People's Daily - August 15, 2025

"Two Mountains" Theory Changes China and Leads the Era

By: 新华社记者

August 15th marks the third National Ecology Day and the 20th anniversary of the "Two Mountains" concept.

Twenty years ago on this day, Xi Jinping (习近平), then Secretary of the Zhejiang Provincial Party Committee, visited Yucun Village (余村) in Anji (安吉) for inspection and research, and first proposed the scientific thesis that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" (绿水青山就是金山银山).

Following the scientific guidance of the "Two Mountains" concept, the changes in Yucun Village (余村) are now vastly different from what they once were, and the beauty of China is changing with each passing day. As the core concept of Xi Jinping's (习近平) ecological civilization thought, the "Two Mountains" concept has not only profoundly changed China, but has also built consensus and pointed out the path for global exploration of harmonious coexistence between humans and nature.

(I) Cultural Heritage and People's Sentiment

After a rain shower, Yucun Village (余村) is lush with vegetation and the cicadas chirp for a long time. Looking up, the mountainside is misty and beautiful, a picturesque scene of the Jiangnan (江南) region.

More than 20 years ago, this small mountain village located in northern Zhejiang (浙江) was a different sight: if there was a mine, they would blast the mountain and quarry stones; if there was water, they would discharge sewage directly. For a time, dust filled the air and the streams were turbid...

Continuing on the old path was unsustainable; finding a new path was uneasy and confusing. That afternoon, the heat was scorching, and the small village committee meeting room was packed.

"We closed the mines and polluting enterprises through democratic decision-making," said Bao Xinmin (鲍新民), the then secretary of the village Party branch, his voice lowered, appearing somewhat hesitant.

"Your closure of the mines and factories is a wise move!" Xi Jinping (习近平) said with a smile, decisively and clearly, "In the past, we talked about both lucid waters and lush mountains, and invaluable assets. In fact, lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets. They themselves have value."

These few words brightened everyone's minds and brought sudden clarity.

The important thesis that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" clarifies the relationship between economic development and ecological environmental protection, reveals the principle that protecting the ecological environment is protecting productivity, and improving the ecological environment is developing productivity, and points out a new path for achieving coordinated and symbiotic development and protection.

"I lived in a small village on the Loess Plateau (黄土高原) in China for many years. At that time, the ecological environment there was damaged, and the people's lives were also mired in poverty. I realized then that damage to nature would ultimately harm human beings themselves." During his seven years as an educated youth, the awareness of ecological and environmental protection took root in the heart of the young Xi Jinping (习近平). The profound philosophical thinking about protection and development contained in the "Two Mountains" concept has its origins.

In Liangjiahe (梁家河) in Shaanxi (陕西), using limited conditions to build silt dams and biogas digesters on the ecologically fragile Loess Plateau (黄土高原) to improve the living environment; in Zhengding (正定) in Hebei (河北), wading across the sandy Hutuo River (滹沱河) with a bicycle on his shoulder, "I wanted to manage this Hutuo River (滹沱河) at that time, to prevent floods and build dams"; in the land of Fujian (八闽大地), he couldn't help but exclaim, "I come from the north, and I feel that every grass and stone in Xiamen (厦门) is very precious"; on the banks of the Huangpu River (黄浦江), planning Shanghai's (上海) industrial "restructuring," he clearly pointed out that "industrial development should do 'addition,' energy and resource consumption should do 'subtraction,' and ecological environmental protection should become a prerequisite for economic development."

Looking at mountains, looking at water, looking at forests, looking at fields, looking at lakes... Since the new era, General Secretary Xi Jinping's (习近平) inspection and research footprints have spread all over the country, and "ecology" and "protection" have always been high-frequency words, and the grand concept of "Two Mountains" has been consistent.

On the shore of Erhai Lake (洱海) in Yunnan (云南), he carefully inspected the ecological protection wetland, leaving a "photo for the record" agreement, earnestly exhorting: "We must protect Erhai Lake (洱海) well, so that the natural beauty of 'Cangshan (苍山) without ink paints a picture for thousands of years, Erhai (洱海) without strings plays a zither for eternity' will remain in the world forever."

In the Ma'anshan Forest Farm (马鞍山林场) in Chifeng (赤峰) City, Inner Mongolia (内蒙古), he told the forest rangers to build a solid ecological security barrier in northern China and guard this green, this blue, and this purity.

Visiting Yucun Village (余村) again in March 2020, seeing the changes in the village, he emphasized: "Practice has proved that economic development cannot be at the expense of destroying the ecology. The ecology itself is the economy, and protecting the ecology is developing productivity."

When trees and plants thrive, the country prospers.

A good ecological environment is the fairest public product and the most inclusive benefit for the people's livelihood. General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) profoundly pointed out: "For human survival, gold and silver mountains are certainly important, but lucid waters and lush mountains are an important part of the people's happy life, which cannot be replaced by money. If you earn money, but the air and drinking water are not up to standard, what happiness is there to speak of?"

From an educated youth in a rural brigade to the top leader of the Party and the state, Comrade Xi Jinping's (习近平) natural sentiment and people's sentiment have not changed and have become more profound.

The "Two Mountains" concept and Xi Jinping's (习近平) ecological civilization thought, with it as the core concept, are a vivid interpretation of the "two combinations."

Faced with the ecological crisis, Marxism warns us: "If man conquers natural forces through science and creative genius, then natural forces also retaliate against man."

The "Two Mountains" concept inherits and develops the Marxist theory of "natural productivity," contains and promotes the excellent traditional Chinese culture, and profoundly reveals the internal laws and essential requirements of harmonious coexistence between man and nature.

On May 4, 2018, at the meeting commemorating the 200th anniversary of Marx's birth, General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) particularly emphasized that to learn from Marx, we must learn and practice Marxism's thoughts on the relationship between man and nature.

Chinese civilization has been passed down for more than 5,000 years, and it has long formed a simple and wise view of nature.

"Draining the pond to catch all the fish, wouldn't you get something? But there will be no fish next year; burning the forest to cultivate the fields, wouldn't you get something? But there will be no animals next year," "When fishing, don't use a net with a main rope; when shooting birds, don't shoot those that are roosting"... In January 2016, at the seminar for leading cadres at the provincial and ministerial level to study and implement the spirit of the Fifth Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee, General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) quoted ancient sayings that accumulated the rich ecological wisdom of traditional Chinese culture.

"'These 'two mountains' should be regarded as a development concept and an ecological culture,'" in "Zhejiang Xin Yu" (之江新语), Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) clarified the profound implications of the "Two Mountains" concept, including environmental protection, economic development, and cultural cultivation.

The "Two Mountains" concept, a scientific conclusion that conforms to the laws of human social development and conforms to the people's expectations for a better life, has long flown out of Yucun Village (余村), blossomed and borne fruit on the land of China, and become the ideological consensus and conscious action of the entire Party and society.

Guided by the "Two Mountains" concept, China unswervingly follows the path of green development, vigorously promotes theoretical innovation, practical innovation, and institutional innovation in ecological civilization, and promotes historical, transformative, and comprehensive changes in ecological environmental protection.

(II) Dialectical Thinking and Systematic Planning

Unlike the Western modernization that follows the development of productive forces solely subservient to the logic of capital, the "Two Mountains" concept clearly states that ecological environmental protection and economic development are not contradictory, but dialectically unified.

"Lucid waters and lush mountains and invaluable assets are by no means opposed to each other. The key lies in people, the key lies in ideas," General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) said, revealing the key.

An important orientation of the "Two Mountains" concept is to abandon the development model that damages or even destroys the ecological environment, and to abandon the short-sighted approach of sacrificing the environment in exchange for temporary development. At the same time, it emphasizes that only by laying a good foundation for green development can there be rapid progress in future development.

General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) profoundly pointed out that "ecological civilization construction is a millennium plan related to the sustainable development of the Chinese nation," "It is impossible for us to build a modern country by following the old path of the United States and Europe. Several more Earths would not be enough for the Chinese people to consume," emphasizing that "we must calculate the big picture, the long-term picture, the overall picture, and the comprehensive picture."

In Hainan (海南), he proposed "taking the protection of the ecological environment as the fundamental foothold for Hainan's (海南) development"; in Yunnan (云南), he urged "promoting high-quality economic development, and we must never take the old path of polluting first and then treating"; in Guizhou (贵州), he emphasized that "an excellent ecological environment is Guizhou's (贵州) greatest development advantage and competitive advantage"...

John Bellamy Foster, a well-known American Marxist ecological scholar, pointed out in his "Ecological Civilization and Ecological Revolution: An Ecological Marxist Perspective" that China's ecological civilization concept is not only fundamentally opposed to the essence of capitalism, but also completely transcends the environmental protection concepts advocated by Western societies.

The Yangtze River (长江) and the Yellow River (黄河) are the mother rivers of the Chinese nation, and General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) is deeply concerned about them.

To promote the development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt, it is clear that "for a considerable period of time to come, we must put the restoration of the Yangtze River's (长江) ecological environment in an overwhelming position, jointly grasp major protection, and refrain from large-scale development";

Regarding the development of the Yellow River Basin (黄河流域), it is emphasized that "the connotation of the Yellow River Basin's (黄河流域) development must be clearly defined. It is not that we should not develop the economy, but that we must take the ecological protection of the Yellow River (黄河) as an important background basis."

Following the guidance of General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平), our country's mountains are greener, the water is clearer, and our homes are more beautiful. The forest coverage rate exceeds 25%; the proportion of national surface water sections with water quality of Class I to III is 90.4%; and the proportion of days with excellent air quality in cities at the prefecture level and above is 87.2%.

Of course, protecting lucid waters and lush mountains does not mean not developing, but developing better. The "Two Mountains" concept emphasizes generating wealth from green, shaping new green momentum and new advantages for economic development.

During the 2021 National People's Congress, at the deliberation site of the Inner Mongolia (内蒙古) delegation, when Zhou Yizhe (周义哲), a forest worker from the Greater Khingan Range (大兴安岭) forest area, mentioned the effectiveness of the implementation of the natural forest protection project, General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) responded: "The total ecological value you mentioned is the concept of green GDP, which shows that the ecology itself is value."

The General Secretary further pointed out: "This not only includes the value of the forest itself, but also the green lung effect, and can also bring tourism, under-forest economy, etc."

In General Secretary Xi Jinping's (习近平) view, lucid waters and lush mountains are both natural wealth and ecological wealth, as well as social wealth and economic wealth. A good ecology itself can continuously create comprehensive benefits and achieve sustainable economic and social development.

The "Two Mountains" concept vividly interprets the interdependent and unified relationship between ecological environmental protection and economic development, and has become a new guide for leading and promoting green development.

In Gaoxigou (高西沟), Yulin (榆林), Shaanxi (陕西), generations of villagers have been building embankments, digging ditches, and planting apple trees, jujube trees, apricot trees, and walnut trees, no longer the old days of "bare mountains and frequent disasters."

Yibin (宜宾), Sichuan (四川), the "First City of the Yangtze River (长江)," has transformed its former factories into Yangtze River Parks (长江公园). In the distance, the Sanjiang New Area (三江新区) is changing with each passing day, and some companies have extended their industries to new chemical materials and new energy battery materials, embarking on new industrial tracks.

More than a month ago, a reply letter excited the villagers of Gala Village (嘎拉村), Linzhi Town (林芝镇), Bayi District (巴宜区), Linzhi City (林芝市), Tibet (西藏). "I am happy to learn that there have been new changes in the village in the past few years and that the income of the villagers has increased," General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) expressed in his letter his earnest hope to "protect the natural beauty of the snowy plateau and make the 'Peach Blossom Village' brand even brighter."

People who live up to the green mountains will surely be rewarded by the green mountains. Under the guidance of General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平), all localities have thoroughly implemented the concept that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets, adhered to the integrated protection and systematic management of mountains, rivers, forests, fields, lakes, and grasslands, and strived to embark on a path of coordinated ecological and economic development and harmonious coexistence between man and nature.

(III) Innovation and Transformation, Persistent Efforts

Walking into Jiewen Village (捷文村), Wuping County (武平县), Longyan City (龙岩市), Fujian Province (福建省), the streams are gurgling, and the lush greenery is refreshing. On the big stone at the entrance of the village, the words "Source of National Forest Reform" are particularly eye-catching.

"In those years, we were groping for reform, and the cadres and the masses were uneasy. It was Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平), who was then the governor of the province, who came to investigate and affirm our exploration in a timely manner, which gave us peace of mind." Zhong Taifu (钟泰福), who is in his 60s this year, was once the Party branch secretary of Jiewen Village (捷文村) and has witnessed the village's progress in promoting the collective forest tenure system reform.

Zhong Taifu (钟泰福) said that before the forest reform, the property rights of the village's forests belonged to the collective. The local people were used to relying on the mountains for a living, and the behavior of indiscriminate logging was difficult to control. Even when there was a mountain fire, many people just waited for the village cadres to put out the fire.

On June 21, 2002, Xi Jinping (习近平), then the governor of Fujian Province (福建省), went to Wuping County (武平县) for investigation and research, and clearly pointed out that "the reform of the collective forest tenure system should shift from the foot of the mountain to the mountain like the household contract responsibility system," which determined the direction of the forest reform.

The clarification of ownership stimulated the enthusiasm of the masses. With the mountains fixed with rights, the trees fixed with roots, and the people fixed with hearts, Wuping (武平) accelerated the development of under-forest industries, and the Wuping (武平) forest reform experience was quickly promoted throughout the province.

In June 2008, the CPC Central Committee and the State Council issued the "Opinions on Comprehensively Promoting the Reform of the Collective Forest Tenure System," and the reform of the collective forest tenure system was officially promoted to the national level.

Today, Jiewen Village (捷文村) has planted Chinese medicinal materials such as purple ganoderma, and raising chickens and bees is in full swing. It has built the "I Have Green Mountains" theme hall and launched projects such as ganoderma picking festivals and ecological research tours. From 2001 to 2024, the per capita disposable income of villagers in Jiewen Village (捷文村) increased from 1,600 yuan to 35,750 yuan.

Development raises questions, and reform provides answers.

On the banks of the scenic Xin'an River (新安江), there is a chemical enterprise, which is a microcosm of the local vigorous development of the circular economy. On April 23, 2003 and September 5, 2005, Xi Jinping (习近平), then Secretary of the Zhejiang Provincial Party Committee, went to Zhejiang Xin'an Chemical Group Co., Ltd. (浙江新安化工集团股份有限公司) twice to inspect and affirm the company's recycling technology, praising it as a concrete manifestation of the circular economy.

"We recover chloromethane from the glyphosate production process and use it for the production of organosilicon monomers, and then recover hydrochloric acid from the production of organosilicon monomers and use it for the production of glyphosate," said the head of the company. Under the guidance of the concept of circular economy, Xin'an (新安) Co., Ltd. has further promoted technological iteration, industrial agglomeration, and system upgrades, embarking on a new path of transformation and upgrading from a traditional chemical enterprise to a modern manufacturing enterprise.

In "Zhejiang Xin Yu" (之江新语), there is an article published on September 15, 2006, in which Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) clearly pointed out: "Only by following the path of technology-led, resource-saving, and environment-friendly development can we realize the transformation from 'environment in exchange for growth' to 'environment optimizing growth.'"

Protecting the ecological environment must rely on systems and the rule of law.

Revising and implementing the "strictest ever" Environmental Protection Law, issuing a number of ecological environmental protection laws such as the Soil Pollution Prevention and Control Law, the Yangtze River Protection Law (长江保护法), the Yellow River Protection Law (黄河保护法), and the Wetland Protection Law... Since the new era, China's ecological environmental rule of law construction has entered a "fast lane," indicating the Party Central Committee's determination to protect lucid waters and lush mountains with the strictest system and the most stringent rule of law.

Starting from solving prominent ecological environmental problems, China has introduced the "Ten Measures for Air," "Ten Measures for Water," and "Ten Measures for Soil," from eliminating backward coal, steel, and cement production capacity, to promoting clean heating transformation in northern regions, to adhering to source prevention and control, promoting comprehensive water environment management, and reducing the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and controlling soil environmental risks, making continuous efforts and **久久为功** (jiǔ jiǔ wéi gōng - "achieve success through persistent effort," persistent effort will lead to success).

With a series of measures working together, China has become the country with the fastest improvement in air quality in the world, and the appearance of rivers and lakes has also undergone fundamental changes.

More greenery is spreading across the country. From ecological products to ecological tourism, from horizontal ecological compensation to the establishment and improvement of trading mechanisms for carbon emission rights, sewage discharge rights, water use rights, and carbon sink rights, the path to realizing the value of ecological products is constantly explored and deepened, and the path of generating wealth from green is becoming wider and wider.

Faced with the severe challenge of global climate warming, President Xi Jinping (习近平) solemnly promised the world: China will strive to peak carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and strive to achieve carbon neutrality before 2060.

China has incorporated carbon peaking and carbon neutrality into the overall layout of ecological civilization construction, and has successively released the "1+N" policies under the "dual carbon" goals, accelerated the development of new energy sources such as wind power and photovoltaics, and strived to promote green and low-carbon production and lifestyles to become the conscious pursuit of the entire society.

The "Two Mountains" concept is China's, and it is also the world's.
On July 14th, local time, at the United Nations Headquarters in New York (纽约), USA, a special event on China's "Two Mountains" concept promoting sustainable development was held within the framework of the United Nations High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development. Representatives from various countries and international organizations attended, listening to China's voice of harmonious coexistence between humans and nature.

In recent years, China's ecological civilization concept, represented by the "Two Mountains" concept, has gained widespread recognition and high praise internationally.

——In 2013, the United Nations Environment Programme Governing Council meeting adopted a draft decision to promote China's ecological civilization concept.

——In 2016, the United Nations Environment Programme (联合国环境规划署) released the report "Lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets: China's ecological civilization strategy and action," promoting China's path to ecological civilization.

——In 2018, Erik Solheim (索尔海姆), then United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme, expressed high appreciation for the "Two Mountains" concept after inspecting Zhejiang (浙江): "We hope to bring these experiences to countries around the world and use them to inspire countries to improve their ecological environment."

The "Two Mountains" concept has resonated more with China and the world. "China is becoming a leader in promoting the global transition towards ecological civilization." Andrew Schwartz (安德鲁·施瓦兹), Vice President of the Institute for Ecological Civilization in the United States (美国生态文明研究院), said that China, by integrating the concept that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets into all areas of ecological civilization construction, provides a convincing alternative in development models. "This leadership is timely, visionary, and inspiring."

"In this era of climate crisis, biodiversity loss, and intertwined ecological pressures, 'lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets' should become a universal creed of global ecological governance. This is not only Chinese wisdom, but also a human consensus," said Patrick Nijs (帕特里克·奈斯), former Belgian Ambassador to China (比利时前驻华大使).

"We want both lucid waters and lush mountains, and invaluable assets. We would rather have lucid waters and lush mountains than invaluable assets, and lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets." President Xi Jinping's (习近平) solemn declaration inspires people and illuminates the future. In the magnificent practice, the "Two Mountains" concept demonstrates a powerful force of truth and practical power.

The "Two Mountains" concept originates from China and faces the world, guiding the beautiful Chinese dream of harmonious coexistence between humans and nature to steadily become a reality, and will surely make new contributions to building a community with a shared future for mankind and protecting the Earth's homeland.

(According to Xinhua News Agency (新华社), Beijing (北京), August 14)

Return to Top

Harbin Builds New Strengths in "Ice City Manufacturing" (Striving Forward, Decisively Winning the "14th Five-Year Plan")

By: 本报记者  崔  佳  祝大伟

The single-unit capacity of 1 million kilowatt hydro-turbine generating sets is world-leading, and the palm-sized "aerospace-grade piezoelectric fast-steering mirror" helps satellites record high-definition solar flares... "Ice City Manufacturing" in Harbin (哈尔滨), an old industrial base in Heilongjiang Province (黑龙江省), continues to innovate and shine with new brilliance.

In September 2023, General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) emphasized during his inspection in Heilongjiang (黑龙江): "We must base ourselves on the existing industrial foundation, steadily promote the high-quality development of advanced manufacturing, accelerate the upgrading of traditional manufacturing, leverage the incremental role of scientific and technological innovation, comprehensively enhance the three industries, and continuously optimize the economic structure and adjust the industrial structure."

With scientific and technological innovation leading the comprehensive revitalization of industry, Harbin (哈尔滨) is optimizing and improving its industrial chain, expanding industrial clusters, and building new advantages for "Ice City Manufacturing."

Promoting the transformation and upgrading of traditional manufacturing, "Ice City Manufacturing" is undergoing a complete transformation—

In the digital workshop for processing and assembling heavy-duty steam turbine equipment at Harbin Electric Corporation Turbine Company (哈尔滨电气集团汽轮机公司), manufacturing information is clearly displayed on the screen of the "smart brain." "With digital empowerment, the company's total profit in the first half of the year increased by 25.2% year-on-year, and output increased by 49.8% year-on-year," said Zhang Hongtao (张宏涛), Deputy General Manager of the Turbine Company.

Main equipment for coal power and nuclear power, as well as heavy-duty gas turbines, account for 1/3 of the total domestic installed capacity, and large hydropower units account for half of the total domestic installed capacity... Harbin Electric Corporation (哈尔滨电气集团) is taking advantage of "digital" to transform and upgrade, demonstrating the strength of a "national heavy equipment."

Harbin (哈尔滨) is focusing on digital and intelligent transformation as a means to enhance the competitiveness of high-end equipment manufacturing. In 2024, the pilot work for new technological transformation of manufacturing cities continued to advance, with industrial technological transformation investment in the city increasing by 49.5% year-on-year, and the revenue of the high-end equipment manufacturing industry increasing by 18.5% year-on-year.

Innovation leads the development of strategic emerging industries, and "Ice City Manufacturing" is improving quality in new directions—

At the Advanced Technology Research Institute of Harbin Institute of Technology (哈尔滨工业大学先进技术研究院), the magnetic levitation conveying system of Harbin Feimi Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd. (哈尔滨飞米智能科技有限公司) has entered the second-generation testing and production phase. "The first-generation product has been applied, and the second-generation product is about to be launched on the market," introduced Liu Lu (刘路), Manager of the Comprehensive Department of the company, adding that the technology originated from the scientific research team of Harbin Institute of Technology (哈尔滨工业大学).

The Advanced Technology Research Institute of Harbin Institute of Technology (哈尔滨工业大学先进技术研究院) is fully committed to building a "full-factor," "full-chain," and "one-stop" ecological system for the transformation of scientific and technological achievements, promoting the transformation of scientific and technological achievements from samples to products. As of now, the research institute has established more than 30 new enterprises relying on the scientific research team of Harbin Institute of Technology (哈尔滨工业大学) and has more than 60 high-quality projects in reserve.

Based on the advantages of university scientific research resources, Harbin (哈尔滨) focuses on strategic emerging industries such as aerospace, electronic information, high-end equipment, and biomedicine, integrates scientific and technological innovation resources, and builds an innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem. Last year, the city locally transformed 1,080 scientific and technological achievements, realizing industrialization investment of 9.38 billion yuan, and the number of high-tech enterprises reached 3,041.

Continuously extending, supplementing, and strengthening the chain, "Ice City Manufacturing" is developing in clusters—

At the 2025 World Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Conference, the Platinum Shadow T1400 tandem heavy-duty unmanned aerial vehicle refreshed the record of United Aircraft Group (联合飞机集团) with 1,300 intended orders. "This is a new product we developed and manufactured in Harbin (哈尔滨)," said Tian Gangyin (田刚印), Chairman of United Aircraft Group (联合飞机集团), adding that the talent and supporting facilities needed for enterprise development can be met here.

With three enterprises, AVIC Harbin Aircraft Industry Group (航空工业哈飞), China Aero Engine Dong'an (中国航发东安), and Northeast Light Alloy (东北轻合金), as the leading enterprises, Harbin (哈尔滨) has gathered more than 100 industrial core supporting enterprises, building a full industrial chain layout covering general aviation aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, satellites, and engines. The Harbin Aviation Cluster (哈尔滨航空集群) has been selected as a national advanced manufacturing cluster.

With the industrial chain extending to the upstream and downstream, Harbin's (哈尔滨) high-end equipment industry, aerospace industry, and advanced metal materials industry are developing in clusters. In 2024, the output value of Harbin's (哈尔滨) energy conservation and environmental protection, aerospace, and new energy industries increased by 22.5%, 7.6%, and 10.3% year-on-year, respectively.

"We must firmly remember General Secretary Xi Jinping's (习近平) earnest entrustment, anchor the foundation of high-quality development in the real economy, continuously accelerate the construction of a new type of industrialization base, and reshape new advantages for revitalization and development," said Yu Hongtao (于洪涛), member of the Standing Committee of the Heilongjiang Provincial Party Committee (黑龙江省委常委) and Secretary of the Harbin Municipal Party Committee (哈尔滨市委书记).

Return to Top

Announcement of the State Council's Decision on Amending the Regulations on the Administration of Entry and Exit of Foreigners in the People's Republic of China

Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, August 14th (Xinhua) -- Premier of the State Council Li Qiang (李强) recently signed a State Council decree, announcing the "Decision of the State Council on Amending the Regulations of the People's Republic of China on the Administration of Entry and Exit of Foreigners" (中华人民共和国外国人入境出境管理条例) (hereinafter referred to as the "Decision"), which will come into effect on October 1, 2025.

The "Decision" consists of two articles, stipulating the following content:

First, it stipulates that a new K-visa category will be added to the ordinary visa categories, issued to foreign young science and technology talents entering the country.

Second, it stipulates that applications for K-visas should meet the conditions and requirements for foreign young science and technology talents stipulated by the relevant competent departments of the Chinese government, and submit corresponding supporting materials.

Return to Top

Accelerating the Cultivation of New Drivers for High-Quality Development

By: 本报记者 谷业凯 王 珂

Moving Towards New and Better: An Inevitable Requirement for High-Quality Development.

　　New quality productive forces, scientific and technological innovation, industrial innovation, urban renewal... these are all manifestations of moving towards new and better. Examining their essence reveals new development concepts and a new development pattern.

　　General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) emphasized: "We must adhere to the general principle of seeking progress while maintaining stability, fully and accurately implement the new development philosophy, and accelerate the construction of a new development pattern."

　　The meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee (中共中央政治局) held on July 30 pointed out: "Adhere to using scientific and 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 scientific and technological innovation and industrial innovation."

　　Innovative China, full of vitality; moving towards the new, achieving far-reaching goals through quality. "Striving to climb with a spirit of self-improvement, everywhere is filled with ever-changing creations."

　　
Creating New Engines——

　　Increasing the supply of high-quality technology and using scientific and technological innovation to lead the development of new quality productive forces.

　　The meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee (中共中央政治局) pointed out: "Adhere to using scientific and technological innovation to lead the development of new quality productive forces."

　　The experiment is entering a critical stage—the entire process of internal short circuits in solid-state batteries has been precisely captured at 5,000x magnification using transmission electron microscopy. In July of this year, Wang Chunyang (王春阳), a researcher at the Institute of Metal Research of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (中国科学院金属研究所), led a team to successfully reveal the short-circuit mechanism of solid-state batteries, providing a theoretical basis for the development of new solid-state batteries.

　　"We found that during the transport of lithium ions, defects in the solid electrolyte induce the formation of lithium dendrites, which penetrate to form micron-scale conductive channels, causing the 'soft short circuit' to eventually evolve into a 'hard short circuit,' leading to battery failure," said Wang Chunyang (王春阳).

　　Recently, domestic solid-state battery research has made several advances: the Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (中国科学院青岛生物能源与过程研究所) has developed a new type of sulfide solid electrolyte, and the China Institute of Atomic Energy (中国原子能科学研究院) has jointly solved the problem of visualizing lithium element detection with Tsinghua University (清华大学)... The breakthrough in the "first kilometer" of original innovation is accelerating the transition of solid-state batteries from the laboratory to application.

　　Achieving high-quality development requires relying on scientific and technological innovation to cultivate new driving forces. In recent years, China's supply of high-quality technology has continuously increased, and its supporting role has been significantly enhanced.

　　During the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, a number of major achievements that are well-known and highly regarded in the world mark China's technological climb to new heights: the first domestically produced electromagnetic catapult aircraft carrier Fujian (福建舰) was launched, the first Chinese space station "Tiangong" (天宫) was fully completed and put into operation, the world's first fourth-generation nuclear power plant Shidaowan (石岛湾) base was put into commercial operation, "Chang'e-6" (嫦娥六号) achieved humanity's first sample return from the far side of the moon, and the first domestically produced large aircraft C919, developed in accordance with international airworthiness standards, achieved commercial flight...

　　Currently, China's R&D expenditure accounts for nearly 2.7% of its GDP, exceeding the EU average and approaching the average level of OECD countries; as of the end of June this year, the number of valid domestic invention patents reached 5.01 million, a year-on-year increase of 13.2%.

　　"China has the world's largest R&D personnel team and the world's largest number of top 100 science and technology innovation clusters, which inject inexhaustible power into innovative development," said Zhang Linshan (张林山), a researcher at the Macroeconomic Research Institute of the National Development and Reform Commission (国家发展改革委宏观经济研究院).

　　Driven by scientific and technological innovation, new momentum, new vitality, and new advantages are accumulating, supporting the stability of the overall high-quality economic development.

　　The transformation of achievements is accelerating and improving, forming more real productive forces——

　　Three years ago, the "USTC Silicon Valley" (科大硅谷), an innovation and entrepreneurship platform promoted by the government and led by industry, was founded in Hefei (合肥), Anhui (安徽). Today, it has gathered more than 7,000 technology-based enterprises and technology innovation service institutions, attracting and cultivating equity investment funds with a total scale exceeding 250 billion yuan.

　　"We are accelerating the cultivation of a 'fund jungle,' shifting from looking at assets to 'looking at the future'; establishing a 'special team + campus ambassador + technology manager' team to promote the 'removal of scientific and technological achievements from bookshelves and onto shelves'," said Wu Hailong (吴海龙), chairman of USTC Silicon Valley (科大硅谷).

　　Shaanxi (陕西) leverages the transformation source advantages of "Qin Chuang Yuan" (秦创原), Shandong (山东) supports thousands of small and medium-sized enterprises to jointly innovate with universities and research institutes, and Liaoning (辽宁) has sorted out more than 4,400 achievements for promotion to enterprises... In the first half of this year, nearly 410,000 technology contracts were registered nationwide, with a transaction value of more than 3 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 14.2%. The accelerated pace of technology achievement transformation allows technology supply and industrial demand to "meet in both directions."

　　The deepening of reform is clearing the blockages that hinder the development of new quality productive forces——

　　Beijing's (北京) talent evaluation reform has broken the "one-size-fits-all" approach, Shanghai (上海) supports enterprises in strengthening basic research, and Hubei's (湖北) innovative points franchise institutions have achieved full coverage of cities and states... From supporting original innovation to strengthening talent cultivation, from advocating organized scientific research to improving the evaluation system, the vitality of innovation and creation is fully flowing, laying a solid foundation for the development of new quality productive forces.

　　Guo Chunli (郭春丽), vice president of the China Academy of Macroeconomic Research (中国宏观经济研究院), said that the better-than-expected economic growth rate in the first half of this year implies long-term factors, and the in-depth implementation of the innovation-driven development strategy has provided long-term and strong support for China's stable economic growth. Several foreign institutions, including Citibank, UBS Group, Goldman Sachs Group, and JPMorgan Chase, believe that China's economic development momentum continues to strengthen, and the positive trend is expected to continue in the second half of the year.

　　
Shaping New Advantages——

　　Transforming and upgrading traditional industries, cultivating and strengthening emerging industries, and planning and building future industries.

　　The meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee (中共中央政治局) pointed out: "Accelerate the cultivation of emerging pillar industries with international competitiveness, and promote the deep integration of scientific and technological innovation and industrial innovation."

　　"High-quality development cannot be separated from innovation-driven and industrial support." A modern industrial system is the material and technical foundation of a modern country.

　　Developing new quality productive forces in accordance with local conditions, transforming and upgrading traditional industries, cultivating and strengthening emerging industries, and planning and building future industries are equally important and should advance simultaneously.

　　"The acid rolling production line has more than 10 processes, involving more than 100 parameters, and it was difficult to calculate the specific production cost in the past," said Tao Xin (陶歆), a technical expert at the Cold Rolling Mill of Guangxi Liuzhou Iron and Steel Group Co., Ltd. (广西柳州钢铁集团有限公司). With the help of DingTalk's (钉钉) "Digital Intelligence Steel Coil AI Assistant," they accurately discovered that the production cost of 0.8 mm thick steel plates on the second acid rolling production line is 13 yuan lower than other specifications, and it is more cost-effective to choose the second acid rolling production line for strip steel production below 1.2 mm, and the yield rate can also be improved.

　　We cannot produce less and less, but we can produce better and better. Last year, Liugang's (柳钢) R&D investment intensity reached 3.6%, and it developed 38 new products, forming 203 core patents.

　　"The transformation and upgrading of traditional industries can also develop new quality productive forces." The revitalized and outstanding traditional industries have a more solid role as a "ballast stone" for stabilizing growth. In the first half of this year, the added value of China's equipment manufacturing industry drove the growth of all large-scale industries by 3.4 percentage points, and industries such as steel, non-ferrous metals, and building materials accelerated the promotion of digital transformation.

　　On August 4, China used the Long March 12 carrier rocket (长征十二号运载火箭) at the Hainan Commercial Space Launch Site (海南商业航天发射场) to successfully launch the satellite Internet low-orbit 07 group of satellites. Only 5 days have passed since the last successful launch at the launch site. This satellite was developed by GalaxySpace (银河航天), which is the first time that a Chinese commercial aerospace company has developed this type of satellite in batches and undertaken major national launch missions.

　　Since the beginning of this year, commercial aerospace has ushered in a double turning point of "technological breakthrough" and "scale explosion": the test and experiments of new models of commercial rockets such as Zhuque-3 (朱雀三号) and Hyperbola-3 (双曲线三号) have been successively successful, Qianfan Constellation (千帆星座) and GW Constellation (GW星座) are accelerating deployment, and the Hainan Commercial Space Launch Site (海南商业航天发射场) has entered a stage of normalized launches and is building the second phase of the project...

　　"The once 'high and cold' aerospace technology is now entering thousands of industries and expanding application scenarios with the power of the market," 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).

　　Commercial aerospace, an "opportunity" for emerging industries and a "high ground" for global competition. China, with its ever-changing climate, is showing unprecedented development potential in this emerging industrial field. At present, the number of Chinese commercial aerospace companies has increased to more than 500, and the market size is expected to exceed 2.5 trillion yuan this year.

　　In the first half of this year, the added value of China's large-scale high-tech manufacturing industry increased by 9.5% year-on-year, driving the growth of the added value of all large-scale industries by 1.5 percentage points. As of the end of June, the number of valid invention patents in China's strategic emerging industries reached 1.472 million, which is 2.2 times that of the end of the "13th Five-Year Plan".

　　Not long ago, the "Tianyan" (天衍) quantum computing cloud platform independently developed by China Telecom Quantum Group (中电信量子集团) was officially stationed in the National Supercomputing Internet (国家超算互联网). Through deep integration with supercomputing, it will accelerate breakthroughs in fields such as artificial intelligence and drug research and development.

　　Future industries are breeding new business prospects and market opportunities. "We have established a long-term differentiated assessment mechanism to promote the scaling and practical application of quantum technology," said Lü Pin (吕品), secretary of the Party Committee and chairman of China Telecom Quantum Group (中电信量子集团).

　　In today's Chinese economy, new technologies are constantly emerging, new industries are accumulating, and new business formats are booming. The innovation "potential energy" is continuously transforming into economic "kinetic energy". Bloomberg (彭博社) predicts that the proportion of China's high-tech industry in GDP will increase to 19% in 2026.

　　"Industrial innovation is the core support for high-quality development. Only by leading industrial changes with innovation can we promote the effective improvement of economic quality and the rational growth of quantity, and provide strong impetus for building a modern industrial system," said Liu Dongmei (刘冬梅), secretary of the Party Committee of the China Institute for Science and Technology Policy (中国科学技术发展战略研究院).

　
Opening Up New Spaces——

　　Cultivating new growth points for consumption, and developing new business formats, new scenarios, and new models.

　　The meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee (中共中央政治局) pointed out: "While expanding commodity consumption, cultivate new growth points for service consumption" and "Implement the spirit of the Central Urban Work Conference and carry out urban renewal with high quality."

　　Recently, BMW's (宝马) global information technology R&D center was established in Nanjing (南京), Jiangsu (江苏). At the same time, BMW (宝马) is also cooperating with Tsinghua University (清华大学) to explore cutting-edge technologies such as AI and solid-state battery technology. Gao Xiang (高翔), a person in charge of BMW Group (宝马集团), said: "The needs of Chinese user groups are influencing the trends of global user behavior."

　　Domestic demand is the "weathervane" of industrial upgrading and the "ballast stone" of high-quality development. Foreign companies are shifting from building factories to "settling in R&D," and IP, creativity, and standards are shifting from "coming from the world" to "going to the world." The Chinese market is full of "new ideas."

　　The newness of the Chinese economy lies in constantly opening up new spaces and tapping new potential.

　　JD.com's (京东) MALL Beijing Shuangjing store (北京双井店) attracts a large number of customers with new trendy experiences such as "cyber live streaming" and interactive check-ins. The business district also has functional areas such as a digital entertainment park, an assembly experience area, and a family game area. "It's very technological and more interesting than going to the mall before," said consumer Wu Jun (吴俊).

　　In the past four years, the average contribution rate of final consumption to China's economic growth has reached 56.2%, an increase of 8.6 percentage points compared with the "13th Five-Year Plan" period. New products, new business formats, and new models are emerging in the field of consumption. In 2024, the added value of China's "three new" economy will exceed 24 trillion yuan. "Smart +" is widely welcomed by consumers, well-known IP derivatives have become a "traffic password," the debut economy is still hot, and city walks and Chinese tea drinks have become fashionable trends.

　　In the first half of this year, supported by policies to expand domestic demand, China's consumer market performed actively, with online retail sales of physical goods increasing by 6.0% year-on-year, and retail sales of new energy passenger vehicles increasing by 33.3%.

　　Service consumption has become a new highlight. In the first half of this year, service retail sales increased by 5.3% year-on-year, and markets such as tourism and performances continued to be popular. Driven by super IPs such as "Nezha" (哪吒), the national box office exceeded 29.2 billion yuan, an increase of more than 20% year-on-year.

　　Service consumption is connected to the economy on one end and people's livelihoods on the other. Expanding service consumption has significant practical and long-term significance. "Looking ahead to the second half of the year, we need to create new service business formats and new scenarios, and cultivate new growth points for service consumption," said Hong Yong (洪勇), deputy researcher at the Research Institute of the Ministry of Commerce (商务部研究院).

　　Opening up new demand spaces, cultivating new growth points, and developing new business formats and new services... The Chinese economy is reconstructing its growth logic with "domestic circulation as the mainstay."

　　Carrying out urban renewal with high quality can not only improve urban functions and quality, but also give full play to the city's hub role in the domestic and international dual circulation.

　　Fiber optic sensors are embedded in the revetment blocks of the Guanhe Ancient Canal (官河古道) to monitor water quality changes in real time. Combined with a microporous ecological regulation system, the river's self-purification ability is greatly improved. On the river bank, a metaverse block built with AR (augmented reality) technology restores ancient commercial trade scenes, and tourists can interact with virtual vendors by scanning codes... In Taizhou (台州), Zhejiang (浙江), urban renewal has activated new consumption scenarios, and the daily passenger flow of Guanhe Ancient Canal (官河古道) during holidays has exceeded 100,000.

　　In Pudong (浦东), Shanghai (上海), the parking information query function reduces the time to find parking spaces by 40%; in Weifang (潍坊), Shandong (山东), underground municipal infrastructure is managed by a "smart brain"; the old industrial and mining city of Huangshi (黄石), Hubei (湖北) has been transformed into a "life show"... Cities are organic carriers of innovation, and the improvement of urban functions is an important support for cultivating and developing new driving forces.

　　In the view of Mei Yaolin (梅耀林), executive director of the Urban Planning Society of China (中国城市规划学会), cities should not only achieve efficient aggregation of elements, precise adaptation of systems, and deep coordination of subjects, but also transcend the traditional allocation of spatial resources and promote innovation incubation and kinetic energy conversion.

　　*** ***

　　"After a long period of hard work, China's innovation power and development vitality are surging."

　　Creating new engines, shaping new advantages, and opening up new spaces, the "newness" of the Chinese economy is not only the determination to anchor high-quality development as the primary task, but also the unwavering confidence to manage our own affairs well.

　　Adhering to the core position of innovation in the overall situation of China's modernization construction, deeply implementing the innovation-driven development strategy, accelerating the development of new quality productive forces, and accelerating the integrated development of education, science and technology, and talent, China's high-quality economic development will continue to open up new horizons and new prospects. A China that is moving towards the new is bound to be a prosperous China. Such a China also means more certainty, future, and opportunities.

　　(Reporters Li Junjie (李俊杰), Yu Sinan (喻思南), and Liu Hongchao (刘洪超) participated in the writing of this report)

Return to Top

Photo Report

The 2025 Shanghai Book Fair and "Reading China" Shanghai Week will be held from August 13th to August 19th. This year's book fair will for the first time establish a "dual main venue" at the Shanghai Exhibition Center (上海展览中心) and the Shanghai Book City Fuzhou Road Store (上海书城福州路店), and will hold a series of special activities such as key book promotion meetings, new book launches, and lectures by famous experts, bringing a rich reading experience to readers.

The picture shows readers selecting books at the Shanghai Exhibition Center (上海展览中心).

Photo by Ma Weiqin (马伟勤) (Image China (影像中国))

Return to Top

Forged in Blood and Fire: A Profound Friendship

By: 本报记者  陈振凯  钱一彬  李  洋

Fourteen years of unyielding mountains and rivers, victory did not come easily. August 15th is forever worthy of remembrance.

Eighty years ago on this day, Japan announced its unconditional surrender. Eighty years later, by the Lugou Bridge (卢沟桥) in Beijing (北京), the Museum of the War of Chinese People's Resistance Against Japanese Aggression stands solemn and silent.

Inside the museum, artifacts and photographs allow people to relive the bloody battles of the Chinese military and civilians, and appreciate the international friends who joined hands. Many visitors stopped in front of a set of interactive camera installations, completing a trans-temporal photo with John Rabe, a German friend who protected the Chinese people during the Nanjing Massacre.

"The victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression is a great victory for the Chinese people fighting side by side with the anti-fascist Allied countries and the people of all countries." Since the new era, General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) has repeatedly told the stories of Chinese and foreign people supporting each other and fighting side by side on the world anti-fascist battlefield.

The deep friendship forged in the trials of blood and fire, life and death, is stronger than gold and lasts longer than ever.

International friends actively provided assistance.

"Their touching deeds and noble character will always be remembered in the hearts of the Chinese people."

Looking back at the years of the War of Resistance, countries and people, international organizations, and other anti-fascist forces that loved peace and justice in the world provided valuable assistance and support to the Chinese people in various forms.

The Soviet Aid-China Aviation Team "soared through the skies" over Nanjing (南京), Wuhan (武汉), Chongqing (重庆), and other places to intercept Japanese invaders. More than 2,000 Soviet pilots shared the same hatred with the Chinese people. Soviet Flying Grand Captain Kulichenko was one of them.

"He said emotionally: 'I experience the suffering of the Chinese working people as I experience the disaster of my motherland.'" On March 23, 2013, local time, President Xi Jinping (习近平) told the story of Kulichenko in a speech at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations.

In battle, Kulichenko and his teammates were brave and fearless, inflicting heavy blows on the Japanese invaders. When training Chinese pilots, he was patient and meticulous. Before taking off, he would watch the pilot sit in the cockpit and step on the brakes before sitting in the front cabin himself. After landing, he would carefully review the flight, sometimes flying three or four times in a row to correct deviations.

In October 1939, Kulichenko led the Soviet Aid-China Aviation Team bomber squadron in a surprise attack on the Japanese-occupied Hankou (汉口) Airport, severely damaging the Japanese army. On the way back, Kulichenko's plane was intercepted by the enemy, and one of the engines was hit. He was shot in the chest and left shoulder. When flying over Wanxian (万县) (now Wanzhou District (万州区), Chongqing (重庆)), the fuselage lost its balance. At a critical moment, in order to protect the warplane and the people on the ground, Kulichenko resolutely gave up parachuting and chose to make a forced landing on the Yangtze River (长江) in the Chenjiaba (陈家坝) area of Wanxian (万县). He was subsequently swept away by the rapid river and died at the age of 36.

The "Flying Tigers," which General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) has mentioned several times, is officially known as the American Volunteer Group of the Chinese Air Force. During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, General Chennault led American volunteers to the Chinese battlefield and formed this heroic team. The Flying Tigers not only directly fought against the Japanese invaders, but also built the Hump Route to transport urgently needed supplies to China.

Because it had to fly over the Himalayas, the Hump Route was full of dangers. At that time, the navigation system was not well developed, and pilots needed to navigate manually; the weather conditions on the route were complex and changeable, and strong air currents, low air pressure, and hail could cause the plane to stall in flight at any time; the Japanese army often sent fighter planes to intercept them, and also launched air raids on the airports where the Flying Tigers landed... More than 1,000 Chinese and American crew members died on this route.

"We filled the cabin with everything that could be loaded into the plane, including gasoline, machinery, etc., and transported it to Kunming (昆明), China, and other places after about three and a half hours of flight." Jay Vinyard, a pilot on the Hump Route, had carried out 87 round-trip missions.

On the smoke-filled battlefield, anti-fascist fighters from various countries worked together with the Chinese people to fight side by side. At critical moments of life and death, many international friends stepped forward to help those in need, demonstrating the brilliance of human nature.

John Rabe is a German friend loved by the Chinese people. President Xi Jinping (习近平) praised him for "having great love for life and pursuing peace."

In December 1937, the Japanese invaders invaded Nanjing (南京) and created the Nanjing Massacre, a horrific tragedy. At a critical moment, Rabe contacted more than a dozen other foreigners in China and jointly formed the International Committee for the Nanjing Safety Zone, serving as its chairman.

"I came to this Eastern country when I was in my twenties, and I spent the best years of my youth happily in this country. My children and grandchildren were born here, my career has been successful here, and I have always been treated kindly by the Chinese people... I cannot betray their trust in me, this trust is touching," said Rabe.

Rabe risked his life to establish the "Nanjing Safety Zone," providing refuge for more than 250,000 Chinese people. He recorded the details of the Nanjing Massacre in his diary, which became one of the most important and detailed historical materials for accusing the crimes of the Japanese army.

In March 2014, at the commemorative conference for the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France in Paris, France, President Xi Jinping (习近平) specifically mentioned the French doctor Bussière.

At the foot of the Western Hills (西山) in Beijing (北京), a Sino-Western architectural building is hidden in the quiet mountains and forests. This place is called "Bussière's Garden," which was both Bussière's former residence and a medical practice. Having lived in China for more than 40 years, Bussière served as the president of Beijing St. Michel Hospital and a school doctor at Peking University (北京大学). Under his persuasion, the French government expanded the scale of St. Michel Hospital and opened this hospital, which once only served foreigners in China, to the Chinese people. Bussière used his identity not only to cover and help international anti-fascist friends such as Michael Lindsay, underground members of the Chinese Communist Party, and patriotic youths to cross the Japanese blockade line, but also to transport urgently needed medicines to the Chinese anti-Japanese soldiers.

"In the beginning, he could use his car to transport medicine, but later the Japanese military restricted traffic in Beiping (北平) and changed gasoline to rationed supply, and the car quickly ran out of gas. So, he and his driver risked their lives to continue delivering medicine by bicycle, and persisted until the end of the war," said Bussière's son, Bishi Tao (贝石涛).

Strength is gathered in joint battles, and hope is passed on in life and death. The more difficult the moment, the more precious the friendship of international friends is highlighted. "Their touching deeds and noble character will always be remembered in the hearts of the Chinese people!"

Chinese sons and daughters are duty-bound.

"Join hands and step into the same trench, gathering the powerful force to **挽狂澜于既倒** (wǎn kuáng lán yú jì dǎo - "save the mad waves from overturning," to turn the tide; to save a desperate situation)."

On the world anti-fascist battlefield, in that life-and-death battle between light and darkness, freedom and slavery, Chinese sons and daughters were duty-bound to extend a helping hand to all peace-loving people in the world, jointly safeguarding human civilization and justice in the world.

Sacrificing oneself and forgetting oneself, leaving heroic feats in foreign lands—

General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) once mentioned the anti-Japanese general Dai Anlan (戴安澜), paying tribute to this anti-Japanese hero and national hero.

In early 1942, the Chinese Expeditionary Force went to Myanmar. Dai Anlan (戴安澜), commander of the 200th Division, led his troops to engage in a bloody battle with the Japanese army, which was several times larger than his own, in Tonggu (同古). He took the lead in making a will: as long as there is still a soldier, he must hold on to the end. If this division commander dies in battle, the deputy division commander will replace him, and if the deputy division commander dies, the chief of staff will replace him... All levels of commanders in the division followed suit, vowing to coexist with Tonggu (同古).

During the 12-day Battle of Tonggu (同古), the 200th Division repelled more than 20 Japanese attacks, killing more than 4,000 enemies and capturing more than 400 enemies, inflicting heavy damage on the enemy.

In May 2015, President Xi Jinping (习近平) mentioned the Chinese female journalist Hu Jibang (胡济邦) in an article published in the Russian newspaper Rossiyskaya Gazeta.

In 1935, Hu Jibang (胡济邦) was sent to work at the Embassy of the National Government in the Soviet Union, serving as a news commissioner and a reporter for the magazine Sino-Soviet Culture in the Soviet Union. She was present on the battlefields of Moscow, Stalingrad, and Leningrad.

"The German army concentrated more than one million elite troops to implement the 'Typhoon' operation against Moscow, and planes bombed wildly, dropping bombs as many as falling leaves in autumn..." Traveling through gunfire and walking through ruins, Hu Jibang (胡济邦) wrote a batch of on-the-spot communication works; "On Gorky Street, an air force hero was surrounded by a dozen female students with flowers..." Witnessing the joy of victory, Hu Jibang (胡济邦) captured touching moments and told moving stories.

Advancing wave upon wave, doing everything possible to help the army of justice—

"At the most critical moment of the Great Patriotic War of the Soviet Union, 'Eastern Sorge' - Yan Baohang (阎宝航), an outstanding underground worker of the Chinese Communist Party, provided the Soviet side with first-hand information." On May 7 this year, President Xi Jinping (习近平) told the story of Yan Baohang (阎宝航) in an article published in the Russian newspaper Rossiyskaya Gazeta.

On June 22, 1941, German fascists launched a full-scale attack on the Soviet Union, and the Soviet Patriotic War broke out on this day. This coincided with the information sent by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China to the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, especially two important pieces of information, which came from Yan Baohang (阎宝航).

In May 1941, Yan Baohang (阎宝航) tried every means to learn that the German fascists would attack the Soviet Union around June 20, and promptly notified the top Soviet leaders through the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, so that the Soviet Red Army could buy time and enter combat readiness early.

In the struggle against fascism, the Chinese people always helped the forces of justice at the cost of their lives, radiating moral brilliance.

On November 15, 2023, in a speech at a joint welcoming banquet of American friendly groups, President Xi Jinping (习近平) told the story of the Chinese people "risking their lives to rescue American soldiers."

On April 18, 1942, Lieutenant Colonel Doolittle of the U.S. Army led 16 B-25 bombers to raid Japan. After completing the mission, due to insufficient fuel, Lieutenant Colonel Doolittle and other pilots abandoned their planes and parachuted in China. A total of 64 pilots were bravely rescued by Chinese soldiers and civilians they did not know, and were able to escape danger.

Some local villagers used deck chairs to carry the wounded pilots home and made hot noodles with the only eggs they had for the wounded. An American pilot who participated in the Doolittle Raid has always been grateful to the Chinese friends who risked their lives to save people that year, and often said: "The Chinese people value friendship. They are not rich, but they took out everything and gave it to us."

With the help of local villagers, the crew members escaped several Japanese searches. At a critical moment, the villagers even disregarded their own safety and let the American pilots escape alone. After the Doolittle Raid, the Japanese army retaliated wildly, massacring 250,000 Chinese civilians as a result.

Faced with fascist aggression, the Chinese people united with the people of more than 50 countries, forging an unbreakable fighting friendship, "joining hands and stepping into the same trench, gathering the powerful force to **挽狂澜于既倒** (wǎn kuáng lán yú jì dǎo - "save the mad waves from overturning," to turn the tide; to save a desperate situation)."

Deep friendship transcends time and space.

"Join hands to strive for a brighter future for the destiny of mankind."

Remembering the heroic achievements, friendship transcends time and space.

On September 2, 2015, in the Golden Hall of the Great Hall of the People in Beijing (北京), the awarding ceremony of the Commemorative Medal for the 70th Anniversary of the Victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression was held here. Ten foreign veterans and old friends were awarded commemorative medals. Among them, General Ma A. Gareyev, President of the Russian Academy of Military Sciences, participated in battles such as the liberation of Mudanjiang (牡丹江).

Ten years later, on May 7 this year, President Xi Jinping (习近平) mentioned in a signed article that in the past few years, General Gareyev, Major General Shudrov, and other veterans have passed away one after another, "I deeply mourn them."

"From generals to privates, we will never forget all the veterans who have made outstanding contributions to the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War! Heroes are immortal, and righteousness will last forever!" The words were sonorous and powerful.

Driving exchanges and interactions, friendship takes root and sprouts.

In Xishan (西山) Park in Wanzhou District (万州区), Chongqing (重庆), a Chinese-Russian bilingual white marble tombstone stands quietly among the green pines and cypresses. Tan Zhonghui (谭忠惠) and her son Wei Yingxiang (魏映祥) have taken over the task of guarding Kulichenko's tomb for 67 years. The tree that the old woman Tan Zhonghui (谭忠惠) planted for Kulichenko by hand that year is now towering into the sky.

