People's Daily - August 17, 2025

Yunnan Plays the Highland Specialty Agriculture Card Well

By: 本报记者  朱思雄  杨文明  叶传增

How Well Do "Yun Products" Sell?

In 2024, Yunnan's coffee and fresh-cut flower exports ranked among the highest in the country, and its agricultural product export scale was among the leaders in the western region. Approximately 70% of Yunnan's vegetable products are sold to more than 150 large and medium-sized cities in China and more than 40 countries and regions every year.

Highland specialty agriculture is Yunnan's characteristic industry. In March of this year, General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) pointed out during his inspection in Yunnan: "Yunnan produces a lot of local tea. Back then, there was the Ancient Tea Horse Road (茶马古道). Traditional Chinese medicine has a long history, the small-bean coffee is very good, and it is also a major rubber producing area, with tropical and subtropical fruits and nuts... These specialties are your trump cards, and you must continue to play them well."

With colorful flowers, fragrant coffee, aromatic tea, fresh vegetables, sweet fruits, rich mushrooms, and authentic medicinal herbs, Yunnan is making good use of its highland specialty agriculture trump card by adapting to local conditions. Starting from the seed industry, planting, and market ends, batches of Yunnan-produced highland specialty agricultural products represented by "Colorful Yun Products" sell well at home and abroad.

Strengthening the Seed Industry "Chip" -

"Yunnan coffee still represents China," said Xi Jinping (习近平), praising Yunnan coffee, whose planting area and output rank among the highest in the country.

In the Yeyatang Coffee Plantation (野鸭塘咖啡庄园) in Simao District (思茅区), Pu'er City (普洱市), merchants come and go in an endless stream. "With improved quality, more and more foreign merchants are coming to 'seek beans'," said Shi Hanyu (史晗瑜), the manager of the plantation.

In recent years, Yunnan has introduced relevant policies to support Yunnan coffee in taking the road of high-quality, intensive processing transformation. The replacement of high-quality varieties continues, and the high-quality rate of Yunnan coffee has increased from 8% in 2021 to 31.6% today.

"This is De Re 132, this is De Re No. 3..." Zhou Hua (周华), a researcher at the Dehong Tropical Agricultural Science Research Institute (德宏热带农业科学研究所) in Yunnan Province, introduced, "We have shortened the breeding time from 30 years to 10 years, and six of these varieties have been approved by relevant national departments."

The unique natural endowment has created the resource advantages of Yunnan's highland specialty agricultural products. Yunnan insists on transforming resource advantages into development advantages and cultivating more agricultural products with independent intellectual property rights. Zhang Fang (张昉), deputy director of the Highland Specialty Agriculture Development Division of the Yunnan Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (云南省农业农村厅), introduced that Yunnan has built 36 provincial-level seed industry bases and has made important breakthroughs in key technologies for crop breeding such as flowers, coffee, and vegetables.

Planting is More "Intelligent" -

"Sensors monitor the soil environment 24 hours a day, and integrated water and fertilizer facilities deliver nutrients accurately to the roots of vegetables." In the Huanglong Community (黄龙社区) Modern Agriculture Green and Efficient Planting Demonstration Base in Tonghai County (通海县), Yuxi City (玉溪市), Xia Yu (夏宇), the person in charge, is debugging the soil sensor system.

Turning "green" into gold. In the modern tea garden demonstration base in Bangmu Village (邦木村), Shahe Township (沙河乡), Shuangjiang Lahu, Wa, Blang and Dai Autonomous County (双江拉祜族佤族布朗族傣族自治县), Lincang City (临沧市), researchers from the "Three Teas Coordinated" Research Institute guide tea farmers to promote the increase of new shoot germination by 11.1% and increase the comprehensive income per mu by 400 yuan through low-density retention, green prevention and control of diseases and insect pests, and control of fertilizer and medicine.

With the empowerment of science and technology, Yunnan is developing new quality productivity in agriculture according to local conditions. Luliang County (陆良县) has established a vegetable pesticide risk assessment and monitoring and place of origin traceability system, and the quality and safety detection rate of agricultural products has reached 100%; the efficient water-saving irrigation coverage rate of the flower production base in Kaiyuan City (开远市) has reached 100%; Wenshan Zhuang and Miao Autonomous Prefecture (文山壮族苗族自治州) has established a standardized process for planting Panax notoginseng and clarified quality standards...

Circulation Improves Quality and Speed -

Yunnan flowers are sold "on the cloud." At the Dounan Flower Electronic Trading Center (斗南花卉电子交易中心) in Chenggong District (呈贡区), Kunming City (昆明市), a transaction can be completed every 4 seconds.

On the large screen of Kunming Huayibao Technology Co., Ltd. (昆明花易宝科技有限公司), the purchase heat map is updated in real time. "The platform innovatively explores the online remote matchmaking trading model for fresh-cut flowers, directly connecting production and demand. Big data analysis of key sales information such as category and color ratio brings convenience to both flower farmers and flower merchants," said Zhao Yongneng (赵永能), the person in charge of the company.

How many days does it take for a blueberry to enter a supermarket in Shanghai from Mengzi City (蒙自市), Yunnan? "After picking, it is sent to a cold storage for pre-cooling and transported by cold chain, arriving in Shanghai in as little as two days," said Chen Canling (陈灿灵), who is engaged in blueberry sales.

At present, Yunnan has built more than 7,300 cold storages with a storage capacity of nearly 7.4 million cubic meters, and has basically built a regional and comprehensive cold chain logistics facility cluster in the main producing areas of fresh agricultural products.

To help "Yun Products" leave Yunnan, the Yunnan agricultural department promotes the clustered development of brands, and jointly organizes at least 6 production and marketing docking activities with the commercial department every year. In 2024, the online retail sales of agricultural products in Yunnan Province reached 48.79 billion yuan; Kunming Customs (昆明海关) and the transportation department have established a coordination mechanism for the "green channel" for agricultural product exports to achieve "one inspection, mutual recognition by two parties"; China Railway Kunming Bureau (国铁昆明局) has launched the Lancang-Mekong Express (澜湄快线) train on the China-Laos Railway to help agricultural products efficiently export to Southeast Asian countries.

"Bearing in mind General Secretary Xi Jinping's (习近平) instructions, we must tap the resources of the 'soil', expand the advantages of the 'special', and improve the efficiency of the 'production' to allow more 'Yun Products' to go to the whole country and the world," said Wang Ning (王宁), Secretary of the Yunnan Provincial Party Committee.

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Solidify the Economic Foundation, Strengthen Development Support

By: 本报记者

The economy of a major country has its "size" and its "weight."

In 2024, the total grain output reached a new level of 1.4 trillion catties; in the first half of this year, the scale of imports and exports stabilized at the 20 trillion yuan level, hitting a record high for the same period in history; the 102 major projects planned for the "14th Five-Year Plan" are expected to be completed by the end of the year... These weighty figures are linked to the national economy and the people's livelihood, to development and security, concerning China's survival, competitiveness, development, and sustainability, and concerning the Chinese-style modernization process.

General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) emphasized: "China's economic foundation is stable, its advantages are numerous, its resilience is strong, its potential is great, and the positive factors supporting high-quality development are constantly accumulating."

The meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC (中共中央政治局) Central Committee held on July 30 pointed out: "We must maintain strategic focus, strengthen our confidence in victory, actively recognize, respond to, and seek change, concentrate our efforts on managing our own affairs well, and win strategic initiative in fierce international competition."

The second half of the year is a critical period for completing the annual targets and tasks. Consolidating the foundation of "agriculture, rural areas, and farmers" (三农), expanding high-level opening up to the outside world, and promoting the construction of "two priorities" (两重)... Each and every item is a matter of national importance. We must unswervingly manage our own affairs well and ensure that "every task undertaken is accomplished."

Looking at the stability of the foundation from the perspective of "agriculture, rural areas, and farmers" (三农)

The meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC (中共中央政治局) Central Committee pointed out: "Consolidate the foundation of 'agriculture, rural areas, and farmers' (三农) and promote the prices of grain and important agricultural products to remain at reasonable levels. Consolidate and expand the achievements in poverty alleviation to ensure that there is no large-scale return to poverty."

Looking at the "weight" of China's economy, "agriculture, rural areas, and farmers" (三农) is a very important perspective.

"I have repeatedly emphasized the need to manage our own affairs well, and one of the most important tasks is to always base ourselves on our own efforts to ensure agricultural production, using the certainty of domestic stable production and supply to cope with the uncertainty of the external environment," General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) pointed out.

In the face of risks and challenges, the Chinese economy has been able to maintain steady growth and resilience, and the "ballast stone" of "agriculture, rural areas, and farmers" (三农) has made an indelible contribution.

With a solid foundation, there is more confidence to resist shocks.

In the Poyang Lake (鄱阳湖) Plain, grain production is being promoted in an orderly manner.

"The early indica rice harvested in a rush yielded more than 1,000 catties per mu, and the late rice planted in a rush has already tillered," said Zhu Yongshui, a farmer in Xintang Village (新塘村), Sili Town (泗沥镇), Guixi City (贵溪市), Jiangxi Province (江西省).

Yang Yuliang, secretary of the Party branch of Xintang Village (新塘村), said: "With order-based purchases, each mu of land can generate more than 100 yuan in additional income on average. With good benefits, everyone is more motivated to grow grain."

This year, China's summer grain production overcame the impact of relatively severe drought in some areas, with an output of 299.48 billion catties, and the country achieved stable and bumper harvests of summer grain.

During the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, China's grain production has achieved bumper harvests year after year. At present, the output of grains, meat, peanuts, vegetables, tea, fruits, and other products ranks first in the world.

"The 'rice bag' and 'vegetable basket' are stable, safeguarding the 'strategic rear' for the Chinese economy to forge ahead," said Zhang Hongyu, president of the China Agricultural Risk Management Research Association.

With a solid foundation, stronger development momentum is generated.

Processing is in full swing in the poverty alleviation workshop in Xintang Village (新塘村). With the workshop entering the village, employment is available nearby, and the per capita annual income of working villagers has increased by nearly 10,000 yuan, and the village's collective economy has also continued to grow.

"This year, the village's collective economic income is estimated to exceed 500,000 yuan. In addition to distributing dividends to villagers, we also plan to maintain farmland infrastructure and purchase some agricultural machinery and equipment," said Yang Yuliang.

The joy of increased income is not limited to Xintang Village (新塘村). In the first half of this year, the per capita disposable income of rural residents in China was 11,936 yuan, an actual increase of 6.2% over the same period last year after deducting price factors.

The imbalance between urban and rural development is the biggest imbalance in China's development, but it also contains strong development momentum and is a promising stage. Unblocking the circulation between industry and agriculture, urban and rural areas, is of great significance for enhancing the resilience of China's economy and expanding the strategic depth of Chinese-style modernization.

The continuous narrowing of the income gap between urban and rural areas has stimulated the strong driving force of the domestic cycle. In the first half of the year, China's rural consumer goods retail sales reached 3.2409 trillion yuan, an increase of 4.9% year-on-year. The proportion of the county and township market scale, including towns and villages, in the total retail sales of consumer goods increased by 0.1 percentage points compared with the same period last year.

The accelerated promotion of urban-rural integration and the people-oriented new urbanization drive economic growth with greater resilience. According to estimates, every 1 percentage point increase in China's urbanization rate can add more than 200 billion yuan in consumption demand and drive 1 trillion yuan in new investment demand every year.

"At present, our institutional advantages are more consolidated, our material foundation is more solid, and our development foundation is more solid. Looking ahead to the second half of the year and the '15th Five-Year Plan' period, it is urgent to seize new development opportunities in the field of 'agriculture, rural areas, and farmers' (三农) from the transformation from 'having or not having' to 'good or bad', so as to win greater initiative and provide stronger certainty for coping with various risks and challenges," Zhang Hongyu said.

Looking at the strong resilience and vitality from the perspective of foreign trade

The meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC (中共中央政治局) Central Committee pointed out: "We must expand high-level opening up to the outside world and stabilize the fundamentals of foreign trade and foreign investment."

In the grand game of the world economy, China, with its steady and improving development trend and unswerving opening-up strategy, "has always been a major contributor and stabilizer to world economic growth."

In the busy foreign trade factories, we can see another side of the "weight" of the Chinese economy - full of vitality.

Walking into the production workshop of Huige Leisure Products Co., Ltd. (辉格休闲用品有限公司) in Ningbo (宁波), Zhejiang (浙江), the welding robot arms dance precisely, and in the arc of light spewed by the welding gun, baking trays are welded into shape. In the assembly workshop, there are "small mountains" of finished assembly parts; outside the workshop, container trucks line up in a long queue, and a new batch of outdoor barbecue grills is about to "sail across the ocean."

Barbecue is a popular outdoor activity for European and American consumers, and high-quality barbecue grills are a rigid demand for many families. "The high repurchase rate of mainstream supermarkets in North America is the result of our accurate grasp of the needs of overseas consumers," said Mao Bibo, deputy general manager of the company. Huige independently developed 21 series of key products, with features such as large capacity, high power, and multi-scene applicability, which accurately "match" the needs of European and American consumers for outdoor cooking equipment. In the first half of the year, Huige's export volume exceeded 275 million yuan, an increase of 17% year-on-year.

Looking at the overall situation from one area. In the first half of the year, China's import and export of goods trade was 21.79 trillion yuan, an increase of 2.9% year-on-year; 30,014 new foreign-invested enterprises were established nationwide, an increase of 11.7% year-on-year. As of the end of June, the cumulative actual use of foreign capital in China during the "14th Five-Year Plan" period reached 708.73 billion US dollars.

Cui Weijie, deputy dean and researcher of the Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation of the Ministry of Commerce (商务部国际贸易经济合作研究院), said that in the first half of the year, China's foreign trade maintained total growth, quality improvement, and controllable variables under the disturbance of high tariffs. Foreign investment completed the "14th Five-Year Plan" investment target half a year in advance. The Chinese market showed a remarkable "magnetic attraction effect", thanks to a series of policies to stabilize market expectations and confidence.

The "action" of expanding high-level opening up to the outside world brings strong foreign trade "attraction" and foreign investment "pull", creating new development vitality.

In the first half of this year, the "Zhuhai-Brazil" (珠海—巴西) direct航线航线 was opened, opening a new sea channel connecting the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (粤港澳大湾区) and Santana Port (桑塔纳港) in Brazil; Phoenix Contact (菲尼克斯电气) China's second base, a full-value chain super factory project, started construction in Nanjing (南京), Jiangsu (江苏); Tesla's (特斯拉) first grid-side energy storage power station project in mainland China settled in Lingang (临港), Shanghai (上海); many large supermarkets opened "green channels" to put foreign trade products on the shelves...

During the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, from the "24 Foreign Investment Articles" to the "20 Stabilizing Foreign Investment Articles", from the "negative list" to the "zero tariff treatment", the restrictions on foreign investment access in the manufacturing industry were cancelled nationwide, and pilot projects for opening up in telecommunications, medical care, education, and other fields were expanded, the orderly opening up of the biopharmaceutical field was promoted, foreign investment was encouraged to carry out equity investment in China, and the "Invest in China" brand was continuously built...

At present, global unilateralism and protectionism are rising, and the complexity, severity, and uncertainty of the external environment are increasing. In the second half of the year, China's expansion of opening up will still face pressure and will still require hard work.

On December 18 this year, the Hainan Free Trade Port (海南自贸港), which is exploring the world's highest level of opening up, will officially start full island customs closure operations. More preferential "zero tariff" policies, more relaxed trade management measures, more convenient passage measures, and more efficient and accurate supervision models... A series of customs closure operation policies and measures demonstrate China's firm determination to promote high-level opening up.

The relevant person in charge of the Ministry of Commerce (商务部) said that looking ahead to the "15th Five-Year Plan" from the second half of the year, we will strengthen innovation momentum, strengthen international cooperation, enhance trade resilience, and strive to build an international trade pattern of open cooperation, common development, and mutual benefit and win-win results.

Looking at the numerous advantages and great potential from the perspective of "two priorities" (两重)

The meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC (中共中央政治局) Central Committee pointed out: "We must promote the construction of 'two priorities' (两重) with high quality, stimulate the vitality of private investment, and expand effective investment."

On July 18, with the completion of the final blasting, the No. 5 branch tunnel of the Xianglushan Tunnel (香炉山隧洞) of the Dianzhong Water Diversion Project (滇中引水工程) was successfully connected. The Dianzhong Water Diversion Project (滇中引水工程), the largest water resource allocation project in southwest China, ushered in a new construction node.

Zhang Zonglong, executive deputy manager of the project management department, said: "With the financial guarantee of the 'two priorities' (两重) project, the project is progressing smoothly, and the next step will be to fully fight the battle of the Xianglushan Tunnel (香炉山隧洞)."

"Two priorities" (两重) - the implementation of major national strategies and the construction of security capabilities in key areas, starting in the spring of 2024. "This is an active choice to cope with external uncertainties with the certainty of its own high-quality development," said Guo Liyan, deputy director and researcher of the Institute of Economics of the National Development and Reform Commission (国家发展改革委). "Doing a good job in the construction of 'two priorities' (两重) projects is conducive to tapping investment potential that benefits both the present and the long term, and provides strong momentum for promoting the realization of stable and upward economic development, continuous optimization of the structure, and continuous improvement of the development trend."

Data from the National Bureau of Statistics (国家统计局) show that in the first half of the year, China's infrastructure investment increased by 4.6% year-on-year, 1.8 percentage points higher than the total investment growth rate, driving the total investment growth by 1.0 percentage points.

Funds are invested and projects are built.

Looking at this year - from the transportation infrastructure along the Yangtze River (长江) such as the high-speed railway along the Yangtze River (沿江高铁), the airport along the Yangtze River (沿江机场), and the trunk highway along the Yangtze River (沿江干线公路), to the "Three-North" (三北) project, urban underground pipe networks, and high-standard farmland construction, transportation, water conservancy, energy... Focusing on "two priorities" (两重) projects, one "major country weapon" (大国重器) is accelerating its growth, and the construction of major projects is constantly refreshing the "progress bar", and its role is gradually emerging.

Looking at the past 5 years - the 102 major projects planned for the "14th Five-Year Plan" have achieved a series of major progress and major achievements, and are expected to be fully completed by the end of this year. Making up for shortcomings and benefiting the long term, building a "new support" for economic circulation, and building a "new foundation" for national security.

Recently, the National Development and Reform Commission (国家发展改革委) arranged more than 300 billion yuan to support the third batch of "two priorities" (两重) construction projects this year. So far, the list of "two priorities" (两重) construction projects for 2025 with 800 billion yuan and 1,459 projects has been fully issued.

"Unblocking the circulation between industry and agriculture, urban and rural areas, is an important aspect of unblocking the domestic economic cycle and enhancing the resilience and strategic depth of China's economy" "To go with China is to go with opportunities, to believe in China is to believe in tomorrow, and to invest in China is to invest in the future" "Focus on doing a good job in the implementation of major national strategies and the construction of security capabilities in key areas"...

The blueprint has been drawn, and the key lies in implementation.

In Xintang Village (新塘村), there has been less rainfall these days, and more than 10 households of villagers are working together to renovate canals and release water, actively fighting drought to protect autumn grain production;

In Huige Company (辉格公司), while seizing production, it is also actively preparing for the development of emerging markets such as Brazil;

In the Xianglushan Tunnel (香炉山隧洞), on August 5, the builders overcame complex geological conditions, and the main tunnel excavation exceeded the 10,000-meter mark.

*** ***

The journey is long and the wind is strong, and we will make further progress.

The "14th Five-Year Plan" is coming to an end, and the "15th Five-Year Plan" is being planned and prepared. Completing the annual economic and social development goals and tasks with high quality is a heavy burden and there are many challenges; we must forge ahead and persevere, and we will arrive. With a solid foundation, abundant power, rock-solid confidence, and concerted efforts, the Chinese economy will surely be fearless of wind and rain and move forward bravely.

(Reporters Zhu Jun (朱隽), Chang Qin (常钦), Luo Shanshan (罗珊珊), and Yu Jingxian (郁静娴) of this newspaper)

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Xiongan New Area to Build a Green and Sustainable Urban Model

By: 人民网记者  刘师豪  李雪晴  王  红

The Baiyang Lake (白洋淀) in August is the most beautiful time.

The lotus leaves are emerald green, the lotus flowers are delicate and beautiful, and water birds occasionally skim across the water, stirring up a string of silvery-white water splashes.

Not far away, the Xiong'an New Area (雄安新区) is nestled among green trees, flowers, and water waves, and a model of green development is rising from the ground.

Twenty years ago, Xi Jinping (习近平), then Secretary of the Zhejiang Provincial Party Committee, inspected Yucun Village (余村) in Anji County (安吉县), Zhejiang Province (浙江省), and proposed the "Two Mountains" theory that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" (绿水青山就是金山银山 (lǜ shuǐ qīng shān jiù shì jīn shān yín shān - "clear waters and green mountains are gold and silver mountains," environmental protection and economic development are intrinsically linked)), leading to a green transformation of the land of Zhejiang (浙江).

In the new era, General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平总书记) personally planned the construction of the Xiong'an New Area (雄安新区), emphasizing: "We must implement the concept that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets, adhere to green and low-carbon development, and build the Xiong'an New Area (雄安新区) into a model city for green development." "The ecological environment management and protection of Baiyang Lake (白洋淀) is a contribution to the present and a benefit to the future, and must be planned as a whole and steadily promoted."

Starting from planning and construction in 2017, after eight years of vigorous growth, the Xiong'an New Area (雄安新区), under the guidance of the "Two Mountains" theory, is unfolding a brand-new picture of green development.

A Blue-Green Interwoven Ecological Ledger

Chen Xuefei (陈雪飞) is a river and lake protection volunteer who was once named "Most Beautiful River and Lake Guardian." Regardless of the cold winter, hot summer, cloudy or rainy weather, Chen Xuefei (陈雪飞) patrols the Baiyang Lake (白洋淀) more than 10 times a day.

"As long as we walk more every day, move our hands more, and persevere, the water of Baiyang Lake (白洋淀) will definitely be cleaner." Chen Xuefei (陈雪飞) often says this.

"Baiyang Lake (白洋淀) has become a 'bird paradise' thanks to ecological restoration and management." Qi Ming (齐明), a staff member of the Anxin County (安新县) Natural Resources Bureau, said that the number of wild birds in the lake area has now reached 296, an increase of 90 species compared to before the establishment of the Xiong'an New Area (雄安新区).

The intertwining of blue and green is the ecological background of the Xiong'an New Area (雄安新区). "Blue" refers to Baiyang Lake (白洋淀), and "green" refers to the "Millennium Forest" (千年秀林).

"My woodland has subsidies, and I can also earn a salary as a forest ranger." Wang Youwei (王有为) lives in Jiagang Village (贾岗村), Shuangtang Township (双堂乡), Xiong County (雄县), and next to his home is a large area of forest. In the early morning, he puts on an orange work vest, carries a small bag full of tools, and walks a few minutes to the forest to start work. "In recent years, the trees have become taller and the forest has become denser, and I can often see wild rabbits and pheasants."

Shuangtang Township (双堂乡) has more than 16,000 mu of seedling and scenic forests. In the more than 7 years from planting to maintenance, this batch of forest land has created more than 20,000 jobs, allowing more villagers to have stable employment at their doorsteps and share the fruits of ecological construction.

The "Millennium Forest" (千年秀林) not only brings full of greenery, but also provides real job opportunities for the masses. Data shows that the Xiong'an New Area (雄安新区) has cumulatively afforested 481,000 mu, and the forest coverage rate has increased from 11% to 35%. Relevant units have organized the development of 30,000 mu of under-forest economy, driving nearly 100,000 people to find employment, selling more than 200,000 seedlings, and sales exceeding 60 million yuan.

A Green and Livable Life Ledger

3 kilometers to the forest, 1 kilometer to the forest belt, 300 meters to the park, and parks everywhere. The parks at the doorsteps are the smallest units of the Xiong'an (雄安) green living circle.

Xue Juan (薛娟), who lives in Mingzhu Garden (明珠园), Rongdong Area (容东片区), often takes her children to Yuerong Park (悦容公园) for a walk. It is not only beautiful, but also has a spacious shaded parking lot, which is a "bonus". "It used to be like entering a steamer when I got back into the car, and it was hot to the touch when driving, but now the car is not so hot." Xue Juan (薛娟) said.

In the Xiong'an New Area (雄安新区), 2,327 such shaded parking spaces have been built, with tall elm trees and ginkgo trees supporting a continuous "sunshade". At the same time, the temperature inside the car in the shaded parking space is about 5 degrees Celsius lower than that in the open-air parking space.

