Summary: A Politburo meeting, presided over by Xi Jinping, reviewed reports from the leading Party Groups of the National People's Congress, the State Council, the CPPCC, the Supreme People's Court, the Supreme People's Procuratorate, and the Central Secretariat, affirming their 2025 performance and approving their 2026 plans. The meeting emphasized adherence to Xi Jinping Thought and the implementation of the Party's decisions for the upcoming "15th Five-Year Plan." The Party Groups were instructed to strengthen Party building and promote a correct view of performance. The Central Secretariat was tasked with focusing on key tasks under the direction of the Politburo and its Standing Committee. The article does not discuss the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: This article focuses on the ongoing efforts to strengthen rural spiritual civilization in China, emphasizing both inheriting traditions and promoting new customs. It highlights Xi Jinping's call to improve rural governance, promote villagers' self-governance, and cultivate positive social values and practices. The article cites examples such as innovative theoretical education in Zhejiang, policy discussions in Yunnan, and the promotion of traditional virtues in Shandong. It also mentions efforts to simplify traditional customs and the rise of popular rural cultural events like "Village Super League" to mobilize and inspire the masses.
Summary: An initiative in China to promote water conservation is seeing success through consumer incentives for water-efficient appliances and technologies, alongside industrial upgrades. Local governments are supporting the growth of water-saving industries through policies, funding, and industrial clusters. These efforts include promoting water-saving products and technologies, achieving significant reductions in water consumption per unit of GDP and industrial added value. The goal is to build a modern water-saving industrial system, aiming for a one trillion yuan scale by 2027. Deputy Minister of Water Resources Chen Min stated that the Ministry will build a modern water-saving industrial system that focuses on advanced manufacturing in the upcoming 15th Five-Year Plan.
Summary: The Chongqing government has officially established the new Liangjiang New Area by merging existing districts to improve development efficiency and governance. Chongqing's Liangjiang New Area will focus on innovation, high-end manufacturing, and smart city initiatives, aiming to become a core area for the city's industrial development. Luo Lin, a member of the Standing Committee of the Chongqing Municipal Party Committee and Secretary of the Liangjiang New Area Party Committee, stated that the New Area will accelerate the construction of a modern new Chongqing. The new area aims to improve people's livelihoods through improved urban services and infrastructure. The Liangjiang New Area also hopes to support the development of the Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle and the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor.
Summary: As of January 30th, China has issued childcare subsidies to over 30 million infants and young children nationwide. The Ministry of Finance, working with relevant departments, has allocated approximately 100 billion yuan across all levels of government in 2025 for these subsidies, with 90.4 billion yuan coming from the central government. The Ministry of Finance will urge departments to accelerate the progress of payments for applications approved in 2025, but not yet paid out, ensuring full payment is completed by the end of March 2026.
Summary: In 2025, China's cross-regional passenger traffic reached 66.86 billion trips, a 3.5% year-on-year increase, with rail and air seeing notable growth. Commercial freight volume also rose to 58.7 billion tons, a 3.2% increase, driven by growth in air freight. Port cargo throughput reached 18.34 billion tons, up 4.2%, with container throughput increasing by 6.8%, including a 9.8% rise in foreign trade containers. The article does not mention the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: China's one-month-old "trade-in" policy for consumer goods, backed by the initial ¥62.5 billion tranche of the 2026 ultra-long special treasury bonds, aims to stimulate consumer market upgrades. Local governments and online/offline platforms are launching supporting activities to facilitate consumers' participation in the program. The initiative seeks to invigorate domestic consumption through incentivized replacement of older appliances and goods. There is no discussion of the United States or U.S.-China relations in the article.
Summary: In 2025, China's electronic information manufacturing sector experienced rapid growth, with the added value of enterprises above a designated size increasing by 10.6% year-on-year. The sector's operating income reached 17.4 trillion yuan, a 7.4% increase, while profits totaled 750.9 billion yuan, up 19.5%. Integrated circuit production also saw a rise of 10.9%, reaching 484.3 billion units. The export delivery value for the sector remained stable compared to the previous year. The article does not discuss the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The "Haiyang Dizhi 6 Hao" research vessel is conducting seabed research, collecting "special products" and performing a "CT scan" of the Earth. The article also includes reporting on local cultural heritage.
Summary: A press conference highlighted the positive interim results of the 10-year fishing ban in the Yangtze River, reporting a recovery in biodiversity, including an increase of 177 Yangtze finless porpoises since 2022. Officials, including Agriculture and Rural Affairs Vice Minister Zhang Zhili, noted the increase in monitored fish species and improved water quality. Expert Gui Jianfang highlighted the increase of the Yangtze's unique fish species. Authorities plan to strengthen law enforcement against illegal fishing and support the transition of former fishermen. The next five years are considered crucial for consolidating these gains and focusing on habitat restoration.
Summary: A joint notice from the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development aims to solve policy obstacles in urban renewal by refining guidelines on planning and land use. The notice optimizes transitional support policies for utilizing existing land and property for nationally supported industries, allowing for a grace period of up to five years without changing land ownership or planning conditions. It also supports mixed-use development and simplifies approval processes for projects aligning with new industry and business needs. The notice emphasizes the continuity of real estate rights during urban renewal, including pre-registration mechanisms, and encourages the investigation and utilization of unique resources in renewal areas. The United States is not mentioned in the article.
Summary: 歙县 in Anhui province organized a non-material cultural heritage event on January 30, bringing traditional crafts into local communities. Residents participated in fish lantern making, paper cutting, and corn cake production. The activities were led by representative inheritors of these non-material cultural heritages and volunteers. The event aimed to promote and preserve local traditions. The article does not mention the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The National Healthcare Security Administration reports that from January to December 2023, the employee medical insurance personal account co-payment system was utilized 464 million times, totaling 68.77 billion yuan. The majority of co-payments occurred within the same administrative region, with a smaller portion occurring across different regions within the same province or across provincial boundaries. Co-payments were facilitated through direct access to linked personal accounts and the medical insurance e-wallet. 472,200 co-payments worth 314 million yuan were made across provinces during this period. There is no mention of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: An initiative in Jiaxiang County, Shandong Province, encourages residents to replace old appliances with energy-efficient models through a subsidy program combining state support, manufacturer discounts, and retailer offers. This reflects a broader national trend of promoting water conservation and developing water-saving industries, as emphasized by Xi Jinping, who stressed the importance of water resource management for China's modernization. The water conservation industry is becoming increasingly important in China, with the market scale estimated to exceed 760 billion yuan. The Ministry of Water Resources aims to build a modern water-saving industrial system to support the construction of a water-saving society and ensure China's water security. The article does not mention the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: China's National Energy Administration (NEA) reported that energy investment in 2025 saw rapid growth, with key projects exceeding 3.5 trillion yuan in investment, a nearly 11% year-on-year increase. Renewable energy investment accelerated, with installed capacity exceeding 60% of the total and electricity generation surpassing the combined consumption of the EU27. Investment in emerging industries like new energy storage and hydrogen doubled, with renewable hydrogen production capacity also doubling to over 250,000 tons per year. Vice Director Xing Yiteng stated the NEA will increase policy support to promote green energy and facilitate green electricity transactions, while Vice Director Liu Mingyang assured sufficient fuel reserves and stable power supply.
Summary: A Chinese company, Henan International Cooperation Group, has completed a "Village Access" road project in the Rundu region of Namibia, improving transportation between rural villages and main roads. The project has reportedly improved villagers' access to markets, schools, and hospitals, and created over 100 local jobs. Henan International is also reportedly working with local Namibian companies, providing them with technical expertise and creating thousands of jobs over the years. The project aims to strengthen the relationship between China and Namibia through infrastructure development. The project is intended to "build more convenient roads and happy roads for the people of Namibia" and contribute to the friendship between the two countries.
Summary: Hainan's Free Trade Port (FTP) has officially launched island-wide customs operations, representing a significant step in China's high-level opening-up. This move aims to establish a free trade zone with Chinese characteristics by promoting free flow of resources and aligning with international standards. It is expected to contribute to global economic growth through institutional innovation, including data flow mechanisms for a future-oriented digital economy. The FTP is designed to be a window for China's reform and opening up, as well as demonstrating China's commitment to global economic governance and multilateral trade. In the context of some countries advocating for "decoupling" and creating uncertainty, Hainan FTP showcases the concept of open cooperation and shared outcomes.
Summary: The SCO Demonstration Zone in Qingdao is pioneering new logistics channels to SCO countries, including the first "International Road Transport System + Bonded" model shipment to Russia, aiming to reduce logistics costs by about 20%.臧元奇 noted the zone has opened four international road routes and is building a regional hub. In 2025, the zone saw increased China-Europe train activity and cargo volume, serving over 7000 foreign trade enterprises. 付忠华 stated the zone will further leverage its international cooperation platform to enhance logistics and promote investment and trade with SCO and Belt and Road countries. The article does not mention the United States.
Summary: Xi Jinping's special envoy, Liu Haixing, visited Vietnam to congratulate To Lam on his election as General Secretary of the Vietnamese Communist Party (VCP) and to convey Xi's congratulatory letter. Liu expressed China's commitment to implementing the consensus reached by the two parties' top leaders and promoting the development of the China-Vietnam community with a shared future. To Lam expressed his gratitude to Xi and affirmed the new VCP leadership's desire to deepen bilateral relations. Liu Haixing also held the first meeting under the mechanism of the Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee and the Secretary of the Party Committee of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam with Le Hoai Trung.
Summary: The Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) hosted a New Year reception for international friends in Beijing, attended by nearly 120 guests from 45 countries, where CPAFFC President Yang Wanming expressed hope for strengthened people-to-people ties. Several international guests gave performances, including American musician Mark Levine, who sang a song about his love for China and expressed the desire for more Americans to visit China to see the country firsthand. Other speakers noted China's advancements in technology and infrastructure, and the increasing scientific cooperation between China and other countries. The event emphasized the importance of remembering the contributions of international friends to China and fostering continued friendship.
Summary: The "Journey to Ancient Greece" exhibition, co-hosted by the Liangzhu Museum, Sanxingdui Museum, and the Greek Ministry of Culture, opened at the Liangzhu Museum in Hangzhou on January 30th. The exhibition features 163 artifacts and 9 replicas from 31 Greek national museums and archaeological institutions, showcasing the evolution and achievements of ancient Greek civilization. The exhibition's design incorporates elements of ancient Greek temples and will offer various public engagement activities throughout its six-month duration. There is no mention of the United States or U.S.-China relations in the article.
Summary: The article reports on Hubei province's efforts to promote green development, highlighted by personal carbon accounts in Wuhan incentivizing low-carbon behavior through rewards like discounts and goods, with over 2 million users. A "Jian Lala" mini-program in Xianning facilitates the recycling of construction waste, ensuring traceability and resource utilization, while the province boasts 95 recycling plants. Furthermore, the article describes Hubei's construction of "zero-carbon villages" like Tudianzi, relying on renewable energy sources like solar and wind power, boosting local economic activities. These initiatives contribute to Hubei's progress towards its "dual carbon" goals, with renewable energy surpassing thermal power as the primary energy source. The article does not mention the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: 人大 representative Du Yan visited Anhui Xudong Food Technology Co. to discuss the newly approved "Huainan Beef Soup Industry Development Regulations," set to take effect on February 1st. The regulations aim to standardize and promote the Huainan beef soup industry, addressing issues of inconsistent quality and counterfeiting that have plagued the sector. Du Yan highlighted the industry's economic significance, noting its numerous businesses and employment opportunities. The drafting of the regulations involved extensive public consultation, balancing standardization with preserving unique characteristics. Chen Rujiang, director of the Standing Committee of the Huainan Municipal People's Congress, emphasized that the legislation is a new starting point for the industry's high-quality development.
Summary: The 2026 Spring Festival travel season ("chunyun") will begin on February 2 and end on March 13, lasting 40 days. Various regions and departments are preparing to serve the chunyun in order to better meet the travel needs of the people. The article focuses solely on preparations for the travel season and does not discuss international relations or the United States.
Summary: A joint initiative by multiple departments, including the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee and the Cyberspace Administration of China, launched the "My Railway Scenery" campaign on January 30th across major railway stations. The campaign encourages travelers and internet users to create content showcasing China's modernization, scenic beauty, and improved living standards through the lens of railway travel. The year-long campaign is divided into seasonal themes focusing on the Spring Festival, cultural aspects, and national sentiment, inviting the public to document their experiences and perspectives. The initiative aims to highlight the positive aspects of China's development and promote a sense of national pride. There is no mention of the United States or U.S.-China relations in this report.
Summary: The Liaoning Provincial People's Congress elected Xu Kunlin as the Director of the Liaoning Provincial People's Congress Standing Committee on January 30th.
Summary: China's Central Meteorological Observatory issued its first "Spring Festival Travel Season Meteorological Service Report" for 2026, initiating meteorological support for the period. The report predicts two cold air masses will impact northern China between February 2nd and 14th, with potential for strong temperature drops and snowfall. The Chinese Meteorological Administration will strengthen monitoring and forecasting of hazardous weather during the Spring Festival travel season. The report does not mention the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: General Kui Fulin, former Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the People's Liberation Army, died in Beijing on January 15th at the age of 88. Kui, a veteran who joined the army in 1956, held various significant military positions throughout his career, including Commander of the Chengdu Military Region. He was a representative to the 13th, 14th, 15th, and 16th National Congresses of the Communist Party of China, and a member of the 15th Central Committee. He was also a Standing Committee Member of the 10th National People's Congress. He attained the rank of General in 2000.
