantly. Many people come to the "Era Photo Studio" in the museum to check in and take commemorative photos. "Some settings are very ingenious," said tourist Zhu Jinhui (朱金慧).
Many red tourism venues also use online "cloud tours" of museums, live broadcasts, and other services to make red exhibitions come alive and move. In the tail hall of the August 7th Meeting Site Memorial Hall (八七会议会址纪念馆), a touch screen integrates various functions such as the Party admission oath wall and museum guide. "Knowledge quizzes are very popular among young people, and successful participants can get a cultural and creative postcard from the memorial hall," said Tao Xinmin (陶昕敏), curator of the memorial hall. Last year, the venue received more than 3 million visitors, including about 2.02 million online visitors.
Red tourism shows a new look, and industrial heritage has also been protected and utilized.
Located north of the Han River (汉江) and south of Tortoise Mountain (龟山), the former site of the Hanyang Arsenal (汉阳兵工厂旧址) is now the Hanyang Creative Culture Industry Park (汉阳造文化创意产业园). "The park's tall factory buildings are very suitable for performances. Last year, we held more than 100 events, attracting 150,000 viewers," said Deng Chenyue (邓晨玥), the person in charge of a performance venue in the industrial park. The art exhibitions, literary performances, and science and technology experiences held in the park have made it a popular check-in place for young people and a gathering place for holiday consumption.
With winding pipelines and towering towers, the WISCO (武钢) No. 1 Blast Furnace in the WISCO (武钢) Cultural Tourism Area is very famous. "The main body of the blast furnace is covered with a large area of red, and the rails on the ground outside are retained," said Li Qiuyang (李秋阳), a staff member of the Party-Masses Work Department of Wuhan Iron and Steel Co., Ltd. (武汉钢铁有限公司党群工作部). This super "hardcore" scenic spot received more than 80,000 visitors from 21 countries and regions last year.
How to make Wuhan's (武汉) red resources continue to "attract fans" among young people? The relevant person in charge of the Wuhan (武汉) Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism introduced that they will deeply explore relevant resources, refine red IP creativity, promote the digitization of revolutionary cultural relics collections and the intelligent construction of red museums, and continue to create red ideological and political lessons, and carry out red exhibitions in schools, communities, and villages.
Return to TopOn July 30th, citizens enjoyed leisure and fitness activities in Suzhou Park (苏州公园), Su-Su Industrial Park (苏宿工业园区), Suqian City (宿迁市), Jiangsu Province (江苏省). The local area is focusing on creating an excellent living environment and building a comfortable and convenient livable city.
Chen Hong (陈红) Photo (Image China (影像中国))
Return to TopThis newspaper's Beijing (北京) dispatch on July 31st (Reporter Wang Yunshan (王云杉)) On July 31st, the 5th Urban Investment Promotion Conference, hosted by the Global Times (环球时报社) and themed "Promoting Urban Industrial Innovation and Enhancing Local Economic Momentum," was held in Beijing (北京). Nearly 500 people, including representatives from national ministries and commissions, local governments, think tank experts, business associations, and enterprises, attended the conference.
The participating guests, in conjunction with the recently held Central Urban Work Conference, discussed topics such as thoroughly implementing the national strategic deployment on promoting high-quality economic development, the innovative paths and development opportunities for urban investment promotion in the process of Chinese-style modernization, optimizing the modern urban system, transforming urban development concepts and methods, and enhancing urban industrial innovation capabilities and core competitiveness. At the meeting, several cities and parks, including Ordos (鄂尔多斯市) in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (内蒙古自治区) and the Shenyang (沈阳) Area of the China (Liaoning) Free Trade Pilot Zone (中国（辽宁）自由贸易试验区沈阳片区), showcased their innovative practices and remarkable achievements in investment promotion.
As a series of brand activities themed on promoting high-quality urban development by the Global Times (环球时报社), the Urban Investment Promotion Conference has been held for five consecutive sessions. The conference adheres to high-level planning and high-platform promotion, showcasing the new style of Chinese urban development in a three-dimensional and multi-faceted manner, discussing new concepts, connecting new industries, and focusing on new momentum, actively building an exchange platform for governments, parks, and enterprises at all levels, and helping local economic development and industrial upgrading.
Return to TopThis newspaper reported from Beijing on July 31st. With the approval of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (中共中央), the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission (中央纪委国家监委) conducted a case review and investigation into the serious violations of discipline and law by Liu Weidong (刘卫东), former member of the Party Leadership Group and Deputy General Manager of China South Industries Group Corporation (中国兵器装备集团有限公司).
The investigation found that Liu Weidong (刘卫东) had lost his ideals and beliefs, betrayed his original aspiration and mission, and resisted organizational review. He violated the spirit of the Eight-Point Regulation of the Central Committee (中央八项规定精神), accepting banquets, travel, golf and other activities that could affect the impartial execution of his duties. He violated organizational principles by failing to truthfully explain issues during organizational inquiries, and sought benefits for others and accepted money and property in cadre promotion and employee recruitment. He lost his bottom line of integrity, illegally accepting gifts and money, and illegally organizing birthday banquets. He engaged in "**靠企吃企**" (kào qǐ chī qǐ - "relying on the enterprise to eat the enterprise," abusing one's position in a state-owned enterprise for personal gain), transforming the public power entrusted by the Party and the people into a tool for seeking personal gain, wantonly collecting money and property, using his position to seek benefits for others in business operations and promotion, and illegally accepting huge amounts of property.
Liu Weidong (刘卫东) seriously violated the Party's political discipline, organizational discipline, and integrity discipline, constituted a serious violation of duty and was suspected of bribery, and after the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (党的十八大) he did not restrain himself or **不收敛、不收手** (bù shōu liǎn、bù shōu shǒu - "not restrain, not stop," refusing to cease wrongdoing despite warnings), his nature was serious, and his impact was vile, and he should be severely dealt with. In accordance with the "Regulations on Disciplinary Sanctions of the Communist Party of China" (中国共产党纪律处分条例), the "Supervision Law of the People's Republic of China" (中华人民共和国监察法), the "Law on Administrative Disciplinary Sanctions for Public Officials of the People's Republic of China" (中华人民共和国公职人员政务处分法) and other relevant regulations, after research by the Standing Committee of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (中央纪委常委会会议) and approved by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (中共中央), it was decided to give Liu Weidong (刘卫东) a punishment of expulsion from the Party; the National Supervisory Commission (国家监委) gave him a punishment of dismissal from public office; his illegal gains from violations of discipline and law were confiscated; his suspected criminal problems were transferred to the procuratorial organs for investigation and prosecution in accordance with the law, and the property involved was transferred together.
Return to TopThis newspaper reported from Beijing on July 31st that, with the approval of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (中共中央), the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission (中央纪委国家监委) have filed a case for investigation into the serious violations of discipline and law by Yuan Guangyu (袁光宇), former member of the Party Leadership Group and Deputy General Manager of China National Offshore Oil Corporation (中国海洋石油集团有限公司).
The investigation found that Yuan Guangyu had lost his ideals and beliefs, abandoned his original aspiration and mission, and resisted organizational review. He disregarded the spirit of the Eight-Point Regulation of the Central Committee (中央八项规定精神), accepted arrangements for playing golf that could have affected the impartial execution of his official duties, sought benefits for others in terms of job promotion, engaged in money-for-sex transactions, and after retirement, engaged in for-profit activities related to the business under his original jurisdiction and held positions in violation of regulations. He had absolutely no bottom line of discipline and law, unscrupulously "used oil to profit from oil," engaged in power-for-money transactions, used his position to seek benefits for others in project contracting and business operations, and illegally accepted huge amounts of property.
Yuan Guangyu seriously violated the Party's political discipline, organizational discipline, integrity discipline, and life discipline, constituted a serious violation of duty and was suspected of bribery crimes. Moreover, he did not restrain himself or stop his actions after the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, his nature was serious, and his impact was vile, and he should be severely dealt with. In accordance with the "Regulations on Disciplinary Sanctions of the Communist Party of China" (中国共产党纪律处分条例), the "Supervision Law of the People's Republic of China" (中华人民共和国监察法), the "Public Official Political Disciplinary Law of the People's Republic of China" (中华人民共和国公职人员政务处分法) and other relevant regulations, upon deliberation by the Standing Committee of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and reported to and approved by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (中共中央), it was decided to give Yuan Guangyu a punishment of expulsion from the Party; to cancel the benefits he enjoyed as stipulated; to confiscate his illegal gains from violations of discipline and law; and to transfer his suspected criminal problems to the procuratorial organ for review and prosecution in accordance with the law, and the property involved shall be transferred together.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 陈晨曦
On the evening of July 31, Chinese athlete Chen Yuxi (陈芋汐), wearing her fourth gold medal in the women's 10m platform diving event at the World Aquatics Championships, slowly walked off the podium. She first called out to her teammate Xie Peiling (谢佩铃), who won the bronze medal, to take photos with the press, and then chatted happily with German silver medalist Pauline Pfeif. During this, she did not forget to wave to the audience in the stands who were calling her name. At 19 years old, she displayed an air of composure.
New Teammate
In 6 years and 5 World Championships, Chen Yuxi has leaped and somersaulted countless times from the high platform, winning 4 gold and 1 silver in the women's 10m platform event, each time scoring above 400 points. In 2019, her emergence ended the Chinese diving team's two-session gold-less history in the women's 10m platform. Since then, she and her teammate Quan Hongchan (全红婵) have become the "double insurance" for the women's high platform event.
This time, Chen Yuxi was fighting alongside a new teammate, 15-year-old Xie Peiling (谢佩铃).
"Before the competition, Sister Yuxi (芋汐姐) gave me a lot of encouragement. When I made mistakes, she immediately ran over to comfort me and cheer me on." Xie Peiling (谢佩铃), standing on the World Championships stage for the first time, made Chen Yuxi seem to see herself from back then.
"When I saw my name on the training list for the 2019 World Championships (2019年), even though it was last, I was especially happy, feeling like I had a little bit of a chance. Later, my scores in the four internal team tests were all above 400 points, and now I feel like I was amazing," Chen Yuxi (陈芋汐) recalled.
For Chen Yuxi (陈芋汐), the Singapore World Championships venue is already very familiar. She half-jokingly said, "The temperature of the venue may be a bit unfriendly to the audience, but after the athletes enter the water, they will feel very warm." Since the venue only relies on a few huge electric fans to adjust the room temperature, Chen Yuxi (陈芋汐) does not need to warm up too much, directly starting with a 3.0 difficulty move. In the final, her average difficulty for the 5 moves reached 3.2.
Xie Peiling (谢佩铃) carefully watched every dive of Chen Yuxi (陈芋汐) from the sidelines: "Sister Yuxi's (芋汐姐) movements are very beautiful, and she dives very stably in each round. In comparison, I still have room for improvement."
New Identity
With a score of 430.50, Chen Yuxi (陈芋汐) took a clear lead, steadily winning the eighth diving gold medal for the Chinese team at this World Championships. "I think today's result is an encouragement to me. This year, I have continued to grow and constantly adjust," Chen Yuxi (陈芋汐) said.
In August last year, Chen Yuxi (陈芋汐) had a new identity. She officially became a freshman at Tongji University (同济大学), starting her university career.
Owning a dual identity, Chen Yuxi (陈芋汐), in addition to continuing to work hard in diving, has also devoted a lot of effort to her studies. On the international stage, people see an increasingly confident and composed Chen Yuxi (陈芋汐) - using foreign languages to communicate with foreign athletes is no longer a novelty.
Chen Yuxi (陈芋汐) once admitted in an interview: "Standing from the perspective of an athlete, I feel that my 19 years old are very complete. But from a longer-term perspective, diving is only a part of my long life. After all, when I bid farewell to my athletic career in the future, I will face not only diving, but the entire society."
New Goal
After winning the women's 10m platform World Championships gold medal for the fourth time, Chen Yuxi (陈芋汐) could not suppress the excitement in her heart. When the score of the last dive was displayed on the big screen, she excitedly hugged her coach by the pool and shed tears.
"Every time I win a championship, the meaning is different." Chen Yuxi (陈芋汐) clearly remembers the scene of each championship, "In Gwangju, South Korea (韩国光州), I stood on the highest podium of the World Championships for the first time, feeling like I was standing on the pinnacle of life. In Budapest, Hungary (匈牙利布达佩斯), I struggled for the gold medal after experiencing some injuries and setbacks. In Fukuoka, Japan (日本福冈), I created my best historical result, and then won a silver medal in Doha, Qatar (卡塔尔多哈). This time, I achieved such a result when facing challenges in physical condition, physical fitness, etc. Every competition is unforgettable for me."
This little girl who used to be afraid of water, in a few words, revealed the ups and downs of the past 5 World Championships.
Not long after Chen Yuxi (陈芋汐) made a splash at the 2019 World Championships, she experienced her first low point: "In the middle and late of 2020, I had some mental problems. At that time, the results were not very good, and I was very frustrated, feeling a little bit disappointed to everyone's expectations."
The most effective way for Chen Yuxi (陈芋汐) to self-regulate is to throw away distractions, "Don't have too many thoughts in the competition. My entry into the water may not be particularly outstanding or beautiful, but every move I make can ensure that I don't lose points. Diving is a project with large variable factors, and I am considered one of the more stable female athletes."
Regarding the future, Chen Yuxi (陈芋汐) does not have very specific plans: "After walking off the podium, I will still move forward steadily step by step. As an 'old' team member, I will work hard to take on greater responsibilities."
Return to TopWatching diving competitions and only knowing to look at the size of the splash? 107B, 207C, 5253B... Understanding these action codes will instantly turn you into a diving "expert."
Diving action codes usually consist of 3 or 4 digits plus 1 letter. The first digit represents the action group, divided into 6 groups according to the takeoff direction: 1 is forward, meaning facing the pool and jumping forward; 2 is backward, meaning facing away from the pool and jumping backward; 3 is outward (reverse), meaning facing the pool and jumping backward; 4 is inward, meaning facing away from the pool and jumping forward; 5 is twisting jumps; 6 is handstand actions, limited to platform events.
The second digit, for groups 1 to 4, represents whether there is a fly-out action. 0 means no fly-out action, and 1 means there is a fly-out action. For groups 5 and 6, the second digit represents the takeoff direction.
The third digit represents the number of somersaults, 1 is a half somersault, 2 is one somersault, 3 is one and a half somersaults... and so on. The fourth digit represents the number of twists, and the calculation method is the same as the number of somersaults.
The letter in the action code represents the body position in the air: A is straight; B is pike; C is tuck; D is free, which can be any of the first 3 positions.
(Reported by Sun Longfei (孙龙飞), reporter of this newspaper)
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 宋朝军
An earthen-colored rawhide bag filled with sand, tied tightly with hemp ropes as thick as two fingers, and a piece of sports equipment for a traditional sports event is ready.
Outside a stadium in Diebu County (迭部县), Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture (甘南藏族自治州), Gansu Province (甘肃省), several burly men, in a horse stance, slowly lifted the rawhide bag beside the sandpit, raised it over their shoulders, and threw it backward, drawing bursts of applause from the surrounding audience. This was the scene of the 6th Ando Region "Lazikou Cup" (腊子口杯) Zeba (Ando Strongman) Invitational Tournament held in Diebu County. Zhuoma Jiao (卓玛交), a 42-year-old villager from Daiba Village (代巴村), squeezed through the layers of spectators and introduced to the reporter: "Zeba means 'strongman' in Tibetan, and people here have participated in Zeba competitions since they were young."
Daiba Village is located on a plateau with an altitude of over 3,100 meters. It has vast forests, crisscrossing rivers, and many natural strategic passes. Local people admire the beauty of strength and prefer strength-based sports, gradually forming Zeba events full of power, such as lifting rawhide bags, tug-of-war (elephant tug-of-war), carrying wood, and holding stones.