The "90/80" travel goal is well known to Xiong'an (雄安) residents. According to the plan, by 2035, the proportion of green transportation in the starting area of the Xiong'an New Area (雄安新区) will reach 90%, and the proportion of public transportation in motorized travel will reach 80%.

The bus network is becoming increasingly dense. "Residents in Rongdong (容东), Rongxi (容西) and other areas can reach a bus stop within 500 meters." Yuan Zhan (袁展), a staff member of the Transportation Group of the Xiong'an New Area (雄安新区) Construction and Transportation Administration Bureau, said that the bus service radius will be shortened to 300 meters in the future.

Parks are points, shaded areas are lines, and buses are networks. The green and livable life ledger is the most practical ecological gift that the "City of the Future" gives to the people.

A Low-Carbon and Environmentally Friendly Energy Ledger

Xiong'an Station (雄安站) is also known as "Green Lotus Dewdrop" (青莲露珠). An important part of the "dewdrop" is the more than 17,000 photovoltaic panels laid on the roof.

Qiao Hongwei (乔红卫), a staff member of State Grid Xiong'an Comprehensive Energy Service Co., Ltd. (国家电网雄安综合能源服务有限公司), works every day to "take care" of these photovoltaic panels. "I start the routine equipment inspection at 8:30 in the morning, mainly to check the on-site operation of the photovoltaic equipment."

In the power station control room on the first floor of Xiong'an Station (雄安站), the numbers on the large screen jump and change. Luo Xiaodong (罗晓东), project manager of State Grid Xiong'an Comprehensive Energy Service Co., Ltd. (国家电网雄安综合能源服务有限公司), said that as of August 14 this year, the rooftop photovoltaic panels have generated a total of 28.78 million kilowatt-hours of electricity, achieving a carbon dioxide emission reduction of 22,300 tons.

Low-carbon and zero-carbon high-star green buildings can be seen everywhere in the Xiong'an New Area (雄安新区).

As landmark buildings in the Xiong'an New Area (雄安新区), the 150-meter-high China Sinochem Building (中国中化大厦) and the 130-meter-high China Huaneng Headquarters Building (中国华能总部大楼) are both built in accordance with the three-star green building standard. The China Sinochem Building (中国中化大厦) is equipped with nearly 4,500 square meters of photovoltaic power generation products, with a total annual power generation of more than 450,000 kilowatt-hours. After being put into use, it will solve 45% of the annual lighting electricity consumption. The heating system of the China Huaneng Headquarters Building (中国华能总部大楼) uses all renewable clean energy, and the energy consumption is 20% lower than the building energy saving standard.

As of now, more than 5,000 new buildings have been built in the Xiong'an New Area (雄安新区), and high-star green buildings account for 100%, achieving a carbon reduction of more than 1.4 million tons.

The ecological ledger of the Xiong'an New Area (雄安新区) stores ecological protection and takes out a happy life. From Anji Yucun (安吉余村) to Xiong'an New Area (雄安新区), the pace of green development is becoming more and more firm, and the vivid practice of "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" is continuously writing a new chapter.

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13.278 Million New Business Entities Established in the First Half of the Year

This newspaper Beijing (北京) August 16th (Reporter Lin Lili (林丽鹂)) - The latest data released by the State Administration for Market Regulation (国家市场监督管理总局) shows that in the first half of this year, 13.278 million new business entities were established nationwide. Among them, 4.62 million new enterprises, 8.629 million new individual industrial and commercial households, and 29,000 new farmers' professional cooperatives were established, with various business entities showing a steady growth trend.

The development momentum of private and foreign-funded enterprises is good. In the first half of the year, 4.346 million new private enterprises were established, an increase of 4.6% year-on-year; 33,000 new foreign-funded enterprises were established, an increase of 4.1% year-on-year. The good development trend of enterprises with various ownership structures shows that market expectations continue to improve and corporate investment confidence is effectively enhanced.

The industrial structure has been further optimized. In the first half of the year, 601,000 new business entities were established in the primary industry, 965,000 in the secondary industry, and 11.712 million in the tertiary industry. As of the end of June, there were 25.361 million registered "four new" (new technology, new industry, new business format, new model) economic enterprises nationwide, an increase of 6.6% year-on-year, accounting for 40.2% of the total number of enterprises.

The cultural industry in the consumption field has outstanding highlights. The cultural industry has become a highlight of consumption growth in the first half of the year, with the growth rate of new "cultural, sports and entertainment" enterprises reaching 17.5%, ranking first in the national economy.

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China's express delivery volume totaled 112.05 billion pieces in the first seven months.

Beijing (北京), August 16th (Reported by Han Xin (韩鑫) from this newspaper) - This reporter learned from the State Post Bureau (国家邮政局) that from January to July this year, the cumulative volume of postal industry delivery services reached 122.3 billion pieces, a year-on-year increase of 16.2%. Among them, the cumulative volume of express delivery services reached 112.05 billion pieces, a year-on-year increase of 18.7%. In July, the volume of express delivery services reached 16.40 billion pieces, a year-on-year increase of 15.1%.

The rapid increase in express delivery volume has driven the steady growth of industry business revenue. In the first seven months, the cumulative business revenue of the postal industry reached 1,018.07 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 8.3%. Among them, the cumulative revenue of express delivery services reached 839.42 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 9.9%.

The growth momentum of various businesses is obvious. In the first seven months, the cumulative volume of intra-city express delivery services reached 9.26 billion pieces, a year-on-year increase of 6.5%; the cumulative volume of inter-city express delivery services reached 100.43 billion pieces, a year-on-year increase of 19.9%.

Regional development is more balanced. In the first seven months, the proportions of express delivery business revenue in the eastern, central, and western regions were 74.0%, 15.5%, and 10.5%, respectively. Compared with the same period last year, the proportion of express delivery business revenue in the central region increased by 0.5 percentage points, and the proportion of express delivery volume increased by 0.9 percentage points; the proportion of express delivery business revenue in the western region increased by 0.3 percentage points, and the proportion of express delivery volume increased by 0.5 percentage points.

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Thousands of sails race, setting sail for the fishing season.

On August 16th, China's South China Sea and parts of the East China Sea officially ended a more than three-month summer fishing moratorium. Fishing boats from Fujian (福建), Guangdong (广东), Guangxi (广西) and other provinces set sail one after another to begin fishing operations.

The summer fishing moratorium is for the recuperation of the ocean, to better protect marine fishery resources and the ecological environment, and is conducive to improving the structure of fishery resources.

In the first half of this year, China's marine economy presented a good situation of steady growth in total volume, continuous optimization of structure, and accelerated conversion of kinetic energy, achieving a gross marine product of 5.1 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 5.8%; the construction of the "blue granary" has achieved remarkable results, and the domestic marine aquatic product output in the first half of the year increased by 4.8% year-on-year.

The picture shows the scene on the same day at Tailu National Central Fishing Port in Lianjiang County (连江县), Fuzhou City (福州市), Fujian (福建), where many fishing boats set sail and left the port to go fishing.

Photo by Wang Wangwang (王旺旺) (Image China)

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Introduction

Youth Roundtable

New Era Youth Discuss Devoting Themselves to Ecological and Environmental Protection

Page Five

In recent years, many young people, inspired by the concept that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets," have devoted themselves to ecological and environmental protection, rooted themselves in the front lines, worked diligently and pragmatically, and strived to make the sky bluer, the land greener, and the water clearer. In this issue of "Youth Roundtable," the reporter invited 10 young people engaged in fields such as atmospheric governance, species protection, and desertification prevention and control to share their struggles and insights in the process of ecological and environmental protection.

Cultural China Tour

Searching for People in the Modern Version of Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains

Page Seven

Fuyang (富阳), Zhejiang (浙江), the original location and real-life setting of "Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains," once faced pressure on its ecological environment due to the large number of industrial paper-making enterprises. Today, culture is visible among the mountains and rivers, and the ancient painting that follows the laws of nature reflects the landscape of the "Two Mountains" concept. Let us follow the reporter's footsteps to find forest rangers, fishermen, villagers, and cultural workers, and listen to the people in the modern version of "Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains" tell the story of how cultural inheritance and development complement ecological civilization construction.

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Cargo flights shuttle, the "Air Silk Road" gets busier (New Economic Landscape)

By: 本报记者 贺 勇 李亚楠

As an important gateway for China's westward opening, Xinjiang (新疆) has launched several new international cargo routes this year, resulting in a rapid increase in international cargo volume. Let's follow the reporter to experience the strong pulse of Xinjiang's (新疆) opening to the outside world.

——Editor

In the customs supervision area of the Urumqi (乌鲁木齐) Aviation Logistics Park, large trucks loaded with goods are lined up waiting to be unloaded. After security checks, the goods are transferred to the warehouse for palletizing and then transported to the cargo plane by unmanned shuttle vehicles. These goods will be transported by international cargo charter flights to Central Asia, West Asia, Europe, and other places.

In the first half of this year, Xinjiang (新疆) launched eight new international cargo routes, with international cargo volume reaching 47,400 tons, a year-on-year increase of seven times. From the camel caravans of the ancient Silk Road to the current flights of the "Air Silk Road," the prosperity of Xinjiang's (新疆) air cargo hub is demonstrating the open vitality of the core area of the Silk Road Economic Belt.

36 International Cargo Routes Opened, Covering 21 Countries

At 5:23 AM on July 27, a full cargo plane of CMA CGM Air Cargo, loaded with 57 tons of cross-border e-commerce goods, took off from Urumqi Tianshan International Airport (乌鲁木齐天山国际机场) and flew to Paris, France, and Madrid, Spain. This marked the official opening of the Urumqi (乌鲁木齐) to Paris/Madrid regular international cargo route, adding an important new destination to the Urumqi (乌鲁木齐) international cargo aviation hub layout.

The Urumqi (乌鲁木齐)—Tashkent—Tallinn route is Xinjiang's (新疆) first air passage to the Baltic region; the successful maiden voyage of the Urumqi (乌鲁木齐)—Addis Ababa cargo route has made Xinjiang (新疆) an important hub for intercontinental air cargo; the new Urumqi (乌鲁木齐)—Niš international cargo route has been successfully opened, adding a new channel for China-Europe trade... Xinjiang Airport Group (新疆机场集团) has opened 36 international cargo routes, representing 38 international cargo airlines, covering 21 countries in Asia and Europe. In the first half of this year, 2,574 international cargo charter flights were operated, an increase of approximately six times compared to the same period last year.

Why are airlines opening international routes in Xinjiang (新疆)?

Located in the hinterland of the Eurasian continent, Xinjiang (新疆) has the geographical advantage of "five ports connecting eight countries and one road connecting Europe and Asia." "It takes nearly 11 hours for a cargo plane to fly from Guangzhou (广州) to Ethiopia, but it only takes 8 hours from Urumqi (乌鲁木齐), saving more than 1 million yuan per round trip," said Wu Guofei, Director of Strategic Development for Ethiopian Airlines (埃塞俄比亚航空公司) in China.

On April 17, the North Terminal Area of Urumqi Tianshan International Airport (乌鲁木齐天山国际机场) was put into operation. "Urumqi's (乌鲁木齐) aviation 'assets' have doubled. The 500,000-square-meter terminal building is larger than the original three old terminal buildings combined, with 177 parking stands, allowing nearly a thousand flights to take off and land every day," said Yang Hongfeng, Deputy General Manager of Xinjiang Airport Group (新疆机场集团). The group has also invested 467 million yuan to upgrade infrastructure, build new inspection sites for international cargo flights, and add intelligent equipment, significantly increasing cargo handling capacity and shortening customs clearance times for international cargo flights.

Rail-Air Intermodal "Yuexin Express Line" Improves Efficiency by More Than 15% Compared to Road Transport

"Xinjiang's (新疆) geographical advantages determine that cross-border transportation costs are low and time is short, but there is also a clear disadvantage, which is the distance from the source of goods," said Shi Jun, Chairman of Xinjiang Airport Group Tianyi International Logistics Co., Ltd. (新疆机场集团天翼国际物流有限责任公司), after researching customer needs in Guangdong (广东). He found that customers have a clear demand for "domestic railway + international air" intermodal transport, which can greatly improve logistics efficiency and reduce corporate costs.

On April 18, the "Railway Trunk Line + Air Express Line" cross-border multimodal transport channel—the "Yuexin Express Line" (粤新快线) rail-air intermodal train—departed from Guangzhou International Port (广州国际港) and arrived in Urumqi (乌鲁木齐). After completing seamless rail-air transfer, it was loaded onto a cargo flight to Europe, with the entire process taking place within 7 days.

"'Yuexin Express Line' improves transportation efficiency by more than 15% compared to road transport; compared to the China-Europe Railway Express with full railway transport, 'Yuexin Express Line' can save about 2/3 of the time, which is very suitable for cross-border e-commerce goods and urgent orders with high time requirements," said Liu Yang, Deputy Director of the 95306 Freight Logistics Service Center of China Railway Urumqi Bureau (国铁乌鲁木齐局).

"Rail-air intermodal transport requires high information sharing. Currently, information on quarantine, cargo insurance, and other aspects has been shared," said Shi Jun. Xinjiang Airport Group (新疆机场集团) will work with Xinjiang (新疆) railway departments to explore a new "single bill" model for rail-air intermodal transport to achieve "one-time consignment, one-time settlement, and one bill to the end" for the entire cargo process.

Policy synergy improves efficiency. To ensure the smooth opening of new routes, Urumqi Tianshan Airport Customs (乌鲁木齐天山机场海关) proactively connected with new airlines, explained bonded aviation fuel, bonded maintenance, and other businesses, and answered inquiries; tailored regulatory plans, and provided convenient measures such as "7×24 hours" reservation customs clearance and immediate inspection to improve customs clearance efficiency. The Xinjiang Entry-Exit Border Inspection Station (新疆出入境边防检查总站) provided front-end services, setting up transit checkpoints on the apron.

Trade with Countries Jointly Building the "Belt and Road" Increased by 17.9% Year-on-Year

"With the deepening of the construction of a unified national market, the volume of land transportation between Xinjiang (新疆) and various regions has increased significantly, costs have decreased, and timeliness and reliability have also improved compared to the past. Previously, it took 5 to 7 days from Guangzhou (广州) to Urumqi (乌鲁木齐), but now it only takes 3 days, and then international shipping from Xinjiang (新疆) saves a lot of costs," Liu Min, General Manager of Shenzhen Jia Hong Yi Da International Logistics Co., Ltd. (深圳市嘉泓易达国际物流有限公司), told reporters.

To meet the cross-border transportation needs of emerging markets, the company added four new year-round fixed charter routes in Xinjiang (新疆) this year, with an average monthly cargo volume of more than 3,000 tons, mainly transporting cross-border e-commerce goods to Europe and other places. The company has also established an office in Xinjiang (新疆). "In the future, we will increase investment in full-link service capabilities," said Liu Min.

Seeing the broad prospects of Xinjiang's (新疆) foreign trade, Tan Deyi, who has been doing logistics business in Xinjiang (新疆) for more than 10 years, founded Xinjiang Muls International Freight Forwarding Co., Ltd. (新疆慕尔斯国际货运代理有限公司), mainly engaged in foreign trade customs declaration business. "More and more international flights are taking off and landing in Xinjiang (新疆), the channels are becoming smoother, and customs is always waiting for inspection, which guarantees timeliness," said Tan Deyi. His freight forwarding company declares more than 100 tons of goods every day, mainly from East China and South China. After the opening of the "Yuexin Express Line" (粤新快线), the procedures are simpler and the costs are lower.

There are already 21 international freight forwarding companies operating in Urumqi (乌鲁木齐), forming a new industrial cluster. Tianyi Logistics Company (天翼物流公司) has launched preferential measures, providing discounts on storage fees, palletizing and dismantling fees, and cross-border e-commerce operation fees for freight forwarding companies that reach a certain volume.

According to data from Urumqi Customs (乌鲁木齐海关), in the first half of this year, Xinjiang's (新疆) trade with countries jointly building the "Belt and Road" reached 237.59 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 17.9%. "To promote the interconnection between China and countries jointly building the 'Belt and Road,' we will continue to weave a denser international air cargo network, continuously improve logistics efficiency, and reduce cross-border trade costs," said Yang Hongfeng.

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Have you tried "ultra-high pressure" juice? (Innovation around you)

By: 本报记者  王  沛

This summer, HPP (High-Pressure Processing) cold-pressed fresh juices, labeled "cold-sterilized fresh-squeezed" and "100% zero-added," have entered the view of more consumers.

When fruit becomes juice, the original cell structure is destroyed, and nutrients and enzyme systems are exposed, which can easily cause microbial reproduction. Therefore, in juice production, the sterilization process directly affects the taste and flavor. In the processing of juice beverages on the market, traditional heat sterilization processes such as ultra-high temperature instantaneous sterilization and pasteurization are mainly used. Although they can kill microorganisms, high temperatures will destroy substances such as vitamin C and active enzymes in fruits and vegetables, affecting the flavor of the juice.

Can effective sterilization and flavor retention be achieved at the same time?

In an HPP juice production workshop in Ningyang County (宁阳县), Shandong (山东), an automatic transmission system precisely sends bottled juice into the sterilization chamber. After water is injected and pressure is applied at one end, ultra-high hydrostatic pressure is instantly applied to the bottled juice products for compression. "By pressurizing the water through the equipment, a pressure of 400-600 MPa is formed, which can destroy the cell membranes of microorganisms, inactivate the cells, and kill microorganisms," explained Tang Zheng (唐征), Executive Vice President of the HPP Innovation Research Institute of Shandong Weikexian Food Technology Co., Ltd. (山东唯可鲜食品科技有限公司).

Zhao Liang (赵靓), a professor at the College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering of China Agricultural University (中国农业大学), introduced that ultra-high pressure technology is currently the most commercialized food non-thermal processing technology, mainly used in the processing of fruit and vegetable juices. Zhao Liang's fruit and vegetable processing research team participated in the formulation of the first domestic high-pressure food national standard and the entire chain of fruit and vegetable juice processing industry standards, promoting the industrial application of ultra-high pressure technology.

How to test the sterilization ability of HPP? In the laboratory of the School of Pharmaceutical and Food Engineering of Liaocheng University (聊城大学), Professor Guo Xingfeng (郭兴峰) is leading a research team to conduct microbial testing. The experimenters inoculated apple juice samples with a known concentration of E. coli, and then put the samples into equipment that simulates the HPP sterilization environment. "We set different pressure parameters to test the degree of inactivation of microorganisms," said Guo Xingfeng. In order to test the shelf life of the product, the researchers placed the apple juice samples treated by HPP in a cold chain storage cabinet at 4 degrees Celsius and a normal temperature simulation box at 25 degrees Celsius, respectively. The changes in the content of nutrients such as sugar and vitamins in the juice were detected by various advanced instruments, and the products were organoleptically evaluated by professional tasters.

"Some pressure-resistant bacteria and spores may still remain after ultra-high pressure sterilization due to their tolerance to high pressure," Zhao Liang introduced. In the circulation link, HPP juice needs to adopt the whole cold chain. If the circulation link does not meet the requirements, there will be a risk of rapid microbial growth. How can consumers prevent it? Zhao Liang gave the following advice: "First, observe whether the bottle is bulging, and smell the odor after opening; then, see if the color of the beverage is correct."

Ultra-high pressure sterilization equipment has specific technical requirements and structural design, and the value of a single production line can reach more than 20 million yuan. Will it significantly increase production costs? Liu Haifeng (刘海峰), general manager of Weikexian, introduced that HPP has continuously made new progress in technology and equipment research and development, and has realized the localization of core components and complete equipment, reducing maintenance costs and controlling overall costs.

In Ningyang County (宁阳县), kale, which is popular on the market, is all over the fields and continuously transported to the enterprise workshop. The government connects enterprises and farmers to deeply cooperate and develop order agriculture. "The production line can digest 30,000 tons of fruits and vegetables every year, of which more than 80% of the vegetables come from local planting," said Cui Xuelei (崔学磊), project manager of Weikexian agricultural planting.

Ultra-high pressure technology is still being continuously improved. "We can regard the technology we are researching as 'ultra-high pressure +', plus other sterilization technical means to deal with more microorganisms," Zhao Liang said. She and her team have been improving the technical route in terms of quality control, equipment upgrades and standard construction. In the future, the juice industry will develop towards minimizing processing technology, non-thermal sterilization, cleaning labels and cold chain logistics, so as to achieve the whole process of freshness locking from fruit raw materials to juice and maximize the maintenance of quality.

(Liu Zheng (刘铮) participated in writing)

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Beijing's Four Major Air Pollutants Continuously Meet Standards

This newspaper's Beijing (北京) August 16th dispatch (Reporter Wang Haonan (王昊男)): A reporter learned recently from the Beijing Municipal Development and Reform Commission (北京市发展改革委): In the first half of this year, Beijing's (北京) average concentration of fine particulate matter was 28.5 micrograms per cubic meter, a year-on-year decrease of 17.4%, reaching the best level for the same period in history. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, Beijing (北京) has firmly established and practiced the "Two Mountains" concept, unswervingly following the path of ecological priority and green development. The annual average concentration of fine particulate matter has decreased from 89.5 micrograms per cubic meter in 2013 to 30.5 micrograms per cubic meter in 2024, a decrease of 66%. The four major atmospheric pollutants have continuously and stably reached the national secondary air quality standards.

In terms of water ecology, Beijing (北京) has dynamically eliminated inferior Class V water bodies and black and odorous water bodies in urban built-up areas. The groundwater level in the plains area has risen for nine consecutive years. The Yongding River (永定河) and other five major rivers are fully connected to the sea, forming a number of green waterfront landscapes that are "beautiful and accessible, with green banks and approachable." Since 2012, Beijing (北京) has continuously implemented two rounds of million-mu afforestation projects, with a cumulative increase of over 1,600 square kilometers in afforestation and greening area. The forest coverage rate has increased from 38.6% to 44.95%. The city has reached 1,100 parks, allowing residents to be close to nature at their doorsteps.

Beijing (北京) continues to optimize its energy structure. Currently, green electricity accounts for 29.3% of the city's total electricity consumption, an increase of 13 percentage points compared to 2020, and energy consumption has basically achieved coal-free status. Green transportation is becoming more prevalent. Beijing's (北京) ownership of new energy vehicles exceeds 1 million, and the total operating mileage of urban rail transit has reached 879 kilometers. In the first half of this year, the proportion of green travel in the central urban area reached 75.7%.

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Photo Story

On August 15th, Tancheng County (郯城县), Linyi City (临沂市), Shandong Province (山东省) held the "First Secretary's Choice" and Party Branch-Led Cooperative Night Market, with more than 40 Party Branch-Led Cooperatives participating in the event. The market offered a wide variety of goods and was well-received by local residents. The picture shows residents selecting food at the market.

Zhang Chunlei (张春雷) Photo (Image China)

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Value-added of electronic information manufacturing above designated size grew by 11.1% year-on-year in the first half of the year.

Beijing (北京), August 16th (Reported by Liu Wenxin (刘温馨)) – The reporter learned from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (工业和信息化部): In the first half of the year, the added value of electronic information manufacturing above designated size increased by 11.1% year-on-year, with the growth rate being 4.7 and 1.6 percentage points higher than that of the industry and high-tech manufacturing in the same period, respectively.

In June, the added value of electronic information manufacturing above designated size increased by 11% year-on-year. In the first half of the year, among the main products, the output of smartphones reached 563 million units, an increase of 0.5% year-on-year; the output of microcomputer equipment was 166 million units, an increase of 5.6% year-on-year; and the output of integrated circuits reached 239.5 billion units, an increase of 8.7% year-on-year.

In the first half of the year, the electronic information manufacturing industry above designated size achieved operating income of 8.04 trillion yuan, an increase of 9.4% year-on-year; and realized a total profit of 302.4 billion yuan, an increase of 3.5% year-on-year.

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Solidifying the Economic Foundation, Strengthening Development Support

By: 本报记者

The economy of a major country has its "size" and its "weight."

In 2024, the total grain output reached a new level of 1.4 trillion catties; in the first half of this year, the scale of imports and exports stabilized at the 20 trillion yuan level, hitting a record high for the same period in history; the 102 major projects planned for the "14th Five-Year Plan" are expected to be completed by the end of the year... These weighty figures are linked to the national economy and the people's livelihood, to development and security, concerning China's survival, competitiveness, development, and sustainability, and concerning the Chinese-style modernization process.

General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) emphasized: "China's economic foundation is stable, its advantages are numerous, its resilience is strong, and its potential is great. Positive factors supporting high-quality development are constantly accumulating."

The meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC (中共中央政治局) Central Committee held on July 30 pointed out: "We must maintain strategic focus, enhance confidence in victory, actively recognize, respond to, and seek change, concentrate our efforts on managing our own affairs well, and win strategic initiative in fierce international competition."

The second half of the year is a crucial period for completing the annual targets and tasks. Consolidating the foundation of "agriculture, rural areas, and farmers" (三农), expanding high-level opening up to the outside world, and promoting the construction of "two major projects" (两重)... Each and every one of these is a matter of national importance. We must unswervingly manage our own affairs well and ensure that "every task we undertake is accomplished."

Looking at the stability of the foundation from the perspective of "agriculture, rural areas, and farmers" (三农)

The meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC (中共中央政治局) Central Committee pointed out: "Consolidate the foundation of 'agriculture, rural areas, and farmers' (三农) and promote the prices of grain and important agricultural products to remain at reasonable levels. Consolidate and expand the achievements in poverty alleviation and ensure that large-scale return to poverty does not occur."

Looking at the "weight" of the Chinese economy, "agriculture, rural areas, and farmers" (三农) is a very important perspective.

"I have repeatedly emphasized the need to manage our own affairs well, and a very important task is to always base ourselves on our own efforts to grasp agricultural production, and to respond to the uncertainty of the external environment with the certainty of domestic stable production and supply," General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) pointed out.

In the face of risks and challenges, the Chinese economy has been able to maintain steady growth and resilience, and the "ballast stone" of "agriculture, rural areas, and farmers" (三农) has made an indispensable contribution.

With a solid foundation, there is more confidence to resist shocks.

In the Poyang Lake (鄱阳湖) Plain, grain production is being promoted in an orderly manner.

"The early indica rice harvested in a rush yielded more than 1,000 catties per mu, and the late rice planted in a rush has already tillered," said Zhu Yongshui, a farmer in Xintang Village (新塘村), Sili Town (泗沥镇), Guixi City (贵溪市), Jiangxi Province (江西省).

Yang Yuliang, secretary of the Party branch of Xintang Village (新塘村), said: "With order-based purchases, each mu can earn more than 100 yuan on average. With good benefits, everyone is more motivated to grow grain."

This year, China's summer grain production overcame the impact of relatively severe drought in some areas, with output reaching 299.48 billion catties, and the country achieved stable and bumper summer grain harvests.

During the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, China's grain production has achieved bumper harvests year after year. At present, the output of grains, meat, peanuts, vegetables, tea, fruits, and other products ranks first in the world.

"'Rice bags' and 'vegetable baskets' are stable, safeguarding the 'strategic rear' for the Chinese economy to forge ahead," said Zhang Hongyu, president of the China Agricultural Risk Management Research Association.

With a solid foundation, stronger development momentum is generated.

Processing is in full swing in the assistance workshop in Xintang Village (新塘村). With the workshop entering the village and providing employment nearby, the per capita annual income of working villagers has increased by nearly 10,000 yuan, and the village's collective economy has also continued to grow.

"This year, the village's collective economic income is estimated to exceed 500,000 yuan. In addition to distributing dividends to villagers, we also plan to maintain farmland infrastructure and purchase some agricultural machinery and equipment," said Yang Yuliang.

The joy of increased income is not only in Xintang Village (新塘村). In the first half of this year, the per capita disposable income of rural residents in China was 11,936 yuan, an actual increase of 6.2% over the same period last year after deducting price factors.

The imbalance in urban-rural development is the biggest imbalance in China's development, but it also contains strong development potential and is a promising stage. Unblocking the circulation between industry and agriculture, urban and rural areas, is of great significance for enhancing the resilience of China's economy and expanding the strategic depth of Chinese-style modernization.

The continuous narrowing of the urban-rural income gap has stimulated the strong momentum of the domestic cycle. In the first half of the year, China's rural consumer goods retail sales reached 3.2409 trillion yuan, an increase of 4.9% year-on-year. The proportion of the county and township market scale, including towns and villages, in the total retail sales of social consumer goods increased by 0.1 percentage points compared with the same period last year.

The accelerated promotion of urban-rural integration and the people-oriented new urbanization drive economic growth with greater resilience. According to estimates, every 1 percentage point increase in China's urbanization rate can add more than 200 billion yuan in consumption demand and drive 1 trillion yuan in new investment demand each year.

"At present, our institutional advantages are more consolidated, our material foundation is more solid, and our development foundation is more solid. Looking ahead to the second half of the year and the '15th Five-Year Plan' period, it is urgent to seize new development opportunities in the field of 'agriculture, rural areas, and farmers' (三农) from the transformation from 'having' to 'being good,' and to provide greater certainty for winning greater initiative in应对各种风险挑战," Zhang Hongyu said.

Looking at the strong resilience and vitality from foreign trade

The meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC (中共中央政治局) Central Committee pointed out: "We must expand high-level opening up to the outside world and stabilize the fundamentals of foreign trade and foreign investment."

In the grand game of the world economy, China, with its steady and improving development trend and unswerving opening-up strategy, "has always been a major contributor and anchor of stability to world economic growth."

In the busy foreign trade factories, we can see another side of the "weight" of the Chinese economy - full of vitality.

Walking into the production workshop of Huige Leisure Products Co., Ltd. (辉格休闲用品有限公司) in Ningbo (宁波), Zhejiang (浙江), welding robots dance precisely, and barbecue pans are welded into shape in the arc light emitted by the welding guns. In the assembly workshop, "small mountains" of finished assembly parts are piled up; outside the workshop, container trucks line up in long queues, and a new batch of outdoor barbecue grills is about to "cross the ocean."

Barbecue is a popular outdoor activity for European and American consumers, and high-quality barbecue grills are a rigid demand for many families. "The high repurchase rate of mainstream supermarkets in North America is the result of our accurate grasp of the needs of overseas consumers," said Mao Bibo, deputy general manager of the company. Huige independently developed 21 series of key products, with features such as large capacity, high power, and multi-scene applicability, which precisely "match" the needs of European and American consumers for outdoor cooking equipment. In the first half of the year, Huige's export volume exceeded 275 million yuan, an increase of 17% year-on-year.

Looking at the overall situation from one area. In the first half of the year, China's import and export of goods totaled 21.79 trillion yuan, an increase of 2.9% year-on-year; 30,014 new foreign-invested enterprises were established nationwide, an increase of 11.7% year-on-year. As of the end of June, the cumulative actual use of foreign capital in China during the "14th Five-Year Plan" period reached 708.73 billion US dollars.

Cui Weijie, deputy dean and researcher of the Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation of the Ministry of Commerce (商务部国际贸易经济合作研究院), said that in the first half of the year, China's foreign trade maintained total growth, quality improvement, and controllable variables under the disturbance of high tariffs. Foreign investment completed the "14th Five-Year Plan" investment target six months ahead of schedule. The Chinese market showed a remarkable "magnetic attraction effect," thanks to a series of policies to stabilize market expectations and confidence.

The "action" of expanding high-level opening up to the outside world has brought strong foreign trade "attraction" and foreign investment "pulling power," giving birth to new development vitality.

In the first half of this year, the "Zhuhai (珠海) - Brazil" direct航线 was opened, opening a new sea channel connecting the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (粤港澳大湾区) and the Port of Santana in Brazil; Phoenix Contact (菲尼克斯电气) China's second base, the full value chain super factory project, started construction in Nanjing (南京), Jiangsu (江苏); Tesla's (特斯拉) first grid-side energy storage power station project in mainland China settled in Lingang (临港), Shanghai (上海); many large supermarkets opened "green channels" to put foreign trade products on the shelves...

During the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, from the "24 Foreign Investment 条" to the "20 Measures to Stabilize Foreign Investment," from the "Negative List" to the "Zero Tariff Treatment," the restrictions on foreign investment access in the manufacturing industry were lifted nationwide, the pilot programs for opening up in the fields of telecommunications, medical care, and education were expanded, the orderly opening up in the field of biomedicine was promoted, foreign investment was encouraged to carry out equity investment in China, and the "Invest in China" brand was continuously built...

At present, global unilateralism and protectionism are on the rise, and the complexity, severity, and uncertainty of the external environment have increased. In the second half of the year, China's expansion of opening up will still face pressure and will still require hard work.

On December 18 this year, the Hainan Free Trade Port (海南自贸港), which is exploring the world's highest level of opening-up, will officially launch the full island customs closure operation. More favorable "zero tariff" policies, more relaxed trade management measures, more convenient passage measures, and more efficient and precise supervision models... A series of customs closure operation policies and measures demonstrate China's firm determination to promote high-level opening up.

The relevant person in charge of the Ministry of Commerce (商务部) said that looking ahead from the second half of the year to the "15th Five-Year Plan," we will strengthen innovation momentum, strengthen international cooperation, enhance trade resilience, and strive to build an international trade pattern of open cooperation, common development, and mutual benefit and win-win results.

Looking at the many advantages and great potential from the "two major projects" (两重)

The meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC (中共中央政治局) Central Committee pointed out: "We must promote the construction of 'two major projects' (两重) with high quality, stimulate the vitality of private investment, and expand effective investment."

On July 18, with the completion of the final blasting, the No. 5 branch tunnel of the Xianglushan Tunnel (香炉山隧洞) of the Dianzhong Water Diversion Project (滇中引水工程) was successfully connected. The Dianzhong Water Diversion Project (滇中引水工程), the largest water resource allocation project in Southwest China, ushered in a new construction node.

Zhang Zonglong, executive deputy manager of the project management department, said: "With the financial guarantee of the 'two major projects' (两重), the project is progressing smoothly, and the next step will be to fully fight the tough battle of the Xianglushan Tunnel (香炉山隧洞)."

"Two major projects" (两重) - the implementation of major national strategies and the construction of security capabilities in key areas, starting in the spring of 2024. "This is an active choice to respond to external uncertainties with the certainty of its own high-quality development," said Guo Liyan, deputy director and researcher of the Institute of Economics of the National Development and Reform Commission (国家发展改革委). "Doing a good job in the construction of 'two major projects' (两重) is conducive to挖掘既利当前又利长远的投资潜能, and to providing strong momentum for promoting the realization of stable and upward economic development, continuous optimization of the structure, and continuous improvement of the development trend."

Data from the National Bureau of Statistics (国家统计局) show that in the first half of the year, China's infrastructure investment increased by 4.6% year-on-year, 1.8 percentage points higher than the growth rate of total investment, driving the growth of total investment by 1.0 percentage points.

Funds are invested, and projects are built.

Looking at this year - from the transportation infrastructure along the Yangtze River (长江) such as the high-speed railway along the river, the airport along the river, and the trunk highway along the river, to the "Three-North" (三北) project, urban underground pipe networks, and high-standard farmland construction, etc., transportation, water conservancy, energy... With the "two major projects" (两重) as the focus, one "major country weapon" (大国重器) is accelerating its growth, and the construction of major projects is constantly refreshing the "progress bar," and its role is gradually emerging.

Looking at 5 years - the 102 major projects planned for the "14th Five-Year Plan" have achieved a series of major progress and major achievements, and are expected to be fully completed by the end of this year.补短板, 利长远, building a "new support" for economic circulation and筑牢 a "new foundation" for national security.

Recently, the National Development and Reform Commission (国家发展改革委) arranged more than 300 billion yuan to support the third batch of "two major projects" (两重) this year. So far, the list of "two major projects" (两重) with 800 billion yuan and 1,459 projects in 2025 has been fully issued.

"Unblocking the circulation between industry and agriculture, urban and rural areas, is an important aspect of unblocking the domestic economic cycle and enhancing the resilience and strategic depth of China's economy," "To go with China is to go with opportunities, to believe in China is to believe in tomorrow, and to invest in China is to invest in the future," "Focus on doing a good job in the implementation of major national strategies and the construction of security capabilities in key areas"...

The blueprint has been drawn, and the key lies in implementation.

In Xintang Village (新塘村), there has been less rainfall these days, and more than 10 households of villagers are working together to renovate canals and release water, actively fighting drought to protect autumn grain production;

In Huige Company (辉格公司), while seizing production, it is also actively preparing for the development of emerging markets such as Brazil;

In the Xianglushan Tunnel (香炉山隧洞), on August 5, the builders overcame complex geological conditions, and the main tunnel excavation broke through the 10,000-meter mark.

*** ***

The journey is long and the wind is strong, and we must strive to make further progress.

The "14th Five-Year Plan" is coming to an end, and the "15th Five-Year Plan" is being planned and prepared. Completing the annual economic and social development goals and tasks with high quality is a heavy burden and there are many challenges; we must forge ahead and persevere, and we will arrive. With a solid foundation, abundant动力, rock-solid confidence, and concerted efforts, the Chinese economy will surely be fearless of wind and rain and move forward with enthusiasm.

(Reporters Zhu Jun (朱隽), Chang Qin (常钦), Luo Shanshan (罗珊珊), and Yu Jingxian (郁静娴) of this newspaper)

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A "Road of Dreams" Promotes Development and Prosperity in Cameroon (New Era of China-Africa Cooperation)

By: 本报记者  薛  丹  黄培昭

In the rainy season, Yaoundé (雅温得), the capital of Cameroon, is filled with the sweet smell of rain-soaked air. A reporter drove west from the city center and soon entered a highway. The highway cut through the lush rainforest, outlining a curve leading to the distance. This is the Yaoundé-Douala Highway (雅温得—杜阿拉高速公路), known as Cameroon's "Road of Dreams," built by a Chinese enterprise (hereinafter referred to as "Ya-Du Expressway").

Cameroon is located in west-central Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea to the southwest. It boasts tropical rainforests, grasslands, and swamps, as well as rivers, lakes, and steep mountains. This unique natural environment is a source of pride for the Cameroonian people, but it also presents many challenges to the country's economic development. Having a safe, convenient, and modern highway was once a dream in the hearts of countless Cameroonians. Today, that dream has become a reality. The Ya-Du Expressway, built by China Communications Construction First Highway Engineering Group Co., Ltd. (中国中交一公局集团有限公司), has brought new opportunities for Cameroon's development and prosperity, and has also helped promote economic integration in the Central African region.

A Brand New Personnel and Logistics Corridor

"The Port of Douala (杜阿拉港) is located in Douala (杜阿拉), Cameroon's largest city, and is an important port for Cameroon. In the past, transporting agricultural products from here to Yaoundé (雅温得) was difficult because the roads were bumpy and uneven. The 200-kilometer journey took more than 5 hours, and even longer during the rainy season. Fruits and vegetables often spoiled before they could be delivered," said Evouna Fler, an official from the 7th District of Yaoundé.

In 2022, the first phase of the Ya-Du Expressway (雅杜高速), from Gao Legoum (高乐古姆) in the western suburbs of Yaoundé to Bibodi (毕博迪), was completed and opened to traffic. After the opening, the travel time from Yaoundé to Douala was reduced to 3 hours. Elundu (埃隆杜), the village chief of Mingoma Yo Village (敏高马约村) along the highway, said, "In the past, we had to walk several kilometers to catch a ride. Now we can catch a ride right outside our door, making it very convenient to go to Yaoundé for business." Fler told reporters that with this highway, many schools along the route have specifically opened school buses, making it both convenient and safe for students to go to school.

In October of last year, the second phase of the Ya-Du Expressway project, with a total length of approximately 135 kilometers, officially commenced. Du Siyong (杜思勇), General Manager of the China-Africa Regional Center of China Communications Construction First Highway Engineering Group Co., Ltd., introduced that once the entire Ya-Du Expressway is completed, the journey from Yaoundé to Douala will be shortened to less than two hours. The Port of Douala serves landlocked countries such as Central Africa and Chad, and is the main port for import and export of goods for surrounding countries. In this sense, the construction of the Ya-Du Expressway will not only further bring convenience to the people along the route, but also greatly promote logistics efficiency between Cameroon and its neighboring countries, injecting momentum into the economic development of Central Africa.

Scientific, Efficient, and Green Construction Plan

"This highway adopts Chinese standards, reflecting Chinese speed and Chinese wisdom," said Wen Yueping (温跃平), the project manager, proudly. The Ya-Du Expressway is designed as a two-way six-lane highway with a design speed of up to 110 kilometers per hour. The entire road is equipped with a modern control center, integrating toll collection systems, overload detection, communication, and monitoring. Among them, the first phase of the project includes 108 culverts, 6 overpasses, and 8 underpasses, with large interchanges and main line bridges connecting the entire regional transportation network.

Cameroon is located in the tropics and has many hills and mountains, making highway construction no easy task. The project team faced problems such as large elevation differences and unstable soil and water during the rainy season. The construction team innovated construction techniques based on local geological, hydrological, and climatic characteristics, and promoted project construction in accordance with local conditions. For example, high-modulus asphalt concrete was used to replace ordinary asphalt concrete, reducing the thickness of the asphalt concrete from the original 32 centimeters to 25 centimeters, which not only saved raw materials but also effectively reduced the pollution that may be caused by construction. The scientific, efficient, and green construction plan designed by the project team ensured the quality of the project and also accumulated valuable experience for Cameroon's future construction of high-grade highways.

The highway construction has provided a large number of jobs for the local area, employing more than 5,000 local employees in total. Some have learned engineering machinery operation and equipment maintenance, and some have become measurement and design experts, all with more stable incomes.

Construction Workers, But Also Messengers of Love

Cameroon is rich in natural resources, and environmental protection has been a top priority since the beginning of the project design. Fernand Daniel (费尔南德·丹尼尔), a local environmental expert, has repeatedly gone deep into the construction site for independent monitoring. He said, "Chinese builders not only have technology, but also a sense of responsibility. They are meticulous in site selection, classify and manage waste, and dust reduction and sewage treatment are closely linked to maximize the protection of the ecological environment."

Aba Sadou (阿巴·萨杜), Minister of Public Contracts of Cameroon, said during a visit to the intelligent equipment and efficient operation system at the construction site, "What Chinese enterprises have brought to Cameroon is not only engineering construction, but also an advanced way of thinking."

"We are very satisfied with the construction quality of Chinese enterprises," said Djoumessi (朱梅西), Minister of Public Works of Cameroon. He said that this highway will promote the flow of people and goods between the two cities of Yaoundé and Douala, and will also promote traffic between the two "regional corridors" (Douala-N'Djamena Corridor and Douala-Bangui Corridor), helping regional economic growth.

During the highway construction process, Chinese enterprises actively fulfilled their social responsibilities and obligations. As of now, they have built 27 drinking wells and 7 classrooms along the route, donated tables and chairs to 22 classrooms, and donated medicines to 10 health centers. Local media reported that the welfare projects implemented by Chinese enterprises have benefited residents along the route, fully demonstrating responsibility and commitment.

During the interview, Elundu (埃隆杜) specially put on traditional local ethnic costumes to thank the Chinese builders: "Thanks to the continuous deepening of cooperation between Cameroon and China, we have the Ya-Du Expressway. Chinese builders are not only engineering builders, but also messengers of love. In the past, the village was closed and backward. Now the highway connects us with the outside world, and the village has taken on a new look."

(Reported from Yaoundé (雅温得) by this newspaper)

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Chinese vision promotes global green transition cooperation (International Forum)

By: 贝特霍尔德·库恩

The concept that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" is becoming increasingly known and recognized by more and more countries, vividly demonstrating how China's development philosophy enriches global governance and provides a model for building a future where humans and nature coexist harmoniously.

China's proposition of the concept that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" has not only reshaped its own development landscape but also provided conceptual guidance and a practical framework for global ecological civilization construction and the realization of the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. This concept regards the quality of the ecological environment as an important part of national development, vigorously promotes global green transformation cooperation, and especially brings inspiration and solutions for developing countries to move towards sustainable prosperity.

The concept that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" has changed traditional development thinking, regarding environmental protection as a driving force for development rather than an obstacle, valuing the long-term potential of natural resources, and regarding natural resources as a source of lasting wealth and well-being for mankind. By integrating ecological value into economic and social development planning, China actively implements ecological restoration, ecological protection red line system, transformation of resource-based areas, ecological city planning, green industrial innovation, etc., and coordinates the promotion of sustainable development goals, providing a model for other developing countries. This concept provides a powerful response to the difficult problem of how to balance environmental sustainability and economic growth. This concept is highly consistent with the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, especially in terms of ecological sustainability and climate resilience.

Practicing the concept that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" has opened up new avenues for international cooperation. As the global economy moves towards decarbonization and green transformation, countries that can provide sustainable technologies, environmental services, and circular economy solutions are expected to lead future development. Currently, China is increasingly becoming a provider of green technologies and a promoter of ecological investment, promoting the synergistic effect of international economic cooperation and environmental governance. Through platforms such as the "Belt and Road" Green Development International Alliance, China has strengthened exchanges and cooperation with all parties in policy tools, technical capabilities, and sustainable financing models, significantly enhancing the climate resilience of developing countries and helping them explore low-carbon, sustainable development paths.

In Africa, the dual challenges of environmental protection and economic development are particularly prominent. The concept that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" is highly consistent with Africa's needs for sustainable resource management and inclusive growth. Through the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (中非合作论坛) and the "Belt and Road" Green Development Partnership Initiative, China actively supports Africa in promoting green infrastructure, promoting renewable energy, and carrying out ecosystem restoration. The Chinese concept provides strong policy guidance for the green and low-carbon development of African countries, promotes South-South knowledge exchange, and promotes the coordinated development of economy and ecology.

The European Union and China both regard the integrity of ecosystems as the foundation of long-term development and have a common vision for promoting ecological civilization construction, low-carbon development, and high-quality growth. The conceptual fit promotes constructive cooperation between the two sides in areas such as biodiversity protection, circular economy, green finance, and climate policy, focusing on common goals, promoting policy innovation, and achieving synergistic benefits. The EU-China High-Level Dialogue on Environment and Climate has become an important platform for both sides to carry out relevant exchanges and cooperation. The two sides actively promote the collaboration of think tanks, industry associations, enterprises, and other parties to jointly promote global climate governance under the framework of the *Paris Agreement* and jointly promote global sustainable development. The cooperation between Germany (德国) and China in the field of climate and environmental governance is remarkable. The two sides have deepened policy dialogue, technical cooperation, and capacity building, and have carried out cooperation in various fields such as carbon emission trading, energy-saving cities, and urban low-carbon transportation. In the field of hydrogen energy, Germany's technical expertise and China's industrial capacity form a strong complement. Relevant cooperation reflects the common determination of the two countries to promote enhanced climate resilience and accelerate the global transition to a low-carbon and sustainable future.

The concept that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" has not only reshaped China's understanding of development but also influenced the global understanding of development. This concept is becoming increasingly known and recognized by more and more countries, vividly demonstrating how China's development philosophy enriches global governance and provides a model for building a future where humans and nature coexist harmoniously.

(The author is a scholar at the Free University of Berlin (柏林自由大学) and an environmental consultant to the European Commission (欧盟委员会))

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Forging Closer China-Laos Cooperation to Benefit Both Peoples (High-Level Interview)

By: 本报记者  赵益普  陈尚文

"Laos is a good neighbor, good friend, good comrade, and good partner of China." Lao Deputy Prime Minister Kikeo Chanthabouly (吉乔) said in an interview with this reporter that in recent years, under the frameworks of high-quality joint construction of the "Belt and Road" and ASEAN-China cooperation, Laos and China have continuously achieved new progress and new results in various fields of cooperation, which have truly benefited the people of both countries. In the future, "Laos-China relations will definitely become closer."

As a landmark project of the two countries' high-quality joint construction of the "Belt and Road," the China-Laos Railway officially opened and operated in December 2021. In the first half of this year, the China-Laos Railway transported a total of 10.07 million passengers, an increase of 1.7% year-on-year; the total volume of goods transported on the entire line exceeded 12.6 million tons, an increase of 25.9% year-on-year, and the role of the "golden artery" is becoming increasingly prominent. Kikeo Chanthabouly (吉乔) said that the Laos-China Railway is an important achievement of practical cooperation between the two sides. Since its opening, it has been an important channel for passenger and freight transportation between Laos and China, promoting regional economic and trade cooperation and driving the accelerated development of the economy along the route.

Kikeo Chanthabouly (吉乔) believes that the Laos-China Railway not only promotes Laos-China cooperation in trade, investment and other fields, but also helps large-scale cooperation projects to be successfully implemented in Laos. "Thanks to the dividends released by the Laos-China Railway, overseas investors have more confidence in Laos. The Lao government and partners such as the World Bank are studying the implementation of national highway projects connecting Laos, Vietnam and Thailand, as well as expressway projects connecting the Lao capital Vientiane (万象) with Khammouane, Bolikhamxay and other places," said Kikeo Chanthabouly (吉乔).