Summary: The Ministry of Public Security's Traffic Management Bureau has assessed the 2026 Spring Festival travel season, highlighting major road safety risks. These risks include increased private car travel leading to more accidents, high demand for passenger transport increasing safety risks, and more rural travel leading to collisions. The Bureau also warned of increased drunk driving due to holiday gatherings and heightened freight transport risks before and after the holiday. Drivers are advised to check road conditions and weather, avoid speeding and driving under the influence, and maintain safe distances on highways.
Summary: <b style="color:red">[Summary Error - Empty Input]</b>
Summary: Guangdong province is deepening reforms to its 12345 hotline platform to improve government responsiveness and service delivery. The reforms aim to resolve issues quickly by streamlining processes and clarifying departmental responsibilities, addressing issues like noise complaints and business relocation disputes. The initiative uses data analysis of citizen requests to proactively identify and address potential problems before they escalate, exemplified by Shenzhen's "Min Yi Su Ban" platform which monitors online feedback. Guangdong is integrating various channels and tailoring services for different demographics, such as offering sign language and psychological support. The province aims to have the reforms fully implemented by the end of March, enhancing citizen satisfaction.
Summary: China's State Post Bureau reported significant progress in building rural postal and express delivery infrastructure in 2025. Direct delivery by express companies to villages surpassed 90%, with franchise systems reaching one-third. The Bureau also addressed issues of illegal fees for package delivery in rural areas, aiming for nationwide elimination by year-end. Efforts included utilizing the postal service network in Tibet to increase package deliveries, which saw a 2.5-fold increase compared to 2024. The Bureau plans to expand pilot programs in western rural areas and encourage collaborative delivery models to reduce costs.
Summary: Ahead of the Spring Festival, local markets across China are experiencing a surge in consumption. The article uses a photograph from the Licun market in Qingdao, Shandong Province, on January 30th, to illustrate the festive atmosphere and busy crowds buying New Year decorations, dried fruits, seafood, and other holiday goods. The image aims to capture the lively and traditional spirit of the Spring Festival shopping season. The article does not discuss any political actors or foreign relations including U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The Ministry of Water Resources reports the first national transaction of newly cultivated land quotas from newly built irrigation areas. Xuzhou City in Jiangsu Province successfully traded 100 acres of land quotas for 20 million yuan to support the second phase of the Huaihe River Estuary Waterway project in Huaian. Local governments will allocate 12 million yuan of the proceeds for subsequent irrigation area construction and maintenance. Since 2024, Xuzhou has initiated the construction of two new medium-sized irrigation areas and generated new farmland through land consolidation measures. The Ministry of Water Resources intends to promote this experience to support the construction of modern irrigation areas.
Summary: At a press conference in Jilin, officials announced that the province achieved "three increases" in total grain output, yield per unit area, and planting area in 2025, reaching 87.16 billion catties. During the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, Jilin focused on agricultural and rural development, achieving record grain yields. The province plans to construct another 10 million mu of high-standard farmland this year and has been working to improve soil quality and thickness. Jilin is also implementing the second phase of the "Black Soil Granary" science and technology campaign to enhance soil organic matter. They plan to add 10 million mu of integrated water and fertilizer projects.
Summary: A docent at the Xibaipo Memorial Hall, dedicated to preserving the history of the Chinese Communist Party, focuses on making Party history accessible to young people. The docent emphasizes the importance of understanding history through detailed research and engaging storytelling, incorporating immersive experiences and relatable analogies to connect with younger audiences. She also trains young people to tell stories of the party. Her goal is to instill revolutionary ideals in the next generation, ensuring the continuation of "red" values. The article does not mention the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: Across China, efforts are underway to strengthen ideological education for youth through innovative approaches to "red education," leveraging technology and immersive experiences. One example is the Xibaipo Memorial Hall's digital exhibition using VR technology to recreate historical sites. The article also cites the creation of immersive practice activities, lectures, and volunteer opportunities to promote revolutionary spirit. These diverse methods aim to instill patriotism and commitment to national strength in the younger generation. The article does not mention the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: Six departments in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, including the Department of Civil Affairs and the Public Security Department, have jointly issued a work plan to streamline the application process for elderly welfare subsidies. The plan aims to improve efficiency by creating a "one-stop" online and offline application system. The streamlined process will consolidate applications for high-age allowances, nursing subsidies, and elderly care service subsidies, with the latter being automatically distributed to eligible recipients based on data analysis. The initiative seeks to improve the effectiveness of elderly services through interdepartmental data sharing and simplified procedures.
Summary: <b style="color:red">[Summary Error - Empty Input]</b>
Summary: The "海洋地质六号" (Haiyang Dizhi Liuhao) research vessel returned to Guangzhou after a 95-day expedition in the Pacific, bringing back polymetallic nodules formed over 30 million years and deep-sea organisms like coral and sponges. The expedition also conducted deep-sea electromagnetic profiling, reaching a depth of 7663 meters, to understand the Earth's internal structure and tectonic dynamics. Scientists captured a critical point of "cold and hot confrontation" about 50 kilometers below the abyssal seabed, providing a clearer understanding of the Earth's internal structure, seafloor spreading, and plate tectonic dynamics. The data collected will inform future ocean drilling projects, including potential trials in the South China Sea, to investigate the origins of life and climate change.
Summary: A research team led by Pan Jianwei at the University of Science and Technology of China has experimentally verified Bohr's complementarity principle in quantum mechanics, which states that the wave and particle nature of micro-particles cannot be observed simultaneously. By using a single rubidium atom as a movable slit and employing techniques like optical tweezers and Raman sideband cooling, the team was able to observe the trade-off between measuring a photon's path and observing its interference pattern. The experiment confirmed that increasing the accuracy of measuring the recoil of the atom (particle nature) necessarily blurs the interference fringes (wave nature), and vice versa. This finding provides further evidence for the completeness of quantum mechanics. The article did not mention the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: China's National Medical Products Administration has approved the original drug Libe Vetamab (商品名“华优诺”), an injectable monoclonal antibody developed entirely by a Chinese team, for treating chronic hepatitis D virus infection. The drug, the first approved monoclonal antibody for viral hepatitis globally, works by blocking the binding of hepatitis B/D viruses to liver cells. This drug is expected to provide a more economical, effective, and accessible treatment option for patients worldwide, contributing to the goal of eliminating viral hepatitis as a public health hazard by 2030. The development of this drug marks a rare case of complete indigenous innovation, from scientific discovery to drug development, by a single team.
Summary: A research team led by Shanxi University has developed a new method for detecting strong magnetic fields at low temperatures, increasing spatial resolution to the micrometer level. This new method overcomes limitations of traditional nuclear magnetic resonance by using twisted bilayer graphene devices encapsulated in hexagonal boron nitride. The team demonstrated that unique quantized features, represented as "Chinese knot"-like patterns in electrical measurements, can be used to precisely determine magnetic field strength. This approach allows for accurate magnetic field measurement at a microscale, effectively providing a micrometer-level "ruler" for magnetic field measurement. The publication did not mention the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: A recent study by Peking University researchers reveals that Antarctic ice shelf cavities, despite comprising only 3% of the Southern Ocean's area, account for approximately 42% of its organic carbon burial. The study, analyzing sediment samples over the past 12,000 years, found that the carbon sequestration capacity of these ice shelf cavities has increased ninefold due to warming-induced sea ice reduction. Warming expands open water areas for phytoplankton growth, which absorb carbon dioxide, and melting ice shelves release fine particles that aid carbon sedimentation. These systems could act as natural buffers within the Earth's climate system, partially offsetting rising atmospheric carbon dioxide. Researchers suggest that including ice shelf cavity dynamics into Earth system models could improve predictions of marine carbon absorption and climate change trajectories.
Summary: A Chinese research team comprised of multiple institutions, including the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Tsinghua University, has developed a capsule-sized, wirelessly powered, symbiotic pacemaker. The device harvests kinetic energy from the heart's own motion using electromagnetic induction, converting it into electricity, potentially eliminating the need for battery replacement surgeries. The pacemaker's output power has surpassed the critical energy threshold for lifetime operation, and its design minimizes surgical trauma through minimally invasive catheter implantation. The device also features a magnetic levitation energy storage structure to improve efficiency and stability. The concept of “symbiotic bioelectronics”, initially proposed in 2019, is also being applied to other fields such as bone repair and neural regulation.
Summary: Please provide the article you would like me to summarize. I need the text of the article to be able to provide an accurate and concise summary for professional analysts of Chinese politics.
Summary: This article introduces a column called "There are Cultural Relics at My Doorstep," which collects submissions from readers about local cultural relics and their associated stories. The column aims to highlight how cultural heritage coexists with everyday life in villages and neighborhoods, fostering a sense of historical depth and community. This edition features three selected reader submissions. The editors encourage continued contributions from readers.
Summary: A retired Fujian Normal University professor, a 35th-generation descendant of the Yu Hu Chen clan, returned to his ancestral home in Tianzhu Village, Quanzhou, and rediscovered a 700-year-old well during the fourth national cultural relic survey in 2024. The well, dating back to 1273 during the Song Dynasty, was found to have inscriptions and a stele, revealing its historical significance. Research into clan genealogy and local records showed that the well was rebuilt in 1273 by the Chen family, and later became the reason why Chen Hongtao’s family decided to settle nearby in 1517. The discovery led to the well being designated as a cultural relic protection unit. The article makes no mention of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: A 300-year-old gate tower in Xi'an, nicknamed the "囧 (jiong) character building" due to its resemblance to the Chinese character for "囧," has been identified as a protected historical relic. Local lore says that the gate was built by a grateful carpenter named Ren in the Kangxi era after the villagers nursed him back to health, and the village was named after him. The tower, once the heart of the village, has witnessed the transformation from a rural settlement to a modern urban landscape. It was recently renovated and is now a local attraction. The article does not discuss the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: This article describes the Shengmei Bridge in Yangjiatan, Lianyuan, Hunan, highlighting its historical significance as part of the Sunshui River's trade route. The bridge, dating back over 300 years, was a key point in the "Little Nanjing" of Yangjiatan, a bustling hub connecting various cities. It details the bridge's construction, local legends, and its association with the Xiang Army, whose members contributed to the area's development. Today, the Shengmei Bridge is a protected cultural relic and a site for local festivities and traditions. There is no mention of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: Tang dynasty tomb murals in the Shaanxi History Museum depict horses as a symbol of power, speed, and the Tang dynasty's spirit. These murals showcase various aspects of Tang life, including aristocratic travel with elaborate horse processions, military activities reflected in hunting scenes and cavalry equipment, and recreational sports like polo, where the Tang dynasty team defeated the Tubo team. The horse represented more than just transportation; it embodied the dynasty's ambition, courage, and connection to cross continental trade and the Silk Road. The murals and related poetry reflect the Tang people's spirit of progress and self-improvement, inspiring modern viewers. The murals do not mention the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: Archaeological findings reveal that *Vitis vinifera* (欧亚种葡萄) grapes were introduced to China over 2000 years ago, with evidence from Xinjiang's Turpan region. A recent excavation in Turpan's Tuyugou site uncovered grape seeds and stems dating back to the Gaochang Uyghur period (around 1,000 years ago), suggesting grapes were used for winemaking, the residue of which was potentially used as horse feed. Native Chinese *Vitis* species were utilized even before the introduction of *Vitis vinifera*, as evidenced by findings in Neolithic sites. Grape seeds discovered at the Liao Dynasty capital site in Inner Mongolia indicate consumption of native grapes by commoners, while remains of *Vitis vinifera* grapes in a Liao Dynasty tomb suggest elites consumed the imported variety.
Summary: The newly constructed Daxinzhuang Site Museum in Jinan, Shandong, showcases the archaeological discoveries from the Daxinzhuang site, a major eastern town during the Shang Dynasty. The museum's exhibition, themed "Yi-Shang Integration, Unity in Diversity," highlights the integration of Dongyi culture with Shang culture. It features over 800 artifacts, including oracle bones and bronzes, arranged to depict the site's political, economic, and social aspects. The museum also presents the archaeological research conducted by Shandong University, demonstrating the collaboration between academia, local government, and enterprises. The displays emphasize the site's significance within the broader historical narrative of the unified multi-ethnic Chinese civilization.
Summary: Please provide the article you would like me to summarize. I need the text of the article to provide an accurate summary for professional analysts of Chinese politics, focusing on key details like official statements, accompanying personnel, and any mentions of the U.S. or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The author laments the decline of "slow reading" (慢阅读) in the digital age, where rapid browsing has replaced deep engagement with texts. They argue that while convenient, this trend hinders comprehension and critical thinking, especially among young people. The author advocates for a balance between broad reading and focused, slow reading, emphasizing its importance for intellectual and emotional well-being. They suggest promoting slow reading as part of broader efforts to build spiritual civilization. The author does not discuss the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The article recounts the experience of Ma Jun, a member of the Xiji County Political Consultative Conference, who uses a wheelchair. It details the accommodations made for Ma to deliver a speech at the conference, including arranging a table at wheelchair level and assigning staff to assist. Ma expresses gratitude for the support received, allowing her to voice the concerns of ordinary people. No mention of the U.S. or U.S.-China relations were made in the article.
Summary: A young Mongolian couple in Ordos runs a shop specializing in traditional dairy products, particularly *酥油* (butter tea). The male owner, Ab, studied unmanned aerial vehicles in Nanjing and Sweden, but returned home after being inspired by his mother's *酥油* and a Swedish classmate's reaction to it. He now aims to sell Mongolian *酥油* globally and has developed 14 standards to obtain a production license. The shop's signature product is *酥油* coffee, made with butter tea. There is no mention of the United States or U.S.-China relations in the text.