In Quzhou (衢州), Zhejiang (浙江), the Doolittle Raid Memorial Hall located in the Shuitingmen (水亭门) Historical and Cultural Block records the righteous deeds of the Chinese people. The descendants of the American soldiers who were rescued that year have crossed mountains and seas many times to visit the old place and express their respect. In 1992, five rescuers from Quzhou (衢州) were invited to Red Wing, Minnesota, USA, to participate in commemorative activities. Quzhou (衢州) has since become a sister city with Red Wing.

Helping cooperation and development, friendship continues to write new chapters.

In Almaty, Kazakhstan, there is a street named after the Chinese musician Xian Xinghai (冼星海) - Xian Xinghai Avenue. Not far away is a street named after the Kazakh musician Bakhdzhan Baikadamov.

In 1942, Xian Xinghai (冼星海) traveled to Almaty. When he was alone, poor, and sick, Baikadamov accepted him and provided him with a warm home. Here, Xian Xinghai (冼星海) created famous musical works such as National Liberation, Sacred War, and Man Jiang Hong. Based on a large number of folk songs collected by Baikadamov, Xian Xinghai (冼星海) also created the symphonic poem Amangeldy based on the deeds of the Kazakh national hero Amangeldy, inspiring people to fight against fascism.

Today, from agricultural machinery and equipment in oasis cotton fields to training and exchanges in Luban Workshops, from green seedlings in the depths of the desert to full containers at docks and ports, Sino-Kazakh cooperation is flourishing everywhere.

In the war years, facing a common enemy.

In today's era, sharing the vision of peace and development.

Eighty years ago, "for freedom, justice, and peace, for the safety, tranquility, and happiness of the people," the Chinese people, together with the people of the world, completely defeated fascism and achieved the great victory of justice over evil, light over darkness, and progress over reaction. They shared life and death, shouldered blood and fire together, and forged deep friendship.

Eighty years later, the world is undergoing profound changes, and unilateralism, hegemony, and bullying are causing serious harm. Whether to unite or split, dialogue or confrontation, win-win or zero-sum, mankind is once again standing at a crossroads. "Resolutely oppose all forms of hegemonism and power politics," "jointly promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind," and "join hands to strive for a brighter future for the destiny of mankind." Mutual respect, equal treatment, peaceful development, and common prosperity are the right paths in the world.

*** ***

Forging the strength of **众志成城** (zhòng zhì chéng chéng - "unity is strength," when people are united, they can accomplish anything), condensing the friendship of shared destiny.

The Chinese people, together with peace-loving countries and people in the world, are determined to be guardians of historical memory, partners in development and revitalization, and defenders of international fairness and justice, and will unremittingly strive to create a better future for mankind.

Return to Top

China accounts for 60% of global AI patents

This newspaper's Beijing (北京) dispatch on August 14th (Reporter Wang Yunshan (王云杉)): This reporter learned on August 14th from the National Data Administration (国家数据局): After years of continuous hard work, the digital field has broken through a number of key core technologies. China's (中国) comprehensive strength in artificial intelligence has achieved an overall and systematic leap, with the number of artificial intelligence patents accounting for 60% of the global total. Breakthroughs are constantly being made in areas such as humanoid robots and smart terminals. Integrated circuits are accelerating their layout, forming a complete industrial chain covering design, manufacturing, packaging, testing, materials, and equipment.

During the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, China's (中国) digital infrastructure has achieved considerable development. As of the end of June this year, the total number of 5G base stations reached 4.55 million, the number of gigabit broadband users reached 226 million, and the total scale of computing power ranks second in the world.

China's (中国) data industry is developing rapidly, with a large market space, and has become a new growth point for the development of the digital economy. Research data from the National Data Development Research Institute (国家数据发展研究院) shows that in 2024, the number of data enterprises nationwide exceeded 400,000, and the scale of the data industry reached 5.86 trillion yuan, an increase of 117% compared with the end of the "13th Five-Year Plan." It is expected that it will still maintain a high growth level in the next few years. An industrial ecosystem characterized by in-depth data mining and integrated applications, algorithm computing power, and high data integration is taking shape. According to estimates, in 2024, the average R&D investment of listed data companies increased by 79% compared with the end of the "13th Five-Year Plan," and the innovation vitality of the industrial chain continues to increase.

(Related reports on page two)

Return to Top

Introduction

Learning from Experts' Discussions on Volume I of "Xi Jinping's Selected Works on Ecological Civilization" (习近平生态文明文选)

Leading the Paradigm Innovation of Agricultural Development with Xi Jinping's Thought on Ecological Civilization (习近平生态文明思想)

Ninth Edition

The Story of an Anti-Japanese War Veteran Recounting the Victory

August 15th, Forever Worth Remembering

Eighth Edition

Selected Photographic Works of "There is a River in Front of My House"

China in Lucid Waters and Lush Mountains

Fourteenth and Fifteenth Editions

Return to Top

Significant Achievements in Building a Digital China (Authoritative Release: High-Quality Completion of the "14th Five-Year Plan")

By: 本报记者 王云杉

During the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, China has firmly grasped the development opportunities of digitalization, networking, and intelligentization, comprehensively deepened the market-oriented allocation reform of data elements, accelerated the coordinated transformation and development of digitalization and greening, and promoted the construction of Digital China to achieve remarkable achievements. At the theme press conference on "High-Quality Completion of the '14th Five-Year Plan' " held by the State Council Information Office (国务院新闻办) on August 14, Liu Liehong (刘烈宏), Director of the National Data Administration (国家数据局), introduced that China's digital infrastructure is in a world-leading position in terms of scale and technology. As of the end of June this year, the total number of 5G base stations reached 4.55 million, the number of gigabit broadband users reached 226 million, and the total scale of computing power ranked second in the world, which strongly promoted economic and social development.

Digital Services Benefit More People

1.07 Billion People Received Electronic Social Security Cards

During the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, digital intelligence technology accelerated its application, changing people's production and lifestyle as well as social governance methods. Chen Ronghui (陈荣辉), Deputy Director of the National Data Administration (国家数据局), said that the number of Internet users in China has reached 1.123 billion, the Internet penetration rate has reached 79.7%, and digital services are benefiting more people.

Public services are more inclusive and convenient. Smart medical services have expanded and accelerated, with the annual service volume of Internet hospitals across the country exceeding 100 million, the number of national medical insurance code users exceeding 1.2 billion, and direct settlement of cross-provincial medical treatment benefiting 560 million people. Digital education has expanded and upgraded, and China has built the world's largest and most resource-rich National Smart Education Platform (国家智慧教育平台). Digital social security has expanded and increased efficiency, with 1.07 billion people across the country receiving electronic social security cards, covering more than 75% of the population. The Yangtze River Delta (长三角), Chengdu-Chongqing (成渝) and other city clusters have gradually realized the interconnection of "one card" regional services. Digital elderly care services have achieved positive results, and the National Elderly Care Service Information Platform (全国养老服务信息平台) has been launched to promote efficient connection between supply and demand of elderly care service resources.

Digital life is more beautiful and intelligent. In terms of smart cultural tourism, the digital transformation completion rate of national 5A-level tourist attractions has reached 100%, and the application of new technologies such as digital twins and virtual reality makes thousands of years of civilization "within reach." In terms of smart communities, services such as "one-click" help for the elderly are "at your fingertips," and applications such as home intelligent health management and remote consultation make community life warmer. In terms of digital consumption, new digital consumption formats and products such as instant retail, intelligent connected vehicles, and micro-dramas have emerged, continuously releasing new consumption potential.

Social governance is more precise and efficient. Government services are being promoted in depth through "one network," application scenarios for "efficiently handling one matter" are becoming increasingly rich, and the convenience of people's affairs is constantly improving; "one network management" for urban operation is continuously deepening, applications such as intelligent early warning of natural disasters have achieved practical results, and smart governance and resilience security capabilities have been comprehensively enhanced; the effectiveness of "one network sharing" of public services has been improved, cross-departmental and cross-level data sharing and business collaboration have been continuously deepened, and the application of scenarios for exemption from application and enjoyment in the fields of life services and enterprise services has been continuously enriched.

Chen Ronghui (陈荣辉) introduced that the National Data Administration (国家数据局) will give full play to the amplification, superposition, and multiplication effects of data elements, promote the digital transformation and intelligent upgrading of public services, digital life, and social governance, and form more achievements in the construction of a digital society.

Data Application Scenarios Are Constantly Enriched

70 Demonstration Scenarios Covering Agriculture, Medical Care and Other Fields

As one of the core elements of artificial intelligence development, data plays a key role in promoting the "Artificial Intelligence +" action. "During the '14th Five-Year Plan' period, the whole society's understanding of the importance of data resources, the construction of data resource management systems, and the effectiveness and level of development and utilization have all reached a new height," Chen Ronghui (陈荣辉) said.

Data application scenarios are constantly enriched. Medical insurance departments use massive data analysis to accurately identify clues of fraud and **骗保** (piàn bǎo - "fraudulently obtain insurance," illegally claiming insurance benefits), effectively ensuring the safety of medical insurance funds; some cities carry out government-enterprise data cooperation to achieve intelligent regulation of road traffic lights, helping to solve congestion problems; clothing companies use consumer data to carry out personalized design and production, from design order to production to delivery, the fastest only takes 3 to 7 days... Taking scenarios as the traction, the National Data Administration (国家数据局) has created brands such as "Data Element ×" and "Public Data 'Running'," and has released 70 demonstration scenarios, covering key industries and fields such as smart agriculture, medical health, and transportation logistics, forming a batch of tangible and accessible application results.

The supply of data resources is more open. In terms of public data, policies related to resource registration, authorized operation, and price mechanisms have been issued and implemented, and the resources, products, and services registered on the national registration platform are growing rapidly, currently covering more than 78 major categories of the national economy, providing convenient and authoritative channels for finding and using data. In terms of enterprise data, the action to improve the efficiency of data in state-owned enterprises has been implemented, pressing the "acceleration key" for enterprises to promote data development and opening.

In terms of high-quality data set construction, as of the end of June this year, China has built more than 35,000 high-quality data sets. "Next, the National Data Administration (国家数据局) will continue to promote the construction of high-quality data sets through systematic layout, and accelerate the creation of data highlands in key areas such as embodied intelligence, low-altitude economy, and biomanufacturing," Liu Liehong (刘烈宏) said.

More and More Data Enters the Market

The Number of New Data Products Launched in the First Half of the Year Increased by 70% Year-on-Year

The "Decision" of the 20th Third Plenary Session of the Communist Party of China (党的二十届三中全会) proposed to "cultivate a national unified technology and data market" and "build and operate national data infrastructure."

"More and more data entering the market is the result of promoting the market-oriented allocation reform of data elements, and it is also a microcosm of the rise of the data market," Shen Zhulin (沈竹林), Deputy Director of the National Data Administration (国家数据局), introduced the new changes in the data market.

In the first half of this year, the main data trading institutions launched 3,328 new data products, an increase of 70% year-on-year. Among them, the data supply in the field of artificial intelligence performed brightly, and the number of high-quality data set products launched in the first half of the year increased by 2.8 times year-on-year. In the second quarter of this year, the main data trading institutions added more than 2,600 new supply and demand entities. At the same time, a number of enterprises engaged in data labeling, governance, and trading services are also growing rapidly, and some third-party data service institutions have grown from scratch, and their professional level has been continuously improved.

In terms of "hardware construction," the "National Data Infrastructure Construction Guidelines" (国家数据基础设施建设指引) was issued, and the innovative pilot of trusted data space was actively carried out. In terms of "soft environment," the mutual recognition and interconnection of data trading institutions was promoted, and data products have been "listed in one place and mutually recognized nationwide" in Beijing (北京), Shanghai (上海), Zhejiang (浙江) and other places.

Xia Bing (夏冰), Deputy Director of the National Data Administration (国家数据局), said that the construction of data infrastructure started last year. In response to the difficulties in the data field such as "difficulty in finding and using data," "difficulty in large-scale circulation," and "difficulty in cross-domain processing," the National Data Administration (国家数据局) organized innovative explorations of six technical routes such as trusted data space. "The construction of data infrastructure is still in its initial stage. Facing the '15th Five-Year Plan,' we will further focus on high-quality standard construction, large-scale facility deployment, and market-oriented ecological operation, and continue to build a convenient, efficient, autonomous, secure, and world-leading national-level data infrastructure to effectively support digital economic development, technological innovation, and the construction of a unified national market," Xia Bing (夏冰) said.

Return to Top

Disaster Prevention and Loss Reduction: Insurance Options for Farmers (Information Service Desk)

By: 本报记者 屈信明

In recent times, many areas have experienced heavy rainfall, leading to flooded farmlands and damaged farmhouses and machinery in some places. In response to extreme weather, what protections can insurance provide for farmers? What is the current status of claims settlements? How can the quality and efficiency of underwriting and claims services be further improved? Recently, reporters interviewed experts and relevant officials from financial regulatory departments, the Insurance Association of China (中国保险行业协会), and insurance institutions.

What is the current status of compensation in disaster-stricken areas?

During the critical "seventh and eighth months" flood season, financial regulatory departments are guiding insurance institutions in various regions to promptly conduct surveys and loss assessments, optimize claims processes, and ensure prompt, full, and reasonable advance compensation.

In Inner Mongolia (内蒙古), the full cost insurance and planting income insurance for the three major grain crops and soybeans cover the high-risk areas of this round of heavy rain. The insured amount for major grain-producing counties has increased from 300 to 600 yuan per mu to 900 to 1200 yuan per mu. After the disaster, underwriting institutions used "drone + artificial intelligence loss assessment" to quickly verify the damage to crops. As of now, local insurance institutions have paid related claims of 389 million yuan, involving 147,300 farmers.

Beijing (北京) has increased the promotion of full cost insurance and planting income insurance. In Miyun District (密云区), which was heavily affected by heavy rainfall, the cumulative insured amount of policy-based agricultural insurance from January to May this year reached 820 million yuan, covering 107,300 mu of planting and 187,700 heads of breeding. After the disaster, insurance institutions mobilized manpower and resources to rush to the disaster-stricken areas to assist in rescue and provide insurance claims. As of 12:00 on August 11, insurance institutions in the jurisdiction had cumulatively accepted 7,085 reports of extraordinarily heavy rain in the city, including 377 agricultural insurance reports, of which 191 have been compensated.

The Hebei (河北) Financial Regulatory Bureau promoted non-discriminatory rescue, unified loss assessment, and mutual recognition of results within the insurance industry. It used satellite remote sensing, drones, and on-site surveys to accurately monitor crop disasters and improve the efficiency of survey and loss assessment. As of August 6, agricultural insurance had accepted related loss reports estimating 158 million yuan, with 40.74 million yuan already paid out.

What types of insurance can provide targeted protection for farmers?

The "Implementation Plan for High-Quality Development of Inclusive Finance in the Banking and Insurance Industries," released in June this year, proposed developing insurance for local advantageous and characteristic agricultural products based on local conditions, developing farmland insurance, farm housing insurance, and agricultural machinery insurance, and constructing a multi-level agricultural insurance product system.

This year, the central government continues to provide agricultural insurance premium subsidies for 16 major agricultural products in three categories: planting, breeding, and forestry. In addition, the central government arranges a certain amount of funds each year to support local advantageous and characteristic agricultural product insurance through reward-based policies.

In addition to policy-based agricultural insurance jointly supported by the central and local governments, various regions have introduced regional weather index insurance, price index insurance, and other products based on local conditions. Some places have actively expanded the coverage of agricultural property and personal insurance products, customized exclusive insurance for farmhouses, agricultural machinery, high-standard farmland, and storage facilities, and launched farm employer liability insurance and short-term farmer personal accident insurance.

The "Guiding Opinions on Strengthening the Construction and Management of Rural Housing," released last year, encouraged local governments and financial institutions to actively carry out pilot projects for farm housing insurance, focusing on promoting the farm housing catastrophe insurance system in earthquake-prone areas, areas with high incidence of geological disasters, and areas prone to frequent and severe flooding.

In terms of agricultural machinery insurance, various regions have conducted explorations: Yuyao (余姚), Zhejiang (浙江), has launched an agricultural machinery insurance service section in a related WeChat mini-program, which can provide insurance for agricultural tractors, combine harvesters, grain dryers, plant protection drones, etc. Jinan (济南), Shandong (山东), has launched "Agricultural Machinery Insurance," which allows flexible selection of insurance periods, setting diversified insurance periods such as 30 days and 90 days to solve the pain point of high premiums for annual insurance. Handan (邯郸), Hebei, promotes policy-based agricultural machinery insurance, covering tractor transportation units and agricultural machinery losses, third-party liability, operator liability, etc., with premium subsidies provided by the provincial, municipal, and district levels. In addition, some insurance institutions have launched agricultural plant protection drone aviation product liability insurance, which can compensate for damage to the drone itself and crop losses and personal injuries caused during flight.

What are the shortcomings in strengthening the agricultural insurance protection network?

Agricultural insurance has played a positive role in enhancing farmers' income security and promoting high-quality agricultural development. At the same time, problems such as delayed compensation, reluctant compensation, "average compensation," and "agreed compensation" still occur from time to time. "Efforts should be made to regulate claims behavior, promote technological empowerment, and strengthen data sharing," suggested Tuo Guozhu (庹国柱), a professor at the Capital University of Economics and Business (首都经贸大学).

In recent years, new technologies such as remote sensing, big data, and the Internet of Things have accelerated their application, effectively helping agricultural insurance reduce costs, increase efficiency, and improve service levels. However, the application of remote sensing technology in agricultural insurance lacks relevant standards and norms, leading to situations where the accuracy of loss assessment results is questionable and not accepted, which restricts its development and promotion. The Insurance Association of China (中国保险行业协会) and the China Agricultural Risk Management Research Association recently released a series of standards, clarifying the remote sensing application specifications for insurance of four types of crops: rice, wheat, corn, and cotton. Tuo Guozhu (庹国柱) believes: "Insurance institutions should further standardize data acquisition and processing, underwriting remote sensing verification, and disaster loss remote sensing assessment according to this series of standards to provide more accurate underwriting verification and disaster loss assessment services." To improve the accuracy and efficiency of agricultural insurance claims, data sharing should be strengthened in various fields. Relevant departments should establish a data sharing mechanism and share data information such as land contracting and transfer, planting and breeding, epidemic prevention and quarantine, and harmless treatment, provided data security is ensured. Meteorological departments can share meteorological disaster data with insurance companies to provide support for insurance claims.

In addition, when disasters occur, individual places require insurance companies to "backdate" compensation for farmers who have not purchased insurance, or to carry out average compensation. To a certain extent, this damages the agricultural insurance ecosystem and is not conducive to the sustainable and healthy development of agricultural insurance. The National Financial Regulatory Administration (金融监管总局) and other departments jointly issued the "Notice on Promoting Accurate Underwriting and Claims Settlement of Agricultural Insurance and Other Related Matters" at the end of last year, proposing that local government departments should strengthen their understanding of the laws of agricultural insurance, and shall not interfere with the normal underwriting and claims settlement of insurance companies, and shall not require insurance companies to reduce or exempt premiums, advance premiums, compensate for losses without disasters, average compensation, or agreed compensation. Experts said that in the operation of agricultural insurance, the government should clarify the boundaries of its own behavior, and insurance companies should also standardize claims settlement procedures, combine their own operating capabilities, and formulate claims settlement cycle thresholds for different types of insurance to avoid delayed compensation and reluctant compensation, and strive to achieve accurate claims settlement.

Return to Top

World Robot Athlete Games Attract Over 500 "Athletes"

Beijing, August 14th (People's Daily reporter Wang Haonan (王昊男) and Kong Qingyuan (孔庆元)) The world's first comprehensive competition with humanoid robots as the main participants - the 2025 World Humanoid Robot Games opened in Beijing (北京) on the 14th. This Games has 26 events, including sports scenarios, as well as factories, hospitals, hotels and other scenarios, attracting 280 teams and more than 500 humanoid robots from 16 countries and regions to participate in the competition. The event is co-sponsored by the Beijing Municipal Government (北京市政府), China Media Group (中央广播电视总台), the World Robot Cooperation Organization, and the RoboCup Asia-Pacific International Council.

Return to Top

"Two Mountains" Theory Changes China and Leads the Era

By: 新华社记者

August 15th marks the third National Ecology Day and the 20th anniversary of the "Two Mountains" theory.

Twenty years ago on this day, Xi Jinping (习近平), then Secretary of the Zhejiang Provincial Party Committee, visited Yucun Village (余村) in Anji (安吉) for inspection and research, and first proposed the scientific thesis that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets."

Following the scientific guidance of the "Two Mountains" theory, the changes in Yucun (余村) are now vastly different from the past, and the beauty of China is changing with each passing day. As the core concept of Xi Jinping's (习近平) ecological civilization thought, the "Two Mountains" theory has not only profoundly changed China, but also gathered consensus and pointed out the path for global exploration of harmonious coexistence between humans and nature.

(I) Cultural Heritage and People's Sentiment

After a rain shower, Yucun (余村) is lush with vegetation and filled with the long chirping of cicadas. Looking up, the mountainside is misty and beautiful, a picturesque scene of Jiangnan (江南).

More than 20 years ago, this small mountain village located in northern Zhejiang (浙江) presented a different picture: if there was a mine, mountains were blasted and rocks were quarried; if there was water, sewage was discharged directly. For a time, dust filled the air and streams became turbid...

Continuing on the old path was unsustainable; finding a new path was uneasy and confusing. That afternoon, in the sweltering heat, the small village committee meeting room was packed.

"We closed the mines and polluting enterprises through democratic decision-making," reported Bao Xinmin (鲍新民), then the village Party branch secretary, his voice lowered, appearing somewhat hesitant.

"Your closure of the mines and factories is a wise move!" Xi Jinping (习近平) said with a smile, decisively and clearly, "In the past, we talked about both lucid waters and lush mountains, and invaluable assets. In fact, lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets. They themselves have value."

These few words brightened everyone's spirits and brought sudden clarity.

The important assertion that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" clarifies the relationship between economic development and ecological environmental protection, reveals the principle that protecting the ecological environment is protecting productivity, and improving the ecological environment is developing productivity, and points out a new path for achieving coordinated and symbiotic development and protection.

"I lived in a small village on the Loess Plateau (黄土高原) in China for many years. At that time, the ecological environment there was damaged, and the lives of the people were also mired in poverty. I realized then that harm to nature would ultimately harm humanity itself." During his seven years as an educated youth, the awareness of ecological environmental protection took root in the heart of the young Xi Jinping (习近平). The profound philosophical thinking about protection and development contained in the "Two Mountains" theory has its origins.

In Liangjiahe (梁家河) in Shaanxi (陕西), using limited conditions to build silt dams and biogas digesters on the ecologically fragile Loess Plateau (黄土高原) to improve the living environment; in Zhengding (正定) in Hebei (河北), wading across the sandy Hutuo River (滹沱河) with a bicycle on his shoulder, "I wanted to manage this Hutuo River (滹沱河) at that time, to prevent floods and build dams"; in the land of Fujian (八闽大地), unable to help but exclaim "I come from the north, and I feel that every blade of grass and every stone in Xiamen (厦门) is very precious"; on the banks of the Huangpu River (黄浦江), planning Shanghai's (上海) industrial "restructuring and upgrading," clearly pointing out that "industrial development should do 'addition,' energy and resource consumption should do 'subtraction,' and ecological environmental protection should become a prerequisite for economic development."

Looking at mountains, looking at water, looking at forests, looking at fields, looking at lakes... Since the new era, General Secretary Xi Jinping's (习近平) inspection and research footprints have spread all over the country, and "ecology" and "protection" have always been high-frequency words, and the grand vision of the "Two Mountains" theory has been consistently implemented.

On the shore of Erhai Lake (洱海) in Yunnan (云南), carefully inspecting the ecological protection wetland, leaving a "photo for posterity" agreement, earnestly exhorting: "We must protect Erhai Lake (洱海) well, so that the natural beauty of 'the Cangshan Mountains (苍山) are a thousand-autumn painting without ink, and Erhai Lake (洱海) is a ten-thousand-ancient zither without strings' will forever remain in the world."

In the Ma'anshan Forest Farm (马鞍山林场) in Chifeng City (赤峰市), Inner Mongolia (内蒙古), he urged the forest rangers to build a solid ecological security barrier in northern China and guard this green, this blue, and this purity.

Revisiting Yucun (余村) in March 2020, seeing the changes in the village, he emphasized: "Practice has proved that economic development cannot be at the expense of destroying the ecology. The ecology itself is the economy, and protecting the ecology is developing productivity."

When trees and plants flourish, the country prospers.

A good ecological environment is the fairest public product and the most inclusive benefit for the people's livelihood. General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) profoundly pointed out: "For human survival, gold and silver mountains are certainly important, but lucid waters and lush mountains are an important part of the people's happy life and cannot be replaced by money. If you earn money, but the air and drinking water are not up to standard, what happiness is there to speak of?"

From an educated youth in a rural brigade to the top leader of the Party and the state, Comrade Xi Jinping's (习近平) natural sentiment and people's sentiment have not changed and have become even more profound.

The "Two Mountains" theory and Xi Jinping's (习近平) ecological civilization thought, with it as its core concept, are a vivid interpretation of the "two combinations."

Faced with the ecological crisis, Marxism warns us: "If man conquers natural forces through science and creative genius, then natural forces also retaliate against man."

The "Two Mountains" theory inherits and develops the Marxist theory of "natural productivity," contains and promotes the excellent traditional Chinese culture, and profoundly reveals the inherent laws and essential requirements of harmonious coexistence between humans and nature.

On May 4, 2018, at the meeting commemorating the 200th anniversary of Marx's birth, General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) particularly emphasized that to learn from Marx, we must learn and practice Marxism's thoughts on the relationship between man and nature.

Chinese civilization has been passed down for more than 5,000 years, and it formed a simple and wise view of nature very early on.

"Draining the pond to catch all the fish, wouldn't you get something? But there will be no fish next year; burning the forest to cultivate the fields, wouldn't you get something? But there will be no animals next year," "One does not fish with a net, nor shoot birds in their nests"... In January 2016, at the seminar for leading cadres at the provincial and ministerial level to study and implement the spirit of the Fifth Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee, General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) readily cited ancient sayings that accumulated the rich ecological wisdom of traditional Chinese culture.

"'These 'two mountains' should be regarded as a development concept and an ecological culture,'" in "Zhejiang Xin Yu" (之江新语), Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) clarified the profound implications of the "Two Mountains" theory, including environmental protection, economic development, and cultural cultivation.

The "Two Mountains" theory, a scientific conclusion that conforms to the laws of human social development and meets the people's expectations for a better life, has long flown out of Yucun (余村), blossomed and borne fruit on the land of China, and become the ideological consensus and conscious action of the entire Party and society.

Guided by the "Two Mountains" theory, China unswervingly follows the path of green development, vigorously promotes theoretical innovation, practical innovation, and institutional innovation in ecological civilization, and promotes historical, transformative, and comprehensive changes in ecological environmental protection.

(II) Dialectical Thinking and Systematic Planning

Unlike the Western modernization that follows the logic of productivity development solely subordinate to capital, the "Two Mountains" theory clearly states that ecological environmental protection and economic development are not contradictory but dialectically unified.

"Lucid waters and lush mountains are by no means opposed to invaluable assets. The key lies in people, the key lies in ideas," General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) said, revealing the key.

An important orientation of the "Two Mountains" theory is to abandon development models that damage or even destroy the ecological environment, and to abandon the short-sighted practice of sacrificing the environment in exchange for temporary development. At the same time, it emphasizes that only by laying a good foundation for green development can there be rapid progress in future development.

General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) profoundly pointed out that "ecological civilization construction is a millennium plan related to the sustainable development of the Chinese nation," "It is impossible for us to build a modern country by following the old path of the United States and Europe. Even if there were several more Earths, it would not be enough for the Chinese people to consume," emphasizing that "we must calculate the big picture, the long-term picture, the overall picture, and the comprehensive picture."

In Hainan (海南), he proposed "to take protecting the ecological environment as the fundamental foothold for Hainan's (海南) development"; in Yunnan (云南), he urged "to promote high-quality economic development, we must never take the old path of polluting first and then treating"; in Guizhou (贵州), he emphasized that "a good ecological environment is Guizhou's (贵州) greatest development advantage and competitive advantage"...

John Bellamy Foster, a well-known American Marxist ecological scholar, pointed out in his "Ecological Civilization and Ecological Revolution: An Ecological Marxist Perspective" that China's ecological civilization concept is not only fundamentally opposed to the essence of capitalism, but also completely transcends the environmental protection concepts advocated by Western societies.

The Yangtze River (长江) and the Yellow River (黄河) are the mother rivers of the Chinese nation, and General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) is deeply concerned about them.

To promote the development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt, it is clear that "for a considerable period of time to come, we must put the restoration of the Yangtze River's (长江) ecological environment in an overwhelming position, jointly grasp major protection, and not engage in large-scale development";

Regarding the development of the Yellow River Basin, it is emphasized that "the connotation of the Yellow River (黄河) Basin development must be clearly defined, not that economic development is not allowed, but that ecological protection of the Yellow River (黄河) must be an important background basis."

Following the guidance of General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平), our country's mountains are greener, the water is clearer, and our homes are more beautiful. The forest coverage rate exceeds 25%; the proportion of national surface water sections with water quality of Class I to III is 90.4%; and the proportion of days with excellent air quality in cities at the prefecture level and above is 87.2%.

Of course, protecting lucid waters and lush mountains does not mean not developing, but developing better. The "Two Mountains" theory emphasizes generating wealth from green, shaping new green momentum and new advantages for economic development.

At the 2021 National People's Congress, at the deliberation site of the Inner Mongolia (内蒙古) delegation. When Zhou Yizhe (周义哲), a forest worker from the Greater Khingan Range (大兴安岭) forest area, mentioned the effectiveness of the implementation of the natural forest protection project, General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) responded: "The total ecological value you mentioned is the concept of green GDP, which shows that the ecology itself is value."

The General Secretary further pointed out: "This includes not only the value of the forest itself, but also the green lung effect, and it can also bring tourism, under-forest economy, and so on."

In General Secretary Xi Jinping's (习近平) view, lucid waters and lush mountains are not only natural wealth and ecological wealth, but also social wealth and economic wealth. A good ecology itself can continuously create comprehensive benefits and achieve sustainable economic and social development.

The "Two Mountains" theory vividly interprets the interdependent and unified relationship between ecological environmental protection and economic development, and has become a new guide leading and promoting green development.

In Gaoxigou (高西沟), Yulin (榆林), Shaanxi (陕西), generations of villagers have taken photos of cliffs, built embankments, dug ditches, and built retaining walls, planting apple trees, jujube trees, apricot trees, and walnut trees, no longer the old days of "bare mountains and frequent disasters every year."

Yibin (宜宾), Sichuan (四川), the "First City of the Yangtze River (长江)," has transformed its former factories into Yangtze River Parks (长江公园). In the distance, the Sanjiang New Area (三江新区) is changing with each passing day, and some companies have extended their industries to new chemical materials and new energy battery materials, embarking on new industrial tracks.

More than a month ago, a reply letter excited the villagers of Gala Village (嘎拉村), Linzhi Town (林芝镇), Bayi District (巴宜区), Linzhi City (林芝市), Tibet (西藏). "I am happy to learn that there have been new changes in the village in recent years and that the income of the villagers has increased," General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) expressed in his letter his earnest hope to "protect the natural beauty of the snowy plateau and make the 'Peach Blossom Village' brand even brighter."

People who live up to the green mountains will surely be rewarded by the green mountains. Under the guidance of General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平), all localities have thoroughly implemented the concept that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets, adhered to the integrated protection and systematic management of mountains, rivers, forests, fields, lakes, and grasslands, and strived to embark on a path of coordinated ecological and economic development and harmonious coexistence between humans and nature.

(III) Innovation, Reform, and Sustained Efforts

Walking into Jiewen Village (捷文村), Wuping County (武平县), Longyan City (龙岩市), Fujian Province (福建省), the streams are gurgling, and the lush greenery is refreshing. On the big stone at the entrance of the village, the words "Source of National Forest Reform Policy" are particularly eye-catching.

"In those days, we were groping for reform, and both cadres and the masses were uneasy. It was Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平), who was then the governor of the province, who came to investigate and affirm our exploration in a timely manner, which gave us peace of mind." Zhong Taifu (钟泰福), who is now in his 60s, was once the village Party branch secretary of Jiewen Village (捷文村) and has witnessed the village's efforts to promote the collective forest tenure system reform.

Zhong Taifu (钟泰福) said that before the forest reform, the property rights of the village's forests belonged to the collective. The local people were accustomed to relying on the mountains for a living, and the behavior of indiscriminate logging was difficult to control. Even when there was a mountain fire, many people just waited for the village cadres to put out the fire.

On June 21, 2002, Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平), then Governor of Fujian Province (福建省), went to Wuping County (武平县) for investigation and research, and clearly pointed out that "the collective forest tenure system reform should shift from the foot of the mountain to the mountain like the household contract responsibility system," which determined the direction of the forest reform.

The clarification of ownership stimulated the enthusiasm of the masses. With the mountains fixed with rights, the trees fixed with roots, and the people fixed with hearts, Wuping (武平) accelerated the development of under-forest industries, and the Wuping (武平) forest reform experience was quickly promoted throughout the province.

In June 2008, the CPC Central Committee and the State Council issued the "Opinions on Comprehensively Promoting the Collective Forest Tenure System Reform," and the collective forest tenure system reform was officially promoted to the national level.

Today, Jiewen Village (捷文村) has planted Chinese herbal medicines such as purple ganoderma, and raising chickens and bees is also in full swing. It has built the "I Have Green Mountains" theme pavilion and launched projects such as ganoderma picking festivals and ecological research and study. From 2001 to 2024, the per capita disposable income of villagers in Jiewen Village (捷文村) increased from 1,600 yuan to 35,750 yuan.

Development raises questions, and reform provides answers.

On the banks of the scenic Xin'an River (新安江), there is a chemical enterprise, which is a microcosm of the local vigorous development of the circular economy. On April 23, 2003, and September 5, 2005, Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平), then Secretary of the Zhejiang Provincial Party Committee, went to Zhejiang Xin'an Chemical Group Co., Ltd. (浙江新安化工集团股份有限公司) twice to inspect and affirm the company's recycling technology, praising it as a concrete manifestation of the circular economy.

"We recover chloromethane from the glyphosate production process for the production of organosilicon monomers, and then recover hydrochloric acid from the organosilicon monomer production for the production of glyphosate." The head of the enterprise said that under the guidance of the concept of circular economy, Xin'an (新安) shares have further promoted technological iteration, industrial agglomeration, and system upgrades, embarking on a new path of transformation and upgrading from a traditional chemical enterprise to a modern manufacturing enterprise.

In "Zhejiang Xin Yu" (之江新语), there is an article published on September 15, 2006, in which Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) clearly pointed out: "Only by taking the path of technology-led, resource-saving, and environment-friendly development can we realize the transformation from 'exchanging the environment for growth' to 'optimizing the environment for growth'."

Protecting the ecological environment must rely on systems and the rule of law.

Revising and implementing the "strictest" Environmental Protection Law in history, and issuing a number of ecological environmental protection laws such as the Soil Pollution Prevention and Control Law, the Yangtze River Protection Law (长江保护法), the Yellow River Protection Law (黄河保护法), and the Wetland Protection Law... Since the new era, China's ecological environmental rule of law construction has entered a "fast lane," demonstrating the Party Central Committee's determination to protect lucid waters and lush mountains with the strictest system and the most stringent rule of law.

Starting from solving prominent ecological environmental problems, China has introduced the "Ten Measures for Air," "Ten Measures for Water," and "Ten Measures for Soil," from eliminating outdated coal, steel, and cement production capacity, to promoting clean heating transformation in northern regions, to adhering to source prevention and control, promoting comprehensive water environment management, and reducing the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and controlling soil environmental risks, making continuous efforts and **久久为功** (jiǔ jiǔ wéi gōng - "achieve success through persistent effort," persistent effort leads to success).

With a series of measures working together, China has become the country with the fastest improvement in air quality in the world, and the appearance of rivers and lakes has also undergone fundamental changes.

More greenery is spreading across the country. From ecological products to ecological tourism, from horizontal ecological compensation to the establishment and improvement of trading mechanisms for carbon emission rights, sewage discharge rights, water use rights, and carbon sink rights, the path to realizing the value of ecological products is constantly explored and deepened, and the path of generating wealth from green is becoming wider and wider.

Faced with the severe challenge of global climate warming, President Xi Jinping (习近平) solemnly promised the world: China strives to peak carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and strives to achieve carbon neutrality before 2060.

China has incorporated carbon peaking and carbon neutrality into the overall layout of ecological civilization construction, and has successively released the "1+N" policies under the "dual carbon" goals, accelerated the development of new energy sources such as wind power and photovoltaics, and strived to promote green and low-carbon production and lifestyles to become the conscious pursuit of the entire society.

The "Two Mountains" theory is China's and the world's.
On July 14th, local time, in New York (纽约), USA, at the United Nations Headquarters (联合国总部), a special event on China's "Two Mountains" concept promoting sustainable development was held within the framework of the United Nations High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development. Representatives from various countries and international organizations attended, listening to China's voice of harmonious coexistence between humans and nature.

In recent years, China's ecological civilization concept, represented by the "Two Mountains" concept, has gained widespread recognition and high praise internationally.

——In 2013, the United Nations Environment Programme (联合国环境规划署) Governing Council meeting adopted a draft decision to promote China's ecological civilization concept.

——In 2016, the United Nations Environment Programme (联合国环境规划署) released the report "Lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets: China's ecological civilization strategy and action," promoting China's path to ecological civilization.

——In 2018, Erik Solheim (索尔海姆), then Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (联合国环境规划署), after inspecting Zhejiang (浙江), expressed high appreciation for the "Two Mountains" concept: "We hope to bring these experiences to countries around the world and use them to inspire countries to improve the ecological environment."

The "Two Mountains" concept has created more resonance between China and the world. "China is becoming a leader in promoting the global transition towards ecological civilization." Andrew Schwartz (安德鲁·施瓦兹), Vice President of the Institute for Ecological Civilization in the United States, said that China, by integrating the concept that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets into all areas of ecological civilization construction, provides a convincing alternative in development models. "This leadership is timely, visionary, and inspiring."

"In this era of intertwined climate crisis, biodiversity loss, and ecological pressure, 'lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets' should become a universal creed of global ecological governance. This is not only Chinese wisdom but also should be a consensus of mankind," said Patrick Nijs (帕特里克·奈斯), former Belgian Ambassador to China.

"We want both lucid waters and lush mountains, and invaluable assets. We would rather have lucid waters and lush mountains than invaluable assets, because lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets." General Secretary Xi Jinping's (习近平) solemn declaration inspires people and illuminates the future. In the magnificent practice, the "Two Mountains" concept demonstrates the powerful force of truth and the great power of practice.

The "Two Mountains" concept originates from China and faces the world, guiding the beautiful China dream of harmonious coexistence between humans and nature to steadily become a reality, and will surely make new contributions to building a community with a shared future for mankind and protecting the Earth's homeland.

(According to Xinhua News Agency (新华社), Beijing (北京), August 14th)

Return to Top

Confront History, Safeguard Peace

By: 本报记者  朱玥颖

Last August, Shiro Eio (清水英男), a former member of the "Boy's Team" of the Unit 731 (731部队) of the Japanese Imperial Army, went to Harbin (哈尔滨市), Heilongjiang Province (黑龙江省), to identify the crimes of the Japanese Imperial Army at the Unit 731 site and repented before the "Monument of Atonement and Peace."

Recently, 95-year-old Shiro Eio (清水英男) said in an interview with this reporter that returning to China fulfilled his long-cherished wish. As a former member of the "Boy's Team" of the Unit 731 (731部队) of the Japanese Imperial Army, he has lived in remorse for decades. He hopes that the Japanese government will see and value his actions, face up to history, safeguard peace, and not repeat the mistakes of war.

"After leaving Unit 731 (731部队), nightmares have haunted me"

Influenced by his carpenter father, Shiro Eio (清水英男) liked to do handicrafts since he was a child, making model airplanes, repairing radios, and even participating in handicraft competitions. Shiro Eio (清水英男) recalled: "In 1945, I was 14 years old. One day in January of that year, perhaps because I was good at handicrafts, the school teacher talked to me and said that he wanted to recommend me to Harbin (哈尔滨) as an apprentice technician. At that time, I thought I was going to a factory in Harbin (哈尔滨), but the result was very different from what I expected. In March 1945, I enlisted as a boy soldier, and on August 14 of the same year, I fled back to China with the defeated army."

Shiro Eio (清水英男) witnessed the barbaric acts of Unit 731 (731部队) and saw infant specimens in the specimen exhibition room. He was also "experimented on" and ate steamed buns containing bacteria provided by the army. Before fleeing with the army, he received instructions to pick up unburned human bones in a special prison, move explosives, and destroy the evidence of Unit 731 (731部队). "In just a few months, I witnessed the horrific and hellish scenes created by Unit 731 (731部队), and these scenes became my lifelong nightmare." Shiro Eio (清水英男) told reporters that since the birth of his first child, "every time I heard the child crying at night, the scene in the specimen exhibition room of Unit 731 (731部队) would flash in my mind, as if those dead children were crying."

"The Japanese Imperial Army Unit 731 (侵华日军第七三一部队) committed unprecedented national-level crimes in Chinese history." This is the inscription on the "Monument of Atonement and Peace." This stone tablet was funded by Japanese civil friendly people in 2011 to commemorate the people who suffered in the crimes of Unit 731 (731部队), express their prayer for peace, and deeply reflect on the war.

Last August, Shiro Eio (清水英男) returned to Harbin (哈尔滨) and repented before the "Monument of Atonement and Peace," finally fulfilling his long-cherished wish. "At that time, the scene of myself in the 'Boy's Team' of Unit 731 (731部队) appeared in my mind. I put my hands together, bowed deeply to the stone tablet, and said, 'I sincerely apologize and atone to the Chinese victims.'" Shiro Eio (清水英男) told this reporter.

"Completing the trip to China, I took a great risk. Japanese right-wing forces have repeatedly opposed my return to China to apologize. At first, my heart was full of unease and worry. After arriving in China, the Exhibition Hall of Evidence of Crimes Committed by Unit 731 of the Japanese Imperial Army (侵华日军第七三一部队罪证陈列馆) and Chinese friends from the Heilongjiang Provincial Academy of Social Sciences (黑龙江省社会科学院) received us thoughtfully, eliminating my unease and worry." He said, "After leaving Unit 731 (731部队), nightmares have haunted me. After completing the trip to China, I rarely have nightmares again."

During the interview, Shiro Eio's (清水英男) eyes were filled with tears. "I deeply know that my crimes have caused great harm to the Chinese people, and I have also fallen into the abyss of guilt. I hope to awaken more people's reflection and vigilance, cherish the hard-won peace, and avoid the recurrence of war tragedies." He added specifically, "I hope the Japanese government can see my actions and seriously consider having politicians go to China to apologize."

"Slander and suppression followed, making me angry and even more chilled"

After returning to Japan in August 1945, Shiro Eio (清水英男) was required to never mention his experience in Unit 731 (731部队), not to hold public office, and not to contact the army. "This experience was erased in this way." Shiro Eio (清水英男) told reporters.

Because his studies were delayed by serving in Unit 731 (731部队), Shiro Eio (清水英男), who only had an elementary school education, could not find a suitable job and could only follow his father as a carpenter in his rural hometown to support his family. In 1958, he obtained a second-class architect's license. After that, he opened a small construction company, but the income was only enough to maintain his life.

In 2015, Shiro Eio (清水英男) and his family went to the Iida City Peace Memorial Hall (饭田市和平祈念馆) in Nagano Prefecture (长野县) to watch the "Shinshu War Exhibition for Peace," and a photo of the former site of Unit 731 (731部队) evoked his memories. Hara Hideaki (原英章), a member of the executive committee of the exhibition and a research fellow at the Iida City Historical Research Institute (饭田市历史研究所), began to learn about Shiro Eio's (清水英男) experience. In 2016, Shiro Eio (清水英男) was invited to visit the peace exhibition held by the "Iida City Peace Materials Collection Committee" (饭田市和平资料收集委员会), and successively met many members of Japanese civil anti-war groups, and had new thinking about the Japanese war of aggression against China. Encouraged by Hara Hideaki (原英章) and others, he made up his mind to disclose his identity as a member of the "Boy's Team" of Unit 731 (731部队) and participate in peace activities to expose the crimes of the Japanese Imperial Army's germ warfare unit. He constantly gave public speeches, telling his experience in Unit 731 (731部队). This also made Shiro Eio (清水英男) constantly attacked by Japanese right-wing forces. He said: "Some Japanese people are unwilling to face the truth of history, and **中伤与打压** (zhòng shāng yǔ dǎ yā - "slander and suppression," to defame and put down) followed, making me angry and even more chilled."

In February of this year, Shiro Eio (清水英男) and Takegami Katsutoshi (竹上胜利), a descendant of a member of the Japanese Imperial Army's germ warfare unit "Ei-Go 1644 Unit" (荣字1644部队), visited Kondo Shoji (近藤昭二), a Japanese expert on the issue of Japanese germ warfare and a Japanese witness for the plaintiff group in the lawsuit of Chinese victims of Japanese germ warfare. This reporter was on the scene at the time. Shiro Eio (清水英男) pointed to a copy of the group photo of the fourth "Boy's Team" members and some heads of Unit 731 (731部队), and told Kondo Shoji (近藤昭二) about his experience in Unit 731 (731部队), and pointed out the names of these people.

"In Japan, many people say that I am a 'liar,' and even some Japanese books falsely claim that Unit 731 (731部队) is a 'historical hoax.'" Shiro Eio (清水英男) told reporters that when they withdrew from China, their superiors issued an order requiring all of them to destroy evidence related to Unit 731 (731部队), but despite this, sporadic materials were still brought back to Japan. He repeatedly showed the group photo of the fourth "Boy's Team" of Unit 731 (731部队) that he brought back from China, the "List of Remaining Personnel of Unit 731 (731部队)," and three old banknotes printed with "Manchuria Central Bank" (满洲中央银行).

Many years ago, Shiro Eio (清水英男) decided to publicly exhibit the only photo of Unit 731 (731部队) and related testimonies he had preserved. However, in June 2022, when the data room of the Iida City Peace Memorial Hall (饭田市和平祈念馆) was preparing to move the special exhibition board of Unit 731 (731部队) into the main exhibition hall of the memorial hall, it unexpectedly received an emergency letter from the city's Education Committee, requiring that photos and testimonies related to Unit 731 (731部队) not be exhibited in the hall, and at the same time ordering that the expression "Nanjing Massacre" (南京大屠杀) be uniformly changed to "Nanjing Incident" (南京事件). This decision was questioned and protested, and the Iida City Education Committee (饭田市教育委员会) finally decided to use an exhibition board to introduce some of the contents of the Tokyo District Court's judgment on Unit 731 (731部队) having carried out germ warfare. Shiro Eio (清水英男) said angrily: "The exhibition board of the testimonies of members of Unit 731 (731部队), including me, has not been adopted by the Iida City Peace Memorial Hall (饭田市和平祈念馆) to this day."

"This history cannot be forgotten"

Unit 731 (731部队) committed heinous crimes in China, causing profound disasters to the Chinese people. Shiro Eio (清水英男) said: "The crimes of Unit 731 (731部队) remind us that it is essential to defend the common values of mankind, which is both a reflection on history and a responsibility for the future."

"In the process of growing up, I was influenced by the education of the Japanese government, and I once knew very little about the truth of history. Later, I gradually realized the profound harm that Japanese militarism caused to neighboring countries. As a former member of the 'Boy's Team' of Unit 731 (731部队), I deeply know that my crimes and the crimes of Unit 731 (731部队) have caused great harm to the Chinese people. This history cannot be forgotten - it is a painful memory, and also a profound reflection on human nature, morality and the cruelty of war."

On February 6 this year, Shiro Eio (清水英男) was invited by the Women's Seigakuin School (女子圣学院) in Tokyo to give a speech and public testimony on the school's "War and Peace Thinking Day." When telling about the crimes committed by Unit 731 (731部队), Shiro Eio (清水英男) choked up several times. A high school sophomore told reporters after listening to the speech: "After listening to this speech, I had the first opportunity to learn about the situation of Unit 731 (731部队) in detail. The crimes they committed, such as human experiments, are shocking. But in Japanese education, such things are not mentioned in detail."

Shiro Eio (清水英男) continues his unfinished business. "In my lifetime, I will continue to tell the Japanese people about my personal experience, so that today's Japanese society and the next generation can recognize the truth of history." Shiro Eio (清水英男) said that this year is the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, and he hopes that his repentance and testimony can convey the power of peace, and hopes that the Japanese government can face up to history, safeguard peace, and not repeat the mistakes of war.

(Reported from Nagano (长野), Japan by this newspaper)

Return to Top

Adhering to a correct view of history is being responsible to history, the people, and the future.

Japan should deeply reflect on its historical culpability, thoroughly sever ties with all actions that glorify or whitewash its history of aggression, genuinely embark on a path of peaceful development, and take concrete actions to win the trust of its Asian neighbors and the international community.

On August 15, 1945, Japan announced its unconditional surrender. The Chinese people, together with progressive forces worldwide, defeated the Japanese militarist aggressors and fascism, winning a great victory with blood and lives. Eighty years later, the world is undergoing accelerated changes unseen in a century, the international situation is intertwined with turbulence and change, and human civilization has once again arrived at a critical juncture, testing the responsibility of the international community. Humanity should forever remember the tragedy of World War II and its causes and lessons, and make every effort to prevent similar tragedies from recurring. As the initiator of the war of aggression, Japan, which brought profound disasters to the people of Asia, whether it can deeply reflect on its war crimes, earnestly learn from historical lessons, and truly embark on a path of peaceful development, is a matter of great concern to regional countries and the international community, because it concerns not only historical understanding, but also the current situation and the future of the region.

Remembering history is not about perpetuating hatred, but about awakening people's commitment to peace. In that dark period of history, Japanese militarism launched wars of aggression against its Asian neighbors, committing serious crimes against humanity, bringing profound disasters to the region and the world, and also causing painful sacrifices to the Japanese people. How to treat this history is a touchstone for testing a country's moral conscience and sincerity for peace. Only by establishing a correct view of history can Japan truly shed its historical baggage and win the trust and respect of Asian countries and the international community.

However, regrettably, for 80 years, Japan's right-wing forces have remained persistent, frequently reversing course on historical issues. They visit the Yasukuni Shrine (靖国神社), which enshrines Class-A war criminals; use ambiguous language on the issue of forced "comfort women"; deny war crimes in history textbooks, fabricate narratives of "war victims," and attempt to overturn the history of aggression. Currently, the most widely used textbooks in Japanese junior high schools show a clear weakening in the description of responsibility for war crimes, or use "Nanjing Incident" to refer to the Nanjing Massacre (南京大屠杀), or are vague about key historical facts, claiming that "in Nanjing, in addition to soldiers, many civilians were killed" and "the number of victims is still under investigation and has not been determined." These erroneous acts of historical revisionism not only violate international legal documents such as the Potsdam Declaration, but also seriously hurt the feelings of the people of the victim countries. On the issue of historical understanding, Japan still has many debts to pay. In recent years, new historical materials of atrocities committed by the Japanese army in China have been continuously discovered. In the face of ironclad evidence, any attempt to distort history is doomed to failure 徒劳无功 (tú láo wú gōng - "futile labor no achievement," to make a wasted effort).

What is even more alarming is that Japan's recent military moves are contrary to its post-war commitment to peace. Exaggerating threats from its neighbors, significantly increasing its defense budget, relaxing restrictions on arms exports, piecing together military "small circles" to engage in camp confrontation, and even occasionally making noises about revising the "Three Non-Nuclear Principles," promoting its own military loosening... These moves, which seriously violate Japan's "Peace Constitution" and the principle of "exclusive defense," cannot but arouse high vigilance from Asian neighbors and the international community about Japan's strategic direction.

The correct treatment and deep reflection by the Japanese side on the history of aggression by Japanese militarism is an important foundation for the reconstruction and development of post-war Sino-Japanese relations. In the 1972 Sino-Japanese Joint Statement, Japan stated: "The Japanese side is keenly aware of the responsibility for the serious damage caused to the Chinese people in the past by Japan through war, and expresses deep remorse." Japan's commitment to deep reflection is an important prerequisite for the normalization of diplomatic relations between China and Japan. The various principles established in the four political documents between China and Japan, especially the solemn and serious commitments made by the Japanese side on major issues such as history and Taiwan, constitute the political foundation of Sino-Japanese relations, which must be adhered to and abided by, and no ambiguity or backsliding is allowed. However, it must be pointed out that for some time, some Japanese politicians have repeatedly crossed the line on the Taiwan issue. Japan's recently released 2025 edition of the Defense White Paper once again hyped up the "China threat" and made unwarranted remarks on the Taiwan issue. These erroneous actions not only seriously damage the political foundation of Sino-Japanese relations, but also constitute a blatant challenge to the post-war international order. Japan should understand that true regional security cannot be achieved through military confrontation. China and Japan are both important countries in Asia and the world. Faced with the international situation intertwined with turbulence and change and the endless stream of global challenges, the Japanese side should work with the Chinese side to embody the important political consensus reached by both sides in concrete policies and practical actions, and provide more stability and certainty for the world and the region.

The memories and truths of history will not fade with the passage of time, and the enlightenment they bring to us will forever illuminate reality and herald the future. Eighty years after the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, the Japanese side should not continue to linger in the迷途 (mítú - "maze," a path of error), but should, with an attitude responsible to history, to the people, and to the future, deeply reflect on its historical culpability, thoroughly sever ties with all actions that glorify or whitewash its history of aggression, genuinely embark on a path of peaceful development, and take concrete actions to win the trust of its Asian neighbors and the international community.