According to Kikeo Chanthabouly (吉乔), Laos and China will also continue to develop the Laos 500 kV/230 kV Vientiane Ring Network Transmission and Transformation Project, the Vientiane Saysettha Development Zone (万象赛色塔综合开发区), the Laos-China Boten-Mohan Economic Cooperation Zone (老挝中国磨丁—磨憨经济合作区), the second, third and fourth phases of the Laos-China Expressway, and the Lao Thanaleng Dry Port (老挝塔纳楞陆港) and other "Belt and Road" joint construction projects to meet the needs of economic and social development. "Laos is in a period of rapid development, and we welcome more Chinese companies to visit Laos for inspection and investment, so as to benefit the people of both countries with closer Laos-China cooperation," said Kikeo Chanthabouly (吉乔).

In May of this year, the Special China-ASEAN Economic and Trade Ministers' Meeting was held online, and the economic and trade ministers of both sides jointly announced the comprehensive completion of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area 3.0 negotiations. "The ASEAN-China Free Trade Area 3.0 is in line with the trend of regional economic integration and will expand economic and trade exchanges and investment cooperation between ASEAN and China," said Kikeo Chanthabouly (吉乔). The ASEAN-China Free Trade Area 3.0 will further deepen cooperation between the two sides in supply chain integration, digital economy, green economy and other fields.

"China has a vibrant and super-large market, which has contributed to driving regional economic growth. In recent years, ASEAN and China have comprehensively and high-quality implemented the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, and the economic and trade relations between the two sides have developed steadily, becoming each other's largest trading partner." Kikeo Chanthabouly (吉乔) said that the current world economic recovery is weak, and ASEAN countries, including Laos, should continue to deepen cooperation with China to benefit the people of both sides and make greater contributions to regional peace, stability and development and prosperity.

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China-Africa Hospital Alliance Established in Beijing

Beijing, August 16th (Reporter Shi Fang (施芳)) The China-Africa Hospital Alliance Inauguration Ceremony and China-Africa Hospital Development Conference, hosted by the International Exchange and Cooperation Center of the National Health Commission, was held in Beijing (北京) on the 15th. Health ministers from African countries such as Gabon, Zambia, Cameroon, Sao Tome and Principe, and Mauritius, ambassadors to China from many African countries, and more than 300 Chinese and African hospital administrators and medical professionals attended.

It is reported that the China-Africa Hospital Alliance will integrate high-quality medical resources and build a systematic and long-term cooperation mechanism under the principle of consultation, joint construction, and sharing. The alliance plans to hold a China-Africa Hospital Development Conference once a year, including alliance achievement releases, academic and technical seminars, and experience sharing.

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Wang Yi to Visit India and Hold the 24th Meeting of Special Representatives on the China-India Boundary Issue

Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, August 16th. Foreign Ministry Spokesperson announced on the 16th: From August 18th to 20th, Wang Yi (王毅), Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Chinese Special Representative on the China-India Boundary Question, will visit India upon invitation and hold the 24th Meeting of the Special Representatives on the China-India Boundary Question.

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Demonstrates the profound significance of civilization exchange and mutual learning.

By: 本报记者  曹师韵

"Mountains high, rivers long, sharing weal and woe" – The opening ceremony of the China-Indonesia Painting and Calligraphy Photography Exhibition celebrating the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Indonesia, the 70th anniversary of the Bandung Conference, and the 620th anniversary of Zheng He's first voyage to the West was recently held in Jakarta (雅加达), Indonesia. The organizers invited painting and calligraphy enthusiasts from both countries to create works on the themes of "China-Indonesia friendly relations" and "cultural exchange and mutual learning." Through painting, calligraphy, photography, and other forms, the exhibition showcases the historical origins and profound friendship between China and Indonesia, promotes the excellent traditional cultures of both countries, and promotes exchanges and cooperation in the fields of culture, art, and other fields.

Inside the exhibition hall, exhibits such as oil paintings, calligraphy, and photography are neatly hung, attracting many visitors to stop and admire. The paintings depicting Zheng He's voyages to the West are vividly rendered, with sails high and waves surging. The calligraphy works are powerful and vigorous, praising the deep friendship between China and Indonesia.

"These calligraphy and painting works remind me of the customs and culture of China." Jensen Steven (詹森·史蒂文), an Indonesian Chinese who made a special trip to visit the exhibition, told reporters that he often visits exhibitions related to Chinese culture and usually likes to practice Chinese calligraphy. "Chinese culture flows in the blood of us Chinese."

The exhibition was jointly organized by the Confucius Institute at Al-Azhar University (阿拉扎大学孔子学院), the Indonesian Academy of Painting and Calligraphy (印尼书画学院), the Indonesian Calligraphers Association (印尼书法家协会), and the International College of Culture Exchange of Tongji University (同济大学国际文化交流学院) in China. It features 215 paintings, calligraphy works, and photographs from China and Indonesia. Artists from Brazil, Malaysia, Argentina, and South Korea were also invited to participate in this exhibition. It is reported that the exhibits will also tour Confucius Institutes in Surabaya (泗水), Bandung (万隆), Malang (玛琅), Denpasar (登巴萨), Purwokerto (普禾格多), and other places in Indonesia.

Wang Lutong (王鲁彤), the Chinese Ambassador to Indonesia, said in his speech at the opening ceremony that China and Indonesia are both ancient civilizations in Asia, and their friendly exchanges have a long history. More than 600 years ago, Zheng He (郑和) visited the Indonesian archipelago many times, conveying peace and friendship, and laying the foundation for cultural exchanges between the two countries. "As an important partner in jointly building the 'Belt and Road,' China and Indonesia have achieved fruitful cooperation in various fields in recent years, and the relations between the two countries have achieved considerable development. This exhibition showcases the fruitful achievements and beautiful visions of the two peoples in cultural exchange and people-to-people connectivity in the form of painting, calligraphy, photography, etc., highlighting the far-reaching significance of mutual learning between civilizations."

"Cultural activities are an important bridge to promote mutual understanding between the two countries." Gilling Ganesha (吉令·格内沙), Deputy Minister of Culture of Indonesia, said, "Indonesia and China have maintained close ties for hundreds of years, with close exchanges in trade, navigation, and culture. Chinese culture has had a profound impact on Indonesian culture."

Aiyali (艾雅丽), a student at the Confucius Institute at Al-Azhar University, took a photo in front of her award-winning calligraphy work "Harmony is Precious" (《以和为贵》). She told reporters: "I want to use this work to convey the concept of peace and commemorate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Indonesia and China." Having studied calligraphy for less than half a year, Aiyali has been practicing hard. "I am very interested in Chinese calligraphy." Learning that her work will tour many parts of Indonesia with the exhibition, she said: "This is the first time I have participated in such a large-scale event, and I feel very proud."

After receiving two works created on the spot by Chinese calligraphers at the exhibition site, Jensen Steven shared the content of the works on social media. He said that he usually translates the history of exchanges between Indonesia and China into Chinese and publishes it on the Internet. "I hope more Chinese friends will understand the history and stories of Indonesia."

(Reported from Jakarta (雅加达) by this newspaper)

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Photo Exhibition Commemorating the 80th Anniversary of the Victory Against Japanese Aggression Held in Kenya

A photo exhibition commemorating the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War was held on August 15 at the National Museum in Nairobi (内罗毕), the capital of Kenya (肯尼亚). The photo exhibition is themed "Remember History, Safeguard Peace." Kenyan (肯尼亚) politicians, scholars, media representatives, and overseas Chinese attended the opening ceremony.

Guo Haiyan (郭海燕), the Chinese Ambassador to Kenya (肯尼亚), said in her opening remarks that history is the best textbook. We must 以史为鉴 (yǐ shǐ wéi jiàn - "take history as a mirror," learn from history) to firmly safeguard our determination to maintain peace, resolutely oppose all forms of hegemonism and power politics, and jointly create a better future for mankind.

After visiting the photo exhibition, Kisii (基西) County Governor Arati (阿拉蒂) of Kenya (肯尼亚) said that the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression was an important part of the World Anti-Fascist War. This war defended world peace and had a profound impact on China (中国) and even the whole world.

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Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Answers Questions from Reporters Regarding Japanese Political Figures' Visit to the Yasukuni Shrine

Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, August 16th, (新华社北京8月16日电) Foreign Ministry Spokesperson answered reporters' questions on August 16 regarding Japanese political figures' visit to the Yasukuni Shrine.

A reporter asked: August 15th was the day of Japan's defeat and surrender. Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba (石破茂) offered ritual fees to the Yasukuni Shrine, and right-wing politicians such as Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Shinjiro Koizumi (小泉进次郎), Minister of Finance Katsunobu Kato (加藤胜信), Takayuki Kobayashi (小林鹰之), and Koichi Hagiuda (萩生田光一) visited the Yasukuni Shrine. What is China's comment on this?

The spokesperson stated that the Yasukuni Shrine is a spiritual tool and symbol of Japanese militarism's launching of wars of aggression against foreign countries, and enshrines 14 Class-A war criminals who bear serious responsibility for the war of aggression. The Chinese side expresses strong dissatisfaction with the Japanese side's blatant challenge to historical justice and human conscience, and has lodged solemn representations with the Japanese side.

The spokesperson said that this year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. Correctly understanding and treating history is an important prerequisite for Japan's return to the international community after the war, the political foundation for Japan to develop relations with neighboring countries, and even more so, a yardstick for testing whether Japan can adhere to its commitment to peaceful development. We urge the Japanese side to face up to and reflect on its history of aggression, be cautious in its words and actions on historical issues such as the Yasukuni Shrine, completely break with militarism, adhere to the path of peaceful development, and take practical actions to win the trust of its Asian neighbors and the international community.

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Zhijiang, Hunan Province, Publicly Releases Wartime Historical Photos from the U.S. National Archives for the First Time

(People's Daily, Changsha, August 16th) (Reporter Yang Xun (杨迅)) The Memorial Hall of the Victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and Acceptance of Japanese Surrender, located in Zhijiang Dong Autonomous County (芷江侗族自治县), Hunan (湖南), for the first time released 61 historical photos of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression from the collection of the U.S. National Archives on the 15th. Most of these photos were taken during the Battle of West Hunan (湘西会战) and the Zhijiang (芷江) surrender in 1945. The main historical scenes include the Zhijiang (芷江) people supporting the war, China and the United States fighting 并肩作战 (bìng jiān zuò zhàn - "shoulder to shoulder combat," to fight side by side), and the Zhijiang (芷江) surrender ceremony.

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Deeper Immersion, Deeper Understanding: The Transformation of "Research" (On the Scene: New Achievements in Style of Work Improvement)

By: 本报记者  张腾扬  白光迪  刘晓宇

Improving investigation and research is an important requirement of the Central Eight-Point Regulation. How investigation and research are conducted is related to work style construction and involves people's livelihood concerns.

Since the launch of in-depth study and education on the spirit of the Central Eight-Point Regulation, various regions and departments have improved investigation and research, further delving into grassroots levels to understand the real situation and solve practical problems. Our newspaper reporters went deep into the front lines to see how investigation and research can be more immersive and achieve tangible results.

Studying Problems in Practice

Among the apple orchards in Gaofukou Village (高阜口村), Fuping Town (阜平镇), Fuping County (阜平县), Baoding (保定), Hebei (河北), Zhou Zongshan (周宗山), a doctoral supervisor at the Institute of Fruit Trees, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (中国农业科学院果树研究所), is busy.

Since 2021, Zhou Zongshan has been providing technical guidance and assistance to Fuping's (阜平) forestry and fruit industry. In his opinion, research should go to the fields.

Why does he have such insights?

"Walking into the forest land allows you to see details, discover problems beneath the surface, and find the right solutions," Zhou Zongshan (周宗山) said.

Fuping County (阜平县) used to be a deeply impoverished area. To get rid of poverty and become rich, the local area developed the forestry and fruit industry in accordance with local conditions, introducing a mature "dwarf dense planting" cultivation model for apples.

"It is said that apples can enter the abundant production period in the third year. However, the fruit trees here are weak and have not seen benefits for a long time. Many experts said after seeing it that it was because the land was barren, and a yield of 2,000 catties per mu was the 'ceiling'." When he first arrived in Fuping (阜平), Zhou Zongshan (周宗山) was approached by village officials for help.

"The technical model is not a problem, so why is it not adapted to the local conditions in Fuping (阜平)?" With this question, Zhou Zongshan (周宗山) went deep into the fields for research.

Since then, Zhou Zongshan (周宗山) has been seen more often in the orchard: in spring, watering with fruit farmers using drip irrigation; in summer, during the critical period of fruit tree growth, the local area experienced drought, and the leaves were often wilted; in autumn, following fruit farmers to apply farm manure, he found that many people often "save where they can" because of the large initial investment and tight funds...

After several rounds of investigation, Zhou Zongshan (周宗山) had a good idea: "The poor growth of fruit trees is not only due to technology, but also to concepts."

"Drip irrigation is suitable for small trees. In Fuping's (阜平) sandy soil, for large trees with developed root systems, the water from drip irrigation leaks down before it has time to permeate horizontally. It seems like watering, but it is difficult to water thoroughly," Zhou Zongshan (周宗山) said. He also found that a deeper reason was that there was a contradiction between the thinking of local villagers and the characteristics of modern fruit industry's high investment and high output. "The fruit industry is a slow-yielding industry, and the first two years are often only investment. Many places can't see returns until the third year, so they don't dare to invest anymore, losing the opportunity for development."

Finding the root cause, Zhou Zongshan (周宗山) began an experiment.

In terms of concepts, Zhou Zongshan (周宗山) repeatedly explained to cadres and the masses that after finding the right path, they should dare to invest and pursue high output; in action, Zhou Zongshan (周宗山) ran around to attract funds, expand water sources, improve pipe networks, and improve the soil.

Some time ago, the experiment yielded results: the renovated orchard had a bumper harvest, with a stable yield of 5,000 catties per mu.

"Research should be more diligent, observe for a long enough time, have enough samples, and study problems in practice to find good solutions to difficulties," Zhou Zongshan (周宗山) said.

Summarizing Experience in Experience

Suzhou (苏州), Jiangsu (江苏), in front of the Lion Grove Garden (狮子林).

With his hands tightly gripping the handlebars and his body rising and falling, Xu Zhewen (许哲文) pedaled a tricycle under the scorching sun, and beads of sweat slid down his face. Xu Zhewen (许哲文) is a native of Suzhou (苏州) and is now a cadre at the Economic Development Service Office of Canglang Street (沧浪街道) in Suzhou (苏州). In his opinion, the human-powered tricycle is a feature of the tourism industry in Gusu City (姑苏城), but he never thought that he would one day do this job himself.

"Since the launch of study and education, Suzhou (苏州) has launched a 'running once in another's shoes' research mechanism. I chose to experience the work of a human-powered tricycle driver," Xu Zhewen (许哲文) said.

What did he gain from three months of research?

"How can the old business of human-powered tricycles be better developed? Only after experiencing it firsthand can you have the right to speak," Xu Zhewen (许哲文) admitted that before experiencing this job, his understanding of human-powered tricycles only stayed in subjective impressions and written materials. "After the research, I found that human-powered tricycles can play a greater role in displaying Gusu (姑苏) culture."

As he spoke, a tourist came over: "Master, are you going to the Suzhou Museum (苏州博物馆)?"

"Yes!" Xu Zhewen (许哲文) helped the guest put down his bag and set off immediately.

"Girl, why did you choose to take a human-powered tricycle?" Xu Zhewen (许哲文) asked.

"The roads in the ancient city are narrow, and human-powered tricycles are more convenient to go anywhere. And I also want to listen to the masters' explanations of Suzhou (苏州) history and culture, and it would be even better if they can help take pictures!" the tourist replied.

"Although human-powered tricycles can provide convenience for tourists, the excavation of cultural connotations is insufficient," Xu Zhewen (许哲文) thought while pedaling.

After dropping off the guest, while waiting for people, several human-powered tricycle drivers chatted with Xu Zhewen (许哲文).

"Xiao Xu (小许), our business is not good in the off-season. Can you help us think of a way?" said Hu Quanshui (胡全水), a 57-year-old human-powered tricycle driver.

"Uncle, if you work as a part-time tour guide and earn more money for each order, would you be willing?" Xu Zhewen (许哲文) suggested.

"Of course I would." Hu Quanshui (胡全水) sometimes tells guests some stories about scenic spots, but it is not "professional". "It would be better if we could get some training."

After noting down the opinions and suggestions, Xu Zhewen (许哲文) pondered that if he added explanation services during the off-season of human-powered tricycle business, allowing drivers to work as part-time tour guides and photographers, not only would tourists have a better experience, but the drivers could also increase their income.

After three months of research, Xu Zhewen (许哲文) gained a lot -

"The income of the drivers depends on the strength of each pedal. We must do a good job in serving the driver group."

"Human-powered tricycles can not only be used as transportation vehicles, but also as cultural carriers. We need to focus on vehicle design, tourism explanation, and photography services."

"Drivers can be 'cultural ambassadors' to attract more people to tell the story of Suzhou (苏州)."

…………

"Researching around the masses, you hear practical things," Xu Zhewen (许哲文) said. "Thanks to the 'running once in another's shoes' research mechanism, the research report I wrote will be reported to the competent unit, providing a reference for promoting the upgrading of traditional industries and the governance of the ancient city."

Solving Difficulties in Empathy

After the rain, the mountains in Xinluo District (新罗区), Longyan (龙岩), Fujian (福建), are lush with trees. Luo Kun (罗坤), who has been the Party Secretary of Yanshan Town (岩山镇) for less than a year, once again drilled into this green area. He calculated: "This is the fourteenth time I've come, and this time I must resolve the dispute between the two villages."

Yubao Village (玉宝村) in Yanshan Town (岩山镇) and Huodekeng Village (火德坑村) in Tieshan Town (铁山镇) are next to each other, and the division of the 2,400 mu of mountain forest at the border has been disputed by the two villages for a long time.

This year, Yubao Village (玉宝村) is planning to build a new road, which was blocked by Huodekeng Village (火德坑村): "Yubao Village (玉宝村) must first agree to the boundary plan before the road can be built."

Development waits for no one. To this end, Luo Kun (罗坤) spent more than half a year researching, mainly doing the work of Yubao Village (玉宝村). "The town previously issued a boundary plan, but Yubao Village (玉宝村) did not agree. I thought, I have to figure out everyone's ideas. If one investigation can't solve it, I'll come more times until it's resolved," Luo Kun (罗坤) said.

At the entrance of Yubao Village (玉宝村), Dong Xuewen (董学文), the village committee director in his sixties, just returned from the forest land and saw Luo Kun (罗坤) saying: "Secretary Luo (罗书记), thank you for coming again. I still think the boundary you划划 last time is not appropriate."

Half a year ago, Dong Xuewen's (董学文) sentence "The mountain forest cannot be given away. If the forest is given away, the children and grandchildren will have no way out" made more than 200 people in the village lose the courage to respond. In Luo Kun's (罗坤) view, Lao Dong (老董) is the "key" to this problem.

Luo Kun (罗坤) pulled Dong Xuewen (董学文): "Let's go, let's go to the village office to chat!"

Having come many times, Luo Kun (罗坤) is familiar with the ideas of everyone in the village: in the previous investigations, the most frequently mentioned thing was that they felt the surveying and mapping was inaccurate. These ten or so investigations included several surveying and mapping results by Luo Kun (罗坤) and others. "It is inevitable that there will be errors when walking with your feet and measuring with a tape measure," Luo Kun (罗坤) said.

This time, Luo Kun (罗坤) brought a new solution: in May of this year, the Xinluo District (新罗区) Natural Resources Department used drone surveying and mapping. The new surveying and mapping map is more accurate, giving Luo Kun (罗坤) confidence.

"The surveying and mapping map here has been clearly marked, clearly, and neither side will suffer," Luo Kun (罗坤) broke his fingers and calculated the long-term accounts with everyone. "Now the scope of the forest land can be clarified, and the road can be opened after the right is confirmed. In the future, it is estimated that it will receive 100,000 tourists every year, and the village collective can greatly increase its income... To put it another way, if you don't look at the long term and争眼前 (zhēng yǎn qián - "contend for the present," to focus on immediate gains at the expense of long-term benefits), you will damage the family style and rural customs. This is not谋后路 (móu hòu lù - "plan for a way out," to secure a future for descendants), but cutting off the road to development."

Speaking of this, Dong Xuewen (董学文) and the villagers were touched: "The data given by the Natural Resources Department is credible, and the results of everyone's research will not deceive people." The problem finally saw the dawn of a solution.

At the end of July, the dispute between the two villages was completely resolved. Luo Kun (罗坤) came to Yubao Village (玉宝村) for the fifteenth time. Looking at the road in front of him breaking ground, Luo Kun (罗坤) had many feelings: "The old saying goes '有盐同咸、无盐同淡 (yǒu yán tóng xián, wú yán tóng dàn - "share saltiness when there is salt, share blandness when there is no salt," to share both good and bad times),' After so many investigations, I can empathize with the masses' desire for development, which is the source of my motivation."

This issue is coordinated by: Yang Shuo Bi (杨烁壁)

Layout design: Cai Huawei (蔡华伟)

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Focus on Solving Real Problems (Quick Commentary)

By: 杨烁壁

Speaking of research, there used to be a phenomenon called "riding in a car and looking through the glass," which criticized the undesirable style of 走马观花 (zǒu mǎ guān huā - "riding a horse and looking at flowers," a cursory observation) and 蜻蜓点水 (qīng tíng diǎn shuǐ - "dragonfly skimming the water," touching on something superficially).

How should research be conducted? It is often easy to physically immerse oneself in grassroots levels, but going to the grassroots is not the end point. Finding real problems and solving real problems is the meaning of research.

Whether it is fruit tree experts going deep into the fields of Fuping (阜平) in Hebei (河北) to find problems and come up with solutions, or cadres in Suzhou (苏州), Jiangsu (江苏) conducting research from a different perspective, or cadres in Longyan (龙岩), Fujian (福建) conducting 15 research trips in half a year, these experiences can make people realize that Party cadres should not only physically immerse themselves in the grassroots, but also immerse their hearts in the grassroots. Only by conducting research with the original intention of solving the urgent needs and anxieties of the masses can research be meaningful and avoid becoming a mere formality.

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Shenzhou-20 Astronaut Crew Successfully Completes Third Extravehicular Activity (EVA)

This newspaper reported from Beijing on August 16th (Liu Shiyao (刘诗瑶), Zhan Kang (占康)): According to the China Manned Space Engineering Office (中国载人航天工程办公室): At Beijing (北京) time on August 15th, the Shenzhou-20 (神舟二十号) astronaut crew successfully completed their third extravehicular activity (EVA). This EVA lasted approximately 6.5 hours. The Shenzhou-20 (神舟二十号) crew astronauts Chen Dong (陈冬), Chen Zhongrui (陈中瑞), and Wang Jie (王杰) closely coordinated, and with the cooperation and support of the space station robotic arm and ground researchers, successfully completed the predetermined tasks. The extravehicular astronauts Chen Dong (陈冬) and Wang Jie (王杰) have safely returned to the Wentian (问天) experimental module, and the EVA was a complete success.

During the preparation work for the Shenzhou-20 (神舟二十号) crew's third EVA, the "Wukong AI (悟空AI)" large model, carried aboard the Tianzhou-9 (天舟九号) cargo spacecraft, played an auxiliary supporting role, providing intelligent and professional support for astronauts' on-orbit work. The model has been running stably in orbit for a month, and the astronaut crew has given positive feedback. This achievement marks an important progress in China's (中国) space station on-orbit intelligent applications.

The "Wukong AI (悟空AI)" is developed based on domestic open-source models. Combining the needs of manned spaceflight missions, it uses pre-training and instruction fine-tuning technology to build a large language model in a specialized field. The system can provide astronauts with rapid and effective information support for complex on-orbit operations and troubleshooting, helping astronauts to carry out their work more efficiently, enriching on-orbit psychological support methods, and improving the efficiency of space-ground collaboration.

The first application and verification of large model technology in China's (中国) space station has the following significant characteristics: First, it constructs a space-ground collaborative intelligent question-answering support system, with a ground model and an on-orbit model. The ground model provides in-depth analysis capabilities for professional knowledge, while the on-orbit model focuses on solving difficult and critical problems, realizing efficient information interaction and mission support. Second, facing the characteristics of manned spaceflight missions such as multi-professional, complex types, and massive data, it has developed scenario-based data processing, optimization technology, and customized retrieval strategies to ensure rapid response and correct support. Third, it adopts a rapid integration and continuous evolution "1+X" system framework and an online incremental update mechanism, supporting flexible expansion and continuous optimization, and has efficient system reconstruction capabilities. In the future, it can be expanded to add functions such as mission planning, data analysis, and intelligent prediction.