Every spring and summer, the villagers of Daiba Village come to the meadow behind the village, for as little as four or five days, or as many as ten days. Everyone enjoys "Langshan" (浪山) (to play in the mountains) while holding Zeba competitions. "Regardless of men, women, old or young, the villagers will actively participate," Zhuoma Jiao introduced, "This is not only a good time to relax and unwind, but also a good opportunity for people of all ethnic groups to communicate and a good carrier to promote ethnic unity." "Although the prizes for the Zeba competition are only a few boxes of drinks, the villagers are very enthusiastic, and some people sign up for several events at once," Zhuoma Jiao said.
In the village wrestling, Zhuoma Jiao stood out. Weighing less than 75 kilograms, he was able to lift a rawhide bag of more than 140 kilograms in the competition during his peak period. "At that time, I was the strongest in the village, and I also took the initiative to participate in two Zeba invitational tournaments organized by the county." Now Zhuoma Jiao is the village group leader of Daiba Village. In recent years, he and the villagers have caught the bandwagon of local ecological and cultural tourism development and have new livelihoods.
Many tourists are interested in Zeba events when they come to the village to play, and they also participate in competitions such as lifting rawhide bags. "Some tourists often work out, and they can lift several bags in one go. We also exchange skills after the competition," Zhuoma Jiao said. As the popularity and influence of Zeba events have grown, the local area has provided a more adequate exchange platform. Since 2015, Diebu County has begun to host Zeba invitational tournaments, which have been successfully held for six sessions.
In the recently held invitational tournament, 242 contestants from Sichuan (四川), Tibet (西藏), Shaanxi (陕西), Gansu (甘肃) and other places gathered in Diebu County to compete fiercely in 5 events in 3 major categories: lifting rawhide bags, Tibetan wrestling, and tug-of-war. In 3 days, the number of on-site spectators exceeded 150,000. "The permanent population of Diebu County is about 50,000, and most of the audience comes from other places," said Ren Wenzhong (任文忠), Deputy Director of the Diebu County Bureau of Culture, Sports, Radio, Television and Tourism.
In recent years, Diebu County has established a strongman sports association, guided grassroots organizations to carry out related activities, built nearly 40 new village-level sports and fitness venues, and encouraged the inclusion of Zeba events in primary and secondary school sports activities. At present, all 8 major primary and secondary schools in the county have included Zeba events in sports meets or extracurricular activities according to the age characteristics of students.
Return to TopIn recent years, the Yunnan Provincial Party Committee and the Yunnan Provincial Government have made every effort to promote high-quality tourism development, resolutely safeguarding Yunnan's "golden signboard" for tourism. They have successively taken a series of powerful measures in market order governance, and the tourism market and environment have continued to improve. In 2024, Yunnan's tourism delivered a brilliant report card: total tourism expenditure exceeded 1.14 trillion yuan, the visa-free transit policy covered 9 prefectures (cities) and was extended to 240 hours, and 3,897,500 tourists appreciated the magnificence of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (玉龙雪山), the beauty of Yuanyang Rice Terraces (元阳梯田), and witnessed the vigorous vitality of the tourism industry.
In order to further support tourism market entities operating with integrity to become bigger, better, and stronger, reward the good and punish the bad, safeguard Yunnan's "golden signboard" for tourism, and embark on a path of sustainable and healthy cultural tourism development, the "Ten Measures of Yunnan Province to Further Strengthen the Integrity Construction of the Tourism Market" was introduced and will be officially implemented on August 12. Centered on credit supervision, the measures construct a closed-loop system of "incentives for trustworthiness and punishments for untrustworthiness," using rigid constraints to protect the "green waters and green mountains" of the tourism market, and are committed to ensuring that every tourist can fully enjoy the beauty of Yunnan.
Data source: Yunnan Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism (云南省文化和旅游厅)
"Ten Measures of Yunnan Province to Further Strengthen the Integrity Construction of the Tourism Market"
Yunnan is a kingdom of plants, a kingdom of animals, and a world garden, and is recognized as a desirable place to travel and live. In order to further support tourism market entities operating with integrity to become bigger, better, and stronger, reward the good and punish the bad, and safeguard Yunnan's "golden signboard" for tourism, the following measures are formulated in accordance with relevant laws and regulations.
1. Comprehensively promote credit supervision, strictly regulate administrative inspections involving enterprises, and for tourism market entities that operate with integrity and have no violations of laws and regulations, do not actively implement on-site inspections unless necessary, achieving "responsiveness to every request and non-interference when there is nothing to do."
2. Provide incentives in publicity and promotion, product promotion, and talent cultivation for tourism market entities listed on the "red list" for integrity and civilized operation.
3. Increase daily supervision and appropriately increase the proportion and frequency of random inspections for tourism market entities with minor untrustworthy behavior; increase the proportion and frequency of inspections and include them as key supervision objects for tourism market entities with many complaints and serious untrustworthy behavior.
4. Seriously investigate and deal with tourism market entities that organize or undertake "unreasonable low-price tours" and have illegal and irregular behaviors such as deceiving customers, forcing shopping, etc., in accordance with laws and regulations. If a travel agency is identified as a seriously untrustworthy entity due to the revocation of its travel agency business operation license, its main person in charge shall not serve as the main person in charge of any travel agency within 5 years, and relevant management personnel shall not engage in travel agency business within 3 years from the date of punishment.
5. Seriously investigate and deal with tour guides who undertake "unreasonable low-price tours," false advertising, forced or induced shopping, threats and insults, stranded or abandoned tour groups, obtain improper benefits, change itineraries or add self-funded projects without authorization, and charge additional fees, etc., in accordance with laws and regulations. Those who are subject to administrative penalties for revocation of their tour guide certificates shall not apply for a tour guide certificate again and shall be identified as seriously untrustworthy entities in accordance with the law.
6. Implement no less than 24 hours of integrity education and training for tour guides with untrustworthy behavior; conduct interviews and urge rectification for legal representatives, plan schedulers, financial personnel, and contract specialists of travel agencies who meet the standards for identifying minor untrustworthy entities, ordering them to correct illegal behaviors, fulfill compensation obligations, and restore adverse social impacts.
7. List tourism market entities that organize or undertake "unreasonable low-price tours" on the "blacklist" and publicize their illegal and irregular facts on relevant official websites. Disclose the untrustworthy entity information of those identified as seriously untrustworthy entities involved in tourism through the National Cultural and Tourism Market Credit Management System and the "Credit China (Yunnan)" website and other channels.
8. For shopping stores and their legal representatives and other relevant responsible personnel who target group tourists as their main business objects and take "one-on-one" malicious stalking, "boxed" sales of goods, restriction of tourists' free activities, inducement and brainwashing, coercion and threats, and other behaviors that seriously infringe upon consumers' rights and interests, disrupt fair competition order, and disrupt market order, the market supervision and management department shall seriously investigate and deal with them, and those who are subject to heavier administrative penalties shall be included in the list of serious violations of laws and untrustworthiness in accordance with the law, and shall be publicized through the National Enterprise Credit Information Publicity System and the "Credit China (Yunnan)" website, and corresponding management measures shall be implemented.
9. If travel agencies, tour guides, shopping venues, drivers, and local escorts collude and obtain illegal benefits through commercial bribery and seriously affect the image of tourism integrity, and are suspected of constituting a crime, they shall be transferred to the public security organs to be held criminally liable.
10. Implement joint punishment for tourism market entities with serious untrustworthiness.
These measures shall be implemented from August 12, 2025.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 李亚楠 车 斌
On the stage of the 2024 China Media Group (CMG) Spring Festival Gala for the Year of the Dragon, the three major epics of China's ethnic minorities were sung together. Among them, the Kyrgyz epic Manas, is mainly circulated in Kizilsu Kyrgyz Autonomous Prefecture (Kızılsu Kyrgyz Autonomous Prefecture) in Xinjiang (新疆), hereinafter referred to as "Kizilsu Prefecture (克州)," and other places.
Kizilsu Prefecture (克州) is home to the highest peak of the Kunlun Mountains (昆仑山), Kongur Tagh (公格尔峰), and Muztagh Ata (慕士塔格峰), known as the "Father of Ice Mountains," from which the legend of the "Land of the Queen Mother of the West (西王母之邦)" is derived. It is said that the beautiful and mysterious Karakul Lake (喀拉库勒湖) at the foot of the snow-capped mountains is the "Jade Pool of the Queen Mother of the West (西王母瑶池)" of the primitive tribe visited by King Mu of Zhou (周穆王) when he went to Kunlun (昆仑).
On this ancient and magical land, the epic Manas has been sung for thousands of years. It tells the legendary story of the hero Manas and his seven generations of descendants leading the Kyrgyz people to resist foreign invasions and protect their homeland. This monumental work, more than ten times longer than the Homeric epics, is not only an encyclopedia of Kyrgyz folk culture, but also a treasure in the world's intangible cultural heritage treasury with its vivid characters, magnificent narrative, and profound connotations. In Kyrgyzstan, which borders China, Manas is also widely circulated, becoming an important link in cultural exchanges between the two countries and a vivid footnote to the connection of people's hearts.
The New Carrier of the Ancient Epic -
From Oral to Text, Manas is Recognized and Understood by More People
"Kizilsu (克孜勒苏)" means "red water," derived from the Kizilsu River (克孜勒苏河) within its borders. The river flows from northwest to southeast through Kizilsu Prefecture (克州), forming the natural boundary between the Tianshan (天山) and Kunlun (昆仑) mountain systems. This river valley is the middle section of the Silk Road, and merchants traveling to and from the area historically traversed between the two major mountain systems. The exchange of different cultures gave birth to this folk cultural legend involving numerous ethnic groups interacting, exchanging, and integrating.
Kizilsu Prefecture (克州) is known as the "Prefecture of Ten Thousand Mountains (万山之州)." There are more than 20 snow-capped mountains with an altitude of over 5,000 meters. The rugged landform of glaciers and river valleys has shaped the resilient national character of the Kyrgyz people and provided a geographical prototype for the epic's narrative of heroic expeditions and tribal migrations.
Manas originated in the 9th to 10th centuries AD and has been passed down orally for thousands of years. Folk singers play an important role in the creation and inheritance of the epic. Folk artists who are good at singing Manas are respectfully called "Manaschis (玛纳斯奇)." Each Manaschi will improvise based on their own characteristics. The same storyline will have ever-changing expressions from different people. For a long time, Manas relied entirely on the oral transmission of the singers, and learning to sing Manas was not easy. Maimaititurgan Aiseke (买买提吐尔干·艾色克), an actor from the Kizilsu Prefecture (克州) Song and Dance Troupe, recalled that when he was learning Manas as a child, there were not as many written and audio-visual materials as there are now. "In order to learn from experienced Manaschis, it was often necessary to cross mountains and valleys."
In order to protect this important cultural heritage, China began large-scale collection, recording, translation, publication, and research work on the Manas epic in the 1960s. Jusup Mamay (居素甫·玛玛依) was the only folk artist at that time who could sing Manas completely. The Manas epic he sang underwent necessary processing in terms of structure and language, totaling more than 230,000 lines, and is currently the most complete and structurally magnificent version in the world, taking more than a year to sing from beginning to end. After more than 30 years of effort, the content of the eight Manas epics sung by Jusup Mamay (居素甫·玛玛依) was completely recorded on paper in 1983 and published in its entirety in 1995. The epic transitioned from oral to text, from a living form to a fixed text form.
In 2006, Manas was included in the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage lists. On April 6, 2022, the "Manas" (Chinese Full Translation), with more than 20 million words and taking more than 10 years to complete, was first published. Compared with the older generation of Manaschis, young Manaschis began to try to sing in the national common language. Smelling the ink fragrance and touching the three gold-lettered characters "Manas (玛纳斯)," Jiangnur Tuerganbayi (江努日·图日干巴依), the representative inheritor of the national intangible cultural heritage of Manas, had tears in his eyes. He knew that from then on, Manas could be recognized and understood by more people.
"This is the story left by our ancestors, how can we not sing it; this is the heritage left by our predecessors, passed down from generation to generation to this day. As long as we sing the heroic stories of our ancestors, beautiful words will gush out!" In front of the yurt, several Manaschis sat cross-legged in a row, taking turns singing. The majestic and melodious verses flew to the blue sky and drifted into the distance.
Creative Adaptation and Arrangement -
From a Single Version to Stage Creation, From the Grassland to a Wider World
Looking back, jumping, stretching... In the rehearsal hall of the Kizilsu Prefecture (克州) Song and Dance Troupe, the actors of the song and dance drama Manas use smooth dance steps to interpret the hymn of heroes. Dance dramas and operas adapted from the Manas version have been performed to the outside world. On this basis, the Kizilsu Prefecture (克州) Song and Dance Troupe created an original song and dance drama Manas that combines song and dance, narration and romance, and successfully premiered in 2020.
Manas was initially inherited in the form of "one person singing, others listening." In 1984, Manas was moved from the grassland to the stage for the first time. Since then, Manas has met audiences in various forms such as duets, choruses, singing and playing, antiphonal singing, performance singing, operas, and dance dramas, and has added ethnic musical instruments such as the Komuz, mouth harp, and Kyak.
Maimaititurgan (买买提吐尔干) grew up in the border pastoral area of Wuqia County (乌恰县), Kizilsu Prefecture (克州). In his memory, wherever there are Kyrgyz people, there is the singing of Manas, whether in the lush pastures or in the warm yurts. "Whether it's at weddings, festivals, or returning from grazing, adults always get together to sing Manas. I would also imitate the adults' singing and movements. At that time, I thought, how proud I would be if I could sing Manas to everyone one day and let more people hear it!" said Maimaititurgan (买买提吐尔干).
In 2017, Maimaititurgan (买买提吐尔干), who graduated from the Conservatory of Music, joined the Kizilsu Prefecture (克州) Song and Dance Troupe and served as the composer of the Manas epic, and began to systematically learn how to better perform the Manas epic. He tried to use modern musical means to make Manas more infectious. In 2023, the Kizilsu Prefecture (克州) Song and Dance Troupe, together with the song and dance troupes of three counties and one city, totaling more than 80 people, completed 9 performances of the song and dance drama Manas in Kizilsu Prefecture (克州), Urumqi (乌鲁木齐), and Beijing (北京). Whenever the play ended and applause rang out warmly, Maimaititurgan (买买提吐尔干) felt that every effort he had made before had received the best response at this moment.
From the solo inheritance of Manas to stepping out of the grassland and onto the stage, this thousand-year-old epic legend continues to take on an innovative posture, moving from the Pamir Plateau (帕米尔草原) to a wider world. In 2023, the newly built Manas Epic Grand Theater in Kizilsu Prefecture (克州) officially opened and has performed more than 750 shows to date, attracting approximately 90,000 viewers. Kizilsu Prefecture (克州) has also successfully held 10 Manas International Cultural Tourism Festivals.
In the 2024 China Media Group (CMG) Spring Festival Gala for the Year of the Dragon, Manas appeared on the stage of the Beijing (北京) main venue. Maimaititurgan (买买提吐尔干) and his 8-year-old son Meiken (梅肯) sang a rock version of Manas. "Meiken (梅肯), like me when I was a child, likes to imitate the expressions, movements, and voices of those excellent Manaschis in the mirror. The seeds of a new generation of Manaschis are sprouting. I hope more people will recognize the charm of Manas, inherit Manas, carry it forward, and bring it to the world," said Maimaititurgan (买买提吐尔干).
Witnessing the Friendship Between China and Kyrgyzstan -
From Common Inheritance to Mutual Learning, Cooperation and Exchanges Promote the Connection of People's Hearts
For thousands of years, Manas has been circulating among the Kyrgyz people in China and the Kyrgyz people in Kyrgyzstan. The Manaschis of the two countries use a common language and common musical tunes to sing the stories of the heroic struggles of the hero Manas and his descendants. The people of the two countries thus have a cultural bond connecting them.
"Manas and its oral singing tradition have been an important part of folk cultural exchanges between our country and Central Asia since the 19th century," said Adil Juma Turdi (阿地里·居玛吐尔地), a researcher at the Institute of Ethnic Literature of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. He believes that this oral singing tradition in China and Central Asia promotes and facilitates each other, and generations of Manaschis have played an irreplaceable role as a link.