Return to Top

China, Cambodia, and Thailand Foreign Ministers Hold Informal Meeting in Anning

Xinhua News Agency, Kunming, August 14th (Reporters Dong Xue (董雪) and Peng Yikai (彭奕凯)) On August 14th, Wang Yi (王毅), member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs, invited Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Prak Sokhonn (布拉索昆) and Thai Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa (玛里) to a tea chat in Anning (安宁), Yunnan (云南). In a harmonious atmosphere, they conducted friendly and sincere communication on the Cambodian-Thai border conflict.

Wang Yi (王毅) stated that neither Cambodia nor Thailand wants the border conflict to continue, and both are willing to resume dialogue and improve relations. The Lancang-Mekong Foreign Ministers' Meeting held in Anning (安宁) provided an opportunity for this. Anning (安宁) signifies peace, harmony, and concord, which is also the way for neighboring countries to get along. 冤家宜解不宜结 (yuān jiā yí jiě bù yí jié - "enemies should reconcile, not remain hostile," it's better to resolve conflicts than to prolong them), and it is hoped that Cambodia and Thailand will jointly issue the "Voice of Anning (安宁)" here.

Wang Yi (王毅) pointed out that China supports Cambodia and Thailand in engaging in dialogue, eliminating misunderstandings, rebuilding mutual trust, and restoring normal exchanges and cooperation; supports both sides in fully implementing the consensus of the special meeting of the Cambodian-Thai Border General Committee to consolidate the current ceasefire situation; supports ASEAN in playing its due role and properly resolving issues in the "ASEAN way"; and supports both sides in responding to the demands of the people of both countries and reopening border ports as soon as possible. China is willing to provide support and assistance for mine clearance and other activities in the border areas of the two countries according to the wishes of Cambodia and Thailand. There is an old Chinese saying, 兄弟阋于墙，外御其侮 (xiōng dì xì yú qiáng, wài yù qí wǔ - "brothers quarrel at home, but unite against external aggression," internal strife should not prevent unity against external threats). Cambodia and Thailand are eternal neighbors and brothers, and it is believed that both sides can manage specific disputes well and work together to address various global challenges. This will surely be welcomed by the people of both countries and is also the common expectation of countries in the region.

The Cambodian and Thai Foreign Ministers sincerely thanked China for providing an opportunity for communication between the two sides and highly praised China's constructive role in easing the situation and promoting dialogue. Both sides emphasized that peace is precious and good neighborliness is important, and reaffirmed their willingness to actively implement the ceasefire agreement, make good use of dialogue mechanisms, and manage and resolve disputes peacefully.

Return to Top

Uphold the honor of our predecessors, defend the truth of World War II history (Great Victory: Historical Contribution)

By: 本报记者 谢亚宏

"Before European countries fought against fascism, the Chinese people had already suffered the inhumane atrocities of the Japanese army, but they fought bravely and were 不屈不挠 (bù qū bù náo - "unyielding," to be unyielding and indomitable). This was like a lamp in the darkness, becoming an immortal hope in the world's anti-fascist war." Serbian filmmaker Miliko Živojinović (米利科·日沃伊诺维奇) said in an exclusive interview with this reporter recently that Serbia and China, as the just side, made contributions to the victory of World War II and will jointly defend the truth and safeguard peace.

Miliko's father, Velimir "Bata" Živojinović (韦利米尔·巴塔·日沃伊诺维奇), was a famous Yugoslav actor. His starring films such as "Walter Defends Sarajevo" and "The Bridge" tell the touching stories of the Yugoslav people and guerrillas bravely resisting fascist aggression during World War II. Bata visited China more than 10 times during his lifetime, and the photos and souvenirs displayed in his former residence show his deep friendship with China.

Miliko said that when communicating with Chinese friends, he can still feel their love for the character "Walter" played by his father, and they can still hum the theme song "Ah, Goodbye, Friend" from "The Bridge," which makes him very moved. "These films have a tenacious vitality among Chinese audiences. I believe that in addition to the artistic quality of the films themselves, the content of the films also resonates with them. Yugoslavia and China both suffered aggression in World War II, and the communist parties of both countries played a pivotal role in the process of resisting aggression. The wit and bravery of Walter and other guerrillas are no different from the valuable qualities shown by many Chinese anti-fascist fighters," Miliko said.

During his middle school years, Miliko learned about the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression from history textbooks and has continued to deepen his understanding since then. He believes that the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression is crucial to world peace and is a model of just struggle. Regarding the attempts by some countries to tamper with the history of World War II, he said: "Serbia and China have made great contributions to the victory of World War II and have similar historical memories. For all the warriors who sacrificed for World War II and their descendants, this kind of behavior is an insult, slander, and unacceptable. We must sound the alarm, expose their attempts in the international community, safeguard the honor of our ancestors, and defend the truth of World War II history."

Miliko often travels to China, committed to promoting cultural exchanges between Serbia and China, and has also witnessed China's rapid development. "Under the strong leadership of the Communist Party of China (中国共产党), China has developed rapidly in recent years and has undergone 翻天覆地 (fān tiān fù dì - "earth-shaking," a tremendous change) changes." Miliko said that in addition to large cities such as Beijing (北京) and Shanghai (上海), he also visited Weifang (潍坊), Rizhao (日照) in Shandong (山东) and Shaoguan (韶关) in Guangdong (广东) last year. He said that these non-first-tier cities in China are also harmonious and livable, full of vitality, and the quality of life of the people is guaranteed. "The Communist Party of China (中国共产党) has united and led the Chinese people to embark on the correct path to create a better life."

Miliko was deeply impressed by the concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind. He said that the current international situation is increasingly uncertain, and the Chinese plan and Chinese wisdom will help the world achieve peace and stability. "China has suffered greatly from war and has a clear understanding of the destructiveness of war. China is firmly committed to the path of peaceful development. As a country with similar experiences to China and an important partner, Serbia firmly supports China's major initiatives and concepts and will work with China to jointly safeguard world peace and development," he said.

Return to Top

Wang Yi Meets with Foreign Ministers of Five Countries Attending the 10th Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Foreign Ministers' Meeting in China

Xinhua News Agency, Kunming, August 14th (Reporters Dong Xue (董雪) and Peng Yikai (彭奕凯)) Wang Yi (王毅), member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs, met with Thai Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa (玛里), Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Prak Sokhonn (布拉索昆), Myanmar Foreign Minister Than Swe (丹穗), Lao Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith (通沙万), and Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son (裴青山) in Anning (安宁), Yunnan (云南) on August 14th, who were in China to attend the 10th Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Foreign Ministers' Meeting.

During the meeting with Maris Sangiampongsa (玛里), Wang Yi (王毅) stated that over the past half-century, the phrase "China and Thailand are as close as one family" (中泰一家亲) has become even more deeply rooted in people's hearts. At a new historical starting point, China is willing to work with Thailand to implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries and promote the building of a China-Thailand community with a shared future to bear new fruits. China is willing to work with Thailand to play the role of co-chair to ensure the meeting is a complete success.

Maris Sangiampongsa (玛里) said that Thailand looks forward to achieving more cooperative results with China in both bilateral and multilateral fields. He believes that under China's strategic leadership, Lancang-Mekong Cooperation will play a greater role in regional prosperity and stability.

During the meeting with Prak Sokhonn (布拉索昆), Wang Yi (王毅) stated that in April this year, President Xi Jinping (习近平) paid a historic state visit to Cambodia. The leaders of the two countries jointly led the upgrading of China-Cambodia relations and drew a blueprint for the construction of a new era of an all-weather China-Cambodia community with a shared future. He hopes that Cambodia will continue to take strong measures to combat cross-border criminal activities.

Prak Sokhonn (布拉索昆) said that Cambodia attaches great importance to its relations with China and looks forward to more cooperative results. China plays a constructive role in international and regional affairs and is a symbol of peace and development.

During the meeting with Than Swe (丹穗), Wang Yi (王毅) said that China and Myanmar should take the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations as an opportunity to deepen the building of a community with a shared future. China supports Myanmar in taking a development path that suits its own national conditions and is supported by its people, supports Myanmar in safeguarding its sovereignty, independence, and national unity, and supports Myanmar in steadily advancing its domestic political agenda. He hopes that Myanmar will effectively protect the safety of Chinese personnel, institutions, and projects in Myanmar, further combat cross-border crime, and maintain peace and stability on the border between the two countries.

Than Swe (丹穗) stated that Myanmar firmly adheres to the one-China principle, supports the three major global initiatives, and thanks China for providing valuable support and assistance for Myanmar's economic and social development and post-disaster reconstruction.

During the meeting with Saleumxay Kommasith (通沙万), Wang Yi (王毅) said that he is willing to work with Laos to implement the important consensus reached by the top leaders of the two parties and countries, so that the traditional friendship between China and Laos will continue to radiate new vitality. The two sides should accelerate the upgrading of the China-Laos Railway and promote the implementation of the concept of interconnected development between China, Laos, and Thailand. He encouraged more Chinese companies to invest in Laos and jointly resist economic bullying and coercion. China and Laos should, together with other peace-loving countries, promote a correct view of history.

Saleumxay Kommasith (通沙万) said that the Lao Party and government attach great importance to developing relations with China and hope to promote the deepening and consolidation of the Laos-China community with a shared future. He thanked China for supporting Laos in becoming a dialogue partner of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and looks forward to attending the Tianjin (天津) Summit.

During the meeting with Bui Thanh Son (裴青山), Wang Yi (王毅) stated that in the face of a century of changes, China is willing to work with Vietnam to implement the results of General Secretary and President Xi Jinping's (习近平) state visit to Vietnam and jointly build a China-Vietnam community with a shared future of strategic significance. The two sides should jointly oppose unilateralism and protectionism, and safeguard free trade rules and the international trade system. He hopes that Vietnam will provide a good business environment for Chinese companies. The two sides should continue to let China-Vietnam friendship truly 深入人心 (shēn rù rén xīn - "enter deeply people's hearts," to be deeply cherished by the people).

Bui Thanh Son (裴青山) said that Vietnam looks forward to maintaining strategic communication with China and supporting each other on multilateral platforms. Vietnam attaches great importance to Lancang-Mekong Cooperation and appreciates China's contributions.

Return to Top

Protecting Lucid Waters and Lush Mountains, Promoting Green Prosperity Together

By: 本报记者  李中文  刘军国

Walking on the land of Zhejiang (浙江), the green mountains and clear waters are tangible and visible, and the "golden mountains and silver mountains" are perceptible and accessible.

On August 15, 2005, Xi Jinping (习近平), then Secretary of the Zhejiang Provincial Party Committee, visited Yucun Village (余村) in Anji County (安吉县), Huzhou (湖州), and first proposed the "Two Mountains" concept that "green mountains and clear waters are golden mountains and silver mountains."

Over the past 20 years, Zhejiang (浙江) has adhered to a single blueprint, deeply practiced the "Two Mountains" concept, and coordinated the promotion of high-quality economic development and high-level ecological environmental protection. The province's gross regional product has leaped from 1.15 trillion yuan in 2004 to over 9 trillion yuan in 2024, forging a high-quality development path of "ecological beauty, economic strength, and people's prosperity."

Persistently Safeguarding Green Mountains and Clear Waters

Black bears playing, black muntjacs strolling, Reeves's pheasants foraging... In Kaihua County (开化县), Quzhou (衢州), more and more rare animals are being captured by infrared cameras in the lush mountains and forests. "The ecology is getting better year by year." Forest ranger Wang Shulong (汪树龙) exclaimed, this is a beautiful picture of harmonious coexistence between humans and nature.

Deeply practicing the "Two Mountains" concept, Zhejiang (浙江) places ecological protection and restoration in a fundamental position, persistently safeguarding green mountains and clear waters.

Taking multiple measures to greatly enhance protection. Shengsi County (嵊泗县), Zhoushan (舟山) adheres to source governance, land-sea coordination, and a combination of natural restoration and artificial restoration, completing 13.6 kilometers of coastal remediation; Dongtou District (洞头区), Wenzhou (温州) dismantled 768,000 square meters of aquaculture cages and constructed 150,000 cubic meters of artificial reefs, and the once barren tidal flats have once again become a paradise for blue crabs and mudskippers.

Chen Yuan (陈渊), Director of the Marine Ecological Environment Division of the Zhejiang Provincial Department of Ecology and Environment (浙江省生态环境厅), introduced that in the first half of this year, the total nitrogen and total phosphorus concentrations of the province's 23 national-controlled rivers flowing into the sea decreased by 16.7% and 36.2% respectively compared with 2020.

Science and technology help ecological intelligent governance. In Wucheng District (婺城区), Jinhua (金华), a particulate matter lidar on the roof of a building monitors particulate matter pollution sources in the air 24 hours a day. "This equipment can dynamically draw an 'atmospheric pollution map', and staff can quickly rush to the scene to control the pollution source based on this." Shi Weichang (施伟昌), Deputy Chief of the Atmospheric Section of the Wucheng Branch of the Jinhua Municipal Bureau of Ecology and Environment (金华市生态环境局婺城分局), said that the combination of data and images helps precise and scientific pollution control.

Mechanism innovation stimulates vitality. A river of clear water comes out of Xin'an (新安), turning a hundred times and flowing down to Qiantang (钱塘). Since 2012, Zhejiang (浙江) and Anhui (安徽) have successively carried out three rounds of pilot projects for the Xin'an River ecological compensation mechanism. Today, the water quality of the Xin'an River has reached the compensation conditions year after year, and Zhejiang (浙江) has cumulatively paid 2.5 billion yuan to Anhui (安徽). At the same time, the two provinces have also cooperated to build the "Xin'an River-Qiandao Lake Ecological Environment Joint Protection Cooperation Zone" to promote the extension of "ecological co-protection" to "industrial co-prosperity."

Deepening the "Five Waters Co-Governance," promoting the construction of zero direct discharge zones for sewage and "waste-free cities" in the whole region; the "Thousand Villages Demonstration, Ten Thousand Villages Renovation" project and the "Blue Cycle" marine plastic waste management model won the United Nations' highest-level environmental award, the "Champions of the Earth Award"... Zhejiang (浙江) carries out systematic protection and restoration of mountains, rivers, forests, fields, lakes, and grasslands, realizing a leap from local environmental degradation to significant improvement in the overall environment.

People who do not fail the green mountains, the green mountains will certainly not fail the people.

Over the past 20 years, the proportion of surface water sections above the provincial control level in Zhejiang (浙江) with excellent water quality has increased from 41.9% to 98.6%; the average concentration of PM2.5 in prefecture-level cities has decreased from 61 micrograms per cubic meter in 2013 to the current 26.1 micrograms per cubic meter.

Green Development Becomes the Foundation of High-Quality Development

Waste clothes are put into the production line, and after more than a dozen processes, they are "transformed" into high-performance polyester fiber... Zhejiang Jiaren New Material Co., Ltd. (浙江佳人新材料有限公司), located in Shaoxing (绍兴), enables the recycling of old items through technology.

"Recycling can effectively reduce dependence on petroleum resources." Guo Yongzhong (郭永忠), chairman of the company, introduced that the company processes 40,000 tons of waste textiles and produces 30,000 tons of recycled products every year; it can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 72,000 tons and save 400,000 tons of petroleum every year.

During the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, Zhejiang (浙江) has cumulatively carried out circular transformation of 83 provincial-level parks, with a total investment of over 700 billion yuan, creating a batch of 10 billion-level renewable resource industries such as waste textiles, waste plastics, and waste metals.

Under the guidance of the "Two Mountains" concept, Zhejiang (浙江) is accelerating the green transformation of development methods and striving to build an industrial structure with high technological content, low resource consumption, and low environmental pollution.

Changxing County (长兴县), Huzhou (湖州), is famous for producing lead-acid batteries and has also experienced the pain of environmental pollution.

The local area learned from its pain and promoted the transformation and upgrading of the lead-acid battery industry to the new energy battery industry through two rounds of rectification and upgrading. After reorganization and integration, the number of local battery companies has been reduced from 175 to 16, but the output value has increased by 14 times, and the tax contribution has increased by 6 times.

In recent years, Zhejiang (浙江) has focused on promoting industries to move towards high-end, intelligent, and green development, and accelerated the cultivation of advanced manufacturing clusters. In the first half of this year, the province's high-tech industry investment reached 198 billion yuan, an increase of 15.2% year-on-year; the added value growth rate of strategic emerging industries above designated size reached 9.8%.

From cities to villages, green development is becoming the foundation of Zhejiang's (浙江) high-quality development.

The former abandoned mine has now become a green treasure. Tall Chinese fir trees point straight to the blue sky, precious Phoebe zhennan seedlings and patches of Ganoderma lucidum grow vigorously in the shaded areas under the forest... Qingyuan County (庆元县), Lishui (丽水), has cumulatively planted more than 27,000 mu of Chinese medicinal materials under the forest, with an annual output value of 130 million yuan. "Ecological protection and industrial development are running in both directions, and a path to strengthening villages and enriching the people has been forged in the green mountains and clear waters." Xia Ruiman (夏瑞满), Deputy Director of the Qingyuan County Ecological Forestry Development Center (庆元县生态林业发展中心), introduced that in 2024, the total output value of the county's forestry reached 9.01 billion yuan, an increase of 34.2% compared with 2022.

Zhejiang (浙江) is also focusing on improving the green and low-carbon level of energy. "Over the past 20 years, the energy consumption per unit of GDP in the province has decreased by more than 38%, which is one of the provinces with the fastest reduction in energy intensity in the country." The relevant person in charge of the Zhejiang Provincial Development and Reform Commission (浙江省发展改革委) introduced that Zhejiang (浙江) is comprehensively building a clean energy supply system of wind, solar, water, and nuclear power. As of the end of 2024, the proportion of renewable energy installed capacity has increased to 46.4%, and the scale has historically exceeded thermal power.

Ecological Advantages Transformed into People's Livelihood and Well-being

Ecological benefits for the people, ecological benefits for the people, and ecology for the people. Over the past 20 years, the income ratio between urban and rural residents in Zhejiang (浙江) has narrowed from 2.45 to 1.83, and the beautiful economy has become an important engine for balanced urban and rural development.

In rural areas, industrial prosperity and the improvement of the living environment continue to advance.

In the mountainous area of southern Zhejiang (浙江), Wencheng County (文成县), Wenzhou (温州), the water quality of the Feiyun River (飞云江) is excellent. The local area focuses on protecting water resources, making good use of water, and developing ecological tourism and deep processing of water resources. By developing green productivity in accordance with local conditions, the economic value of each ton of water in the local area continues to increase.

Jianshe Village (建设村), Dongqian Lake Town (东钱湖镇), Yinzhou District (鄞州区), Ningbo (宁波), has sparkling lake water and white walls and black tiles on the lakeside. The integration of modern architecture and ancient villages attracts many tourists to check in.

"The changes are simply earth-shattering." Villager Zhu Chuning (朱春宁) told reporters that this used to be an industrial area with serious pollution and noise, which had long plagued the surrounding villagers. Guided by ecological priority and green development, Dongqian Lake (东钱湖) has strengthened environmental protection and restoration, adjusted the industrial structure, and greatly improved the living environment.

In recent years, Zhejiang (浙江) has deeply implemented the "three major revolutions" of garbage, sewage, and toilets and implemented a long-term management and protection mechanism. At the same time, it has continued to upgrade the standards for rural environmental improvement, carried out comprehensive land consolidation and ecological restoration in the entire rural area, and strived to pave a new picture of a harmonious and beautiful countryside.

In cities, "seeing green when you open the window and entering the park when you open the door" is being transformed from a beautiful vision into a real-life scene.

The Qiantang River Greenway (钱塘江绿道) and other places have become popular places for citizens to relax and tourists to check in; after more than 10 years of deep cultivation, more than 500 kilometers of rose flower belts have been created on elevated bridges, becoming a beautiful landscape... Hangzhou (杭州) continues to optimize the urban environment with "embroidery skills," and the main urban area has basically achieved "5-minute access to the greenway network," which truly enhances the happiness of citizens' lives.

The environment is people's livelihood, green mountains are beauty, and blue sky is happiness. In 2024, the public satisfaction with the ecological environment in Zhejiang (浙江) was 88.71, a continuous increase for 13 years.

"'Two Mountains' concept is a brand-new sublimation of the concept of development, the concept of ecology, and the concept of civilization, guiding the profound and wonderful transformation of the land of Zhejiang (浙江)." Wang Hao (王浩), Secretary of the Zhejiang Provincial Party Committee, said that standing at a new starting point, it is necessary to deeply study and implement Xi Jinping's (习近平) ecological civilization thought and the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's (习近平) important speech during his inspection of Zhejiang (浙江), closely focus on the core task of building a demonstration zone for common prosperity through high-quality development, unswervingly follow the path of high-quality development and high-level protection complementing and reinforcing each other, and accelerate the creation of a higher-level ecological province.

Return to Top

Cultivating a Win-Win Mindset (People's Forum)

By: 邹  翔

One weekend at noon, I went to a popular online restaurant. Before even entering, I saw the entrance was full of people waiting to be seated. Seeing that I was number 200-something, I thought there was no way I'd get to eat. Unexpectedly, the staff informed me that I could order dishes from the restaurant next door, sit there, and then order from this restaurant, thus avoiding the queue. Sure enough, the staff at the neighboring restaurant welcomed this "eating method." "Eating at two restaurants in one," shifting from mutual "competition for customers" to mutual "sharing of customers," transforming a direct competitive relationship into a win-win cooperative relationship, achieving a "triple win" situation, is thought-provoking.

The market welcomes competition, but competition should not be narrowly defined as "you replace me, I replace you." When people focus on "what can we gain together" rather than "what will you take from me," the competitive mode switches from offense and defense to exploration.

Dazu District (大足区) in Chongqing (重庆) and Anyue County (安岳县) in Sichuan (四川) are geographically connected and have similar climates. In the past, the two regions' rice-shrimp and traditional Chinese medicine industries fell into homogeneous and disorderly competition. After the two regions jointly established the Da'an Grain and Medicine Cooperation Park (大安粮药合作园), they transformed from opponents to teammates, changing from "**抱团打架**" (bào tuán dǎ jià - "gang up to fight," engage in cutthroat competition) to "**抱团使劲**" (bào tuán shǐ jìn - "gang up to exert effort," work together towards a common goal). The scale of the industry expanded, the output value increased, and the brand was enhanced. From mutual loss in conflict to mutual benefit in cooperation, it proves that building a good platform and establishing sound mechanisms can promote a wider and wider path to win-win outcomes.

Clenching fingers into a fist can indeed aggregate strength, but it also requires each finger to play its role and each part to find its place.

Huawei (华为) does not manufacture cars itself, but focuses on information and communication technology, helping car companies build better cars. It has jointly launched several popular car brands with multiple car companies, advancing together with its partners. Large enterprises have deep technological accumulation and sufficient capital reserves, while small and medium-sized enterprises choose a "one-foot width" and dig a "ten-thousand-meter depth." Different enterprises have different development strategies, and their advantages and expertise are also different. Mutual empowerment and leveraging each other's strengths can release a "multiplier effect" and form an overall momentum for upward breakthroughs.

Currently, some regions, industries, and enterprises are experiencing the phenomenon of "**内卷**" (nèi juǎn - "involution," excessive internal competition), one of the reasons being that they are limited by their thinking and have not jumped out of their own "small plot of land." In a narrow vision, "the pie of development is only so big," and market demand is limited. If others eat more, they will naturally worry about eating less or even not being able to eat at all, thus embarking on a misguided path of self-isolation and rejection of cooperation, leading to closing doors to others and blocking their own paths.

In reality, the Chinese market is large enough to accommodate hundreds of millions of business entities coexisting, winning together, and growing together; the ocean of the world economy is wide enough to allow Chinese and foreign brands to compete and flourish. The key lies in mindset and vision.

From the emerging artificial intelligence, the accelerating take-off of the low-altitude economy, and the expanding and improving silver economy, to the 110 new occupations that have "emerged" since 2019, the ultra-large market with constantly emerging new industries, new business formats, and new models is full of dynamic energy and unlimited opportunities. Standing at a higher dimension to view the competitive and cooperative relationship, cultivating a development mindset and strategic vision of harmony, co-existence, and mutual benefit can continuously open up new horizons for reform and development.

In the movie *Ne Zha*, the scene where Ne Zha (哪吒) and his team work together to break through the Tianyuan Cauldron (天元鼎) left a deep impression on the audience. During a survey, when discussing the possibility of the automotive industry encountering a "ceiling," one industry insider said, "Then let's join hands and push up the ceiling of industrial development together!" Indeed, whether it is industrial prosperity or national development, such a spirit of "**同舟共济**" (tóng zhōu gòng jì - "crossing the river in the same boat," to share weal and woe), "**携手并肩**" (xié shǒu bìng jiān - "hand in hand, shoulder to shoulder," to work together), and moving in the same direction is needed.

Return to Top

Ministry of Water Resources Initiates Level IV Emergency Response for Flood Defense in Guizhou Province

This newspaper Beijing (北京) August 14th (Correspondent) - Typhoon "Yangliu" (杨柳), the 11th this year, made landfall again along the coast of Zhangpu County (漳浦县), Fujian Province (福建省) around 00:30 on August 14th. Affected by it, strong rainfall and river rises have occurred in many places such as Fujian (福建), Guangdong (广东), Guangxi (广西), and Hunan (湖南). At 18:00 on the 14th, the Central Meteorological Observatory (中央气象台) continued to issue an orange alert for heavy rain, as well as meteorological risk warnings for small and medium-sized river floods and meteorological forecasts for waterlogging risks.

Affected by "Yangliu" (杨柳), it is expected that from August 14th to 15th, Guizhou (贵州) will experience heavy rain to torrential rain. The Beipan River (北盘江), a tributary of the upper reaches of the Xijiang River (西江) in the Pearl River Basin (珠江流域), the Doulou River (都柳江) in the upper reaches of the Liujiang River (柳江), the upper reaches of the Wujiang River (乌江) in the Yangtze River Basin (长江流域), and the upper reaches of the Yuanjiang River (沅江) in the Dongting Lake (洞庭湖) water system will experience rising water levels. Some small and medium-sized rivers in the heavy rain area may experience floods exceeding the warning level. The Ministry of Water Resources (水利部) launched a Level IV emergency response for flood defense in Guizhou Province (贵州省) at 14:00 on August 14th. At 18:00 on August 14th, the Ministry of Water Resources (水利部) and the Ministry of Natural Resources (自然资源部) jointly issued orange meteorological warnings for mountain torrent disasters and geological disaster meteorological risk warnings with the China Meteorological Administration (中国气象局).

Guangxi (广西) launched a Level IV emergency response for flood control in the autonomous region at 19:00 on August 14th. Currently, Typhoon "Yangliu" (杨柳) has moved out of Guangdong Province (广东省), and its impact on Guangdong Province (广东省) is gradually weakening.

In the coming week, the northeastern region and northern China will experience frequent showers or thunderstorms, with some areas accompanied by short-term heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, strong winds, or hail and other severe convective weather.

(Comprehensive reports from reporters Li Hongmei (李红梅), Deng Jianyang (邓剑洋), Li Gang (李刚), and Pang Geping (庞革平) of this newspaper)

Return to Top

Distinctive industrial clusters in Hebei continue to grow.

This reporter Shi Ziqiang (史自强) reports from Shijiazhuang (石家庄) on August 14th: This reporter learned from the Department of Industry and Information Technology of Hebei Province (河北省工业和信息化厅) that since the beginning of this year, Hebei Province (河北省) has taken the upgrading and development of characteristic industrial clusters as the main line, adhered to scenario traction, clarified six sharing paths of raw material centralized procurement, key equipment, production processes, product design, technological innovation, and logistics trade, and promoted the high-end, intelligent, and green transformation of characteristic industrial clusters, achieving positive results. In the first half of this year, 107 key characteristic industrial clusters in the province achieved operating income of 1.74 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 5.1%, and the development trend of the clusters was stable and improving. The number of clusters with a scale of more than 10 billion yuan reached 102, the number of clusters exceeding 50 billion yuan was 17, and the number of clusters exceeding 100 billion yuan was 7.

Return to Top

Accelerate the cultivation of new drivers for high-quality development

By: 本报记者 谷业凯 王 珂

Moving Towards New and Better: An Inevitable Requirement for High-Quality Development.

　　New quality productive forces, scientific and technological innovation, industrial innovation, urban renewal... these are all manifestations of moving towards new and better. Delving into their essence reveals new development concepts and a new development pattern.

　　General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) emphasized: "We must adhere to the general tone of seeking progress while maintaining stability, fully and accurately implement the new development philosophy, and accelerate the construction of a new development pattern."

　　The meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee (中共中央政治局) held on July 30 pointed out: "Adhere to using scientific and 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 scientific and technological innovation and industrial innovation."

　　Innovative China, full of vitality; moving towards the new, achieving far-reaching goals through quality. "Striving to climb with a spirit of **自强不息** (zì qiáng bù xī - "self-improvement without cease," constantly striving to become stronger), everywhere is filled with creations that are changing with each passing day."

　　Creating a New Engine——

　　Increasing the supply of high-quality technology, using scientific and technological innovation to lead the development of new quality productive forces

　　The meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee (中共中央政治局) pointed out: "Adhere to using scientific and technological innovation to lead the development of new quality productive forces."

　　The experiment is entering a critical stage—magnified 5,000 times by transmission electron microscopy, the entire process of internal short circuits in solid-state batteries is precisely captured. In July of this year, Wang Chunyang (王春阳), a researcher at the Institute of Metal Research of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (中国科学院金属研究所), led a team to successfully reveal the short-circuit mechanism of solid-state batteries, providing a theoretical basis for the development of new solid-state batteries.

　　"We found that during the transport of lithium ions, defects in the solid electrolyte induce the generation of lithium dendrites, which penetrate to form micron-scale conductive channels, causing the 'soft short circuit' to eventually evolve into a 'hard short circuit,' leading to battery failure," said Wang Chunyang (王春阳).

　　Recently, domestic solid-state battery research has made several advances: the Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (中国科学院青岛生物能源与过程研究所) has developed a new type of sulfide solid electrolyte, and the China Institute of Atomic Energy (中国原子能科学研究院) has jointly solved the problem of visualizing lithium element detection with Tsinghua University (清华大学)... Breakthroughs in the "first kilometer" of original innovation are accelerating the transition of solid-state batteries from the laboratory to application.

　　Achieving high-quality development requires relying on scientific and technological innovation to cultivate new driving forces. In recent years, China's supply of high-quality technology has continuously increased, and its supporting role has been significantly enhanced.

　　During the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, a number of major achievements that are well-known and countable in the world mark China's technological climb to new heights: the first domestically produced electromagnetic catapult aircraft carrier Fujian (福建舰) was launched, the first Chinese space station "Tiangong" (天宫) was fully completed and put into operation, the world's first fourth-generation nuclear power plant Shidaowan (石岛湾) base was put into commercial operation, "Chang'e-6" (嫦娥六号) achieved humanity's first lunar far side sample return, and the first domestically produced large aircraft C919, developed in accordance with international airworthiness standards, achieved commercial flight...

　　Currently, China's R&D investment accounts for nearly 2.7% of its GDP, exceeding the average level of the European Union and approaching the average level of OECD countries; as of the end of June this year, the number of valid domestic invention patents reached 5.01 million, a year-on-year increase of 13.2%.

　　"China has the world's largest R&D personnel team and the world's largest number of top 100 science and technology innovation clusters, all of which inject inexhaustible power into innovative development," said Zhang Linshan (张林山), a researcher at the Macroeconomic Research Institute of the National Development and Reform Commission (国家发展改革委宏观经济研究院).

　　Driven by scientific and technological innovation, new momentum, new vitality, and new advantages are accumulating, supporting the stability of the overall economic situation of high-quality development.

　　Accelerating and improving the quality of achievement transformation, forming more realistic productive forces——

　　Three years ago, "Ke Da Silicon Valley" (科大硅谷), an innovation and entrepreneurship platform promoted by the government and led by industry, was founded in Hefei (合肥), Anhui (安徽). Today, it has gathered more than 7,000 technology-based enterprises and science and technology innovation service institutions, with the total scale of equity investment funds exceeding 250 billion yuan.

　　"We are accelerating the cultivation of a 'fund jungle,' shifting from looking at assets to 'looking at the future'; establishing a 'special team + campus ambassador + technology manager' team to promote the 'removal of scientific and technological achievements from bookshelves and onto shelves'," said Wu Hailong (吴海龙), chairman of Ke Da Silicon Valley (科大硅谷).

　　Shaanxi (陕西) leverages the transformation source advantage of "Qin Chuang Yuan" (秦创原), Shandong (山东) supports thousands of small and medium-sized enterprises to jointly innovate with universities and research institutes, and Liaoning (辽宁) sorts out more than 4,400 achievements for promotion to enterprises... In the first half of this year, nearly 410,000 technology contracts were registered nationwide, with a transaction value of more than 3 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 14.2%. The accelerated pace of technology achievement transformation allows technology supply and industrial demand to "move in both directions."

　　Continuous deepening of reform, removing bottlenecks that hinder the development of new quality productive forces——

　　Beijing's (北京) talent evaluation reform breaks the "one-size-fits-all" approach, Shanghai (上海) supports enterprises in strengthening basic research, and Hubei's (湖北) innovative points franchise institutions achieve full coverage in cities and prefectures... From supporting original innovation to strengthening talent cultivation, from advocating organized scientific research to improving the evaluation system, the vitality of innovation and creation is fully flowing, laying a solid foundation for the development of new quality productive forces.

　　Guo Chunli (郭春丽), vice president of the China Macroeconomic Research Institute (中国宏观经济研究院), said that the better-than-expected economic growth rate in the first half of this year implies long-term factors, and the in-depth implementation of the innovation-driven development strategy has provided long-term and strong support for China's stable economic growth. Many foreign institutions, including Citibank, UBS Group, Goldman Sachs Group, and JPMorgan Chase, believe that China's economic development momentum continues to strengthen, and the positive trend is expected to continue in the second half of the year.

　　Shaping New Advantages——

　　Transforming and upgrading traditional industries, cultivating and strengthening emerging industries, and planning and building future industries

　　The meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee (中共中央政治局) pointed out: "Accelerate the cultivation of emerging pillar industries with international competitiveness, and promote the deep integration of scientific and technological innovation and industrial innovation."

　　"High-quality development cannot be separated from innovation-driven and industrial support." A modern industrial system is the material and technical foundation of a modern country.

　　Developing new quality productive forces in accordance with local conditions, transforming and upgrading traditional industries, cultivating and strengthening emerging industries, and planning and building future industries are equally important and should advance simultaneously.

　　"The acid rolling production line has more than 10 processes, involving more than 100 parameters, and it was difficult to calculate the specific production costs in the past," said Tao Xin (陶歆), a technical expert at the Cold Rolling Mill of Guangxi Liuzhou Iron and Steel Group Co., Ltd. (广西柳州钢铁集团有限公司). With the help of DingTalk's "Digital Intelligence Steel Coil AI Assistant," they accurately discovered that the production cost of 0.8 mm thick steel plates on the second acid rolling production line is 13 yuan lower than other specifications, and it is more cost-effective to choose the second acid rolling production line for strip steel production below 1.2 mm, and the yield rate can also be improved.

　　We cannot produce less and less, but we can produce better and better. Last year, Liugang's R&D investment intensity reached 3.6%, and it developed 38 new products, forming 203 core patents.

　　"The transformation and upgrading of traditional industries can also develop new quality productive forces." The renewed and outstanding traditional industries have a more solid role as a "ballast stone" for stable growth. In the first half of this year, the added value of China's equipment manufacturing industry drove the growth of all industrial enterprises above designated size by 3.4 percentage points, and industries such as steel, non-ferrous metals, and building materials accelerated the promotion of digital transformation.

　　On August 4, China used the Long March 12 carrier rocket (长征十二号运载火箭) at the Hainan Commercial Aerospace Launch Site (海南商业航天发射场) to successfully launch the satellite Internet low-orbit 07 group of satellites. Only 5 days have passed since the last successful launch at the launch site. This satellite was developed by GalaxySpace (银河航天), which is the first time that a Chinese commercial aerospace enterprise has developed this type of satellite in batches and undertaken major national launch missions.

　　Since the beginning of this year, commercial aerospace has ushered in a double turning point of "technological breakthroughs" and "scale explosion": the trial and testing of new models of commercial rockets such as Zhuque-3 (朱雀三号) and Hyperbola-3 (双曲线三号) have been successively successful, the Qianfan Constellation (千帆星座) and GW Constellation (GW星座) are accelerating their deployment, and the Hainan Commercial Aerospace Launch Site (海南商业航天发射场) has entered a stage of normalized launches and is building a second phase of the project...

　　"The once 'high and cold' aerospace technology is now entering thousands of industries and expanding application scenarios with the power of the market," 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).

　　Commercial aerospace, an "opportunity" for emerging industries and a "high ground" for global competition. China, which is changing with each passing day, is showing unprecedented development potential in this emerging industrial field. At present, the number of Chinese commercial aerospace enterprises has increased to more than 500, and the market size is expected to exceed 2.5 trillion yuan this year.

　　In the first half of this year, the added value of China's high-tech manufacturing industry above designated size increased by 9.5% year-on-year, driving the growth of the added value of all industrial enterprises above designated size by 1.5 percentage points. As of the end of June, the number of valid invention patents in China's strategic emerging industries reached 1.472 million, which is 2.2 times that of the end of the "13th Five-Year Plan" period.

　　Not long ago, the "Tianyan" (天衍) quantum computing cloud platform independently developed by China Telecom Quantum Group (中电信量子集团) was officially stationed in the National Supercomputing Internet (国家超算互联网). Through deep integration with supercomputing, it will accelerate breakthroughs in fields such as artificial intelligence and drug research and development.

　　Future industries are breeding new business prospects and market opportunities. "We have established a long-cycle differentiated assessment mechanism to promote the scaling and practical application of quantum technology," said Lü Pin (吕品), secretary of the Party Committee and chairman of China Telecom Quantum Group (中电信量子集团).

　　Today's Chinese economy is seeing the continuous emergence of new technologies, the accumulation of new industries, and the rise of new business forms. The "momentum" of innovation is continuously transforming into the "kinetic energy" of the economy. Bloomberg predicts that the proportion of China's high-tech industry in GDP will increase to 19% in 2026.

　　"Industrial innovation is the core support for high-quality development. Only by leading industrial changes with innovation can we promote the effective improvement of the quality and the reasonable growth of the quantity of the economy, and provide strong impetus for building a modern industrial system," said Liu Dongmei (刘冬梅), secretary of the Party Committee of the China Institute for Science and Technology Policy (中国科学技术发展战略研究院).

　　Opening Up New Space——

　　Cultivating new growth points for consumption, developing new business forms, new scenarios, and new models

　　The meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee (中共中央政治局) pointed out: "While expanding commodity consumption, cultivate new growth points for service consumption" "Implement the spirit of the Central Urban Work Conference (中央城市工作会议) and carry out urban renewal with high quality."

　　Recently, BMW's Global Information Technology R&D Center has settled in Nanjing (南京), Jiangsu (江苏). At the same time, BMW is also cooperating with Tsinghua University (清华大学) to explore cutting-edge technologies such as AI and solid-state battery technology. Gao Xiang (高翔), a person in charge of BMW Group, said: "The needs of Chinese user groups are influencing the trends of global user behavior."

　　Domestic demand is the "weathervane" of industrial upgrading and the "ballast stone" of high-quality development. Foreign companies are shifting from building factories to "settling in R&D," and IP, creativity, and standards are shifting from "coming from the world" to "going to the world." The Chinese market is full of "new ideas."

　　The newness of the Chinese economy lies in constantly opening up new space and tapping new potential.

　　JD.com (京东) MALL's Beijing Shuangjing store (北京双井店) attracts a large number of customers with new trendy experiences such as "cyber live streaming" and interactive check-ins. The business district also has functional areas such as a digital entertainment park, a computer assembly experience area, and a family game area. "It's very technological and more interesting than shopping in a mall before," said consumer Wu Jun (吴俊).

　　In the past four years, the average contribution rate of final consumption to China's economic growth reached 56.2%, an increase of 8.6 percentage points compared with the "13th Five-Year Plan" period. New products, new business forms, and new models are emerging in the field of consumption. In 2024, the added value of China's "three new" economy will exceed 24 trillion yuan. "Smart +" is widely welcomed by consumers, well-known IP derivatives have become a "traffic code," the debut economy is still hot, and urban walks and Chinese tea drinks have become fashionable trends.

　　In the first half of this year, supported by policies to expand domestic demand, China's consumer market performed actively, with online retail sales of physical goods increasing by 6.0% year-on-year and retail sales of new energy passenger vehicles increasing by 33.3%.

　　Service consumption has become a new highlight. In the first half of this year, service retail sales increased by 5.3% year-on-year, and markets such as tourism and performances continued to be popular. Driven by super IPs such as "Nezha," the national box office exceeded 29.2 billion yuan, an increase of more than 20% year-on-year.

　　Service consumption is connected to the economy on one end and people's livelihoods on the other. Expanding service consumption has significant practical and long-term significance. "Looking ahead to the second half of the year, we need to create new service business forms and new scenarios, and cultivate new growth points for service consumption," said Hong Yong (洪勇), deputy researcher at the Research Institute of the Ministry of Commerce (商务部研究院).

　　Opening up new space for demand, cultivating new growth points, and developing new business forms and new services... The Chinese economy is reconstructing its growth logic with "domestic circulation as the mainstay."

　　Carrying out urban renewal with high quality can not only improve urban functions and quality, but also give full play to the pivotal role of cities in the domestic and international dual circulation.

　　Fiber optic sensors are embedded in the revetment blocks of the Guanhe Ancient Canal (官河古道) to monitor water quality changes in real time. Combined with a microporous ecological regulation system, the river's self-purification ability is greatly improved. On the river bank, a metaverse block built with AR (augmented reality) technology restores ancient commercial scenes, and tourists can interact with virtual vendors by scanning a code... In Taizhou (台州), Zhejiang (浙江), urban renewal has activated new consumption scenarios, and the daily passenger flow of Guanhe Ancient Canal (官河古道) has exceeded 100,000 on holidays.

　　In Pudong (浦东), Shanghai (上海), the parking information query function reduces the time to find a parking space by 40%; in Weifang (潍坊), Shandong (山东), underground municipal infrastructure is managed by a "smart brain"; the old industrial and mining city of Huangshi (黄石), Hubei (湖北), has been transformed into a "life show"... Cities are organic carriers of innovation, and the improvement of urban functions is an important support for cultivating and developing new momentum.

　　In the view of Mei Yaolin (梅耀林), executive director of the Urban Planning Society of China (中国城市规划学会), cities should not only achieve efficient aggregation of factors, precise adaptation of systems, and deep coordination of subjects, but also transcend the traditional allocation of spatial resources and promote innovation incubation and kinetic energy conversion.

　　*** ***

　　"After a long period of hard work, China's innovation power and development vitality are surging."

　　Creating new engines, shaping new advantages, and opening up new space, the "newness" of the Chinese economy is not only the determination to anchor high-quality development as the primary task, but also the unwavering confidence to manage our own affairs well.

　　Adhering to the core position of innovation in the overall situation of China's modernization construction, deeply implementing the innovation-driven development strategy, accelerating the development of new quality productive forces, and accelerating the integrated development of education, science and technology, and talent, China's high-quality economic development will continue to open up new horizons and new prospects. A China moving towards the new is bound to be a prosperous China. Such a China also means more certainty, future, and opportunities.

　　(Reporters Li Junjie (李俊杰), Yu Sinan (喻思南), and Liu Hongchao (刘洪超) of this newspaper participated in the writing)

Return to Top

Comrade Zhou Deli Passes Away

Xinhua News Agency, Nanjing, August 2nd (Reporter) Comrade Zhou Deli (周德礼), a retired cadre at the corps level and former Chief of Staff of the Nanjing Military Region (南京军区), passed away in Nanjing (南京), Jiangsu (江苏) on July 21st due to illness, at the age of 103.

Zhou Deli (周德礼) was from Xizhaitang Village (西斋堂村), Wanping County (宛平县), Hebei Province (河北省) (now Mentougou District (门头沟区), Beijing (北京市)). He joined the Eighth Route Army (八路军) in 1939 and the Communist Party of China (中国共产党) in the same year. During the Anti-Japanese War, he served as a soldier, squad leader, platoon leader, deputy political instructor of a company, deputy chief of staff of a regiment, and deputy regimental commander. He participated in battles such as smashing the Japanese army's ten-pronged attack, Datai (大台), Shatanggou (沙塘沟), Yuyingzi (于营子), Xiwengzhuang (西翁庄), and Sidaodianzi (四道甸子). During the Liberation War, he served as regimental chief of staff, deputy regimental commander, and regimental commander. He participated in campaigns and battles such as Huailai (怀来), Rehe West (热西), Dushikou (独石口), Yanqing (延庆), Zhaochuan (赵川), Ping绥 Railway (平绥线), and Tianjin (天津). After the founding of the People's Republic of China, he served as regimental commander, deputy chief of staff and chief of staff of a military sub-district, deputy commander, deputy division commander concurrently chief of staff, division commander, deputy commander of the Guangxi Military Region (广西军区), army commander, and chief of staff of the Guangzhou Military Region (广州军区), making contributions to the revolutionization, modernization, and regularization of the army.

Zhou Deli (周德礼) was a representative of the Tenth and Eleventh National Congresses of the Communist Party of China (中国共产党), and a representative of the Sixth National People's Congress (全国人民代表大会). He was awarded the rank of Senior Colonel in 1955 and promoted to Major General in 1960. He was awarded the Independent Merit Honor Medal and the Second-Class Liberation Medal.

Return to Top

Page 1 Editors: Xu Nuo, Zhao Zheng, Luan Xinyi; Page 2 Editors: Yin Xinyu, Qi Jiarun, Han Wenrong; Page 3 Editors: Wu Gang, Zhou Zhou, Chen Xirui; Page 4 Editors: Yuan Zhenxi, Liu Jingwen, Chen Zhen

Return to Top

Decoding the Strong Vitality and Resilience of the Chinese Economy (People's Viewpoint)

By: 本报评论部

Observing the present and looking forward to the future, the world is optimistic about China.

"Showing amazing resilience" and "achieving better-than-expected growth" are how many foreign media outlets have assessed China's economic achievements in the first half of this year, with some institutions raising their expectations.

Amidst the combined pressures of external challenges and internal difficulties, how can the Chinese economy demonstrate such strong vitality and resilience?

"Coordinating the relationship between total supply and total demand" and "adhering to the synergistic efforts and dynamic balance between the supply side and the demand side" – General Secretary Xi Jinping's (习近平) important expositions contain the key to the continuous growth and strengthening of the Chinese economy through trials and tribulations.

Always adhering to the principle of seeking progress while maintaining stability, leading new demand with new supply, and driving new supply with new demand, the Chinese economy is accelerating the formation of a higher-level dynamic balance, and the advantages and potential of its super-large-scale market are becoming more apparent.

(I)

With high-quality supply leading new demand and promoting new consumption, the Chinese economy is full of vitality.

In Shanghai (上海), whale robots have become a new highlight of consumption growth. In 2024, sales reached 1 million units, exporting to 51 countries and regions, becoming a new benchmark for Chinese AI education hardware going overseas.

In Qingdao (青岛), Shandong (山东), Haier's latest "AI Eye" series of black technology, by giving home appliances the ability to "understand," allows Haier Smart Home to move from "doing housework for people" to "unmanned housework."

In Qinghai (青海), taking the construction of a world-class salt lake industrial base as an opportunity, activating the value of industrial heritage, innovating ecological transformation paths, deepening cross-industry integration, and promoting industrial tourism to become a new magnet for the salt lake industry.

…………

Market "new favorites" are constantly innovating. The total number of consumer product varieties in China has exceeded 200 million. In the first four months of this year, more than 8.09 million new varieties of consumer products were added in China, an increase of 40.4% year-on-year.

"Traveling" in China, "shopping" in China, and "eating" in China have become international "new fashions." Some foreign media commented: "While foreign tourists are experiencing the high quality of 'Made in China,' they are also touching the pulse of China's development."

From the time when people went abroad to buy rice cookers and toilet lids, to "bringing empty suitcases to China" becoming a hot topic on social platforms, today's China is seeing an endless stream of new products, new business formats, and new models. Thanks to the advantages of a complete industrial system, supported by technological innovation, high-quality supply is constantly being created, continuously meeting people's needs.

The new supply is new in the original innovation of "creating something out of nothing," and China is accelerating its transformation from a large-scale production and manufacturing center to a global source of innovation; it is new in the iterative upgrading of "creating new things from existing ones," and the intelligent, green, and high-end transformation is causing new trends in traditional products; it is new in the integrated development of "breaking boundaries and going out of the circle," and the competition economy, the first-release economy, and the night economy are constantly shaping new consumption scenarios.

Leading the development of new quality productive forces with technological innovation, creating high-quality supply, and releasing new consumer demand. This is the source of our confidence to "always maintain the role of a trendsetter in the great tide of modern economy."

(II)

With high-quality demand driving high-quality supply, the Chinese economy is full of potential.

From "having or not having" to "good or not good," today the people are more expecting a high-quality life, and demand is characterized by diversification, multi-level, and multi-faceted features.

In line with this historic change, from "using whatever is available" to "having whatever is needed," high-quality demand has become the "command stick" for industrial upgrading, promoting profound changes in the supply system and structure—

New demand forces the innovation of production methods. Can the washing machine wash different clothes at the same time without interfering with each other? The integrated three-drum washing machine was born and sold well as a result. Can summer clothing wick away sweat and be breathable? Quick-drying clothing has become popular as a result. Consumers' personalized needs have spawned flexible manufacturing models such as private customization and "small orders, quick response."

New demand opens up new tracks for the industry. The "weight management year" meets the "light food trend," and the big health industry welcomes new development opportunities; the rise of low-altitude consumption opens up the imagination space of a trillion-level industry for the low-altitude economy.

New demand creates new business opportunities. Sanxingdui (三星堆) golden mask refrigerator magnets became popular, and "factories are so busy that they can't stop"; the movie *Ne Zha* (哪吒之魔童闹海) drove the popularity of the "IP economy," helping the industrial chain embark on the "wind fire wheel."

…………

From the General Office of the Central Committee (中办) and the General Office of the State Council (国办) issuing the *Special Action Plan for Boosting Consumption* (《提振消费专项行动方案》), to the Ministry of Commerce (商务部) and other 9 departments jointly issuing the *Service Consumption Quality Improvement and Benefit People Action 2025 Work Plan* (《服务消费提质惠民行动2025年工作方案》); from the continuous increase in the strength and scope of the "two new" policies, to the increase in real money and silver to increase the protection of fertility and parenting, a series of policies and measures enhance consumption capacity, improve consumption conditions, and promote the quality and upgrading of consumption.

Where demand points, there is a blue ocean. The Chinese economy is forming a transmission chain of "demand-driven—technological innovation—industrial change," and the growth of the super-large-scale market is further enhanced. With the in-depth promotion of new industrialization, new urbanization, and green and low-carbon transformation, the market will continue to expand.

In the first half of this year, the contribution rate of domestic demand to economic growth reached 68.8%, of which the contribution rate of final consumption expenditure was 52%, and domestic demand has become the main driving force and anchor for stabilizing economic growth.

Driving new supply with new demand satisfies the people's needs for a better life and opens up the development space of the Chinese economy.

(III)

The national economic cycle is smoother, and the Chinese economy is full of power.

"Better coordinate the expansion of domestic demand and the deepening of supply-side structural reform, and enhance the dynamics and reliability of the domestic great cycle." General Secretary Xi Jinping's (习近平) important exposition reveals the endogenous logic of China's economic power.

Today, the virtuous cycle of the national economy is based on a higher level of dynamic balance, presenting new characteristics of "two-way empowerment" and "two-way rush."

New supply and new demand "two-way empowerment." Continuously promote technological innovation and institutional innovation, break through the blockages, bottlenecks, and vulnerabilities of supply constraints... Supply-side structural reform is moving in depth, new effective supply is constantly being created, and the market responds with a surge of transactions, "two-way empowerment" of supply and demand, promoting the continuous realization of effective quality improvement and reasonable quantitative growth of the Chinese economy.

New quality productive forces and new consumer groups are in a "two-way rush." Traditional industries are "old trees with new branches," emerging industries are growing stronger, and future industries are starting from scratch. The innovation capacity and quality efficiency of the supply system have been greatly improved. Upgrading from survival-oriented to development-oriented, enjoyment-oriented, and quality-oriented, new consumption greatly expands the consumption space of more than 1.4 billion Chinese people. The youth group aged 14-35 is about 400 million, forming the most scaled and growing new consumer demographic dividend. New supply is dominated by new quality productive forces, and new demand is dominated by new consumer groups. The "two-way rush" between the two makes the Chinese economy as deep and broad as the sea.

Promoting the construction of a unified national market in depth with "five unifications and one opening," and promoting the continuous optimization of market competition order will promote the smooth flow and efficient allocation of factor resources in a wider range.

The advantages of a complete industrial system and the advantages of a super-large-scale market are intertwined, and high-quality supply and high-quality demand form a resonance effect, which not only consolidates the stable foundation of China's economy, but also draws a modern economic picture with a better structure, stronger resilience, greater potential, and more vitality.

"Make good use of development opportunities, potential, and advantages, and consolidate and expand the momentum of economic recovery," complete the annual goals and tasks, win the "14th Five-Year Plan," and stride forward on a new journey. We have the confidence, ability, and drive.

(Written by: Li Zheng (李拯), Zhou Shanshan (周珊珊), Li Tielin (李铁林))

Return to Top

Finding the Path to "Turning the Tables" Through "Leaps Forward" (Commentary & Observation)

By: 崔 妍

"Looking horizontally, it's a range; viewed from the side, it's a peak." Different perspectives reveal vastly different development potentials. A high vantage point and broad thinking are essential to transform circumstances.

After the release of China's economic mid-year report, two news items are particularly thought-provoking: first, Chongqing (重庆) surpassed Shanghai (上海) to become the top city for consumption; second, Anhui (安徽) overtook Guangdong (广东) as the largest province for automobile manufacturing. Stereotypically, the economic development of central and western regions is difficult to match with that of the eastern regions. The rise of Chongqing and Anhui is admirable for its strong momentum, and one can also appreciate the "counterattack" strategy.

"Weakness" and "strength" should be viewed dialectically.