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"Heart to Heart" Art Troupe Visits Tibet for慰问 Performance

According to Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, August 16th (Reporter Bai Ying), on the occasion of celebrating the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the Tibet Autonomous Region, the "Heart to Heart" Art Troupe of the China Media Group (中央广播电视总台) recently went to Tibet (西藏) to carry out a performance to express their regards. By showcasing Tibet's (西藏) natural scenery, history, culture, opening up and development, and the beauty of ethnic unity, the troupe demonstrated the all-round progress and historic achievements made in the 60 years since the establishment of the Tibet Autonomous Region (西藏自治区), highlighting the confidence and determination of the people of all ethnic groups in Tibet (西藏) to unite and forge ahead in the new era and new journey, and to write a new chapter of Chinese-style modernization in Tibet (西藏).

The theme of this performance was "Happy New Tibet (西藏)", using the stories of witnesses and builders of Tibet's (西藏) 60-year development as a creative fulcrum, bringing songs, dances, instrumental music and other forms of artistic programs to the masses in various parts of Tibet (西藏). The art troupe went into Nanshan Park (南山公园), Lhalu Wetland (拉鲁湿地), Barkhor Street (八廓古城), and barley fields, integrating performances into work and life scenarios, and conducting in-depth exchanges and interactions with aid-Tibet cadres, forest rangers, officers and soldiers of the "Plateau Border Guarding Model Battalion" (高原戍边模范营), and Sichuan-Tibet Railway (川藏铁路) workers.

In addition, the art troupe also enriched the forms of expressing their regards, jointly teaching a lunar exploration science class with students at the Shigatse Youth Academy of Sciences (日喀则青少年科学院), presenting a flash mob event for passengers with civil aviation practitioners at Lhasa Gonggar International Airport (拉萨贡嘎国际机场), showcasing Tibetan ethnic costumes through instrumental music and fashion shows on the streets of Lhasa (拉萨), and using Quyi forms to help local fruit farmers launch a unique live broadcast for sales in Gala Village (嘎拉村), Nyingchi (林芝).

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Public Security Organs Crack Down on Crimes Endangering Birds and Other Wild Animals

Beijing, August 16th (People's Daily reporter Zhang Tianpei (张天培)) - The reporter learned from the Ministry of Public Security (公安部): In recent years, public security organs across the country have continuously deployed special operations and special work such as "Kunlun" and "Peaceful Wilderness," deployed regional battles to combat crimes against migratory birds in the "zigzag bend" of the Yellow River, organized special case cluster strike actions against illegal hunting, and severely cracked down on crimes endangering birds and other wild animals in accordance with the law.

It is reported that the Gaizhou (盖州) public security organs in Liaoning (辽宁) Province cracked the case of Li Mouyi (李某义), Wu Mou (吴某), and others illegally hunting and endangering precious and endangered wild animals. The Hunchun (珲春) public security organs in Jilin (吉林) Province cracked the case of Li Mou (李某) and others illegally hunting... Various localities have focused on investigating and handling a number of typical cases endangering birds and other wild animals, cracking down on a number of criminal gangs, and cutting off a number of criminal chains.

Since the beginning of this year, public security organs have filed and investigated more than 7,000 criminal cases involving endangering birds and other wild animals, arrested more than 11,000 criminal suspects, effectively protected bird and other wild animal resources, fully safeguarded the construction of a beautiful China, and promoted the harmonious coexistence of humans and nature.

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Inclusive small and micro enterprise loan balance up 12.3% year-on-year at the end of the second quarter

People's Daily Beijing (北京) August 16th (Reporter Zhao Zhanhui (赵展慧)) - On the 16th, the reporter learned from the National Financial Regulatory Administration that by the end of the second quarter of 2025, the total assets of China's banking and insurance industries maintained growth, while the ability to serve the real economy continued to strengthen. Taking the banking industry as an example, the total amount of domestic and foreign currency assets was 467.3 trillion yuan, an increase of 7.9% year-on-year; the balance of inclusive small and micro enterprise loans was 36 trillion yuan, an increase of 12.3% year-on-year; and the balance of inclusive agricultural loans was 13.9 trillion yuan, an increase of 1.1 trillion yuan compared with the beginning of the year.

From the perspective of the insurance industry, at the end of the second quarter of 2025, the total assets of insurance companies and insurance asset management companies were 39.2 trillion yuan, an increase of 3.3 trillion yuan compared with the beginning of the year, an increase of 9.2%. In the first half of the year, the original insurance premium income of insurance companies was 3.7 trillion yuan, an increase of 5.1% year-on-year; indemnity and payment expenditures were 1.3 trillion yuan, an increase of 9% year-on-year; and the number of new insurance policies was 52.4 billion, an increase of 11.1% year-on-year.

The data shows that the credit asset quality of commercial banks is generally stable. At the end of the second quarter, the balance of non-performing loans of commercial banks was 3.4 trillion yuan, a decrease of 2.4 billion yuan from the end of the previous quarter; the non-performing loan ratio of commercial banks was 1.49%, a decrease of 0.02 percentage points from the end of the previous quarter. The solvency of the insurance industry is sufficient. At the end of the second quarter of 2025, the comprehensive solvency adequacy ratio of the insurance industry was 204.5%, and the core solvency adequacy ratio was 147.8%.

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Sichuan Basin Adds Another Deep Shale Gas Field with Over 100 Billion Cubic Meters of Reserves

(People's Daily, Beijing, August 16th) (Reporters Ding Yiting (丁怡婷) and Wang Mingfeng (王明峰)) It was learned from Sinopec (中石化) that the exploration and development of the Yongchuan Shale Gas Field (永川页岩气田) in the Sichuan Basin (四川盆地) has made a breakthrough. The newly added proven geological reserves of 124.588 billion cubic meters have been approved by the expert group of the Ministry of Natural Resources (自然资源部), marking the birth of another large deep shale gas field with over 100 billion cubic meters in China. 124.588 billion cubic meters is equivalent to about half of the country's natural gas production last year. The Yongchuan Shale Gas Field (永川页岩气田) is a deep shale gas field, with the main part buried at a depth of more than 3,500 meters. It was discovered in 2016.

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Railway tunnel through Helan Mountains completed

Our newspaper Beijing August 16th (Reporter Li Xinping (李心萍)) August 16th, China's first railway tunnel crossing the Helan Mountains, the Helan Mountain Tunnel on the Yinba branch line of the Baotou-Yinchuan high-speed railway, was successfully completed.

The Baotou-Yinchuan high-speed railway is an important part of the national "eight vertical and eight horizontal" high-speed railway network. Among them, the Yinba branch line starts from Yinchuan City (银川市), Ningxia, and ends in Alxa League (阿拉善盟), Inner Mongolia, with a main line length of approximately 111 kilometers. The Helan Mountain Tunnel is a key and difficult control project of this branch line.

Han Wei (韩伟), the head of the Helan Mountain Tunnel project of China Railway 15th Bureau, introduced that the newly completed Helan Mountain Tunnel is 8,792 meters long and is located at the junction of Alxa Left Banner (阿拉善左旗), Inner Mongolia, and Yinchuan (银川), Ningxia, as well as the junction of the Tengger Desert (腾格里沙漠) and the Yellow River Basin (黄河流域). It crosses the Helan Mountain National Nature Reserve (贺兰山国家级自然保护区), with a sensitive and fragile ecological environment and extremely complex geological conditions. The maximum buried depth of the tunnel exceeds 230 meters. During construction, it is necessary to pass under the Ming Great Wall (明长城) and six fault fracture zones, with extremely high risks of water inrush and collapse. In order to reduce the disturbance to the Ming Great Wall, the construction team changed the traditional drilling and blasting method to a "mechanical excavation + C6 drilling rig operation + dynamic monitoring" low-disturbance combination technology, which strengthened the protection of the ancient ruins and ensured high-quality and efficient tunnel excavation.

After the completion and opening of the Yinba branch line of the Baotou-Yinchuan high-speed railway, it will further improve the railway network layout of Ningxia (宁夏) and Inner Mongolia (内蒙古), strengthen inter-regional connectivity, drive coordinated ecological protection and economic development along the route, and inject new impetus into promoting high-quality regional economic and social development.

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First Edition Editors: Xu Nuo, Zhao Zheng, Luan Xinyi; Second Edition Editors: Yin Xinyu, Qi Jiarun, Han Wenrong; Third Edition Editors: Wu Gang, Zhou Zhou, Chen Xirui; Fourth Edition Editors: Yuan Zhenxi, Liu Jingwen, Chen Zhen

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New Era Youth Discuss Devoting Themselves to Ecological and Environmental Protection (Youth Roundtable)

On August 15th, we welcomed the third National Ecology Day, with this year's theme being: "Lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets."

The concept of "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" has taken root in people's hearts over the past 20 years. In recent years, inspired by this concept, a large number of young people have devoted themselves to ecological and environmental protection, rooted themselves in the front lines, and worked diligently to make the sky bluer, the land greener, and the water clearer. Recently, reporters interviewed 10 young people in related fields, listening to their full enthusiasm, struggles, and thoughts in the process of ecological and environmental protection.

-- Editor

Rural Pollution Control

The key to weaving a dense ecological protection network is to find the right path and practice it diligently.

Shen Ming (沈铭), Village Committee Member of Xigang Village (西港村), Yuyue Town (禹越镇), Deqing County (德清县), Zhejiang Province (浙江省): Now, the village has clear rivers and green banks, tidy roads, and rows of distinctive farmhouses neatly arranged.

However, many years ago, the village was full of garbage and sewage. In my opinion, there is no shortcut to ecological governance from "dirty, chaotic, and poor" to "green, rich, and beautiful." The key to weaving a dense ecological protection network is to find the right path and practice it diligently.

For a while, in the Hedao section of the Xin Kai River (新开河) in the village, rubble, cement blocks, and waste wood piled up into "islands," which seriously affected the ecological environment. My colleagues and I worked from house to house, stepping on ankle-deep silt, and organized excavators to clean up the river. After that, we found experienced masters to plant water-purifying plants such as reeds in the ditches.

The ditches are rectified, but how to solve the problem of random stacking of debris in the village? After brainstorming, several of us young people launched the "Beautiful Courtyard" plan. I contacted craftsmen in the town to provide free technical guidance for the renovation of villagers' courtyards. My colleague, Shen Fei (沈菲), designed a "micro-transformation" list—using old tires to plant flowers and plants, and waste wood to build flower stands, which is both money-saving and distinctive.

Ecological governance is not a "one-man show" for cadres, but also requires villagers to play the leading role. "Vegetable leaves, fruit peels, kitchen waste barrels, waste paper and plastic can be recycled..." Hearing some villagers complain that they could not figure out garbage classification, I compiled a jingle. Shen Fei (沈菲) designed an "environmental protection points card." Villagers can earn points for participating in river cleaning, garbage classification, and courtyard beautification, and can redeem points for soap and other daily necessities at the end of the month.

In order to expand the governance results, the village committee promoted the formulation of the Xigang Village (西港村) ecological management convention. We mobilized party member volunteers in the village to form an "environmental protection volunteer team" to encourage more young people to join the environmental protection team. After a period of time, the villagers slowly developed good habits.

Nowadays, the river water is getting clearer and the village is getting cleaner. As a young village cadre, I will continue to **咬定青山不放松** (yǎo dìng qīng shān bù fàng sōng - "bite the green hills and not relax," to remain steadfast and determined) and contribute to the construction of a beautiful countryside.

(Reported and compiled by Dou Hao (窦皓), reporter of this newspaper)

Ecological Management and Protection

Protecting the Sanjiangyuan (三江源) is protecting our home.

Geng Ga (更尕), ecological ranger of the Lancang River (澜沧江) source park of the Sanjiangyuan National Park (三江源国家公园): Towering red rock walls, ancient cypress communities rooted in stone peaks, and swaying green velvet poppies, mysterious and mighty snow leopards... My hometown, Angsai Grand Canyon (昂赛大峡谷) in Zaduo County (杂多县), Qinghai Province (青海省), has magnificent mountains and rivers.

In 2016, the Sanjiangyuan National Park (三江源国家公园) system pilot project was launched, and the Angsai Grand Canyon (昂赛大峡谷) was included in the Lancang River (澜沧江) source park of the Sanjiangyuan National Park (三江源国家公园). I also became an ecological ranger in the park. The farthest patrol is more than 100 kilometers. Grassland protection and fire prevention, pest and disease prevention reports, and wildlife monitoring are all part of my job. Over the years, I have damaged 4 motorcycles and countless pairs of shoes.

The patrol work is hard and the food is simple. I am often called "uncle" even though I am only in my 30s. But I also have many unforgettable moments. I remember the first time I saw snow leopard cubs playing in the lens, my heart was touched. Once, I posted a photo of a marmot taken with my mobile phone on a short video platform, which attracted a lot of likes and comments, which encouraged me a lot. Later, photography also became part of my job. As more and more wild animals such as snow leopards and bar-headed geese frequently appear in the lens, I can clearly feel that the ecological environment of my hometown is getting better and better.

Protecting the Sanjiangyuan (三江源) is protecting our home. In 2021, the Sanjiangyuan National Park (三江源国家公园) was officially established. The former black soil beach has been revitalized after ecological restoration. Our rangers and herdsmen work together to re-green the bare land. Between the grass and the warblers, marmots poked their heads out of newly dug holes, and plateau pikas shuttled under the grass roots. The restoration of the ecological chain has revitalized the land.

(Reported and compiled by Jia Fengfeng (贾丰丰), reporter of this newspaper)

Public Welfare Service

Calling on more young people to invest in the protection of the Mother River.

Du Jie (杜杰), director of Jinqing Sustainable Development Public Welfare Service Center (晋青可持续发展公益服务中心) in Fenyang City (汾阳市), Shanxi Province (山西省): I am a native Shanxi environmental protection worker. Over the years, I have witnessed the transformation of Shanxi's green transformation from being determined to protect the Fen River (汾河) to investing in the great protection of the Yellow River (黄河).

In the summer of 2008, I and 28 volunteers from 21 universities embarked on a journey along the Yellow River (黄河) in Shanxi, Shaanxi, and Inner Mongolia. A group of us young people walked along the Yellow River (黄河), going into villages and households to conduct publicity and research. We pay attention to air pollution along the coast, as well as garbage pollution along the river.

What I saw and heard along the way made me deeply realize that the protection of the Yellow River (黄河) requires rooting in the grassroots and gathering joint efforts. For many years thereafter, with the support of relevant departments, I led the team across Shanxi, Shaanxi, and Inner Mongolia to carry out ecological and environmental publicity and education projects. We have left our footprints in almost every county through which the Yellow River (黄河) flows through Shanxi, hoping to arouse public attention to the ecology of the Yellow River (黄河) through on-site research, campus lectures, and inter-provincial cooperation.

In 2025, the Jinqing Sustainable Development Public Welfare Service Center (晋青可持续发展公益服务中心), where I work, held the first Yellow River Basin Youth Ecological Civilization Exchange Activity, calling on more young people to invest in the protection of the Mother River through Yellow River Protection Law awareness surveys, multi-department dialogues, and other actions.

Looking back on the journey, steamed buns and pickles are the norm, and sleeping in tents and staying up late are commonplace. Looking at the young faces around me who have suffered together, I know that one person's strength is weak, but the beliefs of a group of people can eventually converge into the power of change.

In the future, I will continue to root myself in Shanxi, promote public low-carbon living practices, and help the green transformation of energy. I believe that the clarity of every drop of water will eventually converge into the vitality of the Yellow River (黄河) flowing forever.

(Reported and compiled by Zheng Yangyang (郑洋洋), reporter of this newspaper)

Scientific Research

Using scientific and technological power to promote the green transformation of the non-ferrous metal industry.

Yan Huashan (严华山), Director of the Mineral Processing Engineering Department of the School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Jiangxi University of Science and Technology (江西理工大学): I grew up in a village in Ganzhou (赣州), Jiangxi (江西), the "World Tungsten Capital." When filling out college application forms, I chose the mineral processing engineering major at Jiangxi University of Science and Technology (江西理工大学). Ten years of undergraduate and postgraduate studies have strengthened my belief in devoting myself to the mining industry and serving the country through science and technology.

A copper mine internship in my junior year deeply shocked me. Standing on the edge of an endless tailings pond, I faced the "scar" of resource exploitation for the first time—massive tailings piled up like mountains. I asked the worker in charge: "What if the pond is full?" He shook his head with a wry smile: "We can only find another place to pile it up, production cannot stop!"

"We must turn these tailings into treasure!" An idea gradually sprouted in my heart. Since starting my doctorate, I have participated in the national key research and development plan "Integrated Demonstration of Solid Waste Resource Utilization in the Central Mining Characteristic Industrial Cluster." The project envisions making copper tailings into building materials to achieve large-scale consumption. However, experts pointed out a key obstacle: "These tailings contain too much sulfur, no one dares to use them!"

After repeated research, I found that the root cause of the problem was that the sulfur in pyrite was not effectively removed during the mineral processing process. After more than 220 days and nights and thousands of experiments, we finally ushered in a breakthrough—the deep desulfurization of copper tailings was achieved using a new type of activator. Once the desulfurization bottleneck was broken, the project team worked together to overcome key technologies such as the preparation of siliceous raw materials from copper tailings.

In 2020, a comprehensive utilization plant with an annual processing capacity of 2.5 million tons of copper tailings was erected in the Chengmenshan Copper Mine (城门山铜矿). The "waste" that once had nowhere to be placed has been gorgeously transformed into a best-selling raw material in the construction materials market in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River.

In the future, my team and I will continue to write papers in the mines of the motherland, use scientific and technological power to promote the green transformation of the non-ferrous metal industry, and contribute to building a beautiful China with blue skies, green land, and clear water.

(Reported and compiled by Wang Dan (王丹), reporter of this newspaper)

Atmospheric Governance

Turning the "gray" of steel into the "green" of ecology.

Song Yejia (宋叶佳), Atmospheric Science Department of the Environmental Protection Department of Jiangyin Xingcheng Special Steel Co., Ltd. (江阴兴澄特种钢铁有限公司), Jiangsu Province (江苏省): The year I graduated from undergraduate, I came to Jiangyin Xingcheng Special Steel Co., Ltd. (江阴兴澄特种钢铁有限公司), and have been working in the position of environmental protection and atmospheric governance for more than 10 years. Some people say that the steel industry is "gray," but I have always wanted to use my own hands to prove that it can also become "green."

The pollution control of steel enterprises has the characteristics of large emissions and complex pollution factors. In 2019, the company launched ultra-low emission transformation, which is a full-process and systematic battle. Through a series of technical transformations, we have reduced particulate matter emissions by 20.1%, sulfur dioxide emissions by 60.1%, and nitrogen oxide emissions by 58.7%. The emission intensity per ton of steel has reached the advanced level at home and abroad.

Behind these transformations is not only the investment of funds and equipment, but also the day-to-day monitoring, debugging, and optimization.

In the atmospheric monitoring work, I inspect the online instrument connection sites and air micro-stations every month, and carry out self-monitoring in strict accordance with national pollutant discharge permit specifications; when encountering problems such as unorganized smoke, I will go to the site as soon as possible to help the branch analyze the reasons and formulate solutions.

What makes me feel most accomplished is seeing the obvious improvement in air quality in the factory area and surrounding areas. In the past, there were many smoggy days in winter, and many positions in the factory area had to wear masks; now, there are more and more blue skies. Colleagues said: "Now the air is better and work is more comfortable."

Environmental protection is a responsibility and a belief. Today, when I walk into the photovoltaic green power workshop and watch the sunlight spread on rows of solar panels, I still feel the heavy responsibility on my shoulders—turning the "gray" of steel into the "green" of ecology, so that the green mountains will always be there and the green waters will flow forever.

(Reported and compiled by Bai Guangdi (白光迪), reporter of this newspaper)

Species Protection

Protecting the "rainforest elves" in the depths of the jungle.

Liu Huiqin (刘辉勤), ranger of Bawangling Branch (霸王岭分局) of Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park Administration (海南热带雨林国家公园管理局): The Hainan gibbon is known as the "rainforest elf." It is a unique species only distributed on Hainan Island and an indicator species of the integrity and authenticity of the Hainan tropical rainforest ecosystem. We are both rangers and monitoring team members, providing references for species protection through on-site monitoring for no less than 10 days per month.

In the middle and late of each month, we carry 40 to 50 kilograms of living materials and equipment, hike through the tropical rainforest, climb to a monitoring point more than 800 meters above sea level, and settle down in a simple tin shed. At more than 4 o'clock the next day, we will go to the listening point in groups of two, waiting for the first gibbon call.

For the monitoring team members, the first gibbon call at dawn is like an alarm clock, "urging" us to meet them within 15 minutes. Identifying directions and moving quickly in the misty rainforest is the basic skill of the team members. After finding the Hainan gibbon, in addition to taking photos, we have to make an "action description" of it every 3 minutes, plus records of activity areas, food choices, etc. The "appearance" of the Hainan gibbon is becoming clearer and clearer, and the protection work is becoming more organized.

At more than 3 o'clock in the afternoon, the pace of us "gibbon chasers" has to be accelerated. The Hainan gibbon, which is looking for a sleeping tree for the night, will speed up its tumbling and jumping in the tropical rainforest. The gibbon "flies" in the forest, and we chase on the ground. This is to make up for the relatively lacking night lodging records. Gradually, we chased slower, but we were also happy—the rainforest is getting denser and denser, and it is more difficult to run.

Today, the wild population of Hainan gibbons continues to grow, from 5 groups of 35 at the beginning of the establishment of the national park to 7 groups of 42. I hope that more young people will support wildlife protection, and I will continue to insist on doing a good job in monitoring and recording, and protect the ecological environment of the tropical rainforest.

(Reported and compiled by Dong Zeyang (董泽扬), reporter of this newspaper)

Ecological Restoration

Turning barren mines into golden rice fields.

Li Zhengqiang (李正强), project leader of Heilongjiang Geological and Mineral Investment Group (黑龙江省地矿投资集团): In May 2022, when I first stood on the edge of the cliff of the Daduifeng abandoned mine (大堆丰废弃矿山) in Jiamusi City (佳木斯市), Heilongjiang Province (黑龙江省), I saw vegetation destroyed, the smell of garbage was pungent, and the Songhua River (松花江) was looming in the distance. How to transform barren mines into fertile land? At that moment, pressure and a sense of mission surged into my heart at the same time.

When I got the design blueprint, the most intuitive challenge was the huge drop of up to 48 meters from the top of the slope to the deepest pit bottom. In order to ensure construction safety, I led the team to use technology and model design terrain, and finally formulated a "minimally invasive" cleaning plan to build a gentle slope safety platform. In two years, 450,000 cubic meters of earth and stone were moved to fill the mountains and valleys under scientific planning, and more than 100 acres of precious flat land were "created" on this wasteland of mine slag.

Greater challenges followed: Can crops be grown in such soil? At the beginning of construction, we peeled off and carefully preserved the valuable black soil remaining in the mining area in layers, just like caring for treasures. After the land leveling was completed, these precious black soils were re-covered on the field blocks. Organic fertilizer was applied to cultivate the land, and plant straw and microbial agents were scientifically proportioned with mine slag. The soil organic matter content was finally stably increased to more than 3.5%.

Efforts always pay off. In the golden autumn of 2024, on the land that was once covered with mine slag, golden rice waves rolled, and the yield per mu of the experimental field finally exceeded 1,000 jin, reaching the yield requirements of high-standard farmland per mu.

Standing on the ridge, looking at this land awakened by sweat, wisdom, and faith, as an ordinary post-90s, I was overwhelmed and indescribable. When mines grow rice fields and mine pits become cornucopias, "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" is embodied in the vibrant and green picture in front of us.

(Reported and compiled by Fang Yuan (方圆), reporter of this newspaper)

Sand Prevention and Control

Protecting every tree and every patch of green for future generations.

Song Jianqiang (宋建强), head of the Genghis Khan National Forest Park Management Center (成吉思汗国家森林公园管理中心) in Inner Mongolia (内蒙古): When tourists visit the Genghis Khan National Forest Park (成吉思汗国家森林公园), they will definitely see such a scene—neatly arranged Scotch pines stand like guards, and standardized forest belts with a plant spacing of 3 meters cast dense green shade in the sun. Who would have thought that this used to be a desert where "yellow sand covered the sky"?