Hu Zhenhua (胡振华), an honorary senior professor and doctoral supervisor at the School of Ethnic Minority Languages and Literature of Minzu University of China, has visited Kyrgyzstan many times. He learned that Kyrgyzstan recorded the Manas sung by dozens of Manaschis very early and also had related operas, dance dramas, and movies. "China and Kyrgyzstan have made Manas a witness to the friendship between the two countries through mutual learning, cooperation, and exchanges," Hu Zhenhua (胡振华) introduced. Kyrgyzstan's academic circles have invited Chinese scholars to participate in all previous Manas international seminars and have also published the texts of Chinese Manas singing masters.
In 2009 and 2013, Manas declared by China and the "Kyrgyz Epic Trilogy: Manas, Semetei, Seitek" declared by Kyrgyzstan were successively included in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, opening a new historical chapter for the two countries to jointly protect this epic tradition. In 2019, the Kyrgyz government erected a statue of Jusup Mamay (居素甫·玛玛依), a famous Chinese Manas storyteller, in Bishkek (比什凯克). On June 11 of the same year, the China National Opera House went to Bishkek (比什凯克) and successfully performed the large-scale Chinese opera Manas, and the venue was packed. Maimaititurgan (买买提吐尔干) and his colleagues also went to Kyrgyzstan for exchanges and performances. "In about 10 days, we performed many shows, singing together with local Manaschis in squares and schools, and exchanging ideas with each other. They liked our performances very much."
Manas, a cultural treasure, has not only become a cultural link connecting the surrounding areas but has also tightened the emotional bonds between China and the people of neighboring countries.
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Xinjiang (新疆) Kizilsu Kyrgyz Autonomous Prefecture (克孜勒苏柯尔克孜自治州)
Kizilsu Kyrgyz Autonomous Prefecture (克孜勒苏柯尔克孜自治州) is located in the eastern part of the Pamir Plateau (帕米尔高原) at the intersection of the southern Tianshan (天山) Mountains and the northern slope of the Kunlun (昆仑) Mountains, in the westernmost border of China. Kizilsu Prefecture (克州) governs 1 city and 3 counties, with an area of 70,900 square kilometers. It has rich tourism resources, including Muztagh Ata (慕士塔格峰), known as the "Father of Ice Mountains," Kongur Tagh (公格尔峰), Karakul Lake (喀拉库勒湖), and historical and cultural sites such as the Three Immortals Cave (三仙洞) and the ancient Silk Road Gez Post Station (古丝绸之路盖孜驿站).
The western and northern parts of Kizilsu Prefecture (克州) border Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, with a border line of 1133.7 kilometers. The prefecture has two national first-class land ports, Torugart (吐尔尕特) and Irkeshtam (伊尔克什坦), and is an important border trade port in southern Xinjiang (南疆). In recent years, Kizilsu Prefecture (克州) has continued to amplify its location advantages, strengthen the construction of port infrastructure and forward-looking customs projects, promote the construction of the Torugart (吐尔尕特) land border port-type national logistics hub, the Irkeshtam (伊尔克什坦) port park bonded logistics center, and the port park cross-border e-commerce center, further promoting foreign trade development, enlivening border people's mutual trade, and accelerating high-level opening to the inside and outside.
Return to TopBy: 李亚楠
In Kizilsu Kyrgyz Autonomous Prefecture (克孜勒苏柯尔克孜自治州), Xinjiang (新疆), we seem to be able to travel through time and listen to chants spanning thousands of years. This is the hometown of Manas (玛纳斯) singer Jusup Mamay (居素甫·玛玛依), who devoted his life to completely reciting and singing more than 200,000 lines of the eight parts of the Manas epic, transforming it from oral transmission to written preservation, becoming a monument to cultural inheritance.
The people of Kizilsu (克州) proudly say: "Manas (玛纳斯) is Kizilsu's (克州) most shining calling card." Kizilsu (克州) has formed a three-dimensional pattern for the inheritance of the Manas epic, innovatively implementing the inheritance model of "transmission + exhibition + promotion." On the one hand, by holding regular Manas (玛纳斯) training, singing competitions, and workshops, a professional talent echelon is created; on the other hand, by entering campuses, integrating into community life, appearing in tourist attractions, and settling in cultural and museum exhibition halls, this thousand-year-old epic has changed from "paper records" to "stories around us," moving towards the daily lives of the people. Since May 1st of this year, the "Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Manas Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Regulations" (新疆维吾尔自治区玛纳斯非物质文化遗产保护条例) have been implemented, further building a solid legal guarantee for the inheritance of Manas (玛纳斯).
Civilizations are enriched by exchange. For a long time, Manas (玛纳斯) singers from both China and Kyrgyzstan have jointly sung the story of the hero Manas (玛纳斯) and his descendants striving for a peaceful and beautiful life. The two sides jointly explore the cultural connotation of the epic, allowing ancient wisdom to provide spiritual nourishment for modern society; jointly explore the modern expression of the epic, allowing traditional culture to shine in the new era. This exchange and mutual learning model based on cultural inheritance and protection has laid a solid foundation of public opinion for the friendly relations between China and Kyrgyzstan and has also provided useful lessons for dialogue between different civilizations.
Return to TopBy: 裴 莹
The "Ode to Peace" art exhibition, co-sponsored by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (中国人民对外友好协会) and the National Art Museum of China (中国美术馆), opened at the National Art Museum of China (中国美术馆) on July 19. The exhibition commemorates the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War through various forms of art, including Chinese painting, oil painting, sculpture, and printmaking.
Printmaking, with its readily available materials and ease of reproduction and dissemination, became an important propaganda weapon in the war-torn years. Artists used knives as pens to record the atrocities of the invaders and the heroic resistance of the oppressed nations. In the post-war years, printmaking art completed its transformation from weapon to bridge, shouldering the new mission of building peaceful dialogue.
Using the Knife as a Pen: The Patriotic Road of China's New Woodcut Movement
In August 1931, Lu Xun (鲁迅) presided over a summer woodcut training class in Shanghai (上海). This short, six-day training class cultivated the first batch of modern woodcut backbones for China and sowed the seeds of the New Woodcut Movement. Shortly after the September 18th Incident, Jiang Feng's (江丰) "'September 18th' Japanese Army Occupies Shenyang City" ("“九一八”日军侵占沈阳城") used sharp strokes to depict the scene of the invaders' iron hooves stepping into Shenyang (沈阳). The steel helmets, bayonets, and architectural outlines of the Japanese soldiers in the picture are mostly carved with sharp triangular knives, forming a tense and oppressive visual impact. This is one of the earliest works in modern Chinese printmaking to directly depict the theme of the War of Resistance.
In 1935, facing a deep national crisis, Li Hua (李桦) created "Roar! China" ("怒吼吧！中国"). The work depicts a young and strong man, bound and blindfolded, struggling and roaring. Li Hua (李桦) used a bold and firm woodcut round knife and yang carving technique to show the character's taut muscles and ropes. The strong man reaches for a dagger, which, once in his hand, can cut off all the binding ropes. This scene symbolizes both the plight of national peril and the determination of the people to resist, creating a strong visual impact.
After the outbreak of the full-scale War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, Yan'an Lu Xun Academy of Arts (延安鲁迅艺术学院) became the center of woodcut creation. During this period, Yan Han (彦涵) created a large number of works reflecting the heroic struggle of the military and civilians behind enemy lines. His representative work, "When the Enemy Searches the Mountains" ("当敌人搜山的时候"), vividly depicts the thrilling scene of mountain people desperately holding up Eighth Route Army (八路军) soldiers in trenches to resist the enemy. The artist used a bold knife technique to portray the tense and powerful movements of the characters, profoundly expressing the tenacious will of the military and civilians to 同仇敌忾 (tóng chóu dí kài - "share hatred against the enemy," united in hatred against the enemy) in times of crisis. In an era of material scarcity, this "instant" art form demonstrated amazing dissemination power. The artist controlled the entire process of drawing, engraving, and printing, making woodcut a work with both expressiveness and combat effectiveness.
Global Front: Printmaking Resonance in the Shadow of War
In the first half of the 20th century, when the shadow of war loomed, printmaking became a common visual language, transcending national borders and stirring strong resonance. Käthe Kollwitz, a prominent German printmaker, created "The Sacrifice" in the early 1920s, selected from the "War" series. It depicts a mother sadly holding up her baby to dedicate it to the war, accusing the war from the mother's perspective of the deep suffering it brought to the people. The detail of the baby curling up and clinging to the mother's arm deepens the suffocating feeling of life-and-death farewell. This powerful style of expression, directly facing suffering, was introduced to China in the early 1930s and profoundly influenced emerging woodcut artists, including Li Hua (李桦). After the Nazis came to power, Kollwitz was persecuted but continued to create. In 1945, she wrote in a letter to a friend: "Whether life is long or short, what matters is whether you can raise your own flag and fight..."
Soviet printmakers continued this spirit of unyielding relay in the arduous Great Patriotic War. A large number of works appeared on this land calling on the people to fight bravely and exposing the crimes of fascism. In "The Motherland Calls!" created by Toize in 1941, a mother in a red robe raises her arms and calls on thousands of children to go to the battlefield. The declaration in her hand flutters like a battle flag, and the bayonets behind her stand tall and point to the sky. Harshaw's copperplate engraving "Children Wounded by Fascists" depicts children in the war with realistic lines - the rough bandages contrast sharply with the clear eyes, silently accusing the brutality of the war and leaving indelible testimony for history.
On the other side of the earth, the artists of the Mexican "Popular Graphics Workshop," founded in 1937, also joined the global anti-fascist wave. In works such as "Victims" and "Mourning Those Who Fell in the Struggle Against Fascism," Leopoldo Méndez depicted realistic scenes of victims being strong and unyielding and resisters fighting heroically, directly pointing to the engulfment of humanity by fascism. In "Mother Against War," Alfredo Zalce depicts a young mother holding her baby tightly. Her posture is tilted, her lips are tightly closed, and her eyes are angry, bursting out with the resolute will to protect innocent life. This image of a mother, condensing suffering into visual tension, forms an artistic echo across time and space with Kollwitz's "The Sacrifice."
Civilized Imprints: Building a Bridge of Mutual Learning with One Print at a Time
As the smoke of war settles into historical memory, contemporary printmaking, while continuing the anti-fascist spirit, is increasingly turning to in-depth expression of peace themes and beneficial exploration of cross-cultural exchanges. In 2019, the "Cooperation and Win-Win - Belt and Road International Printmaking Exchange Exhibition" was held in Berlin (柏林), Germany (德国), bringing together works by artists from 19 countries including China (中国), Russia (俄罗斯), India (印度), Iraq (伊拉克), and Egypt (埃及). At the exhibition, Chinese artists demonstrated the technique of watermark printmaking on site, inviting German people to personally print traditional Chinese door gods. The ancient weapon "halberd" in the hands of the door gods was given a new meaning of auspiciousness in the interaction. The choice of Berlin (柏林) as the venue for the exhibition is meaningful - German Expressionist woodcuts once profoundly influenced the Chinese New Woodcut Movement, and now it has become a witness to the re-integration of Eastern and Western printmaking spirits.
In April of this year, the "East-West Convergence Dream - Sino-Italian Contemporary Printmaking Exchange Exhibition" was held at the Shanghai Duolun Museum of Modern Art (上海多伦现代美术馆), bringing this art form back to the birthplace of the Chinese New Woodcut Movement. The exhibition not only presents the collision of artistic styles, but also focuses on showcasing artists' creative transformation of traditional printmaking techniques. For example, Italian artist Mario Tommasello's abstract copperplate etching "Oginnam" and Chinese artist Tan Ping's (谭平) color woodcut "Untitled 1" turn traditional printmaking techniques into pure abstract expression. The former constructs a complex, unintentional image through intaglio etched lines, while the latter cuts the image into minimalist geometric shapes through powerful straight lines. Based on a deep mastery of traditional techniques, the two artists break through the original narrative function of printmaking and turn to the exploration of form, material, and the beauty of imprints, giving ancient techniques a new vitality.
Contemporary printmaking art is booming, constantly expanding the boundaries of expression, and producing a closer connection with social life. Xu Bing's (徐冰) "Wood, Forest, and Woods" ("木林森") project is a typical example. The project invites children around the world to draw trees, which are then integrated and reorganized by the artist's team into limited-edition works for sale, with the proceeds used for afforestation in Kenya (肯尼亚) and other places. The artists cleverly use the characteristics of printmaking - easy reproduction, rapid dissemination, and collective creation - to connect art creation, public participation, online communication, and environmental protection actions, turning the "forest on paper" into real greenery, demonstrating the practical power of art in advocating peace and ecological protection.
Times have changed, but the woodcut beacon will never be extinguished. It has transformed its form of burning, from a flame that dispels the haze of war to a bright light that illuminates the dialogue of civilizations. Let those memories engraved on wood continue, and let the hope for peace be passed on and resonated among more people.
(Author's Affiliation: School of Arts, Renmin University of China (中国人民大学艺术学院))
Return to TopBy: 肖新新
In the bright sunshine of St. Petersburg in midsummer, the sparkling Neva River strings together crisscrossing canals, winding through the city. More than 800 bridges on the river connect over 40 islands of various sizes, fully displaying the "Venetian of the North's" gentle charm of a water city. The water city is beautiful, but also full of the tenacity and fortitude washed by the wind and frost of history. More than 80 years ago, in the World Anti-Fascist War, a life-and-death contest between justice and evil, light and darkness, St. Petersburg was recorded in history under the name "Leningrad."
On September 8, 1941, Nazi Germany blockaded Leningrad and launched a full-scale siege of the city. The soldiers and civilians of Leningrad, suffering from brutal attacks and the threat of famine, resisted stubbornly and suffered heavy casualties. On January 27, 1944, the Soviet Red Army crushed the 872-day blockade and completely liberated Leningrad. With the victory of the Great Patriotic War of the Soviet Union, the city became one of the first "Hero Cities" of the Soviet Union.
Today, strolling through the streets and alleys of St. Petersburg, the imprints left by history are still vivid. On the wall of No. 14 Nevsky Prospekt, the slogan in white letters on a blue background from the siege period, "Citizens, this side of the street is the most dangerous during air raids," is still striking. Flowers are placed all year round under the stone inscription commemorating the heroic and fearless spirit of the people of Leningrad. On the monument beside the Fontanka River, the words "Besieged residents of Leningrad drew water from this ice hole" record the scene of people taking water from the river in winter to maintain their lives during the war. In St. Isaac's Cathedral, the bullet marks left by the Nazi German bombing on the colonnade are clearly visible... These details remind people of the great victory jointly forged by the army and the people.
Walking to the building at the intersection of Nevsky Prospekt and Malaya Sadovaya Street, many tourists stop to take pictures at the old loudspeaker hanging on the wall. "This is the 'siege loudspeaker.' About 1,500 were installed throughout the city during the siege to broadcast alarms and war information to the public," said Ivanov, a student at the History Department of St. Petersburg State University (Санкт-Петербургский государственный университет), who is conducting field research on the Great Patriotic War and explaining it to tourists, "Although the war is long gone, the loudspeaker seems to be still shouting, do not forget the lessons of history."
In order to commemorate the victory of the Battle of Leningrad and better inherit historical memory, the Soviet government built a "Green Belt of Glory" of more than 200 kilometers from the 1960s to the 1980s based on the defense line and encirclement of Leningrad in September 1941, and built an architectural complex composed of dozens of monuments, museums and memorial halls to remember history and symbolize peace.
The center of the "Green Belt of Glory" is the Monument to the Heroic Defenders of Leningrad on Victory Square (Площадь Победы) in St. Petersburg. In the memorial hall, the continuous "tick-tock" sound of the metronome attracts people to stand in silence and listen. "This symbolizes the city's 'heartbeat' during the siege," explained Yelyemeyev, the narrator. "At that time, the Leningrad Radio insisted on broadcasting to show Nazi Germany that the city was still 'alive' and that people were still fighting stubbornly until victory."