Chongqing's complex topography and undulating terrain, requiring bridges to cross mountains and roads to become slopes, are unfavorable conditions for engineering construction. However, precisely by focusing on weaknesses and overcoming difficulties, Chongqing has created an "8D magical" three-dimensional transportation network, achieving a unique landscape identity, turning "shortcomings" into "strengths."

Looking at Anhui, an inland province without a coastline, once a "listener" in the Yangtze River Delta (长三角), an overlooked area for "free shipping," changing the perspective transforms it into a "window" connecting the Yangtze River Delta to the inland, a "stepping stone" for inland access to rivers and the sea. Leveraging the overlapping advantages of multiple national development strategies and borrowing momentum from surrounding areas, the "latecomer" becomes an "excellent student."

"Looking horizontally, it's a range; viewed from the side, it's a peak." Different perspectives reveal vastly different development potentials. A high vantage point and broad thinking are essential to transform circumstances.

Behind the "position" is "differentiation."

Whether it is Chongqing creating a diverse consumption space system of "river, cliff, street, cave, and sky" (江崖街洞天) and building 286 "mountain city trails + characteristic blocks + riverside economic belt" consumption spaces, or Hefei (合肥) manufacturing "complete vehicles," Bozhou (亳州) producing "parts," and Huainan (淮南) developing the "aftermarket," with various regions collaborating to build an industrial chain, it is crucial to accurately identify positioning and integrate parts into a whole. Looking at various fields, basing oneself on unique characteristics and advantages, differentiated development and collaborative innovation are good strategies.

The "millet economy" becomes an increment, "going to a city for a museum" activates the market, and culture and economy coexist and prosper; in the Pearl River Delta (珠三角), where "95% of the parts for a mobile phone can be assembled in 1 hour," the integration of three chains smooths the "dual circulation"; gradually establishing a basic public service provision mechanism integrating urban and rural areas, leveraging the role of county towns in connecting cities and driving rural areas, and promoting more balanced development through urban-rural integration... Instead of looking at oneself in isolation, but connecting organic wholes through integration, the spring water of development will surge and surge.

"External" and "internal" can be transformed.

In the first half of the year, foreigners recognized "Yu" (渝 - short for Chongqing) through social media platforms, and Chongqing took the opportunity to open "instant purchase and instant refund" for offshore tax refunds and introduced incentive policies for inbound tourism, with the number of inbound and outbound foreign passengers increasing by 140% year-on-year; automobiles are exported to various countries, the world's largest automotive safety system supplier built its first factory in Anhui, and Volkswagen China Technology Company introduced local technology into product development. Taking the image out, attracting traffic in, taking products out, and attracting investment in, all rely on their own charm, absorbing externally and digesting internally with an open attitude, reflecting the value of "dual circulation."

In the face of globalization headwinds and industrial chain risks, smoothing the "dual circulation" and allowing external resources to flow into the internal "reservoir" is conducive to enhancing the safety and sustainability of development with resilience and stability. Using it for our own purposes and enriching endogenous power, in this sense, opening up to the outside world is also cultivating internal strength.

The competition of catching up with each other depicts China's narrative of vitality.

Looking at a region from the overall national perspective, Hangzhou (杭州) in Zhejiang (浙江) is accelerating the cultivation of new quality productive forces and building a city suitable for business and living, surpassing Guangzhou (广州) in Guangdong for the first time to rank fourth among the top 100 cities in the country; Tangshan (唐山) in Hebei (河北) is undergoing low-carbon transformation, with the "transformation" of the secondary industry and the "rise" of the tertiary industry, advancing to a "trillion-yuan city"; in the first half of the year, the GDP rankings of various provinces showed outstanding performance in western provinces, achieving "1+1>2" through collaborative cooperation... Why can a city or region "leap"? The clever combination of the new development concept and reality makes the development path richer, the driving force more excellent, and the resource allocation more balanced. Grasping the password of high-quality development, actively responding to changes and cultivating new opportunities, will continuously create new development situations and new possibilities.

Looking at China from an international perspective, China's AI technology is "open source," the institutional system is connected to the international community, and the ranking of the global innovation index has risen to eleventh; optimizing the visa-free policy to "open the door to welcome guests," "dismantling walls" and "making friends" in the face of barriers, sharing opportunities and wisdom, and the international "impression score" is climbing; movies, games, online literature and other cultures "go overseas," mobile phones, home appliances, new energy vehicles and other brands "go overseas," and global soft power is improving... Why can China continue to "leap"? Firmly expanding opening up, injecting certainty into the world with development "action," adhering to the path of high-level opening up, and bravely responding to changes and opening up new situations will continuously stimulate new momentum and new advantages for development.

How to continue to achieve "leap"? **干字当头** (gàn zì dāng tóu - "work hard first," putting diligent work as the top priority), and practical work is essential. Once you see it, seize it and work hard, and draw a blueprint to the end. This is a simple and true principle.

Return to Top

Photo Report

Not long ago, the General Office of the State Council issued the "Opinions on Gradually Promoting Free Preschool Education," clarifying that starting from the autumn semester of 2025, childcare and education fees for children in public kindergartens will be waived for the year before they enter primary school; for eligible children attending private kindergartens established with the approval of the education department, childcare and education fees will be reduced or exempted with reference to the level of exemptions for public kindergartens of the same type in the local area. Gradually promoting free preschool education is not only conducive to improving families' expectations for the cost of having children, but also helps to further promote educational equity.

This is precisely:

Preschool costs reduced,

Universal benefit long-term.

The spring breeze delivers sweet rain,

Seedlings strong, all joyful faces.

Yu Xuan (余璇) wrote.

Return to Top

Diverse Reading Demonstrates the Temperament of the Times (Perspective)

By: 舒  昊

Recent surveys indicate that young people's reading formats and scenarios are becoming increasingly diversified: over 70% of respondents favor the ink fragrance and tactile feel of paper books, while half simultaneously choose digital carriers such as e-books and audiobook platforms. Libraries, bookstores, book markets, book fairs, and reading clubs have become "spiritual stations" for reading. Against the backdrop of technological iteration and social change, reading is taking on richer forms to satisfy people's desire for spiritual nourishment, self-growth, and emotional resonance.

The sense of ritual carried by paper books, the convenience of e-books, the auditory immersion brought by audiobooks, and the social interaction of reading clubs... behind different reading formats are diverse individual needs. Some people are accustomed to buying paper books, not only paying for knowledge but also "collecting traces of time"; others read on the subway and engage in dialogues with authors at reading clubs, achieving satisfaction from knowledge acquisition and emotional resonance. The emergence of "fancy reading" reflects the youth group's active pursuit of three-dimensional interaction with texts, realizing cognitive expansion, emotional regulation, and identity recognition in diverse scenarios.

The diversification of youth reading is also a product of technological empowerment and social structural changes. With the progress of urbanization, people's social needs have spawned new types of reading communities such as reading clubs and online book fan groups; the popularity of smartphones and new media has made fragmented reading possible. In this context, reading scenarios have shifted from closed study rooms to open urban spaces, reading formats have shifted from silent text decoding to multi-dimensional sensory experiences, and the boundaries and meanings of reading are being reconstructed.

It is worth noting that diverse reading formats may also be accompanied by the foam of consumerism. Some readers are obsessed with "check-in style reading" or "collector's habit of buying books," turning cultural consumption into a vain performance. However, deeper observation reveals that what truly supports the sustainability of "fancy reading" is still the adherence to spiritual subjectivity. Whether it is sharing books through social platforms to meet like-minded people, or acting as a "book narrator" to speak for their hometown, practice shows that reading is not only a consumption behavior but also a channel for self-expression and value creation.

The rise of "fancy reading" is a vivid footnote written by the times for cultural consumption. This inspires us that only by taking "people-oriented needs" as the coordinate can cultural consumption truly become an incubator of spiritual civilization, allowing everyone to touch the richness of life and the atmosphere of the times at the moment of opening a book.

(Excerpted from *Fujian Daily (福建日报)*, originally titled *Why Young People Love "Fancy Reading"*)

Return to Top

A Look into the "Cool" and "Hot" of Study Tours (People's Daily Commentary)

By: 张佳莹

Adapting to consumer demand, conducting differentiated design that combines education and entertainment, providing in-depth experiences from "learning" to "research," strictly adhering to the rules of genuine and honest goods, and continuously improving service quality.

This summer, study tours have experienced an "uneven" situation, drawing attention.

On one side, there's "coldness." According to reports, some study tour camps that have been preparing for months have not been able to reach the required number of participants for a long time; the number of inquiries for previously popular projects has decreased by 60% compared to the same period last year.

On the other side, there's "heat." In Qinghai (青海), children learn about folk customs such as Pan embroidery and Zerou dance through games in the form of challenges, and appreciate traditional culture. In Guizhou (贵州), relying on the "China Sky Eye" (中国天眼) characteristic astronomical town, teenagers can unlock the novel experience of "interstellar travel." In Zhongshan (中山), Guangdong (广东), the "one-day camp" experiencing agricultural life has increased to four sessions per week, and is still in short supply... Some study tour products have many highlights and maintain high popularity.

The "cold" and "hot" reflect changes in market demand and provide a small entry point for observing industry development.

The key influencing factors for the differentiation of the study tour market are product quality and consumer experience. Constant negative reviews inevitably lead to a cooling down. For example, traveling without learning, 走马观花 (zǒu mǎ guān huā - "riding a horse watching flowers," to gain a superficial understanding through cursory observation), taking photos and checking in all the way; mismatch between goods and advertisements, professional instructors on brochures replaced by tour guides with unknown identities, loose management; superficiality, mainly visiting public museums, universities, and other public institutions, and raising prices significantly under the name of "study tour." Parents hope that their children will "read thousands of books and travel thousands of miles," but eventually find that it is superficial, a fleeting visit, and even has potential safety hazards. How can they be willing to pay for such a study tour?

Focusing on quality improvement and upgrading is the key to winning praise and the market. Study tours have the advantages of enriching children's knowledge and reducing parents' burden, and the market size has expanded rapidly in recent years. The faster the cake grows, the more important it is to return to the original intention of study tours, focus on solving problems, and jointly promote the healthy development of the industry. Whether it is unlocking new experiences and new ways to play, or aggregating resources that "others do not have, or we have better," or opening up niche tracks, popular study tour products must be finding the right direction, so that children can learn something and gain something from the tour. This requires distinguishing the genuine from the false, putting effort into creating high-quality courses, and putting effort into improving the effectiveness of study tours, so as to help children increase their skills and accelerate their growth in travel and practice.

From another perspective, the current "partial cooling" of study tours is also a new opportunity for industry development. Nowadays, from the "Opinions on Promoting Study Tours for Primary and Secondary School Students" issued by the Ministry of Education (教育部) and other departments, to the implementation of tourism industry standards such as the "Service Requirements for Study Tours," the system rules are becoming more and more complete. Many places are managing the chaos of study tours, recommending characteristic study tour routes, and many public institutions such as museums and scientific research institutes are joining in, and the high-quality supply is becoming more and more abundant. The study tour market is experiencing a 大浪淘沙 (dà làng táo shā - "big waves washing sand," a process of sifting and selection), stricter supervision, more diverse demands, and more intense competition have purified the development environment and opened up new market space, which is conducive to the industry's accelerating transformation and upgrading. In this context, whoever has strong innovation ability and high service quality will gain reputation and gain incremental growth.

Grasp the balance so that the commercial nature of study tour products and the public welfare of study tour education are better compatible. Since ancient times, measuring the world with footsteps and experiencing life in practice has been an important way to acquire knowledge and gain spiritual growth. For study tours, travel is the carrier, and research and learning are the purpose. Adapting to consumer demand, conducting differentiated design that combines education and entertainment, providing in-depth experiences from "learning" to "research," strictly adhering to the rules of genuine and honest goods, and continuously improving service quality, such study tour products will be favored by parents and children, and stand out in the fierce competition.

Study tours have unique value and charm. After continuous tempering and washing, the study tour industry will surely move steadily and far on the track of high-quality development, and better help the construction of a strong education country.

Return to Top

This edition's editors: Li Haoran, Sheng Yulei, Li Tielin

This edition's email: rmbpl@peopledaily.cn (Please indicate the column name when submitting manuscripts)

Return to Top

This is a marathon without a finish line. (Observation)

By: 本报记者  王  丹

In the early morning, at the Wucheng Protection and Management Station of the Jiangxi Poyang Lake National Nature Reserve (江西鄱阳湖国家级自然保护区吴城保护管理站), as usual, patrolman Wang Xiaolong (王小龙) climbed the watchtower and looked far into the lake with his binoculars.

"The birds are 'getting up'!" Following Wang Xiaolong's (王小龙) gaze, countless migratory birds spread their wings and circled above the grassland, stretching into the depths of the mist.

Since retiring from the military in 1987, Wang Xiaolong (王小龙) has spent 38 years here, forging an indissoluble bond with the migratory birds. From his prime to his graying temples, Wang Xiaolong (王小龙) has been fulfilling his vow to protect Poyang Lake's (鄱阳湖) "clear waters, wetlands, and spirits."

"It makes a 'chirping' sound, as if to say thank you."

"Look, this 'little guy' is starting to move!" Wang Xiaolong (王小龙) opened the satellite positioning system on his mobile phone, pointed to the constantly flashing red dot on the screen, and said with a smile.

The "little guy" Wang Xiaolong (王小龙) was talking about is a white crane. In May 2024, staff at the Wucheng Protection and Management Station (吴城保护管理站) discovered during monitoring that a white crane was trapped on a flooded grassland, its wings drooping and barely able to move. Seeing this, Wang Xiaolong (王小龙) was very anxious and immediately organized a rescue. "After rushing to the scene by boat with other rescue team members, I didn't have time to think and immediately jumped into the water to hug the young crane onto the boat and send it to the migratory bird rescue center," Wang Xiaolong (王小龙) said. After diagnosis, the white crane had a slight fracture in its wing and could not fly in the wild.

"Caring for injured migratory birds is like taking care of children, you have to be patient and spend more time with them," Wang Xiaolong (王小龙) said. Feeding, watering, cleaning wounds... For more than 200 days, under Wang Xiaolong's (王小龙) careful care, the white crane fully recovered and returned to the blue sky. Wang Xiaolong (王小龙) named it "Zhu Lang" (逐浪) and installed a lightweight satellite tracker on it to monitor its movements in real time.

"Watching them go from being injured and helpless to being treated and recovering, and then returning to the sky to fly freely, that sense of accomplishment cannot be expressed in words," Wang Xiaolong (王小龙) said with emotion. On his 38-year patrol route, Wang Xiaolong (王小龙) has rescued more than 300 injured birds. Once, in order to save an injured white crane, Wang Xiaolong (王小龙), alone, accidentally slipped into the swamp... When nearby villagers found him, he subconsciously said: "Don't worry about me, save the white crane first."

Wang Xiaolong's (王小龙) first bird rescue happened more than 30 years ago in winter. That day, it was snowing heavily. On his patrol route, he found a lone, injured little white crane struggling on the lake beach. He took off his shoes and stepped into the knee-deep mud, hugged the white crane back to the station, bandaged its wounds, and bought small fish and corn to feed it.

"A few days later, I took the white crane to the local health center to check the healing of its wounds. I walked in front, and it followed behind, one in front and one behind, walking several kilometers. The surrounding people were amazed. After a month of careful care, the white crane's wounds had completely healed. When it was released, it circled over my head for a long time, making a 'chirping' sound, as if to say thank you." Recalling the scene at that time, Wang Xiaolong (王小龙) still could not hide his excitement.

"Witnessing the continuous growth of migratory bird populations is very hard, but it feels very fulfilling."

It hasn't been easy along the way. "I have witnessed the continuous growth of migratory bird populations, which is very hard but feels very fulfilling," Wang Xiaolong (王小龙) said. The number of bird species recorded in the reserve has reached 391, and about 700,000 migratory birds come to roost and overwinter every year, including more than 95% of the global population of white cranes. It is also known as the "Kingdom of White Cranes" and "Paradise of Migratory Birds."

However, behind this heavy achievement are countless days and nights accompanied by danger. One winter morning in 1992, Wang Xiaolong (王小龙) was patrolling the lake area when he suddenly heard the cries of frightened birds and immediately became alert. He followed the sound and saw a group of people holding bird-catching and bird-luring tools, stretching their "black hands" towards the flock of birds.

"If I rashly stepped forward to stop them, I might **打草惊蛇** (dǎ cǎo jīng shé - "beat the grass startle the snake," to alert the enemy by acting rashly)." Wang Xiaolong (王小龙) said that communication methods were not well-developed in those days, so he immediately decided to walk back to the protection station 9 kilometers away to report. The temperature in the lake area was low and the cold wind was howling. He walked along the rugged path for more than an hour. Subsequently, staff from the protection station and police officers from the police station rushed to the scene and detected a major poaching case involving the hunting, supply, sales, and transportation of birds in an "all-in-one" operation.

Nearly 14,000 days and nights, more than 400,000 kilometers of walking around the lake, assisting in the investigation and handling of more than 180 cases of poaching migratory birds and destroying wetlands... Behind these figures is Wang Xiaolong's (王小龙) perseverance measured by his footsteps, as well as the sacrifices he has made for it.

On Wang Xiaolong's (王小龙) left shoulder, a scar about 20 centimeters long is particularly conspicuous. In September 2019, he accidentally fell and was injured while patrolling the lake. After diagnosis, his left arm was shattered and fractured, and several steel nails were implanted in his body after the operation. Two months later, before he had even recovered, he returned to the front line of patrol with a bandage. His family and colleagues felt sorry for him and advised him not to work too hard, but he said: "The task of protecting birds is heavy, and I can still persevere."

"I have found the value of life in protecting these natural spirits."

Over the past 30 years, batches of people have come and gone from the protection station, leaving only Wang Xiaolong (王小龙). Someone asked: "What is it for to stick to the front line of lake patrol day after day for decades?" Wang Xiaolong (王小龙) said: "Migratory birds are like my relatives, and I have found the value of life in protecting these natural spirits."

"Protecting the safety of migratory birds is not enough to rely on patrolmen alone, but depends more on the participation of everyone," Wang Xiaolong (王小龙) said. In recent years, he has traveled to villages and communities around the lake area, going door-to-door and boarding boats to patiently and meticulously publicize the importance of protecting migratory birds to the masses. At the same time, he has also entered more than 20 primary and secondary schools to communicate face-to-face with students, share his stories of protecting migratory birds, and plant the seeds of harmonious coexistence between humans and nature in the hearts of children.

Today, more and more people are participating in the action of loving and protecting birds. At the Wucheng Protection and Management Station (吴城保护管理站) of the Poyang Lake National Nature Reserve (鄱阳湖国家级自然保护区), there are many other "bird fanatics" like Wang Xiaolong (王小龙). When migratory birds overwinter, they patrol and monitor in the hinterland of the lake area in the severe cold, sometimes without rest for several months; in the summer, when Poyang Lake (鄱阳湖) enters the high-water period and the station becomes an isolated island, they still selflessly protect the summer migratory birds. What makes Wang Xiaolong (王小龙) gratified is that Wucheng Town (吴城镇), Yongxiu County (永修县), where he is located, has developed from a "small island in the lake" with closed transportation in the past to a well-known migratory bird town, attracting more than 1 million tourists every year, and the villagers are living a prosperous life by eating ecological meals.

This year, Wang Xiaolong (王小龙) is about to retire and say goodbye to the protection station where he has spent most of his life. "This is a long-distance race without an end," Wang Xiaolong (王小龙) said in simple but firm words, "As long as I can still move, I will stay with the migratory birds and protect them for a long, long time."

Return to Top

Li Zhu-ru: A News Warrior Wielding the Pen as a Blade and Ink as a Gun (Remembering History, Cherishing the Memory of Martyrs: Anti-Japanese War Heroes)

By: 新华社记者  袁  敏  王鸿硕

Inside the Red Lijin Education and Experience Center of the Party School of the Lijin County Committee in Dongying, Shandong (山东东营) Province, there is a statue that always attracts visitors to stop and gaze – he holds his head high, clenches his fists tightly, and gazes ahead. This is Li Zhuru (李竹如), the first Communist Party member from Lijin County (利津县), the first president of the Xinhua News Agency Shandong Branch (新华社山东分社), and a martyr of the anti-Japanese war on the news front.

"As a news worker of the Party, Li Zhuru (李竹如) often said, 'One newspaper is better than one artillery shell.' He ran various newspapers, using his pen as a blade and ink as a gun, composing a powerful melody of news resistance with his youth and life!" Whenever visitors come here, Ding Jie (丁洁), the center's narrator, emotionally tells the story of the anti-Japanese martyr.

In summer, the Yellow River (黄河) embankment in Lijin County (利津县) is lush with vegetation. Zhuangke Village (庄科村) next to the embankment is a well-known "cultural village" in the surrounding area, and Li Zhuru (李竹如) was born here.

In the 1920s, Li Zhuru (李竹如) was influenced by revolutionary ideas. He read and clipped newspapers during the day, and at night, he organized students to come to his home to listen to him read newspapers, preach current affairs, and progressive ideas. In the Spring Festival of 1925, Li Zhuru (李竹如) posted a couplet on his gate that read "Marxism-Leninism spreads throughout the world, the world will be united," which was both his vision for a better future and the belief he would strive for throughout his life.

In 1927, Li Zhuru (李竹如) joined the Communist Party of China in Jinan (济南) and co-founded the *Jinjin* Weekly with progressive youths.

After the September 18th Incident, he participated in leading the anti-Japanese and national salvation movement of teachers and students from Nanjing Central University (南京中央大学) and many other schools in Nanjing (南京); he ran around starting newspapers, such as founding the *New Asia Daily* in Jinan (济南) and participating in the founding of the *Culture News* in Shanghai (上海), using words to spread the spark of anti-Japanese and national salvation to the mountains and rivers...

After the outbreak of the full-scale War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, Li Zhuru (李竹如) rushed to Yan'an (延安). He brought almost no luggage, but he brought wax paper, steel plates, and engraving pens. In the southeastern Shanxi (晋东南) area, he stayed in the headquarters of the 129th Division of the Eighth Route Army (八路军一二九师) to do civilian work, founded the *Chinese People's News*, and later served as the deputy editor-in-chief of the *Xinhua Daily* (North China Edition) (*新华日报* (华北版)). In May 1939, he was selected to be transferred to Shandong (山东). After returning to his hometown, he still attached great importance to news work. While serving as the Minister of the Propaganda Department of the Shandong Branch of the CPC Central Committee (中共中央山东分局宣传部部长), he also oversaw the *Dazhong Daily* (*大众日报*) and served as the president of the Xinhua News Agency Shandong Branch (新华社山东分社).

At that time, the *Dazhong Daily* (*大众日报*) had just been founded, and most of the newspaper's staff were young people who lacked experience. Li Zhuru (李竹如) personally took charge of the construction of the editorial and reporter teams. At the same time, he maintained the habit of running newspapers in Jinan (济南) and Shanghai (上海), publishing at least one editorial every week.

In January 1940, a comrade from the newspaper found Li Zhuru (李竹如) with anxiety, saying, "The printing plant is running out of ink and paper, what should we do?"

Li Zhuru (李竹如) turned his attention to ordinary glazed paper, which no one had ever used to print newspapers, so the enemy's censorship was looser. "If predecessors haven't done it, we'll blaze a trail!" Li Zhuru (李竹如) worked side by side with the workers, eating and living next to the machines, repeatedly adjusting the machine pressure and ink volume, and finally solved the problem of ink penetration, allowing the reverse side of the glazed paper to be clearly printed.

"In today's more difficult anti-Japanese war, reporters bear a more glorious task. They stand at the forefront of the propaganda war, not only as propagandists, agitators, and social educators, but also as organizers, supervisors, and guides." In September 1940, Li Zhuru (李竹如) wrote this in his article "Glorious History and Glorious Tasks."

On June 28, 1941, the Xinhua News Agency Shandong Branch (新华社山东分社) was established in Linshu County (临沭县) (now a county under the jurisdiction of Linyi City (临沂市)), which was the first provincial branch of the Xinhua News Agency in China. Li Zhuru (李竹如) also served as the president of the branch. On the same day, the branch broadcast six news items, including "Eighth Route Army Raids, Enemies and Puppets Flee in Panic," "Vast Number of Youths in Qinghe District Surge to Anti-Japanese Sentries," and "Taishan District Implements Unified Labor Service Method." Under the conditions of frequent warfare, rudimentary communication facilities, and tight staffing, the Xinhua News Agency Shandong Branch (新华社山东分社) played a role in publicizing the masses, boosting morale, and打击敌人.

No matter where or when, Li Zhuru (李竹如) never forgot his original intention and mission, continuously expanding the Chinese Communist Party's news propaganda front and strengthening the people's determination to resist Japan. In the autumn and winter of 1942, the invading Japanese army launched a large-scale "mopping-up" operation in the Yimeng Mountains (沂蒙山区). Li Zhuru (李竹如) and his comrades hid in the ravines, guarding communication lines while printing internal communications. On November 2, during the breakout battle of Guyu (崮峪), Li Zhuru (李竹如) was unfortunately shot and heroically sacrificed his life at the age of 37.

History flows endlessly, and the spirit is passed down from generation to generation.

"My grandfather had a profound influence on my father," Li Xiaobo (李晓波), Li Zhuru's (李竹如) granddaughter, who is in her sixties, told reporters. She said that her father, Li Weimin (李维民), also followed in his grandfather's footsteps, joining the revolution in 1946 and serving as a reporter for the *Pioneer News* (*前锋报*), *Advancing Army News* (*进军报*), *People's Front News* (*人民前线报*), and *Liberation Army Daily* (*解放军报*), charging into battle on the news front.

"I still treasure my grandfather's collection of essays, the newspapers he ran back then, and old photos of his revolutionary activities, but the most valuable wealth is the great anti-Japanese spirit, which is my family's heirloom," Li Xiaobo (李晓波) said with emotion.

Today, in Lijin County's (利津县) Li Zhuru Martyrs Memorial Square (李竹如烈士纪念广场), Martyrs Cemetery (烈士陵园), Red Lijin Education and Experience Center (红色利津教育体悟中心) and other memorial education sites, the statue of Martyr Li Zhuru (李竹如) stands quietly, witnessing the earth-shaking changes of the motherland.

Ding Jie (丁洁), a 40-year-old narrator and senior lecturer at the Party School of the Lijin County Committee (利津县委党校), has been teaching for 15 years. Since the opening of the Red Lijin Education and Experience Center (红色利津教育体悟中心) in 2023, visits by Party School students have been a mandatory course, allowing them to experience the great anti-Japanese spirit through immersive experiences. "Inheritance is the key to keeping the fire burning. Li Zhuru (李竹如) composed a magnificent news battle song with his life. We must tell the story of the anti-Japanese war with our hearts and souls and inherit the red gene!" said Ding Jie (丁洁).

(According to Xinhua News Agency, Jinan (济南), August 8)

Return to Top

Forged in Blood and Fire: A Profound Friendship

By: 本报记者  陈振凯  钱一彬  李  洋

Fourteen years of unyielding mountains and rivers, victory did not come easily. August 15th is forever worthy of remembrance.

Eighty years ago on this day, Japan announced its unconditional surrender. Eighty years later, beside the Lugou Bridge (卢沟桥) in Beijing (北京), the Museum of the War of Chinese People's Resistance Against Japanese Aggression stands solemn and silent.

Inside the museum, artifacts and photographs allow people to relive the bloody battles of the Chinese military and civilians, and to appreciate the international friends who joined hands. Many visitors stop in front of a set of interactive camera installations to complete a trans-temporal photo with John Rabe, a German friend who protected the Chinese people during the Nanjing Massacre.

"The victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression is a great victory for the Chinese people fighting side by side with the anti-fascist Allies and the people of all countries." Since the new era, General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) has repeatedly told the story of Chinese and foreign people supporting each other and fighting side by side on the world anti-fascist battlefield.

The profound friendship forged in the trials of blood and fire, life and death, is stronger than gold and endures.

International Friends Actively Assist

"Their touching deeds and noble character will always be remembered in the hearts of the Chinese people."

Looking back at the years of the War of Resistance, peace-loving and just countries and peoples of the world, international organizations, and various anti-fascist forces provided valuable assistance and support to the Chinese people in various forms.

The Soviet Aid-China Aviation Team "soared through the skies" in Nanjing (南京), Wuhan (武汉), Chongqing (重庆) and other places, intercepting Japanese invaders. More than 2,000 Soviet pilots shared the same hatred with the Chinese people. Soviet Flying Grand Captain Kulichenko was one of them.

"He said emotionally: 'I experience the suffering of the Chinese working people as if I were experiencing the disaster of my own country.'" On March 23, 2013, local time, President Xi Jinping (习近平) spoke about the story of Kulichenko in his speech at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations.

In battle, Kulichenko and his teammates were brave and fearless, inflicting heavy blows on the Japanese invaders. When training Chinese pilots, he was patient and meticulous. Before taking off, he would watch the pilot sit in the cockpit and step on the brakes before sitting in the front cabin himself. After landing, he would carefully review the flight, sometimes flying three or four times in a row to correct deviations.

In October 1939, Kulichenko led the Soviet Aid-China Aviation Team bomber squadron in a surprise attack on the Hankou (汉口) Airport of the invading Japanese army, severely damaging the Japanese army. On the way back, Kulichenko's plane was intercepted by the enemy, and one of his engines was hit. He was shot in the chest and left shoulder. When flying over Wanxian (万县) (now Wanzhou District (万州区), Chongqing (重庆)), the fuselage lost its balance. At the critical moment, in order to protect the warplane and the people on the ground, Kulichenko resolutely gave up parachuting and chose to make a forced landing on the Yangtze River (长江) in the Chenjiaba (陈家坝) area of Wanxian (万县), and was subsequently swept away by the rapid river water. He was only 36 years old when he died.

The "Flying Tigers," which General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) has mentioned several times, is officially known as the American Volunteer Group of the Chinese Air Force. During the War of Resistance, General Chennault led American volunteers to the Chinese battlefield and formed this heroic team. The Flying Tigers not only directly fought against the Japanese invaders, but also built the Hump Route to transport urgently needed supplies to China.

Because it had to fly over the Himalayas, the Hump Route was full of dangers. At that time, navigation systems were not well developed, and pilots needed to navigate manually. The weather conditions on the route were complex and changeable, and strong air currents, low air pressure, and hail could cause the plane to stall in flight at any time. The Japanese army often sent fighter planes to intercept them and launched air raids on the airports where the Flying Tigers landed. More than 1,000 Chinese and American crew members died on this route.

"We filled the cabins with everything that could be loaded into the plane, including gasoline, machinery, etc., and transported it to Kunming (昆明) and other places in China after about three and a half hours of flight." Jay Vinyard, a pilot on the Hump Route, had performed 87 round-trip missions.

On the smoke-filled battlefield, anti-fascist fighters from various countries worked together with the Chinese people with one heart and one mind. At critical moments of life and death, many international friends stepped forward to help those in need, demonstrating the brilliance of human nature.

John Rabe is a German friend loved by the Chinese people. President Xi Jinping (习近平) praised him for "having great love for life and pursuing peace."

In December 1937, the invading Japanese army invaded Nanjing (南京) and created the horrific Nanjing Massacre. At the critical moment, Rabe contacted more than a dozen other foreigners in China and jointly formed the International Committee for the Nanjing Safety Zone, and served as its chairman.

"I came to this Eastern country when I was in my 20s, and I spent the best years of my youth happily in this country. My children and grandchildren were born here, my career was successful here, and I have always been treated kindly by the Chinese people... I cannot betray their trust in me, this trust is touching." Rabe said.

Rabe risked his life to establish the "Nanjing Safety Zone," providing refuge for more than 250,000 Chinese people. He recorded the details of the Nanjing Massacre in detail in his diary, which became one of the most important and detailed historical materials for accusing the Japanese army of its crimes.

In March 2014, at the commemorative conference for the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France in Paris, France, President Xi Jinping (习近平) specifically mentioned the French doctor Bussière.

At the foot of the Western Hills (西山) in Beijing (北京), a Sino-Western architectural building is hidden in the quiet mountains and forests. This place is called "Bei's Garden" (贝家花园), which was once Bussière's residence and medical practice. Having lived in China for more than 40 years, Bussière served as the president of Beijing St. Michel Hospital and the school doctor of Peking University (北京大学). Under his persuasion, the French government expanded the scale of St. Michel Hospital and opened this hospital, which once only served foreigners in China, to the Chinese people. Bussière used his identity not only to cover and help international anti-fascist friends such as Michael Lindsay, underground members of the Communist Party of China (中共) and patriotic youth to cross the Japanese blockade line, but also to transport urgently needed medicines to the Chinese anti-Japanese soldiers.

"At first, he could use his car to transport medicine, but later the Japanese military restricted traffic in Beiping (北平) and changed gasoline to rationing, and the car soon ran out of gas. So, he and his driver risked their lives to continue delivering medicine by bicycle, and persisted until the end of the war," said Bei Shitao, Bussière's son.

Strength is condensed in joint battles, and hope is passed on in life and death. The more difficult the time, the more precious the friendship of international friends is highlighted. "Their touching deeds and noble character will always be remembered in the hearts of the Chinese people!"

Chinese Sons and Daughters Are Duty-Bound

"Joining hands into the same trench, gathering the powerful force to **挽狂澜于既倒** (wǎn kuáng lán yú jì dǎo - "turn back the mad current when it is about to collapse," to save a desperate situation)."

On the world anti-fascist battlefield, in that desperate battle between light and darkness, freedom and slavery, Chinese sons and daughters were duty-bound to extend a helping hand to all peace-loving people in the world, and jointly safeguard human civilization and justice in the world.

Selflessly forgetting themselves, leaving heroic feats in foreign lands—

General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) once mentioned the anti-Japanese general Dai Anlan (戴安澜), paying tribute to this anti-Japanese hero and national hero.

In early 1942, the Chinese Expeditionary Force went to Myanmar. Dai Anlan (戴安澜), commander of the 200th Division, led his troops to engage in a bloody battle with the Japanese army, which was several times larger than his own, in Tonggu (同古). He took the lead in making a will: as long as there is still a soldier, he must hold on to the end. If the commander of this division dies in battle, the deputy division commander will replace him, and if the deputy division commander dies in battle, the chief of staff will replace him... All levels of commanders in the division followed suit, vowing to coexist with Tonggu (同古).

In the 12-day Battle of Tonggu (同古), the 200th Division repelled more than 20 charges by the Japanese army, killing more than 4,000 enemies and capturing more than 400 enemies, inflicting heavy damage on the enemy.

In May 2015, President Xi Jinping (习近平) mentioned the Chinese female journalist Hu Jibang (胡济邦) in an article published in the Russian newspaper Rossiyskaya Gazeta.

In 1935, Hu Jibang (胡济邦) was sent to work at the Embassy of the National Government in the Soviet Union, serving as a news commissioner and a Soviet correspondent for the magazine Sino-Soviet Culture. She was present on the battlefields of Moscow (莫斯科), Stalingrad (斯大林格勒), and Leningrad (列宁格勒).

"The German army concentrated more than one million elite troops to implement the 'Typhoon' operation against Moscow (莫斯科). The planes bombed wildly, and the bombs dropped were as numerous as autumn leaves..." Traveling through gunfire and walking through ruins, Hu Jibang (胡济邦) wrote a batch of on-the-spot communication works; "On Gorky Street, an air force hero was surrounded by a dozen female students with flowers..." Witnessing the joy of victory, Hu Jibang (胡济邦) captured touching moments and told moving stories.

Advancing wave upon wave, doing everything possible to assist the army of justice—

"At the most critical moment of the Great Patriotic War of the Soviet Union, 'Eastern Zorgue' - Yan Baohang (阎宝航), an outstanding underground worker of the Communist Party of China (中国共产党), provided the Soviet side with first-hand intelligence." On May 7 this year, President Xi Jinping (习近平) told the story of Yan Baohang (阎宝航) in an article published in the Russian newspaper Rossiyskaya Gazeta.

On June 22, 1941, German fascists launched a full-scale attack on the Soviet Union, and the Soviet Patriotic War broke out on this day. This coincided with the intelligence sent by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (中共中央) to the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (苏共中央), especially two important pieces of intelligence, which came from Yan Baohang (阎宝航).

In May 1941, Yan Baohang (阎宝航) tried every means to learn that the German fascists would attack the Soviet Union around June 20, and promptly notified the top Soviet leaders through the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (中共中央), so that the Soviet Red Army could buy time and enter combat readiness early.

In the struggle against fascism, the Chinese people always helped the forces of justice at the cost of their lives, blooming with moral brilliance.

On November 15, 2023, in a speech at a joint welcoming banquet of American friendly groups, President Xi Jinping (习近平) spoke about the story of the Chinese people "desperately rescuing American soldiers."

On April 18, 1942, Lieutenant Colonel Doolittle of the U.S. Army led 16 B-25 bombers to raid Japan. After the mission was completed, due to insufficient fuel, Lieutenant Colonel Doolittle and other pilots abandoned their planes and parachuted in China. A total of 64 pilots were bravely rescued by Chinese soldiers and civilians they did not know, and were able to escape danger.

Some local villagers carried the injured pilots home in deck chairs and made hot noodles with the only eggs they had for the wounded. An American pilot who participated in the Doolittle Raid has always been grateful to the Chinese friends who risked their lives to save him, and often said: "The Chinese people value friendship. They are not rich, but they took out everything and gave it to us."

With the help of local villagers, the crew members escaped several searches by the Japanese army. At the critical moment, the villagers even disregarded their own safety and let the American pilots escape alone. After the Doolittle Raid, the Japanese army retaliated wildly, and massacred 250,000 Chinese civilians as a result.

Faced with fascist aggression, the Chinese people united with the people of more than 50 countries, forging an unbreakable fighting friendship, "joining hands into the same trench, gathering the powerful force to **挽狂澜于既倒** (wǎn kuáng lán yú jì dǎo - "turn back the mad current when it is about to collapse," to save a desperate situation)."

Profound Friendship Transcends Time and Space

"Joining hands to strive for a brighter future for the destiny of mankind."

Remembering the heroic achievements, friendship transcends time and space.

On September 2, 2015, in the Golden Hall of the Great Hall of the People (人民大会堂) in Beijing (北京), the awarding ceremony of the Commemorative Medal for the 70th Anniversary of the Victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression was held here. Ten foreign veterans and old friends were awarded commemorative medals. Among them, General Ma A. Gareyev, president of the Russian Academy of Military Sciences, participated in battles such as the liberation of Mudanjiang (牡丹江).

Ten years later, on May 7 this year, President Xi Jinping (习近平) mentioned in a signed article that in the past few years, General Gareyev, Major General Shudro and other veterans have passed away one after another, "I deeply mourn them."

"From generals to privates, we will never forget all the veterans who have made outstanding contributions to the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War! Heroes are immortal, and righteousness will last forever!" The words are sonorous and powerful.

Driving exchanges and interactions, friendship takes root and sprouts.

In Xishan Park (西山公园) in Wanzhou District (万州区), Chongqing (重庆), a Sino-Russian bilingual white marble tombstone stands quietly among the green pines and cypresses. Tan Zhonghui (谭忠惠) and her son Wei Yingxiang (魏映祥) have taken over the task of guarding Kulichenko's tomb for 67 years. The tree that the old woman Tan Zhonghui (谭忠惠) planted for Kulichenko by hand that year is now towering into the sky.

In Quzhou (衢州), Zhejiang (浙江), the Doolittle Raid Memorial Hall located in the Shuitingmen (水亭门) historical and cultural district records the righteous deeds of the Chinese people. The descendants of the American soldiers who were rescued that year have crossed mountains and seas many times to visit their old places and express their respect. In 1992, five rescuers from Quzhou (衢州) were invited to Red Wing, Minnesota (明尼苏达州雷德温市), USA, to participate in commemorative activities. Since then, Quzhou (衢州) and Red Wing (雷德温市) have become sister cities.

Helping cooperation and development, friendship continues to write new chapters.

In Almaty (阿拉木图), Kazakhstan (哈萨克斯坦), there is a street named after the Chinese musician Xian Xinghai (冼星海) - Xian Xinghai Avenue (冼星海大道). Not far away, there is a street named after the Kazakh musician Bakhdzhan Baikadamov (巴赫德让·拜卡达莫夫).

In 1942, Xian Xinghai (冼星海) wandered to Almaty (阿拉木图). When he was alone, poor and sick, Baikadamov (拜卡达莫夫) accepted him and provided him with a warm home. Here, Xian Xinghai (冼星海) created famous musical works such as National Liberation, Sacred War, and Man Jiang Hong (满江红). Based on the large number of folk songs collected by Baikadamov (拜卡达莫夫), Xian Xinghai (冼星海) also created the symphonic poem Amangeldy based on the deeds of the Kazakh national hero Amangeldy, inspiring people to fight against fascism.

Today, from agricultural machinery and equipment in oasis cotton fields to training and exchanges in Luban Workshops, from green seedlings in the depths of the desert to full containers at docks and ports, Sino-Kazakh cooperation is blooming everywhere.

In the war years, facing a common enemy.

In today's era, sharing the vision of peace and development.

Eighty years ago, "for freedom, justice, and peace, for the safety, tranquility, and happiness of the people," the Chinese people, together with the people of the world, completely defeated fascism and achieved the great victory of justice over evil, light over darkness, and progress over reaction. They shared life and death, shared blood and fire, and forged deep friendship.

Eighty years later, the world is undergoing profound changes at an accelerated pace, and unilateralism, hegemony, and bullying are causing serious harm. Whether to unite or split, dialogue or confrontation, win-win or zero-sum, mankind is once again standing at a crossroads. "Resolutely oppose all forms of hegemonism and power politics," "jointly promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind," and "join hands to strive for a brighter future for the destiny of mankind." Mutual respect, equal treatment, peaceful development, and common prosperity are the right path in the world.

*** ***

Forging the strength of **众志成城** (zhòng zhì chéng chéng - "unity is strength," when people are united, they can accomplish anything), condensing the friendship of shared destiny.

The Chinese people, together with peace-loving countries and peoples of the world, firmly act as guardians of historical memory, partners in development and revitalization, and defenders of international fairness and justice, and strive unremittingly to create a better future for mankind.

Return to Top

Editor in charge of this edition: Zhang Yanchun, Kang Yan, Liu Juanxi

Return to Top

Deep-sea technology surges with vigorous innovation (Big Data Observation)

By: 本报记者  董泽扬

This year, "deep-sea technology" was included in the "Government Work Report" for the first time. Hainan (海南) is surrounded by the sea, and its unique natural conditions provide a platform for deep-sea equipment testing and application. Unmanned sailing vessels cross typhoons, manned submersibles explore the deep sea, and scientific research vessels sail to the ocean... In Hainan (海南), many teams are working on deep-sea technology, and various deep-sea technology equipment starts from here, serving scientific research and demonstrating surging innovation.

"Albatross" Unmanned Sailing Vessel

Chasing the Wind and Exploring the Sea: Measuring Real Data

As the typhoon approached, members of the Marine Process and Equipment Team of Zhejiang University Hainan Research Institute (浙江大学海南研究院) performed their duties: Zhang Xiaobo (张小波) and his colleagues took a small boat to deploy the "Albatross" unmanned sailing vessel on the sea, and the sailing vessel with its sails raised gradually moved away; on the shore, Li Yanjun (李彦君) focused on the screen, constantly monitoring the status of the sailing vessel.

Crossing the typhoon and observing meteorological changes and marine dynamic processes inside the typhoon are the tasks undertaken by the "Albatross" in this exploration.

"The albatross is a bird that is good at using the wind. It can soar in the air and dive to catch fish. It is named after it in the hope that the sailing vessel can use the wind to travel quickly and far, and also dive into the deep sea," Li Yanjun (李彦君) introduced. "The 'Albatross' is a new type of marine exploration equipment independently developed in China. When the sail is raised, it uses wind power, and when the sail is lowered and drifting, it absorbs sunlight to generate electricity. The low-energy design enables it to travel long distances. The maximum diving depth is 1,000 meters, and it can carry out scientific observations in complex climate and ocean environments such as typhoons and mesoscale eddies."

In this voyage, the "Albatross" started from 530 kilometers north of the typhoon, entered the eye of the typhoon, and exited from the southeast, which took 3 days. It can autonomously navigate and plan its route, and transmit the collected typhoon observation data in real time under harsh conditions with a maximum wind force of more than 30 knots.

"The experience gained from a typhoon field measurement far exceeds that of traditional sea measurements. The 'Albatross' has undergone field tests in all aspects of its performance when crossing the typhoon," said Li Peiliang (李培良), executive vice president of Zhejiang University Hainan Research Institute (浙江大学海南研究院) and head of the team. "The meteorological, wave and other data collected by the 'Albatross' provide support for scientists to understand the internal structure, formation mechanism and evolution law of typhoons, which will significantly improve the accuracy of typhoon forecasts and enhance disaster prevention and mitigation capabilities."

Not only chasing the wind, but also exploring the sea. "Wind-powered sailing vessels can usually only observe surface targets when traveling on the water. After diving, the 'Albatross' can observe the ocean profile and use sonar and other equipment to detect underwater targets," Li Yanjun (李彦君) believes that the "Albatross" will play a greater potential and role in the future.

"Fendouzhe" ("Striver") Manned Submersible

Advancing into the Abyss: Observing and Sampling

Luhuitou Peninsula (鹿回头半岛) in Sanya City (三亚市), Hainan (海南), is home to the Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences (中国科学院深海科学与工程研究所) (hereinafter referred to as "Deep-sea Institute" (深海所)). With the close cooperation of the "Fendouzhe" ("Striver") manned submersible and self-developed deep-sea exploration equipment, the Deep-sea Institute (深海所) can carry out scientific research and application more efficiently.

At the bottom of the sea nearly 10,000 meters deep, the world's deepest and largest chemosynthetic life community known to date is presented in the lens of the "Fendouzhe" ("Striver") manned submersible. Tube worms like small saplings and bivalve mollusks clinging to rocks rely on hydrogen sulfide and other substances produced by seabed microorganisms to maintain life - this discovery has expanded human understanding of the abyssal ecosystem.

"At the bottom of the sea at a depth of 10,000 meters, the pressure is extremely high, with each square meter bearing about 10,000 tons of pressure. The 'Fendouzhe' ("Striver")'s high-pressure-resistant ball cabin and life support system allow scientists to better see the seabed world and obtain samples for analysis," said Du Mengran (杜梦然), director of the Deep-sea Science Research Department of the Deep-sea Institute (深海所).

With the "Fendouzhe" ("Striver") manned submersible as a good helper, scientists can not only visit the "life oasis" in the depths of the ocean, but also capture fish hidden in the deep sea.

The abyssal lander fell rapidly and reached the seabed. It used carrion as bait to attract a group of abyssal snailfish to gather and enter the device. Under the lights and cameras, their shapes and movements were recorded. This type of fish, which lives in the depths of the ocean, has a tadpole-like shape and a relatively transparent body color, and its swimming posture is very elegant.

"The conventional lander has been set up before being placed in the water, and it is difficult to adjust underwater. The 'Fendouzhe' ("Striver") manned submersible cruises the deep sea and uses a straw device and mechanical arm to place the abyssal snailfish into the sampling basket, realizing the combination of 'passively waiting for fish' and 'actively catching fish'," introduced Xu Han (徐涵), a postdoctoral fellow at the Deep-sea Science Research Department of the Deep-sea Institute (深海所). Based on the deep-sea and abyssal fish sample library obtained by China's self-developed deep-diving technology, the relevant research on the evolution and genome of deep-sea fish such as abyssal snailfish has achieved results and has been published in the international academic journal "Cell".

"The close cooperation of deep-sea exploration equipment allows the exploration field to continue to expand. Our understanding of the 'tree of life' of deep-sea organisms is also more complete, which lays the foundation for future biological resource development and ecological protection," said Du Mengran (杜梦然).

With the help of the "Fendouzhe" ("Striver") and "Shenhai Yongshi" ("Deep Sea Warrior") manned submersibles and the "Exploration" series of scientific research vessels, Hainan's (海南) deep-sea entry technology and operation capabilities continue to improve. The joint laboratory jointly built by relevant enterprises and the Deep-sea Institute (深海所) has also been established, which will promote the transformation of achievements in deep-sea lighting, virtual reality technology and other aspects, and help the development of the local deep-sea technology industry.

Nanshan Port (南山港) Public Scientific Research Wharf

Resource Sharing: Serving Research and Development

The scientific research vessel departs from Nanshan Port (南山港) Public Scientific Research Wharf in Sanya City (三亚市) and only takes half a day to reach the deep sea for equipment testing.

"The public scientific research wharf is open to all scientific research institutions to meet the berthing needs of scientific research vessels and the testing needs of marine equipment," introduced Shen Yue (沈悦), marketing director of Sanya Nanshan Port Wharf Co., Ltd. (三亚南山港码头有限公司). "The wharf can not only make full use of coastline resources, but also give play to the agglomeration effect, attracting scientific research institutions and enterprises to stay here, and driving the development of the deep-sea technology industry chain."

The Sanya (三亚) Deep-sea Scientific Research Wharf and Shore-based Experimental Support Platform Project is currently under construction. After completion, the project will be coordinated with major scientific and technological infrastructure to form a more open and shared marine technology platform.

From 30 voyages in 2020 to 1,416 voyages in 2024, the number of scientific research voyages served by Nanshan Port (南山港) is increasing. "The number of scientific research voyages we served in the first half of this year is almost the same as the total amount last year," said Shen Yue (沈悦).

Nanshan Port (南山港), which was originally mainly engaged in freight transportation, has been transformed into a comprehensive port with multi-functional scenarios such as scientific research, freight transportation, and ship maintenance: in terms of sea trial emergency spare parts, on-site integrated assembly and debugging provide guarantee for deep-sea equipment testing; in addition, sensors, unmanned remotely operated submersibles, etc. are used for water search and rescue and underwater salvage, which greatly reduces the losses caused by unfavorable equipment testing.

"We also provide sea trial services on behalf of others. By integrating resources such as ships, sea areas, and meteorology, and formulating relevant plans, the test cycle is shortened by an average of 30%," introduced Liu Gang (刘港), the head of a marine technology-related enterprise. The sea trial service on behalf of others can promote resource sharing and improve research and development efficiency.

Up to now, the output value of deep-sea equipment in Sanya Yazhou Bay Science and Technology City High-tech Zone (三亚崖州湾科技城高新区) has reached 770 million yuan, and the chain of "test site-research and development-manufacturing" has been initially connected. "We will make good use of natural resource endowments and policy advantages, promote the construction of deep-sea technology innovation platforms, encourage invention and innovation, promote the transformation of achievements, and create a deep-sea technology industry with characteristics and advantages," said the relevant person in charge of the Sanya Yazhou Bay Science and Technology City Administration (三亚崖州湾科技城管理局).

Return to Top

Setting Sights on More Distant and Deeper Goals (Editor's Notes)

By: 尚嵘峥

On the boundless sea, deep-sea technology is bravely venturing into more unknown territories.

Deep-sea technology, dedicated to exploring, developing, and utilizing deep-sea resources, and researching the deep-sea environment, is a general term for a series of related advanced technologies and disciplines, with multiple values such as economic and technological. 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." The policy points out the path, and the prospects are becoming broader.

The "Albatross" unmanned sailing vessel crosses typhoons to observe meteorology; the "Fendouzhe" (奋斗者) manned submersible dives into the seabed of 10,000 meters to discover "oases of life"; the Nanshan Port (南山港) public scientific research wharf is open and shared, serving research and development... The integrated development of deep-sea technology, academia, and research drives the rapid development of industries such as deep-sea equipment manufacturing, deep-sea new functional materials, and deep-sea information technology, helps develop deep-sea minerals, oil and gas, and other resources and clean energy, and creates new growth points for the marine economy.

Deep-sea technology, anchoring farther and deeper goals, and gathering innovative forces in multiple fields and aspects, will surely help promote the cultivation and development of new marine productive forces, and make greater contributions to intensive cultivation of the blue ocean and accelerating the construction of a strong maritime power.

Return to Top

Shenzhou-20 crew to conduct third spacewalk in the near future

Beijing, August 14th (Reporter Liu Shiyao (刘诗瑶)) According to the China Manned Space Engineering Office (中国载人航天工程办公室) news on August 14th: According to the planned arrangements, the Shenzhou-20 (神舟二十号) astronaut crew will implement the third extravehicular activity (EVA) in the coming days at an opportune time.

Since the successful completion of the second EVA on June 26, 2025, Beijing time, the Shenzhou-20 (神舟二十号) astronaut crew has successively bid farewell to Tianzhou-8 (天舟八号) and welcomed Tianzhou-9 (天舟九号), completed tasks such as on-orbit environmental monitoring, equipment inspection and maintenance, material inventory and arrangement, and preparation for extravehicular activities. The experimental tasks in the fields of space life science and human body research, microgravity fundamental physics, and space new technology and applications are steadily advancing.

At present, the space station complex is operating stably, the Shenzhou-20 (神舟二十号) astronaut crew is in good physical and mental condition, and all preparations for extravehicular activities have been completed.

Return to Top

Promoting the Innovative Development of the Brain-Computer Interface Industry

This newspaper's Beijing (北京) dispatch on August 14th (Reporter Liu Wenxin (刘温馨)): The "Implementation Opinions on Promoting the Innovative Development of the Brain-Computer Interface Industry," jointly issued by seven departments, including the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (工业和信息化部), propose that by 2027, China's (中国) key brain-computer interface technologies will achieve breakthroughs, and a preliminary advanced technology system, industrial system, and standard system will be established. The performance of electrodes, chips, and complete machine products will reach the international advanced level, and brain-computer interface products will accelerate their application in industrial manufacturing, medical health, and consumer life. The industrial scale will continue to grow, creating 2 to 3 industrial development clusters, and opening up a number of new scenarios, new models, and new business forms.

Brain-computer interfaces establish information channels between the brain and machines, enabling the collaborative interaction of biological and machine intelligence. It is a cutting-edge technology that integrates the development of life sciences and information sciences. Currently, innovative achievements in brain-computer interfaces continue to emerge, the industry is accelerating its growth, and disruptive breakthroughs are being conceived. It has become an important area for the deep integration of technological innovation and industrial innovation.