As an important part of the "Three-North" Shelterbelt Project (三北防护林工程), there is a large amount of artificial afforestation in sandy land here. In 2022, when I came to work here, the words of an old employee of a state-owned forest farm impressed me deeply: If we are more careful, ecological security will be more guaranteed, and the results of the "Three-North" Shelterbelt Project (三北防护林工程) will be more stable.

Within 3 months, whether it was rugged mountain roads or remote forest areas, my colleagues and I walked to survey and record in detail the vegetation status, facility conditions, and potential risks of each forest land, hand-painted distribution maps, established ledgers, and completed a full-coverage survey of 131 on-site verification points, laying a "data foundation" for subsequent refined management. With our joint efforts, the park has established a "one forest, one file" dynamic management mechanism, realizing the transformation of resource management from "extensive" to "refined," ensuring the continuous and healthy development of this hard-won green barrier.
Within three months, whether on rugged mountain roads or in remote forest areas, my colleagues and I surveyed on foot, meticulously recording the vegetation conditions, facility conditions, and potential risks of each forest land. We hand-drew distribution maps, established ledgers, and completed a full-coverage survey of 131 on-site verification points, laying a "data cornerstone" for subsequent refined management. Through our joint efforts, the park established a dynamic management mechanism of "one file for each forest," realizing the transformation of resource management from "extensive" to "refined," ensuring the continuous and healthy development of this hard-won green barrier.

Over the years, I have personally witnessed the tremendous changes in the local ecological environment, with the yellow sand gradually receding and the green trees already forming a shade. But I deeply know that if we compare desertification prevention and control to battles, the "enemy" we face is very stubborn. We must defend this hard-won "position" and constantly expand new "victories."

As a young party member, in the future, I will continue to do a good job in protecting the achievements of the "Three-North" Shelterbelt Project (三北防护林工程), so that the green of life can exist forever on this once-barren desert, and safeguard every tree and every patch of green for future generations.

(Reported and compiled by Zhai Qinqi (翟钦奇), reporter of this newspaper)

Ecological Monitoring

Accumulated Trekking of Over 100,000 Kilometers, Safeguarding a River of Clear Water Flowing Eastward

Jiang Jing (蒋晶), Senior Engineer of the Water Division of Chongqing Municipal Ecological Environment Monitoring Center (重庆市生态环境监测中心): When I was a child, I lived in the staff dormitory of a chemical factory by the Jialing River (嘉陵江). I remember my father coming home from work and sighing: "It would be great if the river water were clearer." One sentence, like a seed falling in the river breeze.

Years later, this concern guided me onto the path of aquatic ecological monitoring. Every time we arrive at a river, my partners and I collect samples, take the water samples back to the laboratory, and use classification identification and environmental DNA and other technologies to "diagnose" the aquatic ecological environment.

Before 2023, I was the only one in the center responsible for aquatic ecological monitoring. Twice a year, in spring and autumn, we conducted periodic monitoring at 162 points, visiting a maximum of three points a day. The bottom sediment sampler, weighing more than ten kilograms, made my shoulders ache.

Aquatic ecological monitoring is a "slow work" and even more a "detailed work." Many times, we are faced with countless imperceptible microorganisms and large benthic invertebrates, which only reveal their true colors little by little under a microscope of dozens of times magnification. Each complete sample analysis requires continuous observation, comparison, and recording for several hours without blinking.

At the beginning, I also found it boring. But gradually, I saw the "reply" given by nature from those subtle changes—the Yangtze River (长江) is really getting better. In recent years, the proportion of excellent water quality in Chongqing's (重庆) national control sections has increased to 100%.

Since joining the Chongqing Municipal Ecological Environment Monitoring Center (重庆市生态环境监测中心) in 2017, I have trekked more than 100,000 kilometers on the road of water environment monitoring. Now, the center has a mature team, and the aquatic ecology is also continuously improving. I deeply know that what we collect is not only water samples and aquatic organisms, but also the pulse and memory of rivers; what we write is not only monitoring reports, but also our wishes for a clear water and green banks in the future.

(Reported and compiled by Chang Bilo (常碧罗), reporter of this newspaper)

Green Recycling

Moving Forward Towards "Green," Striving to Ensure That Every Resource Is Not Left Idle

Cen Zhenfeng (岑振锋), Chairman of Guangdong Xiangshan Urban Resource Recycling Co., Ltd. (广东香山城市资源循环利用有限公司): I started from the grassroots level and am now responsible for the management of resource recycling projects and urban environmental sanitation services. Recently, my team and I participated in the construction of a "zero-waste city," opening up the environmental sanitation collection and transportation network and the renewable resource recycling network in Zhongshan City (中山市), setting up convenient recycling points in residential areas and environmental sanitation transfer stations, allowing residents to cash in their renewable resources while disposing of garbage.

In my opinion, the utilization of renewable resources is the "key node" of the circular economy, and it is the practical process of turning waste back into resources, which also requires systematic cooperation.

For example, old household appliances can be recycled separately for metals, plastics, and circuit boards after being disassembled, but this requires a standardized disassembly process; another example is waste paper, which needs to be removed of oil stains and tape before it can be re-papered. This requires both front-end residents to cooperate in sorting and back-end sorting technology support.

Therefore, the focus of our work is to try to make all links in resource recycling smoother. For residents and sanitation workers, it is convenient to find "one-stop" recycling outlets (stations); for enterprises, a stable source of renewable resource materials ensures the stability of back-end production; for the industry, providing standardized services and models helps the upstream and downstream industries to be more standardized and compliant.

I hope to strive to ensure that every resource is not left idle and that a green lifestyle becomes a trend among young people. With this beautiful expectation in mind, my colleagues and I will continue to do our best and move forward towards "green."

(Reported and compiled by Hong Qiuting (洪秋婷), reporter of this newspaper)

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This edition's editor: Liu Botong

Layout design: Cai Huawei (蔡华伟)

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Heroic Company, Heroic Soldiers (On the Road to a Strong Military: A Battle Flag That Never Fades)

By: 本报记者 付 文

"The towering Yanshan Mountains (燕山) stand tall, the Xiaoxiao Yi River (易水) runs cold. The five heroic warriors, their valor shook Mount Langya (狼牙山)."

In the autumn of 1941, the Japanese invaders concentrated their forces and launched a large-scale invasion of the Jinchaji (晋察冀) base area. In September, more than 3,500 Japanese and puppet troops besieged the Langya Mountain (狼牙山) area southwest of Yi County (易县), Hebei Province (河北). To cover the transfer of the masses and the main force of the troops, the 7th Company of the 1st Regiment of the 1st Division of the Jinchaji Military Region (晋察冀军区) was ordered to undertake the covering task. To buy more time for the transfer, the company left the 6th squad to continue blocking the enemy.

Faced with an enemy a hundred times their size, the five soldiers of the 6th squad engaged in a desperate struggle, gradually leading the enemy to the Qipantuo (棋盘陀) peak of Langya Mountain (狼牙山). When their ammunition ran out and there was no way out, they chose to die rather than surrender and jumped off the cliff. Squad leader Ma Baoyu (马宝玉) and soldiers Hu Delin (胡德林) and Hu Fucai (胡福才) heroically sacrificed their lives. Deputy squad leader Ge Zhenlin (葛振林) and soldier Song Xueyi (宋学义) were miraculously saved by tree branches on the mountainside.

After this battle, the Jinchaji Military Region (晋察冀军区) issued an order requiring the troops in the entire region to learn from the heroic and resolute fighting spirit of Ma Baoyu (马宝玉) and the other five warriors of Langya Mountain (狼牙山). From then on, the company was known as the "Langya Mountain Five Warriors Company (狼牙山五壮士连)." In 1959, Marshal Nie Rongzhen (聂荣臻) inscribed the following words for the Langya Mountain Five Warriors Memorial Tower: "To regard death as going home is the spirit that a revolutionary soldier should have; to rather die than submit is the glorious tradition of the heroes of Yan and Zhao (燕赵)." "To regard death as going home, to rather die than submit" became the spirit of the company, passed down to this day.

In the new era, the officers and soldiers of the "Langya Mountain Five Warriors Company (狼牙山五壮士连)" of a brigade of the 74th Group Army (74集团军) of the Army use practical actions to continue the red bloodline and let the heroic banner fly high.

Photos silently tell the story of the heroic deeds of the revolutionary predecessors.

Walking into the company's honor room, old, yellowed photos silently tell the story of the heroic deeds of the revolutionary predecessors. Being in it feels like going back to that autumn 84 years ago.

Using the dangerous terrain, the five soldiers bravely fought the enemy. Ma Baoyu (马宝玉) calmly commanded, waiting for the enemy to get closer before ordering a fierce attack. Ge Zhenlin (葛振林) glared angrily, shouting loudly every time he fired a shot. When throwing grenades, Song Xueyi (宋学义) always swung his arm in a circle to exert all his strength. The young soldiers Hu Delin (胡德林) and Hu Fucai (胡福才) kept their faces tight, concentrating on aiming and shooting at the enemy.

After successfully completing the covering task, the soldiers prepared to transfer. "At that time, they had two roads in front of them: one leading to the direction of the main force, which could quickly catch up with the company, but the enemy was behind them; the other leading to the Qipantuo (棋盘陀) peak of Langya Mountain (狼牙山), which was surrounded by cliffs on three sides, a dead end." Hua Xi (华烯), a soldier of the 6th squad of the "Langya Mountain Five Warriors Company (狼牙山五壮士连)" and a commentator in the honor room, said.

In order to prevent the enemy from discovering the masses and the main force of the troops, Ma Baoyu (马宝玉) took the lead and walked towards Qipantuo (棋盘陀), and the soldiers followed closely with boiling blood. When they reached the top of Qipantuo (棋盘陀), the soldiers continued to fight from a high position. When the bullets ran out, they used stones to smash the enemy, causing the enemy's charges to fail again and again.

After throwing the last grenade, Ma Baoyu (马宝玉) was the first to jump into the deep valley, and the soldiers also jumped off the cliff one after another. "Down with Japanese imperialism!" "Long live the Chinese Communist Party!" The heroic and bold slogans echoed in the valley for a long time...

In May of this year, representatives of the company's officers and soldiers went to Langya Mountain (狼牙山) to seek their roots. The spire is crimson and the tower body is gray and white. The nine characters of "Langya Mountain Five Warriors Memorial Tower (狼牙山五勇士纪念塔)" shine brightly in the sun.

The mountain road is winding and the stone steps are spreading. "Coming to the battlefield of that year, being in the environment, I deeply felt that the environment here is more dangerous than described in the textbook!" Zhang Mingzhi (张茗峙) from Dazhou (达州), Sichuan (四川), was deeply shocked. He is 24 years old this year and has been the deputy squad leader of the 6th squad for more than a year.

The wind is whistling in the ears, and the clouds are rolling under the feet. In dangerous places, you can only grab the small trees growing in the cracks of the rocks and climb up, and you will fall off the cliff if you are not careful... "The villagers said that the mountain goats also shiver when they come here, but the revolutionary predecessors were able to climb to the top while blocking the enemy. How resolute must their fighting will be!" Zhang Mingzhi (张茗峙) said.

Saying goodbye to the old battlefield site, the representatives of the officers and soldiers walked into the Beiloushan Revolutionary Martyrs Cemetery (北娄山革命烈士陵园), wiped the tombstones and offered flowers to the predecessors, and reported their work and study situation in front of the tomb. Hu Yujie (胡宇杰), the company's instructor, said affectionately: "Three pine trees stand beside the three tombstones, as if the old predecessors are still standing guard for the motherland; the wind rustles, as if they are talking to us from afar."

The spirit of heroes transcends time and space, and the red gene is passed down from generation to generation. Since the establishment of the company, the "Langya Mountain Five Warriors Company (狼牙山五壮士连)" has had 7,752 officers and soldiers, of which 1,307 officers and soldiers heroically sacrificed their lives in battle and died for the country.

Striving with all our might time after time to defend the dignity and honor of soldiers.

In December 2023, Qiao Yanpei (乔彦霈) became the company commander of the "Langya Mountain Five Warriors Company (狼牙山五壮士连)." "I feel both supremely honored and responsible, and I am also worried that I will not do well and let down the revolutionary predecessors." Qiao Yanpei (乔彦霈) said that for all tasks, the officers and soldiers of the entire company have always carried the red flag and strived for the first place.

Not long after taking office, the brigade organized a physical fitness assessment for the main officers. Although he had sprained his foot during training before, Qiao Yanpei (乔彦霈) still took first place with his strong willpower. "As a member of the company, I must be able to stand up to it." Qiao Yanpei (乔彦霈) said that as a model unit, the "Langya Mountain Five Warriors Company (狼牙山五壮士连)" undertakes many urgent, difficult, dangerous and heavy tasks. Since 2024, it has undertaken more than 20 new tactical and combat method exercises, new equipment tests, and joint teaching and training support tasks.

"Most of these tasks are completed independently by the company. We strictly and harshly grasp training and constantly consolidate the level of basic training." Qiao Yanpei (乔彦霈) said that in training, the entire company adheres to the tradition of the old infantry, and cadres and backbones take the lead, playing an exemplary role; at the same time, they scientifically formulate training plans and distinguish levels for specialized training.

In peacetime, we must never spoil the soldiers. A mighty division must still be mighty, and soldiers must still have bloodiness. In recent years, the "Langya Mountain Five Warriors Company (狼牙山五壮士连)" has won first place in the brigade's armed cross-country race many times. Last year, the company was commended by the group army as an "Advanced Unit in Practicing the Goal of Strengthening the Army" and was awarded a collective second-class merit.

Intelligence reconnaissance, encirclement and control, three-dimensional penetration, and firepower annihilation... In September 2023, at the site of the China-Foreign Army Joint Training Urban Counter-Terrorism Live-Fire Comprehensive Exercise, Wu Wenjun (吴文俊), the squad leader of the 6th squad and a third-level sergeant, led a mixed joint task force to quickly intersperse and successfully complete the task of rescuing "hostages."

For the first time competing with foreign troops on the same stage, Wu Wenjun (吴文俊) admitted: "Going abroad, my comrades and I represent the honor of the model company and the honor of the Chinese Army." In this exercise, Wu Wenjun (吴文俊) was rated as an outstanding member, adding glory to the company.

"When I first joined the team, my grades were in the middle and lower reaches. Among all the team members, I was the oldest. Moreover, as an infantryman, I had never been exposed to small subjects such as fixed-point penetration and rope descent, and I inevitably had a fear of difficulties psychologically." Wu Wenjun (吴文俊) gritted his teeth and practiced repeatedly. If it didn't work once, he would do it twice, and if it didn't work twice, he would do it three times... With twice as much training as others, Wu Wenjun (吴文俊) achieved the first place in the infantry major and the fifth place in the comprehensive ranking when he officially joined the team.

"For me, the position of squad leader is not only a responsibility, but also the dignity and honor of a soldier, which needs to be defended with all my might." Wu Wenjun (吴文俊) said.

One person being strong is not enough, the team being strong is the real strength. Walking into the "Langya Mountain Five Warriors Company (狼牙山五壮士连)," the slogan "Sharing weal and woe, sharing life and death" is particularly eye-catching. In the 16 years since he joined the army, Wu Wenjun (吴文俊) has led all the comrades in the squad to grow together. In 2019, all members of the 6th squad were rated as "Decisive Sharp Soldiers" in the brigade's mass military skills competition and were awarded a collective third-class merit at the end of the year.

Next to the barracks of the "Langya Mountain Five Warriors Company (狼牙山五壮士连)," there is a lush "Gold Medal Forest." Only officers and soldiers who win championships or are commended in higher-level military skills competitions can plant a "Gold Medal Tree" here and hang a gold plaque with their names and achievements on it.

This forest has now become a dream place for all the officers and soldiers of the company. Now, Wu Wenjun (吴文俊) has hung 5 "Gold Medals" here. Under his influence and leadership, more and more soldiers have set their own goals and are striving and emerging in various fields.

"The soldiers of the heroic company must have the appearance of heroes!" This is a sentence that the officers and soldiers of the "Langya Mountain Five Warriors Company (狼牙山五壮士连)" often say. Last year, the "Langya Mountain Five Warriors Company (狼牙山五壮士连)" undertook a number of pilot transformation tasks from higher authorities. Faced with new training subjects, all the officers and soldiers of the company carried forward the company spirit of "to regard death as going home, to rather die than submit," and worked hard on the training ground to overcome difficulties and successfully complete the tasks.

Adoring heroes and striving to be heroes. Over the years, generations of officers and soldiers have vigorously inherited and carried forward the glorious traditions and fine work styles, and have continuously achieved new achievements. The company has been awarded honorary titles 4 times, and has been awarded major merits 3 times, first-class merits 1 time, second-class merits 8 times, and third-class merits 18 times.

Passing on the red gene from generation to generation with solid achievements.

"Ma Baoyu (马宝玉)!" "Here!"... Every night, five powerful "Here!" responses will sound in front of the "Langya Mountain Five Warriors Company (狼牙山五壮士连)" building. Calling the names of the "Five Warriors" first is a glorious tradition that the officers and soldiers have adhered to for 84 years. Before each major task, the officers and soldiers will go to the statue of the "Five Warriors" to take a collective oath and draw spiritual strength.

"Langya Mountain Five Warriors Company (狼牙山五壮士连)," "Combat Model Company," "Second-Class Training Model Company," and "Comprehensive Construction Model Company." The four honorary plaques in front of the company building are the focus of Hua Xi's (华烯) contemplation every time he stands guard.

"As soon as the recruit company ended, I was assigned to the 6th squad. An Zhiwei (安志伟), the deputy squad leader at the time, took me to the honor room and told me the touching stories of the revolutionary predecessors." Hua Xi (华烯) said. From that time on, he took the initiative to study historical materials in his spare time and dig out more story details. With his continuous efforts, more unknown historical facts were presented to the officers and soldiers.

Only by moving yourself can you move the audience. In order to find touching stories, Hua Xi (华烯) carefully excavated the company's history, took the initiative to visit the old predecessors of the company in Fuzhou (福州), Fujian (福建), Nanning (南宁), Guangxi (广西), and other places, and worked overtime to read and study historical materials. "If I don't tell the history of the company well, I will be ashamed of the revolutionary predecessors!"

It's not just Hua Xi (华烯) who is working overtime.

When Nian Xunhuan (念勋桓), a soldier of the 6th squad, first joined the army in September last year, he couldn't do a single pull-up on the horizontal bar. "As long as I have time every day, I go to practice myself, constantly strengthen my upper limb strength, and actively ask the veterans for advice on how to exert force. Now I have reached the excellent standard." Nian Xunhuan (念勋桓) said. In the "Langya Mountain Five Warriors Company (狼牙山五壮士连)," each squad has established a "three mutual" group to grow and progress together in mutual help, mutual learning, and mutual teaching.

In participating in various military skills competitions and major exercises, the overall construction level of the "Langya Mountain Five Warriors Company (狼牙山五壮士连)" has continued to rise, and it has ranked among the best in the brigade's establishment company military skills competitions for many years. Since 2017, more than 100 officers and soldiers of the company have been rated as "Decisive Sharp Soldiers" by the brigade, and a large number of new era "Five Warriors" successors such as "First-Class Sniper" Li Guanghui (李光辉) and "First-Class Professional and Technical Expert" Bai Yang (白洋) have emerged.

Li Guanghui (李光辉), the squad leader of the 9th squad of the "Langya Mountain Five Warriors Company (狼牙山五壮士连)," said: "Only by achieving solid achievements and speaking with hard strength can we truly pass on the red gene from generation to generation!"

Bai Yang (白洋), the company's health worker, has participated in the brigade's health worker training three times: the first time he failed one subject, the second time he won the third place in the brigade, and the third time he finally won the first place in the brigade. "To be worthy of the identity of the 'Five Warriors' successors, we must come up with excellent results." Bai Yang (白洋) said.

Taking war preparedness as our bounden duty, practicing our weapons to the extreme, and turning basic skills into unique skills are the only ways to win victory like the revolutionary predecessors. As a traditional infantry company, the "Langya Mountain Five Warriors Company (狼牙山五壮士连)" on the one hand focuses on strengthening the "iron feet" and continues to promote the transformation of basic physical training from healthy physical fitness to combat physical fitness; on the other hand, it also focuses on the characteristics of modern warfare and deepens the research and tackling of manned/unmanned coordinated combat methods.

"At 3 o'clock, 200 meters away, an enemy firepower point was discovered, requesting fire destruction." Zhang Mingzhi (张茗峙) immediately released a drone to reconnaissance and report when he was suddenly shot at while launching an attack on the Blue Army's position.

"The firepower group occupies a position 50 meters in front and strikes the enemy's firepower point." Qiao Yanpei (乔彦霈) issued an order. One minute later, the enemy's firepower point was successfully destroyed. At present, all the officers and soldiers of the company basically have the ability to operate drones.

Striving forward on the new journey of strengthening the army, Hu Yujie (胡宇杰) said: "We will continue to aim at the future battlefield, work hard to practice our ability to win, accelerate transformation and development with more high-spirited fighting spirit, more resolute actions, and more outstanding achievements, so that the spirit of the Langya Mountain Five Warriors will be passed down from generation to generation, and the heroic banner will always fly high!"

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Respect and Care for the "Most Lovable People" (Jintai Dianbing)

By: 李龙伊

The Zhanangshe哨所 (Zhanangshe Outpost) of the Tibet Military Region, at an altitude of more than 4,000 meters, is isolated in the clouds. The air here is thin, the wind and snow are like knives, and it is not easy to reach. However, for more than 40 years, on the rugged mountain road leading to the outpost, one can often see the figures of three Tibetan Amas from Renqinggang Village (仁青岗村) in Shannan (山南). They are the "Army-Supporting Old Amas" - Ciren Quzhen (次仁曲珍), Pu Chi (普赤) and Deji (德吉).

In the early years, the conditions at the outpost were difficult, and it was hard for the soldiers to get vegetables. The Amas felt sorry for the soldiers and climbed the high mountains every two weeks in the face of wind and snow to deliver fresh vegetables to the outpost. Later, the conditions at the outpost improved and there was no shortage of vegetables, so they delivered letters and packages. Tens of thousands of letters and dozens of tons of vegetables were delivered to the soldiers by their baskets. Deep friendship warmed the hearts of the soldiers.

Recently, the "Army-Supporting Old Amas" were awarded the title of "Most Beautiful Army-Supporting Figures." This honor is an affirmation of the Amas' decades of support for the army, and a tribute to the enduring friendship between the army and the people.

Why is the story of the Amas' support for the army so touching? For more than forty years, what they have brought to the soldiers is far more than vegetables and packages themselves. It is the concern of relatives and the most simple love of the people for the soldiers. At the top of the snow-capped mountains, their story has become a vivid footnote to the deep friendship between the army and the people.

"Whoever puts the people in their hearts, the people will put them in their hearts." The soldiers build a Great Wall on the border with their youth and blood, guarding the lights of thousands of homes, peace and tranquility, while the people silently guard the "most beloved people" with their simple actions. The "two-way rush" on the road to support the army witnesses the firm and pure friendship between the army and the people, and demonstrates the people's respect and love for the soldiers.

This respect and love is rooted in genes.

"The last handful of rice is used to make military rations; the last foot of cloth is used to make military uniforms..." This song of supporting the army and the front is a vivid embodiment of the unity between the army and the people. The army wins battles, and the people are the backing. In the years of war, the Hongsao (红嫂) of Yimeng (沂蒙) used breast milk to save the wounded, and the masses in the Huaihai Campaign (淮海战役) pushed victory with wheelbarrows. The people's army and the people were as inseparable as milk and water, sharing life and death.

This respect and love is passed down through generations.

As the smoke of war dissipates, the friendship between the army and the people has stood the test of time and remains as solid as a rock. During the flood season this year, floods and disasters occurred in many places, and the people's soldiers moved at the order and went to the dangerous places. In the turbid waves, what they built was not only dams, but also the hope of the masses. When they completed their mission and evacuated, the masses in many places lined the streets to see them off. "You've worked hard, soldiers" "Thank you, People's Liberation Army (解放军) relatives"... The shouts from the bottom of the people's hearts are a tribute to the soldiers, reflecting the army and the people sharing the same breath, the same destiny, and the same heart.

This respect and love is condensed into a consensus.