Summary: Please provide the article you would like me to summarize. I need the text of the article to produce a summary. Once you provide the article, I will give you a concise summary suitable for professional analysts of Chinese politics, adhering to your specified constraints.
Summary: This article describes the process of making "Shima Wuxiang," a local delicacy, in Shima town, Fujian province. It emphasizes the traditional methods and family secrets involved in its preparation, highlighting the importance of handmade techniques and unique spice blends. The dish is deeply ingrained in the local culture, playing a central role in festivals and celebrations. The article focuses on the culinary traditions of the region and does not discuss Chinese politics or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The article recounts the narrator's New Year's Day spent helping an elderly neighbor, Grandpa Yu, clean out his pond. The narrator, accompanied by his wife and a friend named Lao Li and his wife, spent the day clearing silt from the pond. Grandpa Yu insisted they take some fish and vegetables as thanks, and he video-called his son to show him the cleaned pond and express his gratitude. The narrator and Lao Li intentionally left the larger fish in the pond for Yu's son to eat when he comes home for Chinese New Year. The day concluded with a shared meal made with the gifted produce, symbolizing a meaningful start to the new year.
Summary: The article highlights Quzhou's significance as a place of origin ("源"), citing the Qiantang River's source, the earliest rice cultivation, and the "Li Chun" solar term tradition rooted there. It also mentions the Kong family's southern migration after the Jingkang Incident, establishing a major Confucian center in Quzhou. The piece further connects Quzhou to the origin of the "lanke" (爛柯) legend associated with Go. The author concludes by attributing Quzhou's enduring vitality to the combination of its foundational origins ("源") and its role as a transportation hub ("衢").
Summary: This poem reflects on the desire to leave a meaningful mark on the world through art or observation, contrasting it with the more mundane traces of daily life. The speaker acknowledges the prevalence of ordinary, even melancholic, remnants such as meals, dust, and silence. Nostalgia and familial connection are evoked through the image of the aging mother and her concern for the speaker's well-being. The poem finds solace in the beauty of simple moments, like a neighbor's piano music, enjoyed in quiet contemplation. This act of writing and reflection is ultimately a personal process of emotional ebb and flow. There is no mention of U.S.-China relations.
Summary: I am sorry, I do not have access to the internet to get the context from the email address provided.
This year marks the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (中国共产党), and it is the first year of the "Fifteenth Five-Year Plan." The five Party Leadership Groups must take Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era (习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想) as their guide, adhere to the centralized and unified leadership of the Party Central Committee, and implement the spirit of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Party and the Party Central Committee's decisions and deployments for this year's work without any discount. They should adhere to the general tone of seeking progress while maintaining stability, focus on the major strategic tasks of economic and social development during the "Fifteenth Five-Year Plan" period, and strive to achieve a good start. They should strengthen the construction of the Party Leadership Groups themselves, earnestly fulfill their primary responsibility for comprehensively and strictly governing the Party, and take the lead in establishing and practicing a correct view of performance. The Secretariat of the Central Committee should focus on the deployments and requirements of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee and the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee, base itself on its responsibilities to grasp the implementation of key tasks, and complete the various tasks assigned by the Party Central Committee with high quality.
Xinhua News Agency, Beijing (北京), January 30th. The Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee (中共中央政治局) convened a meeting on January 30th to review the "Comprehensive Report on the Work Reports of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (全国人大常委会), the State Council (国务院), the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (全国政协), the Supreme People's Court (最高人民法院), and the Supreme People's Procuratorate (最高人民检察院) Party Leadership Groups, and the Work Report of the Secretariat of the Central Committee." Xi Jinping (习近平), General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, presided over the meeting.
The meeting fully affirmed the work of the Party Leadership Groups of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the State Council, the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the Supreme People's Court, and the Supreme People's Procuratorate, and the Secretariat of the Central Committee in 2025, and approved their work arrangements for 2026. The meeting held that in the past year, the five Party Leadership Groups adhered to Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as their guide, firmly safeguarded the authority of the Party Central Committee and its centralized and unified leadership, conscientiously implemented the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Party and the plenary sessions of the 20th Central Committee, closely focused on the overall work of the Party and the country to give play to their functional roles, and earnestly strengthened the construction of the Party Leadership Groups themselves, making positive contributions to the smooth completion of the main goals and tasks for the year and the successful conclusion of the "Fourteenth Five-Year Plan." Under the leadership of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee and the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee, the Secretariat of the Central Committee conscientiously implemented the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee, actively performed its duties, and did a great deal of work in completing the tasks assigned by the Party Central Committee, strengthening the construction of Party regulations and systems, guiding and promoting the work of mass organizations, and rectifying formalism to reduce the burden on the grassroots.
The meeting emphasized that this year marks the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (中国共产党), and it is the first year of the "Fifteenth Five-Year Plan." The five Party Leadership Groups must take Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era (习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想) as their guide, adhere to the centralized and unified leadership of the Party Central Committee, and implement the spirit of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Party and the Party Central Committee's decisions and deployments for this year's work **不折不扣** (bù zhé bù kòu - "no discount," completely; thoroughly). They should adhere to the general tone of seeking progress while maintaining stability, focus on the major strategic tasks of economic and social development during the "Fifteenth Five-Year Plan" period, and strive to achieve a good start. They should strengthen the construction of the Party Leadership Groups themselves, earnestly fulfill their primary responsibility for comprehensively and strictly governing the Party, and take the lead in establishing and practicing a correct view of performance. The Secretariat of the Central Committee should focus on the deployments and requirements of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee and the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee, base itself on its responsibilities to grasp the implementation of key tasks, and complete the various tasks assigned by the Party Central Committee with high quality.
The meeting also studied other matters.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 郑海鸥
"Strengthen the construction of rural grassroots party organizations, attach importance to the ideological and moral education of farmers, attach importance to the construction of the rule of law, improve the rural governance system, deepen the practice of villagers' self-governance, effectively play the role of village rules and folk agreements, family education and family style, and cultivate civilized rural customs, good family style, and simple folk customs."
——March 6, 2022, Xi Jinping (习近平), General Secretary, emphasized when visiting members of the agricultural sector, social welfare, and social security sectors attending the CPPCC meeting.
To comprehensively revitalize the countryside, it is necessary to shape it and, more importantly, to build its soul.
Nourishing people's hearts, cultivating morality, and uniting people's hearts, strengthening the construction of spiritual civilization in rural areas, General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) has always been concerned about this: "Improve the rural governance system, deepen the practice of villagers' self-governance, effectively play the role of village rules and folk agreements, family education and family style, and cultivate civilized rural customs, good family style, and simple folk customs," "Prosper rural culture, promote changing customs and habits, and build livable, workable, and beautiful villages."
One deployment after another has been implemented with a resounding impact. The "15th Five-Year Plan" proposal puts forward, "Promote the construction of livable, workable, and beautiful villages" and "Coordinate the promotion of urban and rural spiritual civilization construction." Since 2019, the No. 1 Central Document has made deployments for rural customs and habits reform work for seven consecutive years.
With continuous efforts and sufficient work, rural civilization has taken on a new look.
The new look stems from using the Party's innovative theories to strengthen the soul.
On the stage, standing tall like wheat, quick storytelling, story gatherings, and other forms are down-to-earth and full of vitality; under the stage, there is a large audience, and the villagers listen with relish and praise, and interact from time to time. At the theoretical publicity site of "Dream 'Sound' Open Mic" in Xiajiang Village (下姜村), Chun'an County (淳安县), Zhejiang (浙江), the Party's innovative theories are deeply rooted in the hearts of the people through ideological collisions.
"The Party's theoretical innovation and practical innovation are very vivid, and our learning should also be vivid." In the fields, "grassroots spokespersons" speak to the masses, and role models around them speak to the people around them... The power of thought is transformed into a driving force to stimulate enthusiasm, inspire people, and unite and forge ahead.
In Houqiao Town (猴桥镇), Tengchong City (腾冲市), Yunnan (云南), people recognize the "Fire Pit Conference." Good government policies, urgent needs and concerns of the masses, party members, cadres, and ordinary people meet at the fire pit to discuss good ways for development and good ideas for solving problems, and combine the promotion of socialist core values with the masses' production and life, thoughts and expectations. The fire pit dispels the cold, and the policy warms people's hearts.
The local accent conveys the Party's voice, and sincere feelings solve the people's worries. The villagers strive to be advocates and practitioners of civilized new customs.
The new look both continues tradition and promotes innovation.
"Wan Ren (万仁), Wan Yi (万义)... The last characters of the brothers' names are connected to form 'Benevolence, Righteousness, Propriety, Wisdom, and Trustworthiness'." In the family style exhibition room of Wujia Village (武家村), Qufu City (曲阜市), Shandong (山东), visitors draw moral nourishment from the excellent family style.
Good neighborliness, integrity and respect for etiquette, self-improvement, filial piety and love for parents... Family traditions and precepts reflect the shining brilliance of traditional virtues; village rules and folk agreements reflect the good customs of contemporary China.
Drawing spiritual wealth from the excellent traditional Chinese culture, the rich historical and cultural resources are transformed into the driving force for rural development and governance. "Harmony is Precious" mediation rooms are all over Qufu (曲阜) urban and rural areas, drawing on the essence of ideas such as "harmony and co-existence" to lay a solid cultural foundation for social governance.
"Eliminate outdated customs and bad habits such as high-priced betrothal gifts, comparison of relationships, extravagant funerals and meager support for the elderly, and extravagance and waste." Blessing gifts are simple but warm; dishes are unified and moderately reduced... Lu Xuechao (陆学超), a villager in a model village in Tiandong County (田东县), Guangxi (广西), had a simple but meaningful 61st birthday.
"It has a beautiful meaning, is simple and fashionable, and both the host and guests are happy." The villagers praised.
Many places unify the scale and standards for handling "red and white events" according to local conditions, and party members and cadres set an example for the new fashion with their own actions.
The etiquette is simplified, the hearts are closer, and "the concept of modern civilization is deeply rooted in the countryside."
The new look is displayed on a vibrant new stage.
Shaking off the soil and starting to sing, going on stage after finishing farm work... At the "Village Super League" and "Village Evening" sites in Rongjiang County (榕江县), Guizhou (贵州), farmers actively participate and are full of enthusiasm.
Rongjiang County (榕江县) launched a "brainstorming" - "What can I do for the 'Village Super League'?" Participating in competitions, performing programs, receiving homestays, volunteering... In the main venue, villagers are not absent, and the sense of collective honor and belonging is gradually sublimated.
In 2025, 91,300 "Village Evening" events were held nationwide, with 692 million online and offline participants. More and more traditional folk customs and local skills have become synonymous with fashion and popularity.
In the fields of hope, the villagers live a hot and vibrant life, unfolding a rural picture of coordinated development of material and spiritual civilization.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 王 浩 邓剑洋
In an appliance store in Jiaxiang County (嘉祥县), Shandong Province (山东省), a resident, Gao Zhongxi (高中席), took a fancy to an appliance, "The original price was 3,970 yuan, with a 15% national subsidy, plus manufacturer discounts and merchant promotions, it only cost 2,295 yuan."
"It's both cheap and easy to use, and it saves energy and electricity." What made Gao Zhongxi (高中席) even more delighted was that the appliance also had an "Energy Efficiency Grade 1" label on it. Jiaxiang County (嘉祥县) is carrying out trade-ins for consumer goods, and consumers who purchase appliances that meet the Grade 1 energy efficiency or water efficiency standards can enjoy the triple benefits of "national subsidies + manufacturer discounts + merchant promotions."
Trade-ins bring water-saving appliances into thousands of households. Demand drives supply towards excellence, confirming the good momentum of the booming water-saving industry.
Saving water is something that President Xi Jinping (习近平) constantly emphasizes, stating, "To advance Chinese-style modernization, we must take water resource issues into consideration, determine the size of cities, land use, population, and production based on water availability, and develop water-saving industries."
China's per capita water resource possession is only 35% of the world average, coupled with the basic water situation of "summer floods and winter droughts, northern scarcity and southern abundance," water conservation is the fundamental way out to achieve sustainable development, and developing water-saving industries is the key path.
All regions and departments deeply practice the water management approach of "prioritizing water conservation, spatial balance, systematic governance, and utilizing both hands," taking the development of water-saving industries as an important starting point for green transformation, setting policies, cultivating entities, extending chains, and promoting innovation. A number of leading enterprises have emerged, the industrial chain continues to extend, water-saving products are becoming more diverse, and the market size of China's water-saving related industries is estimated to exceed 760 billion yuan, with surging green development momentum.
The water-saving industry is moving towards new directions, and the pattern of cluster development is accelerating.
A "water-saving brick" contains water-saving secrets. Rainwater collection modules are assembled into underground water storage tanks to collect rainwater for recycling. "The efficient rainwater collection and reuse system allows city streets to 'breathe' freely through 'underground module water storage + above-ground intelligent treatment'," said Zhao Xing (赵醒), head of Guohe Green Material Technology (Jiangsu) Co., Ltd. (国合绿材科技（江苏）有限公司) in Yixing City (宜兴市), Jiangsu Province (江苏省).
Under the promotion of the Yixing City Water Resources Bureau (宜兴市水利局), upstream and downstream linkages, industry-academia-research collaboration, new industries such as new water-saving equipment and technology, water treatment and resource utilization are thriving. At present, Yixing City (宜兴市) has more than 1,500 enterprises related to water-saving businesses, and nearly 500 enterprises engaged in the manufacturing and installation of water-saving products.