Around the development goals, the opinions deploy five key tasks: strengthening basic software and hardware research, creating high-performance products, promoting the application of technological achievements, strengthening innovative entities, and enhancing industrial support capabilities. It also includes three key projects: the core software and hardware strengthening project, the complete machine boutique project, and the application expansion project, which are further refined into 17 specific measures. The opinions propose that by 2030, the innovation capability of the brain-computer interface industry will be significantly improved, a safe and reliable industrial system will be formed, 2 to 3 leading enterprises with global influence and a number of specialized and new small and medium-sized enterprises will be cultivated, and an internationally competitive industrial ecosystem will be built.

Return to Top

Chinese Scientists Detect Echo Signal from New Generation Lunar Laser Retroreflector for the First Time

This Guangzhou (广州) August 14th dispatch (Reporter Cheng Yuanzhou (程远州)) – This reporter learned from Sun Yat-sen University (中山大学): On August 13th, the Tianqin (天琴) ranging station of the university detected the echo signal of the new generation lunar laser reflector NGLR-1 and confirmed the success of the ranging experiment. This is the first time that Chinese scientists have detected the lunar laser reflector.

At 0:37 on August 13th, Han Xida (韩西达) and Wu Xianlin (吴先霖), engineers at the Tianqin (天琴) ranging station of Sun Yat-sen University (中山大学), led their team members to detect the laser echo signal of the new generation lunar retroreflector NGLR-1, initially obtaining 17 distance measurements, but the experiment was suspended due to weather reasons; at 5:39, another 38 distance measurements of NGLR-1 were obtained, confirming the success of the ranging experiment.

It is understood that in the last century, the United States and the Soviet Union placed 5 lunar laser reflector arrays on the moon for lunar measurement. In 2019, the "Tianqin Project (天琴计划)" team completed the measurement of these 5 laser reflectors. In March of this year, the United States deployed the new generation laser reflector NGLR-1 on the moon. "The successful detection of the reflector echo signal provides crucial data for understanding gravity, space-time, the lunar interior, and the evolution of the Earth-Moon system, and can help us to understand the fundamental laws of the universe more deeply," said Wu Xianlin (吴先霖).

It is reported that the "Tianqin Project (天琴计划)" is a space gravitational wave detection program proposed by Chinese Academy of Sciences (中国科学院) academician Luo Jun (罗俊) in 2014. It is expected that around 2035, three satellites will be deployed in Earth orbit about 100,000 kilometers high to form an equilateral triangular constellation with sides of about 170,000 kilometers, building a space gravitational wave observatory to conduct cutting-edge research in basic physics, astrophysics, and cosmology. This achievement is part of the progress of the "Tianqin Project (天琴计划)".

Return to Top

Solid Waste Builds a Highway (On-site Visit)

By: 本报记者  张  文

Under the scorching sun, the whistle blew long. Not far from the Yellow River Highway Bridge in Huinong District (惠农区), Shizuishan City (石嘴山市), Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region (宁夏回族自治区), the Wuma Expressway (乌玛高速公路) meandered forward like a ribbon.

On July 22, the Huinong (Mongolia-Ningxia Border) (惠农（蒙宁界）) to Shizuishan section of the Wuma Expressway (乌玛高速公路), which took three years to build, was completed and opened to traffic, marking the full completion of the Ningxia section of the Wuma Expressway (乌玛高速公路宁夏段). The Huinong to Shizuishan section of the Wuma Expressway (乌玛高速公路惠农至石嘴山段) is 57 kilometers long. More than 3.8 million tons of industrial solid waste such as fly ash, coal gangue, and slag were used in the construction, achieving a win-win situation for economic and ecological benefits, and was selected into the first batch of national green and low-carbon advanced technology demonstration projects.

Why "turn waste into roads"? The direct reasons are the abundance of solid waste and the scarcity of sand and gravel. The energy and chemical industries occupy an important position in Ningxia's industry, and tens of millions of tons of industrial solid waste are generated every year. The large accumulation of these industrial solid wastes occupies land resources and affects the ecological environment. At the same time, sand and gravel resources are scarce along the expressway project, and the cost of traditional road building materials is high.

In order to improve the comprehensive utilization level of industrial solid waste resources, Ningxia has introduced a series of measures to encourage technological innovation. Under the guidance of policies, more than 10 joint industry-university-research teams have launched research.

Ye Feng (叶锋), the head of the technical department of the construction unit of the Ningxia section of the Wuma Expressway (乌玛高速公路宁夏段), said that his technical team had traveled to more than 30 factories and mines along the route within three months, taking samples and testing more than 20,000 copies. After research, they found that industrial solid waste has many advantages, such as the compressive strength of coal gangue being better than ordinary roadbed materials, and the wear resistance of steel slag being better than natural stone; at the same time, there are also certain shortcomings, such as coal gangue being easily weathered and steel slag having a high expansion coefficient.

To promote strengths and circumvent weaknesses, it is necessary to explore key problems. Coal gangue is prone to disintegration when exposed to water, so the stability is enhanced by mixing gelling materials; steel slag has a high expansion coefficient, so a gradient utilization technology is developed to use it in layers for roadbeds and pavements. Hui Yingxin (惠迎新), head of the Ningxia Jiaojian Transportation Science and Technology Research Institute (宁夏交建交通科技研究院), introduced that after hundreds of experiments, the team explored a model of "using large pieces of steel slag as roadbeds, medium particles as base layers, and fine powder to make gelling materials" in terms of steel slag utilization. "Even the micro powder below 0.075 mm can be used for 3D printing anti-collision guardrails."

A total of 15 key technologies were overcome. "We turned solid waste into 'super concrete'." Hui Yingxin (惠迎新) said that the team used multi-source solid waste phase reconstruction technology to mix eight kinds of solid waste in specific proportions, supplemented by self-developed green gelling materials, to form a new type of material that is more durable than high-strength concrete. In the test section, the roadbed made of this material withstood the test of 40 degrees Celsius high temperature and minus 25 degrees Celsius low temperature, and the crack rate was reduced by 70% compared with traditional materials.

"We must not only build a road, but also establish a replicable standard and model in terms of materials and construction." Wei Li (魏力), Deputy Director of the Transportation Department of the Autonomous Region (自治区交通运输厅副厅长), introduced that Ningxia has successively released 10 local standards such as the "Technical Specification for Application of Steel Slag Asphalt Pavement" and the "Technical Specification for Application of Steel Slag Base for Highway Stability", filling the gaps in the industry.

Solid waste road construction also helps to solve ecological governance problems. During the road construction process, more than 1 million tons of coal gangue in a solid waste disposal site were comprehensively utilized, and nearly 500 acres of land that had been polluted by coal gangue were released and restored.

"Using more than 3.8 million tons of industrial solid waste to build roads saves nearly 3 million tons of sand and gravel, saves 80,000 tons of cement, and reduces carbon emissions by more than 60,000 tons," Wei Li (魏力) introduced.

In the future, Ningxia plans to replicate the experience of this project to new projects such as the Yinkun Expressway (银昆高速), and explore more application methods of solid waste materials in the construction field. "It is estimated that by 2030, the comprehensive utilization rate of industrial solid waste in Ningxia will reach 75%." Wang Yuxiang (王宇翔), Deputy Director of the Development and Reform Commission of the Autonomous Region (自治区发展改革委副主任), said that Ningxia will strengthen technological innovation, continuously improve the comprehensive utilization level of industrial solid waste resources, promote cost reduction and efficiency increase in infrastructure construction, and inject momentum into achieving high-quality development.

Return to Top

Photo Report

On the evening of August 13th, the Crescent Spring (月牙泉) scenic area of Mingsha Mountain (鸣沙山) in Dunhuang City (敦煌市), Gansu (甘肃) Province, was brightly lit and crowded with people. A "Ten Thousand People Stargazing Concert" enthusiastically kicked off, and a drone light show depicted Dunhuang (敦煌) elements, complementing the beautiful desert scenery and staging an unforgettable artistic feast.

Chen Kun (陈坤) Photo (People's Vision (人民视觉))

Return to Top

Editors of this page: Liu Nian, Lu Tao, Shang Rongzheng

Return to Top

August 15th: A Day Forever Worth Remembering (Space-Time Dialogue · Special Feature)

Eighth Route Army Veteran Guo Xiaoyuan (郭效远):

"I will never forget that day, we finally won!"

Our reporter Zheng Yangyang (郑洋洋), People's Daily Online reporter Wang Yanru (王晏如)

On August 15, 1945, Guo Xiaoyuan (郭效远) and his comrades heard the news of Japan's unconditional surrender on the radio. Recalling the scene at that time, Guo Xiaoyuan (郭效远) said, "I will never forget that day, we finally won!"

In 1922, Guo Xiaoyuan (郭效远) was born in Loubanzhai Village (楼板寨村), Guoxian County (崞县) (now Yuanping City (原平市)), Shanxi (山西) Province. At the end of 1939, he joined the 6th Regiment of the 120th Division of the Eighth Route Army. Guo Xiaoyuan (郭效远) said, "This unit was a Red Army team that came from northern Shaanxi (陕北). It had an excellent style and was brave and good at fighting."

Speaking of his combat experience, Guo Xiaoyuan (郭效远) was very excited. "I participated in my first battle in January 1940. In that battle, I fired the first shot of my life at the enemy's position and captured two guns. My comrades encouraged me and said that I performed very bravely."

After the battle victory, the troops were stationed in a nearby mountain village. Guo Xiaoyuan (郭效远) still remembers the figure of the landlady serving water and cooking for the soldiers that night. "At that time, I was also a child who had not been away from home for long, and I felt that the landlady was as close as my own mother."

In his subsequent military experience, he met many villagers who were "closer than relatives." Their simple feelings and support for the Eighth Route Army made Guo Xiaoyuan's (郭效远) courage and determination to protect the people and defend his hometown stronger and stronger.

In the early winter of 1942, there was heavy snowfall in the area, but the soldiers still did not have winter clothes. Guo Xiaoyuan (郭效远) recalled that the local anti-Japanese government mobilized the masses to sell wool to the government. The villagers in the village all went into battle. The men beat the wool into fluff, and the women patted the wool into the shape of clothes by hand and put it into two single clothes sewn together, and a winter coat was made. However, the cashmere was only a thin layer. Some villagers, fearing that the soldiers would be cold, also sewed the scraps of cloth they had saved into the clothes.

On August 15, 1945, Guo Xiaoyuan (郭效远) and his comrades heard the news of Japan's unconditional surrender on the radio. Recalling the scene at that time, Guo Xiaoyuan (郭效远) said, "I will never forget that day, we finally won! Those folks who selflessly helped us cannot be forgotten."

In early August 1945, the regiment to which Guo Xiaoyuan (郭效远) belonged received an order to attack the enemy stronghold in Suiyuan City (绥远城) (now Hohhot (呼和浩特市)). "Guo Yingzhou (郭应舟), the instructor of the first company, rushed up with a machine gun and suppressed the enemy's counterattack firepower, but he sacrificed on the eve of victory." Guo Xiaoyuan (郭效远) looked out the window with tears in his eyes. After a moment of silence, Guo Xiaoyuan (郭效远) said, "Our comrades and brothers did not sacrifice in vain. They exchanged their lives for victory!"

East River Column Veteran Chen Zuoming (陈作明):

"When the news came, the soldiers jumped up with joy"

Global Times reporter Li Xundian (李迅典), our reporter Wang Yunna (王云娜)

That afternoon, the company instructor brought good news: Japan had surrendered. Chen Zuoming (陈作明) recalled: "Afterwards, the troops held a celebration meeting, and the soldiers sat together to share the joy of victory."

"When the news of the Japanese devils' surrender came, the soldiers jumped up with joy." Eighty years have passed, the smoke of gunpowder has dissipated, and this unforgettable day is still deeply engraved in the heart of Chen Zuoming (陈作明), a veteran of the East River Column (东江纵队) of the Guangdong People's Anti-Japanese Guerrilla Force.

Sitting upright at the table, Chen Zuoming (陈作明) is full of energy. When recalling the past events of the Anti-Japanese War, he was sometimes excited and sometimes sad.

That afternoon, the company instructor brought good news: Japan had surrendered. Chen Zuoming (陈作明), who had just experienced a fierce battle, was overjoyed, and his comrades also cheered. "Afterwards, the troops held a celebration meeting, and the soldiers sat together to share the joy of victory." Chen Zuoming (陈作明) recalled, "It was really 喜上加喜 (xǐ shàng jiā xǐ - "double the joy," a double blessing or stroke of good fortune)."

One "joy" came from the final victory after years of resistance against Japan, and the other "joy" came from a previous battle.

In July 1945, the unit to which Chen Zuoming (陈作明) belonged received intelligence: the Japanese army had set up a forward outpost blockhouse about thirty or forty miles away from the unit's驻地, outside Longhua Town (龙华镇), Boluo County (博罗县), Guangdong (广东), with about 10 soldiers stationed there. The superior ordered Chen Zuoming's (陈作明) unit to ambush it.

After reconnaissance, the troops figured out the changing of the guard at the Japanese stronghold, sneaked to the bottom of the blockhouse in the dark at 4 a.m., quickly surrounded it and set up a guard. Chen Zuoming (陈作明) said: "I was a commando member. After the explosive pack blew open the gate, I was the first to rush into the blockhouse."

Later, the Japanese army organized a retaliation, and the troops transferred to the deep mountains for rest. "Originally, I was still thinking about fighting the Japanese devils again." Chen Zuoming (陈作明) said that he had difficulty falling asleep for a long time after the news of the Japanese surrender came.

At the moment of victory, the past suffering also came to mind. In 1928, Chen Zuoming (陈作明) was born into a poor peasant family in Zengcheng (增城), Guangdong (广东). In 1938, the Japanese army landed in Daya Bay (大亚湾), and the flames of war spread throughout his hometown. Chen Zuoming (陈作明) witnessed the various cruel atrocities of the Japanese army, and the seeds of revenge were deeply buried in his heart. One night in 1945, Chen Zuoming (陈作明) crossed more than ten kilometers of mountain roads barefoot and joined the East River Column (东江纵队).

"Today's good life did not fall from the sky, victory was exchanged for blood and life." At the end of the interview, Chen Zuoming (陈作明) gently took off his glasses and looked into the distance. Now, whenever he has the opportunity, he will go to schools to tell revolutionary stories to children. "The motherland is strong, and we still have to contribute our strength." Chen Zuoming's (陈作明) tone was firm.

New Fourth Army Veteran Xuan Juhua (宣钜华):

"On the day of Japan's surrender, I was still following the troops to fight guerrillas"

Tian Xianjin (田先进), Mei Liangfang (梅良仿)

Xuan Juhua (宣钜华) recalled: "On the day of Japan's surrender, I was still following the troops to fight guerrillas. The people cheered and celebrated the long-awaited victory."

After a rainy morning, the air was particularly fresh. In the small courtyard of an old house in Sanxiaokou Street (三孝口街道), Luyang District (庐阳区), Hefei (合肥) City, Anhui (安徽) Province, strings of grapes hung full of trellises.

As usual, Xuan Juhua (宣钜华), a 91-year-old veteran of the New Fourth Army, got up early, put on his old military uniform, stepped on his cloth shoes, carefully tidied up his appearance, and then went out.

"Do you still remember August 15, 80 years ago?"

"Of course I remember! I was so happy!" Holding the reporter's hand, sitting on a stone bench in the park, the old man opened the conversation.

Xuan Juhua (宣钜华) said: "On the day of Japan's surrender, I was still following the troops to fight guerrillas." When they heard people setting off firecrackers in the town, the soldiers thought it was gunfire. "Although I was only 11 years old at the time, I knew that the Japanese devils had been defeated." Xuan Juhua (宣钜华) recalled, "The people cheered and celebrated the long-awaited victory."

In 1934, Xuan Juhua (宣钜华) was born into a revolutionary family in Xiaoxuancun Village (小宣村), Liujiaji (刘家集), Feidong County (肥东县), Hefei (合肥) City. In 1931, his father joined the revolution. In the spring of 1944, after his father was killed, Xuan Juhua (宣钜华) joined the army with his mother and became a young scout in the Chaobei Detachment (巢北支队) of the Seventh Division of the New Fourth Army.

Less than two months after joining the army, he participated in the first battle of his life - the surprise attack on Xiaoxingji (晓星集). Xiaoxingji (晓星集) was an important area occupied by the Japanese and puppet troops, and the New Fourth Army transportation line active in this area was therefore blocked.

In the spring of 1944, in order to find out the situation in Xiaoxingji (晓星集), 10-year-old Xuan Juhua (宣钜华) followed several members of the reconnaissance squad disguised as farmers going to the market, and walked more than 30 kilometers from Shanwang Township (山王乡). "We had to pass through several checkpoints along the way. The reconnaissance squad leader stuffed the gun into my torn cotton-padded jacket because I was young and more clever." Xuan Juhua (宣钜华) recalled that after reconnaissance, they found out the basic situation of the number of enemy troops in the Xiaoxingji (晓星集) Township Office. In this battle, they eliminated the Japanese and puppet troops entrenched here, and he also became the youngest soldier to receive a third-class merit at that time.

"Today's good life was exchanged for the lives of countless people. After the victory, we must also spread the red stories and let the red spirit take root and sprout in the hearts of more people." Xuan Juhua (宣钜华) said, "Now that the motherland is strong and the people live happily, the suffering and bloodshed of the revolutionary martyrs are worth it. I hope that young people can not forget history and strive to contribute to the country."

Eighth Route Army Veteran Jie Chengfa (接成法):

"At that time, I thought, now it's good, I can go home and farm"

Wang Zhe (王者), Liu Dong (刘栋)

On August 15, 1945, Jie Chengfa (接成法) will never forget the scene of the company holding a meeting. "The company commander stood on the earthen platform and shouted hoarsely: 'Comrades, Japan has surrendered! We have won!'"

In the farmhouse courtyard of Xisujiazhuang Village (西苏家庄村), Liuguanzhuang Town (刘官庄镇), Juxian County (莒县), Rizhao (日照) City, Shandong (山东) Province, 99-year-old Jie Chengfa (接成法) sat in a rattan chair, and the sunlight fell on his wrinkled face through the gaps in the persimmon tree leaves. The hands that had once held rifles and operated mortars were now gently stroking a polished military medal. "At that time, I only had one thought in my mind: to drive out the devils so that the people could have enough to eat." Jie Chengfa (接成法) said.

In April 1945, the Eighth Route Army came to the village to mobilize people to join the army, and Jie Chengfa (接成法) signed up and became a soldier of the Eighth Route Army. Recalling the combat stories of that year, Jie Chengfa's (接成法) memory is still fresh. "The order came down to break through the city defense!" The old man's voice suddenly increased, as if he had heard the charge horn of that year again, "The soldiers climbed up on human ladders. When the ones in front fell, the ones behind immediately took their place."

On August 15, 1945, Jie Chengfa (接成法) will never forget the scene of the company holding a meeting. "The company commander stood on the earthen platform and shouted hoarsely: 'Comrades, Japan has surrendered! We have won!'" The old man suddenly sat up straight, his eyes flashing with excitement, "The soldiers cheered, some cried, some laughed, and hugged each other and jumped. At that time, I thought, now it's good, I can go home and farm."

However, the enemy entrenched in Longkou (龙口), Yantai (烟台) refused to surrender to the Eighth Route Army. On August 18, the North Sea Military Region launched a general attack on Longkou (龙口). After a day and night of fierce fighting, Longkou (龙口) was captured. "More than a dozen enemies乘着小船想从海上逃跑, we架起机枪追着打, 一个都没让他们跑掉." Speaking of this, the old man's eyes were firm, "You can't reason with them, if you want to win, you have to speak with guns!"

After the victory in the Longkou Campaign (龙口战役), Jie Chengfa (接成法) did not have time to rest, and rushed to the Northeast with his troops. Later, Jie Chengfa (接成法) participated in the Liberation War. After the founding of New China, Jie Chengfa (接成法) went to Qinghai (青海) to build the west. In 1979, Jie Chengfa (接成法) returned to his hometown in Juxian County (莒县). In his luggage, in addition to a few old clothes, were those few military medals.

Today, Jie Chengfa (接成法) still maintains the habits he had when he was a soldier. In his spare time, he tells stories of the past to the children. Jie Chengfa (接成法) often says: "We must cherish peace and strive to build the motherland even stronger."

The Moment I Heard of Victory

When the news of the Japanese devils' surrender reached Shexian County (涉县), Hebei (河北), the soldiers and the people cried with joy. It was the support of the people that allowed us to win. At that time, we went up the mountain to reclaim wasteland and plant millet and potatoes. Every time we went down the mountain to return to the troops, if we happened to be there when the people were cooking, they would ask us to go to their homes to eat. The people were worried that the soldiers would not have enough to eat, and the soldiers were thinking about whether the people were living well. This kind of military-civilian fish-water relationship is still unforgettable.

——Eighth Route Army Veteran Du Shilin (杜士林)

In August 1945, I received a telegram that everyone had been looking forward to. Japan surrendered, and I was overjoyed. As soon as our telegraph section received the telegram, we immediately handed it over to the confidential section for translation. Everyone had been waiting too long for this moment. When the country is strong, individuals have dignity. Now there is no need to shed blood and sacrifice anymore, but the spirit of our predecessors must still be passed on. My only wish is that the motherland will be stronger and the people will live a better life.

——New Fourth Army Telegraph Operator Wan Zhongyi (万众一)

Return to Top

The Deepest Remembrance

By: 徐雷鹏

Eighty years ago, on August 15th, "the Japanese invaders accepted unconditional surrender." The whole country celebrated with joy, and countless people were moved to tears.

A period of history is forever unforgettable. Looking back at the 14 years intertwined with blood and fire, behind the heavy toll of over 35 million military and civilian casualties, lies the silent accusation of shattered mountains and rivers and displaced homes. From the artillery fire at the city walls of Shenyang (沈阳) to the gunshots by the Lugou Bridge (卢沟桥), the Japanese invaders pressed closer step by step, and the flames of resistance against Japan spread from the Changbai Mountains (长白山) and Heilongjiang (黑龙江) River across the land of China. Regardless of north or south, young or old, all Chinese sons and daughters braved the enemy's artillery fire to face the national crisis together, rising up in resistance. The heroic oath of "an inch of land, an inch of blood" and the national self-respect of "vowing never to be slaves of a conquered nation"... These never-fading spiritual imprints shine brightly in the depths of history, illuminating the nation's darkest night sky like stars.

A spirit transcends time and space. In the 14 years of arduous and unyielding resistance against Japan, the enemy was strong and we were weak, our equipment was backward, but it was the belief in inevitable victory that supported the entire nation through trials and tribulations. Soldiers shed their blood on the battlefield, and the people were united 众志成城 (zhòng zhì chéng chéng - "many wills build a city," unity is strength). The Chinese people fought bravely against the powerful enemy with their iron bones, built a great wall with their flesh and blood, and went to the national crisis one after another. The great spirit of resistance against Japan, which they tempered, has become a precious spiritual wealth of the Chinese nation, inspiring the Chinese people to never give in and to move forward courageously.

The victory bugle call resonates for a long time. As the smoke of gunpowder dissipates, the memory remains: those green mountains and those rivers silently witness the resilience and unyielding spirit of the Chinese nation. The best way to commemorate history is to create new history; the best way to pay tribute to the martyrs is to continue their spirit. We will always remember history and let the great spirit of resistance against Japan be like an immortal lighthouse, illuminating the way forward for national rejuvenation—this is the most profound commemoration of that great victory.

Return to Top

This section edited by: Ji Jianming, Xu Leipeng, Cao Wenxuan

Layout Design: Wang Zheping (汪哲平)

Return to Top

Guiding Agricultural Development Paradigm Innovation with Xi Jinping's Thought on Ecological Civilization (In-depth Study and Implementation of Xi Jinping's Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era: Experts Discuss Studying Volume I of "Xi Jinping's Selected Works on Ecological Civilization")

By: 叶紫薇

*Xi Jinping's (习近平) Collection of Essays on Ecological Civilization*, Volume I, includes the most important and fundamental works of Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) on ecological civilization construction from December 2012 to April 2025, providing authoritative teaching materials for the entire Party and people of all ethnic groups across the country to deeply study and implement Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, especially Xi Jinping's Thought on Ecological Civilization. Agriculture and the ecological environment are closely related and constitute an important area of ecological civilization construction, with agricultural development having a profound impact on ecological civilization construction. Currently, China's agricultural development faces many challenges, and ecological and environmental problems are becoming increasingly prominent. Xi Jinping's Thought on Ecological Civilization points out the direction for the innovation of agricultural development paradigms. President Xi Jinping (习近平) pointed out in *Lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets*: "China must embark on a new path of development to achieve industrialization, urbanization, informatization, and agricultural modernization." "We want both lucid waters and lush mountains, and invaluable assets. We would rather have lucid waters and lush mountains than invaluable assets, because lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets." General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) further pointed out in *A good ecological environment is the most inclusive benefit to people's livelihood*: "Economic development should not be like **竭泽而渔** (jié zé ér yú - "drain the pond to get the fish," to seek short-term gain at the expense of long-term interests) with regard to resources and the ecological environment, and ecological environmental protection should not be like **缘木求鱼** (yuán mù qiú yú - "climb a tree to catch fish," a futile approach), abandoning economic development. Instead, we must adhere to protecting in development and developing in protection, and achieve coordination between economic and social development and population, resources, and the environment."

　　Reading *Xi Jinping's (习近平) Collection of Essays on Ecological Civilization*, Volume I, deeply reveals that Xi Jinping's (习近平) Thought on Ecological Civilization's explanation of the relationship between ecology and economy transcends the analytical framework of Western traditional development theory that separates ecology and economy, and further deepens the theoretical logic of the participation of ecosystems in social reproduction. From the perspective of agricultural development, Xi Jinping's (习近平) Thought on Ecological Civilization not only redefines the value goals of agricultural development and breaks through the shackles of traditional agricultural development theory, but also provides scientific guidance for building an "ecological-economic" coordinated agricultural development paradigm and promoting global sustainable agricultural development. We must deeply understand and grasp the original contribution of Xi Jinping's (习近平) Thought on Ecological Civilization to agricultural modernization in order to better promote high-quality agricultural development.

　
　Creatively Enriching and Developing the Marxist Ecological View

　　The guiding role of Xi Jinping's (习近平) Thought on Ecological Civilization in the innovation of agricultural development paradigms is rooted in the inheritance and development of the Marxist ecological view. Based on adhering to the people-centered development thought, Xi Jinping's (习近平) Thought on Ecological Civilization enriches and develops the theoretical understanding of the relationship between ecosystems and social reproduction with systematic thinking, providing solid theoretical support for the innovation of agricultural development paradigms.

　　Marxist political economy believes that the social reproduction process is tightly composed of four interconnected links: production, distribution, exchange, and consumption. Humans are part of nature, and nature is the "inorganic body" of humans. Labor practice is the basic link connecting humans and nature. This reveals the dialectical unity between humans and nature, that is, humans act on nature through labor, realizing the material exchange and mutual transformation between humans and nature. The ecosystem, as the objective carrier of material transformation, is a prerequisite for production and reproduction. However, in Marx's time, the role of the ecosystem was more limited to the production link, and the deep-level interaction with the distribution, exchange, and consumption links had not yet been incorporated into the theoretical vision, so the comprehensive and systematic role of the natural ecology was not fully revealed.

　　Under the new historical conditions, Xi Jinping's (习近平) Thought on Ecological Civilization has achieved enrichment and development on the basis of inheriting the Marxist ecological view. The creative breakthrough of Xi Jinping's (习近平) Thought on Ecological Civilization lies in: incorporating the entire ecosystem into the entire process of social reproduction, extending its functions and values to the complete chain of social reproduction, making social reproduction no longer a one-way demand of the economic system on the ecosystem, but a two-way interaction between the ecosystem and the economic system, allowing the ecosystem to leap from an external condition of social reproduction to an internal driving force, further deepening the theoretical logic of social reproduction.

　　From the perspective of the production link, Xi Jinping's (习近平) Thought on Ecological Civilization elevates the ecological environment to the height of productivity, rather than just a prerequisite for production. General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) pointed out that "protecting the ecological environment is protecting productivity, and improving the ecological environment is developing productivity," profoundly revealing the status of the ecological environment as an inherent attribute of productivity.

　　From the perspective of the distribution link, Xi Jinping's (习近平) Thought on Ecological Civilization regards the rational distribution of ecological value as an important part of the new distribution relationship. General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) pointed out in *Systematically Carry Out Ecological Environmental Protection and Restoration and Build a Green Development Demonstration Zone* that "it is necessary to accelerate the establishment of a mechanism for realizing the value of ecological products, so that protecting and restoring the ecological environment can obtain reasonable returns, and destroying the ecological environment will pay a corresponding price," clearly transforming the public services provided by the ecosystem into a value form that can participate in distribution, which is essentially a profound extension of the distribution relationship in the ecological dimension.

　　From the perspective of the exchange link, Xi Jinping's (习近平) Thought on Ecological Civilization gradually embeds ecological attributes into the commodity value system. General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) pointed out in *A good ecological environment is the most inclusive benefit to people's livelihood* that "a good ecological environment is the fairest public product," promoting the transformation of the exchange logic from a single material utility dominance to a combination of material and ecological utility, and ecological attributes are transformed into an important part of exchange value through market mechanisms.

　　From the perspective of the consumption link, Xi Jinping's (习近平) Thought on Ecological Civilization integrates ecological needs with material needs, and regards a beautiful ecological environment as an important part of people's livelihood consumption. General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) pointed out that "the environment is people's livelihood, green mountains are beauty, and blue skies are happiness," which incorporates ecological consumption into the core of the consumption category, that is, the people's demand for fresh air, clean water, and beautiful pastoral scenery, like the demand for daily food, becomes an important part and source of people's livelihood security and people's sense of gain, happiness, and security. This also makes consumption no longer just a material demand on the ecosystem, but directly related to the quality of the ecosystem.

　　Xi Jinping's (习近平) Thought on Ecological Civilization profoundly reflects the development thought of adhering to the people-centered approach and the people-first value. General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) pointed out in *A good ecological environment is the most inclusive benefit to people's livelihood*: "For human survival, invaluable assets are certainly important, but lucid waters and lush mountains are an important part of people's happy life and cannot be replaced by money. What happiness is there if you earn money but the air and drinking water are not up to standard!" Xi Jinping's (习近平) Thought on Ecological Civilization transcends the Western values centered on capital, and creatively proposes the theoretical proposition that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" from the value height of "people's happy life," fundamentally solving the antagonistic relationship between ecological protection and economic development in traditional development theory, and elevating the two to an intrinsically unified systemic relationship. This relationship is not only reflected in the repositioning of the ecological environment from the perspective of productivity, but also in the comprehensive embedding of the functions and values of the ecological environment in all aspects of social reproduction.

　
　Leading Agricultural Development Towards a New Paradigm of Harmonious Coexistence Between Man and Nature

　　The agricultural development paradigm is a systematic framework for the value goals, basic theories, and methodologies of agricultural development. The traditional agricultural development paradigm takes increasing agricultural production as its core goal, regards the ecological environment as an external condition for achieving agricultural production goals, and relies on the consumptive input of ecological elements. Xi Jinping's (习近平) Thought on Ecological Civilization leads agricultural development towards a new paradigm, taking "people's happy life" as its value goal, regarding the ecological environment as an important part of value composition, and promoting the formation of a new development paradigm of ecological and economic coordination. This new paradigm also breaks through the perspective of a single country and places agricultural development in the global perspective of jointly building a community of life on Earth, making agricultural development an important link connecting the ecological responsibilities and common interests of all countries.

　　Transforming agricultural development goals, so that agricultural development transcends the growth-oriented traditional economic paradigm and transforms into a new economic paradigm based on people's livelihood and well-being. Under the scientific guidance of Xi Jinping's (习近平) Thought on Ecological Civilization, the goal of agricultural development has shifted from a single economic goal to an organic unity of multiple goals such as economic and ecological goals, which is essentially a deep transformation of the development concept and values. General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) pointed out in *Leading Rural Revitalization with Green Development*: "When the rural ecological environment is good, gold ingots will grow on the land, the ecology will become a money tree, and pastoral scenery, lake and mountain scenery, and beautiful villages can become cornucopias, and ecological agriculture, health care, forest health care, and rural tourism will flourish." The goal of agricultural development is no longer limited to ensuring food security and improving economic benefits, but is further expanded to provide ecological products, optimize the living environment, and inherit agricultural culture, so that agriculture is transformed from a purely material production to a comprehensive industry that promotes the harmonious coexistence of man and nature.

　　In terms of value subjects, Xi Jinping's (习近平) Thought on Ecological Civilization adheres to the people-centered approach and promotes the sharing of agricultural development results by all people—not only the people of this generation, but also the people of the next generation; the sharing subjects not only include rural residents, but also cover urban residents. This breaks through the single perspective of traditional agricultural development theory that focuses more on the income of agricultural product producers, and incorporates consumers, urban residents, and even future generations into the category of value subjects, constructing a new agricultural value pattern facing all people and shared by generations. Such agriculture makes cities and villages, producers and consumers, and contemporary and future generations a community of ecological and economic development that jointly participates and benefits.

　　Reconstructing the value of agricultural production factors, transforming the ecological environment from an exogenous constraint of agricultural development into an endogenous driving force. Agriculture is an organic unity composed of an ecosystem and an economic system, and agricultural production is a process in which natural reproduction and economic reproduction are intertwined. From the perspective of traditional agricultural economics, the goal of agricultural development is to maximize economic reproduction, while natural resources are regarded as production factors that are consumed and utilized in economic reproduction, an external variable, natural conditions are regarded as constraints on economic reproduction, and ecological protection investment is regarded as the cost of economic reproduction. This understanding not only leads to the continuous degradation of the ecological environment, but also puts agricultural development into a vicious circle of diminishing marginal returns and increased resource consumption. Xi Jinping's (习近平) Thought on Ecological Civilization completely changed this understanding.

　　General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) pointed out in *Protecting the Ecological Environment is Protecting Productivity, and Improving the Ecological Environment is Developing Productivity*: "Lucid waters and lush mountains are not only natural wealth, but also social wealth and economic wealth." This means that agricultural development should not only be a consumptive input of ecological elements, but also the healthy survival of the ecosystem, and the logical starting point of agricultural development should be to discover ecological value. General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) pointed out in *People Will Not Let Down the Green Mountains, and the Green Mountains Will Not Let Down the People*: "Ecological environment investment is not a meaningless investment or an ineffective investment, but a basic and strategic investment related to the high-quality and sustainable development of the economy and society." This positioning transforms agricultural development from "ecological consumption type" to "ecological value-added type." Agricultural development is no longer simply at the expense of resource consumption, but to protect, activate, and manage ecological resources, and transform biodiversity, water resources, soil quality, and other ecological constraints in the traditional sense into important components of ecological productivity, so that ecological resources can increase in value in benign utilization, thereby realizing the overall improvement of agricultural efficiency, quality, and benefits. It can be seen that Xi Jinping's (习近平) Thought on Ecological Civilization is not a marginal improvement of the traditional agricultural development paradigm, but a revolutionary significance by breaking the antagonistic relationship between ecological constraints and agricultural production in traditional agricultural development theory through the value reconstruction of ecological elements and promoting a major change in the concept of agricultural development.

　　Breaking through the traditional agricultural production function and forming a new development mode of "ecological-economic" system coordination. The traditional agricultural production function is often based on the relationship between the linear input and output of factors such as land, labor, and capital, focusing on the marginal output growth brought about by factor input and scale expansion, while generally ignoring the organic interaction between the ecosystem and agricultural production. As ecological constraints become increasingly prominent, this linear and extensive production function can no longer support the realistic needs of high-quality agricultural development. General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) pointed out in *Adhering to the Systemic Thought that Mountains, Rivers, Forests, Fields, and Lakes are a Community of Life*: "Ecology is a unified natural system, and it is a natural chain in which various natural elements are interdependent and realize circulation." This important discussion fundamentally broadens the theoretical vision of the agricultural production function, highlights the coupling of the agricultural system and the ecosystem, and injects a new connotation of "ecological-economic" mutual coordination and circular interaction into the agricultural production function.

　　From the perspective of productivity, the traditional agricultural production function emphasizes the simple superposition and linear expansion of factors. In 2013, General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) creatively pointed out that "mountains, rivers, forests, fields, and lakes are a community of life"; four years later, "grass" was included in this system; at the 2021 National People's Congress, when participating in the deliberation of the Inner Mongolia delegation, General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) emphasized: "It is necessary to coordinate the systematic governance of mountains, rivers, forests, fields, lakes, grass, and sand, and a 'sand' character should be added here." This profoundly reveals that improving agricultural productivity does not necessarily depend solely on factor expansion, but can also rely more on the effective coordination and benign interaction between agricultural production and the ecosystem, which is a creative development and profound transcendence of traditional productivity theory.

　　From the perspective of the production process, the traditional agricultural production follows the linear metabolic model of "natural resources-products-waste," relying on the one-way consumption and high-intensity utilization of ecological resources, which inevitably leads to the continuous degradation of the ecological environment and the continuous depletion of natural resources. Xi Jinping's (习近平) Thought on Ecological Civilization advocates green, circular, and low-carbon development, and promotes the construction of a circular metabolic system of "natural resources-products-waste-renewable resources" in the agricultural field, so that ecological elements can continuously self-repair, accumulate, and increase in value in the economic cycle. In this circular system, agricultural waste is no longer a pollutant of the ecological environment, but an ecological capital that can re-enter the production chain and be reused, which reduces external resource input and restores the ecosystem. Xi Jinping's (习近平) Thought on Ecological Civilization guides agricultural production to change the conclusion that "agricultural development inevitably leads to ecological degradation" in a new circular way.

　　Expanding the global vision of agricultural development and providing an inclusive development path for jointly building a community of life on Earth. President Xi Jinping (习近平) pointed out in *Jointly Building a Community of Life on Earth*: "The international community should strengthen cooperation, think in one direction, work together, and jointly build a community of life on Earth." The production mode and development path of agriculture are closely related to the quality of the global ecological environment, and are major issues that must be paid attention to in jointly building a community of life on Earth. Xi Jinping's (习近平) Thought on Ecological Civilization stands at the strategic height that "ecological civilization is the historical trend of human civilization development," takes the concept of jointly building a community of life on Earth as the guide, reconstructs the relationship between agriculture and ecology, and expands the global vision of agricultural development. President Xi Jinping (习近平) pointed out in *Jointly Exploring the Path of Global Ecological Civilization Construction and Striving to Build a Clean and Beautiful World*: "Building ecological civilization concerns the future of mankind. The international community should work together to jointly explore the path of global ecological civilization construction."
In the current international context of rising unilateralism and protectionism, Xi Jinping's (习近平) thought on ecological civilization places agricultural development within the grand vision of jointly building a community of life for the Earth, advocating a global governance concept of joint consultation, joint construction, and shared benefits. This important thought transcends the zero-sum game narrative long pursued by Western powers, making people deeply aware that in the face of ecological problems, countries are not competitors with win-lose outcomes, but rather a community of shared interests, shared responsibilities, and a shared future. Agricultural ecological governance is closely related to global food security, ecological stability, and human well-being. It is imperative to promote the establishment of a long-term mechanism of win-win cooperation in global agricultural ecological governance, to achieve knowledge sharing, shared responsibility, and integrated interests, and to form a more equitable, reasonable, and inclusive global agricultural development path. In this process, Xi Jinping's (习近平) thought on ecological civilization guides China's agricultural sector to deepen green development, making important contributions to global ecological civilization construction by protecting agricultural biodiversity and promoting low-carbon agricultural development. The agricultural germplasm resource bank established by China preserves a large number of rare and endangered crop varieties, providing genetic resources for global biodiversity protection. In addition, China has also transferred environmentally friendly agricultural technologies such as Juncao technology to many developing countries, helping to solve problems such as poverty, soil erosion, and desertification in these countries. These practices are not merely "technical assistance" in the Western discourse system, but a vivid practice of the concept of jointly building a community of life for the Earth in the agricultural field, powerfully proving that China is a firm actor and important contributor to the world's green development.

Promoting the Realization of Ecological Priority and Green Development in Agricultural Modernization

General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) pointed out in "New Quality Productive Forces Are Themselves Green Productive Forces": "Green development is the underlying color of high-quality development" and "Unswervingly follow the path of ecological priority and green development." The future of agricultural modernization must be a future of ecological priority and green development. To deeply study and implement Xi Jinping's (习近平) thought on ecological civilization, in the agricultural field, we must focus on improving the competitiveness and comprehensive benefits of agriculture, strengthen systematic thinking, adhere to overall planning, promote the benign interaction between rural economic development and ecological environmental protection, better solve the important issue of how agricultural development can promote the harmonious coexistence of humans and nature, and fully demonstrate the theoretical penetration and practical leadership of Xi Jinping's (习近平) thought on ecological civilization.

Synergistically Promote Ecological Protection and Food Security. Ecological protection is the foundation of food security. Healthy ecosystems can provide stable water and soil resources, diverse biological environments, and balanced climatic conditions for food production. Once the ecosystem is damaged, such as soil degradation, water pollution, and reduced biodiversity, it will lead to the deterioration of the basic conditions for food production, causing fluctuations or even reductions in food production capacity, ultimately threatening food security. In the long run, without the sustainability of the ecosystem, food security loses its natural basis for existence. Food security is the reasonable boundary of ecological protection. Ensuring food security is the basic goal of agricultural development, and ecological protection cannot deviate from this realistic need and move to extremes. Within the scope of ecological carrying capacity, achieving a stable supply of food through scientific production methods is itself a rational utilization and protection of the ecosystem. If one-sided emphasis is placed on ecological protection while ignoring food security, it may lead to idle farmland and reduced production capacity, which may instead trigger a wider range of ecological damage due to food shortages, such as excessive reclamation of other ecological areas. Therefore, food security defines the necessary boundary for ecological protection, that is, ecological protection must be based on ensuring the basic supply of food, and ecological optimization must be achieved on the basis of ensuring food production capacity.

To synergistically promote ecological protection and food security, the key is to promote the green transformation of food production methods, and to maintain the health of the ecosystem while increasing food production capacity through ecologically friendly farming methods such as crop rotation and fallow, and green prevention and control of plant diseases and insect pests; to improve production conditions with the help of ecological protection and restoration technologies, and enhance the risk resistance of food production, thereby forming a virtuous cycle of ecological stability leading to stable production capacity, and stable production capacity leading to ecological protection, and achieving the organic unity of ecological sustainability and food security.

Synergistically Promote Green Transformation and Increase Farmers' Income. Increasing farmers' income provides a lasting impetus for green transformation. Farmers are the main body of green agricultural transformation. Only by allowing farmers to obtain tangible benefits in the green transformation can we stimulate their endogenous motivation to participate in green development and make green transformation a sustainable and conscious action. Green transformation opens up new paths for increasing farmers' income. Traditional agricultural production models rely on resource consumption and chemical inputs, which are not only inefficient but also susceptible to market fluctuations. Green transformation, by promoting the transformation of production methods towards ecological friendliness, endows agricultural products with ecological value attributes. This reconstructs the agricultural value system, broadens the channels for increasing farmers' income, and makes green a new growth point for farmers' income. To synergistically promote green transformation and increase farmers' income, it is necessary to establish and improve mechanisms for realizing the value of ecological products, such as improving the pricing system for green agricultural products, improving the ecological protection compensation mechanism, and developing diversified business methods such as rural health and wellness, so that farmers' ecological investments can be reasonably rewarded, and farmers can obtain new sources of income in the green transformation.

Synergistically Promote Ecological Governance and Industrial Upgrading. Industrial upgrading provides sustainable support for ecological governance. Traditional agricultural production methods often rely on the high-intensity development of resources and the one-way extraction of the ecosystem. Its characteristics of low added value and high consumption are themselves important causes of ecological problems. Industrial upgrading, by optimizing the industrial structure and extending the industrial chain, promotes the transformation of agricultural production from extensive to refined, from resource-consuming to circular utilization, reduces the pressure of ecological governance from the source, and at the same time increases industrial added value and provides a material basis for ecological governance.

Ecological governance defines the direction and creates conditions for industrial upgrading. Ecological governance, by setting environmental standards and regulating the boundaries of resource development, forces the backward production capacity that does not meet ecological requirements to withdraw, guides capital, technology, and other factors to gather in green industries, and promotes the transformation of the industrial structure in an ecologically friendly direction. At the same time, the improvement of the ecological environment brought about by ecological governance can optimize the basic conditions for agricultural production and provide natural advantages for the development of new business forms such as high-value-added ecological agriculture, further expanding the space for industrial upgrading. To synergistically promote ecological governance and industrial upgrading, we must take ecological governance as the starting point to promote the development of the agricultural industrial structure in the direction of green, high-quality, and characteristic, forming an industrial chain characterized by clean production and resource recycling, and achieving a benign interaction between ecological governance and industrial development.

(The author is a professor at the School of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, Renmin University of China (中国人民大学))

Return to Top

Don't Let "Pending" Become "Waiting in Vain" (Thinking Aloud)

By: 郭素娇

General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) emphasized at the Central Urban Work Conference: "When things are said, we must hear the echo of their implementation, and see how well they are actually carried out." Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, our Party has united and led the people to solve many long-standing problems and accomplish many major tasks that we have long wanted to accomplish but have not been able to. A very important reason for this is our pragmatic style of immediately taking action, earnestly grasping, and doing solid work. General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) has always emphasized the profound truth that "empty talk harms the country, while hard work prospers the nation," and has repeatedly emphasized the work requirements of grasping implementation. Grasping things specifically, thoroughly, and effectively embodies the political character of Chinese Communists to keep their word and do their best, and demonstrates the people-first governance philosophy. However, in reality, there are still a few party members and cadres who lack initiative and action in grasping implementation, and the word "pending" has become a "high-frequency word" in their summary reports: the depth of research "needs to be strengthened," the work style "needs to be improved," and the intensity of implementation "needs to be enhanced"... Seemingly humble statements are actually vague; seemingly facing problems directly, they are actually procrastinating and perfunctory. This "omnipotent pending style" of work makes "pending" become "long-pending" or even "empty-pending," and the masses receive promises but do not hear the echo of implementation or wait for practical results.

These "pending" matters often have some common characteristics. First, ambiguity, using vague words such as "further" to replace specific standards; second, repetition, appearing year after year and week after week on the list of implementation and rectification; third, empty rotation, with only statements and no action. "Pending" is not an excuse or pretext for party members and cadres to fail to grasp implementation effectively. What the masses dislike most is not the shortcomings in the work, but the attitude of knowing but not doing, being perfunctory and floating. This "language routine" not only fuels unhealthy tendencies such as formalism and bureaucracy but also undermines public trust and damages the image of the Party.

In fact, many problems labeled as "pending resolution" are often the most pressing and urgent concerns of the masses, and are the key to the success or failure of the cause. The attitude towards these problems directly tests the responsibility and commitment of party members and cadres. Party members and cadres should not use "pending" to "find a way out" for themselves, but should "give a firm account" to the masses with "time-limited handling." With the spirit of taking immediate action, and with the urgency of "today is early no matter how late, and tomorrow is late no matter how early," turn "pending" into "promising," and make implementation sound.

To grasp implementation, we must not only set the "target" accurately but also step on the "steps" firmly. In work, the most feared is an unclear goal and a big determination, resulting in deviations in execution. We must draw a clear construction plan, refine the work tasks to each link and each node, and refine "needs to be strengthened" into "when to do it, how to do it, and who will do it," to ensure that the promotion is traceable. Tighten the chain of responsibility so that each link has a clear person in charge, forming a closed loop of work with responsibility at all levels and everyone doing their best. With the task clarified and the focus found, the next step is to see action and work hard. Strengthen the political consciousness and political responsibility of grasping implementation, and advance in the face of difficulties with the reform courage to overcome difficulties. Zou Bihua (邹碧华), a "torchbearer" of the rule of law, advocated avoiding "one-size-fits-all" in the process of promoting the reform of the quota system for judges, and giving opportunities to young people and front-line judges, so that truly capable, qualified, and case-handling judges can enter the quota. Some colleagues advised Zou Bihua (邹碧华) to "take it easy and offend fewer people." He said: "How can reform not touch interests, how can there be no controversy? We must take responsibility when we should." The process of grasping implementation cannot be smooth sailing, but with the spirit of not avoiding difficulties and not shirking responsibility like Zou Bihua (邹碧华), we will surely be able to overcome one "Loushan Pass (娄山关)" and "Lazikou (腊子口)," and put the requirements of grasping implementation in concrete actions, and carry through the pragmatic style from beginning to end.

To grasp implementation, we should not only have the ability to grasp it well but also have the determination to grasp it for a long time. The same is true for grasping implementation, some people can achieve practical results, while others have difficulty seeing results for a long time, because there is a difference in the ability to grasp implementation. Facing new situations and new problems, active learning can adapt to changes in the situation more quickly and find effective ways to solve problems. "Woodcutter" Liao Junbo (廖俊波) often said: "Thinking is one step ahead, and action is one step faster." In the busy investment promotion schedule, he can still squeeze time to go to the bookstore to buy books. The spirit of seeking new knowledge is the key to his ability to constantly propose new ways to solve problems. From top-level design to grassroots practice, from conceptual ideas to concrete operations, is a gradual process of deepening, which cannot be accomplished overnight. In addition to the ability to grasp well, party members and cadres must also maintain unyielding resilience. Abandon the mentality of seeking quick success and instant benefits, correctly handle the relationship between "visible achievements" and "potential achievements," laying the foundation and benefiting the long-term, and immediate interests and long-term interests, and do a good job from beginning to end. In continuous grasping, in-depth grasping, and systematic grasping, we must grasp it to the end to ensure that various decisions and deployments take root, blossom, and bear fruit, so that the people can truly hear the echo of the promise being fulfilled.

Return to Top

Heilongjiang Hegang Increases Assistance to People in Need (Frontline of People's Livelihood)

By: 本报记者 祝大伟

The Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee meeting held on July 30 emphasized: "We must earnestly do a good job in ensuring people's livelihoods" and "Implement pro-people policies and improve the tiered and classified social assistance system."

　　Hegang, Heilongjiang (黑龙江鹤岗), was once a nationally renowned mining area. Many blocks and coal mines share the same name, and the "coal city" imprint is everywhere. At its peak, the number of coal mine workers accounted for nearly 30% of the city's population.

　　As a resource-exhausted city, Hegang faces employment pressure and aging challenges in its development transformation. How can it secure the bottom line of people's livelihoods? Hegang City (鹤岗市) continues to increase its efforts to expand the scope and effectiveness of social assistance, conveying the warmth of social governance.

　　Timely Coverage of Groups Impoverished Due to Illness

　　Hong Botao (洪柏涛), 50, used to be an underground worker in a coal mine and was laid off after the mine closed. In June last year, Hong Botao suffered a sudden cerebral hemorrhage. After becoming ill, he became semi-disabled, and his wife had to take care of him full-time, plunging the family into difficulties.

　　A series of blows led Hong Botao to develop a tendency towards depression.

　　"The grid member learned about Hong Botao's family situation during a visit." Liu Rong (刘荣), deputy director of the Xingxin Community Neighborhood Committee of Junde Road Street in Xing'an District, Hegang City (鹤岗市兴安区峻德路街道兴欣社区居委会), visited Hong Botao's home. After a preliminary investigation, she believed that Hong Botao's family met the minimum living allowance conditions and quickly reported it to the street.

　　The next day, street staff accompanied the grid member to Hong Botao's home to comprehensively assess the family's actual difficulties. Finally, in accordance with policy requirements, they promptly processed the minimum living allowance. Fifteen working days later, Hong Botao's family smoothly received their first minimum living allowance payment.

　　Now, Hong Botao receives a monthly minimum living allowance of 780 yuan and also enjoys an annual medical insurance subsidy of 240 yuan, with a maximum reimbursement of 75% for medical treatment and medication. Community grid members also often provide psychological counseling to Hong Botao. Over the past year, Liu Rong, who often visits, has felt Hong Botao's changes: "He can gradually chat with us."

　　In recent years, Hegang City has formed a "large assistance" home visit team composed of civil affairs assistants, coordinators, social workers, and grid members to improve the proactive discovery mechanism. The district-level civil affairs assistants have a 50% spot check rate for home visits, street coordinators visit needy people every year, and grid members visit needy groups every week.

　　Relying on the dynamic monitoring platform for low-income populations to pay attention to the situation of needy people, Hegang City includes groups such as minimum living allowance recipients, people in extreme poverty, and families on the edge of the minimum living allowance into the scope of attention through a big data comparison and analysis system. If a major change occurs in the family of a needy group or a family member suffers a sudden illness, the platform will issue an early warning message. Relevant townships and streets will immediately conduct offline investigations after receiving the early warning message. In addition, Hegang City continues to strengthen information sharing and collaboration between departments to optimize and improve the assistance process.

　　In recent years, Hegang City has fully utilized big data technology and grid management methods to form a closed-loop working mechanism for monitoring, early warning, and assistance. "Based on accurate dynamic monitoring, we are doing our best to avoid problems such as incorrect or missed minimum living allowance coverage, and we can also achieve the precise implementation of policies such as the gradual withdrawal of minimum living allowances," said Ma Zan (马赞), director of the Social Assistance Center of the Hegang Civil Affairs Bureau (鹤岗市民政局社会救助中心).

　　Providing Care and Support to Benefit Elderly Living Alone

　　"Aunt Zhang (张姨), are you home? I've come to see you." Ren Dongxue (任冬雪), a grid member of the Xingxin Community of Junde Road Street in Xing'an District (兴安区峻德路街道兴欣社区), knocked on the door of Zhang Yulan (张玉兰), an elderly woman receiving minimum living allowance.

　　Zhang Yulan, an 81-year-old elderly woman living alone in the Xingdong Garden community (兴东花园小区), her husband used to be a coal mine worker and passed away nearly 30 years ago.

　　"Aunt Zhang, is there anything you need help with recently?" Ren Dongxue asked. She visits elderly people living alone in her jurisdiction every week to inquire about their needs.