Today, the concept of "making soldiers a profession respected by the whole society" has long been deeply rooted in the hearts of the people. In places such as railway stations and airports, the "military personnel have priority according to law" window is eye-catching and heartwarming; every year before the Spring Festival, the special慰问 (wèiwèn - "condolences and solicitude," expressing sympathy and concern) activity of "Caring for Border and Coastal Defense Officers and Soldiers" is carried out on a regular basis; many places implement preferential policies and open up green channels for the enrollment of "military children"; the mechanisms for sending off new recruits, hanging honorary plaques, and sending good news for meritorious service and awards are becoming increasingly mature... A series of practical actions to support the army and give preferential treatment to families of soldiers are constantly continuing to write a new chapter in the era of loving our people and loving our army.

群力谁能御，齐心石可穿 (qún lì shuí néng yù, qí xīn shí kě chuān - "With combined strength, who can resist? With united hearts, stone can be pierced," unity is strength; collective effort can overcome any obstacle). The soldiers feel that the masses are truly supporting and caring for them with deep affection, and the belief of "rather sacrifice life than betray the mission" is becoming more and more firm, and they can more wholeheartedly train and prepare for war and defend peace. In the new era and new journey, we must continue to carry forward the glorious tradition of the army loving the people and the people supporting the army, respect and care for the "most beloved people," and build an impregnable copper wall and iron wall of unity between the army and the people.

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A Dialogue Across Time and Space (National Defense Perspective)

By: 徐艺洋 荣俊运

"I picked up the explosive pack and jumped up, facing the enemy's bullets, rushing to the city gate. My comrade and I propped up wooden sticks and hung the explosive pack high in the middle of the city gate. With a 'boom,' the city gate was blown open..." Following the emotional account of Bai Qinglin (白清林), a 98-year-old veteran of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, everyone's thoughts were brought back to that era of war.

Bai Qinglin (白清林) was born in Yiyuan (沂源), Shandong (山东) in October 1927. He joined the Communist Party at the age of 17 and enlisted in the army at the age of 18, becoming a soldier in the Guards Battalion of the Luzhong Military Region (鲁中军区). In the summer of 1945, the Luzhong Military Region (鲁中军区) decided to carry out a targeted elimination of an important Japanese stronghold. At this time, Bai Qinglin (白清林) had just arrived at the Luzhong Military Region (鲁中军区). In this battle, the task of his company was to blow open the city gate and open a passage into the city for the troops.

"The city gate was thick and heavy, too strong. Placing the explosive pack on the ground affected the explosive power, so the explosive pack had to be propped up!" After the failure of the first two demolition teams, the deputy squad leader adopted Bai Qinglin's (白清林) suggestion and prepared two wooden sticks as supports. In the end, the city gate was successfully blown open, and the soldiers poured into the city like a flood...

In August, the sun was scorching. The Shenyang Garrison Command (沈阳警备区) of Liaoning Province (辽宁省), in conjunction with the Shenyang Municipal Education Bureau (沈阳市教育局), organized a theme activity of "Remembering the Great Victory and Inheriting the Red Gene" at the Former Site Memorial Hall of the CPC Manchuria Provincial Committee (中共满洲省委旧址纪念馆). Eight veterans of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and representatives of young officers and soldiers, civilian personnel, and primary and secondary school teachers and students gathered together.

The veterans of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, with an average age of 96, passionately told the touching stories of how the military and civilians united as one, sharing a common hatred against the enemy, and fighting to the death with the invaders in that era of war.

"When fighting and marching, Communist Party members all have a pair of 'iron feet'." Cheng Maoyou (程茂友), a 95-year-old veteran of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, slowly stood up with a cane and told everyone a story about distributing shoes.

In those years, logistical supplies were very difficult. After a long march, everyone's shoes were worn out, and the villagers sent more than 100 pairs of shoes to the troops. When distributing the shoes, non-Party soldiers tried them on first, taking whichever pair fit them best, and the rest were distributed to Party members. In this way, the dozen or so Party members in the team received shoes that did not fit, but no one complained. Cheng Maoyou (程茂友) smiled and raised his foot, saying, "This foot was frostbitten at that time."

An old soldier is a thick history book, washing the soul through time and space and dialogue with history. The young officers and soldiers and students were deeply moved, sometimes with passionate emotions and sometimes with tears in their eyes, following the veterans' affectionate accounts.

"Grandpa, is the scar on your head left over from participating in battles?" A young finger pointed to a scar on the head of Song Ying (宋英), a veteran of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, and Wang Yiping (王艺萍), a primary school student, asked cautiously.

"This was left by the Japanese devils for Grandpa when I participated in the first battle after joining the Eighth Route Army (八路军)," Song Ying (宋英) replied.

"Charging ahead and retreating behind, Communist Party members can 舍生忘死 (shě shēng wàng sǐ - "disregard one's own safety," to be ready to die for a cause) for the faith in their hearts!" After listening to the veterans' accounts, Wang Zhigang (王志刚) of the Political Work Department of the Shenyang Garrison Command (沈阳警备区) silently wrote this line on the message board of the memorial hall.

Since the beginning of the year, the Shenyang Garrison Command (沈阳警备区) has been using the red resources of Shenyang (沈阳) to rescue and excavate the stories of veterans, asking about the original intention and mission in the pursuit, and forging a political character of loyalty to the Party.

"Goodbye, old comrades, if there is a chance, we will meet again..." At the end of the event, eight veterans of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression saluted each other and bid farewell reluctantly. In the sunset, the walking backs of the veterans were no longer as fast as they used to be, but they were still energetic in their old military uniforms, and the military medals jingling on their chests shone brightly in the sunlight.

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Editor in Charge for This Section: He Zhaoyu

Layout Design: Cai Huawei (蔡华伟)

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In Search of People Living in a Modern "Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains" (Cultural China Tour: Humanistic Observation)

By: 本报记者 黄 超 窦 皓

"Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains" (《富春山居图》) is a paper-based ink wash painting created by the Yuan Dynasty painter Huang Gongwang (黄公望), mainly featuring landscapes. It is dotted with figures such as woodcutters carrying firewood, fishermen fishing, and mountain people walking slowly, outlining the leisurely and contented artistic conception of the ancients in the landscape.

Fuyang, Zhejiang (浙江富阳), is the place where "Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains" was originally created and the location of the real scenery. It once faced pressure on its ecological environment due to the large number of industrial paper-making enterprises. Since 2005, the local area has practiced the "Two Mountains" concept, implemented multiple rounds of rectification and upgrading of paper-making enterprises and actions to shut down and transform them, eliminated small, scattered, and disorderly enterprises such as copper smelting, transformed and developed the economy, and restored the vitality of the ecology.

With green mountains present, people are not old. Today's Fuyang (富阳), culture is seen between the mountains and rivers. The ancient paintings that follow the laws of nature and the vision of the "Two Mountains" concept complement each other, and the harmonious coexistence of humans and nature leaps from the paper to the eye. The reporter traces the past and present, visits forest rangers, fishermen, villagers, and cultural workers, and listens to the people in the modern version of "Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains" tell the Fuyang (富阳) story of cultural inheritance and development and ecological civilization construction complementing each other.

--Editor

In Hangzhou's Fuyang District (杭州富阳区), the Fuchun Mountain Hall (富春山馆) on the bank of the Fuchun River (富春江) has antique bookshelves and tables and chairs that give the special collection hall of the "Chinese Painting Collection of Past Dynasties" an ancient charm. Citizens admire the paintings and exclaim: "I am very proud and have a lot of resonance."

"Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains" depicts the scenery on both sides of the Fuchun River (富春江) in Fuyang (富阳) and other places, restoring the true nature. In addition, the fishing boats and small bridges are scattered, and the thatched houses and villages are interspersed, forming a picture of harmony between man and nature, entrusting the Chinese people's yearning for green waters and green mountains and pastoral life.

Hidden in the mountains and rivers, transformed into the hearts of the people. Over the past 20 years, Fuyang (富阳) has practiced the "Two Mountains" concept, leaving green and white space for the homes in the mountains and rivers, guarding the ancient paintings and continuing the cultural context in another way, allowing people to appreciate the "harmony between man and nature" thought of outstanding Chinese traditional culture.

Viewing Mountains

"If there is soil erosion, it is difficult to grow the bamboo needed for ancient papermaking"

Going upstream along the Dayuan Creek (大源溪), a tributary of the Fuchun River (富春江), in Datong Village (大同村), Dayuan Town (大源镇), the stream is clear in the near distance, and the mountains in the distance are covered with dense bamboo forests.

"More than 10 kilometers up the Dayuan Creek (大源溪) into the mountains, there used to be many industrial paper mills. Deinking agents and bleaching fluorescent powder were discharged directly, and the bottom of the river was full of pollutants. Bamboo poles could stand upright when inserted." In the village's intangible cultural heritage workshop, Zhu Zhonghua (朱中华), a provincial representative inheritor of Fuyang (富阳) bamboo paper making skills, scooped out a bundle of fermented bamboo slices from the dipping pool and made first-class Yuanshu paper according to ancient procedures.

Fuyang (富阳) bamboo paper making skills originated in the Tang Dynasty and flourished in the Song Dynasty. It was selected as the imperial document paper and is one of the first national intangible cultural heritages.

After the industrial paper making industry was withdrawn, some ancient paper making workshops remained. The raw materials alone are extraordinary: select tender bamboo grown in dense forests, deep mountains, gentle slopes and near streams for 5 days before and after Xiaoman (小满, one of the 24 solar terms), so that it is top grade.

"If there is soil erosion, it is difficult to grow the bamboo needed for ancient papermaking," said Zhu Zhonghua (朱中华).

The production process also has high requirements. "Using mountain spring water flowing from the cracks in the rocks to wash the materials continuously can avoid impurities from mixing into the paper, and it also helps the natural action of microorganisms later." After saying that, he revealed his family history. His ancestors were engaged in papermaking in ancient times. They came here from other places because they valued the evergreen mountains and the long-flowing green waters.

In recent years, Zhu Zhonghua (朱中华) has explored and restored a batch of ancient handmade paper for literature restoration. The Palace Museum, the National Library, and the National Archives of Publications and Culture are all "frequent visitors."

"Modern process paper will change color and even turn into powder, but bamboo paper carefully crafted by craftsmen is different." He said that behind the paper's longevity of a thousand years is respect for nature. "Here, the water used for papermaking is more delicate than drinking water."

Good mountains and good water make good paper. "Remaining Mountain" (《剩山图》) of "Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains" (《富春山居图》), collected in the Zhejiang Provincial Museum, still shows all the details after years of erosion. What kind of paper carries the superb painting skills of outlining, rubbing, and dyeing?

"The answer is obvious," said Zhu Zhonghua (朱中华).

Walking to the mountains of Dayuan Town (大源镇), in the Tingshan Forest Area (亭山林区) of the Dayuan Forest Farm (大源林场), patrol the mountains with forest ranger Zhang Jiangen (章建根).

"The forest farm is like my home, and I have feelings for every plant and tree." Zhang Jiangen (章建根), who has been with the green mountains for 50 years, pointed to the Chinese fir tree at the intersection and told a story: "When I planted it, it was only the size of a chopstick, but now it is as thick as one person can hug."

Forestry is not easy. "Villagers privately cut down trees for firewood, building houses, and selling building materials. At that time, patrolling the mountains could also lead to conflicts." He said that later the forest farm was converted into an ecological forest, and illegal logging gradually disappeared.

In the early years, the chimneys of paper mills along the Fuchun River (富春江) stood in great numbers, with waste gas, waste water, and waste residue, plus the opening of mines and digging of stones, the fascinating real scene of "Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains" (《富春山居图》) was full of devastation. "A little further down the mountain, you could smell the stench, and you couldn't sleep with the windows open at night," Zhang Jiangen (章建根) recalled.

For the sake of green waters and green mountains, we must "**壮士断腕**" (zhuàng shì duàn wàn - "brave warrior cuts off his wrist," to act decisively to avoid greater losses). Fuyang (富阳) generally withdrew from the paper making industry, closed open-pit mines, and developed industries such as integrated circuits and intelligent equipment. "**腾笼换鸟**" (téng lóng huàn niǎo - "empty the cage and replace the bird," replace the old with the new) brought new space for development...

Climbing to the top of Tingshan Mountain (亭山), the Fuchun River (富春江) and the urban area are in front of you. The water sends off the mountains and welcomes them, and the artistic conception of the world-famous painting is back. "I just like to stay here for a while," said Zhang Jiangen (章建根). Some tourists also follow the map to climb the mountain and check in.

In recent years, local scholars have produced a painting, with a replica of "Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains" (《富春山居图》) on the upper part and a photo of the real scene on the lower part. After research, Tingshan Mountain (亭山) is a mountain scene in the picture. With one ink and one color, the mountain scenery and water color almost correspond one by one.

At the foot of the mountain on one side of the picture, a woodcutter is walking on the mountain road with firewood on his shoulder. The forest is dense and blends with the figure. Hundreds of years have passed, especially in the past 20 years, from cutting down trees to protecting forests, the ancient paintings and new scenery have a long-lasting meaning.

Viewing Water

"Before, it was mostly about sightseeing, but now tourists want to hear me talk about culture"

Mountains and rivers are the background color of the modern version of "Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains," and humanities are the core.

"I first took Zhao Mengfu (赵孟頫) as my teacher to learn painting, and then I took heaven and earth as my teacher. It took me seven years to paint this picture..." With clear water and green banks, and the same color of the sky and mountains, tourists came to the pier along the riverside walkway. The "Fuchun Mountain Residence" cruise ship welcomed a group of children, and tour guide Wang Wendong (王文栋) transformed into "Huang Gongwang (黄公望)," telling the culture in a vivid way.

From children studying papermaking skills to young people checking in at Huang Gongwang's (黄公望) hermitage, to calligraphers and painters who come here admiringly, Wang Wendong (王文栋) often communicates with tourists, "Everyone has different interpretations of 'Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains' (《富春山居图》), but there is one consensus: it is the beauty of ecology that has nurtured this beauty of humanities."

"I made money, but the waste gas emissions were smoky, sacrificing the environment and health." Wang Wendong (王文栋), who used to work in import and export waste paper customs declaration, switched to being a tour guide after the industrial transformation.

After taking more groups these years, Wang Wendong (王文栋) found that everyone's interests are changing.

How to appreciate this painting? What are the poems about the Fuchun River (富春江)? "Before, it was mostly about sightseeing, but now tourists want to hear me talk about culture." He often goes to libraries and gazetteer offices to check information and ask experts, "Otherwise, I will be stumped by tourists."

"This painting captures the beautiful scenery of the forests and mountains on the banks of the Fuchun River (富春江), and was praised by people at the time as the 'Orchid Pavilion in the painting'." The cruise ship slowly docked, and Wang Wendong's (王文栋) explanation was coming to an end. A student who loves ancient Chinese was chatting non-stop and couldn't help but recite a poem: "The best mountains and rivers in the world, ancient and modern, promote Fuchun..."

A small boat, wearing a bamboo hat, the river is vast and simple, and the distant mountains are deep and beautiful. There are many images of fishermen in "Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains" (《富春山居图》).

Today, as tourists flock here, the fishermen who live on the banks of the Fuchun River (富春江) have a different feeling.

Bass, white fish, bream... At the Changkou Town (场口镇) pier fish market, villager Zhang Leilei (张雷雷) travels back and forth 4 times a day to purchase river fresh for his fisherman's restaurant.

Before mealtime, seven or eight cars parked in front of the restaurant. "Once the fishing ban is over, many people go straight here for this authentic river fresh." Zhang Leilei (张雷雷), who was born in the 90s, comes from a fishing family and lived on a boat since he was a child. He used to roam the river.

"There used to be many paper mills, and the fish caught even had a diesel smell." Speaking of the "changes in the water" in recent years, Zhang Leilei (张雷雷) is more concerned about the "changes in the fish" - there are more varieties, better quality, and a more famous brand.

"One serving of bass, steamed!" The price of the dishes is not cheap, but the diners did not hesitate. "Wild river bass has very high requirements for water quality. It used to be difficult to catch, and guests were not interested in eating it." In Zhang Leilei's (张雷雷) view, the secret to good business is very simple: good water and good ingredients.

How to give full play to the cultural advantages of the world-famous painting and turn beauty into value? The local area is exploring mountain and water cultural resources and stimulating the vitality of cultural and tourism integration.

Promoting the protection and utilization of Song Dynasty culture such as the Sizhou Papermaking Site Museum (泗洲造纸遗址博物馆), holding the "Gongwang Fuchun Culture Week" (公望富春文化周), improving the boutique route of the real scene tour of "Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains" (富春山居图), and carrying out the Fuchun Mountain Residence Life Season cultural and creative market... In 2024, Fuyang (富阳) received 5.3 million tourists and achieved a tourism income of 9.1 billion yuan.

Zhang Leilei (张雷雷) seized the opportunity and went ashore to open a fisherman's restaurant. With a good ecology, he rented a new venue - introducing homestays, paddle boards, camping and other formats, "With 'river view rooms', guests can play longer."

Seeing Culture

"The Fuchun mountains and rivers in and out of the painting always inspire my creation"

In Huang Gongwang's (黄公望) pen, "Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains" (《富春山居图》) fixed the poetry and distance in the hearts of the ancients. Although some figures are not depicted in detail, they show the beautiful life in the mountains and rivers through the dotted villages.

Walking into Huang Gongwang Village (黄公望村) in Dongzhou Street (东洲街道), the ancient painting shines into reality -

With gurgling streams, birds singing and flowers fragrant, and scattered farm courtyards, a modern version of "Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains" (富春山居图) unfolds poetically. In those years, Huang Gongwang (黄公望) built a hut here to live in seclusion. Going deep into the village, the setting sun shines on the old house of the hermitage, and you can vaguely see an old man waving his brush at the desk.

Not far away, the homestay is already fully booked, and villager Zhu Meijuan (朱梅娟) is stewing "Gongwang Chunxiang Meat" (公望醇香肉), waiting quietly for tourists to return.

Zhu Meijuan (朱梅娟) was the first person in the village to open a homestay, and now there are more than 30. "The village roads and courtyards are becoming more and more tidy, and tourists are comfortable, so the business will last longer." Over the years, she and her sisters who opened homestays have formed a volunteer service team.

Many villagers are used to stacking firewood at the door, and there are many scattered farm tools and dust. Zhu Meijuan (朱梅娟) visits door to door to chat, breaks down the principles and explains them, takes the initiative to help clean up, and explains how to use gas. The village promotes garbage classification, and volunteers create and promote songs to make everyone's awareness and actions keep up.

From village environment improvement to "Five Waters Co-governance" (五水共治), to new era civilization practice, the volunteer service team has become a good helper for the village's "two committees" (村“两委”). "The green waters and green mountains left by our ancestors must be passed down from generation to generation." When there are fewer guests, Zhu Meijuan (朱梅娟) and her sisters go to the Fuchun River (富春江) to clean up garbage.

Living in the mountains and moving into the paintings, in addition to tourists, some "new villagers" have also moved to Huang Gongwang Village (黄公望村).

Walking into a small courtyard, writer Li Hangyu (李杭育) is tasting tea. In recent years, the local area has introduced literary and art workers and held cultural activities to enrich the spiritual and cultural life of the villagers.

Li Hangyu (李杭育) grew up on the banks of the Qiantang River (钱塘江) and worked in Fuyang (富阳), during which he began his writing career, and then left. "The cold river water is sandwiched between the green mountains on both sides, gurgling away. Five-colored petals are scattered on it, surrounding the five hundred miles of Gechuan Ridge (葛川大岭), winding like a painting," he wrote in his literary work "People on the Gechuan River" (《葛川江上人家》).

Culture can lead to far. After many years of returning to Fuyang (富阳), he published several more novels, "The Fuchun mountains and rivers in and out of the painting always inspire my creation." He said that he is available whenever there are activities at the Gongwang Bookstore (公望书屋) in the village. He also donated his collection of books to the local writers association and placed them in the city study.

Fuchun Mountain Residence Digital Poetry Road Cultural Experience Hall (富春山居·数字诗路文化体验馆) uses holographic projection and other technologies to present Fuyang's (富阳) poetry and painting culture; Gongwang Bookstore (公望书屋) organizes literary lectures, book clubs, and calligraphy and painting classes; holds the "Chinese Painting Collection of Past Dynasties" rural巡展... Today's Fuyang (富阳) has high-quality cultural resources reaching the grassroots level. While villagers feel the charm of traditional culture, more and more beautiful villages are becoming new cultural attractions.

Recently, Li Hangyu (李杭育) began to draw a long scroll oil painting "New Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains" (《新富春山居图》). When he has nothing to do, he goes to the river to stroll around.

Across the river, the Fuyang Water Sports Center (富阳水上运动中心) faces Huang Gongwang Village (黄公望村). The architectural design has both the undulations of the mountains and the winding of the water, inspired by "Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains" (《富春山居图》).

On the river, a group of teenagers are training in kayaking. Click - Li Hangyu (李杭育) took out his mobile phone: "It's time to add a few strokes to my painting."

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From "Visible" to "Visible and Good" (Humanities Tea House)

By: 侯克明

Recently, Mozart's classic opera *The Marriage of Figaro* at the National Centre for the Performing Arts (国家大剧院) was simultaneously broadcast in high-definition via "Second Scene" to the big screens of nearly 100 theaters and cinemas in nearly 30 cities. This artistic sharing across thousands of miles allowed tens of thousands of viewers to appreciate the elegance of high art from their doorsteps.

Opera art is relatively niche, and audiences in remote areas have difficulty appreciating it. The National Centre for the Performing Arts' (国家大剧院) "Second Scene" brings Western opera classics to places like Hotan (和田), Xinjiang (新疆), Haikou (海口), Hainan (海南), and Hulunbuir (呼伦贝尔), Inner Mongolia (内蒙古), ensuring that geography is no longer a barrier to artistic appreciation. This is a concrete implementation of cultural benefits for the people.

The exploration of "Second Scene" is also a practice of ultra-high-definition digital technology empowering art dissemination. This live broadcast used more than 60 audio channels and 10 camera positions to accurately capture the charm of the stage, and 5.1 surround sound to create an immersive sound field. The empowerment of technology has broken down theater walls and the barriers of time and space, allowing high art to enter ordinary people's homes. This innovative path from stage to screen not only expands the boundaries of art dissemination but also explores the integration of stage art and film technology at a practical level.

The charm of "Second Scene" lies not only in "being able to see it" but also in "being able to see it well," bringing a unique experience that surpasses the live performance. Clear lens language magnifies the subtle expressions of the actors and the exquisite stage design, while surround sound enhances the sense of immersion. The carefully designed guided tours and behind-the-scenes visits provide in-depth perspectives that live audiences cannot obtain, enriching the viewing dimension. Audience feedback proves that big-screen live broadcasts provide a new choice for high-quality, cost-effective artistic enjoyment.

Of course, promoting the sustainable development of "Second Scene" requires strong organization, coordination, and business model innovation.

On the one hand, art institutions need to form a mature live broadcast operation mechanism internally. Live broadcasting places extremely high demands on on-site scheduling, director switching, and duration control. At the same time, live broadcasting also requires a high degree of cooperation from the performance venue. The front desk needs to inform the audience to cooperate with the live broadcast and adjust the lighting according to the technical requirements of the live broadcast. The backstage needs to notify all actors and sign relevant work agreements in advance. All of this severely tests the team collaboration, process design, and execution capabilities of art institutions.

On the other hand, a systematic linkage mechanism should be explored from performance theaters to program-playing theaters and cinemas. As different business entities, a linked business model must be established between art institutions, distribution (transmission) companies, and broadcasting units. Art institutions should announce performance programs in advance to facilitate advance publicity by distribution companies and advance ticket sales by broadcasting units. Since the target audience for stage performances such as operas and concerts is relatively niche, advance publicity and advance ticket sales are often the key to box office success or failure. We should promote market-oriented ticket sales, publicity, and operation, promote technological innovation, content supply, and business model improvement, and make it a new driving force in the cultural and tourism consumption market.

(The author is a professor in the Directing Department of the Beijing Film Academy (北京电影学院).)

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Preserve Traditional Roots, Sprout Innovative Buds (Rural Glimpses)

By: 本报记者 宋豪新

In the early morning, a light drizzle falls on Qunxin Village, Hanwang Town (汉旺镇), Mianzhu (绵竹), Sichuan (四川), surrounded by green hills and clear waters. At the Taoban New Year Picture Cultural and Creative Research Base, Lin Guodong (林国栋), a young man born in the 95s (see picture, Song Haoxin (宋豪新), reporter of this newspaper), is busy in his New Year picture studio.

Knives, awls, wooden brushes, paintbrushes, and other tools are neatly arranged on the table. Lin Guodong holds a paintbrush and freely creates on the wine pot. With each stroke, adorable New Year picture dolls leap onto the wine pot.