Along the "Green Belt of Glory" to the east, arriving at the southwest bank of Lake Ladoga (Ладожское озеро), you can see the arch-shaped monument called the "Ring of Breakthrough" (Разорванное кольцо). The gap at the top of the monument symbolizes the broken encirclement and also symbolizes the road of life that broke through the blockade. At that time, Nazi Germany attempted to occupy Leningrad by means of strict blockades, cutting off water and food, etc. The local army and civilians miraculously opened a "Road of Life" on Lake Ladoga, successfully organizing the supply of materials and thwarting the evil plans of the fascists.
The Battle of Leningrad contained and eliminated a large number of Nazi troops, and the brutal siege also caused the people to pay a huge price: more than 600,000 people died, and more than 3,000 buildings in the city were completely destroyed and more than 7,000 buildings were damaged. The Battle of Leningrad has been called by historians as one of the "most tragic breakthroughs in the history of ancient and modern warfare."
Piskaryovskoye Memorial Cemetery (Пискарёвское кладбище), located in the suburbs of St. Petersburg, is the burial place of 490,000 soldiers and civilians of Leningrad who died in the battle. Walking into the cemetery, the flowers in front of the tombstones are dazzling, and people come to mourn in an endless stream. In the center of the museum exhibition hall of the cemetery, a 125-gram piece of bread is on display. During the siege, food was scarce, and bread was rationed. In the most difficult times, frontline soldiers received 500 grams per person per day, workers 250 grams, and others only 125 grams. The bread often contained non-food items such as sawdust. "Today, many visitors also place bread in front of the tomb when offering flowers to show their condolences," said Chernova, the cemetery administrator. Most of the people buried in the cemetery are unknown, but their spirit of fighting for justice is always engraved in the city's memory.
Walking in the cemetery, you can often hear a small band playing excerpts from the "Leningrad Symphony." This Seventh Symphony, composed by the famous Soviet musician Shostakovich (Шостакович) and dedicated to Leningrad, greatly inspired the city. "No one is forgotten, nothing is forgotten." The lines of the Soviet poet Olga Bergholz (Ольга Берггольц) are engraved on the wall behind the "Motherland" statue in Piskaryovskoye Memorial Cemetery. As this poem says, the lessons of history must not be forgotten. Remembering history is to better write the future.
Return to TopBy: 颜士州
Rome is a charming city, with ancient buildings visible everywhere and unique natural scenery. The climate here is pleasant with four distinct seasons. People stroll along the historic streets, feeling the vicissitudes and vitality of this city.
Many people call the palace ruins in the center of Rome, with a history of over 2,000 years, a "brilliant pearl." This pearl is embedded on a hill. The city of Rome has seven hills, and this is one of the larger ones. Walking slowly down from the top of the hill, one sees walls, colonnades, and arches everywhere. The famous Arch of Constantine stands intact on the hillside. Facing the Arch of Constantine is the renowned Colosseum, designed in a circular shape with three levels, accommodating 50,000 spectators. It is truly astonishing that such a grand building existed 2,000 years ago! The stands and boxes inside the arena, made of rubble, have collapsed considerably and are being restored, but the outer walls built of huge stones are very intact.
Leading to the Colosseum is a road built along the contours of the mountain. There are countless stone niches on the stone walls along the road, and the marble statues in them are very precious. A bronze statue of Julius Caesar stands in the shade of a tree by the roadside, vividly portraying the politician, military strategist, and writer's firmness, wisdom, and warmth. His writings, *The Gallic Wars* and *The Civil War*, are still published and circulated today, becoming the pride of Italian culture.
Standing under the statue of Julius Caesar, through the dense trees, one sees 20 white stone pillars rising from the ground. These tall stone pillars have complete structures and clear, smooth patterns, but the square stone foundations are pitted and uneven, sunken two meters down, forming large puddles.
Suddenly, I noticed a stone pillar that stood out from the crowd, with a breathtaking aura. It is made of blue and white marble and is very similar to the Trajan's Column in the center of Trajan's Forum, densely carved with figures and animals. The structure of the picture spirals upward, with some carvings hollowed out and some protruding; some figures are a foot tall, and some are three to five inches high. It is so huge and so delicate, with towering and graceful qualities in harmony, and majestic and elegant qualities in harmony, reaching a perfect state of artistic contrast. Later I learned that these ancient stone pillars are the essence of brilliant Roman architectural art, laying a solid foundation for Rome's thick, steep, and elegant architectural style.
The beauty of Rome lies in preserving the footprints of human civilization, and preserving them so well. These silent stone pillars have long surpassed the coldness of stone and the grandeur of architecture, allowing the solidified epic to stand vividly in the present. When people stop and look up at the patterns and contours that penetrate thousands of years of time, they see not only marble, but also the vivid imprint of civilization flowing.
Return to TopBy: 钟学政
At the recently held 21st China (Shenzhen) International Cultural Industries Fair, the Hangzhou Branch of the National Archives of Publications and Culture (中国国家版本馆杭州分馆) presented an exhibition themed "Dreaming of West Lake, Delighted to See Shengqing" (西湖梦寻 喜见昇卿). The exhibition featured a selection of original illustrations from Dai Dunbang's (戴敦邦) "Legend of the White Snake" (白蛇传), along with related West Lake (西湖) classic editions such as the "Leifeng Pagoda Sutra Scroll" (雷峰塔经卷), allowing visitors to experience the profound heritage of version culture. The concurrently launched "Legend of the White Snake" series of cultural and creative products were also favored by domestic and foreign audiences. The reason for this lies not only in the exquisite version exhibition and innovative cultural and creative designs but also in the profound cultural significance and broad international influence of "Legend of the White Snake" itself.
Originating in the Tang and Song dynasties, "Legend of the White Snake" initially began as strange tales. By the Ming Dynasty's "Stories to Caution the World" (警世通言), it gradually took shape. In the Qing Dynasty, playwright Fang Chengpei (方成培) further enriched its plot, highlighting Bai Niangzi's (白娘子) pursuit of love and her tenacious spirit of resistance. As a classic Chinese folk legend, "Legend of the White Snake" has continuously developed and evolved over thousands of years, blending with foreign cultures, constantly innovating its forms and carriers, and always radiating vigorous vitality.
With its wonderful story structure, unconventional views on marriage and love, and contrasting gender portrayals, "Legend of the White Snake" has become a popular subject for many overseas translators. In 1834, French sinologist Julien translated "The Extraordinary Biography of Leifeng Pagoda" (雷峰塔奇传) by Qing Dynasty literati Yushan Zhuren (玉山主人) into French as "The Tale of the White Snake Spirit" (白蛇精记). This translation is highly regarded in academic circles and is also widely popular among readers. In the same year, the first volume of the British Royal Asiatic Society Journal published an English abstract translated from the French translation, "The White and Blue; or the Snake Fairy" (白与青；或蛇仙), becoming one of the earliest English-language texts to record the White Snake story. Since then, "Legend of the White Snake" has generated translations based on different versions in various countries, with related books continuously published and collected by libraries around the world.
Over the years, "Legend of the White Snake" has also continuously appeared on the international stage in theatrical form. In 2003, the "Tian Han Version" (田汉版) of Peking Opera "Legend of the White Snake" was performed at the 27th Carnival Multicultural Arts Festival in Australia, with 11 scenes from "Touring the Lake" (游湖) to "Broken Bridge" (断桥). The stage lighting and art designed by Australian artists for the Chinese Peking Opera earned the performance applause from the local audience. In 2024, the Kunqu Opera "Legend of the White Snake" produced by the Northern Kunqu Opera Theatre of China (中国北方昆曲剧院) participated in the historic Edinburgh Festival Fringe in the United Kingdom, winning the Asian Arts Award for Best Play. The four consecutive days of performances were sold out, with overseas audiences immersed in the exquisite and vivid Chinese opera culture, and many even standing to watch the entire play.
The global dissemination of "Legend of the White Snake" across centuries continues, telling Chinese stories in different forms and languages. In the process of eastward transmission and westward expansion, "Legend of the White Snake" also continuously integrates with local cultures and arts, completing cultural transcoding and writing the narrative of "Foreign White Snake."
In 1958, Japan's Toei Animation (东映动画) integrated Chinese traditional cultural elements such as shadow puppetry and paper-cutting with its own animation forms to launch the animated film "The Tale of the White Serpent" (白蛇传), which is also the first full-length color animated film in Japanese film history. After the film was released in Japan, the United States, Brazil, France, and other places, it received enthusiastic responses, winning multiple awards such as the Berlin City Culture Award and the Mexican Government Honorary Award, and had a profound impact on the development of Japanese animation. In 2006, on the occasion of its 50th anniversary, Toei Animation adapted the animated film "The Tale of the White Serpent" into a musical stage play, which was performed for 19 consecutive days in Tokyo.
In 2010, the English four-act opera "Madame White Snake" debuted in Boston, USA. The premiere won cheers and applause from the audience, and the Boston City Government designated February 24 as the city's "Madame White Snake Day." This opera was composed by Chinese-American composer Zhou Long (周龙), integrating Peking Opera melodies with Western bel canto, and incorporating traditional instruments such as the xun, bamboo flute, and erhu into the orchestral music. The White Snake story performed in the form of Western opera still retains a strong oriental flavor. The following year, Zhou Long won the American Pulitzer Prize for Music for this work, with the judges commenting that the opera "based on a Chinese legend, integrates the spirit of Eastern and Western music."
In the process of integrating with foreign cultures, the content and form of "Legend of the White Snake" inevitably undergo some changes. But this is precisely what promotes the deepening of cultural interaction and powerfully promotes the dissemination of outstanding Chinese traditional culture. The times are developing continuously, and the narration, reconstruction, and innovation of "Legend of the White Snake" are still continuing, and it continues to be active in the cultural lives of people around the world.
Today, "culture + technology" is injecting new momentum into the dissemination of "Legend of the White Snake." Several games based on "Legend of the White Snake" have been launched, and even AI-generated White Snake stories can become popular. In January of this year, the Hangzhou Haitang Site Museum (杭州海塘遗址博物馆) held the "Year of Yisi Snake, To This Qingbai" (乙巳蛇年 至此青白) art exhibition, exhibiting a series of "Legend of the White Snake" themed calendar posters and photographic works. The participating students from Zhejiang Business Technology Institute (浙江商业职业技术学院) took live-action shots and used artificial intelligence technology to process the photographic works into calendar poster styles, which were widely praised.
With the continuous rise of "China Tourism," foreign friends can often be seen playing characters from "Legend of the White Snake" by the West Lake, adding a different style to this classic legend. In the Sino-foreign cultural exchange documentary program "Young Partners' Travel Swap" (小伙小妹换游记), which was launched in June this year, Noe and Dora from Tanzania transformed into Xu Xian (许仙) and Bai Suzhen (白素贞) and strolled along the West Lake, personally experiencing the poetic "The water glistens on sunny days, and the mountains are blurred in the rain" (水光潋滟晴方好，山色空蒙雨亦奇), and immersing themselves in the cultural significance behind the oriental love legend.
"Legend of the White Snake" has been circulating in China for thousands of years and has spread to the world in various forms. It constantly reconstructs itself, resonates with different cultures, and continues to write new chapters in domestic and foreign dissemination. This ancient art IP will continue to shine brightly – it belongs to China and also to the world.
(Author's affiliation: Hangzhou Branch of the National Archives of Publications and Culture (中国国家版本馆杭州分馆))
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Layout design: Cai Huawei (蔡华伟)
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 郁静娴
July 27th, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (农业农村部) and 9 other departments released the "Implementation Plan for Promoting Agricultural Product Consumption" (《促进农产品消费实施方案》), proposing to expand agricultural product consumption by working together to optimize the supply side, innovate the circulation side, and activate the market side. As an important category of agricultural products, dairy products have shown new consumption trends in recent years. How to adapt to new market demands, unclog the supply and circulation ends, and ensure the income of dairy farmers? Reporters went into the new dairy consumption scene to find out.
——Editor
Not long ago, the "China Dairy Quality Report (2025)" (《中国奶业质量报告（2025）》) released at the 16th China Dairy Conference (中国奶业协会第十六届奶业大会) showed that under strict quality and safety supervision, China's dairy industry competitiveness continues to increase.
In 2024, the national pass rate of spot checks on raw milk was 99.96%, maintaining a high level for many years. From the perspective of key indicators, domestic milk is superior to imported similar products in terms of lactoferrin, β-lactoglobulin, and furosine.
Affected by factors such as periodic fluctuations in the industry, China's dairy industry is still climbing uphill. "Challenges contain multiple opportunities." Many industry insiders believe that under the guidance of the Healthy China blueprint and the strategic thinking of the Grand Food Approach, China's dairy industry is expected to embark on a path of higher-quality development that is more resilient and dynamic.
Expanding new consumption scenarios and opening up new tracks for deep processing of dairy products
"Using black tea or coffee as a base and adding raw milk, it tastes fragrant, mellow, and has a unique flavor." Wang Hui (王蕙), who works for a company in Huli District (湖里区), Xiamen (厦门), Fujian (福建), is, like many people, very "addicted" to new-style tea drinks. Sometimes, she also adds a cheese cap, "The cheese is salty, which can enrich the taste and increase the feeling of fullness."
From "drinking" to "eating", on the shelves of large supermarkets, cheese products with "good partner for marathons" and "snack/bread companion" as selling points, and in the form of cups and small triangles, have become regular customers in many family shopping carts. In some creative catering stores, mozzarella cheese is integrated into traditional snacks and Chinese dishes, and delicacies such as "bursting large chicken steak" and "cheese seafood baked pumpkin" attract a group of diners with their sweet and savory taste.
Finding the combination point with the dietary habits of Chinese people, a new consumption scenario for dairy products has quietly formed. In the past 5 years, domestic cheese consumption has increased by 120%. At the same time, with the development of the freshly made tea, baking, and ice cream industries, the market demand for light cream, butter, and anhydrous butter products is also rapidly expanding.
In the view of many industry insiders, deep processing of the dairy industry is the golden key to traversing the industrial cycle and solving the contradiction between supply and demand.
"At present, the size of China's B-end (enterprise-end) dairy product market is close to 100 billion yuan, but 70% to 80% of the share comes from imports." Wei Lihua (魏立华), chairman and president of Junlebao Dairy Group (君乐宝乳业集团), believes that domestic substitution in this regard is an important path for the transformation and upgrading of dairy companies. Junlebao Group (君乐宝集团) has launched strategic cooperation with domestic tea and coffee brands, and at the same time aims at the demand for baking pastries and Western food to promote the localization of R&D and production of high-end light cream.
From the perspective of per capita milk consumption, China's current data is less than 1/3 of the world average, and is mainly based on liquid milk consumption, while the penetration rate of dry dairy products such as cheese and butter is less than 5%. At the beginning of this year, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (农业农村部), the National Health Commission (国家卫生健康委), and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (工业和信息化部) jointly issued the "China Food and Nutrition Development Outline (2025-2030)" (《中国食物与营养发展纲要（2025—2030年）》), which proposed that by 2030, the annual per capita milk consumption will reach 47 kg, cultivate the low-temperature dairy product market, and promote the consumption of dry dairy products such as cheese.
"As one of the categories that use the most raw milk, developing the cheese industry can largely solve the seasonal and regional imbalance between supply and demand of raw milk." Wei Lin (卫琳), director of the Dairy Division of the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Bureau of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (农业农村部畜牧兽医局奶业处), said that this needs to be jointly promoted from the production and consumption sides.
Looking at the production side, Zhang Shuyi (张书义), a researcher at the National Animal Husbandry Station (全国畜牧总站), introduced that cheese production has high requirements for the dairy industry supply chain and production technology level. In order to effectively separate whey and ensure the coagulation effect and finished product yield of casein, raw milk for cheese processing usually cannot be sterilized at ultra-high temperature, and there are certain requirements for the quality of raw milk. At present, most of the related processing equipment, rennet and starter, and supporting whey desalination equipment still rely on imports.
Looking at the consumption side, "China's per capita intake of dairy products is low, which is related to lactose intolerance." Zhang Shuyi (张书义) said that in the process of cheese processing, most of the lactose is discharged with the whey, and the remaining lactose is fermented into lactic acid during the later maturation, which just solves this problem. Under the action of rennet and protease, the protein is decomposed into small molecules that are easily absorbed by the human body, including rich bioactive peptides, which have high nutritional value. The fat content of cheese is not as high as people think. The cholesterol content of mature cheese is relatively low, and there are many low-fat cheeses on the market to choose from.