　　"I just spend a little money on food and drink, and the money I have is enough to live on," Zhang Yulan said, showing Ren Dongxue the wild vegetables she had dug up while walking recently. She is in good health and has few medical expenses. As an elderly person receiving minimum living allowance, the security money Zhang Yulan enjoys, plus the alimony paid regularly by her children, is enough to maintain her basic life.

　　"Aunt Zhang, there is a newly opened elderly care restaurant next to the community, which is economical and affordable," Ren Dongxue reminded the elderly woman that if she doesn't want to cook, she can eat at the restaurant, and there are also volunteers who deliver meals for free.

　　Hegang City extends minimum living allowance assistance from "ensuring survival" to "comprehensive support," promotes the construction of a joint assistance service, and integrates community, social organizations, social workers, social volunteers, and social charity resources to provide services such as agency assistance and psychological counseling to low-income people in need.

　　In the Loving Care Nursing Home of the Hegang City Social Welfare Center (鹤岗市社会福利中心), Cui Yueying (崔月英), an 86-year-old elderly woman receiving minimum living allowance, is paralyzed in bed due to cerebral infarction. Her hair is silvery white, and she looks good.

　　"Aunt Cui, it's time to turn over." Chen Shuren (陈淑仁), a caregiver with 8 years of nursing experience, folds Cui Yueying's arms in front of her chest, holds the elderly woman's body with both hands, and gently pushes her to help her turn over.

　　In the afternoon, Chen Shuren wipes the elderly woman's body and applies prickly heat powder. Cui Yueying expressed her gratitude to Chen Shuren in somewhat slurred words.

　　Hegang City integrates assistance funds and distributes them to nursing institutions to provide care for disabled and semi-disabled elderly people receiving minimum living allowance who meet the conditions. "The care standard for disabled elderly people is more than 1,600 yuan per month, and 1,400 yuan for semi-disabled elderly people," said Wu Chuanqi (吴传启), deputy director of the Hegang City Loving Care Nursing Home (鹤岗市爱心护养院). The Loving Care Nursing Home began accepting disabled and semi-disabled elderly people receiving minimum living allowance in 2023.

　　In recent years, in order to actively respond to the new needs and expectations of people in need, Hegang City's centralized care and support assistance policy for the elderly provides entrusted care services for special groups such as low-income patients with serious illnesses.

　　Joint Efforts to Help People with Employment Difficulties

　　In the Civil Affairs Service Station of Lulinshan Street in Nanshan District (南山区麓林山街道民政服务站), station director Hou Jiguo (侯纪国) and social workers are busy sorting out assistance files and screening low-income households that need to be comforted.

　　"Wang Lei (王磊), the rice and flour for the consolation have been placed with your father," Hou Jiguo called Wang Lei, a low-income household in the community.

　　Wang Lei, 34, was injured in a car accident while in college. His father works in a coal mine and has a low income. Seriously ill and severely disabled people in low-income families can be included in the minimum living allowance with reference to "single-person households." Benefiting from this policy, Wang Lei's life has a basic guarantee.

　　To provide more accurate, professional, and personalized assistance services to people in need, Hegang City provides diverse services such as cleaning residences, bathing, and haircuts to nearly 2,000 people in need, such as seriously ill and severely disabled people and elderly people living alone in poverty, by introducing third parties, and develops a "one household, one file" service file for them.

　　The Civil Affairs Service Station where Hou Jiguo works is the third party providing services. "Even if you earn a yuan, it is the result of your own labor," Wang Lei proposed when Hou Jiguo first came to ask about his needs, hoping to find a job.

　　In order to give full play to the functions of the Civil Affairs Service Station, serve low-income households well in the "last mile," and realize the transformation from giving money to solving problems, Hou Jiguo contacted commercial enterprises in the jurisdiction in many ways, hoping to provide Wang Lei with suitable job opportunities.

　　Over the past year, through the connection of the Civil Affairs Service Station, Wang Lei has worked as a telephone operator and dishwasher. Despite his leg inconvenience, he still insisted on completing each job well.

　　Ma Zan introduced that relevant departments in Hegang City are working together to help low-income groups open up "barrier-free" job search paths and help people with disabilities integrate into society and realize their own value.

　　This year, Hegang City innovatively launched the "Neighborhood Direct Recruitment Window" service model. Grid members visit enterprises in the jurisdiction door-to-door to establish a labor demand ledger, and at the same time investigate the employment needs of unemployed and needy groups. Through information docking, they help needy people achieve employment at their doorstep. At present, the "Neighborhood Direct Recruitment Window" has been promoted to 60 communities.

　　Ensuring the well-being of the most vulnerable groups is the foundation for urban transformation. In recent years, Hegang City has taken ensuring people's livelihoods as a prerequisite for urban transformation and development, gradually changing the industrial pattern of "relying solely on coal" and accelerating the development of industries such as biomedicine and cold-region food.

　　Last year, more than 80% of the city's fiscal expenditure was invested in people's livelihoods, striving to guarantee and improve people's livelihoods in development. This year, the city has cumulatively provided accurate security for 32,952 low-income families and 1,166 people in extreme poverty, and assisted 3,550 families on the edge of the minimum living allowance and 1,001 families with rigid expenditure difficulties.

Return to Top

Don't let fake experts use short videos to deceive and harm farmers (Perspective on People's Livelihood)

By: 白真智

Agricultural security is no small matter, and the interests of farmers must not be harmed. To prevent fake experts from using short video platforms to extend their reach into the agricultural sector, all relevant parties should earnestly shoulder their responsibilities.

Recently, some farmers have reported that a group of fake agricultural technology experts have appeared on short video platforms. These "experts" look very professional. They explain agricultural "knowledge," share agricultural technology "tips," and recommend agricultural products. However, these so-called "internet-famous agricultural materials" have received negative reviews from farmers – they are simply not effective.

In recent years, many "experts" wearing the guise of "science popularization" and "knowledge sharing" have appeared on short video platforms. Their modes of expression are "explosive" and their viewpoints are "sharp," but their real goal is often "selling goods." One media outlet investigated a company that operates multiple "agricultural technology expert" accounts and found that the people actually appearing on camera had no agricultural education background, and most of them did not even understand agricultural knowledge. How can the quality of agricultural products recommended by such "experts" be guaranteed? If farmers buy fake or substandard products, it will not only affect grain production but also harm their livelihoods.

Preventing fake experts from using short videos to deceive and harm farmers is of utmost urgency.

Short video platforms must fulfill their responsibilities. Some "expert" accounts have descriptions such as "Agricultural University" and "engaged in the agricultural industry for decades," using vague language that is difficult for farmers to distinguish. For agriculture-related keywords, platforms should conduct key screening and monitoring, carefully verify agriculture-related account registrations and certifications, and require applicants to provide relevant proof. During the operation of these accounts, supervision should also be strengthened, and the response speed to complaints about agriculture-related accounts should be increased, and the intensity of handling should be increased.

Real experts can take the initiative to popularize science online. Many agricultural technology experts from formal institutions or colleges often go to the fields to answer questions for farmers, but the time and opportunities for face-to-face communication are always limited. Now that more and more farmers are going online, agricultural technology experts can try to use social media such as short video websites to popularize science. This can reach more audiences, achieve remote communication, and also prevent "imposters" in the agricultural technology field from having opportunities.

The intensity of supervision cannot be reduced. Fake agricultural technology experts who defraud farmers are of a heinous nature, but the victims are often scattered, and the amount of money defrauded is small, making investigation, evidence collection, and safeguarding rights relatively difficult. Only by improving relevant regulations, raising the threshold for publishing agriculture-related content, standardizing platform behavior, conducting in-depth investigations, collecting solid evidence, and severely punishing those who harm farmers in accordance with laws and regulations can we effectively protect the interests of farmers and deter criminals.

Of course, farmers also need to keep their eyes open, raise their vigilance, and not blindly follow the trend. Relevant departments can also further refine services, devote more effort to understanding the needs of farmers, help connect them with real experts, and strive to protect them from being deceived.

Agricultural security is no small matter, and the interests of farmers must not be harmed. To prevent fake experts from using short video platforms to extend their reach into the agricultural sector, all relevant parties should earnestly shoulder their responsibilities.

Return to Top

Agricultural Bank of China Zhejiang Branch: Financial Support Fuels Zhejiang's Green Development, Writing a New Chapter

For 20 years since the concept of "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" was proposed, Zhejiang Province has kept its mandate firmly in mind, explored ways to transform its development model, and embarked on a path of sustainable development characterized by ecological beauty, industrial prosperity, and people's affluence. Green has become the most captivating color of Zhejiang's development.

For 20 years, the Agricultural Bank of China (ABC) Zhejiang Branch (农行浙江省分行) has consistently adhered to adding financial value to green initiatives, using financial resources to facilitate the transformation of lucid waters and lush mountains into invaluable assets, and promoting the coordinated advancement of ecological protection and economic development. As of the end of June this year, the branch's outstanding green loans exceeded 650 billion yuan, an increase of 11.8% compared to the beginning of the year.

In Dongtou District (洞头区), Wenzhou City (温州市), the Dongtou Islands (洞头群岛) resemble hundreds of pearls inlaid on vast blue waves. This "county of hundreds of islands" has abundant marine resources and a unique ecological environment, and is now accelerating the construction of a "shared prosperity marine garden." Focusing on the protection of the local marine ecosystem and prioritizing ecological environment remediation, the ABC Zhejiang Branch has increased its credit input to fully support Dongtou District in implementing the "Blue Bay" remediation action. It participated in the issuance of the nation's first syndicated loan for a marine environment comprehensive governance EOD project. In the past five years, it has provided over 10 billion yuan in credit for key projects such as local all-for-one tourism and common prosperity, as well as offshore wind power green new energy projects, with its loan input ranking among the top in the local industry.

From protecting lucid waters and lush mountains to expanding invaluable assets, the practice of financial support for ecological protection continues to deepen. The ABC Zhejiang Branch adheres to its primary responsibilities and actively promotes the green integration and development of "agriculture, rural areas, and farmers." Focusing on Zhejiang Province's new era "Thousand Villages Demonstration, Ten Thousand Villages Renovation" project, it increases credit input in key areas such as rural ecological protection, rural living environment remediation, and the green agricultural industry chain. It innovatively promotes products such as "Rural Construction Loans," "Living Environment Loans," and "Water Management Loans" to help coordinate the development of agricultural and rural production, living, and ecology, allowing the "beautiful economy" to continue to flourish. Currently, the branch's outstanding green loans in county areas exceed 267.7 billion yuan.

For mountainous counties, relying on ecological advantages for development is an important path. Daji Township (大漈乡) in Jingning She Autonomous County (景宁畲族自治县), Lishui City (丽水市), is surrounded by mountains and has excellent water quality. The alpine cold-water wild rice shoots produced are crisp and delicious, with a planting area of 5,000 mu, making it a local characteristic agricultural industry. To help upgrade the wild rice shoot industry, the ABC Zhejiang Branch thinks what farmers think and promptly launched the "Water Extraction Loan" to facilitate farmers in obtaining loans by pledging their ecological agricultural water use rights, helping wild rice shoot fields bear more fruits of common prosperity. In April of this year, the ABC Zhejiang Branch successfully issued the province's first ecological agricultural water use rights pledge loan.

Since Lishui City was approved to carry out climate investment and financing pilots, the ABC Zhejiang Branch has quickly issued a special plan, continuously followed up on the construction of the local climate investment and financing project library, and provided supporting credit scale and carbon emission reduction policy tools. It fully covers and supports pumped storage projects in mountainous counties under its jurisdiction, and innovatively launched weather index loan products such as "Climate Enterprise Assistance Loans" and "Climate Farmer Assistance Loans" to guide and promote more funds to be invested in addressing climate change.

Looking across the land of Zhejiang, safeguarding the ecology of one region and helping industrial development with tailor-made financial solutions has become a true reflection of the ABC Zhejiang Branch's efforts to improve the quality and efficiency of green financial services. The ABC Zhejiang Branch actively promotes the realization of ecological asset value, develops and promotes environmental rights such as carbon sinks, water rights, and pollution discharge rights for mortgage financing, and realizes the transformation of "green" into gold.

In promoting the green and low-carbon transformation and upgrading of the manufacturing industry, the ABC Zhejiang Branch focuses on key areas such as clean energy, energy conservation and environmental protection, and green manufacturing clusters, expands financial supply, innovates financial product services, and broadens investment and financing channels. It supports industries in moving towards high-end, intelligent, and green development with differentiated policy resources, and strives to build a green financial service mechanism guided by synergistic efficiency in pollution reduction and carbon reduction. As of the end of June this year, the ABC Zhejiang Branch's loans supporting infrastructure green upgrades, energy green and low-carbon transformation, and green manufacturing increased by 27.7 billion yuan, 3.1 billion yuan, and 18.4 billion yuan respectively compared to the beginning of the year.

In Huzhou City (湖州市), the new factory building of an aluminum company is being installed and debugged in full swing. In response to the high energy consumption characteristics of aluminum production, the new factory building has been digitally and intelligently transformed, which can help the company reduce its carbon emission intensity by more than 15% compared to 2024. The ABC Zhejiang Branch, combined with the "carbon account" platform launched by the local government and the ABC's ESG evaluation model, accurately portrays companies in all aspects and supports their low-carbon transformation with "Transformation Finance Loans." With the arrival of 130 million yuan in loan funds, the company is accelerating its efforts to find a new path of development where "green content" and "gold content" rise simultaneously.

Today, with the financial support of the ABC Zhejiang Branch, more and more companies are revitalizing on the road of green, low-carbon, and circular economy development, practicing the concept of "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets," and stimulating the endogenous power of high-quality development.

From concept to practice, the ABC Zhejiang Branch is still deepening its exploration of the green finance path. From building a "1+2+10+N" green finance specialized operating system to releasing the nation's first marine ESG action plan, from actively promoting the deep integration of green finance with digital finance, transformation finance, and marine finance to issuing the nation's first "Sustainable Development Linked Loan to Address the EU Carbon Tariff" based on SGS certification, the ABC Zhejiang Branch uses innovative strategies and a sense of responsibility to promote the comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development. Facing the future, the ABC Zhejiang Branch will give full play to the role of green finance in reducing carbon, reducing pollution, expanding green, and increasing growth, continue to brighten the green background, write a high-quality development answer sheet for green finance, and contribute to Zhejiang Province's anchoring of "pioneering demonstration in promoting common prosperity."

Data source: Agricultural Bank of China Zhejiang Branch (中国农业银行浙江省分行)

Return to Top

This edition's editors: Cheng Chen, Bai Zhenzhi, Lu Fanbing

Return to Top

Niche Sports Step Out of the Shadows (A Close Look at the World Games)

By: 本报记者 陈晨曦 季 芳 王 亮

On August 14th, the Chengdu World Games drone racing competition commenced at the Dong'an Lake Sports Park (东安湖体育公园) in Chengdu (成都), Sichuan (四川). This emerging trendy sport, known as the "Formula 1 of the sky," is attracting an increasing number of young participants. Representing the Chinese team are three students from Guangzhou No. 2 Middle School (广州市第二中学) in Guangdong Province (广东省): Li Tianxing (李甜星), He Yutong (何雨瞳), and Huang Yueqi (黄悦祺), with the youngest female competitor, Li Tianxing (李甜星), being only 13 years old.

China is one of the first countries to develop drone racing education and training, and its project strength ranks among the world's top tier. Campuses are important bases for talent cultivation. Li Xidong (李曦东), the head coach of the Chinese team, said: "Many primary and secondary schools in Guangzhou (广州) have drone teams. These three athletes have previously participated in world competitions such as the World Cup and World Championships. They represent the future of drone sports in China."

Student athletes are not uncommon in the Chinese sports delegation at the World Games. In sports such as frisbee, korfball, and lacrosse, the proportion of university athletes is very high, and many non-Olympic sports are taking root in campuses.

On August 12th, the korfball competition concluded, with the Chinese team ultimately finishing eighth. The Zhengzhou University (郑州大学) korfball team is one of the earliest established korfball teams. Ma Xiangcheng (马襄城), the head coach of the national team, introduced the sport to the campus and actively promoted it. This national team is also based on the Zhengzhou University (郑州大学) korfball team. "Korfball is easy to get started with, and its rules are similar to basketball but with unique characteristics. I hope that through the World Games, more people will fall in love with this sport," said Ma Xiangcheng (马襄城).

The Chinese frisbee team debuted on August 12th. Team member Zhou Anqi (周安琪) is an enterprise employee who took leave to participate in the World Games. "I usually train on weekends. Although it's hard, being able to stand on the field makes all the effort worthwhile."

At this World Games, the Chinese sports delegation is participating for the first time in 12 major events, one of which is kayak polo, known as "playing basketball in a kayak." On August 13th, the kayak polo competition began. Xu Haiwei (徐海伟), the coach of the Chinese women's team, said: "The seven members of the women's team are all from a club in Shanghai (上海). The youngest is 17 years old. They have a background in rowing, but they still need to accumulate kayak polo competition experience." In Xu Haiwei's (徐海伟) view, an important step in the development of kayak polo in China has been taken, and this niche sport has sown seeds through the World Games.

In addition, although the Chinese flag football team is standing on the world stage for the first time, this "non-contact" football sport has long been rooted in Chinese campuses and social clubs, and the number of enthusiasts continues to grow. In Chengdu (成都) alone, there are more than 20 football clubs, with nearly 10,000 citizens participating year-round.

Through the Chengdu (成都) World Games, a batch of non-Olympic sports and niche sports have shown their charm, and more athletes cultivated by campuses and social forces have stood on the world stage. In the process of these projects constantly emerging from the "niche," Chinese sports are also constantly exploring new paths for talent cultivation.

Return to Top

Looks like basketball, but it's actually korfball (Understanding the World Games in seconds)

Korfball originated in the Netherlands and is a mixed-gender ball sport. Its gameplay is similar to basketball, but there are significant differences in the rules.

The Chengdu World Games features indoor korfball and beach korfball, with beach korfball making its World Games debut. The indoor korfball event is a mixed-gender competition where defense must be same-sex, avoiding physical contact between male and female players. Each team has 14 players, with 8 players (4 men and 4 women) on the court during the game. On a 40m x 20m playing field, athletes score one point by throwing the ball into the opponent's half-court basket without a bottom. The team with the higher score wins the game. If the game is tied at the end of regulation time, a "golden goal" decides the winner, which is a 10-minute overtime period. If the score is still tied, the two teams will determine the winner through alternating free throws (similar to a penalty shootout). The game is divided into two halves, each lasting 25 minutes.

Beach korfball originated in the 1990s. This year's World Games has a total of 8 participating teams, each consisting of 4 starting players (2 men and 2 women) and 2 substitute players. Athletes compete on a field measuring 20m x 10m with a sand layer thickness of no less than 40cm. The game consists of two halves, each lasting 6 minutes, and the team with the highest cumulative score wins.

(Reported by Tao Xiang'an (陶相安), this newspaper)

Return to Top

Roles change, but faith remains (World Games up close)

By: 本报记者 李 硕 孙龙飞

In the lush Tianfu Park (天府公园) in Chengdu (成都), Sichuan (四川), a climbing wall stands tall amidst the greenery. On August 14th, the World Games climbing event commenced here.

In the men's speed individual final, Chinese athlete Chu Shouhong (储守宏) defeated world record holder Samuel Watson of the United States with a time of 4.80 seconds, winning the championship. Deng Lijuan (邓丽娟), Qin Yumei (覃于妹), and Zhou Yafei (周娅菲) swept the gold, silver, and bronze medals in the women's speed individual event.

"18-year-old Chu Shouhong (储守宏) won a 'tough battle,' and three female athletes stood on the podium together, which is truly surprising." Under the scorching sun, Zhong Qixin (钟齐鑫), coach of the Chinese climbing team, kept a close eye on his athletes' performance. Despite his serious expression, he couldn't hide his joy.

Having won 1 gold and 1 bronze in the men's speed climbing event at two previous World Games himself, Zhong Qixin (钟齐鑫) is deeply moved to see that the veterans in the team have undiminished fighting spirit, and the young athletes are full of vigor. "This kind of inherited power gives us more confidence on the field."

Climbing made its debut at the World Games in 2005, and the athletes' feats of scaling walls were exhilarating, winning widespread attention. "The World Games fully demonstrated the charm of climbing and also helped climbing eventually reach the Olympic stage." At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Zhong Qixin (钟齐鑫) accompanied the team as a coach, helping the Chinese team win two silver medals. "From athlete to coach, from the World Games to the Olympics, my role has changed, but the belief in winning glory for the country remains the same," said Zhong Qixin (钟齐鑫).

This is Zhong Qixin's (钟齐鑫) third World Games journey, and he imparts his many years of experience to his athletes without reservation, helping them to calmly face challenges and strive for excellent results on the field.

The Chengdu (成都) World Games climbing event lasts for 3 days, and the Chinese team has sent 4 male and 4 female athletes to participate in all events.

"The competition events have increased to four lanes and a relay event, and the competitive pressure is even greater," said Zhong Qixin (钟齐鑫). "I hope to complete the mission goals together with everyone at home, and I also wish guests from all over the world to enjoy the competition and enjoy the food."

Return to Top

Photo Story: A Closer Look at the World Games

Chinese team players (in red) in a lacrosse match.

Photo by Xu Zhifeng (许志峰), reporter of this newspaper.

Return to Top

China Defeats South Korea in 2025 FIBA Asia Cup

This newspaper reported from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, August 14th (Reporter Fan Jiayuan (范佳元)) On local time August 14th, in the 2025 FIBA Men's Asia Cup Quarterfinals, the Chinese team defeated the Korean team 79-71 to advance to the semifinals. Since the 2015 Men's Basketball Asian Championship (the predecessor of the Asian Cup), this is the first time in 10 years that the Chinese team has reached the semifinals.

After the start of the match, both sides strived to play well from the beginning, and the score was very tight. Facing the Korean team's tactical characteristics of counterattacks plus three-pointers, the Chinese team made targeted arrangements on the defensive end. Throughout the game, the Korean team took 24 three-point shots, only hitting 3 of them. "We mainly won through teamwork, and we implemented all the pre-match arrangements." said Guo Shiqiang (郭士强), the head coach of the Chinese team.

In the second quarter, the Chinese team scored 21-11 in a single quarter, gaining the initiative in the game. In the second half, the Chinese team maintained its lead and ultimately won the game.

Return to Top

Chen Yujie, Fang Juncheng, and others win double championships

This newspaper's Shenyang (沈阳) August 14th dispatch (Reporters Liu Shuoyang (刘硕阳) and Liu Hongchao (刘洪超)) On the 14th, in the women's 200-meter final of the first National Youth Athletics Games, Zhejiang (浙江) team's young athlete Chen Yujie (陈妤颉) won the championship with a time of 24.34 seconds, earning her second gold medal in this competition. In the women's 100-meter final held on the 11th, she won the championship with a time of 11.29 seconds.

Fang Juncheng (方俊程), a player from the Sichuan (四川) team, also won double championships in the 100-meter and 200-meter events. After winning the men's 100-meter gold medal with a personal best of 10.40 seconds on the evening of the 11th, Fang Juncheng (方俊程) won the men's 200-meter final again on the evening of the 14th with a time of 21.21 seconds.

In the women's gliding shot put final held that morning, Zhejiang (浙江) team's athlete Yan Ziyi (严子怡) won the silver medal. In previous competitions, Yan Ziyi (严子怡) had successively won the championships in the women's javelin and women's javelin team events.

The first National Youth Athletics Games was held in Shenyang (沈阳), Liaoning (辽宁) from August 10th to 15th, with a total of 56 events. More than 1,100 young athletes from 32 representative teams across the country participated.

Return to Top

Sheng Lihao Breaks World Record in Men's 10m Air Rifle Final

According to Xinhua News Agency, Chengdu, August 14th (Reporter Wang Hengzhi (王恒志)) - At the National East China Shooting Championship (rifle event) held in Huzhou (湖州), Zhejiang (浙江) on the 14th, Sheng Lihao (盛李豪), a two-time gold medalist at the Paris Olympics, broke the national record in the men's 10-meter air rifle final. The score also exceeded his own world record in the final (254.5 rings).

Sheng Lihao (盛李豪) performed consistently and qualified for the men's 10-meter air rifle final as the top seed in the qualifying round. In the final, he maintained the lead from the first group. In the last 3 groups, all 6 shots scored 10.7 rings or 10.8 rings, and the final score was fixed at 255 rings. This exceeded the world record of 254.5 rings he created at the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup in Munich (慕尼黑) in June 2024, becoming a new national record.

Return to Top

China Mobile Yunnan: Technological Innovation Leads Digital Leap

China Mobile Yunnan Company (中国移动云南公司) (hereinafter referred to as "Yunnan Mobile (云南移动)") takes innovation as its engine, anchors the goal of becoming a "national first-class information service technology innovation company," works hard to cultivate and develop new quality productive forces, systematically builds a higher-level technology innovation system, promotes technology innovation work to a higher dimension, accelerates the deep integration of technology research and development with social and people's livelihood needs, and injects surging momentum into the high-quality development of Yunnan's economy and society.

Mechanism Strengthening: Overall Design Drives Technological Innovation

Yunnan Mobile (云南移动) takes the "Red Cloud Mobile (红色云移)" Party building brand as the traction, improves the technology innovation organization system, gathers the organizational synergy of technology innovation, establishes the Technology Innovation Committee and the Product Management Committee, implements the "dual committee system" operation, and strengthens the overall planning of technology innovation and product innovation.

At the same time, it strengthens the cultivation of scientific and technological talents, builds four major reward systems of "innovation contribution, micro-innovation, achievement transformation, and strivers," creates an innovation expert points system, and stimulates the vitality of talent technology innovation.

Achievements Benefit the People: Hardcore Technology Empowers High-Quality Development

Under the strong traction of mechanisms and talents, Yunnan Mobile (云南移动) continuously enhances its technology innovation capabilities, strategically cultivates and develops new quality productive forces, and has achieved landmark results in multiple fields such as 5G and next-generation mobile communications, network intelligence, low-altitude intelligent networking, industrial production control, remote medical care, new energy power generation, passive Internet of Things, smart power plants, and computing power networks. Yunnan Mobile's (云南移动) technology innovation projects have yielded fruitful results in the Yunnan (云岭) land, and digital intelligence empowers the high-quality development of Yunnan's (云南) economy and society.

Yunnan Mobile (云南移动) takes the "supplier" positioning, promotes the integration of "computing power + storage power + transport power + intelligence + security power," builds an "AI+" digital intelligence base, releases the "Yunyi Zhisu (云移智算)" product brand, and has built the largest single China Mobile (中国移动) digital Asia (Kunming) (昆明) Intelligent Computing Center in the province, and launched the largest domestic intelligent computing cluster in the province. It participated in the construction and operation of the Kunming International Data Exchange (昆明国际数据交易所), and released a data element circulation service platform. The exchange is "based in Yunnan (云南), facing the whole country, and radiating South Asia and Southeast Asia," helping Kunming (昆明) become a key node in the national data element market. Relying on advanced intelligent computing centers and strong cloud-network integration capabilities, Yunnan Mobile (云南移动) has gathered large model ecosystems such as Jiutian (九天) and DeepSeek (DeepSeek) to create more than 100 AI innovation applications, serving Yunnan's (云南) "elderly and young" people's livelihood security.

AI Cares for the Elderly, in 2025 Yunnan Mobile (云南移动) released the "An e-Pension (安e养老)" sub-brand under Mobile Aijia (移动爱家), creating an AI health care computing brain, expanding terminals based on the Internet of Things such as health care voice remote controls and health watches, establishing a health record based on terminal equipment, hospital test reports, and AI "self-diagnosis," and developing and applying professional vertical large models to empower village doctors and community health care service institutions, and build a new service system of "connection + computing power + capability."

Digital Intelligence Cares for Children, the national first "61520" intelligent care service platform was created, using AI to empower six major scenarios for caring for left-behind children, developed a large model dual-base children's mental health intelligent body, and created a unique Yunnan (云南) "AI+" psychological care system. Supporting campus safety large video AI algorithms and anti-bullying AI equipment, it comprehensively protects campus safety, benefiting 610 schools and 32,000 left-behind children in Yunnan Province (云南省).

In addition, in order to digitally empower Yunnan's (云南) economic development, social security, and ecological protection, Yunnan Mobile (云南移动) opened Yunnan's (云南) first 5G-A gigabit commercial area in Kunming (昆明), opened the first 5G-A communication-sensing integrated smart airport at Baoshan Airport (保山机场), and completed the 5G-A low-altitude fusion technology test in Kunming (昆明). The project "Invention of Wireless Waveform, Architecture, and Networking Technology for 5G-A Low-Frequency Communication-Sensing Integration" won the second prize of the 2024 China Mobile Group Company (中国移动集团公司) Technology Invention Award.

Ecological Integration: Diverse Activities Stimulate Momentum

Yunnan Mobile (云南移动) carries out diverse activities to activate the strong engine of technology innovation. At the 2024 Tengchong Scientists Forum (2024腾冲科学家论坛), Yunnan Mobile (云南移动) hosted the Artificial Intelligence Sub-Forum with the theme of "Border Peak City, Intelligent Yunnan (边峰之城，智能之滇)," and about 530 experts and representatives from governments, universities, and enterprises discussed the new trends in artificial intelligence development.

From July 23 to 24, 2024, Yunnan Mobile (云南移动) hosted the South Asia and Southeast Asia Digital Cooperation Initiative Consultation and Docking Conference and the First South Asia and Southeast Asia Digital Cooperation Promotion Conference. On April 17, 2025, Yunnan Mobile (云南移动) held the Yunnan Province (云南省) Low-Altitude Economy Development "Chain Length System (链长制)" Industry-University-Research Salon, providing scientific guidance and suggestions for promoting the high-quality development of Yunnan's (云南) low-altitude economy.

Yunnan Mobile (云南移动) uses innovation as a pen to transform hardcore technology into technical strength that empowers thousands of industries and people's livelihood services that warm thousands of households, weaves a secure network with 5G-A, and listens to user needs with large models, and is carefully and passionately depicting a new picture of high-quality development in the Yunnan (云岭) land where technological innovation and economic society promote each other and integrate.

Data source: China Mobile Yunnan Company (中国移动云南公司)

Return to Top

Editor in Charge for this Section: Gong Yuhua, Tang Tianyi, Wang Bo

Return to Top

Kweichow Moutai Explores "Turning Green into Gold" to Facilitate the Transformation of "Two Mountains"

In recent years, Kweichow Moutai (贵州茅台) has deeply practiced the concept that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets," actively promoted the construction of "Two Mountains" (两山) practice and innovation bases, continuously enhanced its ecological foundation, and explored a path of using Moutai liquor as a product medium to help transform "lucid waters and lush mountains" into "invaluable assets," painting a picture of high-quality development with green as its base.

Consolidating the Ecological Barrier, Activating the Green Engine

Good mountains and good water brew good liquor, and good liquor comes from good production areas. The fragrance of Moutai liquor spreads around the world, inseparable from the good ecology of the core production area of Jiangxiang-flavored Baijiu in the Chishui River (赤水河) basin. Moutai has always adhered to ecological priority and green development, continuously constructing and improving the ecological system around "water, soil, air, and microbes," and making great efforts to protect the valuable lucid waters and lush mountains resources and wealth, regarding the protection of the Chishui River as a persistent and long-term green undertaking.

"Water is the blood of liquor." To brew good liquor, it is necessary to obtain good water and use good water well. Over the years, Moutai has cumulatively donated more than 400 million yuan to help protect the ecological environment of the Chishui River basin. It carries out full-cycle management of "extraction, supply, use, and discharge," fully realizes the recycling of cooling water in liquor production, enriches and improves water-saving measures such as air cooling and reclaimed water reuse, and the cooling water recycling rate exceeds 87%. It carries out "water footprint" measurement and, in response to the pain points and difficulties such as wastewater treatment of Jiangxiang-flavored Baijiu in the Chishui River basin, explores and forms replicable and scalable technical guidelines, operating specifications, and standard systems, outputting the "Moutai Plan" for ecological protection in the Chishui River basin.

Around soil protection and utilization, it continuously optimizes the ontology layer and the spatial layer. In terms of the ontology layer, it constructs a fingerprint map library of inorganic elements in the Moutai organic sorghum base and carries out research on plant community ecosystems and the protection of native plants. In terms of the spatial layer, focusing on intensive and efficient production space, green and low-carbon living space, and scenic ecological space, it continuously optimizes the layout of "three living spaces" and improves the ecological and economic benefits of unit land use.

Doing a good job in atmospheric pollution prevention and control, reducing carbon emissions from production and life. Moutai tracks the "carbon footprint" and "water footprint" of each bottle of product, launches a natural gas boiler low-nitrogen modification project, and continuously reduces atmospheric pollutant emissions. At the same time, it solidly promotes the 100% conversion and application of green electricity, the gradual withdrawal of fuel vehicles from the factory area, and green office practices, and actively explores the use of technologies such as carbon dioxide heat pumps and waste heat recovery, taking multiple measures to reduce carbon emissions and comprehensively improve air quality.

In-depth protection of micro-ecology and natural ecology. Moutai explores the various microorganisms carried by the natural ecology of different seasonal regions and makes every effort to maintain the growth environment of the brewing microbial community; it constructs a small-scale ecological environment carrying capacity assessment model for the basin, initially clarifying the reasonable capacity of Baijiu production in traditional brewing areas, and incorporating it into the overall development strategic planning for overall consideration.

Transforming Ecological Value, Empowering a New Chapter in Industry

Kweichow Moutai firmly grasps the core meaning and value connotation of the concept that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets, continuously gives back to ecological civilization construction through enterprise development, and transforms ecological value into "green kinetic energy" to promote local economic and social development.

Promoting the transformation of ecological value into economic value. Moutai focuses on the main responsibility and main business of economic development, relying on the high-quality water sources, purple-red mud, and glutinous sorghum and other endowed resources in the Chishui River basin production area, and continuously promotes the transformation of ecological resources into green, organic, and ecological products. It has forged the "world's first liquor brand," achieving revenue of 187.19 billion yuan in 2024, and leading the development of the industry. The ecological benefits continue to be released, vividly writing the green practice of practicing the "Two Mountains" concept with high-quality economic development.

In addition, Moutai effectively transforms and utilizes waste distiller's grains, waste cellar mud, and waste rice straw generated during the production process, forming ecological products such as "gas, fertilizer, and feed," and continuously deepens the research and development of "distiller's grains +" high-value-added technologies and products, and actively cultivates green, low-carbon, and circular industries.

Promoting the transformation of economic value into ecological value. Moutai always pays attention to ecological and environmental protection, and allocates 1.5% of its operating income as a special environmental protection fund every year, which is used to actively respond to climate change, carry out "dual carbon" actions, implement energy conservation and emission reduction, and scientifically construct a "135" green development system. At the same time, it scientifically calculates the "carbon footprint" and "water footprint" of a bottle of Moutai liquor, clarifies key links, and takes measures to reduce carbon and water. It is expected that by 2030, the carbon emissions and water consumption of the entire industrial chain of each bottle of Moutai liquor will be reduced by more than 20% and 30% respectively.

Promoting Green Development, Sharing Ecological Dividends

Starting from a strategic height, Moutai regards green and low-carbon development as the core competitiveness of the enterprise, and through a package of solutions such as "one base one benchmark," "Two Mountains," and "dual carbon," it refines the green and low-carbon development plan into 163 specific tasks to ensure that every task can be effectively implemented. In order to scientifically evaluate the green development level of the enterprise, Moutai has established an ecological and environmental protection "system map" and constructed an ecological development index indicator system, establishing 39 specific indicators from 4 aspects and 11 dimensions, comprehensively covering all aspects of enterprise development, providing strong support for Moutai's green and low-carbon development.

A series of strict and meticulous measures have helped Moutai achieve a three-level leap in the MSCI ESG rating results from B to A in two years, becoming the only Baijiu enterprise currently rated A.

Moutai was born in the mountains and is destined to have the same responsibility as the mountains. As a leading enterprise in the Baijiu industry, Moutai relies on the "China Moutai? Pillars of the Nation" (中国茅台·国之栋梁) public welfare brand to take the lead in carrying out a series of ecological protection actions: linking the three provinces of Yunnan (云南), Guizhou (贵州), and Sichuan (四川) to carry out voluntary tree planting to build a solid ecological barrier in the Chishui River basin; holding a sustainable development forum in the basin to gather the wisdom of governments, enterprises, academia, and research institutions to build an exchange platform for the coordinated development of the liquor industry and ecology; and through a series of pragmatic measures, it continues to promote the deep integration of ecological protection and industrial upgrading in the basin, making "drinking from the same river and jointly protecting the mother river" a consensus in the industry.

In the future, Moutai will continue to deepen industrial driving and public welfare actions, rely on the Chishui River Ecological Public Welfare Fund, build a high-standard raw material base in the basin, and continue to exert efforts in environmental governance, ecological compensation, and comprehensive rural revitalization, helping to build a vivid situation of ecological beauty, industrial prosperity, and people's wealth, thickening the ecological background, adding technological highlights, and making sufficient development colors, contributing Moutai's strength to protecting "beautiful rivers and lakes" and building a beautiful China.

Data source: Kweichow Moutai (贵州茅台)

Return to Top

Yangtze River Delta Steps Up Efforts to Break Down Market Segmentation (People's Perspective: Building a Unified National Market)

By: 本报记者 姚雪青 巨云鹏 刘军国 罗阳奇

企业从江苏迁到上海，要多久？“屏对屏”跨域通办，不到一个工作日；

研发缺钱，钱从哪来？来自上海的银行放贷，为浙江的企业救了急；

内陆省份，能出海？借助“江海一港通”联动接卸模式，安徽有了“出海口”，产品在“家门口”就能登船出海……

今年初发布的《全国统一大市场建设指引（试行）》提出，“鼓励有条件的地区开展区域市场一体化建设”。作为我国经济发展最活跃、开放程度最高、创新能力最强的区域之一，长三角区域市场一体化，有助于为推进全国统一大市场建设开辟道路、创造条件、积累经验。

2023年11月，Xi Jinping (习近平) 总书记主持召开深入推进长三角一体化发展座谈会时指出，“建立全国统一大市场的龙头带动作用有待进一步发挥”。

今年7月召开的中央财经委员会第六次会议指出，纵深推进全国统一大市场建设，基本要求是“五统一、一开放”，即统一市场基础制度、统一市场基础设施、统一政府行为尺度、统一市场监管执法、统一要素资源市场，持续扩大对内对外开放。

对标对表，长三角一体化发展战略如何进一步发挥建立全国统一大市场的龙头带动作用？记者近日走进长三角三省一市探访。

一地通办 全程网办

加快基础制度规则统一，为区域市场一体化提供保障

“不到一天，企业迁移上海的手续就办完了，真快！”看到新的电子营业执照，正合吾意（上海）广告传媒有限公司负责人Yang Haihua (杨海华) 很开心。

公司原本位于江苏南通启东市，随着在上海的业务增多，Yang Haihua (杨海华) 有了迁移公司的想法，“之前拖着没办，是怕麻烦。”

过去，要先到迁入地提交材料，领回迁移调档函；再回本地办理迁出，迁出地将企业整套档案调出、寄至迁入地；最后到迁入地办理正式迁移的变更手续。“经营公司很忙，抽不出时间来回折腾。”Yang Haihua (杨海华) 说。

如今，办理流程优化，给Yang Haihua (杨海华) 带来惊喜。他来到启东市政务服务中心“跨域通办”专窗，把营业执照等纸质材料交给工作人员。工作人员现场连线，将材料内容与上海市杨浦区行政服务中心数据共享、同步处理。不出半小时，盖了上海市杨浦区市场监督管理局印章的迁移调档函就传了过来。

“‘屏对屏’，让跨域事项办理‘零距离’。”启东市数据局市场准入科科长Fan Shuting (范舒婷) 介绍，到了启东窗口，就相当于到了上海窗口。

收到迁移调档函，启东市立即办理迁出手续，并调取企业电子档案，连同企业提供的纸质材料照片，在线传给上海。

“上海虽暂未收到纸质材料，但可以先容缺办理，后续再由我们流转过去。”Fan Shuting (范舒婷) 话锋一转，“‘跨域通办’还存在地方收件标准有差异、数据传输存在卡点等问题，需要进一步推动主要环节标准化。”

制度规则是市场机制运行的基础。统一的基础制度规则，有助于打破地方保护和市场分割，提高市场运行效率。长三角区域探索优化企业跨省迁移登记注册流程、统一企业设立变更注销办理模式等，加快建立统一的市场准入和退出制度。

“本以为要跑几趟，没想到在长三角政务服务‘一网通办’平台提交材料，事儿就办成了。”前不久，安徽合肥庐阳区居民Liu Guangshun (刘广顺) 申请注销其名下位于江苏南京建邺区的一家建筑公司，一天后便收到“注销完成”的短信通知。

进一扇门，办四地事。2019年5月，长三角政务服务“一网通办”平台上线。截至目前，长三角区域累计有203项高频政务服务和应用实现跨省“一网通办”，40类高频电子证照实现共享互认，78个居民服务事项实现“一卡通用”。

一路贯通 通江达海

加快高标准市场设施联通，提升区域互联互通水平

上午，外企员工Yuan Yue (袁月) 乘坐G8388次列车从上海出发，到江苏常州出差。她所在的企业总部在上海，生产基地遍及长三角。Yuan Yue (袁月) 每周都要乘坐高铁，往返于长三角的不同城市。

“过去，枢纽城市间的出行较方便，但部分中小城市之间有点麻烦。”Yuan Yue (袁月) 举例：从江苏无锡惠山站到安徽黄山西、黄山北站，以前没有直达车，只能换乘。

直到串联沪苏浙皖的超级环线高铁开通运行。

2024年6月，首列连接长三角三省一市的环线列车——G8388次列车开行，起点终点都是上海，串起上海、南京、合肥、杭州4座枢纽城市，以及苏州、黄山、嘉兴等旅游城市，单向行驶里程超过1200公里。

“这趟车实现了惠山站到黄山西、黄山北站的直达，以及安庆、池州九华山站等站点间的联通，出差更方便了。”Yuan Yue (袁月) 说。

“环线让沿途不同能级城市间的联系更紧密。”中国铁路上海局集团有限公司客运部客运营销科科长Shan Shiping (单仕平) 介绍，列车开行一年，乘车人数达116.7万人次，全程平均客座率达80.5%。

推进市场设施高标准联通，是打破地理阻碍、加快要素流动的基础前提，也是建设全国统一大市场的应有之义。长三角地区加快构建一体化综合交通运输网络，助力人享其行、物畅其流。

“超级环线”既是客运线，也是风景线。

2024年9月底，G8388次“大黄山”品牌列车首发，把“烟雨大黄山，心灵休憩地”的文旅口号唱响途经城市。中国铁路上海局集团还借助这趟车展现沿线非遗项目，开展景点推介等。一条环线，有效整合文旅资源，推动区域经济融合发展。

长三角版图上，不只有铁路，还有水路，让安徽这个中部省份有了“出海口”。

大型桥吊作业井然有序，满载空调的货车等待卸货，安徽芜湖港朱家桥港区一派繁忙。这批空调装船后，将通过“江海一港通”联动接卸模式，运抵上海洋山港，发往海外。

“以前出口得先用货车运到上海洋山港，再装船出海。通关手续繁琐，运输时间长、成本高。”芜湖美智空调设备有限公司关务经理Shu Zhixin (束智信) 说。

为提高物流效率，“联动接卸”模式应运而生——“联动接卸，视同一港”，将芜湖港视为洋山港的接卸地，变“陆水中转”为更加经济便捷的“水水中转”。芜湖企业的产品在“家门口”就能登船出海，省去了企业转关申报等通关手续，平均压缩50%转驳运输时间、30%物流成本。

目前，“联动接卸”模式已实现安徽省内一类水运口岸全覆盖。2025年上半年，合肥海关共办理“联动接卸”业务1566票，同比增长75%。

一网融资 资源共享

打造统一的要素市场，促进要素资源畅通流动

“跨省域金融支持，为我们送来‘及时雨’！”谈起前不久的贷款经历，光彩芯辰（浙江）科技有限公司董事长Ju Yong (鞠勇) 长舒一口气。

这家位于浙江嘉兴嘉善县的企业，去年底遇到研发资金贷款难题。“科技型企业缺少抵押物，加上贷款使用周期较长，本地很多银行没有合适产品。”Ju Yong (鞠勇) 回忆。

2019年，嘉善县与上海青浦区、江苏苏州吴江区共建“长三角生态绿色一体化发展示范区”（以下简称“示范区”），推出一系列创新举措。在金融要素领域，2022年上线“E企融·长三角一体化示范区信易贷服务平台”，为示范区中小微企业提供融资支持。

今年1月，Ju Yong (鞠勇) 在平台发布需求。很快，浦发银行青浦支行的工作人员前来对接，提供专门服务科技型企业的“浦研贷”，免抵押、贷款期限长。得益于平台数据交互机制集成、开放、共享的各类涉企公共数据，银行详细了解了光彩芯辰的企业信用情况，最终授信1000万元。

目前，平台注册企业超过2600家，48家金融机构共发布185款金融产品，累计授信1231笔、金额逾70亿元。

“浙江办厂、上海融资”是金融要素畅通流动的缩影，“上海研发、浙江转化”则是科技资源开放共享的生动注脚。

“我们突破多项技术，终于实现光刻胶产品量产。”日前，位于湖州南浔区的浙江新盈电子材料有限公司负责人Fang Shunong (方书农) 分享喜讯。这离不开南浔设在上海的南浔（松江）人才科创中心一路护航。

2023年，Fang Shunong (方书农) 回国创业，他的团队在科创中心组织的专家评估中获得高分，被引入中心孵化。随着研发深入，科研成果需要转化，科创中心又牵线南浔区菱湖镇，梳理出当地产业扶持政策、人才引进奖励等一揽子办法，将上海团队“带土移植”到南浔，助力企业首批光刻胶产品小批量生产下线。

科创中心不仅将科创项目“引进来”，也支持本地企业“走出去”。

“为解决人才招引难题，我们将研发部门设在南浔（松江）人才科创中心，20多名科研人员就在上海当地招聘、工作。”位于南浔区的湖州百斯加智能技术有限公司总经理Zhang Xuefei (张雪飞) 说。

在松江设立科创中心的远不止南浔一地。目前，浙江金华以及安徽宣城、芜湖等长三角G60科创走廊沿线城市，纷纷在松江设立产业协同创新中心。

这是长三角G60科创走廊助力区域协同创新的生动写照。这条以国家级高速公路命名的“创新廊道”，如同一串熠熠生辉的珠链，将上海松江，浙江嘉兴、湖州、杭州、金华，江苏苏州，安徽宣城、芜湖、合肥等九城（区）紧紧连在一起，加速区域创新资源的汇集、流动。

走出“小市场”，迎来大发展。目前，九城（区）GDP总量占全国比重约1/15，高新技术企业数量占全国约13.3%。

一票畅游 退货无忧

打造统一的商品和服务市场，促进消费提质升级

前不久，上海市民Gu Xin (顾欣) 到江苏苏州吴江区出差，在连锁品牌蜜思肤化妆品的东太湖店购买了一套护肤品，回家发现丈夫也为她购买了相似商品，便想退货。原以为退货要去吴江区，电话咨询后得知，在上海就能退。

“长三角地区异地异店线下退换货”服务承诺始于2020年。吴江区市场监督管理局鼓励、引导总部设在本地的连锁品牌参与其中。Gu Xin (顾欣) 来到蜜思肤上海月亮湾店办理退货，店员现场查验产品未拆封，并与东太湖店确认订单后，几分钟便完成退货退款。

如果不是连锁品牌，退货也能这样便利吗？

前几天，吴江居民Zhou Jing (周静) 到浙江嘉兴西塘古镇旅游，给母亲买了一件衣服，试穿后不太合身，决定退货。

“再去一趟没必要，邮寄退货又担心污损。打电话询问，才知道本地就能退。”Zhou Jing (周静) 来到吴江黎里古镇跨区域一站式无理由退货服务站。站长Lu Wenbin (陆文斌) 检查衣物没问题后，立即办理“先行垫付退货”，2000元购物款很快到账。“后续商品退还、垫付款报销，由我们和商家对接。”Lu Wenbin (陆文斌) 说。

吴江区消费者权益保护委员会秘书长Gong Jianfeng (龚建锋) 介绍，2022年起，吴江区市场监督管理局联合青浦区、嘉善县市场监督管理部门，探索完善跨区域无理由退货机制，三地共同制定办法，明确退货流程、服务规范等，还共同出资设立先行垫付资金池。目前已有141户商家承诺，在示范区内实现“异地消费本地退、购物退款极速达”。

“但从整体上看，参与‘异地异店退’的企业数量还有限。”Gong Jianfeng (龚建锋) 认为，一方面应持续完善制度体系，进一步形成明确统一的服务规范；另一方面要健全激励约束机制，向主动参与异地异店线下无理由退换货的企业给予品牌宣传支持。

在长三角，跨区域协同不仅体现在商圈网点，也体现在生态人文之间。

早上8点，船长Pan Chengfei (潘承飞) 驾驶着新安8号游船出发了。当天，他要带游客从安徽黄山歙县的深渡港起航，沿新安江向东南，抵达浙江杭州淳安县千岛湖景区。这条全长70多公里的“新安江—千岛湖皖浙省际航线”是杭州、黄山2021年联手打造的。

船行至千岛湖梅峰岛，游客无须再购票即可游览。“两省景区合作，实现‘一次报名、两地游览’，省际航线带动旅游消费升级。”黄山市歙县徽乡徽舍建设投资发展有限公司市场营销中心主任Cheng Yao (程耀) 介绍。

2024年5月，杭黄世界级自然生态和文化旅游廊道跨省合作推进会在杭州临安区举行，两市签订合作协议：2024年至2026年，每年杭州市向黄山市输送团队游客不少于20万人次，黄山市向杭州市输送团队游客不少于10万人次。两地还共同制定了景区门票免费或优惠等互惠政策。

“我们将依托杭黄廊道，与杭州持续共建平台、共育链条、共享资源，擦亮长三角文旅融合示范窗口。”黄山市副市长Liu Li (刘力) 表示。

一体监管 全程追溯

健全市场协同监管制度，营造有利于区域市场一体化发展的环境

这两天，安徽宣城郎溪县3家企业迎来一次特殊的知识产权检查——除郎溪县市场监督管理局的工作人员，还来了江苏常州溧阳市、浙江湖州长兴县的相关部门工作人员。

检查郎溪的企业，为何其他两地也要参与？
"We found during law enforcement that some infringement acts occur in other places, making it difficult for infringed companies to receive timely protection." Chen Qian (陈倩), a staff member of the Langxi County Market Supervision and Administration Bureau (郎溪县市场监督管理局), introduced that the businesses of these three companies involve three locations. Visiting them in multiple locations is not only an inspection but also an effort to establish connections and provide services.

In 2024, under the guidance of the State Administration for Market Regulation (国家市场监督管理总局), the market supervision departments of the Yangtze River Delta region included "5 cities and 8 counties," including Langxi (郎溪), Liyang (溧阳), and Changxing (长兴), in the list of joint random inspection cities for cross-regional and cross-departmental "double random, one public" supervision in the Yangtze River Delta, further promoting the integration of credit supervision in the fields of intellectual property and tourism in the Yangtze River Delta.

Cross-regional supervision makes law enforcement more precise. In May 2024, the Xuancheng Xuanzhou District Market Supervision and Administration Bureau (宣城宣州区市场监督管理局) discovered that a company in its jurisdiction was fabricating product sales and user reviews for its Pinduoduo store through methods such as刷单. Therefore, it sent a letter of assistance in investigation to the Changning District Market Supervision and Administration Bureau (上海长宁区市场监督管理局) in Shanghai (上海), where Pinduoduo (拼多多) headquarters is located. Through the transaction records and transaction amounts provided by the other party, the Xuanzhou District Market Supervision and Administration Bureau secured key evidence in the case and punished the company involved according to law.

Cross-regional collaboration further improves efficiency. In the past, when a tourist bus passed through Jinshan (金山) in Shanghai (上海), Huzhou (湖州) in Zhejiang (浙江), Xuancheng (宣城) in Anhui (安徽), and Zhenjiang (镇江) in Jiangsu (江苏), it had to undergo multiple inspections by the cultural tourism, transportation, and market supervision departments of the four locations. Now, the four locations jointly conduct cross-departmental comprehensive supervision in the tourism industry. Inspection results are shared, and tourist buses only need to undergo a comprehensive inspection by the three departments once in any one of the locations.

Deepen and improve the market collaborative supervision system, with horizontal integrated supervision and vertical full-process traceability.

"100,000 pieces of stinky tofu produced per day!" Guan Jianfeng (管剑峰), the third-generation inheritor of Jiashan County's intangible cultural heritage "Guan Laotai Stinky Tofu" (嘉善县非遗“管老太臭豆腐”), is quite proud.

Walking into the processing plant, Guan Jianfeng took out a test report for the day, which detailed information such as net content, moisture content, and protein content. "All categories are strictly implemented according to national standards, and each test must be confirmed to be qualified before leaving the factory."

How are these data used?

In recent years, Jiashan County (嘉善县) has integrated digital supervision platforms such as "Zhejiang Food Chain" ("浙食链") and "Zhejiang Product Code" ("浙品码"), issuing "ID cards" to food and printing QR codes on food packaging. Regulatory authorities can open the corresponding APP, scan the code, and view the entire chain of production information for the food. This forces stinky tofu, which came from "small workshops," to shift to standardized production and safe management. Today, "Guan Laotai Stinky Tofu" has opened 10 directly-operated stores and 14 franchise stores in the Yangtze River Delta region, with an annual output value of 15 million yuan.

Since 2024, the Jiashan County Market Supervision and Administration Bureau (嘉善县市场监督管理局) has jointly piloted the construction of a digital traceability system for food safety with the Qingpu District (青浦区) and Wujiang District (吴江区) market supervision departments. More and more "Guan Laotai" are becoming beneficiaries of the integrated regional market in the Yangtze River Delta.