Various regions have established industrial funds, formed industrial associations, and guided leading enterprises to drive the cluster development of upstream and downstream enterprises. The three major industrial highlands of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (京津冀), the Yangtze River Delta (长三角), and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (粤港澳大湾区) continue to lead; Chengdu-Chongqing (成渝), Shandong (山东), Shaanxi (陕西) and other equipment manufacturing and scientific research innovation clusters are gaining momentum, and the "three regions and multiple districts" water-saving industrial cluster development pattern is constantly shaping, forming a multi-point support and collaborative industrial ecosystem.
Water-saving products are moving towards excellence, and new supply is creating new demand.
In the production workshop of Hengjie Sanitary Ware Co., Ltd. (恒洁卫浴有限公司) in Foshan City (佛山市), Guangdong Province (广东省), the production line is operating in an orderly manner, and more than 2 million sets of water-saving toilets are sold from here to various places every year.
"Water-saving toilets can save 2.5 liters of water per flush, and sales have been good," said Xie Zhenwu (谢振武), the company's relevant person in charge. Aiming at the new trend of green consumption, the company has developed a series of water-saving products in recent years.
The accelerated promotion and popularization of water-saving products is releasing new potential for green lifestyles. Water-saving products are included in the green product certification system, and four batches of water efficiency labeling product catalogs have been released, covering 110,000 models of domestic water products; combined with consumer goods trade-ins and home decoration kitchen and bathroom "renovation" policies, the renewal of household water-saving appliances is promoted; the "Measures for the Management of Water Conservation in Public Institutions" and other measures have been introduced to promote the popularization and renewal of water-saving appliances in more than 1 million public institutions across the country.
Promoting consumption, benefiting people's livelihoods, and protecting the ecology. Relevant research shows that a family of three can save about 70 cubic meters of tap water per year if they replace all second-level or above water-efficient toilets, showers, and washing machines. "The popularization of water-saving appliances has improved the quality of life and water efficiency, bringing more benefits to residents," said Jiang Muchen (蒋牧宸), director of the National Water Conservation Office (全国节约用水办公室).
While the water-saving industry itself is constantly moving towards high-quality development, it is promoting the deep transformation of traditional industries and expanding development space.
In the production workshop of Jiarui Printing and Dyeing Co., Ltd. (伽瑞印染有限公司) in Keqiao District (柯桥区), Shaoxing City (绍兴市), Zhejiang Province (浙江省), from a white blank fabric to a printed fabric, processes such as scouring, printing, and washing are inseparable from water. "High-efficiency hydraulic calenders, high-efficiency energy-saving double-layer steam dryers and other equipment have been introduced, saving water in every link, saving more than 20% of water every year, and directly saving more than one million yuan in production costs," said Xu Shunyong (徐顺勇), the company's general manager.
Keqiao's (柯桥) development is based on "a piece of cloth." In the past, excessive water consumption and wastewater discharge "trapped" industrial development. "Water conservation first forces industrial upgrading." Qiu Jianping (裘剑平), head of the Keqiao District (柯桥区) Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau, introduced that the district guides printing and dyeing enterprises to carry out water-saving technological transformation and upgrading, and build a three-in-one recycled water utilization system of "industrial agglomeration + sewage treatment + recycling," and the recycled water utilization rate in the district will reach 40.1% in 2025.
Saving water means reducing emissions, saving water means controlling pollution, and saving water means reducing carbon. Jiang Muchen (蒋牧宸) introduced that the water-saving industry is an important part of the green and low-carbon industry. During the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, China's total water consumption achieved "zero growth." In 2025, the water consumption per 10,000 yuan of domestic GDP and the water consumption per 10,000 yuan of industrial added value nationwide will decrease by 20% and 25% respectively compared with the end of the "13th Five-Year Plan" period.
A drop of water reflects a broad development space. The "Guiding Opinions on Accelerating the Development of Water-Saving Industries" clearly proposes that the water-saving industry will achieve a trillion-yuan scale by 2027. Chen Min (陈敏), Vice Minister of the Ministry of Water Resources (水利部), said that moving towards the "15th Five-Year Plan," the Ministry of Water Resources (水利部) will take meeting the people's growing needs for a better life as the fundamental goal, adhere to the direction of intelligence, greening, and integration, adhere to the benign interaction between supply and demand, accelerate the construction of a modern water-saving industrial system with advanced manufacturing as the backbone, and provide strong support for building a water-saving society and ensuring China's water security.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 李增辉 姜 峰 刘新吾
Holding Jialing (嘉陵) on the left and embracing the Yangtze (长江) on the right, Liangjiang New Area (两江新区) stands at a new starting point. In October 2025, the Party Central Committee and the State Council approved Chongqing's (重庆市) adjustment of some administrative divisions, relying on the Liangjiang New Area (两江新区) national-level new area, abolishing Jiangbei District (江北区) and Yubei District (渝北区), establishing Liangjiang New Area (两江新区), and scientifically dividing the administrative regions of Beibei District (北碚区) and Liangjiang New Area (两江新区). On January 25 this year, the Liangjiang New Area (两江新区) administrative district was officially inaugurated.
Over the years, the central urban area has shouldered the important task of Chongqing's (重庆) development "main engine"; Liangjiang New Area (两江新区) has also achieved a transformation from a planning blueprint to a modern metropolis, contributing 60% of Chongqing's (重庆) automobile production and 30% of its total import and export volume. However, the constraints are becoming increasingly obvious: the overlapping of development zones and administrative regions affects development efficiency, governance effectiveness, and people's livelihood experience.
After the establishment of the new Liangjiang New Area (两江新区), "the administrative region of about 1,360 square kilometers governs 31 streets and 11 towns, with a permanent population of about 3.52 million and an urbanization rate of 95%," introduced Kan Jilin (阚吉林), Director of the Chongqing Municipal Civil Affairs Bureau (重庆市民政局).
Seeking vitality from reform—
Horizontally connecting the "Riverside Belt" and vertically connecting the "City Axis." Through integrated planning, intelligent connected new energy vehicles, a new generation of electronic information manufacturing, and high-end equipment form an "industrial corridor." "The adjustment of administrative divisions is just the beginning. We must base ourselves on the new spatial layout, open up a new pattern of industrial development, and move from 'physical change' to 'chemical reaction' through facility connectivity, functional complementarity, and resource sharing," said Qu Yajun (屈亚军), Secretary of the Party Leadership Group of the Development and Reform Commission of Liangjiang New Area (两江新区发展改革委).
The official inauguration of Liangjiang New Area (两江新区) does not mean weakening the advantages of the development zone: streamlining the responsibilities of district-level departments, industrial chain offices, towns and streets, and state-owned enterprises, building an efficient new area institutional function system, and deeply promoting the reform of state-owned assets and state-owned enterprises, deepening the reform of the investment and financing system, and shaping a first-class business environment. "We must give full play to the role of the national-level new area as a 'test field' for reform and innovation, deepen the efficient integration reform of the administrative region and the development zone, and amplify the dual advantages," said Chen Hailiang (陈海亮), Director of the Reform Office of the Liangjiang New Area (两江新区区委改革办).
Seeking impetus from innovation—
On the shore of Mingyue Lake (明月湖), Gao Feng (高峰), a senior engineer at the Chongqing Innovation Center of Beijing Institute of Technology (北京理工大学重庆创新中心), is discussing technical issues with his team. Their research and development of a digital and intelligent material modeling system has taken the lead in achieving localization in the field of automotive crash simulation.
The "newness" of the new area lies in the system and, more importantly, in the source of power. Striving forward in the "15th Five-Year Plan," strengthening the source function of scientific and technological innovation, Liangjiang New Area (两江新区) enhances platform capabilities, strengthens the main position of enterprises, and creates a good innovation ecosystem, making "innovation simpler and entrepreneurship less lonely" for all kinds of talents.
"New" is also a vision, focusing on the commanding heights of industrial development. Chongqing (重庆) is focusing on building a modern manufacturing cluster system, and Liangjiang New Area (两江新区) is taking advantage of the trend to promote manufacturing to the mid-to-high end of the value chain; Chongqing (重庆) has proposed to build a globally influential intelligent connected new energy vehicle industry cluster, and Liangjiang New Area (两江新区) has found its position as the core carrier.
People-centered—
Braised dried tofu with pork, stir-fried garlic sprouts with beef... The new lunch menu at Jinyu School (金渝学校) comes from a special "meal planner" - the "AI+ campus meal intelligent management" system launched in the autumn semester of 2025 in Liangjiang New Area (两江新区). The system integrates more than 20 key links such as procurement, warehousing, and processing by digital means, which can not only accurately match meals, but also achieve full-process supervision.
Implementing "micro-transformation" projects to install elevators in old buildings; creating a "15-minute high-quality life service circle"... Liangjiang New Area (两江新区) continues to improve and enhance people's well-being. Next, it will also carry out high-quality urban renewal and strengthen the effectiveness of urban governance by using "digital" means and a "comprehensive" system.
A large area has great responsibilities, and a new area has new achievements. Helping to enhance the development level of the Chengdu-Chongqing Twin-City Economic Circle (成渝地区双城经济圈), fully supporting the improvement of the quality and efficiency of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor (西部陆海新通道), and jointly promoting the high-quality development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt (长江经济带)... Planning for a region from the overall situation and serving the overall situation with a region, the tide of Liangjiang (两江) is a vivid microcosm of Chongqing (重庆) undertaking and implementing major national strategies.
New starting point, set off again. "Liangjiang New Area (两江新区) will bravely shoulder new missions, accelerate the construction of an important growth pole and source of power for the construction of a modern new Chongqing (重庆) with a spirit of never slackening and a fighting posture of forging ahead," said Luo Lin (罗蔺), member of the Standing Committee of the Chongqing Municipal Party Committee (重庆市委常委) and Secretary of the Party Committee of Liangjiang New Area (两江新区区委书记).
Return to TopBeijing, January 30th (Reported by Qu Zhehan (曲哲涵)) The reporter learned from the Ministry of Finance (财政部) on January 30th that, to date, childcare subsidies have been issued to more than 30 million infants and young children nationwide.
The Ministry of Finance (财政部), together with relevant departments, has taken a series of measures to facilitate the distribution of subsidies, strengthen the management and supervision of funds, and accelerate the implementation of the childcare subsidy system. In 2025, all levels of finance across the country arranged approximately 100 billion yuan for the issuance of childcare subsidies, of which the central finance arranged 90.4 billion yuan.
For relevant applications that have been approved in 2025 but have not yet been issued, the relevant industry authorities will be urged to guide various regions to further accelerate the progress of the work to ensure that all subsidies are fully issued before the end of March 2026.
Return to TopBeijing, January 30th (Reported by Han Xin (韩鑫)) According to the Ministry of Transport (交通运输部) on January 30th, in 2025, China completed 66.86 billion inter-regional passenger trips, an increase of 3.5% year-on-year. By mode of transport, passenger traffic by rail and civil aviation increased by 6.7% and 5.5% year-on-year, respectively, while passenger traffic by road increased by 3.3% year-on-year, and passenger traffic by waterway remained basically the same year-on-year.
While the volume of passenger trips maintained growth, the volume of freight also climbed steadily. In 2025, China completed 58.7 billion tons of commercial freight volume, an increase of 3.2% year-on-year. By mode of transport, freight volume by rail, road, waterway, and civil aviation increased by 2%, 3.4%, 3.2%, and 13.3% year-on-year, respectively. The port cargo throughput reached 18.34 billion tons, an increase of 4.2% year-on-year. The container throughput reached 350 million TEUs, an increase of 6.8% year-on-year, of which the foreign trade container throughput increased by 9.8% year-on-year.
Return to TopThe consumer goods trade-in policy this year has been implemented for one month. The first batch of 62.5 billion yuan of ultra-long-term special treasury bonds in 2026 supports the consumer goods trade-in funding plan, driving the continuous "renewal" of consumer markets across the country. Local governments and online and offline platforms have launched supporting activities and services to provide consumers with more convenience.
The picture shows citizens of Huaying City (华蓥市), Sichuan Province (四川省), selecting washing machines in an electrical appliance store.
Photo by Qiu Haiying (邱海鹰) (Image China)
Return to TopAccording to Xinhua News Agency, Beijing (北京), January 30th (Reporter Zhou Yuan (周圆)) - The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (工业和信息化部) released data on January 30th: In 2025, China's electronic information manufacturing industry experienced rapid production growth, and the overall development trend of the industry was good. Among them, the added value of electronic information manufacturing above a designated size increased by 10.6% year-on-year, and the growth rate was 4.7 and 1.2 percentage points higher than that of the industry and high-tech manufacturing in the same period, respectively.
The data shows that in 2025, electronic information manufacturing above a designated size achieved operating income of 17.4 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 7.4%; operating costs were 15.1 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 6.9%; and total profits reached 750.9 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 19.5%. Among the main products, the output of integrated circuits was 484.3 billion units, a year-on-year increase of 10.9%.
In terms of exports, in 2025, the cumulative export delivery value of electronic information manufacturing above a designated size was the same as the previous year.
Return to Top"Haiyang Dizhi Liuhao" (海洋地质六号) research vessel
Collecting "special products" on the seabed to perform a CT scan of the Earth
Sixth Edition
A well, a building, a bridge
There are cultural relics at my doorstep
Seventh Edition
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 郁静娴
Since January 1, 2021, a ten-year fishing ban has been implemented in key waters of the Yangtze River basin. On January 30, the State Council Information Office (国务院新闻办) held a press conference to introduce the mid-term evaluation results of the ten-year fishing ban in the Yangtze River and the phased achievements in the past five years.
The Yangtze finless porpoise increased by 177 compared to 2022.