Meeting diversified needs, providing differentiated special products and precise solutions
"Milk is here!" At the Experimental Primary School of Zhenjiang Economic and Technological Development Zone (镇江市经济技术开发区实验小学) in Zhenjiang (镇江), Jiangsu (江苏), through the national "Student Drinking Milk" program, children drink 125 ml of low-temperature fresh milk supplied by well-known domestic brands during class breaks.
"The milk source standard for student drinking milk is higher than that of ordinary milk on the market. A series of group standards are set up to implement dynamic management of enterprise access." Li Jianjun (李建军), the relevant person in charge of the promotion of student drinking milk in Jiangsu Province (江苏省学生饮用奶推广相关负责人), introduced, "We collect suggestions from students and parents from time to time to ensure that children drink safe milk."
Chen Mengshan (陈萌山), director of the National Food and Nutrition Advisory Committee (国家食物与营养咨询委员会) and honorary deputy director of the Strategic Development Working Committee of the China Dairy Association (中国奶业协会战略发展工作委员会名誉副主任), believes that China's dairy consumption still faces shortcomings such as insufficient nutritional awareness and serious product homogenization. Surveys show that 63% of urban and rural residents have not formed the habit of drinking milk every day, and many people think that "only children need to drink milk"; in the market, ultra-high temperature milk accounts for more than 70%, low-temperature yogurt accounts for less than 30%, and the development of functional dairy products is insufficient.
To meet the diversified needs of consumers and accelerate the solution of structural contradictions in supply and demand, it is necessary to provide differentiated special products and precise nutrition solutions. In recent years, the supply side of the dairy industry has accelerated its exploration pace.
——Docking with segmented markets.
In conjunction with the Chinese Academy of Engineering (中国工程院) academician team, some dairy companies have launched sugar-controlled friendly 0-sucrose yogurt;
Aiming at the needs of high protein and sleep aid, some dairy companies use new processes to reduce sodium by 25% and increase milk protein content, and add casein hydrolysate to the formula;
Focusing on people with hyperuricemia and gout, some dairy companies have launched the first modified milk powder in China that has obtained "low purine food certification"...
Different from focusing on traditional taste and quality upgrades, major domestic and foreign dairy companies are accelerating the layout of functional tracks such as sports nutrition, children's nutrition, and functional probiotics. "International market research shows that the annual growth rate of functional dairy products is 8% to 10%, which is much higher than that of traditional dairy products." Gao Jiwei (高继伟), vice president of the China Dairy Association (中国奶业协会) and chairman of Beijing Jingpeng Huan Yu Animal Husbandry Technology Co., Ltd. (北京京鹏环宇畜牧科技股份有限公司), introduced that with the enhancement of people's health consumption awareness, functional dairy products such as high protein, low fat, selenium-rich, and A2β-casein milk will become new growth points in the milk consumption market.
——Strengthen regional characteristics. In recent years, China's special milk has grown rapidly, and the market share of goat milk, camel milk and other categories has increased from 5% to 12%. In Guangxi (广西), the annual output of buffalo milk and related processed dairy products in 2024 is about 800,000 tons.
"Buffalo milk has a high dry matter content, and the milk fat content is nearly twice that of ordinary milk, with a rich flavor." Lu Lidan (陆丽丹), head of the marketing department of Guangxi Nongken Xijiang Dairy Co., Ltd. (广西农垦西江乳业有限公司), introduced that in line with consumption trends, the company has developed and launched subdivided products such as low-sugar and probiotics, and has achieved cross-border integration with tea brands. In 2023, a high-protein fresh milk product customized by the company for a sports event was well received by athletes.
Not long ago, the China Dairy Association (中国奶业协会) released the "New Path Plan for Dairy Product Structure Optimization and Consumption Expansion" (《奶制品结构优化与消费拓展新路径方案》). "Consumers' trust in the quality and safety and brand of dairy products is an important factor affecting dairy product consumption." Chen Mengshan (陈萌山) said that it is necessary to continue to strengthen the construction of milk source bases and quality and safety supervision, improve the level of dairy product processing, and brighten the national dairy industry brand. At the same time, increase popular science efforts, increase the supply of multi-level products, meet the nutritional and health needs of different groups, and promote the quality and upgrading of dairy product consumption.
Promoting the organic integration of the industrial chain, innovating new business forms to enhance added value
Walking into Wanxiang Animal Husbandry Co., Ltd. (万祥牧业有限公司) located in Zhongshan Town (仲山镇), Jiaxiang County (嘉祥县), Shandong Province (山东省), the 4 modern cowsheds are clean and spacious, and there is no peculiar smell. "'Low-temperature fermentation bed' technology helps to inhibit bacteria and deodorize." Zhu Junli (朱军利), the general manager of the company, grabbed a handful of warm and soft bedding material and said, "If the cows are comfortable, the milk production and quality will naturally increase."
In the pasture studio, the breeder lightly taps the tablet, and the "management file" of the cattle herd immediately pops up on the screen. "Under the intelligent management mode, the feeding conditions such as the structure of the cattle herd, health status, and breeding status are clear at a glance, and the milk production is more stable and controllable." Zhu Junli (朱军利) said.
Not far away in Pengguantun Village (彭官屯村), farmer Li Changzheng (李长征) delivers the packaged straw to the pasture recycling point every year. Through planting and breeding cycle, Wanxiang Animal Husbandry Company (万祥牧业公司) has linked and driven more than 100 surrounding farmers to achieve mutual benefit and win-win results. At present, the pasture produces about 19 tons of fresh milk per day, and has established supply cooperation relationships with many well-known dairy companies.
Dairy cow breeding is the foundation of dairy industry development. In 2024, the proportion of scaled breeding of more than 100 heads nationwide reached 78%, and the single yield of scaled pastures generally exceeded 10 tons. Technological innovation has become the core engine for improving the quality and efficiency of the dairy industry. Pastures have accelerated the green and low-carbon transformation, and the comprehensive utilization rate of manure has reached more than 75%, promoting the coordinated development of dairy cow breeding and ecology.
Since the second half of 2022, the price of raw milk across the country has declined, and dairy cow farms have faced operating pressure. Li Shengli (李胜利), chief scientist of the National Dairy Cow Industry Technology System (国家奶牛产业技术体系首席科学家), said that in addition to relying on industrial relief policies to guide the breeding end to save costs and increase efficiency, the key is to optimize and adjust the dairy product structure and cattle herd structure to promote supply and demand balance.
Immersive self-service on-site tapping, fresh dairy products mixed with the aroma of soft European bread, croissants, and bagels... During the morning peak hours, the "Yiming Fresh Milk Bar" (一鸣鲜奶吧) next to a residential community on Wuma Street (五马街) in Wenzhou (温州), Zhejiang Province (浙江省) is crowded with customers.
"We have ecological pastures and processing plants in Wenzhou (温州), Zhejiang (浙江), Changzhou (常州), Jiangsu (江苏) and other places. The advantages of milk source and geographical location, coupled with our own cold chain logistics system, allow fresh milk to go directly from the pasture to the table." The relevant person in charge of Zhejiang Yiming Food Co., Ltd. (浙江一鸣食品公司) said that the organic integration of the industrial chain has enriched the category of low-temperature milk in the store. Compared with other channels, some products of Fresh Milk Bar have price advantages, providing a one-stop breakfast solution such as "fresh milk + baked products", forming a stable consumer group.
In the Wanxiang Pasture (万祥牧场) experience area, children who come to study during the summer vacation curiously touch the cows one by one, observe the milking process, listen to interesting science popularization, and experience making cheese by themselves. Since the development of sightseeing tourism, this pasture has received nearly 10,000 visitors and has become an off-campus practice base for many schools.
Across the country, small and medium-sized pastures have innovated the "pasture + sightseeing + sales" model, and new business forms such as fresh milk bars and research bases have driven the added value to increase by more than 50%.
"To promote the continued healthy development of the dairy industry, its livelihood attributes should also be strengthened." Liu Changquan (刘长全), a researcher at the Institute of Rural Development of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (中国社会科学院农村发展研究所研究员), believes that on the one hand, consumers should be able to eat high-quality and inexpensive dairy products. On the other hand, the distribution status of dairy cow farms in the industrial chain should be improved.
This year's No. 1 Central Document proposed to implement the national standard for sterilized milk and support the integrated development of dairy farming and processing mainly based on family farms and farmers' cooperatives. "This provides development opportunities for capable pastures and helps to ensure the income of dairy farmers." Liu Changquan (刘长全) said that from the perspective of consumption, dairy farmers' processing involves some special products, which can also be used as a beneficial supplement to the current dairy product consumption market.
Industry insiders suggest that in terms of the distribution mechanism, dairy product processing enterprises should be guided to establish a stable and mutually beneficial relationship with dairy cow farms through various methods such as mutual shareholding, secondary dividends, premium acquisitions, and profit guarantees.
(Intern Zhu Danyang (朱丹阳) participated in the writing)
Return to TopBy: 晓 林
Guided by market demand, focusing on new consumption trends, and creating more new scenarios and models for agricultural product consumption, it is believed that more and more high-quality agricultural products will come from the countryside to the cities, making people's tables richer and healthier.
The milk tea market is booming, koumiss yogurt has become a new popular product, and cheese sticks and other products are selling well... Recently, the dairy industry's consumption has been quite hot.
How does a glass of milk stimulate consumption enthusiasm? Let's look at two examples.
"Niche milk" also has a large market. In Fuping County (富平县), Shaanxi (陕西) Province, goat milk has become a gold standard. Relying on its unique geographical and climatic conditions, Fuping County (富平县) has developed the dairy goat industry, built a complete industrial chain of goat milk, with an annual processing capacity of more than 100,000 tons of dairy products and an annual output value of 2.2 billion yuan. Various goat milk products such as goat milk powder, goat yogurt, and goat milk tablets are sold from here to all over the country.
Technology makes dairy products healthier. "Light milk" and "less sugar" healthy drinks are becoming more and more popular. A dairy company has developed a non-hydrogenated base milk, which avoids the health risks of trans fatty acids and high saturated fatty acids in the production process of hydrogenated vegetable oils. The product is used in the new-style tea beverage industry, effectively replacing milk creamer in traditional milk tea.
The two examples reflect the two-way rush between supply and demand. Accurately capturing consumers' diversified and personalized needs, segmented markets and differentiated fields also have broad prospects. A small glass of milk reflects new consumption trends and also hides the code for the transformation and upgrading of agricultural product consumption.
The market is the best accelerator and amplifier. Honghu (洪湖) lotus root from Honghu City (洪湖市), Hubei (湖北) Province, is a national geographical indication product. In the past, it was limited by preservation technology and sales channels, and market demand could not be effectively met. Through innovation in preservation technology, in recent years, Honghu (洪湖) lotus root has entered e-commerce platforms and large supermarkets, becoming a "regular" on tables across the country, while driving the development of the Honghu (洪湖) lotus root industry chain, with a total output value of 6.5 billion yuan. Agricultural production must rely on the market, and finding entry points for product innovation and upgrading from market demand can better promote industrial prosperity and enrich the people.
High-quality supply matches diverse demands, and agricultural product consumption can reach a new level. In the face of new consumption trends, agricultural product production and operation entities must follow the trend and take the initiative to cultivate new momentum for development by providing high-quality supply. As of now, the country has certified and registered 84,000 "three products and one standard" agricultural products, including green, organic, famous, special, excellent, new, and geographical indications. Increase the cultivation of high-quality agricultural products, use high-quality "internal skills" to solve the "involution" of low prices, so that people can eat more safely and healthily, and diversified food supply also makes the "tip of the tongue" happier.
"Being able to produce" is more important than "selling well," and sales channels are the key. In recent years, rural e-commerce has developed rapidly. Picking up mobile phones as "new farm tools" and playing with live broadcasts as "new farm work," the emergence of a large number of new farmers has promoted the connection of agricultural products to the "cloud market" and activated the potential of urban and rural consumption. To unblock the "last mile" of production and sales connection, it is necessary to continuously broaden the sales channels of agricultural products and improve market competitiveness. In 2024, the national rural online retail sales increased by 6.4% year-on-year, and the online retail sales of agricultural products increased by 15.8% year-on-year. One express delivery after another "flies" out of the countryside, driving more agricultural products to become popular and sell well, and the lives of the villagers are getting better and better.
It should also be seen that there are still problems in the current agricultural products going to the broader market, such as the imperfect industrial chain, insufficient brand building, and unsmooth connection of production and sales information. We must increase policy support for the sales of agricultural products, break the idea of 头痛医头、脚痛医脚 (tóu tòng yī tóu, jiǎo tòng yī jiǎo - "treat the head when the head aches, treat the foot when the foot hurts," to treat the symptom but not the cause), take into account the overall situation, systematically manage, and build a complete chain network of agricultural product production, processing, circulation, and consumption.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (农业农村部) and other 10 departments recently released the "Implementation Plan for Promoting Agricultural Product Consumption," which clarifies 23 measures in 9 aspects, clarifying that optimizing the supply side, innovating the circulation side, and activating the market side will work together to expand agricultural product consumption. In the next step, we must vigorously develop the intensive processing of agricultural products, launch more high-quality products that meet market demand, strengthen the brand building of agricultural products, extend the agricultural industry chain value chain, and improve the comprehensive benefits of agriculture. Build a platform for sharing information on the production and sales of agricultural products, so that the production end and the consumption end can achieve accurate connection, effectively reducing the risk of agricultural product stagnation and price fluctuations caused by information asymmetry.
High-quality agricultural products go from the fields to thousands of households, which reflects both consumption demand and demonstrates the temperature of people's livelihood. Guided by market demand, focusing on new consumption trends, and creating more new scenarios and models for agricultural product consumption, it is believed that more and more high-quality agricultural products will come from the countryside to the cities, making people's tables richer and healthier.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 徐元锋
"Sea fish swimming into saline-alkali land" – I had long heard that Helan County (贺兰县), Yinchuan City (银川市), Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region (宁夏回族自治区) had a well-developed aquaculture industry. In the height of summer, an hour's drive from downtown Yinchuan (银川), the reporter arrived at the pond workshop in Helan County (贺兰县) and witnessed whiteleg shrimp shimmering in the saline-alkali water at the eastern foot of the Helan Mountains (贺兰山), and yellow croaker swimming into the Yellow River (黄河) ancient irrigation area's ecological fish farm. The saline-alkali land has become a "treasure bowl," rewriting the perception that the Northwest is a "barren desert" for aquaculture.
Ningxia (宁夏) is enriched by the Yellow River (黄河), but nearly 2.5 million mu of Ningxia's (宁夏) cultivated land is affected by salinization, and Helan County (贺兰县) is a "disaster area." Seeking benefits from saline-alkali land, Helan County (贺兰县) has built the largest whiteleg shrimp aquaculture cluster base in Northwest China. Relying on the advantages of cold water resources, it cultivates high-end varieties such as rainbow trout and sturgeon. Breakthroughs have been made in key technology for mandarin fish farming, with a seedling transportation survival rate of 99%. Through a three-dimensional rice-fish farming model, crab-field rice is sold at a 30% premium, and hairy crab yields exceed 100 jin per mu. Helan County (贺兰县) took the lead in cooperating with scientific research institutions such as Jimei University (集美大学) and Ningde Normal University (宁德师范学院), successfully raising yellow croaker in saline-alkali water, with some nutritional indicators exceeding those of the main producing areas by several times. It has also carried out large-scale "sea fish land farming" of mud crab, yellowfin seabream, grouper, and Atlantic salmon.
Consider this set of data: Helan County (贺兰县) has 58,000 mu of aquaculture water surface, with a total aquatic product output of 65,000 tons and a comprehensive output value of more than 900 million yuan in 2024, an increase of 16.3% year-on-year. Among them, the output of famous and high-quality varieties such as shrimp, crab, and bass accounts for 5.5%, and the output value accounts for 22%. The average yield per mu of aquatic products in the county is 1,120 kilograms, nearly five times the average value in the Northwest region, ranking first in the Northwest, and the market radiates to six surrounding provinces and regions.