"We look forward to the Yangtze River Delta region further forming a full-chain data traceability system from farmland to table, making food safety management more efficient and precise," said Huang Danping (黄丹萍), Deputy Director of the Jiashan County Market Supervision and Administration Bureau.

Return to Top

Reform Builds Bridges, Jointly Promoting Integration (Reflections)

By: 姚雪青

In China's economic landscape, the Yangtze River Delta (长三角) plays a crucial role. In the first half of this year, the regional GDP of the three provinces and one city in the Yangtze River Delta exceeded 16 trillion yuan.

From the "Sunday Engineers" (星期天工程师) in the early days of reform and opening up, who broke down barriers to talent mobility, to today's benchmarking against the "five unifications and one opening" (五统一、一开放) requirements, clearing the bottlenecks and blockages restricting economic circulation, this hotbed of development has proven with practice that only by increasing efforts to eliminate local protectionism and market segmentation can vitality be released.

Simultaneously "breaking" and "establishing," the "removal of market segmentation" and the "establishment of operating rules" are promoted in both directions.

There is both the wisdom of "establishing." Last year, the three provinces and one city jointly formulated the "Recent Key Work Measures for Promoting the Construction of an Integrated Regional Market in the Yangtze River Delta (2024-2025)" (推进长三角区域市场一体化建设近期重点工作举措（2024—2025年）), using a unified system design to further leverage the leading role of the Yangtze River Delta in establishing a unified national market. There is also the courage to "break," from obvious local protectionism to hidden barriers to capital, technology, and talent, clearing blockages and breaking down barriers.

For example, in the field of market supervision, regional segmentation is effectively eliminated through unified law enforcement standards, unified regulatory teams, and unified traceability systems. As another example, in terms of the transformation of scientific and technological achievements, beneficial attempts such as "R&D in the enclave, manufacturing in the local area" are explored to allow resources and factors to flow fully. This reform logic of "breaking and establishing simultaneously" and "establishing before breaking" is not a simple superposition of policies, but rather breaks the shackles of the "administrative region economy" and clears the "invisible barriers" to factor circulation by reconstructing operating rules.

Both "soft" and "hard" are implemented, and "infrastructure construction" and "institutional system innovation" are synergistically exerted.

Looking at the Yangtze River Delta (长三角), what can be seen are "hard connectivity" projects such as the Shanghai-Suzhou-Huzhou High-speed Railway (沪苏湖高铁) and the Shanghai-Nanjing Along-the-Yangtze River High-speed Railway (沪宁沿江高铁), which significantly shorten commuting times in node cities, reduce market transaction costs, and strengthen the interactive capabilities of regional industrial development.

What cannot be seen is the "neural network" formed by "soft connections": the "joint loading and unloading" model gives Anhui (安徽) a "sea outlet," further improving logistics efficiency and allowing more cities to move from the "hinterland" to the "forefront"; cultural and tourism departments sign cross-provincial "customer source mutual delivery" agreements, and benefit-the-people policies are jointly built and shared, giving cultural and tourism consumption an "upgraded version"; market supervision departments build a "Credit Yangtze River Delta" (信用长三角) platform to achieve "**一地失信、全域受限**" (yī dì shī xìn, quán yù shòu xiàn - "one place loses credit, the whole region is restricted," a loss of credibility in one area leads to restrictions across the entire region)...

The systematic synergy of hardware and software allows the Yangtze River Delta (长三角) region to deeply integrate.

Reform builds bridges and jointly promotes integration. The innovative practice of market integration in the Yangtze River Delta (长三角) region reflects the resonance and two-way rush of an active government and an effective market, which has spawned a positive cycle of "institutional innovation - factor circulation - industrial upgrading," which not only injects lasting momentum into the economic development of the Yangtze River Delta (长三角) region, but also explores a feasible path for the construction of a unified national market.

Return to Top

Editor in Charge for This Section: Yang Yan, Sun Zhen, Dai Linfeng, Liu Yurui

Layout Design: Shen Yiling (沈亦伶)

Return to Top

China in Lucid Waters and Lush Mountains

Humans settle near water, and civilizations arise along rivers. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, with the in-depth implementation of the Blue Water Defense Campaign and the national "River Strategy," a new era story is being written between people and rivers.

"Return to the people a scene of clear water, green banks, and fish swimming in shallow waters." The Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) at its core has always placed the protection of water ecology at an important position in ecological civilization construction, regarded solving prominent water ecological environment protection problems as a priority area for people's livelihood, listed the Blue Water Defense Campaign as one of the three major defense campaigns in the battle against pollution, and elevated promoting the development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt and the ecological protection and high-quality development of the Yellow River Basin to major national strategies, planning and carrying out a series of fundamental, pioneering, and long-term work.

By coordinating the governance of water resources, water environment, and water ecology, the quality of China's water ecological environment has continued to improve, and the proportion of excellent-quality sections of national surface water has exceeded 90% for the first time. In April of this year, the State Council Standing Committee deployed actions to protect and construct beautiful rivers and lakes; in June, the General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the General Office of the State Council issued the "Opinions on Comprehensively Promoting River Protection and Governance." These decisions and deployments will further enhance China's water security capabilities, promote the continuous improvement of China's water ecological environment, and paint a happier picture of harmony between people and water.

From the mighty Yangtze River (长江) and Yellow River (黄河) to the clear and rippling rivers and lakes in our hometowns, rivers around us bid farewell to black and odorous conditions and regain clarity, with clear water, green banks, and flowing gold and silver. The magnificent scenery of rivers writes a chapter of the times; the change in blue water reflects China's governance.

"The Suzhou River (苏州河) in front of my house is so beautiful," "The clear Wanquan River (万泉河) water is back," "Ninety-nine bays have many stories," "Baiyangdian (白洋淀), the 'Pearl of North China,' has regained its glory," "The Xitiaoxi River (西苕溪) brings me too many surprises and attachments"... Since the launch of the "There is a River in Front of My House" image collection and integrated reporting, everyone has been posting beautiful and happy rivers and lakes in front of their homes, telling stories of the sense of gain, happiness, and security brought about by the improvement of the ecological environment. As of now, this event has collected more than 5,000 image works.

This edition selects and publishes some of the wonderful photographic works, to appreciate the ecological beauty of green mountains and clear waters together, and gather the magnificent power to jointly build a beautiful China.

(Reporter of this newspaper, Feng Hua (冯华))

Return to Top

This edition's editor: Dong Siyu

Layout Design: Cai Huawei (蔡华伟)

Return to Top

China in Green Mountains and Clear Waters

Humans settle near water, and civilizations arise along rivers. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, with the in-depth implementation of the Blue Water Defense Campaign and the national "River Strategy," a new era story is being written between people and rivers.

"Return to the people a scene of clear water, green banks, and fish swimming in shallow waters." The Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) at its core has always placed the protection of the water ecology environment in an important position in ecological civilization construction, regarded solving prominent water ecology environment protection problems as a priority area for people's livelihood, listed the Blue Water Defense Campaign as one of the three major defense campaigns in the battle against pollution, and elevated the promotion of the development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt and the ecological protection and high-quality development of the Yellow River basin to major national strategies, planning and carrying out a series of fundamental, pioneering, and far-reaching works.

By coordinating the governance of water resources, water environment, and water ecology, the quality of China's water ecological environment has continued to improve, and the proportion of excellent-quality sections of surface water across the country has exceeded 90% for the first time. In April of this year, the State Council executive meeting deployed actions to protect and construct beautiful rivers and lakes; in June, the General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the General Office of the State Council issued the "Opinions on Comprehensively Promoting River Protection and Governance." These decisions and deployments will further enhance China's water security guarantee capabilities, promote the continuous improvement of China's water ecological environment, and paint a happier picture of harmony between people and water.

From the mighty Yangtze River (长江) and Yellow River (黄河) to the clear and rippling rivers and lakes in our hometowns, the rivers around us bid farewell to black and odorous conditions and regain clarity, with clear water and green banks, flowing gold and silver. The magnificent scenery of rivers and lakes writes a chapter of the times; the change in blue water reflects China's governance.

"The Suzhou River (苏州河) in front of my house is so beautiful," "The clear Wanquan River (万泉河) water is back," "Ninety-nine bays have many stories," "Baiyangdian (白洋淀), the 'Pearl of North China,' has regained its glory," "The Xitiaoxi River (西苕溪) brings me too many surprises and affections"... Since the launch of the "There is a River in Front of My House" image collection and integrated report, everyone has been posting beautiful and happy rivers and lakes in front of their homes, telling stories of the sense of gain, happiness, and security brought about by the improvement of the ecological environment. As of now, this event has collected more than 5,000 image works.

This edition selects and publishes some of the wonderful photographic works, to appreciate the ecological beauty of green mountains and clear waters together, and gather the magnificent power to jointly build a beautiful China.

(People's Daily reporter Feng Hua (冯华))

Return to Top

Editor: Dong Siyu (This section edited by: Dong Siyu)

Layout design: Cai Huawei (蔡华伟)

Return to Top

China Southern Power Grid Expands "Two Mountains" Conversion Path, Accelerates Improvement of Development's "Green Content"

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the concept that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets." As a central energy enterprise serving and safeguarding the power supply of five provinces and regions—Guangdong (广东), Guangxi (广西), Yunnan (云南), Guizhou (贵州), and Hainan (海南)—as well as the Hong Kong and Macao (港澳) regions, China Southern Power Grid (南方电网) has steadfastly fulfilled its duties and mission over the past 20 years. It has leveraged the power grid as a crucial platform for promoting green and low-carbon development, supporting the large-scale development and utilization of clean energy and its optimized allocation on a larger scale on the supply side. On the consumption side, it serves the green and low-carbon transformation of industries, buildings, transportation, and other fields, accelerating the formation of green production and lifestyles, and taking solid steps in energy's green and low-carbon transition, fully serving the "dual carbon" goals, and ecological civilization construction.

　　Green Power Flowing, Writing the Power Grid's Answer to the Construction of a Beautiful China

　　China Southern Power Grid (南方电网) focuses on "green" for development, striving to become a supportive force for promoting harmonious coexistence between humans and nature. The crucial platform role of the power grid in promoting green and low-carbon development is becoming increasingly prominent, and the "green content" of high-quality development is continuously improving.

　　The construction of a large power grid connects the east and west wings, laying a solid foundation for green development. In 2009, the world's first ±800 kV Yun-Guang UHV DC project was put into operation. In 2018, the Dianxibei-Guangdong ±800 kV UHV DC project was fully put into operation. In 2020, the world's first UHV flexible DC project—Kunliulong DC project (昆柳龙直流工程)—was put into operation, setting 19 world firsts in power technology. Over the years, China Southern Power Grid (南方电网) has adhered to integrating into the national power production layout, focusing on building the world's most advanced and technologically sophisticated large power grid. It has put into operation major projects such as the Guangdong target grid and the Min-Yue interconnection project. The Zang-Yue DC project is about to commence construction. A flexible interconnection and open mutual assistance main grid is accelerating its formation. The power supply guarantee capability and comprehensive carrying capacity of the distribution network have been significantly improved, laying a solid foundation for green development.

　　Clean energy is connected to the large power grid, promoting green electricity to become the mainstream. Over the past 20 years, China Southern Power Grid (南方电网) has continuously expanded the scale of clean energy development and utilization. The proportion of non-fossil energy installed capacity has increased from approximately 40% to over 66%, reaching a leading level among power grids of similar scale in the world. The installed capacity of new energy has exceeded 240 million kilowatts, becoming the main force of new installed capacity and remaining the largest power source. The annual power transmission volume of "West-East Electricity Transfer" (西电东送) has jumped from 53.5 billion kilowatt-hours to 238.4 billion kilowatt-hours. As of July 2025, the proportion of hydropower and other clean energy cumulatively transmitted is approximately 80%. China Southern Power Grid (南方电网) is comprehensively promoting a new type of power system, reshaping the energy layout with "green electricity," building a green energy hub network, and basically forming a clean power supply pattern. The power grid's resource optimization and allocation capabilities and digital and green levels have achieved a leap. Demonstration zones for new types of power systems at all levels and types are accelerating their construction, providing a practical "green electricity solution" for the construction of a beautiful China.

　　Protecting biodiversity and exploring new paths for power grid ecological protection. The "power grid elephant protectors" in Yunnan (云南) carefully guard the northward migration and southward return of elephant herds. The China Southern Power Grid (南方电网) mangrove and egret protection team has carried out public welfare activities such as garbage cleaning, nest maintenance, and afforestation for more than 10 consecutive years. Power workers in Hainan (海南) have built more than 3,000 new homes for birds on top of iron towers. The power protection of the 26-degree water temperature in the Guangdong (广东) sea turtle bay helps to overcome the technical difficulties of artificial breeding of sea turtles. Respecting nature, conforming to nature, and protecting nature, China Southern Power Grid (南方电网) integrates biodiversity protection into the entire process of power grid construction and operation, writing a moving chapter of harmonious coexistence between humans and nature.

　　"Two Transformations Promoting Two Systems," Digital Intelligence Technology Helps "Chasing the Wind and Sunlight" to Improve Quality and Efficiency

　　When the digital wave meets green development, China Southern Power Grid (南方电网) promotes the construction of a new energy system and a new power system through the coordinated promotion of digitalization and greening ("Two Transformations Promoting Two Systems" (两化促两型)). With the help of cloud computing, big data, artificial intelligence, and other technological means, wind power, photovoltaics, and other clean energy sources are given "intelligent wings."

　　Clean energy consumption has sufficient computing power. In Dali (大理), Yunnan (云南), wind energy has been given "scientific and technological wings." It is connected from the Tianfeng Mountain Wind Farm to the 220 kV Xiangyun Substation. Under the automatic regulation of the intelligent dispatching platform, it takes only 20 seconds to complete the entire process of power flow calculation, analysis, and verification, sending clean energy to various parts of Yunnan Province and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (粤港澳大湾区) more than a thousand kilometers away. As the world's first intelligent simulation professional large model for power systems, the "Da Watt · Yu Dian" (大瓦特·驭电) independently developed by China Southern Power Grid (南方电网) can complete simulation calculations for at least 8,760 operating modes throughout the year within 1 hour. It won the highest award at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference and was selected as one of the "Top Ten National Instruments of Central Enterprises in 2024."

　　The construction of a new power system demonstration zone has achieved remarkable results. In Nansha (南沙), Guangzhou (广州), Guangdong (广东), photovoltaics have been given an "intelligent ride." The flexible load control device of electric-Hong Kong (电鸿) controls the flexible output of photovoltaics, realizing automatic isolation and grid connection of user photovoltaics and the power grid. In Sansha (三沙), Hainan (海南), China's first offshore island intelligent microgrid provides reliable power supply guarantee for the development of the island economy. In Namu Village (纳木村), Liupanshui (六盘水), Guizhou (贵州), the application of technologies such as AC/DC co-pole erection and flexible interconnection of substations has greatly improved the photovoltaic consumption capacity, providing an effective reference for distributed new energy grid connection.

　　New models for green electricity consumption are constantly emerging. In September 2021, the pilot project for green electricity trading in the Southern Region was launched, kicking off the large-scale trading of green electricity and green certificates nationwide. In 2024, the trading volume of green electricity and green certificates in the Southern Region exceeded 90 billion kilowatt-hours, an increase of 8 times year-on-year, achieving a "double breakthrough" in the market scale and mechanism of green electricity and green certificates. In addition, China Southern Power Grid (南方电网) has also set up the first physical institution of the virtual power plant management center in Shenzhen (深圳), Guangdong (广东). The adjustable capacity has exceeded 1 million kilowatts, and the fastest response speed has reached the millisecond level, becoming a "flexible regulator" for power supply and demand balance.

　　From physical power grids to digital power grids, from transmission channels to value hubs, the innovative practice of China Southern Power Grid's (南方电网) new power system provides a China Southern Power Grid (中国南网) solution for global energy transformation.

　　Carbon Footprints Can Be Found, Promoting the Green and Low-Carbon Transformation of Production and Lifestyles

　　Energy and electricity are the basic support for economic and social development. China Southern Power Grid (南方电网) deeply serves and integrates into the overall work of the Party and the country, bravely acts as a pioneer in implementing the new development concept, anchors the service of local economic and social development, gives full play to the strategic supporting role of power grid enterprises, and promotes the formation of green and low-carbon production and lifestyles.

　　Bearing in mind the "major affairs of the country" (国之大者 - guó zhī dà zhě - "the most important things of the country," refers to the most important issues and priorities for the nation), serving economic and social development. In Guangdong (广东), China Southern Power Grid (南方电网) fully supports the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (粤港澳大湾区) and serves the implementation of strategies such as "rebuilding a new Guangdong" and the "hundred counties, thousand towns, and ten thousand villages project" (广东省“百千万工程”). In Guangxi (广西), it supports the high-quality development of the Beibu Gulf Economic Zone, empowers the construction of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor in the western region, and promotes opening up and cooperation with ASEAN countries. In Yunnan (云南) and Hainan (海南), it focuses on the interaction between "West-East Electricity Transfer" (西电东送) and "South-North Electricity Transfer" (南电北送), supporting the construction of a green and beautiful Yunnan and the Hainan Free Trade Port. In Guizhou (贵州), it highlights the integration of "West-East Electricity Transfer" (西电东送) and "East Data West Computing" (东数西算). In 2024, the total electricity consumption of the five provinces and regions of Guangdong (广东), Guangxi (广西), Yunnan (云南), Guizhou (贵州), and Hainan (海南) reached 1.7 trillion kilowatt-hours, an increase of more than 30% compared with 2020, and the driving force of reliable power services for economic development is becoming increasingly strong. At the same time, the fossil energy consumption per unit of power generation and reception has decreased from 210 grams of standard coal/kilowatt-hour in 2010 to 116.15 grams of standard coal/kilowatt-hour in 2024, a decrease of 44.7%, promoting cleaner and more efficient power production.

　　Adhering to seeking happiness for the people and helping to shape a new model of urban and rural development. In Guilin (桂林), Guangxi (广西), more than 1,200 bamboo rafts on the Li River (漓江) have achieved "oil-to-electricity" conversion, with an annual charging and swapping capacity of 2.5 million kilowatt-hours, reducing carbon emissions by more than 2,400 tons. Nansha Port (南沙码头) in Guangzhou (广州) vigorously promotes electric energy substitution, with energy consumption of gantry crane equipment decreasing by 56%, cumulatively saving enterprises about 66 million yuan per year. In Jiangmen (江门), Guangdong (广东), more than 20,000 televisions are produced in "zero-carbon factories" every day. In Kunming (昆明), Yunnan (云南), "low-carbon cattle" and "zero-carbon milk" are environmentally friendly and healthy. With the support of green electricity from China Southern Power Grid (南方电网), the "new electrification" process in industries, buildings, and other fields and the promotion of electric energy substitution technology are accelerating, and a new trend of green energy consumption is accelerating.

　　Green electricity is the medium to promote the comprehensive transformation of lifestyles. China Southern Power Grid (南方电网) and other enterprises have built 1,057 supercharging stations and more than 487,000 charging piles in Shenzhen (深圳), with the fastest charging speed of "one kilometer per second," and the number of supercharging stations has exceeded the number of gas stations. More than 100,000 charging piles have been built in the five southern provinces and regions, achieving full coverage of charging piles in towns and villages. Electric carbon meters with both electricity metering and carbon metering functions make carbon emissions "visible" and "measurable." In Qingyuan (清远), Guangdong (广东), the photovoltaic roofs of every household in Xinma Village (新马村) reflect brilliant light. The near-zero carbon new rural power grid ensures that villagers and tourists enjoy a green life. The "green" background of China Southern Power Grid (南方电网) is becoming brighter and brighter, from bustling cities to beautiful villages, promoting the continuous change of people's production and lifestyles, and radiating new vitality.

　　Standing at a new starting point, China Southern Power Grid (南方电网) will further grasp the general trend of energy transformation and the opportunities for power development, accelerate the implementation of "Two Transformations Promoting Two Systems" (两化促两型), help green become a common form, promote changes in technology, industry, market, and mechanisms, act as an explorer, participant, and promoter of green and low-carbon transformation, and strive to become a supportive force for promoting sustainable development and achieving harmonious coexistence between humans and nature.

　　Data source: China Southern Power Grid Co., Ltd. (中国南方电网有限责任公司)

Return to Top

The People's Musician, The World's Xian Xinghai

By: 本报记者 王佳可 李欣怡 曲 颂 庄雪雅

The wind is roaring,

The horses are neighing,

The Yellow River is roaring,

The Yellow River is roaring.

The mountains west of the river are ten thousand feet high,

The sorghum east and north of the river is ripe.

Among the myriad mountains, there are many heroes resisting Japan!

In the green gauze tents, guerrilla warriors display their heroism!

Taking up the homemade rifles and foreign guns,

Wielding broadswords and spears.

Defend our homeland! Defend the Yellow River!

Defend North China! Defend all of China!

This year marks the 120th anniversary of the birth of the people's musician Xian Xinghai (冼星海).

On June 13, 1905, Xian Xinghai (冼星海) was born in Macau (澳门), China. His family made a living by fishing, and life was hard. His father, Xian Xitai (冼喜泰), passed away a few months before Xian Xinghai (冼星海) was born. His mother, Huang Suying (黄苏英), was a resilient woman who worked hard to raise him.

The musician's childhood was spent listening to his mother's songs. Xian Xinghai (冼星海) said, "My mother was my first music teacher." What impressed him most was the Cantonese folk song "Ding Ying Sheung (顶硬上)" - "Ding Ying Sheung (顶硬上), you can only blame yourself for being poor, with an iron heart and copper lungs, stand firm and endure the world." The folk song is simple and sings of the perseverance of the working people, as well as the poverty of the young Xinghai (星海). His life seemed to embody the spirit of the song: unwavering perseverance, meeting difficulties head-on.

Wandering and moving, taking on the "responsibility of saving China with music"

In the 1920s and 1930s, with Beijing (北京) and Shanghai (上海) as the center, Chinese professional music education began to develop, attracting a large number of young people who loved music. Xian Xinghai (冼星海) was one of them. He studied at the Beijing National College of Art (北京国立艺专) and the Shanghai National Conservatory of Music (上海国立音乐院). In 1928, playwright Tian Han (田汉) introduced Xian Xinghai (冼星海) to join the literary and art group Nanguo Society (南国社). In his spare time, Xian Xinghai (冼星海) participated in many progressive music activities and also published an article "Universal Music" in the journal of the National Conservatory of Music, believing that "what China needs is not aristocratic or private music" but "universal music." People who study music should take on the "responsibility of saving China with music" and "endure hardships that ordinary people cannot endure." This valuable view of music originated from the musician's long-term wandering and hard life, as well as a deep love for music. Looking back on his lifelong musical creation and the popularization of national salvation singing movement during the Anti-Japanese War, he never deviated from this musical thought.

In 1929, Xian Xinghai (冼星海) was forced to terminate his studies at the Shanghai National Conservatory of Music (上海国立音乐院) due to his participation in student movements. At the end of the same year, he worked as a stoker to earn a ticket to Paris (巴黎) to fulfill his musical dream. Life in Paris (巴黎) was turbulent and busy. He even slept on the banks of the Seine (塞纳河畔) because he could not afford the rent, and fainted on the street several times due to hunger. Introduced by Ma Sicong (马思聪), who was studying violin at the Paris Conservatory (巴黎音乐学院) at the time, Xian Xinghai (冼星海) became a student of the French violinist Paul Obredorff, who waived his monthly tuition of 200 francs because he valued his talent.

During his time in Paris (巴黎), Xian Xinghai (冼星海) worked diligently on his compositions. The trio "Wind" was an important turning point in his musical career. This trio for soprano, clarinet, and cello, settled the musician's homesickness, which had been greatly tempered in a foreign country, and was loved by the French impressionist composer Paul Dukas and the famous Russian composer Prokofiev. Dukas greatly appreciated Xian Xinghai (冼星海) and supported him in entering the advanced composition class of the Paris Conservatory (巴黎音乐学院), and the two formed a deep friendship.

In 1935, Dukas died suddenly of a heart attack. Xian Xinghai (冼星海) was deeply saddened and returned to China during the summer vacation to visit his mother. During his five years in Paris (巴黎), he systematically mastered the compositional techniques of modern music, enriched his musical cultivation, and broadened his artistic horizons. At this time, China was facing internal and external troubles, and "national salvation" became the theme of the times, giving rise to various forms of left-wing literature and art. In the anti-Japanese and national salvation singing movement pioneered by Nie Er (聂耳) and other left-wing musicians, Xian Xinghai (冼星海) returned to Shanghai (上海), breathing and sharing the fate of the times, and constantly creating national salvation songs. His musical creation was "full of the voices of all kinds of oppressed compatriots." In this year, Xian Xinghai's (冼星海) composition "National Salvation Army Song" came into being and became the most popular anti-Japanese and national salvation song at that time.

On July 7, 1937, the Japanese invaders created the Lugouqiao Incident (卢沟桥事变), which shocked China and foreign countries, and the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japan (中国人民抗日战争) broke out in full scale. Xian Xinghai (冼星海) joined the wartime mobile performance team of the Shanghai Drama Circle National Salvation Association (上海话剧界救亡协会战时移动演剧二队), bid farewell to his mother, and went to many parts of the country to carry out anti-Japanese propaganda and national salvation singing activities. In a letter to his mother, he wrote: "The people's need for music, especially in wartime, makes me unable to bear to leave you and stand among the people."

From 1935 to 1938, Xian Xinghai (冼星海) composed more than 300 national salvation songs. He had a deep understanding of the popularization of music culture and anti-Japanese war music, and longed to "arouse the people, inspire the people's enthusiasm for resisting Japan and saving the country, and organize the people to persist in the war of resistance." Among them, works such as "War Song," "Guerrilla Army," "On the Taihang Mountains (在太行山上)," and "Go to the Enemy's Rear" were full of eager hearts for national salvation and were widely circulated.

The flying flames of war did not stop Xian Xinghai (冼星海) from using music to encourage the people to resist the war. In the rising tide of anti-Japanese and national salvation singing, he came to Wuhan (武汉) and met Qian Yunling (钱韵玲), and gained love. On July 20, 1938, Xian Xinghai (冼星海) and Qian Yunling (钱韵玲) got engaged, and Tian Han (田汉) and others attended to congratulate them. At this time, the Yan'an Lu Xun Academy of Arts (延安鲁迅艺术学院) sent a letter of appointment signed by all the teachers and students of the music department, and Xian Xinghai (冼星海) decided to go to the revolutionary holy land Yan'an (延安) with his fiancée. In Yan'an (延安), Xian Xinghai (冼星海) completed the greatest masterpiece of his life - the "Yellow River Cantata (黄河大合唱)."

Revolutionary Holy Land, Creating Anti-Japanese and National Salvation "Symphonic Chorus"

"Friends, have you been to the Yellow River? Have you seen the Yellow River's turbulent waves?"

The Yellow River rushes to Hukou (壶口), suddenly constricting, the turbid waves are like boiling gold tumbling, and the roar is like thunder in the dry sky. In the autumn of 1938, the poet Guang Weiran (光未然) led the Anti-Enemy Drama Troupe III (抗敌演剧三队) to cross the Yellow River eastward from the lower reaches of Hukou (壶口) in Yichuan (宜川), Shaanxi (陕西). The spectacular scenery of the Hukou Waterfall (壶口瀑布) and the heroic posture of the guerrilla warriors resisting the enemy in the mountains were deeply imprinted in his mind, and he began to brew a long recitation poem.

Soon, Guang Weiran (光未然) was injured in a horse fall during the march and was sent to Yan'an (延安) for treatment. In early 1939, Xian Xinghai (冼星海), who was teaching in the music department of Lu Yi (鲁艺), came to visit him and asked him to write a chorus lyrics. Guang Weiran (光未然) gladly accepted and completed the long poem "Yellow River Ballad (黄河吟)" with eight paragraphs and more than 400 lines in just 5 days. On New Year's Eve in 1939, Guang Weiran (光未然) personally recited "Yellow River Ballad (黄河吟)" at the internal New Year's Eve party of the Anti-Enemy Drama Troupe III (抗敌演剧三队). Before the audience's applause subsided, Xian Xinghai (冼星海) suddenly stood up, grabbed the lyrics in his hand and said: "I am confident that I can write it well!"

Back in the cave dwelling, Xian Xinghai (冼星海) had many long talks with Guang Weiran (光未然), Wu Xiling (邬析零), Tian Chong (田冲) and other comrades. The magnificence of the Yellow River, the danger of crossing the river, the situation of learning to sing the Yellow River boatman's chant... One magnificent scene after another, one vivid face after another, turned into rushing notes in his mind, flowing from the tip of his pen. For six days and six nights, his spirit was highly tense and excited. Despite his illness, he still fought all night, sometimes writing furiously at his desk, sometimes getting up to sing and conduct. He occasionally lay on the bed and pondered, then suddenly jumped up from the bed and continued to compose.

Since she was separated from Xian Xinghai (冼星海) when she was eight or nine months old, Xian Nina's (冼妮娜) memories of her father mostly came from her mother Qian Yunling (钱韵玲) and her father's colleagues and students. More than 80 years later, the scene of her father composing the "Yellow River Cantata (黄河大合唱)" is still vivid. Xian Nina (冼妮娜) described to reporters in detail: "After writing a piece, he would sing it to his mother, and sometimes he would sing it with his comrades in chorus and rounds. My mother would 'draw grids' on white paper and hand-draw music paper for my father. Unconsciously, my father wrote more than 60 pages of manuscripts. The broken pen tips alone piled up into a small mountain on the table."

In order to refresh Xian Xinghai (冼星海), who loved sweets, Guang Weiran (光未然) specially bought two pounds of white sugar. Xian Xinghai (冼星海) would grab a handful and put it in his mouth after writing a few sentences. Qian Yunling (钱韵玲) also carefully made "earth coffee" - frying soybeans, grinding them into powder, and adding some brown sugar to soak in water.

On March 31, 1939, the score of the "Yellow River Cantata (黄河大合唱)" was completed. This large-scale choral vocal suite consists of eight movements, including "Yellow River Boatman's Song (黄河船夫曲)," "Ode to the Yellow River (黄河颂)," etc. Except for "Yellow River Complaint (黄河怨)" and "Ode to the Yellow River (黄河颂)," which were revised three times, the other movements were completed in one go.

This is a milestone masterpiece in the history of Chinese music. The entire suite is full of passion, and each movement is independent and completely unified. It is a "symphonic chorus" with epochal, national, and epic characteristics. In the round and chorus of "Defend the Yellow River," different voices enter in turn, depicting a panoramic view of the anti-Japanese teams gathering from all directions and rushing to the battlefield together. Then the entire chorus pushes the determination and momentum of fighting against the enemy with one heart and one mind to a climax, showing the great power of the whole people's war of resistance, united war of resistance, and persistent war of resistance.

As soon as the music was completed, everyone began tense rehearsals. A few erhus, a few violins, no bass instruments - facing the simple conditions, everyone brainstormed: a foreign oil drum, installed with a handle, and a few strings, was made into a bass stringed instrument; a dozen metal spoons were put into a large enamel tea jar, and the sound of metal collisions was used to cooperate with the orchestral gongs and drums to create an intense atmosphere.

On the evening of April 13, 1939, the "Yellow River Cantata (黄河大合唱)" was first played in the auditorium of Shaanbei Public School (陕北公学) in Yan'an (延安). The audience crowded the corridors, windowsills, and even both sides of the podium. "Defend our homeland! Defend the Yellow River! Defend North China! Defend all of China!" The inspiring melody and deafening lyrics ignited the burning patriotic enthusiasm in people's hearts, and the scene was filled with thunderous applause.

Since then, Xian Xinghai (冼星海) personally conducted Lu Yi (鲁艺) students to rehearse the "Yellow River Cantata (黄河大合唱)" 10 times in a row, and the number of chorus members gradually increased from more than 60 to more than 100. On May 11, 1939, at the "Lu Xun Academy of Arts (鲁迅艺术学院) Anniversary Music Evening," Xian Xinghai (冼星海) wore a homespun military uniform, leggings, and straw sandals, and conducted a chorus and orchestra of more than 100 people, performing the "Yellow River Cantata (黄河大合唱)" in an unprecedentedly shocking way. On July 8, 1939, Comrade Zhou Enlai (周恩来) listened to the "Yellow River Cantata (黄河大合唱)" and praised Xian Xinghai (冼星海) for "roaring for the War of Resistance and composing the voice of the masses."

This scene, through the words of her mother, often lingered and reappeared in Xian Nina's (冼妮娜) mind over the long years. Although she did not grow up by her father's side, listening to the music he wrote can still resonate with that heroic spirit. She told reporters: "'One cantata is worth ten thousand Mauser rifles.' I often think about why the 'Yellow River Cantata (黄河大合唱)' can achieve such an artistic effect when I look through the scores left by my father. I think that when composing this piece, my father closely attached his heart to the hearts of the people of the whole country, which not only reflected the suffering of the people of the whole country, but also conveyed the great spirit of the Chinese people uniting to resist Japan and fighting unyieldingly."

In the following months, the rehearsal and performance of the "Yellow River Cantata (黄河大合唱)" quickly unfolded in the anti-Japanese base areas behind enemy lines. Due to the difficulty of copying the score, many passages were simply "passed down by word of mouth." This national symphony born in the cave dwelling spread throughout the motherland and became a musical epic that united national strength.

In 1940, Xian Xinghai (冼星海) went to the Soviet Union (苏联). He referred to the performance feedback from the Yan'an (延安) period and adapted the "Yellow River Cantata (黄河大合唱)" into a symphonic and dramatic version to make it more suitable for large-scale stage performances. He personally conducted the orchestra to perform the trial performance, which was well received in the Moscow (莫斯科) music circle. In 1944, American journalist Israel Epstein (爱泼斯坦) visited Yan'an (延安) and, together with Ye Junjian (叶君健), translated the lyrics of the "Yellow River Cantata (黄河大合唱)" into English, and the work gradually became known to the world. Guang Weiran's (光未然) ending sentence, "Send out a battle alarm to the working people of the world," echoed in the following year with the cheers of the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War.

Almaty (阿拉木图), forging a friendship that transcends national borders

In May 1940, entrusted by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (中共中央), Xian Xinghai (冼星海), under the pseudonym "Huang Xun (黄训)," went to Moscow (莫斯科) with film director Yuan Muzhi (袁牧之) and others to participate in the post-production and soundtrack work of the documentary "Yan'an and the Eighth Route Army (延安与八路军)." In 1941, the Soviet Patriotic War (苏联卫国战争) broke out, and the film production was suspended. At the end of 1942, Xian Xinghai (冼星海) traveled to Almaty (阿拉木图), Kazakhstan (哈萨克斯坦).

In hunger and cold, Xian Xinghai (冼星海) met the Kazakh musician Bakhdzhan Baikadamov (巴赫德让·拜卡达莫夫) at the entrance of the theater. He saw that Xian Xinghai (冼星海) was "very thin, with swollen eyelids and sparse hair, and it could be seen that he had experienced a lot of suffering," but he still carried a violin with him. He felt a sense of sympathy and took him to live in his sister Danash's (达娜什) home. The family took great care of Xian Xinghai (冼星海). To add winter clothes for him, Baikadamov's (拜卡达莫夫) old mother found an old coat and turned it over and sewed it overnight, and the sewing needle pricked her hands with blood blisters. Danash's (达娜什) daughter, Kalamkas (卡拉姆卡斯), was 7 years old at the time. She always remembered that "when I came back from school, my shoes were already filled with snow water. He put the shoes by the stove to bake, and then hugged me and paced back and forth in the room, warming my feet with his body temperature while singing Chinese songs loudly." Xian Xinghai (冼星海) called her "Kaliya (卡利娅)," and Kaliya (卡利娅) called him "Huang Kok (黄阔克)." "Kok (阔克)" is a Kazakh term for the closest elders. More than 70 years later, Kaliya (卡利娅) was still in tears when recalling the past.

After his life settled down, Xian Xinghai (冼星海) devoted himself to musical creation. Baikadamov (拜卡达莫夫) and many other musical colleagues remembered that "he often used broken Russian and gestures to talk about music with everyone with passion." Xian Xinghai (冼星海) was very active in learning about Kazakh national music. He often asked them to play traditional tunes and folk songs, and then recorded the melodies in staff notation. After accumulating rich materials, he began to adapt and create. Xian Xinghai (冼星海) also often followed them to perform everywhere, playing a few of his own works on the violin for farmers and herdsmen in remote rural areas.

In 1944, on the recommendation of musicians in Almaty (阿拉木图), Xian Xinghai (冼星海) came to Kostanay (库斯塔奈), a small city in northern Kazakhstan (哈萨克斯坦), to help local people form an art troupe. It was in this cold and harsh city that Xian Xinghai (冼星海) left a wealth of musical fruits. In the same year, on the 25th anniversary of the sacrifice of Kazakh national hero Amangeldy Imanov (阿曼盖尔德·伊玛诺夫), Xian Xinghai's (冼星海) symphonic poem "Amangeldy (阿曼盖尔德)," which had been brewing for a long time, was staged. This work has a free structure and rich musical expression techniques, showing the vast grasslands, galloping horses, and heroic national spirit of Kazakhstan (哈萨克斯坦), and won warm applause in the performance.

During these years in Kazakhstan (哈萨克斯坦), Xian Xinghai (冼星海) was concerned about his motherland and completed works such as "National Liberation (民族解放)" and "Man Jiang Hong (满江红)" praising the Chinese revolution. In the early winter of 1945, during the tour, Xian Xinghai's (冼星海) lung disease worsened sharply. Although he went to Moscow (莫斯科) for treatment, he unfortunately passed away on October 30, 1945. On November 14, a grand memorial service was held in Yan'an (延安). Comrade Mao Zedong (毛泽东) personally wrote a eulogy: "Mourn the people's musician Comrade Xian Xinghai (冼星海)!"

Time remembers the story of music. Baikadamov's (拜卡达莫夫) daughter, Badelgan Baikadamova (巴德尔甘·拜卡达莫娃), former vice president of the Almaty Conservatory of Music (阿拉木图音乐学院) in Kazakhstan (哈萨克斯坦), is now in her eighties. She inherited her father's musical career and also recorded the stories of her elders and Xian Xinghai (冼星海): "Xian Xinghai (冼星海) had two wishes: one was to find his family; the other was to bring his last works back to his motherland."

In October 1990, on the occasion of the 85th anniversary of Xian Xinghai's (冼星海) birth and the 45th anniversary of his death, the Kazakh music community held a Xian Xinghai (冼星海) memorial concert in the Central Concert Hall (中央音乐厅) in Almaty (阿拉木图), performing works such as "Man Jiang Hong (满江红)." Xian Nina (冼妮娜) also came to Almaty (阿拉木图) for the first time and met the Kazakh friends who had helped her father and Kaliya (卡利娅), who had been thinking about "Huang Kok (黄阔克)." In December 2023, "Amangeldy (阿曼盖尔德)," adapted by Kazakh composer Bayakhunov (巴雅胡诺夫), was played in China for the first time. Baikadamova (拜卡达莫娃) was deeply moved: "Xian Xinghai (冼星海) could not return to his motherland, but his works returned for him!"
In 1998, with the concern of the leaders of China and Kazakhstan, a major street in Almaty (阿拉木图市) was officially named "Xian Xinghai Avenue (冼星海大道)," and another street parallel to it was named "Baikadamov Avenue (拜卡达莫夫大道)." On Xian Xinghai Avenue, stands a lotus-shaped Xian Xinghai Monument (冼星海纪念碑). On June 27 this year, the Xian Xinghai Monument was reopened after renovation, with clearer inscriptions and added signs recording the musician's life journey.

Echoes of the Times, Continuing the Inspiring Musical Spirit

In the harsh winter of 1945 in Kostanay (库斯塔奈), Xian Xinghai picked up his baton, and the music of "Amangeldy (阿曼盖尔德)" resounded. Subsequently, he conducted "The Yellow River Cantata (黄河大合唱)" again, dedicating it to the motherland he always cared about and deeply loved. The camera switched back and forth, the impassioned melody transcended time and space, and the scenes of the Kostanay concert and the premiere of "The Yellow River Cantata" in Yan'an (延安) gradually overlapped... In 2019, the first feature film co-produced by China and Kazakhstan, "The Composer (音乐家)," was released, focusing on the last 5 years of Xian Xinghai's life, which is one of the most exciting scenes in the film.

In 2013, Shen Jian (沈健), the chief planner and producer of "The Composer," was moved by the friendship between Xian Xinghai and the people of Kazakhstan, and went to Kazakhstan five times to gather material. He told reporters that he still remembers when he visited Kaliya (卡利娅), the old woman sang "Only Fear No Resistance (只怕不抵抗)," which Xian Xinghai taught her, and the affectionate tears when she recalled the past; he also remembers Xian Nina's (冼妮娜) sincere wish: "In my lifetime, I want to see my father in those years, even if it's on the big screen." These warm moments became Shen Jian's original intention and motivation for filming "The Composer."

The Xian Xinghai that the film strives to portray is a musician who resonates with the people of Kazakhstan, creating "Amangeldy" to give back to this land; he is also a wanderer who is displaced and longs for his motherland, living in a foreign land incognito, yearning day and night to return to Yan'an, rushing to the border regardless of his safety, and holding a handful of snow from his motherland. "The most touching thing about the film is Xian Xinghai's patriotic spirit, which belongs to China and the world." In the view of Sabyit Komanbekov (萨比特·科曼贝科夫), the Kazakh artistic director, "The Composer" carries the deep friendship and common memories of the two peoples.

The film "The Composer" also continues to write a new chapter for Sino-Kazakh friendship. During the script research, the main creators of the two countries cried and laughed together, sharing the same deep national emotions; during the filming, more than 300 crew members spoke Chinese, Kazakh, Russian, and English, but agreed to shout "Xian Xinghai!" every day when they met - the musician's name constantly echoed in the crew.

The moving melody that sparked emotional climaxes in the film has been played time and time again in reality. In 2018, the "Silk Road Star Sea" concert of the Kazakhstan State Philharmonic Orchestra toured Shanghai (上海), Nanjing (南京), and other places, performing excerpts from "Amangeldy," "Man Jiang Hong (满江红)," and other works. Lev Mezorovitz (列夫·梅佐罗维茨), the then head of the orchestra, said, "We brought Xian Xinghai's works to China to inherit friendship." In 2024, the Kazakhstan State Baikadamov Choir held a concert in Wuhan (武汉), and the Kazakh musicians sang "The Yellow River Cantata" in Chinese, with warm and lasting applause. Conductor Bembet Demeov (贝姆贝特·德梅奥夫) said, "It is music that allows us to understand each other and get closer to each other."

Xian Xinghai's music not only transcends national borders, but the passing years have also recorded the inheritance and development of these moving melodies.

From 1968 to 1969, musicians such as Chu Wanghua (储望华) and Yin Chengzong (殷承宗) adapted "The Yellow River Cantata" into the piano concerto "The Yellow River (黄河)." On May 1, 1970, it was premiered by Yin Chengzong at the National Culture Palace Theater in Beijing (北京民族宫剧院). This year marks the 55th anniversary of the premiere of the piano concerto "The Yellow River." Yin Chengzong told reporters that he went to the Hukou Waterfall (壶口) and Yan'an to collect material and felt the spirit of the War of Resistance. This musical spirit, which is in the same vein as "The Yellow River Cantata," is also integrated into "The Yellow River." "The Yellow River" plays the struggle of the boatmen, and even more so, the strong belief of the Chinese nation to stand tall in the East of the world. "Today, our dream has come true, China has stood up!" Yin Chengzong said excitedly.

"The Yellow River" is a work that can be "understood" by the world. In 55 years, Yin Chengzong has performed more than 1,000 performances in different countries. To this day, this work is still played or performed fifty or sixty times a year in different countries and regions. He said that "The Yellow River Cantata" and "The Yellow River" both contain a strong patriotic spirit and unyielding belief. Although Chinese music has distinct characteristics, it can be understood by people all over the world, and the more nations that have suffered humiliation and hardship, the more they can generate strong resonance.

Time flies, and the music never stops. In March this year, the China National Symphony Orchestra Chorus performed "The Yellow River Cantata" in Bangkok (曼谷), Thailand, and Sydney (悉尼), Australia; in April, the Edison Philharmonic Orchestra brought the "2025 Yellow River Cantata" concert to the Rose Theater at Lincoln Center in New York (纽约林肯中心玫瑰音乐厅); in May, at the opening event of the 14th "Astana Nights (阿斯塔纳之夜)" International Art Festival in Kazakhstan, Chinese singers who were invited to participate sang "Ode to the Yellow River (黄河颂)" once again...

On the occasion of commemorating the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, listening to the national musical epic "The Yellow River Cantata" written by Xian Xinghai in the midst of the smoke of gunpowder, we hear the voice of the people, the bugle call of the War of Resistance, and the unyielding soul of the Chinese nation. After years of baptism, the monumental historical significance and profound symbolic significance of "The Yellow River Cantata" have become increasingly prominent: people who love peace join hands to remember the history of war and create a peaceful future!

(Our reporter Zhang Danhua (张丹华) participated in the writing)

Xian Xinghai's Letter to His Mother

(Excerpt)

I am a music worker, and I am willing to take on the great task of music in the War of Resistance, hoping to shake the oppressed nation with loud songs, comfort the wounded and heroic soldiers, and unite all the suffering people. But, Mom, I often feel my own weakness and the lack of my own practical life. Although I sometimes stand in front of tens of millions of people, leading them to sing loudly, I always tremble sometimes, because I often cannot overcome my emotions and miss my distant mother! But whenever I go to a place, I am overcome by the emotions of the people singing, which makes me not only forget myself, forget you, but also tighten my work... I often feel that the power of the people is the greatest, and the people's need for music, especially in wartime, makes me have to painfully leave you and stand among the people.

1937

Return to Top

Editor in Charge for This Section: Wang Jiake, Zhuang Xueya, Li Xinyi

Email: rmrbgjfk@peopledaily.cn

Layout design: Cai Huawei (蔡华伟)

Return to Top

Thriving poverty alleviation industries bring hope for a better life.

By: 本报记者 郁静娴 王 浩 常 钦

This year marks the final year of the 5-year transition period for consolidating and expanding the achievements of poverty alleviation and effectively linking them with rural revitalization. In the vast poverty-stricken areas, how are the achievements of poverty alleviation being consolidated and expanded? How is the comprehensive revitalization of the countryside being connected and promoted? Are the production and lives of people who have been lifted out of poverty still good? What new expectations do they have? With these questions in mind, our reporters conducted in-depth research in more than 20 poverty-stricken villages in 7 counties of 3 provinces, measured the tremendous changes in the mountainous countryside in the new era with their own feet, and recorded the thoughts and expectations of cadres and the masses in poverty-stricken areas with their hearts and feelings. Please pay attention.

——Editor

Closer Industrial Links Between Agriculture and Farmers

"Try our Luohan bamboo shoots, they are tender and crisp!" As soon as we entered the factory area, Wang Xianzhong (王先忠) handed us a bag of ready-to-eat bamboo shoots with a smile.

Six years ago, Wang Xianzhong returned to his hometown – Xishahe Village (细沙河村), Shanshu Township (杉树乡), Zhenxiong County (镇雄县), Zhaotong City (昭通市), Yunnan Province (云南省) in the Wumeng Mountains (乌蒙山区), and started a bamboo shoot processing factory. "The bamboo shoots are harvested in two seasons and processed all year round. When there are many orders, we have to work overtime even on holidays," Wang Xianzhong said. The company has established cooperative relationships with 3,400 local bamboo shoot farmers, and the factory employs about 180 people on a long-term basis, 64 of whom are households that have been lifted out of poverty.

Transforming low-yield bamboo forests, introducing and cultivating processing enterprises, and expanding product sales channels... In Zhaotong, bamboo, which used to be worthless, achieved a comprehensive output value of 19.16 billion yuan last year. Management, bamboo shoot picking, bamboo cutting, processing, and export sales, the bamboo shoot industry carries the livelihood of each poverty-stricken family.

Liu Licui (刘礼翠), a poverty-stricken household in Sanhe Village (三合村), Niujie Town (牛街镇), Yiliang County (彝良县), has more than 40 mu of bamboo forest, and her net income last year exceeded 30,000 yuan. At present, there are still more than half a month before the autumn bamboo shoots are harvested, and Liu Licui and her husband are more attentive to the management of the bamboo forest. "We have agreed with the Yunzhu Cooperative (云竹合作社) in Xiaocaoba Town (小草坝镇) that they will come to collect the bamboo shoots when the time comes."

During our interviews in poverty-stricken areas, we learned that various rural industries are growing rapidly like bamboo shoots after a spring rain during the transition period.

"We regard developing industries as the 'primary engine' for consolidating and expanding the achievements of poverty alleviation and promoting the comprehensive revitalization of the countryside." Liu Xingyin (刘兴印), Deputy Secretary of the Party Group and Director of the Rural Revitalization Bureau of the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau of Fengning Manchu Autonomous County (丰宁满族自治县), Hebei Province (河北省), introduced that the county encourages the adoption of the "enterprise + cooperative + village collective + poverty-stricken household" model to develop key industries such as facility agriculture, organic miscellaneous grains, and modern forestry.

In Liutiaogou Village (柳条沟村), Tucheng Town (土城镇), Yang Baihong (杨柏红), the secretary of the Party branch, took the lead in developing the cold shed pepper industry. By establishing a professional cooperative, unifying seedling cultivation, production, and packaging, the small screw pepper has ignited the lives of the villagers. Last year, the cooperative's net profit reached more than 12 million yuan, driving more than 400 people to increase their income and become rich.

In Kellegou Town (克勒沟镇), Weichang Manchu and Mongolian Autonomous County (围场满族蒙古族自治县), five villages jointly built a fruit and vegetable Party building alliance base to jointly enter the market. "Our strawberry industry has formed an 'all-season' development pattern." Yao Jian (姚健), Secretary of the Party Committee of Kellegou Town, introduced that the base's strawberry annual profit reached more than 1.4 million yuan, driving the village collective to increase its income by 440,000 yuan.

Maojiawan (卯家湾), Yanchi Street (砚池街道), Ludian County (鲁甸县), Yunnan Province, the largest cross-county relocation and resettlement area for poverty alleviation in the country, has a map of industrial base employment routes: Plateau Characteristic Green Food Industrial Park, 0.5 kilometers; Edible Fungus Base, 1 kilometer; Scallion Base, 2.3 kilometers; Apple Base, 3.1 kilometers...

Zhang Shaofen (张韶芬), a poverty-stricken household in Taoyuan Community (桃源社区), usually goes to work at the scallion base whenever she has time, earning three to four thousand yuan a month. "The scallion base is a major employer." Xu Jianhua (徐建华), the head of the base, introduced that from mulching and planting to harvesting and loading, one mu of land requires 10 laborers.

"Let's go, let's go to the base to work!" has become a new way for local farmers to greet each other on a daily basis. Last year, the core industrial base absorbed 200,000 person-times of surrounding farmers and relocated people to work.

During the survey, many villagers said: "We have work to do and money to earn, and we are busy and down-to-earth." The smiles on their faces are the best proof of the results, behind which are thriving rural industries. These poverty alleviation industries take into account the local resource conditions, product market prospects, and labor absorption capacity, showing a good development momentum.

[Extended Reading] Since the transition period, each of the 832 poverty-stricken counties across the country has cultivated 2-3 characteristic leading industries, with a total output value of more than 1.7 trillion yuan, and 3/4 of the population lifted out of poverty has established a benefit linkage mechanism with new agricultural business entities.

From "Nothing to Something" to "Something to Excellence"

During the survey, we were pleased to find that the pace of high-quality development of many poverty alleviation industries has accelerated, and the product awareness and market competitiveness have been significantly improved.

"I raised 400 pigs, and each one can earn a guaranteed profit of 300 yuan. It's not a problem to earn 100,000 yuan a year." Gao Yuanrong (高元蓉), a poverty-stricken household in Yujiawan Village (余家湾村), Hongkou Town (洪口镇), Tongjiang County (通江县), Sichuan Province (四川省), calculated her income increase with us. Tongjiang County, deep in the Daba Mountains (大巴山), has built 125 pig fattening farms, adopting a five-party linkage development model of "government + finance + insurance + enterprise + farmer." The pig industry has driven more than 2,000 people out of poverty and into prosperity.

Why can poverty-stricken households make a steady profit from raising pigs? The key is that pork is indeed popular in the market.

Gao Yuanrong raises Qingyu pigs (青峪猪), which are known as "Bazhong native pigs" (巴中土猪). The pork contains more abdominal fat and the meat is fatty but not greasy.

At the Qingyu pig original breeding farm in Jindouyan Village (金斗岩村), Tiefo Town (铁佛镇), Zhang Yuxian (张育贤), chairman of Bashan Animal Husbandry Co., Ltd. (巴山牧业股份有限公司), is monitoring the body temperature, feed intake, and activity trajectory of breeding pigs through the screen. This winner of the National Poverty Alleviation Award for Endeavor gave up his high annual salary job in a foreign company in Guangzhou (广州) more than 10 years ago and resolutely returned to his hometown, trekking through mountains to find the endangered Qingyu pig and leading the villagers to raise pigs to get rid of poverty.

In order to protect the Qingyu pig "industrial seed," Zhang Yuxian joined forces with the scientific research team of Sichuan Agricultural University (四川农业大学) to tackle key problems, using somatic cell cloning technology to successfully give birth to 23 cloned Qingyu pigs, and built a triple preservation system of "live body + frozen sperm + cloning." Today, the original breeding farm provides 156,000 high-quality piglets every year.

In the processing plant in Chunzai Industrial Park (春在工业园区), Tongjiang County, Qingyu pork undergoes fine segmentation and deep processing. One pig "transforms" into 316 kinds of products, and the added value is increased by 3 times. It has passed the EU and China organic food dual certification for 10 consecutive years. At present, the national geographical indication trademark of "Qingyu Pig" is worth 2.548 billion yuan, and 215 offline specialty stores have entered major and medium-sized cities across the country. The annual sales of e-commerce are also nearly 100 million yuan. "Only by strengthening every link of the industrial chain can this 'golden pig' truly lead the villagers to the road of common prosperity," Zhang Yuxian said with emotion.