Zhang Zhili (张治礼), Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, introduced that the ten-year fishing ban in the Yangtze River has a long duration and a wide coverage. In the five years since its full implementation, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs has worked with relevant ministries and commissions to establish a coordination mechanism for the protection of aquatic organisms in the Yangtze River and the ban on fishing in the Yangtze River. The 15 provinces along the river have steadily promoted the ban and achieved positive phased progress.
--The restoration of biodiversity continues to improve. From 2021 to 2025, a total of 351 species of fish were monitored in the Yangtze River basin, an increase of 43 species compared to before the fishing ban. The trend of miniaturization of fish has been curbed, and the index of aquatic biological integrity has been significantly improved.
"The flagship species, the Yangtze finless porpoise, is the only freshwater cetacean in the Yangtze River, and its survival directly reflects the health of the Yangtze River ecosystem," said Zhang Zhili (张治礼). The special survey in 2025 showed that the Yangtze finless porpoise has recovered to 1,426, an increase of 177 compared to the survey in 2022, becoming an important ecological symbol of the Yangtze River's major protection.
In addition, the scale of Chinese sturgeon release has exceeded 1 million for two consecutive years. Monitoring shows that about 12.2% of the released juveniles enter the sea through the Yangtze River estuary, and the body length and weight of the juveniles have increased significantly. The natural spawning experiment of Yangtze sturgeon has been successful, and a key step has been taken in the reconstruction of natural populations.
--The order of the fishing ban remains generally stable. In the past five years, agricultural and rural, public security, market supervision and other departments at all levels have carried out joint law enforcement actions such as "China Fishery Administration Bright Sword (中国渔政亮剑)" and "Safe Yangtze (平安长江)," maintaining a high-pressure and strict management posture, cutting off the illegal underground industrial chain of "catching, transporting, and selling," reducing fishing-related illegal activities, and effectively curbing illegal fishing. High-tech intelligent means such as radar video surveillance and drone patrols have been widely used, and the effectiveness of law enforcement supervision has been improved.
Various places along the river continue to strengthen publicity and guidance, explain laws and promote laws through cases, and the concept of "protecting the river" among the people along the river is more firmly established. More volunteers have joined the "fishery protection officer" to assist in patrol teams, forming a good atmosphere for joint protection.
--Resettlement and security policies and measures have been effectively implemented. Files have been established for 231,000 fishermen who have retired from fishing, and classified policies have been implemented. All fishermen who meet the conditions for participating in insurance have been provided with old-age security. Those with labor ability and employment intentions have basically achieved industrial transformation and employment, and the income of fishermen who have retired from fishing is generally stable. For fishermen who have retired from fishing and are experiencing sudden difficulties, measures such as including them in the scope of subsistence allowances and identifying them as monitoring objects to prevent returning to poverty have been taken to implement precise assistance measures to households in a timely manner to ensure basic living.
134 species of endemic fish have been monitored in the past 5 years, an increase of 25 species.
Gui Jianfang (桂建芳), leader of the mid-term evaluation expert group for the ten-year fishing ban in the Yangtze River and academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (中国科学院), introduced that from the perspective of the comprehensive indicator of aquatic biological integrity index, the protection and restoration effects are gradually showing, which is reflected in fish resources, species diversity levels, key protected species, regional representative species, and habitat.
In 2025, the unit resource volume of the main stream of the Yangtze River was 2.4 kg, which means that the "fish density" of the main stream of the Yangtze River has recovered to twice that of 2020 before the fishing ban. The proportion of sections with water quality of Class I-III in the Yangtze River basin increased from 96.7% in 2020 to 98.6% in 2024. The improvement of water quality has reduced the cost of artificial restoration and governance and improved the level of water ecological security in the basin.
Not only has the number of Yangtze finless porpoises achieved restorative growth, but the resource status of other key protected species has also improved. After the fishing ban, new national second-level key protected species such as Sichuan white-lipped fish and Dianchi golden-line barbel were monitored. "After more than 30 years, spawning grounds of *Elopichthys bambusa* were found in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, and after more than 20 years, naturally reproducing *Coreius guichenoti* eggs were found in the Chongqing (重庆) section of the river, and natural survival of eels was found in the Chishui River (赤水河)," said Gui Jianfang (桂建芳).
The Yangtze River is a gene bank of freshwater fish in China. It not only has many rare and endangered species, but also other endemic fish. According to the monitoring network data of the entire basin, in the past five years of the fishing ban, the endemic fish in the Yangtze River have generally shown a good pattern of "increased species, increased resources, and improved situation."
From 2021 to 2025, a total of 134 species of endemic fish were monitored, and the unit resource volume increased by an average of 39% compared to before the fishing ban. The number of endemic fish increased by 25 species compared to before the fishing ban. Among them, the number of Yangtze sturgeon monitored increased by 6 times compared to before the fishing ban; the unit resource volume of key endemic fish such as *Procypris rabaudi* and *Megalobrama pellegrini* increased by 2.5 times compared to before the fishing ban.
"The increase in endemic fish resources reflects the continuous improvement of the health of the Yangtze River ecosystem," said Gui Jianfang (桂建芳). Endemic fish account for 43% of the total number of fish in the Yangtze River, occupy different ecological niches in the aquatic food web, and form a complex and stable nutritional structure. Through ecological synergy, the stability of the ecosystem can be effectively improved. At the same time, endemic fish are highly sensitive to environmental factors such as water quality, hydrology, and substrate in their habitats, especially the 127 species of endemic fish with limited distribution in the upper reaches. The recovery of their populations directly proves that the regional ecological environment quality has achieved substantial and systematic improvement.
The Yangtze River ecosystem is still recovering, and the next 5 years are a critical period for consolidating achievements.
Zhang Zhili (张治礼) said that the ten-year fishing ban in the Yangtze River involves many aspects such as law enforcement supervision, fishermen resettlement, resource protection, ecological restoration, and industrial development. It is a huge systematic project and social project, and it has entered a stage of consolidation and improvement from a comprehensive battle.
With the recovery of resources, the temptation of illegal fishing is increasing. Jiang Kaiyong (江开勇), Director of the Yangtze River Basin Fishery Administration Supervision and Management Office of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, introduced that this year, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs will work with the Ministry of Public Security (公安部), the State Administration for Market Regulation (市场监管总局) and other departments to deploy and carry out law enforcement actions, organize special actions to combat the illegal fishing and sale of wild fish in the Yangtze River, clean up prohibited fishing gear and residual fishing gear in prohibited fishing areas, and rectify illegal ships and illegal fishing.
Consolidate the resettlement and security of fishermen who have retired from fishing. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs will work with the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (人力资源社会保障部) and the Ministry of Civil Affairs (民政部) to guide various places along the river to stabilize employment, strengthen security, and promote transformation, implement existing measures, strengthen precise monitoring, promote policy coordination, and help fishermen who have retired from fishing to shift from "being able to retire and stabilize" to "**能致富、有奔头** (néng zhì fù, yǒu bēn tóu - "able to get rich and have a prospect," able to prosper and have a good future)."
The Yangtze River ecosystem is still in the recovery stage of "**大病初愈** (dà bìng chū yù - "recovering from a serious illness," just recovering from a serious illness)," and protection and restoration are long-term, complex and arduous, requiring multi-departmental collaboration to promote solutions in a coordinated manner.
In order to objectively evaluate the implementation effect of various policies and measures in the past 5 years of the fishing ban, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs entrusted Fudan University (复旦大学) to organize and implement the mid-term evaluation of the ten-year fishing ban in the Yangtze River. Fang Ming (方明), Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Fudan University (复旦大学) and leader of the mid-term evaluation working group for the ten-year fishing ban in the Yangtze River, introduced that the next 5 years are a critical period for consolidating and improving the effectiveness of the ten-year fishing ban in the Yangtze River and the protection of aquatic organisms, and it is an important window period for rescuing rare and endangered species such as Chinese sturgeon, Yangtze finless porpoise and Yangtze sturgeon.
"In the future, we must correctly handle the relationship between high-level protection and high-quality development, natural restoration and artificial restoration, the whole and the part, management and service, and improve mechanisms such as policy coordination, work promotion, responsibility implementation, and assessment and evaluation to promote new and solid achievements in the ten-year fishing ban in the Yangtze River," said Fang Ming (方明). On the basis of strengthening joint law enforcement and doing a good job in resettlement and security, we must shift the focus of our work and efforts to the protection of aquatic organisms and the restoration of their important habitats, improve the level of biodiversity of aquatic organisms in the Yangtze River, promote the overall improvement of the ecological environment in the basin, the health and stability of the ecosystem, and the continuous improvement of comprehensive governance capabilities, and expand the comprehensive benefits of the ten-year fishing ban in the Yangtze River.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 邓剑洋
General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) emphasized: "Actively implement urban renewal actions, enhance development potential, optimize development space, and continuously promote the upgrading of urban formats, functions, and quality."
Recently, the Ministry of Natural Resources (自然资源部) and the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development (住房城乡建设部) jointly issued the "Notice on Several Measures to Further Support Urban Renewal Actions" (hereinafter referred to as the "Notice"), deepening and refining the "Guidelines for Planning and Land Policies Supporting Urban Renewal (2023 Edition)," focusing on resolving policy bottlenecks in urban renewal and strengthening the integration of planning and land policies.
What are the considerations for issuing the "Notice"? How to solve the problems encountered in various places? What help will it provide for promoting industrial development and improving people's well-being? The reporter conducted an interview.
Optimizing Transitional Support Policies
Industrial relics have been transformed into trendy landmarks, "old, dilapidated, and small" buildings have been transformed into "good houses," and "pocket parks" convey the "micro-happiness" of people's livelihoods... China's urban renewal has made positive progress, the appearance of cities has been renewed, economic formats have become more abundant, and people's well-being has been continuously improved.
With the deepening of urban renewal actions, new problems have emerged. "We have found that there are still some bottlenecks in the adaptability of detailed planning, the temporary use of existing land and buildings, and real estate registration, which need to be resolved." Xie Haixia (谢海霞), Director General of the Department of Territorial Space Planning of the Ministry of Natural Resources (自然资源部国土空间规划局局长), said that the "Notice" answers questions and dispels doubts on related issues, helping all parties to promote urban renewal with high quality.
In the LOFT49 Industrial Park in Gongshu District (拱墅区), Hangzhou (杭州) City, Zhejiang Province (浙江省), the local government, based on relevant land transition policies, innovated an renewal path of "preserving industrial heritage + spatial function reconstruction + industrial ecology cultivation," transforming an old factory area covering approximately 180 acres into an industrial innovation park integrating industrial design, research and development innovation, etc. In 2024, the first phase of the project achieved an occupancy rate of over 95%.
Optimizing transitional support policies. The "Notice" emphasizes that those who use existing land and real estate resources to develop industries and sectors supported by the state can enjoy a transitional policy of not changing the land owner and planning conditions within a certain period, and the transitional period shall generally not exceed 5 years. Xie Haixia (谢海霞) said that when the transitional period expires, those that meet the direction of industrial development and the requirements of performance supervision shall go through land use procedures for new purposes in accordance with laws and agreements; those that do not meet the requirements shall withdraw from the transitional support policy in accordance with the agreement and maintain the original land use. For those who go through land paid use procedures after the expiration of the transitional period, a leasing method will be added on the basis of the original agreement transfer method to reduce the one-time investment cost of enterprises, etc.
Zhang Yan (张雁), Deputy Director of the Department of Building Energy Conservation and Technology of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development (住房城乡建设部建筑节能与科技司副司长), said that the "Notice" makes clear provisions for the connection and implementation of planning, supporting local governments to evaluate and optimize the detailed planning of areas to be implemented for urban renewal, so as to ensure the effective and orderly promotion of various tasks.
Ensuring the Continuity of Real Estate Rights in the Implementation of Renewal
Domestic innovative drugs are accelerating their overseas expansion, and artificial intelligence technology is deeply integrated into innovative drug research and development... Zhangjiang Science City (张江科学城) in Shanghai (上海), a biomedical industry cluster, demonstrates a strong ecological synergy effect, and innovation vitality continues to burst forth.
Zhangjiang Science City (张江科学城) promotes the industrial comprehensive land policy, breaking the solidified restrictions of traditional land use nature, and solving the spatial bottleneck of industrial development through flexible planning management, functional mixed allocation, and process optimization and acceleration. More than 20 industrial projects have been implemented through this policy, realizing multi-functional mixed allocation. Among them, an innovative drug base project adjusted the original research and development land to industrial research and development mixed land through this policy, and the entire process took only 20 days, accelerating the project construction progress.
"The 'Notice' supports local governments to formulate a positive list of land mixed development and spatial composite utilization in combination with the development needs of new industries and new formats. If the project implementation meets the positive list, it will be regarded as meeting the detailed planning in subsequent management, and the procedure of adjusting the planning will be exempted, shortening the project cycle," said Yang Di (杨地), Deputy Director General of the Department of Territorial Space Planning of the Ministry of Natural Resources (自然资源部国土空间规划局副局长).
Recently, the Ministry of Natural Resources (自然资源部) released the first batch of "Collection of Innovative Cases of Planning and Land Policies Supporting the Development of New Industries and New Formats," promoting the typical experience of 19 cases in cities such as Beijing (北京) and Shanghai (上海), and encouraging local governments to actively explore flexible and efficient resource allocation methods, promoting the transformation of spatial utilization models from incremental expansion to stock tapping, from rigid control to elastic adaptation, and realizing the transformation of planning and land policies from regulatory thinking to operational thinking.
"The 'Notice' proposes to optimize the adjustment path in combination with improving public participation and supervision methods. For example, regulations can be formulated to exempt approval for situations such as boundary adjustments, and regulations can be formulated to simplify approval procedures for situations such as layout optimization, quality improvement, and increased public services," said Yang Di (杨地). "For micro-renewal projects that improve community public service functions such as the installation of elevators, barrier-free facilities, community green spaces, and fitness trails, planning permits can be exempted to speed up the progress, provided that public safety and public interests are guaranteed."