Ding Wei (丁炜), Secretary of the Helan County (贺兰县) Party Committee, said: "We meticulously cultivate the characteristic aquaculture industry and rely on technological innovation to achieve the unity of economic, social, and ecological benefits."
At Yinchuan Kehai Biotechnology Co., Ltd. (银川科海生物技术有限公司), huge aquaculture tanks are lined up in the breeding shed, with rainbow trout, sturgeon, and other fish swimming happily. Science and technology commissioner Shi Wei (石伟) said that compared with pond aquaculture, factory farming reduces energy consumption by more than 20%, and land and water resource consumption is less than 1/10. Water quality monitoring equipment is also installed in the fish ponds, which can obtain real-time indicators such as water oxygen content, pH value, and ammonia nitrogen concentration. Remote monitoring and analysis are carried out through the Internet of Things, and then oxygenation equipment, feeding machines, etc. are automatically adjusted to maintain the best fish pond environment.
Ten years ago, by adding potassium, calcium, and magnesium to saline-alkali water to create "artificial seawater," Ningxia Lanwan Ecological Agriculture Co., Ltd. (宁夏蓝湾生态农业有限公司) took the lead in raising whiteleg shrimp locally. In the company's No. 5 greenhouse in the Helan County (贺兰县) breeding base, whiteleg shrimp are produced and supplied throughout the year. At present, the company can produce about 120,000 jin of whiteleg shrimp annually. Qiang Zuozhou (强佐洲), the person in charge of the enterprise, introduced that traditional outdoor pond farming of the four major domestic fish (carp, grass carp, etc.) requires 40,000 cubic meters of irrigation water for an output value of 1 million yuan, while the whiteleg shrimp in Lanwan's (蓝湾) breeding tanks only need to consume 62 cubic meters of water.
Shi Wei (石伟) drove an electric car and took the reporter to visit the breeding base. A gentle breeze blew, and the rice waves rolled. Ten years ago, this was a barren beach, and it was difficult to even plant trees. Now aquatic plants are planted in the canals, and only biological fertilizers are used for rice-fish farming. Gray magpies, egrets, turtledoves, and a dozen other kinds of birds often come to the park to forage. The effect of "reducing salt and controlling alkali with fish" is good. Ma Xiaoping (马小平), Deputy Secretary of the Helan County (贺兰县) Party Committee and Secretary of the Ligang Town (立岗镇) Party Committee, said: Ligang Town (立岗镇) has explored rotational farming of river crabs and Macrobrachium rosenbergii, forming a "fish and crab loosening soil - straw returning to the field - microbial decomposition" cycle chain, reducing pesticide use by 60% in three years, and simultaneously reducing soil salinity by 3.55 grams per kilogram; achieving "Yellow River water (黄河) - paddy field water - aquaculture water" three-level gradient utilization, saving 1.2 million cubic meters of water annually.
Qiu Wenjie (邱文杰), head of the Aquaculture Station of the Helan County (贺兰县) Agriculture and Rural Bureau, introduced that the county is planning key fishery projects for the "15th Five-Year Plan," planning to introduce enterprises to build a 10,000-mu zero-carbon modern fishery science and technology industrial park, planning a construction area of 11,000 mu and a total investment of 2 billion yuan, and landing seedling breeding facility aquaculture demonstration area, Atlantic salmon aquaculture core area, aquatic product processing area, Yellow River (黄河) "Fish" Culture Exhibition Hall, etc., building key aquatic product laboratories, and developing new salt-alkali-tolerant aquatic product varieties. "Fishermen's songs are loud on the saline-alkali land, and Helan's (贺兰) fishery has a promising future!" said Qiu Wenjie (邱文杰).
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 白光迪
Now, more and more elderly people are choosing to move into elderly care facilities to spend their twilight years. With the rapid development of the elderly care industry, the facilities of elderly care institutions are becoming more complete, and the environment is more comfortable. How to add a "youthful spirit" to elderly care institutions has become a new topic.
In an elderly apartment in Suzhou New District (苏州高新区), Jiangsu (江苏) Province, a group of young people in their 20s live with the elderly day and night, using their vitality to bring more beneficial explorations to intergenerational integrated elderly care.
Both Kin and Friend, Lighting Up Hearts
"Grandpas and grandmas, shall we sing a song 'Drunk Butterfly'?" At 8 a.m., in the multi-functional classroom on the first floor of the elderly apartment, Zhang Jin (张瑾), a girl from Jiujiang (九江市), Jiangxi (江西) Province, is leading the elderly in square dancing. After the class, Zhang Jin slings her backpack and takes the subway to a company in Suzhou New District (苏州高新区) to start her day's work.
Why live in an elderly apartment?
After graduating from university in 2023, Zhang Jin (张瑾) came to Suzhou (苏州) to work and develop. While searching for recruitment information, she accidentally saw a volunteer recruitment post from an elderly apartment, which read: Sincerely invite outstanding young people to live in elderly care institutions, each person only needs to pay 200-300 yuan per month for rent, and provide volunteer services such as companionship, teaching, life entertainment, and psychological support to the elderly every month.
"Compared to the rental prices on the market, living in an elderly care institution can save a considerable amount of living expenses each month." Zhang Jin (张瑾) admitted frankly that she was indeed attracted by the preferential rent at first, and she was a member of the school's volunteer service team during college, and felt that doing volunteer service for the elderly was not difficult, so she signed up.
The elderly woman standing to Zhang Jin's (张瑾) left while dancing is named Tang Junye (汤君业), 82 years old this year, from Shanghai (上海). "I think everything is good in our elderly care institution, the best thing is the addition of young volunteers." Grandma Tang (汤奶奶) moved in in September 2021. Before that, after her old partner passed away, she had been living alone at home.
Although living in an elderly care institution, Grandma Tang (汤奶奶) is still full of curiosity about new things. She can say a thing or two about trendy new words such as "social cow" and "Labubu."
"I have a 'little teacher' to teach me!" The little teacher in Grandma Tang's (汤奶奶) mouth is Zhang Jin (张瑾). In the process of daily volunteer service, Zhang Jin (张瑾) often chats with Grandma Tang (汤奶奶), telling her a lot of fresh things that young people are paying attention to now. On weekends, Zhang Jin (张瑾) also participates in handicraft classes, flower arrangement classes, and gesture dance classes with Grandma Tang (汤奶奶). "We are like grandparents and grandchildren, and like friends." Grandma Tang (汤奶奶) said.
Facing Zhang Jin (张瑾), who is of her granddaughter's generation, Grandma Tang (汤奶奶) always has a kind of inexplicable intimacy. "Xiao Zhang (小张) helps me shop online with my mobile phone, teaches me how to download application software, and accompanies me to watch short videos." In Grandma Tang's (汤奶奶) view, "Her concern for me is really heartwarming."
Feeling more youthful vitality is the biggest change mentioned by the elderly. "I didn't want to live in an elderly care institution before, I was worried about becoming estranged from my family and disconnected from society." Now, Yu Jianping (俞剑平), 90 years old, lives on the 4th floor of the elderly apartment. He pushes his old partner for a walk in the yard every day. He believes that young volunteers living in elderly care institutions are like a light, illuminating the hearts of many elderly people.
"We like to live with young people, they add a lot of vitality to our lives. We hope that more young people will participate in this project, we are very welcome!" Yu Jianping (俞剑平) often gives the paintings he paints in his spare time to the children, hoping that they can also live happily in the elderly apartment.
Volunteer Service, Gaining Growth
After the volunteer recruitment was released, the elderly care institution received forty or fifty resumes. After screening, five volunteers were finally selected to move in. What is their experience like?
Every morning, accompanied by birdsong, Chen Wenhui (陈文慧) begins her day's teaching work. Unlike Zhang Jin (张瑾), she is a junior high school Chinese teacher. "I really like living in the elderly apartment, it is very quiet and comfortable, and the environment is also very beautiful." After work, Chen Wenhui (陈文慧) often comes to the elderly activity room to communicate with the elderly about their work and life.
"Grandma Zhang (张奶奶) is a retired English teacher, I often discuss teaching issues with her, such as teaching methods, how to guide children's psychological emotions, etc., and I have also gained a lot." Chen Wenhui (陈文慧) met Grandma Zhang (张奶奶) at a weekend idiom chain class. "Now, I give the elderly an idiom chain class every week, and at the same time use my professional knowledge to do something for the elderly."
When it comes to doing volunteer service for the elderly, many people will feel apprehensive: "Can I do it well?" "Will it be a bit boring after a long time?" Faced with various questions, Chen Wenhui (陈文慧) gave her own answer: "Although I am a volunteer, I can also gain something here."
Gan Keyi (甘可一), 94 years old, is a "student" in Chen Wenhui's (陈文慧) class, but Chen Wenhui (陈文慧) is also Gan Keyi's (甘可一) student. Gan Keyi (甘可一) studied mathematics when he was young, and after moving into the elderly care institution, he used his spare time to open a Sudoku class to explain Sudoku knowledge to everyone.
"It's really a coincidence, I have been interested in Sudoku since I was a child, but I have always been self-taught. I didn't expect to take my first Sudoku class in the elderly apartment." Chen Wenhui (陈文慧) said that living in the elderly apartment is like being in college, and she can take interest classes with the elderly every weekend, and her life is very fulfilling. She has now learned more skills using her weekend time, such as painting watercolors, flower arrangement, and making handicrafts. In addition, Chen Wenhui (陈文慧) has developed good living habits, going to bed early and getting up early every day, eating healthy, and paying attention to daily exercise. In her eyes, this kind of life is really good!
In elderly care institutions, volunteers are the "apple of the eye" of grandpas and grandmas. "Wenhui (文慧), have you finished the buns from last time? Grandma (奶奶) made some more this time, take them and put them in the refrigerator." After lunch, Grandma Zhang (张奶奶) grabbed Chen Wenhui (陈文慧) and stuffed the meat buns she made into her arms.
"This girl Wenhui (文慧) is now a head teacher, and she is very busy at work. She often doesn't have time to eat, so I send her some buns that I made. She freezes them in the refrigerator, and she can heat them up and eat them at any time." Before moving into the elderly apartment, Grandma Zhang (张奶奶) often made buns for her children. Now, in addition to her family, she also cares about Chen Wenhui (陈文慧).
Like Chen Wenhui (陈文慧), Zhang Jin (张瑾) has also received a lot of care from the elderly, "The grandpas and grandmas care about me very much, such as whether my work is going smoothly, whether I have a partner..."
Chen Tianying (陈天英) is one of Zhang Jin's (张瑾) service recipients. "It's very interesting to chat with Grandpa Chen (陈爷爷). He will tell me a lot of stories from when he was young, and his experience can also become my valuable wealth." The most unforgettable time for her was last New Year's Day, Zhang Jin (张瑾) had a cold and was bedridden with a high fever. Grandpa Chen (陈爷爷) specially made a heat-clearing and fire-reducing soup for her and sent it to Zhang Jin's (张瑾) room early in the morning.
"At the moment of opening the door, I was really moved to tears, I felt that Grandpa Chen (陈爷爷) was just like my own grandpa." Zhang Jin (张瑾) said.
Standardized Rules, Mutual奔赴
Why recruit young people into elderly care institutions?
In addition to hardware facilities, the elderly also need emotional companionship. "Many elderly people in elderly care institutions have children who are not in Suzhou (苏州), some are even abroad, and the demand for companionship is very high." Said Shen Rong (沈荣), general manager of Suzhou New District Yiyang Health Management Co., Ltd. (苏州苏高新怡养健康管理有限公司).
In order to understand the emotional needs of the elderly, it is more important to find the living support of young people. "At that time, there were still vacant beds, so we wanted to attract young people to move in with low-cost accommodation as a condition." Shen Rong (沈荣) admitted frankly that housing rents in Suzhou (苏州) are not cheap. Taking the New District (高新区) as an example, a one-bedroom apartment costs about 2,500 yuan per month, which is a considerable expense for young people who have just started working.
"Since graduation, I have saved several thousand yuan in rent." Zhang Jin (张瑾) believes that the intergenerational integrated elderly care model does reduce the daily living expenses of young people.
Standardizing volunteer service rules can provide institutional guarantees for this "mutual奔赴." "We have compiled a volunteer service guide, and organized training in laws and regulations, accident prevention, and fraud prevention before volunteers move in. At the same time, we have clarified some rules and regulations that must be followed during the stay, such as personal activities should not affect the rest of the elderly, etc." Shen Rong (沈荣) introduced that at first, it was stipulated that each volunteer needed to serve 60 hours per quarter, but in the process of operation, it was found that young people generally have greater work pressure, so the volunteer service time was adjusted to 50 hours per quarter.
Volunteer service projects also take into account the volunteers' own work situation and are flexibly deployed. In the service process, there is always a mismatch between the time of young people and the elderly. How to solve it?
"We will give priority to applicants whose own working hours are flexible and whose work intensity is not high when screening project volunteers." Shen Rong (沈荣) introduced that the flexible scheduling is carried out by combining the rest time of the elderly and the service time available to volunteers, and the expected results of the project are achieved through the rotation service of 3-5 people. In addition, the elderly care institution combines its own "nightlife" situation to launch activities such as ballroom dancing, musical instrument performances, billiards, karaoke, and night theater, and invites volunteers to accompany the elderly to participate.
At present, the three elderly care institutions under Suzhou Health and Elderly Care Industry Development Group Co., Ltd. (苏州市健康养老产业发展集团有限公司) have all launched intergenerational integrated elderly care models on a trial basis. In addition, Suzhou Industrial Park (苏州工业园区) is also actively exploring intergenerational integrated elderly care, jointly with Suzhou Industrial Park Volunteer Association (苏州工业园区志愿者协会), allowing young volunteers to live in elderly care institutions, breaking intergenerational barriers through volunteer services, cultural activities, life companionship, skills training and other diverse forms, and building a living scene in which the elderly and young people participate together.
Return to TopBy: 李君强
Summer community public welfare托管 (tuō guǎn - "trusteeship," care services), is an innovative window for grassroots governance and people's livelihood services. By refining, substantiating, and warming this "key small matter," guaranteeing it institutionally, and innovating it content-wise, community托管 (tuō guǎn - "trusteeship," care services) services can benefit more families.
With the arrival of summer vacation, children are on holiday, but parents are still at work. This poses a practical dilemma, especially for urban "dual-income" families, where children have "no one to look after them and nowhere to go" during the holidays.
How can we ensure that "difficulty in childcare" no longer becomes a family's worry during the holidays? Community-led public welfare托管 (tuō guǎn - "trusteeship," care services) services, with their convenience of being "at the doorstep" and their accessibility with "low barriers to entry," have been favored by parents. "Parents go out to work, and the community helps take care of the children" effectively reduces the burden on families.
As early as 2021, the General Office of the Ministry of Education (教育部办公厅) issued the "Notice on Supporting the Exploration and Development of Summer托管 (tuō guǎn - "trusteeship," care services) Services," encouraging various regions to provide summer托管 (tuō guǎn - "trusteeship," care services) services for students. In recent years, various regions have actively explored and continuously innovated, upgrading托管 (tuō guǎn - "trusteeship," care services) methods and content from simple care to multi-dimensional services integrating knowledge education and interest cultivation. For example, in Shengli Road Community (胜利路社区), Daxi溝 (Daxi溝) Subdistrict, Yuzhong District (渝中区), Chongqing (重庆), teachers in the托管 (tuō guǎn - "trusteeship," care services) class lead children in practicing Tai Chi, allowing them to have "sweat on their bodies and light in their eyes." Jiunan Community (氿南社区), Xinjie Subdistrict (新街街道), Yixing City (宜兴市), Jiangsu (江苏) recruits returning college student volunteers to guide children in reading extracurricular books while conducting safety education on preventing drowning and telecommunications fraud. Huangjia Community (黄家社区), Chongren County (崇仁县), Fuzhou City (抚州市), Jiangxi (江西) integrates various resources in its jurisdiction to create a summer托管 (tuō guǎn - "trusteeship," care services) center that integrates learning tutoring, interest cultivation, and safety education, making the service content richer.