The fragrance of wine remains the same, and the New Year pictures are full of color. This is the charm of Mianzhu. Lin Guodong combines wine and New Year pictures, creating a different kind of brilliance. The expression of rural culture with "wine and stories" is favored by young people, and this creative idea also won the gold award in the Sichuan Tourism Famous and Excellent Special Product Packaging Creative Design Competition.

Mianzhu New Year pictures originated in the Northern Song Dynasty and flourished in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. They are characterized by woodblock printing and hand-painted colors and are one of the four major New Year pictures in China. Lin Guodong was born into a New Year picture family, and his family has been engaged in the New Year picture industry for three generations.

As a child, Lin Guodong often played by his father Lin Daihui's (林代辉) drawing table, and the colors of Mianzhu New Year pictures permeated his childhood. During holidays, the teenager carried a drawing board and followed his father and senior brothers through the countryside, recording the various aspects of folk life with each stroke. In 2016, after graduating from university, Lin Guodong resolutely returned to his hometown and reinterpreted traditional New Year pictures with the creativity of young people, allowing the old craftsmanship to put on "new clothes" and enter thousands of households.

"This year, I have creatively upgraded the Taoban New Year Picture Wine series of cultural and creative products and designed a magnetic detachable New Year picture pendant. After consumers taste the fine wine, they can remove the exquisite Mianzhu New Year picture pendant from the wine bottle, which becomes a refrigerator magnet," said Lin Guodong. This design not only continues the artistic value of the wine vessel packaging but also allows the traditional intangible cultural heritage to enter the lives of young people in a down-to-earth way.

In the center of the studio, Lin Guodong's woodblock New Year picture "Red Star Over China" shines brightly. This masterpiece, carefully crafted over 20 months, was unveiled last August. The work innovatively integrates the carving techniques of traditional woodblock New Year pictures with the theme of red culture. Through delicate and vivid knife work, it vividly presents a historical moment of milestone significance, which not only inherits the intangible cultural heritage skills but also demonstrates the spirit of the times.

"Woodblock New Year pictures are the perfect artistic carrier for inheriting the red gene." When talking about the creative process, Lin Guodong's eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. He introduced that the creation requires first carefully outlining the contours on the wooden board, and then using a carving knife as a pen for detailed carving. The most challenging part is the creation of the "Going to the National Crisis Together" scene. The distinctive expressions of the 39 Red Army soldiers require precise grasp of every detail, and any slight error means that all previous efforts will be in vain. To this end, he devoted countless days and nights of effort and spent a full half year of repeated polishing before finally completing this artistic masterpiece that embodies craftsmanship.

"This child dares to venture and create. His works not only maintain the roots of tradition but also grow innovative buds. He grafts old crafts and new technologies together to rejuvenate New Year pictures," said his father Lin Daihui. Watching his son's endless creativity, his creative enthusiasm was also rekindled.

Now, Lin Guodong and his father use the Taoban New Year Picture Cultural and Creative Research Base as a platform to gather local craftsmen and develop more cultural and creative products with unique Mianzhu characteristics.

"We have also jointly trained nearly a thousand village artists with vocational colleges," Lin Guodong introduced. The use of assembly line manual coloring mode not only inherits intangible cultural heritage skills but also improves production efficiency. This innovative model allows villagers to achieve flexible employment of "farming in the fields during busy farming seasons and painting with pens during slack farming seasons," which not only increases income but also uses paintbrushes to depict a beautiful picture of the comprehensive revitalization of the countryside.

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Editor in Charge for This Section: Wang Jue

Layout Design: Shen Yiling (沈亦伶)

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The Everlasting Yan'an Torch (A Tour of Anti-Japanese War Literary and Art Works)

By: 周 艳

Art's writing of history often accurately captures the pulse of the times.

On August 15, 1945, Japan announced its unconditional surrender. That evening, the military and civilians of Yan'an (延安) held a grand torch parade. The poet Ai Qing (艾青) wrote passionately in "The People's Carnival": "Welcome joy, treat joy, joy is the most noble guest of tonight." That night, Yan'an (延安) became an ocean of joy.

In 1959, on the 10th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China and the completion of the Museum of the Chinese Revolution, Cai Liang (蔡亮), then 27 years old, was invited to undertake the creation of a revolutionary historical theme entitled "Yan'an (延安) Military and Civilians Celebrate the Victory of the War of Resistance Against Japan," which led to the birth of the red classic oil painting "Yan'an Torch" (延安火炬) (see picture). The author froze the picture on the joyful night when the news of victory came, affectionately describing the stars of fire all over Yan'an (延安), and through the light flow of the torches, the sound of gongs and suonas, and the dynamic posture of the crowd, gathered the originally scattered festive elements together, vividly showing the Chinese people's ecstasy of finally ushering in victory after 14 years of bloody battle, and transforming the victory of the War of Resistance into a concrete and perceptible national carnival ceremony, becoming a record of the times.

The young Cai Liang (蔡亮) boldly broke through the creative form of historical paintings, using the dark night as the background and using dark tones to set off the bright light of the torch, forming a strong contrast between light and dark. The torch became "a primer that drives the whole painting," symbolizing not only the joy of victory, but also implying that the darkness before dawn has been dispelled, like a beacon of hope, illuminating China's path forward. In the picture, the winding torrent of torches in the foreground rushes forward like a river of life, echoing the starlight on the Pagoda Mountain (宝塔山) in the distance, extending the depth of space in the interplay of virtuality and reality, and implying that "Yan'an (延安) is the lighthouse and hope of the Chinese people."

Taking ordinary soldiers and civilians as the main body and conveying collective emotions through portraits of people is another highlight of this work. The irrepressible joy of the old man beating the drum and the unrestrained excitement of the man playing the suona are vividly displayed on the paper. The affectionate expression of the peasant woman holding a child talking intimately with a female soldier reveals the gentle peace after the victory. The figure of the soldier supporting the old woman is full of deep affection between the army and the people. Whether it is the excited and jubilant people or the calm and joyful soldiers, their expressions and actions are portrayed in meticulous detail. Each character in the painting is distinctive and lifelike.

In order to strengthen the artistic effect like an ocean of joy, the work adopts a wide-screen horizontal composition, bringing together the crowd and the fire all over the mountains, creating a majestic momentum. The S-shaped flow line of people secretly conforms to the Chinese aesthetic tradition of "touring and viewing," allowing the viewer's line of sight to extend along the winding torches, as if they were in the mountain road of Yan'an (延安), immersively feeling the warm atmosphere of collective celebration while shifting scenes. In terms of artistic techniques, Cai Liang (蔡亮) adopted a combination of freehand expression and realistic depiction, breaking through the single technique of studying Soviet oil painting at that time. The freehand brushstrokes make the flames more agile, as if jumping and burning in the picture; the realistic depiction makes the characters more real and perceptible. The use of color is also quite exquisite. The painter uses red-orange as the main color to create a fire texture, and the smoke and dark parts reveal blue-purple cool colors, which not only enhances the sense of space, but also balances the restlessness of the warm colors. At the same time, warm colors symbolize the joy of victory and revolutionary enthusiasm, while cool colors create the depth and solemnity of the night. The two complement each other, making the picture more layered.

The authenticity of the details also adds to the work. In an era of scarcity of materials, in order to express the ecstasy of victory, people were looking for everything that could be used as a torch. Farmers tore cotton-padded jackets and dipped them in oil to make torches, and dismantled spinning wheels to burn them. These plots are all derived from the real records of the "Liberation Daily" (《解放日报》) on that night. This non-fiction creation makes the work full of power, allowing viewers to see that the victory of the War of Resistance was the result of the joint efforts of the military and civilians, and everyone contributed their strength to this victory.

Great works of art are always the crystallization of the creator's life experience and the spirit of the times. Cai Liang's (蔡亮) creation is deeply rooted in the deep soil of northern Shaanxi life. Before creating "Yan'an Torch" (延安火炬), he had worked and lived in the Northwest for many years and repeatedly went deep into northern Shaanxi to collect folk customs. In Shaanxi (陕西), he saw scenes of people holding torches at night in the mountains. These all provided inspiration for his creation. He repeatedly experimented with the changes in the level of light, striving to "let the light evolve into a rotating torrent." In the end, he realized the emotional expression full of romantic atmosphere with his solid artistic skills. In the work, the bulging cheeks of the suona player, the joyful expressions and postures of the rural teenagers, etc., are all surging with the simple vitality of the soil, giving the collective memory of the military and civilians celebrating together a tangible temperature and breath. This kind of art from life, with the earthy fragrance of northern Shaanxi, conveys the joy of victory sincerely and warmly. Cai Liang (蔡亮) once said in his self-report: A serious artist always pays attention to society, history, and the destiny of the motherland, and is always with his times and the masses of the people. "Yan'an Torch" (延安火炬) is a vivid interpretation of this concept.

It is worth mentioning that Cai Liang (蔡亮) created several works on the same subject one after another. These different versions have similar compositions, but there are many differences in the main elements of the picture, the spatial processing, and the use of light and shadow, which reflect the author's unremitting exploration of this theme.

Eighty years have passed. The Yan'an (延安) torch, like a never-extinguishing lighthouse in the long river of history, shines with a brilliant spiritual light on the road of mankind's pursuit of peace. It constantly reminds people: remember history, cherish peace, and take the road to the future.

(The author is the Party Secretary and Deputy Dean of the School of Painting and Art of the China Academy of Art (中国美术学院))

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Drawing "Adorable China" (Art Notes)

By: 赵 奇

August 6th is the anniversary of the heroic sacrifice of Martyr Fang Zhimin (方志敏). On the 5th, the "Childlike Heart, Great Land - Zhao Qi's (赵奇) Research Exhibition of Paintings on 'Lovely China'" opened at the Shangrao Art Museum (上饶美术馆) in Fang Zhimin's (方志敏) hometown, Jiangxi Province (江西省). Choosing to open at this time, what it means to me and to this research exhibition, goes without saying. But what I didn't expect was that at the opening ceremony of the exhibition, the host used the special phrase "returning home exhibition." At that moment, I couldn't control my emotions a bit, and I choked up a little when I spoke: "...'Returning home' is heavy, especially when linking this comic strip with the land of Shangrao (上饶)..."

The comic strip "Lovely China" is my creation from more than 40 years ago. Now that it is being exhibited again, it makes me realize a problem: as a work of art, it is still unfinished. At the exhibition, I saw the audience - a few children - writing letters to Fang Zhimin (方志敏) earnestly. This action itself may have nothing to do with me, but what about the future of the children who wrote the letters? This is a story in a long period of time, and no one knows what will happen. Life often brings us some new understanding through specific things. Haven't my own views on this set of works changed now? The work depicts a childlike and loyal heart, carrying emotion and thought. In this way, we will not think that art is just a personal act.

Before creating this work, I didn't know Fang Zhimin (方志敏) very well. At that time, I was still young and could not deeply understand the past, nor deeply understand the spirit and beliefs of Chinese revolutionaries. Fortunately, I encountered "Lovely China." Those words moved me, and that's why I created my paintings. We know that Fang Zhimin's (方志敏) words were written in prison. He said several times that I would die, today or tomorrow. Then he told us: "Where I bleed, or where my bones are buried, perhaps a lovely flower will grow. You can regard this flower as the entrustment of my sincerity!" That flower is him, towards the future, towards us. What Fang Zhimin (方志敏) showed was a vast and expansive picture scroll. Here, I created with what I felt, with my sincerity. This sincerity can be understood as a kind of love, which is also the root of painting that I have realized in my creative practice. Without this creative attitude, art would not exist.

In the exhibition, the drafts of this comic strip are also on display as original works. Why? Because painting is actually a very complex work. The emergence of a content often requires many experiments, and each time it embodies the ideas and concepts generated by the painter through thinking. It cannot be said which time is important or unimportant. Each experiment is just different in terms of methods, approaches, or materials. The reason why I want to emphasize this kind of awareness is not to say that the constantly changing emotions and experiences are not important. On the contrary, I emphasize emotion. Now, many historical-themed art creations have lost emotion, and the works will inevitably appear pale and anemic. Therefore, when dealing with the picture, I have to emphasize "our life." This is a concept and an attitude, but in any case, it is not superficial work like going to the countryside next time and taking a photo.

Due to the influence of experience and education, the creation of the comic strip "Lovely China" has my mature thinking and artistic pursuit in the expression of painting language. At that time, although I was a Chinese painting creator, I did not put this identity in front. I focused on Fang Zhimin's (方志敏) narrative. Yes, the history of the War of Resistance Against Japan has already left an impression in my heart, and I always wanted to express that unforgettable content through the picture. Even when I paint a cloud, I want to make it float in the sky of that history. Until today, I have not given up this idea. However, reflected in the picture, the appearance of my works today may have changed. I regard this change as the occurrence of time and nature. In my heart, I still regard what I want to say as the most important thing. I strive to build my own picture, expressing my thoughts and imagination. If I talk about this kind of experience, what I say the most is still a specific feeling. I am willing to put everything about painting above this level. I will always believe that it is the specific image that enriches the work.

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Wandering in a Garden of Paintings

By: 李 玉

In the mid-20th century, the "New Chinese Painting Movement" arose, and Chinese painters faced a new challenge: how to reflect new life? How to combine the transformation of traditional Chinese painting art with the spirit of realism? This background gave rise to a special group of works—paintings with the theme of urban park landscapes. The exhibition "Urban Forest and Springs: Park-Themed Works from the Shanghai Chinese Painting Academy Collection" currently on display showcases the creators' exploration of this topic through 45 works with different artistic styles.

Parks attract people's attention with their appearance of "reshaped nature" and "displayed life," and they have also become an important carrier for painters to innovate themes, express life, and innovate techniques. In this world, painters boldly explore, allowing traditional forests and springs to develop a different artistic charm in modern cities.

The Shanghai Bund Park (上海外滩公园), built in 1868, was the first public garden in modern China, and many Shanghai painters have used it as the subject of their creations. Chen Qiucao's "Morning Glow" chose the perspective of overlooking the Bund from the Shanghai Mansion. The painter not only depicted the scene of the Bund Park and the boats racing on the Huangpu River (黄浦江) in a realistic manner, but also gave deep meaning to the waving red flags, blooming flowers, and the rising sun through symbolic techniques. The work incorporates watercolor techniques, and the composition also has the characteristics of Western painting. Yuan Songnian's "Morning in Shanghai," Hu Boxiang's "Vibrant Morning on the Huangpu River," and others also have Western painting characteristics in their composition. It is not difficult to see that realistic sketching has become an important way of creating park themes during this period.

Traditional Chinese painting emphasizes sketching from life, but it is different from Western painting's realistic sketching. Chinese painting uses "**外师造化，中得心源**" (wài shī zào huà, zhōng dé xīn yuán - "learn from nature, obtain from the heart," to draw inspiration from nature and transform it through personal understanding) to connect art with reality, focusing on the inner observation of nature. The "New Chinese Painting Movement" advocated that painters should "face life directly." How to organically integrate "learning from nature" with realistic sketching became the direction for painters to explore. He Tianjian admired sketching from life. He once said: "Landscape paintings are drawn from real landscapes, but you should paint them better than real landscapes." In sketching urban parks on-site, he introduced "learning from nature" into his creations, making his works both natural and full of life. In "Happy Boating in Zhongshan Park (中山公园)," a vigorous old tree leads the line of sight to two small boats on the water, vividly showing the joy of citizens boating. Many painters also depict garden scenery with panoramic compositions, such as Wu Hufan's "Sketch of the Western Suburbs Park (西郊公园)," and the collaboration between Lu Yanshao (陆俨少) and Li Qiujun (李秋君), "Yuyuan Dianchun Hall (豫园点春堂)," bringing viewers the artistic enjoyment of "**不下堂筵，坐穷泉壑**" (bù xià táng yán, zuò qióng quán hè - "without leaving the hall, one can enjoy the scenery of mountains and valleys," to appreciate the beauty of nature without going far).

With the advancement of urban park construction, park-themed creations have become increasingly rich. When painters pick up their brushes and begin to depict new urban parks, they are not only exploring the continuous novelty of painting language, but also engaging in a dialogue between art and the times unfolding in urban forests and springs.

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Tibetan Carpets: Adding Color to the Beauty of Life

By: 龚仕建

Light blue, indigo, silver-gray... Layers of different colored wool threads are interwoven, creating a shimmering lake surface and lifelike seagulls. The sandy beach also sparkles with delicate gradations of light and shadow, resembling a masterpiece of light and shadow on an oil canvas. This artistic effect of wool-woven oil painting has recently attracted attention online, writing a vivid footnote for Tibetan carpet craftsmanship.

At least 3,000 years ago, the ancestors of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (青藏高原) had already mastered the weaving techniques of primitive Tibetan carpets. Immersed in a profound regional culture, and after thousands of years of inheritance and evolution, Tibetan carpets have formed distinctive ethnic and regional characteristics in terms of composition, texture, color, and patterns, with rich cultural connotations. In particular, the through-rod knotting method makes them more durable and unique in the world's hand-woven carpet weaving techniques.

For Qinghai (青海), Tibetan carpets are far more than just home decorations. Traditional ethnic patterns, life scenes, geometric figures, natural landscapes, and other rich and diverse patterns contain unique cultural codes, convey beautiful expectations, and provide people with spiritual comfort. Those colorful handicrafts outline the mountains and creatures of Qinghai, which are the local people's deep confession of love for life and nature, reflecting the Qinghai people's love for life and praise for nature.

Handmade carpet making is meticulous in every aspect. The selection of materials requires high-quality wool, weaving requires skilled techniques and design, and even more patience and perseverance. Selecting wool, twisting yarn, dyeing yarn, hemming, making tassels, weaving, scraping... All 17 processes are completed by hand, and it often takes a long time to make a Tibetan carpet. In this process, craftsmen give full play to their imagination and creativity, skillfully match thread colors, adjust stitch density, and fully release the charm of the material, making the expressive power of Tibetan carpet craftsmanship more prominent.

The ingenuity of Tibetan carpets is reflected in every thread. Tibetan carpets use natural plant and mineral dyes such as safflower, madder, and pagoda tree flowers to extract colorants and dye them at low temperatures, resulting in pure and lasting colors with natural charm. The pattern design retains ethnic characteristics and incorporates modern aesthetics, with rich layers. Hand-weaving techniques such as the "figure-eight knot" and "overlapping interlocking knot" allow each stitch and thread to be soaked with the craftsman's efforts, giving the Tibetan carpet a unique texture.

Weaving carpets is not only a craft, but also an attitude towards life, a pursuit of beauty. This is the experience of Yang Yongliang (杨永良), a representative inheritor of the national intangible cultural heritage project, Jia Ya Tibetan carpet weaving technique. "Since ancient times, Tibetan carpets have been produced in Huangzhong (湟中), and Jia Ya (加牙) Tibetan carpets are the best in Huangzhong." In order to pursue the ultimate presentation of beauty, many local craftsmen use wool as a pen and warp and weft as cloth, fully drawing on the composition and color matching of painting to create a picture-like beauty, which can be called "three-dimensional paintings." Some people also incorporate abstract art and modern styles into their creations, or add embroidery and other techniques to make Tibetan carpets more fashionable and rich.

What is most unforgettable for Tibetan carpet artists is that in June 2021, General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) came to Qinghai Shengyuan Carpet Group Co., Ltd. (青海圣源地毯集团有限公司), located in the Chengzhong District (城中区) of Xining City (西宁市), to investigate and research, encouraging enterprises to increase investment in technological innovation and promote the organic combination of traditional craftsmanship and modern technology. In the past 4 years, the design and research and development department has used AI (artificial intelligence) technology to intelligently generate a variety of carpet patterns. On the basis of retaining the traditional hand-woven carpet craftsmanship, the addition of two manufacturing processes, machine-woven carpets and hand-tufted carpets, as well as the establishment of a color library system with more than 40,000 colors, has made it possible to produce machine-woven Tibetan carpets with exquisite styles and rich colors on a large scale and in a customized manner.

In the continuous inheritance and innovation, today's Qinghai Tibetan carpets have long broken through the traditional form, jumping onto backpacks, becoming pendants, and even made into coasters, further integrating into modern life. From hand-weaving in traditional workshops to artificial intelligence digital production, the collision of traditional craftsmanship and cutting-edge technology makes Tibetan carpets shine brightly.

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Photo Report

Oil painting "Soul of the Yellow River: Hukou Waterfall," by the artist Weng Kaixuan (翁凯旋).

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What Should Calligraphy Exhibitions Show the Audience? (Art World Notes)

By: 陈振濂

Moving from the study to the exhibition hall profoundly influences the development of calligraphy art. In the era of exhibition halls, what should calligraphy exhibitions show the audience?

As early as 25 years ago, I published a paper studying the new proposition of "calligraphy exhibition," believing that calligraphers must make adaptive adjustments to meet the needs of the times. But despite the calls, for more than 20 years, in every calligraphy exhibition, especially solo exhibitions, the opening ceremony is crowded in the morning, but deserted in the afternoon. This shows that the new thinking and new position of "exhibition hall culture" have not profoundly affected calligraphers' original habits, cognitions, and behavioral choices. Many times, calligraphy exhibitions are about expressing the calligrapher themselves, and rarely consider how the audience accepts it.

Does "writing well" necessarily mean "exhibiting well" or pleasing the audience? This was indeed the case in the era of the study, but it is not necessarily so in the era of the exhibition hall. Study culture has created a "taste-oriented" appreciation method, where the work and the person interact; exhibition hall culture has created a "visual-oriented" appreciation method, which emphasizes quick entry, and the exhibits are relatively independent. Therefore, it is possible that the artistic level of the work is not bad, but the audience experiences aesthetic fatigue due to the monotonous and repetitive content or form of the exhibits, resulting in a low evaluation. Therefore, whether a calligraphy exhibition is wonderful and attractive is not just a matter of writing well or not, but also of fully considering the audience's viewing experience and having a clear positioning for the exhibition. I have repeatedly called for "anti-habitual writing," refusing to simply copy ancient poems, and opposing the monotonous repetition of exhibit formats, all for this purpose. If we cannot clearly recognize exhibition hall culture, it is difficult for calligraphy exhibitions to fully play their due role.

Regarding the academic school of calligraphy creation model, I once emphasized "theme first," "form supreme," and "technology-based." Theme and form are both aimed at speaking to the exhibition hall. Years of academic thinking are also reflected in my calligraphy creation and the recent solo exhibition. The exhibition takes "Ancient Learning and New Knowledge" (古学新知) as its theme, focusing on respecting the "ancient" while knowing the "new," and displaying it from the perspectives of creative research and "classification" innovation, reflecting the research on calligraphy creation and calligraphy exhibitions. The exhibition is divided into four functional sections: "Subjective Calligraphy - Lyricism," "Reading Calligraphy - Narration," "Visual Calligraphy - Appreciation," and "Reciting Calligraphy - Literature." This functional classification is rarely considered and explored by calligraphers in the past, but it is an important issue facing "calligraphy aesthetics" and "calligraphy philosophy" today. Furthermore, whether such an exhibition model is more universally meaningful, we have academic certainty but it is still unknown in reality.

To get a wider and deeper discussion, academic seminars and scientific research report meetings were also held in conjunction with the exhibition. The entry theme of the academic seminar was "Exhibition," and everyone conducted speculation around "Curation and Exhibition: What should today's calligraphy exhibition let the audience see?" The entry point of the scientific research report meeting was "Creation," and I elaborated on "What is Creation - Contemporary Calligraphy Creation Practice, Classification Model and Future Prospects from a Historical Perspective." This led to continuous questioning from colleagues in the academic community: Where do you think the excellent indicators of calligraphy exhibitions lie? I think that examining the basic personal style language, highlighting personality and unique exploration paths, finding changes and innovative abilities beyond personality, investigating the thoughts and meaning expression within the calligraphy subject, and exploring art and expression outside the calligraphy itself are all worth pondering.

Taking this exhibition as an opportunity, discussions on "calligraphy exhibition science" and "calligraphy creation science" have not only become hot topics, but have also quickly spread to foreign countries, attracting more attention, which I did not expect. Different times, different issues face calligraphy. Learning is endless! 诚哉斯言 (chéng zāi sī yán - "truly, this is the saying," indeed, this is a true saying).

(The author is the Vice Chairman of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles (中国文联) and the Vice President and Secretary-General of the Xiling Seal Art Society (西泠印社))

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This edition's editors: Xu Hongmei, Wu Yanli

This edition's email: msfk@peopledaily.cn

　　Title picture design: Shen Yiling (沈亦伶)

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