All parties are highly concerned about real estate registration in urban renewal. "The 'Notice' clarifies that real estate units can be pre-compiled in accordance with the agreement on property rights adjustment, etc., and the continuity of real estate rights in the implementation of renewal can be guaranteed through the 'pre-registration' method to stabilize expectations. For self-renewal projects of old houses, real estate registration services can be provided by directly registering for the first time on a household basis. For land and buildings that are jointly acquired and supplied, it is possible to explore simplifying the provision of registration services for application materials," said Xie Haixia (谢海霞).
Conducting Surveys and Revitalization of Characteristic Resources in Renewal Areas
How to promote the utilization of urban stock land and space?
"Limited by various conditions, land sometimes cannot be implemented according to the plan immediately from the current situation to the plan. The 'Notice' proposes that, on the premise of safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of relevant parties, ensuring safety, and not affecting the implementation of long-term planning, rules for the temporary use of vacant construction land can be formulated, clarifying the time limit and restoration measures upon expiration, and incorporating them into the 'one map' implementation and supervision of territorial space planning," said Xie Haixia (谢海霞). For example, whether the planned community green space can be temporarily used as a community football field, etc. On the basis of doing a good job in connecting with relevant departments, rules for the temporary use of existing buildings without increasing the floor area ratio and height can be formulated, and a positive list management can be implemented for the use, without the need to go through planning permit procedures.
Nanjing (南京) City, Jiangsu Province (江苏省), has transformed more than 100 acres of vacant land in the northern area of Jiangxinzhou Island (江心洲岛) into a composite public space landmark with competitive training, citizen leisure, and cultural tourism check-in functions, receiving an average of 1,500 to 3,000 people for fitness and sightseeing every day. "We are organizing research on 'one land with multiple tables' management to promote the transformation of land from a single function to a compatible and composite function, and improve the efficiency of spatial resource utilization," said Xie Haixia (谢海霞).
Natural resource assets are more prominent in maintaining and increasing their value. The "Notice" proposes to "encourage the overall operation of resource asset portfolio supply" and requires "paying attention to characteristic development, and actively carrying out surveys and revitalization of characteristic resources such as natural, landscape, and cultural heritage in renewal areas."
"To realize the maintenance and appreciation of natural resource assets, and to transform from scale-driven to value-driven, it is necessary to encourage local governments to identify advantageous resources in accordance with local conditions, and combine territorial space planning to optimize the spatial function structure, strengthen the control of uses, and establish and improve a mechanism for the combined supply, overall operation, and reasonable allocation of multi-category resource assets within a specific territorial space," said Xie Haixia (谢海霞). In the next step, we will strengthen coordination with the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development (住房城乡建设部), organize local governments to further refine the relevant requirements in combination with local realities, and incorporate the relevant requirements into the relevant laws and regulations on the preparation, implementation, and management of local territorial space planning, and innovate mechanisms within the framework of the law.
Return to TopOn January 30th, She County (歙县), Huangshan City (黄山市), Anhui Province (安徽省) organized a non-heritage cultural event in the community. Under the guidance of representative inheritors of intangible cultural heritage and volunteers, local residents experienced the traditional techniques of fish lantern making, paper cutting, and corn cake making.
Photo by Shi Yalei (施亚磊) (Image China)
Return to TopBeijing, January 30th (Reporter Sun Xiuyan (孙秀艳)) - The reporter learned from the National Healthcare Security Administration (国家医保局): From January to December 2025, the number of employee medical insurance individual account mutual aid transactions totaled 464 million, amounting to 68.77 billion yuan.
Currently, employee medical insurance individual account mutual aid can be achieved through methods such as instantly accessing the personal accounts of linked individuals and medical insurance wallets.
From January to December 2025, the number of employee medical insurance individual account mutual aid transactions within the province through instantly accessing the personal accounts of linked individuals reached 463 million, amounting to 68.02 billion yuan. In terms of mutual aid regions, mutual aid within the same pooling area (usually the same prefecture-level city) involved 421 million transactions, amounting to 60.082 billion yuan; mutual aid across pooling areas within the province involved 41.7351 million transactions, amounting to 7.938 billion yuan.
During the same period, a total of 1.121 million employee medical insurance individual account mutual aid transactions were conducted through medical insurance wallets, amounting to 750 million yuan. In terms of mutual aid regions, intra-provincial mutual aid involved 648,800 transactions, amounting to 436 million yuan; inter-provincial mutual aid involved 472,200 transactions, amounting to 314 million yuan.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 王 浩 邓剑洋
At an appliance store in Jiaxiang County (嘉祥县), Shandong Province (山东省), a resident, Gao Zhongxi (高中席), took a fancy to an appliance, "The original price was 3,970 yuan, with a 15% national subsidy, plus manufacturer discounts and merchant offers, it only cost 2,295 yuan."
"It's not only cheap and easy to use, but also energy-saving and power-saving." What made Gao Zhongxi (高中席) even more delighted was that the appliance was also labeled with an "energy efficiency level 1" mark. Jiaxiang County (嘉祥县) is carrying out trade-ins for consumer goods, and consumers who purchase appliances that meet the level 1 energy efficiency or water efficiency standards can enjoy the triple benefits of "national subsidies + manufacturer discounts + merchant offers."
Trade-ins bring water-saving appliances into thousands of households. Demand drives supply towards excellence, confirming the good momentum of the booming water-saving industry.
Saving water is something that President Xi Jinping (习近平) constantly emphasizes, stating, "To advance Chinese-style modernization, we must consider water resource issues, determine the size of cities, land use, population, and production based on water availability, and develop water-saving industries."
China's per capita water resource possession is only 35% of the world's average, coupled with the basic water situation of "summer floods and winter droughts, northern scarcity and southern abundance." To achieve sustainable development, water conservation is the fundamental way out, and developing water-saving industries is the key path.
All regions and departments deeply practice the water management approach of "prioritizing water conservation, spatial balance, systematic governance, and utilizing both hands," taking the development of water-saving industries as an important grasp for green transformation, setting policies, cultivating entities, extending chains, and promoting innovation. A number of leading enterprises have emerged, the industrial chain continues to extend, water-saving products are becoming more diverse, and the estimated market size of China's water-saving related industries exceeds 760 billion yuan, with surging green development momentum.
The water-saving industry is moving towards innovation, and the pattern of cluster development is accelerating.
A "water-saving brick" hides the secret of water conservation. Rainwater collection modules are assembled into underground reservoirs to collect rainwater for recycling. "The efficient rainwater collection and reuse system allows city streets to 'breathe' freely through 'underground module storage + above-ground intelligent treatment'," said Zhao Xing (赵醒), head of Guohe Green Building Materials Technology (Jiangsu) Co., Ltd. (国合绿材科技（江苏）有限公司) in Yixing City (宜兴市), Jiangsu Province (江苏省).
Under the promotion of the Yixing City Water Resources Bureau (宜兴市水利局), upstream and downstream linkages, industry-university-research collaboration, new industries such as new water-saving equipment and technology, water treatment and resource utilization are thriving. At present, Yixing City (宜兴市) has more than 1,500 enterprises related to water-saving business, and nearly 500 enterprises engaged in the manufacturing and installation of water-saving products.
Various regions have established industrial funds, formed industrial associations, and guided leading enterprises to drive the cluster development of upstream and downstream enterprises. The three major industrial highlands of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (京津冀), the Yangtze River Delta (长三角), and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (粤港澳大湾区) continue to lead; Chengdu-Chongqing (成渝), Shandong (山东), Shaanxi (陕西) and other equipment manufacturing and scientific research innovation clusters are gaining momentum, and the "three places and multiple regions" water-saving industrial cluster development pattern is constantly shaping, forming a multi-point support and collaborative industrial ecosystem.
Water-saving products are moving towards excellence, and new supply is creating new demand.
In the production workshop of Hengjie Sanitary Ware Co., Ltd. (恒洁卫浴有限公司) in Foshan City (佛山市), Guangdong Province (广东省), the production line is operating in an orderly manner, and more than 2 million sets of water-saving toilets are sold from here to various places every year.
"Water-saving toilets can save 2.5 liters of water per flush, and sales have been good," said Xie Zhenwu (谢振武), the company's relevant person in charge. Aiming at the new trend of green consumption, the company has developed a series of water-saving products in recent years.
The accelerated promotion and popularization of water-saving products, and green lifestyles are releasing new consumption potential. Water-saving products are included in the green product certification system, and four batches of water efficiency label product catalogs are released, covering 110,000 models of domestic water products; combined with consumer goods trade-ins and home decoration kitchen and bathroom "renovation" policies, the renewal of household water-saving appliances is promoted; the "Measures for the Management of Water Conservation in Public Institutions" and other measures are introduced to promote the popularization and renewal of water-saving appliances in more than 1 million public institutions across the country.
Promoting consumption, benefiting people's livelihoods, and protecting the ecology. Relevant research shows that a family of three can save about 70 cubic meters of tap water per year if they replace all level 2 or above water-efficient toilets, showers, and washing machines. "The popularization of water-saving appliances has improved the quality of life and water efficiency, bringing more benefits to residents," said Jiang Muchen (蒋牧宸), director of the National Water Conservation Office (全国节约用水办公室).
While the water-saving industry itself continues to move towards high-quality development, it promotes the deep transformation of traditional industries and expands development space.
In the production workshop of Jiarui Printing and Dyeing Co., Ltd. (伽瑞印染有限公司) in Keqiao District (柯桥区), Shaoxing City (绍兴市), Zhejiang Province (浙江省), from a piece of white坯布fabric to printed fabric, processes such as scouring, printing, and washing are inseparable from water. "The introduction of equipment such as high-efficiency hydraulic calenders and high-efficiency energy-saving double-layer steam dryers saves water in every link, saving more than 20% of water every year, directly saving more than one million yuan in production costs," said Xu Shunyong (徐顺勇), the company's general manager.
Keqiao's (柯桥) development is based on "a piece of cloth." In the past, excessive water consumption and wastewater discharge "trapped" industrial development. "Water conservation priority forces industrial upgrading." Qiu Jianping (裘剑平), head of the Keqiao District (柯桥区) Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau, introduced that the district guides printing and dyeing enterprises to carry out water-saving technological transformation and upgrading, and build a three-in-one再生水reclaimed water utilization system of "industrial agglomeration + sewage treatment + recycling," and the reclaimed water utilization rate in the district will reach 40.1% in 2025.
Saving water is reducing emissions, saving water is treating pollution, and saving water is reducing carbon. Jiang Muchen (蒋牧宸) introduced that the water-saving industry is an important part of the green and low-carbon industry. During the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, China's total water consumption achieved "zero growth." In 2025, the water consumption per 10,000 yuan of domestic GDP and the water consumption per 10,000 yuan of industrial added value will decrease by 20% and 25% respectively compared with the end of the "13th Five-Year Plan."
A drop of water reflects a broad development space. The "Guiding Opinions on Accelerating the Development of Water-Saving Industries" clearly proposes that the water-saving industry will achieve a trillion-yuan scale by 2027. Chen Min (陈敏), Vice Minister of the Ministry of Water Resources (水利部), said that moving towards the "15th Five-Year Plan," the Ministry of Water Resources (水利部) will take meeting the people's growing needs for a better life as the fundamental goal, adhere to the direction of intelligence, greening, and integration, adhere to the virtuous interaction between supply and demand, accelerate the construction of a modern water-saving industrial system with advanced manufacturing as the backbone, and provide strong support for building a water-saving society and ensuring China's water security.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 丁怡婷
The total investment in key annual projects exceeded 3.5 trillion yuan for the first time! On January 30, the National Energy Administration (国家能源局) announced the 2025 national energy investment report card.
At the press conference held that day, Xing Yiteng (邢翼腾), Deputy Director of the Development and Planning Department of the National Energy Administration (国家能源局发展规划司), introduced that the national energy investment maintained a rapid growth rate. The completed investment in key annual projects increased by nearly 11% year-on-year, with growth rates 12.9 and 10.1 percentage points higher than those of infrastructure and manufacturing in the same period, respectively. Among them, Inner Mongolia (内蒙古), Xinjiang (新疆), Shandong (山东), Guangdong (广东), and Jiangsu (江苏) provinces each completed investments exceeding 200 billion yuan.
Investment in new energy-green transformation formats is accelerating its release. In 2025, renewable energy power generation capacity will account for more than 60%, and power generation will reach approximately 4 trillion kilowatt-hours, exceeding the total electricity consumption of the 27 EU countries. Among them, onshore wind power investment is showing good momentum, with completed investment in key projects increasing by nearly 50% year-on-year. New types of energy storage and the hydrogen energy industry continue to unleash new growth vitality, with the completed investment in key projects for the whole year doubling compared to the previous year.
As of the end of 2025, China's cumulative built capacity of renewable energy hydrogen production projects exceeded 250,000 tons/year, a doubling increase compared to the previous year. Projects in Kuqa, Xinjiang (新疆库车), Ningdong, Ningxia (宁夏宁东), Chifeng, Inner Mongolia (内蒙古赤峰), Da'an, Jilin (吉林大安), and Songyuan (松原) have been completed and put into operation. The industrial process of hydrogen production-storage-transportation-application is gradually being connected, and a number of major technological equipment have achieved new breakthroughs.