When considering whether to choose community托管 (tuō guǎn - "trusteeship," care services), many parents also have concerns. How professional are the community teachers, how interesting is the course content, how well is the service management in place, and can the children's safety be guaranteed? The托管 (tuō guǎn - "trusteeship," care services) entity should respond to these issues of greatest concern to parents in a timely manner, continuously refine and optimize the托管 (tuō guǎn - "trusteeship," care services) model, and truly make community public welfare托管 (tuō guǎn - "trusteeship," care services) go from "available" to "excellent."
As an important project for people's livelihood, community public welfare托管 (tuō guǎn - "trusteeship," care services) is an innovative window for grassroots governance and people's livelihood services. To truly support the "worry-free summer vacation" of young people through community托管 (tuō guǎn - "trusteeship," care services), continuous innovation and meticulous work are still needed in mechanisms and services. For example, strengthening the combination of professional forces and community volunteers, exploring a dual-track service model of "professional teachers + volunteers," and encouraging cooperation between universities, professional institutions, and communities to participate in curriculum development and teaching. Combining the physical and mental development characteristics of young people, designing courses with heart and affection, paying more attention to multi-faceted integration, and simultaneously carrying out homework tutoring and interest expansion, which both increases knowledge and adds fun, promotes the comprehensive and healthy growth of students. This summer, Wenquan Subdistrict (温泉街道), Xian'an District (咸安区), Xianning City (咸宁市), Hubei (湖北) strengthened safety management and constructed an on-site duty structure of "1 community 'Two Committees' (‘两委’) + 1 homeroom teacher" to ensure that each托管 (tuō guǎn - "trusteeship," care services) class has a dedicated person responsible for safety assurance and order maintenance, making parents and children more at ease. Open Road Community (开放路社区), Quanhe Subdistrict (泉河街道), Huairou District (怀柔区), Beijing (北京) launched the "Youth Sailing, Dreams Shining" youth science summer camp, which includes science enlightenment, creative production, sports, and drone flight experience, cultivating students' innovative thinking and practical abilities.
It should also be seen that托管 (tuō guǎn - "trusteeship," care services) services reduce the burden and relieve difficulties for families, but parents cannot "leave everything to托管 (tuō guǎn - "trusteeship," care services)." The growth of young people cannot be separated from family education, and even more cannot be separated from the companionship and emotional connection of parents in daily life. Summer vacation is a valuable time for parent-child communication. A meal after work and a few words before going to bed will become warm footnotes in the child's memory.
Summer community public welfare托管 (tuō guǎn - "trusteeship," care services) is not just about "托管 (tuō guǎn - "trusteeship," care services)" and "management," but also an important way for young people to step out of the campus and expand their lives. By refining, substantiating, and warming this "key small matter," guaranteeing it institutionally, and innovating it content-wise, community托管 (tuō guǎn - "trusteeship," care services) services can benefit more families, so that parents have someone to entrust their children to, and children can gain something, supporting the healthy growth of young people under the summer blue sky.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 申少铁
In the sweltering summer, people turn on their air conditioners to cool off. If the air conditioner is not used for a long time, Legionella may grow inside, and turning it on may cause Legionella pneumonia in humans. What is Legionella pneumonia? How to prevent it in life? The reporter interviewed Zhu Jing (朱静), director and associate professor of the Disease Prevention and Control Department of the Fourth Medical Center of the PLA General Hospital (解放军总医院第四医学中心).
"Legionella pneumonia, also known as Legionnaires' disease, is a pulmonary infectious disease mainly caused by Legionella pneumophila," said Zhu Jing (朱静). Mild cases are similar to colds, mostly mild, and can heal on their own; moderate cases are manifested as fever, headache, chills, cough, or blood in the sputum; severe cases are manifested as acute renal failure, shock, or extra-pulmonary organ infection, which seriously threatens life and health.
"Legionella bacteria are prone to繁殖 (fán zhí - "breed, propagate") in warm, humid environments with biofilms or scale," said Zhu Jing (朱静). Air conditioners that have been idle for a long time are an ideal "breeding ground" for Legionella. In addition to air conditioners, water heaters, showerheads, humidifiers, air fresheners, and spray cooling equipment that have not been used for a long time may also contain Legionella.
Zhu Jing (朱静) suggested taking measures in life to prevent it: clean the air conditioner thoroughly, thoroughly clean the filter screen and evaporator before each use every year, it is best to ask professionals for deep disinfection, it is not advisable to keep doors and windows closed for a long time to turn on the air conditioner, and pay attention to keeping windows open for ventilation; set the water heater temperature ≥60 degrees Celsius, and drain the stagnant water in the pipeline before use; humidifiers, spray cooling equipment, etc. are best to use clean water, and thoroughly change the water and clean it every day.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 杨颜菲
At the north gate of the Donghu (东湖) campus of the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University (南昌大学第一附属医院), Li Wei (李伟), who was taking his father for dialysis, rolled down the car window, ready to join the familiar "long queue." But the scene before him stunned him: the traffic that used to stretch for hundreds of meters was gone.
"Are there any patients with mobility issues in the car?" The security guard confirmed with each car, guiding vehicles that needed to enter the hospital, "Go straight and turn right to the underground parking lot!"
Following the guidance, Li Wei (李伟) drove into the hospital area and parked the car. He glanced at his watch—it only took 8 minutes from queuing to parking. "At this time, the hospital used to be full. I usually had to find a parking space in the nearby public parking lot. I never thought I could park inside the hospital," said Li Wei (李伟).
As one of the first batch of top-tier Grade A hospitals in the country, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University (南昌大学第一附属医院) has an average daily outpatient volume of over 10,000 visits, creating a high demand for parking. In the past, parking spaces inside the hospital were **一位难求** (yī wèi nán qiú - "one space hard to find," extremely difficult to find a parking space).
"The Donghu (东湖) and Xianghu (象湖) campuses have nearly 2,500 parking spaces, but there are more than 7,000 medical staff alone. Including administrative and security personnel, there are tens of thousands of employees, and a large number of patients come to both campuses every day," Jin Guoqiang (金国强), Vice President of the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University (南昌大学第一附属医院), told reporters.
For a long time, the parking problem has caused great distress to patients and their families who come to see a doctor. Some people even gathered at the entrance of the hospital, pulling patients to private parking lots for high-priced parking. "The Donghu (东湖) campus is located in the old city, and the traffic environment is more complex. The parking problem is more prominent, which has indeed allowed some people to 'take advantage'," said Jin Guoqiang (金国强).
In order to improve the patient experience, the hospital launched a parking reform in January this year. "At first, we planned to allocate half of the parking spaces to patients and half to employees, but considering that the crux of the hospital's persistent parking problem lies in the shortage of parking spaces, we must solve the fundamental contradiction between the supply and demand of parking spaces. The hospital decided to start from the supply side," said Jin Guoqiang (金国强). Starting from May 1 this year, all employees of the hospital gave up their parking spaces to patients visiting the hospital.
Jin Guoqiang (金国强) said that the maximum parking fee for patients is 30 yuan per day. In order to reduce the parking fee burden for patients, the hospital has launched free parking vouchers. Outpatients and emergency patients can get a 1-hour parking fee reduction on the day of their visit, and inpatients can get a 2-hour reduction on the day of admission and discharge.
As soon as the news came out, doubts arose—"What about employee parking?" "How can emergency rescues save time?" Faced with the concerns of the majority of employees, the hospital conducted thorough research, visits, and discussions, and decided to expand off-site parking resources. Finally, it was decided to lease 1,700 parking spaces in 5 public parking lots near the two campuses for employees to use.
"These parking lots are relatively close. Our employees come to the hospital every day and are familiar with the area. As long as they are familiar with the location of the parking lots, they can easily find them. However, many patients who come to see a doctor are from other places and do not know the surrounding situation. It is better to park in the hospital," Jin Guoqiang (金国强) told reporters. In case of an emergency, the hospital security can provide free parking services for employees who drive to work, racing against time to win treatment time for patients.
Starting from the hospital gate, Zhang Fan (张凡), an employee of the hospital, walked to the nearby parking lot located under the Jianglv Dushi Fangzhou (江旅都市方舟) commercial building, taking about 8 minutes in total. In some areas of the parking lot, signs clearly marked "First Affiliated Hospital Employee Parking Area (一附院职工停车区)," and the vehicles were not completely full.
"We packaged 800 parking spaces in two parking lots around the Donghu (东湖) campus, negotiated a relatively favorable price, and provided parking subsidies to employees. The hospital subsidizes 70% of the parking fees in public parking lots, and employees only need to pay 30%," said Jin Guoqiang (金国强).
"At first, everyone was quite unaccustomed to it and had some opinions." Peng Shuxiao (彭姝筱) is a doctor in the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine at the Donghu (东湖) campus of the hospital. Originally, the commute time was only 15 minutes, but now she has to leave 10 minutes earlier every day. "But the parking lots rented by the hospital have many parking spaces, making it easy to park. We get up 10 minutes earlier, which can be exchanged for a better medical experience for patients, which is also worthwhile."
A small step in parking reform is a big step in the medical experience. Today, through the "internal optimization + external coordination" dual approach, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University (南昌大学第一附属医院) has greatly alleviated the long-standing parking problem that has plagued patients. The phenomenon of grabbing spaces and occupying roads in the parking lot has been greatly reduced. Next, the hospital will continue to deepen the "smart + parking" scenario, using digital technology to make the use of parking spaces more clear at a glance, reduce the workload of hospital security, improve parking management, and provide patients with a more convenient and warm medical environment.
Return to TopBy: 王树增
People often call me a writer, but I prefer it when someone says I am a military writer, because I am first and foremost a soldier.
Since the 1980s, for decades, I have focused on non-fiction writing on historical subjects. In addition to ancient and modern history works such as "Heavenly Granted Spring and Autumn (天著春秋)," "1901," and "1911," I have also written the "Contemporary War Series," which mainly consists of four works: "The Long March (长征)," "The War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (抗日战争)," "The War of Liberation (解放战争)," and "The Korean War (朝鲜战争)."
In the postscript to "The Korean War (朝鲜战争)," I once asked myself: Why write this book? Why should readers read this book? War and peace are the two main forms of life faced by mankind. Peaceful scenes are preserved in many music, poems, and paintings, but opening the vast historical books of ancient and modern times, both Chinese and foreign, many of the texts that evoke a myriad of emotions are descriptions of war. It can be said that the history of human civilization is updated, fractured, regenerated, and extended in the alternation of peace and war. These two scenarios of war and peace, as well as the various states of life in historical changes, stir up my writing passion.
The Chinese revolutionary war led by the Communist Party of China (中国共产党) is one of the most far-reaching and great wars in human history. I write about the Chinese revolutionary war time and time again, not to reveal secrets, nor to sort out war history, but to explore the faith and spiritual strength formed under extreme war conditions, and the significance of this spiritual strength to contemporary Chinese people.
Soldiers, the most ordinary, most important, and largest number of people in war. The indomitable spirit, tenacious vitality, and optimistic spirit displayed by the People's Army (人民军队) in the Chinese revolutionary war deeply touched me, and they also became the motivation for me to write war history. Those officers and soldiers who dedicated their youth and lives to the revolutionary cause deserve to be remembered by us today: remember that our nation had such excellent sons and daughters, remember that our army had such an indomitable spirit, and remember that they are connected to us by blood.
The flesh and blood of the people, the soldiers of the people, these are familiar names. When writing "The War of Liberation (解放战争)," I interviewed the civilian laborers who pushed carts to support the front lines the most. In the mountain breeze of Yimeng Mountain (沂蒙山), and under the shade of willows in the villages of the Central Plains (中原), they, who were once full of vigor, are now gray-haired, but when they talk about the past, they are all in high spirits, and their eyes are filled with tears when they are deeply moved. During the War of Liberation, the logistics department was the homes of the people. The food, clothing, and supplies used by hundreds of thousands of officers and soldiers in the Huaihai Campaign (淮海战役), and even the shrouds, were all contributed free of charge by the poor people. On the dense, spider-web-like paths leading to the front lines, the carts carrying supplies to support the front lines were like streams, converging into a vast ocean of people's war. In the Huaihai battlefield, our army invested about 600,000 troops, but the number of civilian laborers supporting the front lines reached as many as 5 million. Throughout the war history of ancient and modern times, both Chinese and foreign, which army could have such strong logistical support?
In the process of writing the history of the revolutionary war, I have always defined revolutionary heroism as the spiritual keynote of creation. A nation without heroic feelings has no future. A heart without heroism is a pale heart. The history of the Chinese revolutionary war shows such a truth: firm belief, strong will, and a spirit of sacrifice, 前赴后继 (qián fù hòu jì - "advance wave upon wave," to advance dauntlessly in successive waves), can create miracles in the world.
The War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (抗日战争) is undoubtedly the heroic era of the Chinese nation. "The War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (抗日战争)" is the largest in my "Contemporary War Series" and also the most difficult to write. In order to write this book well, I spent 15 years sorting out archives, interviewing parties involved, surveying battlefields, and writing at my desk.
All the efforts are worthwhile, because the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression is not only the longest, largest, and most sacrificial national liberation war in which the Chinese people have resisted foreign aggression since modern times, but also the first complete victory of the Chinese nation, which has suffered humiliation for a hundred years, and is a historical turning point for the Chinese nation from a deep crisis since modern times to a great rejuvenation. The great victory of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression changed the history of China as a sheet of loose sand. Under the banner of the anti-Japanese national united front, the frontal battlefield and the guerrilla warfare behind enemy lines cooperated with each other, and the whole nation's resistance was realized for the first time. Facing a strong enemy, the Chinese nation finally firmly and at all costs said "no," and the indomitable cry of "Let's build our new Great Wall with our flesh and blood" resounded throughout this land.
When I was a child, my mother would carefully take down an old family tree from the beam of the house and tell me seriously where our family came from. Why would my mother do this? The reason is simple: people who know their "family tree" live a stable life.
The long-term development of a country and a nation should also have a spiritual blueprint. A nation with a spiritual blueprint that is both moving and awe-inspiring can stand among the nations of the world. For us writers of history, the so-called spiritual blueprint is the "Dao (道)" of "literature carrying the Dao (文以载道)." I write about war and history, fundamentally for contemporary China, especially for contemporary Chinese youth, in order to better continue our nation's spiritual blueprint.
Human history has proven that social development consists of two wheels, one is the wheel of material development, and the other is the wheel of spiritual development. These two wheels must not only exist at the same time, but also be synchronized. But now some people's living conditions can be said to be pushing a unicycle, lacking the support of the spiritual wheel. In an era of great material development, we must not lose faith and belief, and we must not be spiritually deficient in calcium. I firmly believe that as long as generations of Chinese youth hold high the banner of faith of their predecessors and adhere to the character and integrity of their predecessors, the spiritual blueprint of the Chinese nation will surely be more magnificent and splendid.
(The author is a military writer)
Return to TopBy: 朱利伟
Because I love reading and work in the publishing industry, I have a natural affinity for books and readers. In February 2018, I started using the online name "Xiang Bei Xiang Bei" (向北向北) to record people reading on the Beijing (北京) subway and the books they held. To date, I have recorded more than 2,800 reading moments and over 1,300 kinds of books. Most of those readers sitting or standing on the subway are office workers like me. They choose to slow down in a fast-paced era and surrender themselves to a book on the speeding subway.
I often can't help but imagine their lives through the books people hold. The girl reading "A Swim in the Pond in the Rain: In Which Four Russians Give a Master Class on Writing, Reading, and Life" probably frequents Douban (豆瓣) or Xiaohongshu (小红书); the lady reading "My Best Mathematical and Logic Puzzles" may genuinely enjoy mathematics and borrowed the book from the library; the passenger using an airline ticket stub as a bookmark may have just finished a long journey... This "imagination-only" observation allows me to capture countless real reading states: a passenger clutching "White Deer Plain" (白鹿原) and reluctant to put it down, closing it only in the last second before transferring; a gray-haired man reading the thick "Computer Systems: A Programmer's Perspective," with the handwritten note "Home is where I learn basic knowledge" on the header; a young couple snuggling side by side, quietly reading an old book, Maxim Gorky's "My Childhood."