From being deep in the mountains to becoming well-known in the market, the transformation of the Qingyu pig industry is a microcosm of the high-quality development of industries in poverty-stricken areas. During the survey, we truly saw that all localities are striving to polish the "green card" and "technology card" to inject strong impetus into promoting the high-quality development of poverty alleviation industries.

Xinglong hawthorn (兴隆山楂), Pingquan almonds (平泉杏仁), Kuancheng chestnuts (宽城板栗), Weichang sea buckthorn (围场沙棘)... Chengde City (承德市), Hebei Province, has increased its research and development efforts to promote the upgrading of the deep processing industry of agricultural and sideline products in various regions, and more and more agricultural and special products have become hot-selling goods. Focusing on market demand, Fengning Manchu Autonomous County has built organic planting parks for vegetables, millet, and oats. There are 37 organic agricultural enterprises in the county, and the organic certification area reaches 150,000 mu.

Potato puffed food, compound potato chips, quick-frozen French fries, potato rice... In Zhaotong, Yunnan, small potatoes are undergoing a value reconstruction from traditional planting to the entire industrial chain. Qiaojia Hongbang Agricultural Development Co., Ltd. (巧家洪邦农业发展有限公司) cooperated with Wu Qi (吴奇), an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (中国科学院) and a polymer physical chemist. At the end of last year, the first potato rice production line in the country was put into operation. "It is estimated that the output value this year can reach about 30 million yuan," said Li Yulin (李昱霖), general manager of the company.

[Extended Reading] Since the transition period, the proportion of central financial subsidies for linking rural revitalization to industrial development has been generally stable at more than 60%, injecting a steady stream of power into helping the high-quality development of industries. More than 80 poverty-stricken counties across the country have seen the output value of their leading support industries exceed 5 billion yuan, achieving a leap from "nothing to something" to "something to excellence."

Break Through Development Bottlenecks and Enhance Sustainable Development Capabilities

During the survey, reporters also found that due to factors such as fluctuations in agricultural product market prices, poor production and sales connections, and shortage of factors, poverty alleviation industries still face some challenges in the development process. To strengthen poverty alleviation industries, we cannot completely rely on market mechanisms, and more policy support is still needed in the future.

Gathering and integrating development to improve market expansion capabilities.

In Xuanjiangying Township (选将营乡), Fengning Manchu Autonomous County, Hebei, Ao Zhiwei (敖志伟), a villager in Erdaoying Village (二道营村), planted 68 mu of hard-fruit tomatoes this year, and one greenhouse can earn 10,000 yuan.

Facility agriculture earns a lot of money, but the investment risk is also not low. "Greenhouses require a lot of investment. I dare to do it only if there is a sales channel," Ao Zhiwei admitted frankly.

How to open up sales channels? "The key is to win the market with quality." Song Wei (宋伟), Secretary of the Party Committee of Xuanjiangying Township, said that the township promoted the practice of "three exemptions and one reduction" of exempting transportation, accommodation, and meal expenses within the township and reducing the transaction commission ratio to attract more distributors. Professional cooperatives jointly established a tomato industry development association to integrate resources such as funds, information, and technology to improve market bargaining power.

Today, the tomato planting area in Xuanjiangying Township reaches 6,000 mu, with an annual output value of 180 million yuan, driving 1,600 households to increase their income and 2,000 people to work. In 2024, Chengde City added 5 vegetable production bases around Beijing, bringing the total to 19, and 300,000 tons of clean vegetables entered Beijing, continuously consolidating supply chain cooperation.

Improve processing capacity to resist fluctuations in agricultural product prices.

Reporters found in the survey that poverty-stricken areas are mostly dominated by agricultural characteristic industries, and prices fluctuate greatly. Improving processing capacity can effectively smooth out price fluctuations.

Since the beginning of this year, the prices of primary products such as shiitake mushrooms and bamboo shoots have fallen. Faced with market fluctuations, Wang Xianzhong remained calm.

In August last year, the Zhenxiong County Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau helped the enterprise coordinate and obtain a 1.11 million yuan loan from the International Agricultural Development Fund for the purchase of equipment such as bag-type vacuum packaging machines and ring feeders to promote the improvement of bamboo shoot processing efficiency. Recently, Wang Xianzhong is contacting a food company in Chongqing (重庆) as a partner, and the township government supports and coordinates land, factory equipment, etc. to expand production scale and expand the market in Southwest China.

Wang Xianzhong's confidence also comes from product innovation and research and development. With the help of the County Bureau of Industry, Information, Commerce, Science and Technology, the company invited Hu Yongjin (胡永金), a professor at the School of Food Science and Technology of Yunnan Agricultural University (云南农业大学), to provide professional guidance on bamboo shoot processing preservation and quality control. Wang Xianzhong picked up a product and told reporters, "Look, this is the newly developed emerald bamboo shoot. Through process innovation, the green color of the bamboo shoot coat is retained. The ex-factory price per ton is 3,000 to 4,000 yuan, which is very popular in Jiangsu and Zhejiang."

Break through development barriers to make the development of poverty alleviation industries more sustainable.

Due to its strong short, flat, and fast attributes, edible fungi is a poverty alleviation industry in many places. In Ludian County, during the poverty alleviation period, Guangdong Yuewang Agricultural Group (广东粤旺农业集团) introduced the mushroom industry as a key project of Guangzhou's assistance to Yunnan. In the first few years, due to unqualified technology and blocked sales channels, the project's benefits were not ideal.

Faced with this situation, Ludian County promptly strengthened the overall planning of resource elements and established Yunnan Yunmeng Biotechnology Co., Ltd. (云南云蒙生物科技有限公司) through mixed ownership reform. Technical teams were introduced from Shaanxi (陕西) and Sichuan to be responsible for front-line technical guidance, and cooperation was carried out with a number of scientific research institutes such as the Kunming Edible Fungus Research Institute of the All-China Federation of Supply and Marketing Cooperatives (全国供销总社昆明食用菌研究所) and the Guangdong Institute of Microbiology (广东科学院微生物研究所) to effectively improve the yield of mushroom sticks.

"Now it is basically at breakeven, and it is expected to generate stable profits starting next year." Li Xiaoyang (李晓阳), deputy general manager of Yunnan Yunmeng Biotechnology Co., Ltd., introduced that in order to enhance the market competitiveness of products, the company is promoting the graded sales of dried mushroom products, exploring new varieties of edible fungi such as artificially cultivated Huangjianshouqing, and the production line for extracting shiitake mushroom polysaccharides has also begun planning.

In Nanjiang County (南江县), Sichuan, honeysuckle, the "flower of wealth," once faced a development bottleneck - honeysuckle has a high water content and must be dehydrated and dried as soon as possible after picking, otherwise the quality will be greatly reduced, but the county's supporting processing capacity is insufficient.

Since 2021, the county's finance has invested nearly 200 million yuan in total, and has successively built 50 primary processing plants to ensure that 90% of the honeysuckle is processed locally within one kilometer of the origin, and the effective ingredients in the flower are locked in time, so as to improve the product competitiveness from the source. The Nanjiang County Government also took the lead in establishing a honeysuckle academician (expert) workstation, and cooperated with a number of universities and scientific research institutions to successfully select and breed the excellent variety "Nanyin No. 1" with a chlorogenic acid content of up to 12.4%, which is far superior to the national pharmacopoeia standard. A health functional beverage industrial park with an investment of 2.1 billion yuan has also broken ground in Nanjiang. Nanjiang honeysuckle is accelerating its comprehensive upgrade from a single medicinal material raw material to high value-added products such as beverages and health products. A complete industrial chain from the field to the terminal is about to emerge.

[Extended Reading] All localities continue to optimize cooperation mechanisms such as cross-regional assistance cooperation, fixed-point assistance, and "10,000 Enterprises Revitalizing 10,000 Villages" to promote the full flow of various resource elements such as technology, funds, information, and talents in poverty-stricken areas, strengthen policy traction and support, and promote more poverty alleviation industries to extend, strengthen, and supplement the chain, and become bigger and stronger.

Return to Top

How to Make Rural Industries "Unique and Strong" (Talking About New Countryside)

By: 顾仲阳

It is necessary to adapt to local conditions and put in painstaking efforts in the "three transformations" of technological advancement, integration, and opening up, to help more rural industries achieve "unique and strong" status as soon as possible.

In Tongjiang County (通江县), Sichuan Province (四川省), deep in the Dabashan Mountains (大巴山), a five-party linkage development model of "government + finance + insurance + enterprise + farmers" has been constructed. Qingyu pigs (青峪猪) have been "transformed" into 316 products, increasing the added value by 3 times, becoming a "golden pig" leading the villagers to get rid of poverty and become rich. In Zhaotong City (昭通市), Yunnan Province (云南省), located in the Wumeng Mountains (乌蒙山区), through product research and development innovation, small potatoes are undergoing a value reconstruction from traditional planting to the entire industrial chain, and "earth eggs" have become "golden eggs" linking farmers and benefiting farmers. In Yan'an (延安), Shaanxi (陕西), a revolutionary old area, a modern apple industry cluster has been built, extending the chain, integrating the three industries, and connecting China and foreign countries. Red apples have become a "golden apple" for the old area people to increase their income and become rich...

In recent years, China's rural industrial development has been thriving, and many "outstanding students" with "unique and strong" characteristics have emerged. The country has built 220 advantageous and characteristic industrial clusters and 1,709 agricultural industrial strong towns. Even the 832 poverty-stricken counties have cultivated 2 to 3 characteristic leading industries. However, on the whole, China's rural industrial development still suffers from weak main entities, insufficient processing and value-added, and weak driving capacity. In particular, the problems of scattered, small, and weak industries in the vast poverty-stricken areas are more prominent.

Developing high-quality industries is the fundamental strategy for getting rid of poverty and becoming rich, and industrial revitalization is the top priority of comprehensive rural revitalization. Creating "unique and strong" rural industries has important practical significance and far-reaching strategic significance.

Analyzing the many "unique and strong" rural industries, we can find their commonality in the "three transformations" of technological advancement, integration, and opening up: the industrial development model has shifted from "single production" to "integrated development," the growth momentum has gradually upgraded from "resource support" to "technology leadership," and the form has leaped from "small and scattered" to "large-scale and international." Therefore, to do a good job in the big article of rural industrial revitalization, it is necessary to adapt to local conditions and put in painstaking efforts in the "three transformations" to help more rural industries achieve "unique and strong" status as soon as possible, providing strong impetus and solid support for comprehensive rural revitalization.

Upgrading the entire chain according to the "three transformations" development direction is a feasible path for rural industries to achieve "unique and strong" status. It is necessary to extend the chain, supplement the chain, and strengthen the chain to improve the development level of the entire industrial chain. The front end of the industrial chain should be empowered by technology to create a standardized production chain with full traceability; the middle end should strengthen the deep processing chain and develop high value-added formats such as central kitchens and biopharmaceuticals; the back end should expand the service value chain, and enhance the added value through the integrated development of agriculture, culture, and tourism, and expand the domestic and foreign markets through digital marketing and other services, activating the long-tail market. In Jinxiang County (金乡县), Shandong (山东), the product research and development and cultivation system continuously injects high-quality seeds into the garlic industry. The "Garlic Connects the World" garlic information service platform and the "China Jinxiang Garlic Index" provide real-time market information to help scientific planting and sales decisions. A head of garlic is made into a 10 ml health drink, and its value has increased by more than 20 times. Through digging deeper and expanding wider in the industrial chain, Jinxiang (金乡) has become the world's five major centers for garlic planting and cultivation, storage and processing, trade and circulation, information release, and price formation. Last year, the output value of the entire industrial chain reached 68.8 billion yuan.

The development of rural industries should be adapted to local conditions, precise and pragmatic. Not all rural industries can be made "unique and strong," and many poverty alleviation industries need a process to achieve "unique and strong" status. By innovating technologies such as seed industry, inheriting traditional skills such as intangible cultural heritage, and adopting core technologies such as patented technologies, we can play the characteristic card well; by strictly controlling quality standards, strengthening the construction of "three products and one standard," and creating brands, we can play the high-quality card well; promoting industrial integration development, cluster development, and international development are all feasible paths to create "unique and strong" industries. A large number of assistance industries formed during the poverty alleviation period should also be treated differently according to the ideas of consolidating a batch, upgrading a batch, revitalizing a batch, and adjusting a batch, and develop towards the "three transformations" direction with high quality, striving to become a "unique and strong" pillar industry as soon as possible.

Return to Top

Transformation of "Zero-Yuan Village"

By: 本报记者 李凯旋

A heavy rain brought a long-awaited coolness. Qin Jianguo (秦建国), a villager in Wan'an Village (万安村), Jintang County (金堂县), Chengdu (成都), Sichuan (四川), got up early to check on the rice growth. Although he leased his land to the cooperative for cultivation and worked as an agricultural machinery operator in the cooperative's service team, becoming an "agricultural worker" with a monthly income of 4,000 yuan, Qin Jianguo (秦建国) still cares about grain production.

Located in a hilly area, Wan'an Village's (万安村) more than 5,000 mu of farmland are scattered, making cultivation difficult and inefficient, leading many young people to seek work elsewhere. Opening the old account book, the collective income column for Wan'an Village (万安村) in 2020 glaringly reads "0."

Necessity spurs change. "We need to find a way to gather and revitalize the village's resources." In early 2022, seven members of the village committee and the Party committee raised 100,000 yuan to start a cooperative. Chen Hongqiu (陈洪秋), the Party Secretary of the village, took the lead by investing his own 5 mu of land, encouraging 108 households to join the cooperative. For villagers who didn't want to invest, the cooperative provided cultivation and planting services, with both parties sharing risks and benefits.

By applying for project subsidies for low-efficiency woodland removal and farmland restoration, the cooperative leveled the land, merging 1,316 plots into 478, and planting all abandoned farmland with grain. Small fields were combined into large fields, reducing the average cultivation cost per mu by more than 20%. After initial success, Chen Hongqiu (陈洪秋) saw hope in the rural collective property rights system reform.

Actively promoting asset inventory and verification, Chen Hongqiu (陈洪秋) discovered that the village still had many growth opportunities hidden away.

The village collective invested 1.5 million yuan to convert the long-abandoned village primary school into a processing workshop, introducing a fully automated oil pressing production line. The annual output value of "Wan'an Hemuyuan" (万安禾牧源) rapeseed oil reached 600,000 yuan. With space still available in the school buildings, the village built a sweet potato processing workshop. In its first month of operation, 2,000 jin of handmade vermicelli sold out online.

As industries developed one after another, Wan'an Village's (万安村) collective economic revenue exceeded 4 million yuan last year, increasing the average household income of participating farmers by more than 6,000 yuan. The people of Wan'an Village (万安村) conceived the idea of jointly developing with surrounding villages and communities.

Chen Hongqiu (陈洪秋) joined with the other 8 villages (communities) in Youxin Town (又新镇) to establish the Nine Village Alliance Party Organization, implementing a development model of "resource sharing, unified varieties, unified management, unified collection and sales, and dividend incentives." 2,300 mu of farmland are managed and dispatched uniformly, and drying facilities and rice, oil, and vermicelli processing production lines are shared. "This year, the 'Rongxiangyou 98' (荣香优98) variety we jointly planted hasn't even been harvested yet, and it's already been purchased at a high price by supermarkets in Chengdu (成都)," Chen Hongqiu (陈洪秋) said with a smile.

In the central area of Youxin Town (又新镇), the comprehensive agricultural service center jointly built by the Nine Village Alliance and leading enterprises is fully equipped with processing production lines and cold chain storage facilities. "Property rights reform is both a reassurance and a catalyst." Zhang Haoyu (张皓煜), director of the Youxin Town (又新镇) Agricultural Comprehensive Service Center, said that after the center is put into operation, the village collective will receive dividends based on a 50% share, and most of the dividends will be distributed in the form of incentive funds to encourage more work for more pay.

In recent years, Chengdu (成都) has actively promoted the reform of the rural collective property rights system. Having completed the registration and code assignment of all village collective economic organizations, the city's 28.81 billion yuan of rural collective assets have achieved "cloud supervision," and innovative cases of property rights reform such as mortgage loans for agricultural production facility ownership have emerged frequently. By activating resources in accordance with local conditions, Chengdu (成都) has formed nine major development models for the rural collective economy, including "ecological transformation" and "industrial integration." Last year, the city's rural collective operating income was 2.567 billion yuan, driving the per capita disposable income of farmers to exceed 32,000 yuan.

"Developing the rural collective economy still requires **久久为功** (jiǔ jiǔ wéi gōng - "achieve success through persistent effort," persistent effort will lead to success)." Relevant负责人 of the Chengdu (成都) Municipal Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said that Chengdu (成都) will focus on the integrated development of strengthening villages and enriching people, continuously activating rights and empowering, establishing industries and optimizing businesses, and operating villages for shared prosperity, so that the tree of the collective economy can take deep root and provide shade for thousands of farmers.

Return to Top

Building a Rural Common Prosperity Circle

By: 本报记者 田豆豆

Walking into Yanhe Village (堰河村), Wushan Town (五山镇), Gucheng County (谷城县), Hubei Province (湖北省), one is greeted by lush greenery, orchards for picking, homestay leisure, children's playgrounds... a rich variety of business formats attract many tourists.

In the Yanhe Taste Cafe opened by villager Li Changjian (李长建), tourists come one after another to drink coffee and taste his popular tea-flavored pastry, and before leaving, they also buy some tea, shiitake mushrooms and other special agricultural products to take back with them. "Last year, the sales of special products reached 3 million yuan." Li Changjian, born in the 1980s, used to work in Vietnam, and every time he came back, he could feel the huge development and changes in his hometown. Five years ago, he returned to his hometown to start a business.

"The village has a permanent population of 1,800 people, and about 85% of the villagers are engaged in rural tourism. Most of the young people who left have returned." Zhu Yong (祝勇), deputy secretary of the Yanhe Village (堰河村) Party Committee, said proudly that last year the village's total tourism revenue exceeded 100 million yuan, and the per capita net income of villagers reached 38,000 yuan.

"**绿水青山就是金山银山** (lǜ shuǐ qīng shān jiù shì jīn shān yín shān - "green water and green mountains are gold and silver mountains," lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets), the development practice of our village proves this point." Zhu Yong (祝勇) said that in the past, poor villagers relied on cutting down trees to earn money, and the mountains became bald and the water became dirty. In 1992, Min Hongyan (闵洪艳), then the secretary of the village Party committee, led the cadres and the masses to chisel pits in the stone and slag soil with steel brazes and eight-pound hammers, and planted seedlings one by one. Now 21,000 mu of barren hills are covered with greenery, of which 1,200 mu of tea gardens and 3,000 mu of economic forests have become villagers' "cash cows."

After the ecology improved, Yanhe Village (堰河村) took advantage of the situation to develop rural tourism. Under the unified leadership of the village Party committee, the village's agricultural products and homestay housing are uniformly priced, and they win the favor of tourists with honest management. "We are not simply packaging resources and letting a small number of people operate them, but attracting the active participation of the vast number of villagers." Zhu Yong (祝勇) said that the village has now basically achieved "one small western-style building per household, one car per household, and 100,000 yuan in savings per capita."

The villagers of Yanhe Village (堰河村) are striding towards common prosperity, and the neighboring seven villages are vying to learn from them. An Kun (安坤), secretary of the Party branch of Xiongjiagang Village (熊家岗村) in Wushan Town (五山镇), took the lead in bringing village representatives to "learn from the experience." "The key is that Party members and cadres must take the lead in developing leading industries and lead the masses to jointly increase their income and become rich." After learning, Xiongjiagang Village (熊家岗村) chose the pepper industry as the village's leading industry. An Kun (安坤) led Party members and cadres to set an example for the masses. The village's joint-stock economic cooperative has absorbed more than 2,000 members, and the pepper planting area has reached thousands of mu. Last year, the per capita net income of the village reached 24,000 yuan.

The seven villages of "Around Yanhe (环堰河)" have also joined hands with Yanhe Village (堰河村) to develop rural tourism, differentiate and develop tourism products, unify the "Yanhe Fragrance (堰河香)" agricultural and sideline product brand, and jointly build and share parking lots and other tourism facilities. Last year, six villages built 3A or 4A-level scenic spots, and the collective economic income of the seven villages all exceeded 200,000 yuan.

This year, Gucheng (谷城) has launched the "Learn from Yanhe (学堰河), Compare with Yanhe (比堰河), Surpass Yanhe (超堰河)" campaign throughout the county, integrating funds and projects to focus on supporting 4 advanced county-level villages and 13 key township villages, and jointly build "Yanhe-style (堰河式)" harmonious and beautiful villages at multiple points to further expand the rural "common prosperity circle."

Return to Top

This edition's editor: Yu Jingxian

Layout design: Cai Huawei (蔡华伟)

Return to Top

Green Energy Surge: Zhejiang Electric Power's 20-Year Commitment to the "Two Mountains" Theory

Green waters and green mountains, beautiful Zhejiang.

August 15, 2025, marks the 20th anniversary of the "Green waters and green mountains are golden mountains" concept. Over the past 20 years, State Grid Zhejiang Electric Power Co., Ltd. (国网浙江省电力有限公司) (hereinafter referred to as "State Grid Zhejiang Electric Power (国网浙江电力)") has actively practiced the "Two Mountains" theory, innovated the "ecology + electricity" model, and with the systematic practice of "ecological priority, green and low-carbon, digital empowerment, and co-construction and sharing," has helped Zhejiang explore a distinctive path from a "small resource province" to a "strong green energy province."

Energy Supply Greening: Depicting the Moving Background of Economic Development

Anji County (安吉县) of Huzhou City (湖州市) is located at the northern foot of Tianmu Mountain (天目山), with verdant mountains and towering transmission towers connected by transmission lines. Clean electricity from the Jinsha River (金沙江) in Sichuan Province (四川) is "flash-delivered" to Zhejiang (浙江) along the dense silver lines, and a magnificent and poetic ecological picture slowly unfolds.

As an important energy infrastructure, the power grid is not only a key carrier for practicing the concept of ecological civilization but also a strategic hub for coordinating ecological protection and energy transformation.

The Zhejiang power grid is a typical receiving-end power grid, with electricity from outside the province accounting for 1/3 of the total social electricity consumption. State Grid Zhejiang Electric Power (国网浙江电力) has shouldered the primary responsibility of ensuring energy supply and has built a "two AC and three DC" UHV backbone grid, efficiently promoting the large-scale cross-regional consumption of clean energy.

To ensure the stable operation of the energy artery, State Grid Zhejiang Electric Power (国网浙江电力) has constructed a new "three-dimensional inspection + centralized monitoring" operation and maintenance model for UHV important transmission channels in Huzhou (湖州), creating a five-level joint prevention and collaborative combat system consisting of transmission professional teams, UHV manual line protection teams, local power supply stations, government-enterprise linkage, and voluntary line protectors. This year, the UHV transmission equipment monitoring operation and maintenance technology professional characteristic application innovation center was established in Huzhou (湖州), striving to provide replicable and scalable experience for national UHV operation and maintenance work based on Huzhou's practice. In 2024, the "West-to-East Power Transmission" UHV project transmitted over 100 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity to Zhejiang (浙江) for the first time, reaching 102.5 billion kilowatt-hours, an increase of 10.3% year-on-year, injecting surging green momentum into Zhejiang's economic and social high-quality development.

The "green content" of power grid construction is also increasing. State Grid Zhejiang Electric Power (国网浙江电力) adheres to the guidance of ecological priority and green development, promotes the integration and symbiosis of a strong and intelligent power grid with the ecological environment, and has created a new paradigm of "ecological power grid."

The near-zero carbon emission 110 kV Chengbei Substation (城北变电站) put into operation in Huzhou (湖州) has perovskite photovoltaic panels on the surrounding walls that are integrated with the building, converting sunlight into electricity and reducing carbon emissions by 20%; roof light guiding technology allows sunlight to become lighting, with 100% natural lighting used for indoor lighting during the day; waste tires are recycled in the construction of asphalt roads, and a waste heat recovery system achieves terminal heating, with each design being unique. In the Jiushan Islands (韭山列岛) of Xiangshan County (象山县), Ningbo City (宁波市), the power supply company has built a net-zero carbon bird watching house to facilitate researchers' island research, significantly improving the habitat of the "mythical bird" Chinese crested tern. In the Yuhuan Xuanmen Bay (玉环漩门湾) National Wetland Park, the wind-solar-storage integrated microgrid and bionic modification of power distribution equipment solve the power supply problem of bird monitoring equipment. In the Qianjiangyuan-Baishanzu (钱江源—百山祖) National Park candidate area, the power supply company promotes the establishment of the "Electricity and Nature" Guardians Alliance, implementing actions to reduce carbon emissions, land occupation, and human activities, and protecting the "living fossil of plants."

Seizing the opportunity for the rapid development of new energy, Zhejiang (浙江) coordinates and mobilizes pumped storage and other resources to promote the complementary development of traditional power sources such as thermal power with near and far offshore wind power, photovoltaics, and other clean energy sources, accelerating the green transformation of the new power system. In 2024, the installed capacity of clean energy in Zhejiang (浙江) accounted for more than 50%. By the end of June this year, the installed capacity of photovoltaic power generation in Zhejiang (浙江) reached 59.47 million kilowatts, surpassing coal power and becoming the largest power source in Zhejiang (浙江). The access of a large amount of new energy puts higher demands on the stability of the power grid. State Grid Zhejiang Electric Power (国网浙江电力) is comprehensively building a smart distribution network, using a smart grid system with "zero perception" for users to depict a clean and green electricity consumption picture, and striving to ensure that the continuous flow of clean electricity in Zhejiang (浙江) is "generated well, landed well, and used well."

Energy Consumption Cleaning: Answering the Electricity Answer Sheet for Green Development

For the green and low-carbon transformation of energy, greening the supply is fundamental, and cleaning the consumption is the foothold.

In the park enterprises, relying on the low-carbon portrait outlined by the carbon efficiency code, the power supply company proactively provides customers with comprehensive energy efficiency diagnosis reports and energy optimization solutions to help enterprises use energy more economically and efficiently; in urban shops, electricity substitution transformation helps customers reduce energy costs, and all-electric kitchens and green business districts are gradually becoming a trend; in Changxing County (长兴县), Huzhou City (湖州市), the "all-electric logistics" project is operating in an orderly manner, and a 35-kilometer-long all-electric "aerial conveyor belt" transports the clinker produced by cement production enterprises to the wharf, and then transports it to the Yangtze River Delta (长三角) via waterway, achieving energy conservation and emission reduction... These scenes of "Two Mountains" transformation are a vivid portrayal of State Grid Zhejiang Electric Power (国网浙江电力) promoting Zhejiang's high-quality development with green and low-carbon initiatives.

Over the past 20 years, State Grid Zhejiang Electric Power (国网浙江电力) has steadily and orderly promoted electricity substitution in accordance with local conditions, supported by digital technology, and has built a new customer relationship management system in Huzhou (湖州). With the breakthrough of "power supply + energy efficiency + carbon efficiency" services, it has reshaped production and lifestyle and promoted the co-creation of customer lifetime value.

In industrial production, State Grid Zhejiang Electric Power (国网浙江电力) plays an important role in the clean and low-carbon transformation of energy and builds a comprehensive carbon reduction service management system. By the end of 2024, the carbon efficiency code had rated and coded 49,000 industrial enterprises above designated size in Zhejiang Province (浙江全省), and completed green electricity transactions of more than 1.3 billion kilowatt-hours.

Green and low-carbon living has become a new fashion. Zhejiang (浙江) has innovatively created the "Carbon Pioneer" public welfare low-carbon project, and the scale of more than 50,000 "carbon pioneers" is still expanding, cumulatively promoting the carbon sink transaction of rooftop photovoltaics in 21,000 households. Urban buses and private cars have been replaced with green electricity engines, leaving a mobile zero-carbon trajectory during rush hours. By the end of 2024, there were approximately 183,000 public charging piles in the province, and the charging volume in the province reached 9.16 billion kilowatt-hours, accounting for approximately 1% of the total social electricity consumption.

Equalization of Energy Services: Lighting Up the Beautiful Life of Mountainous Areas

Currently, Zhejiang Province (浙江省) has made it clear that narrowing the "three major gaps" between urban and rural areas, regions, and income is the main direction for promoting common prosperity and taking the lead in demonstration, promoting the free flow and equal exchange of various factors between urban and rural areas and between regions. As one of the infrastructures, energy and electricity are an important part of promoting the equalization of basic public services.

Anji County (安吉县) is surrounded by mountains. Before 2005, the local rural power infrastructure was weak, and there were gaps in electricity quality, service, and reliability compared with cities. State Grid Zhejiang Electric Power (国网浙江电力) has successively taken measures such as rural power grid transformation and upgrading, rural electrification construction, and modern smart distribution network construction in the local area. As of now, the average household capacity in Anji County (安吉县) has reached 12 kVA.

State Grid Zhejiang Electric Power (国网浙江电力) has always adhered to the simultaneous promotion of power grid construction and rural development, integrating the planning, construction, and operation of power facilities into rural development, and depicting a moving picture of the power grid and the countryside coexisting harmoniously.

In 2003, Zhejiang (浙江) launched the "Thousand Villages Demonstration, Ten Thousand Villages Renovation" project, and State Grid Zhejiang Electric Power (国网浙江电力) played a leading and exemplary role in fully supporting Zhejiang's rural development; in 2006, Zhejiang (浙江) achieved "electricity access for every household"; in 2014, all administrative villages in Zhejiang (浙江) completed electrification transformation, laying the foundation for the rise of rural tourism and characteristic industries; as of 2024, Zhejiang (浙江) has built 3,826 new era rural electrification villages, the reliability of rural power supply has reached 99.988%, the average power outage time per household throughout the year has been reduced to 1.05 hours, the gap with cities has been reduced to 41 minutes, a decrease of 70.4% compared with 2021, and the comprehensive voltage qualification rate has reached 99.93%, consolidating the power base for the stable operation of rural industries and the improvement of quality of life.

In Moganshan (莫干山), Deqing County (德清县), Huzhou City (湖州市), where homestays are concentrated, State Grid Zhejiang Electric Power (国网浙江电力) has joined forces with multiple parties to form the "Green Energy" Alliance, innovated the "ecological green energy" business model, and achieved a 17% decrease in the average annual electricity cost of homestays through smart energy consumption monitoring and precise energy efficiency management, and the proportion of all-electric homestays in the local area has reached 64.8%.

At the same time, State Grid Zhejiang Electric Power (国网浙江电力) continues to extend the rural power service network, deploying power stations, convenience service points, and repair service stations in rural areas by classification, and digital power stations have covered 19,000 administrative villages in the province, realizing "**小事不出格、大事不出所，人在格中走、事在格中办**" (xiǎo shì bù chū gé, dà shì bù chū suǒ, rén zài gé zhōng zǒu, shì zài gé zhōng bàn - "minor matters are not handled outside the grid, major matters are not handled outside the station, people walk in the grid, and things are handled in the grid," meaning to resolve issues locally and efficiently).

To achieve greatness by focusing on the details, "electricity + elderly care," "electricity + return home index," "electricity + green travel," and "electricity + agriculture," electricity data is collected from village courtyards and rural lands and enters the rural smart energy service platform of State Grid Zhejiang Electric Power (国网浙江电力), which is deeply integrated with all aspects of rural governance. State Grid Zhejiang Electric Power (国网浙江电力) uses electricity as a pen to light up the beautiful life of the Zhejiang (之江) land.

Data source: State Grid Zhejiang Electric Power Co., Ltd. (国网浙江省电力有限公司)

Return to Top

If you don't read, you won't even get the "jokes" (Reading is interesting)

By: 李 娜

How long has it been since you read an entire book? Are you addicted to short videos and micro-dramas? Surveys show that in 2024, the average per capita reading volume of paper books for adult citizens in China is 4.79 books, while the average daily contact time with digital media exceeds 3 hours.

Today, reading methods have changed greatly. Once, we held up paper books and read lines of ink text; now, we can travel the ocean of information with a flick of our fingers: we can listen to a host "finish" a book in 15 minutes; we can "watch" a movie through a short video in 3 minutes; using AI tools, we can extract the main content of a book in a few dozen seconds.

So, in the digital age of "information explosion," is it still meaningful to spend hours, days, or even months reading a complete classic work?

The ways of reading are richer, but the essence of reading has not changed. The outline of a book may be quickly understood through the Internet, but the thinking ability, the realm of thought, and the creative spiritual world that can be cultivated through reading cannot be obtained without reading.

If you don't read books, you may not even be able to catch the "jokes" of short videos and public accounts. For example, after the movie "Chang'an San Wan Li" (长安三万里) became a hit, "A light boat has already passed ten thousand mountains" became a popular copywriting for short videos. "On both banks, the monkeys' cries could not stop, a light boat has already passed ten thousand mountains" (两岸猿声啼不住，轻舟已过万重山), these two sentences are both descriptive and metaphorical, writing about Li Bai's (李白) joy of experiencing hardships and returning to the road of prosperity. If you don't understand this level of meaning, using it only to describe the speed of transportation is somewhat lacking in meaning.

For example, a popular online copywriting phrase is "The ground is full of sixpence, but he looked up and saw the moon." If you haven't read Somerset Maugham's "The Moon and Sixpence," it's hard to understand what this sentence wants to express: "The moon" refers to spiritual pursuit, and "sixpence" refers to material wealth. We work hard to make a better life for ourselves and our families, but we must not forget the love and ideals in our hearts.

People who love to read, whether posting a WeChat moment or making a short video, will carefully consider every word and express what they want in the most appropriate words and in the most appropriate way. People who do not love to learn, on the other hand, inevitably have poor language skills, are unable to express themselves clearly, and sometimes even make jokes.

For example, in early spring, netizens often post photos of blooming pear flowers, accompanied by the text "Suddenly, like a spring breeze, thousands of trees and thousands of pear trees bloom" (忽如一夜春风来，千树万树梨花开), but a close reading of Cen Shen's (岑参) "White Snow Song to See Off Military Judge Wu Returning to the Capital" (《白雪歌送武判官归京》) will reveal that these two sentences describe the scene of "snow flying in the eighth month of the Hu sky" (胡天八月即飞雪), not a realistic depiction of pear blossoms, nor a description of late winter and early spring.

Some netizens also use "Life is like a reverse journey, I am also a pedestrian" (人生如逆旅，我亦是行人) on short video platforms to describe their determination not to give up even when they are in adversity. Although this spirit is commendable, it is not appropriate to use these two sentences to describe adversity. These two sentences come from Su Shi's (苏轼) "Linjiang Xian: Sending Qian Mu Father" (《临江仙·送钱穆父》), in which "reverse journey" (逆旅) does not mean "reverse journey," but "inn" or "hotel." These two sentences say that the world we exist in is like a "reverse journey," and each of us is like a "pedestrian," like a "passerby," showing a broad-minded life.

People who love to read have an extra rich spiritual world than those who do not. People who love to read not only discuss firewood, rice, oil, salt, sauce, vinegar, and tea, but also talk about qin (琴), chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, wine, and flowers. People who love to read, when they see birds flying over the river, will think of "The falling clouds and the lone duck fly together, the autumn water shares the same color with the long sky" (落霞与孤鹜齐飞，秋水共长天一色), instead of just saying "a lot of birds"; people who love to read, when they climb to the top of the mountain, will sigh "I shall climb to the top and survey all the mountains under me" (会当凌绝顶，一览众山小), instead of just saying "the mountain is really high."

Reading, the world is in front of you; not reading, what is in front of you is the world. A person who has not developed a reading habit is always trapped by time and space, can only see the trivialities in front of them, and is easily trapped in an "information cocoon," trapped by the one-sided information pushed by algorithms and big data. A person who loves to read has the "superpower" to cross time and space, can enter countless different worlds, and talk to the sages and philosophers of thousands of years ago. Therefore, people who love to read are often calm and understanding, not biased or stubborn.

The writer Wang Meng (王蒙) once said: "Reading includes browsing, but browsing is not equal to reading, let alone studying hard, attacking, or reading carefully. Information is not equal to knowledge, let alone insight, wisdom, and quality. Being disseminated is not equal to truly accepting and gaining." In the era of the mobile Internet, we still need to read, and we need to read more and better books than ever before.

New technologies are making our lives change with each passing day, but the emotions and philosophies contained in classic works are enduring. Technology makes our lives more convenient, while reading makes our lives more vast.

Return to Top

A just cause is bound to prevail. (From books and beyond)

By: 陈 旻

In 1937, John Magee (约翰·马吉), a member of the International Committee for the Nanking Safety Zone, risked his life to film the Nanjing Massacre with a 16mm camera. These images, later known as the "Magee Film," are the only known moving images of the Nanjing Massacre and one of the most crucial pieces of visual evidence of the Japanese army's atrocities in Nanjing.

The Magee Film was initially known to the outside world not through the images themselves, but through the film commentary quoted in the *Rabe Report*. Because the images were not initially found, Japanese right-wing forces called the Magee Film a non-existent "ghost film" (鬼片 - guǐ piàn - "ghost film," a derogatory term implying fabrication), until 1991, when the Magee Film was discovered and made public.

My book, *Finding the Magee Film*, records the 35-year relay race by people from all walks of life to bring this 37-minute visual evidence back to China from the United States.

In December 2017, *Ta Kung Pao* (大公报) published a series of reports written by me entitled "Nanjing Massacre 'Memory of the World'." During the interviews, I unexpectedly discovered that in 1991, New York had a 37-minute "one-inch tape" of the Magee Film, while the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders (侵华日军南京大屠杀遇难同胞纪念馆) only had 17 minutes of the Magee Film. Since then, searching for the 37-minute version of the Magee Film in New York has become an important goal for me and my colleagues.

On July 12, 1991, in the basement of David Magee's (大卫·马吉) house, John Magee's son, stacks of dark green round metal boxes containing film were piled messily on the shelves, along with dozens of square Kodak film paper boxes, each containing a small roll of film. On the side of the palm-sized film paper boxes were notes left by Reverend Magee summarizing the contents of the film.

Shao Ziping (邵子平), the founding president of the United Association for Commemorating the Victims of the Nanjing Massacre (纪念南京大屠杀受难同胞联合会), checked them one by one: a Chinese pregnant woman stabbed no less than 19 times; a little boy stabbed; a woman with a nearly severed neck; a burned boy... These were the original films of the Nanjing Massacre taken by Magee. According to the film content summaries, Shao Ziping selected 13 paper boxes containing films related to the Nanjing Massacre, and asked specialists to re-shoot and edit the films into a "one-inch tape" image lasting 37 minutes and 05 seconds. Afterwards, the original films and original boxes were returned to David Magee. On August 2 of the same year, the United Association held a press conference in New York, debunking the lie of the Japanese right-wing forces calling the Magee Film a "ghost film."

Later, Chen Xianzhong (陈宪中), the second president of the United Association, came forward, and the United Association raised $300,000 to shoot two historical documentaries using the 37-minute version of the Magee Film as material - *Magee's Testament* and *By Order of the Emperor*, which were screened nearly a hundred times in communities and universities in the United States, and also screened in Taiwan, China, Canada, South Korea and other places. In 1997, the United Association produced 3,000 sets of videotapes of the documentary and sent them to the member states of the United Nations, and also gave them to libraries, universities and related institutions throughout the United States.

But later, this "one-inch tape" never appeared in the public eye again. How much more content did this 37-minute version of the "one-inch tape" have compared to the 17-minute version? What was its value? I repeatedly checked with Shao Ziping, and through his description, I realized that the "one-inch tape" contained many contents that the 17-minute version did not have.

What followed was a difficult search. Every day, I set an alarm clock, made international long-distance calls over and over again in the early morning, earnestly requested members of the United Association to search, and contacted American insiders to dig up memories. Until October 8, 2018, Shao Ziping told me that news came from New York that the 37-minute "one-inch tape" had been found and the content was intact.

One day in May 2019, I met Chen Xianzhong at the Dongchangan Hotel (东长安饭店) in Beijing (北京). I said to him, "The Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders will digitize the historical materials and precious cultural relics in its collection and share them with researchers and the public around the world. The 37-minute 'one-inch tape' of the Magee Film is placed here to tell future generations not to forget this history and has no commercial use." Chen Xianzhong readily agreed to donate the 37-minute Magee Film "one-inch tape" to Nanjing (南京) and gave me its digital version.

The 37-minute version includes 3 parts: the first 11 minutes and 22 seconds reflect the situation in Shanghai (上海) after the Battle of Songhu (淞沪会战); then there are scenes before the Japanese army occupied Nanjing, lasting about 1 minute and 23 seconds, mainly including Japanese aircraft bombing Nanjing and refugees fleeing; and finally the atrocities committed by the Japanese army after occupying Nanjing, including images of medical staff at Gulou Hospital (鼓楼医院) treating victims, the situation of the wounded and sick in the Jiangnan Cement Plant (江南水泥厂) refugee camp clinic, and the footage of survivor Wu Changde (伍长德), etc.

In terms of length, the 37-minute version actually reflects about 9 minutes more content about Nanjing than the 17-minute version. In terms of the scope of scenes, in the 37-minute version, 11 of the more than 30 victims filmed by Reverend Magee at Gulou Hospital are not in the 17-minute version. The scene of the Xia Shuqin (夏淑琴) family, survivors of the Nanjing Massacre, being brutally murdered is longer, with 7 of the 9 members of the family being brutally murdered by the Japanese army, and 4 neighbors being killed at the same time, with the tragic scene of corpses lying everywhere lasting 35 seconds.

In addition, the 37-minute version for the first time featured 14 seconds of footage of Wu Changde, a witness in the Tokyo Trial, as well as dynamic images of Nanjing Massacre victims' cases that served as important evidence in multiple testimonies.

A 49-second scene recording a 40-year-old female victim in the hospital with a neck almost severed is extremely tragic. In the film, Magee wrote in a brief lens description: "Japanese soldiers tried to behead this woman, (the doctor) sutured the neck muscles, spine." This victim case appeared in the Tokyo Trial in the court testimony of Robert Wilson (罗伯特·威尔逊), a doctor at Gulou Hospital, and was corroborated by the description in the diary of James McCallum (詹姆斯·麦卡伦), the chief of general affairs at Gulou Hospital, during the Nanjing Massacre, which was submitted as evidence.

On December 13, 2019, the United Association donated the 37-minute version of the Magee Film "one-inch tape," which most comprehensively reflects the atrocities of the Japanese army in the Nanjing Massacre and has the richest content, to the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders, which was called a "milestone in empirical history" by historians.

After the "one-inch tape" was collected in Nanjing, the United Association successively sent me some new materials. One of the videotapes was a documentary *Verification of the Nanjing Massacre* filmed by Hidenari Kato (加登英成), a former reporter for Mainichi Broadcasting System (每日放送电视台) in Japan, in 1991. I calculated the time segment by segment, and the footage of the Magee Film used in this 50-minute film was as long as 10 minutes and 01 seconds.

The broadcast time of *Verification of the Nanjing Massacre* was earlier than *Magee's Testament* and *By Order of the Emperor* filmed by the United Association. How was the Magee Film in this Japanese documentary obtained? After several twists and turns, I found Hidenari Kato's email address and exchanged more than 200 emails with him to understand what happened.

It turned out that in 1991, 32-year-old Hidenari Kato discovered an 11-minute Magee Film donated by Tonya Quinton (汤娅·昆顿), the granddaughter of George Fitch (乔治·费奇), who had served as the general secretary of the International Committee for the Nanking Safety Zone, in Los Angeles. Following the brief written description of the filming scene by Reverend Magee in the film, Hidenari Kato made a special trip to Nanjing and found two survivors who appeared in the Magee Film - Li Xiuying (李秀英), who was over seventy years old at the time, and Xia Shuqin, who was over sixty years old, and interviewed them.

In addition, he also interviewed John Magee's son and Fitch's daughter and son-in-law; searched for detailed information on the testimony of witnesses in the Tokyo Trial; found the diary of Robert Wilson, a surgeon who stayed in Nanjing during the Nanjing Massacre, in the Yale University Library; and found the appendix to the *Rabe Report* in Berlin - a detailed English film lens catalog written by Reverend Magee.

"I have read a lot about the history of the Nanjing Massacre in books. After the actual interview, I felt that this was not a fabrication, but a true fact. I want to tell young people the true history, and Japan should learn from historical lessons." After completing the interview, Hidenari Kato made it into the documentary *Verification of the Nanjing Massacre*.

On October 6, 1991, Mainichi Broadcasting System in Japan broadcast the first Japanese documentary exposing the truth about the Nanjing Massacre by the Japanese army during prime time. The original dynamic images of the Nanjing atrocities taken by Magee and the interviews with survivors set off a huge wave in Japan. "Half a century later, we found and re-examined the Magee Film. The 'ghost film' quietly continued to turn. We could not hear shouts or gunshots from the film, but we felt the deep sadness of the photographer who had been guarding the truth." The commentary of *Verification of the Nanjing Massacre* is still moving.

For the United Association and Hidenari Kato, the original film and camera of the Magee Film were brought to light through their efforts, becoming a powerful proof of the authenticity of the Nanjing Massacre and listed in the UNESCO *Memory of the World Register*.

Recording the process of searching for historical truth is also part of historical truth. In the process of searching for the Magee Film, it was the unremitting efforts of those who hoped to let the world remember the horrific atrocities of the Nanjing Massacre that led to the preservation and collection of the 37-minute version of the clear images in Nanjing. History is made up of every individual, and the bits and pieces of ordinary people recorded in this book eventually converge into a history worth writing. It shows the world such an ironclad truth -

The cause of justice has the power to win! 有必胜的力量 (yǒu bì shèng de lì liàng - "has the power to win," justice will prevail).

Return to Top

An Illustrated Guide to Traditional Opera: Balancing Professionalism and Accessibility

By: 田振宇

Opera art is a treasure condensed from thousands of years of civilization and the ultimate expression of the spirit of Chinese aesthetics. Whether it is the division of roles into sheng (生), dan (旦), jing (净), and chou (丑), or the rules and intricacies of singing, recitation, acting, and acrobatics, and the exquisite details of costume design, all shine brightly in the long river of time. Understanding traditional Chinese art through opera is both vivid and comprehensive. It is this kind of thinking that gave birth to this book, "Opera Language: An Illustrated Guide to Chinese Opera" (published by Publishing House of Electronics Industry).

In order to present the essence of Chinese opera, the author of the text spent three years traveling to museums and archives, consulting historical books, and interviewing opera veterans. Under detailed textual research, the vocal system, role categories, performance routines, makeup and costumes, and stage settings of opera are accurately reproduced. The illustration author constantly revised the drawings, from large-scale adjustments of the picture layout and reshaping of character images, to the selection of a posture and the deliberation of a prop, transforming complex and profound opera knowledge into easy-to-understand visual elements in the form of hand-drawn illustrations. Rich step-by-step diagrams and color analysis vividly present the character traits symbolized by the colors and patterns of facial masks; detailed stage layout diagrams and prop diagrams clearly show the ever-changing scenes of the opera stage.

We hope that this popular reader, which combines professionalism and accessibility, will use a scientific and clear framework, simple and easy-to-understand text, and accurate and beautiful illustrations to bring readers into the world of opera art in a delightful way. We hope that it can be read, loved, and collected by readers.

Return to Top

Understanding Urban-Rural Integration Through County Towns

By: 刘守英

China has shifted from a rural-based society to an urban-rural one. The divide between urban and rural areas is moving towards integration, forming an urban-rural continuum. The county seat, as the "waist" of this continuum, connects cities above and villages below, serving as a crucial hub for integrated urban-rural development. The book "Small County, Big City" ("小县大城") realistically portrays the role and potential of county-level regions, which account for over half of the national population and nearly 40% of the GDP, in China's urban-rural transformation, and explores specific paths to achieve "strong counties, prosperous towns, and wealthy villages."

Dehua County (德化县) in Quanzhou (泉州), Fujian Province (福建省), originally a small mountainous county with unremarkable resources, has developed into the globally renowned "World Ceramics Capital." Zhou Li (周立) and Luo Jianzhang (罗建章), the two authors of "Small County, Big City," spent five years conducting thorough investigations and careful observations at various levels of the county. Spanning over 40 years of reform and opening up, they have traced the historical transformation of this small mountainous county seat from a "waist fulcrum" of urban-rural transformation to a "fusion engine." The book progressively narrates the county's development story of "promoting industry through the county, promoting the city through industry, gathering people through the city, and promoting business through people."

The most difficult aspect of county development is "promoting industry." Dehua County (德化县) has persistently focused on "millennial porcelain art" (千年瓷艺), using it to develop a highly unique industrial cluster and maintaining development continuity through stable institutions, thereby forming industrial competitiveness. Secondly, it is about "promoting the city through industry" and "gathering people through the city." The ceramics industrial park has driven population concentration and improved public services, concentrating 80% of the permanent residents in three central towns. This on-site urbanization, with the county seat as the carrier, not only solves the problem of "where the money comes from" for county development but also effectively responds to "where people go." Allowing farmers to "bring skills into the city" releases the "skill dividend" and promotes the leap from population dividend to talent dividend within the county. Finally, it is about "promoting business through people." The mutual promotion of talent leadership and industrial upgrading has enabled Dehua County (德化县) to transform from a single ceramics manufacturing base to a ceramics creative center, gradually optimizing the "tertiary, secondary, and primary" industrial structure. The enhanced strength of the county seat enables it to give back to the countryside and radiate to the region, providing employment, consumption, and living services for the surrounding villages.

Of course, the book does not shy away from the risks and challenges faced by the "small county, big city" model: problems such as a single industrial structure and an aging population still exist. This reminds us that the county, as the "waist," must not only be strong but also resilient and sustainable.

"Small County, Big City" uses detailed case studies and systematic analysis to illustrate that building and governing the county well is not only an optimization of grassroots governance but also a key to deepening and solidifying urban-rural integration. Chinese-style modernization should not only strengthen the leading role of large cities but also solidify the waist of the county seat, using the waist as a fulcrum to promote coordination and truly achieve the mutual promotion of comprehensive rural revitalization and new urbanization.

(The author is a professor at the School of Economics, Renmin University of China (中国人民大学))

Return to Top

Breathing life into historical figures

By: 郭宝平

Some say that every Chinese person will encounter Su Dongpo (苏东坡) sooner or later in their life. The current "Su Dongpo fever" probably confirms this point. With a dazzling array of related writings and people already familiar with Su Dongpo's life trajectory, what can literature use to attract readers?

I think details are the top priority, but historical documents lack details the most. I did not engage in fictionalized drama or fabricate out of thin air, but rather reasoned and researched based on the clues provided by the documents, combined with the regulations and systems, the atmosphere of the times, and the characters' personalities; I tried to use detailed descriptions to weave Su Dongpo's life fragments into a complete picture; to reproduce the vanished activity scenes, so that the characters are vividly brought to life under the true light of history, life, and logic, presenting a life of ups and downs. I also tried to put aside the omniscient perspective commonly used by later narrators of history, and narrated from the perspective of an on-site participant and in the present tense, following in Su Dongpo's footsteps, recording his words and deeds, probing his inner world, and writing out the "sense of breathing" of historical figures. I hope that readers can be immersed in the scene and walk with him, experiencing his life journey with mixed feelings, so that Su Dongpo is no longer just a name to be admired.

In previous narratives, Su Dongpo was mostly presented as a literary giant, and some irrational "idol narratives" cast an unreal filter on him. Before starting to write, I told myself that Su Dongpo is equal to us in terms of human nature, and his temperament and ideas can only be seen clearly when placed in his life situation. And Su Dongpo's situation is actually his five identities - official, recluse, wild man, immortal, and philosopher. Su Dongpo wanted to be a wild man in his youth, and later became an official through the imperial examination; his personality and temperament were not suitable for officialdom, so he unfortunately became a recluse; he was not willing to be a recluse, and psychologically identified himself as a wild man and an immortal, exploring the transcendent meaning of life, and finally tempered into a philosopher. These five in one, combining Su Dongpo's life experience and mental journey, contain his life attitude and wisdom, which can reveal Su Dongpo's entangled, struggling, and sublimated life process, and can also reveal how his life tragicomedy was brewed, and the secrets behind why Su Dongpo became Su Dongpo.

Writing about Su Dongpo is inseparable from his works. The novel does not discuss the works for the sake of the works, nor does it embed them stiffly, but rather integrates his important works with his life experiences according to the needs of the plot. For example, when Su Dongpo first arrived in Mizhou (密州), he encountered both material and spiritual difficulties, so he sighed "no place to talk about desolation." Later, after learning that the New Laws he opposed also had benefits for the country and the people, he figured it out, no longer resented the reform, and no longer struggled with entering or leaving the world, but instead asked the court "When will Feng Tang (冯唐) be sent?", followed by the sigh of "How is it like being in the world?", expressing his ambition to build a career in a down-to-earth manner. Through this integrated presentation, I hope to deepen the reader's understanding of Su Dongpo's famous works, and also promote a perceptual grasp of Su Dongpo's life state during this period.

Su Dongpo's life was rich and complex. In order to avoid simplistic judgments of black and white, I focused on viewing him from the two dimensions of official and intellectual. As an official, Su Dongpo regarded himself as a political opponent, and his resolute attitude of not obeying and not compromising was not commendable. As an intellectual, Su Dongpo, in the imperial era more than 900 years ago, pursued independence of personality, maintained a childlike heart and a sense of saving the world; he jumped out of the small self and examined his personal experiences in the vast universe, thereby breaking away from spiritual difficulties and possessing a detached mentality; he used his love of life to fight against anxiety and internal friction, stimulating tenacious vitality and abundant creativity... These are all invaluable spiritual legacies left by Su Dongpo. Under the dual dimensions, Su Dongpo in the court did have an incongruous sense of disharmony, while Su Dongpo as an intellectual, especially when he was demoted to Huangzhou (黄州), Huizhou (惠州), and Danzhou (儋州), was approachable, lovable, and respectable, exuding endless spiritual charm.

Return to Top

New Bookshelf

Return to Top

This section edited by: Dong Yang, Zhang Mingse

This edition's email: dushu@peopledaily.cn

　　Layout design: Shen Yiling (沈亦伶)

Return to Top