At the same time, effective investment in key areas of energy security continues to expand, cross-province and cross-regional power transmission channels are accelerating construction, and the level of energy resource complementarity and mutual assistance continues to improve; private enterprise investment maintains rapid growth, with completed investment in key projects increasing by 12.9% year-on-year, about 2 percentage points higher than the growth rate of completed investment in key national energy projects. Private enterprise investment is focused on solar power generation, wind power, coal mining and other fields, among which onshore wind power and distributed photovoltaic fields maintain double-digit growth in investment.
"In 2025, the National Energy Administration (国家能源局) will increase policy supply, strengthen policy linkage, and promote energy to 'green' and investment to 'new'," said Xing Yiteng (邢翼腾). For example, on the demand side, the green electricity direct supply policy has been introduced, opening a "green electricity direct train" for new energy and users. Currently, data centers, chip manufacturing, biopharmaceutical, electrolytic aluminum industries, as well as industrial parks and zero-carbon parks in more than 20 provinces are accelerating project implementation.
In 2026, the National Energy Administration (国家能源局) will increase policy support around stimulating market vitality and optimizing the development environment, and clear the "last mile" for project implementation. On the one hand, it will strengthen policy targeted efforts to make the benefits visible. The multi-user green electricity direct supply policy will be introduced to accelerate the implementation of zero-carbon parks, industrial microgrids, etc., and promote clean substitution for large energy consumers. Improve the market mechanism adapted to high proportion of new energy to stabilize the development expectations of new energy. On the other hand, improve the institutional guarantee system to make the project move. Strengthen the guarantee of land use and sea use and other factors to form a policy and market co-frequency, coordinated promotion of energy investment guidance.
This year's peak winter, the national overall temperature is close to the same period of the year or slightly warmer, but the cold and warm conversion is frequent, the cold air activity in the northern region intensified, there have been multiple rounds of staged strong cold wave weather, the national electricity load repeatedly broke the historical peak winter load extreme value.
"At present, the national fuel reserves are sufficient and the power supply is stable," said Liu Mingyang (刘明阳), Deputy Director of the Electricity Department of the National Energy Administration (国家能源局电力司). Since the peak winter, coal production has maintained a high level. On January 27, the national unified dispatch power plant coal inventory was 220 million tons, available for 26 days, the coal supply base is solid and reliable, and the market is operating smoothly and orderly.
In terms of oil and gas, the domestic refined oil market supply is sufficient and the inventory is stable; the relevant departments have further made detailed deployments and arrangements for rural "coal to gas" gas source guarantee and gas-electricity coordination and other issues. As of January 27, the national heating season cumulative natural gas consumption of 119.52 billion cubic meters, an increase of 4.6% year-on-year, domestic gas and imported pipeline gas relatively high level of stable operation, underground gas storage and coastal liquefied natural gas receiving station regulation capacity is sufficient, can ensure the peak winter natural gas supply.
Liu Mingyang (刘明阳) said that the National Energy Administration (国家能源局) will work with relevant local governments and energy companies to continuously strengthen the response preparation for severe weather such as low-temperature rain, snow, and freezing, to ensure the smooth and orderly national energy supply guarantee.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 戴楷然
Driving north from Windhoek (温得和克), the capital of Namibia, for about 7 hours, you arrive at Rundu (伦杜) city. Leaving the main road of Rundu (伦杜) city and taking a newly built gravel road for less than 1 kilometer, you come to the village of Luntulong (隆图隆村).
This gravel road is a village road in the "Village Access" project undertaken by China Henan International Cooperation Group Co., Ltd. (河南国际合作集团有限公司) (hereinafter referred to as "Henan International" (河南国际)). The project has opened up the "last kilometer" between remote villages and the main roads of towns, significantly improving local traffic conditions, solving the daily travel problems of villagers, and bringing new opportunities for local economic and social development.
"Villagers travel more conveniently, and our business is getting better and better."
At the entrance of Luntulong (隆图隆村) village, there is a small supermarket run by villagers Joseph (约瑟夫) and his cousin Ester (埃斯特). Villagers come in twos and threes to purchase daily necessities, and several taxis are parked at the entrance of the supermarket, with drivers chatting together.
"Since the new road was built, villagers travel more conveniently, and our business is getting better and better. In the past year or so, everyone often talks about this great thing when chatting." Joseph (约瑟夫), who has been running the supermarket for 7 years, has witnessed the changes brought to the village by the "Village Access" project. "Although our village is not far from the main road, it used to be a dirt road to enter the village, and it was difficult for vehicles to pass. Every time the supermarket received goods, it was a headache. We often had to move all the goods from the main road one by one."
"How much of a change can a dirt road turning into a gravel road make?" Hearing the reporter's question, taxi driver Soares (索亚雷斯) came over and took the reporter to the unrenovated dirt road in the village.
"You see, the sand here is very soft, and the wheels can easily slip when driving on such a road. Especially when the rainy season comes, the road is full of mud, and tires often get stuck in the mud. When picking up and dropping off passengers, we don't drive into the village, but only let passengers get on and off on the main road." Soares (索亚雷斯) said that with better road conditions, there has been a significant increase in the number of people taking taxis. "After the road was upgraded, I bought two more cars as taxis and hired people to drive them. The benefits are good, and I have to thank the Chinese company for helping us build the road." Soares (索亚雷斯) said with a smile.
Sarah (萨拉), who came to the supermarket to buy daily necessities, said: "In the past, every time I brought things into the city, I could only carry them on my head and in my hands, and walk to the main road to take a bus. Now that the road has been upgraded, I plan to buy a car, which will make it much more convenient to travel in the future."
"Opening up the channels between villages, schools, hospitals and markets, truly benefiting people's livelihoods."
Cui Yunke (崔云柯), head of Henan International (河南国际) Namibia Company, told reporters that the "Village Access" project has built 11 village roads for more than 10 villages in Rundu (伦杜) city, opening up the "last kilometer" connecting these villages to the main roads of the town.
Continuing north along the main road of Rundu (伦杜) city and taking another gravel road built by Henan International (河南国际), you come to Mbolla (姆博拉村) village. The 60 households in Mbolla (姆博拉村) village mainly rely on farming and animal husbandry for their livelihoods, and each household raises some cattle and sheep.
"Chinese companies have built a road to prosperity for us." At the entrance of the village, 26-year-old villager Kasian (卡西安) told reporters that in the past, customers were unwilling to come to Mbolla (姆博拉村) because of the road conditions, and he could only drive a donkey cart to pull the sheep out to sell. "Now, cars can pass smoothly in the village and can go directly to the sheep pens."
Mbolla (姆博拉村) village chief Mukawa (穆卡瓦) told reporters that the renovated road is flat and wide, which not only saves villagers' travel time, but also brings vitality to the development of animal husbandry in the village. In the past year, villagers have raised more cattle and sheep, and more customers have come to discuss business. "A small road has greatly improved our lives."
The implementation of the "Village Access" project has also benefited the teachers and students of Mbolla (姆博拉村) Primary School. "Although our village is only 2 kilometers away from the main road, the road is full of mud and difficult to pass in the rainy season." Mukawa (穆卡瓦) said, "Now that traffic conditions have improved, teachers can commute normally, ensuring the stability of teaching."
"Although the 'Village Access' project is not large in scale, it covers thousands of households in the surrounding villages, accurately meets the urgent needs of villagers for convenient travel, opens up the channels between villages, schools, hospitals and markets, and truly benefits people's livelihoods." Wang Qiang (汪强), project manager of Henan International (河南国际) Namibia "Village Access" project, said that Henan International (河南国际) is currently working with the Rundu (伦杜) Municipal Government to accelerate the planning of the second phase of the "Village Access" project to benefit more people.
"Bringing advanced construction technology and experience to our small and medium-sized enterprises."
The "Village Access" project not only solves local transportation problems, but also creates more than 100 jobs, covering various types of work such as excavator driving, roadbed construction, and road maintenance. At the same time, Henan International (河南国际) actively cooperates with Namibian local enterprises to inject vitality into local economic development.
Wang Qiang (汪强) introduced that as of the end of 2025, the company has implemented a total of 18 road projects in Rundu (伦杜) city and surrounding areas, including 4 under construction, with a cumulative road construction mileage of approximately 300 kilometers, providing more than 3,000 jobs for the local area, and leaving behind a group of construction talents that "cannot be taken away."
At the construction site of the 27-kilometer municipal road project in Rundu (伦杜) city undertaken by Henan International (河南国际), the reporter met Johannes (约翰内斯), the head of Maideboer (迈德博尔) Company, a Namibian road construction company and one of the subcontractors. He was instructing workers to install road signs.
"My cooperation with Chinese partners can be traced back to 2013. At that time, my company only had 5 workers, a pickup truck, and a manual road marking machine, and lacked experience in road construction." Johannes (约翰内斯) recalled that after establishing a cooperative relationship, he carefully learned road construction technology and experience from the Chinese side. "Whenever we encounter difficulties, our Chinese partners always provide meticulous and patient guidance, and also teach us a lot of knowledge and skills in civil engineering, maintenance, etc. Over the past 13 years, we have jointly implemented more than 10 road construction and maintenance projects with the Chinese side, and established a stable and continuous cooperative relationship."
Today, Johannes's (约翰内斯) company has developed into a road construction company with a wide range of businesses and strong performance capabilities. It has not only established a sign production factory, but also purchased professional equipment and formed a civil engineering and maintenance construction team. "Thank you to the Chinese company for bringing advanced construction technology and experience to our small and medium-sized enterprises and helping us develop rapidly." Johannes (约翰内斯) said.
In recent years, with the deepening of pragmatic cooperation between China and Namibia, the weak infrastructure in remote areas of Namibia is gradually improving. "From the implementation of the 'Village Access' project to the successive launch of municipal road projects, we look forward to helping the Namibian people build more convenient and happy roads, and contributing to enhancing the friendship between the two countries." Cui Yunke (崔云柯) said.
(Reported from Rundu (伦杜), Namibia, by this newspaper)
Return to TopBy: 唐隆功·吴森提兰谷
The Hainan Free Trade Port (海南自贸港) is not only an important window for China to deepen reform and expand opening up, but also an important manifestation of China's practical actions to participate in global economic governance and safeguard the multilateral trading system.
The full island customs clearance operation of the Hainan Free Trade Port (海南自由贸易港) has been officially launched. This is a major institutional innovation for China to firmly promote high-level opening up to the outside world against the backdrop of economic globalization encountering headwinds and profound adjustments in international economic and trade rules. The Hainan Free Trade Port (海南自贸港) is promoting institutional opening up with higher standards and greater efforts, exploring a new path of free trade with Chinese characteristics, and contributing new impetus to the world economy.
At present, the world economy is recovering weakly, geopolitical conflicts are intensifying, protectionism and unilateralism are rising, and global industrial, supply, and value chains are facing restructuring. Against this background, the full island customs clearance in Hainan (海南) is not about "closing the door," but rather promoting the free flow of factor resources through more open and transparent institutional arrangements, demonstrating China's strategic determination to actively integrate into and lead economic globalization.
From the perspective of institutional design, full island customs clearance is an important step for the Hainan Free Trade Port (海南自贸港) institutional system to move towards "system integration." Around "zero tariffs, low tax rates, and a simple tax system," Hainan (海南) continues to reduce institutional transaction costs, accelerate its alignment with international high-standard economic and trade rules, improve the efficiency of international resource allocation, and provide a more stable and predictable business environment for global companies. It is worth noting that Hainan (海南) is taking data flow as an important direction for institutional innovation while promoting the efficient flow of goods and capital. In the current era of accelerated development of the digital economy, data has become a key factor of production. By exploring cross-border data flow, digital trade, and data security governance mechanisms, Hainan (海南) is accelerating the creation of a new highland for an open digital economy that faces the future.
The deep integration of tourism and innovation is another highlight of the construction of the Hainan Free Trade Port (海南自贸港). Relying on its unique ecological resources and location advantages, Hainan (海南) is transforming from a traditional tourist destination to an international tourism consumption center and an innovation factor gathering area. The continuous expansion of visa-free policies, the increasing number of international routes, and the accelerated introduction of high-end service resources such as international education and medical care are constantly increasing Hainan's (海南) attractiveness to international people. The open Hainan (海南) is not only a scenic spot, but also a highland for creating value.
From a more macro perspective, the full island customs clearance of the Hainan Free Trade Port (海南自贸港) has important significance beyond regional development. The Hainan Free Trade Port (海南自贸港) is not only an important window for China to deepen reform and expand opening up, but also an important manifestation of China's practical actions to participate in global economic governance and safeguard the multilateral trading system. At a time when individual countries are clamoring for "decoupling and breaking chains" and artificially creating uncertainty, the construction of the Hainan Free Trade Port (海南自贸港) demonstrates the open concept of win-win cooperation and shared results.
For Hainan (海南), full island customs clearance is a new starting point for a higher level of institutional opening up. The key to the next step of development lies in how to achieve a dynamic balance between expanding opening up and preventing risks, and maintaining policy continuity, rule stability, and governance effectiveness in a complex and volatile external environment. By strengthening regulatory coordination and risk prediction, Hainan (海南) has the conditions and capabilities to achieve openness, manageability, and stability, and continuously expand new spaces for China and the world to cooperate and win-win in a higher level of opening up to the outside world.
(Author is the Dean of the Thailand "Belt and Road" Economic and Education Development Research Institute)
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 王 沛
Qingdao (青岛), Shandong (山东), China—At the SCO Demonstration Zone for Local Economic and Trade Cooperation (上海合作组织地方经贸合作示范区) (hereinafter referred to as "SCO Demonstration Zone"), the multimodal transport center features intersecting railway tracks stretching into the distance. Within the freight yard, massive gantry cranes are busily loading and unloading containers.