On the crowded Beijing (北京) subway, the books that can be brought into the carriages are simply a collective test for many publishers. Which books are popular is clear at a glance on the "Beijing Subway Book List," and the real reader's choice makes this list free of hype. A netizen who follows my photography told me, "Discovering books of interest from what others are reading is more likely to generate reading interest than the programmatic book lists compiled by bloggers on software platforms." Indeed, even I myself have salvaged many books I wanted to read from this long list.
The longer I photograph, the more I find that classic masterpieces or, say, word-of-mouth books are particularly numerous in subway reading. I have encountered "Dream of the Red Chamber" (红楼梦), "Ordinary World" (平凡的世界), and "The Three-Body Problem" many times, and seen different passengers on different subway lines reading "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" (人类简史), "Fortress Besieged" (围城), and "To Live" (活着). I have to admit that classic works can always traverse the river of time and comfort us in the present. But things have been different in the last two years. Short video platform algorithms have begun to influence subway bookshelves. For a while, I frequently encountered "The Art of War" (孙子兵法), and later learned that it was due to a certain platform leveraging the popularity of the hit TV series "The Knockout" (狂飙), and such a peculiar "subway trend" phenomenon has occurred more than once.
Traffic is a double-edged sword: on the one hand, video interview programs have boosted high-quality travel literature such as Liu Zichao's (刘子超) "No Road Home: Late-Night Tales from the Silk Road" (午夜降临前抵达) – I saw a woman immersed in Central Asian stories for two consecutive days during the morning rush hour shortly after the program aired; on the other hand, it also led to the frequent appearance of "psychology crash course" books with a rating of only 4.8. In contrast, there are still many good works that are rarely read, and publishers are struggling to figure out how to reach readers. Embracing both the dissemination power of traffic logic and upholding the long-term nature of content value, and bringing truly good works to readers, is a compulsory course for the publishing industry today.
In addition to the changes in the composition of the book list, the form of reading is also changing. Some netizens have told me that they are increasingly accustomed to reading e-books or listening to books on their mobile phones, and "immersive reading" is becoming lighter and lighter in the fragmented screen-reading era. In fact, people have too many choices to fill their spiritual lives, and reading is no longer the most natural one. The form of books is also changing. Although the heavy "Les Misérables" occasionally appears, there are also more light and compact pocket books and paperbacks. I thought special editions were for collection, but I didn't expect edge-painted books (books with special processes on the edges) to be brought on the subway and read carefully. This often makes me think: how should the publishing industry work hard to adapt in-depth content to readers' busy daily reading scenarios in the fragmented era? How should a book be presented to integrate into users' quality life?
Seven years of observation is like a slow current. People are very interesting, and readers have their own interestingness. They casually bring a book and build a small spiritual corner for themselves in the crowded city, before arriving at their destination. I have to admit that even in today's increasingly diverse cultural consumption, books still have special significance in participating in the construction of the individual's spiritual world. You can find answers to incomprehensible questions in books, and reading is always the light that allows us to see ourselves and the future through the fog.
Return to TopBy: 王柳云
I am Wang Liuyun (王柳云), 59 years old this year. I came to Beijing (北京) alone in 2020 to work, and this is my sixth year. In 2022, a video of me drawing while working as a cleaner next to a building in Beijing (北京) went viral online, and many people called me "Cleaner Painter Wang Liuyun (王柳云)". In fact, what they don't know is that I was also trying to write at the time, to tell stories about life. I had been preparing to write for a lifetime.
When I was a child, I loved to read. There were no electric lights in the countryside, so I trained my eyes to be able to read clearly in the moonlight. At that time, my older brother was already a teacher. Once, he brought back a magazine. Coincidentally, something happened at home that day, and my mother was willing to light a large kerosene lamp. The dim yellow light flickered in the glass罩, and I seized the opportunity to read the magazine under the lamp. I read about a soldier and another friend of his walking down a dirt road from the ridge, and then... "Pfft!" My mother blew out the lamp. She couldn't afford the kerosene, so she put away the lamp and told me to go to sleep. I was thinking about the book. The pair of friends walked down the ridge. What happened later? The next day, my brother went back to school early and took the magazine with him. That unfinished story kept me in suspense for decades.
In these decades, I worked everywhere, and I always took the time to go to bookstores to read books wherever I went. I often read quickly, first getting a general idea, and then finding a few wonderful places to read carefully. Books are too vast and boundless, but my energy and time are destined to be spent on hard work to make a living. I met and parted with books everywhere, like a cow 囫囵啃草 (hú lún kěn cǎo - "swallow grass whole," to read or eat something quickly without careful consideration), first swallowing it into my stomach, and then repeatedly chewing and savoring it with endless time. I read half or part of many books, brushing past them, and never had the chance to see them again after parting.
Later, I also started writing stories. My recently published "Moonlight Blown by the Wind" (风吹起了月光) is my first full-length novel, telling the story of left-behind children. In 2019, I was an art teacher in a rural school in Shangqiu (商丘), Henan (河南), where I saw many left-behind children. Their parents went out to work to make a living, leaving their children to the school. A principal with great love built complete and comfortable student dormitories and elegant and spacious school restaurants. The children's lives were handed over to the dormitory aunt, and their studies were handed over to the kind and gentle teachers. On weekends, the children's grandparents or maternal grandparents came to pick them up and take them back, and then sent them back on Sunday afternoon. I wanted to write their stories, to write about the stories of love and being loved that they encountered in their growth.
In my class, I let them draw the pictures they liked, so that they could relax and happily release their nature. The children all liked my art class, especially the first and second graders, who would rush out of the classroom and hug me, calling me Mom, Mom. They happily trusted and relied on me, which moved me very much. I love them. In the book "Moonlight Blown by the Wind" (风吹起了月光), I set up a character named Grandma Xisi (喜四奶奶). The little protagonist, Chen Yuehua (陈月华), would run to her place whenever she had something to do, just wanting to get a simple peace and warm comfort in her left-behind life.
In 2021, I worked in Sanyuanqiao (三元桥), Beijing (北京). I squeezed time to write this novel in the corners of the stairwells, by the flower beds next to the building, and on the side of the bus stop where people came and went. It took me about 4 months to complete the first draft of this book in my WeChat chat box with my daughter. Then, I took the initiative to find Beijing October Literature and Art Publishing House (北京十月文艺出版社). Under the professional guidance of the teachers at the publishing house, I spent another year rewriting it almost along the same lines.
The initial idea of writing arose because of my respectable father. He was an old-fashioned man and illiterate, but he repeatedly told me about almost every person within a hundred miles of our area who had gone out by studying.
When I was a child, I asked my dad, where did all the stars in the Milky Way come from? Dad said that they all came from the earth. If a person in the world is very kind, generous, and willing to suffer losses, then a lamp will be lit in the sky to illuminate this person. I also said, my grandma's bean lamp is so dim, and the star lamps in the sky are so far away, but they are very bright one by one. Aren't they afraid of being blown out by the wind there? Dad said, the lamps in the Milky Way don't use bean oil, they use wisdom!
I don't know when or where, he picked up a broken book with a missing head and tail, but he placed it neatly under a wooden shelf in the corner of the main room. It wasn't until I was about 11 years old that I saw it while messing around. This tattered book, smoked and stained and yellowed, was actually still in vertical traditional characters. I guessed and chewed it once, and then read it again. I guessed that it should be part of the legendary "Dream of the Red Chamber" (红楼梦). Later, I spent more than 20 years (of course, intermittently) reading "Dream of the Red Chamber" (红楼梦) five times. The first two times I read the story and confirmed my childhood guesses about the incomplete version. When I was 37, I finally bought a set of "Dream of the Red Chamber" (红楼梦), so I read it carefully three more times, which can be regarded as completing my self-literary education.
This kind of education is very important to me. When I started writing "Moonlight Blown by the Wind" (风吹起了月光) in 2021, the careful reading of "Dream of the Red Chamber" (红楼梦) and the gluttonous reading from childhood to adulthood played a very important role in the conception and completion of the novel.
Therefore, although "Moonlight Blown by the Wind" (风吹起了月光) is my first time writing, the preparations before that have been for most of my life.
Return to TopBy: 于 霄
Malaria is an ancient infectious disease, an acute parasitic infection caused by plasmodium. In 2021, the World Health Organization formally announced that China had eliminated malaria. As a disease, malaria seems to be far away from us. However, a review of global civilization history reveals that countless people have died from malaria, making it one of the most deadly diseases for humans.
The book "A Tale of Two Drugs" (《双药记》) by Liang Guibai (梁贵柏) focuses on the struggle between humans and malaria, highlighting the development of quinine and artemisinin, and reviews the exchanges and mutual learning between Chinese and Western medicine, telling many wonderful moments in the history of world pharmaceutical manufacturing. The protagonists of "A Tale of Two Drugs," quinine and artemisinin, are modern achievements of the West and China in exploring antimalarial drugs. Quinine is an extract from the bark of the cinchona tree native to South America, while artemisinin comes from artemisia annua recorded in Chinese Materia Medica. The two drugs were born in different soils and experienced different fates.
In the 17th century, the wife of the Spanish Governor-General of Peru suffered from severe intermittent fever, and all medicines were ineffective. Until a girl who took care of her consulted a pharmacist in her hometown and found a kind of bark powder to prepare for her, and finally cured her. In 1677, this bark was included in the London Pharmacopoeia under the name "Peruvian Bark." The cure rate of bark powder for malaria was not high, and it only exerted a stable effect after being formulated. The formulated cinchona bark powder became the first choice for treating malaria in Europe and even the world, and even saved Emperor Kangxi (康熙), who was infected with malaria. In 1820, French chemists discovered the active ingredient in cinchona bark - quinine. Later, after more than a century of exploration, scientists finally achieved the total synthesis of quinine.
In the Eastern Jin Dynasty, Ge Hong (葛洪) wrote in "Emergency Formulas to Keep Up One's Sleeve" (《肘后救卒方》): "Take a handful of artemisia annua, soak it in two liters of water, squeeze the juice, and drink it all." This was about 1300 years earlier than the West's use of cinchona bark to fight malaria. However, artemisinin experienced many setbacks on its way to becoming a drug. It was not until the 1960s that China launched the research and development of new antimalarial drugs, project code "523 Task" (523任务), mainly to help Vietnamese soldiers and civilians reduce deaths caused by malaria in the war. "A Tale of Two Drugs" details a series of difficulties faced by the scientists undertaking the "523 Task," from which we can see the difficulty of Chinese medicine becoming a drug.
In terms of antimalarial drugs, hundreds or thousands of Chinese medicines can be selected. Even if artemisia annua is selected, there is a difference between the north and the south. When writing "a handful of artemisia annua," Ge Hong (葛洪) did not know that the artemisia annua produced in northern China and the south looked the same, but the artemisinin content was extremely low. This real-life "oranges north of the Huai River" story almost made scientists miss artemisinin. After selecting artemisia annua, the problem came to preparation. Traditional Chinese medicine pays attention to processing, and processing has a great impact on efficacy. "Soak in two liters of water and squeeze the juice" is considered a water soaking method and is used raw. Tu Youyou (屠呦呦) recalled in her Nobel Prize acceptance speech: "When I faced research difficulties that year, I re-studied ancient Chinese medicine books... This made me think that the extraction process may need to avoid high temperatures, so I changed to using a low-boiling point solvent extraction method." That was in 1971, and a seemingly simple inspiration became a key step in the birth of artemisinin.
Two magical drugs saved the lives of hundreds of millions of patients, and even changed the world pattern, affecting the rise and fall of mankind. This book tells the thrilling journey of drug discovery, and also allows us to see the inextricable links between science, medicine, and politics, economy, diplomacy, etc. What promotes the progress of pharmaceutical research and development is not only the **汹涌澎湃** (xiōng yǒng péi pài - "surging and turbulent," a powerful and unstoppable force) of the great waves washing away the sand, but also the **波澜不惊** (bō lán bù jīng - "calm and unruffled," seemingly calm but potentially impactful) of water dripping through stone. The author presents readers with a sense of being on the scene of history in a narrative style that is half science and half literature.
Over the years, in addition to engaging in scientific research, the author has been keenly interested in popular science work, and his "Stories of New Drugs" trilogy has been widely praised. This time, the historically intertwined stories of quinine and artemisinin made the author begin to think: Where is the next artemisinin? In his opinion, the more people who seriously think about this question, the faster the next artemisinin will come, and the greater the contribution of the Chinese nation to human health will be. The struggle between humans and diseases is endless, and the exploration of combining traditional Chinese medicine with modern technology to develop new drugs and benefit mankind is also endless.
Return to TopBy: 吴 军
We are fortunate to live in the information age. Every day, we come into contact with and use information. For us, information is a tangible reality. On the other hand, information is also very abstract; it can be seen but not touched. Many people cannot clearly explain what information is, how to measure it, and therefore, cannot know how to use information to improve our lives and work.
What is information? Many people can give many examples, such as news, film and television, intelligence, and business records, but cannot say what information is. This is not to blame everyone, because although humans have been using information for tens of thousands of years, it was not until about 80 years ago that they truly understood what information is.
About 80 years ago, the most intelligent group of people on Earth gathered at the Beekman Hotel to discuss the most cutting-edge scientific issues after World War II, and the essence of information was one of the topics they focused on. At that time, Shannon, who was just over 30 years old, pointed out that the meaning of information is not important, nor is its form of expression important. Information is a measure of uncertainty. The meaning of information lies in the fact that using it can eliminate the uncertainty of an unknown world hidden in a black box, thereby achieving the purpose of understanding that world. Therefore, information is a tool and method for us to understand the world.
Since the Industrial Revolution, the amount of information generated by a civilization, and its ability to store, transmit, and process information, have been the main indicators for measuring the level of development of that civilization. In the past 100 years, information technology has developed at an almost exponential rate, which has also driven the rapid growth of the global economy.
In 1844, Morse achieved intercity telegraph communication, opening the modern information industry. In 1866, Field successfully laid the transatlantic submarine cable, realizing transatlantic telegraph communication and connecting the Old and New Worlds with modern communication technology. At that time, it took 10 minutes or even longer to transmit an English word using this cable. Today, this speed seems very slow, but it was already much faster than a cruise ship. Today, the information transmission rate of a submarine optical cable is hundreds of millions of times that of early submarine cables.
In 1946, humans invented the electronic computer, and its calculation speed at that time was 5,000 times per second. This was considered very fast by people at the time, so British Marshal Lord Mountbatten called it an "electric brain." However, its speed is simply insignificant compared to today's computers, and its power consumption is astonishing. Today, the speed of any smartphone is hundreds of millions of times faster than it, and its energy consumption is less than one ten-thousandth of it. In 2016, Google's AlphaGo defeated Lee Sedol (李世石). If AlphaGo used the technology of 1946, it would require several million Three Gorges Dam (三峡水电站) power stations to supply power. Everyone can see how fast information technology is progressing.
Today, information technology has widely penetrated all aspects of social life, and we cannot live without it from morning to night every day. At the same time, information technology is also the locomotive driving future economic development. New information technologies, with artificial intelligence as the core, will realize the comprehensive prosperity and progress of human society.
Speaking of the future of information technology, everyone may be curious about how it will develop in the future, what changes it will bring to our society, and whether it has physical limits. These questions should be left to the younger generation to answer. But before that, we want to help young people understand the development history of information technology, understand the essence of information and the laws of information science. In this way, they can continue to innovate in the field of information in the future and contribute to the development of information technology.
In addition to introducing the content of information technology itself, we also reproduced the creative processes of scientists and inventors who have made significant contributions to information technology and industry in history. They used problems to drive their thinking, and after unremitting efforts and persistent pursuit, they finally achieved success and benefited mankind. It is hoped that the stories of these people can also inspire today's young people.
(This article is the preface to the book "Information Science for Children." This edition has been abridged, and the title was added by the editor.)
Return to TopThis edition's email: dushu@peopledaily.cn
Layout design: Zhang Danfeng (张丹峰)
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