Recently, a batch of daily consumer goods valued at 860,000 RMB was efficiently consolidated, distributed, and cleared through customs at the Qingdao Airport Comprehensive Bonded Zone (青岛空港综合保税区) via the International Road Transport (TIR) system before being shipped to Russia. This marks the first domestic shipment to SCO countries using the "International Road Transport System + Bonded" model. This model integrates the hub advantages of the SCO Demonstration Zone's International Road Transport system with the "bonded, tax-free, tax rebate" policy advantages of the Qingdao Airport Comprehensive Bonded Zone, creating a new and efficient logistics channel of "bonded assembly, land direct access" for SCO countries.
The International Road Transport system is the "high-speed channel" of the global economic network. Zang Yuanqi (臧元奇), Minister of the Industrial Development Department of the SCO Demonstration Zone Management Committee (上合示范区管委会), explained: "Vehicles holding International Road Transport system permits can conveniently clear customs between contracting countries, with 'one declaration, one certificate to the end, and one vehicle direct access' throughout the entire process. Compared with traditional road transport, this customs clearance model can reduce comprehensive logistics costs by about 20%." Currently, the SCO Demonstration Zone has opened four international road routes to Russia, Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Belarus, initially constructing a regional hub for international road transport.
In 2025, the SCO Demonstration Zone regularly operated special trains for household appliances, tires, commercial vehicles, and grain, continuously optimizing the integrated "sea, land, air, and rail" international logistics service network, and pioneered the "warehouse-transport-trade integration" model, reducing enterprise costs and serving over 7,000 foreign trade enterprises. According to statistics, in 2025, the SCO Demonstration Zone handled 1,225 China-Europe freight trains with 840,000 tons of import and export goods, with both the number of trains and the volume of freight increasing by over 20%, reaching a record high. As of now, the SCO Demonstration Zone has regularly operated 22 international freight train routes, reaching 23 SCO countries and countries jointly building the "Belt and Road" (一带一路), with a cumulative total of over 5,400 China-Europe freight trains operated.
Fu Zhonghua (付忠华), member of the Party Working Committee and Deputy Director of the Management Committee of the SCO Demonstration Zone (上合示范区党工委), stated that entering the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, the SCO Demonstration Zone will further leverage its international cooperation platform advantages, accelerate the construction of the SCO International Hub Port, continuously enhance the open capacity of the logistics hub, and build an ecosystem of "channels + hubs + networks" to promote investment cooperation and economic and trade exchanges between SCO countries and countries jointly building the "Belt and Road."
Return to TopXinhua News Agency, Hanoi, January 30th (Reporters Zou Xuemian (邹学冕) and Liu Ying (刘颍)) From January 29th to 30th, Xi Jinping (习近平), General Secretary of the Communist Party of China, sent a special envoy, Liu Haixing (刘海星), Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, to visit Vietnam to congratulate the successful convening of the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam and To Lam (苏林)'s election as General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee.
Liu Haixing (刘海星) conveyed General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平)'s congratulatory letter to To Lam (苏林), stating that the Chinese side is willing to work with the Vietnamese side to earnestly implement the important consensus reached by the top leaders of the two parties and promote new and greater development in the construction of the China-Vietnam community with a shared future.
To Lam (苏林) asked Liu Haixing (刘海星) to convey his heartfelt thanks and sincere greetings to General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平), expressing that the new leadership collective of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee is willing to continuously deepen the relations between the two parties and two countries.
Liu Haixing (刘海星) also held the first meeting of the consultation mechanism between the Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee and the Party Committee Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam with Le Hoai Trung (黎怀忠), member of the Politburo of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Party Committee Secretary and Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 李 琰 陈尚文
Recently, the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (中国人民对外友好协会) held its first New Year reception for international friends in Beijing (北京). That evening, the auditorium of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (中国人民对外友好协会) was brightly lit and filled with joy. Nearly 120 international friends from 45 countries gathered to celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year of the Horse and to renew their friendship.
Yang Wanming (杨万明), President of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (中国人民对外友好协会), said in his welcoming speech: "Today we gather here not only to pay tribute to history, but also to look forward to the future. I hope that everyone will join hands to be inheritors of historical memory, practitioners of people's friendship, and sowers of hope for the future, and work tirelessly to enhance mutual understanding and affinity between the Chinese and foreign people and promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind."
At the reception, Chinese and foreign guests watched traditional Chinese art performances such as Shaanbei storytelling, ancient magic tricks, and diabolos with great interest, and experienced the on-site production of special snacks from old Beijing (北京), feeling the unique charm of Chinese culture.
Several international friends also presented wonderful performances. "A gentle breeze comes, and the water ripples not. I raise my glass to the guests, reciting the poems of the bright moon, singing the graceful chapters..." Canadian cultural scholar Da Shan (大山) recited "Ode to the Red Cliff" in a clear and standard pronunciation, winning rounds of applause. "China is the place I want to stay the most / I have felt free here for so many years / I plan to spend the rest of my life here / This is a place that inspires me / People are so friendly and so warm / They give me warmth and make me want to sing a song..." American country musician and professor at the Central University for Nationalities (中央民族大学), Mark Levine (马克·力文), brought his original song "Where the Heart Feels at Peace is My Home" (此心安处即吾乡), deeply singing his love for China (中国).
"Chinese poetry carries the spiritual temperament and profound wisdom of Chinese culture," said Da Shan (大山). "I hope to express the stories behind the poems through recitation performances, create more emotional resonance with the audience, and promote cultural exchange and mutual learning."
Mark Levine (马克·力文) said that he has witnessed China's (中国) remarkable development achievements in his more than 20 years of living in China (中国) - the railway network is becoming denser and denser, and high-speed trains are comfortable, safe and fast; the level of education public services is constantly improving, and the layout of education resources is gradually optimized... "**日新月异** (rì xīn yuè yì - "daily new monthly different," changing with each passing day)." He hopes that more Americans will come to China (中国) to walk around and see the real China (中国) in the future.
British chemist Dai Wei (戴伟), director of the Science Popularization Experiment Center of Beijing University of Chemical Technology (北京化工大学), has been engaged in scientific research in China (中国) for nearly 30 years. In recent years, he has focused on popular science work for primary and secondary school students. He said that he is pleased to see that more and more students are improving their awareness of science, "They are the future of Chinese science and technology." Dai Wei (戴伟) also shared his observations on China's (中国) development over the years, "In the past, most Chinese scholars went abroad to study and research, but now the number of foreign experts coming to China (中国) to carry out scientific cooperation is gradually increasing. Everyone is heading in both directions, which fully shows that China's (中国) scientific research capabilities and the level of scientific and technological development have significantly improved."
David Ferguson (大卫·弗格森), a well-known international communication expert and honorary English editor of the Foreign Languages Press (外文出版社) of China Foreign Languages Publishing Administration (中国外文局), told reporters that in 2025, China (中国) has gone through an extraordinary development path. In his opinion, on the one hand, the construction of modern infrastructure represented by high-speed railways continues to consolidate the foundation for development; on the other hand, cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence and robotics continue to achieve new breakthroughs and are increasingly becoming a key force driving China's (中国) high-quality development.
In the auditorium, laughter told of beautiful friendship, and the trickle of people's friendship nourished everyone. Kě Mǎkǎi (柯马凯), son of international friends Mr. and Mrs. Crook (柯鲁克夫妇) and chairman of the International Committee for the Promotion of Chinese Industrial Cooperatives (中国工合国际委员会), said: "Today's reception, as well as the '80th Anniversary of the Victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression' commemorative medal that I was honored to receive on behalf of my parents last September, fully demonstrates that China (中国) always remembers the positive contributions of international friends, and demonstrates the deep friendship with old friends who have shared weal and woe with the Chinese people." As a descendant of international friends, he said that he will inherit the legacy of his parents, deeply cultivate people-to-people friendly exchanges, and pass on the spirit of internationalism from generation to generation.
Return to TopThis newspaper's Hangzhou (杭州) dispatch on January 30th (Reporter: Liu Junguo (刘军国)) On January 30th, the "A Journey to Ancient Greece" exhibition, co-sponsored by the Liangzhu Museum (良渚博物院), the Sanxingdui Museum (三星堆博物馆), and the Hellenic Ministry of Culture, opened at the Liangzhu Museum (良渚博物院) in Yuhang District (余杭区), Hangzhou (杭州) City, Zhejiang Province (浙江省).
The "A Journey to Ancient Greece" exhibition brings together 163 pieces/sets of exquisite cultural relics and 9 replicas from 31 national museums and archaeological institutions in Greece, including the National Archaeological Museum of Greece, the Acropolis Museum of Athens, and the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki. The exhibits cover categories such as pottery, bronzes, gold and silverware, marble statues, and frescoes, systematically presenting the evolution and brilliant achievements of ancient Greek civilization.
It is reported that in order to enrich the viewing experience, the exhibition hall space is designed with reference to the structure of ancient Greek temples. The visual design is transparent, open, coordinated, orderly, clean, calm, and full of vitality, echoing the characteristics of ancient Greek civilization. During the exhibition period, viewing manuals will also be provided, and public guided tours, special academic lectures, and cultural experience courses and workshops for different groups will be launched successively, providing the public with diverse and in-depth cultural services.
The exhibition will last for six months, until July 31, 2026.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 吴 君
Green development is a distinct feature of Chinese-style modernization. When General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) chaired a symposium on further promoting the high-quality development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt, he emphasized "adhering to ecological priority and green development." One of the goals proposed in the "15th Five-Year Plan" proposal is "the basic formation of green production and lifestyles."
Today in Hubei (湖北), the green and low-carbon transformation and development is accelerating: more than 2 million Wuhan (武汉) citizens already have personal carbon accounts, about 21 million tons of construction waste are resourcefully disposed of annually throughout the province, and half of the province's power generation comes from renewable energy sources. How are production and lifestyles in Hubei becoming "greener"? How is the momentum of green development being enhanced? The reporter conducted an exploration of this.
——Editor
Carbon Accounts Incentivize Green Living
In Wuhan (武汉), Hubei (湖北), you can earn money by riding shared bicycles.
In June 2023, Wuhan (武汉) released a low-carbon living platform for individuals - the "Wu Tan Jiang Hu" (武碳江湖) mini-program. Registered users can accumulate carbon emission reductions for multiple behaviors such as riding shared bicycles, taking the subway, and taking new energy online car-hailing services, which can be used to redeem scenic spot tickets, daily necessities, and discounted homestay coupons.
"Every kilometer you ride a shared bicycle, you get more than 90 grams of carbon emission reductions; every 1,000 grams of carbon emission reductions you accumulate can be converted into 1 yuan," said Bai Jinxuan (白瑾萱), a Wuhan (武汉) citizen. As one of the first users of the "Wu Tan Jiang Hu" (武碳江湖) mini-program, she has already redeemed multiple products.
At the beginning of its launch, the "Wu Tan Jiang Hu" (武碳江湖) mini-program did not have many users. "At that time, carbon emission reductions could only be accumulated and redeemed within the mini-program, which was not convenient or practical enough," said Liu Shu (刘树), chairman of Wuhan Carbon Inclusive Management Co., Ltd. (武汉碳普惠管理有限公司), who is responsible for developing the mini-program.
In September 2024, the "Wu Tan Jiang Hu" (武碳江湖) mini-program was connected to internet platforms such as Didi Chuxing (滴滴出行) and Alipay (支付宝). Users can open personal carbon accounts on these platforms, accumulate carbon emission reductions through low-carbon behaviors, and receive equity subsidies from the platforms.
"Getting carbon emission reductions through low-carbon behaviors is not only simple and easy, but also provides material incentives," said Liu Shu (刘树). Individuals only need to click on the "Low-Carbon Mall" in the "Wu Tan Jiang Hu" (武碳江湖) mini-program to directly redeem dozens of products with carbon emission reductions. As of mid-December 2025, the "Wu Tan Jiang Hu" (武碳江湖) mini-program was connected to 13 internet platforms, and users had redeemed products more than 2 million times.
It's not just individuals who benefit. "The carbon emission reductions that users get through low-carbon behaviors also have other values. In the Hubei (湖北) carbon market, controlled emission enterprises will regularly conduct centralized transactions with these internet platforms that hold emission reductions," said Liu Shu (刘树).
Today, more than 2 million Wuhan (武汉) citizens have personal carbon accounts, and cumulative carbon dioxide emissions have been reduced by 53,000 tons through low-carbon behaviors. The "Wu Tan Jiang Hu" (武碳江湖) mini-program has also expanded beyond Wuhan (武汉) and has been launched in Huangshi (黄石), Yichang (宜昌), Shiyan (十堰), and other places. "The platform has a large number of active users every day, low-carbon living is becoming more and more of a habit, and the concept of green development is becoming more and more deeply rooted in people's hearts," said Liu Shu (刘树).
Mini-Program Recycles Construction Waste
In Hubei (湖北), 65 million tons of construction waste are produced every year. How to deal with it is a test for local green development.
"Open the 'Jian La La' (建垃拉) mini-program, fill in the information, place an order, and if it's fast, someone will drive to your door that day to collect the construction waste," said Cheng Ran (程然), property manager of Jinghua Yuan (菁华园) Community in Xianning (咸宁).
Jinghua Yuan (菁华园) Community was completed and delivered in 2020. "In the past few years, the construction waste generated by the community was piled up in the construction waste stacking pool, more than 10 tons per month," said Cheng Ran (程然). For the community property, contacting recycling channels has always been a troublesome matter.
In April 2025, the "Jian La La" (建垃拉) WeChat mini-program was launched in Xianning (咸宁). If construction waste is generated in production and life, users can place orders online, book vehicles to collect it, and also check the progress of construction waste disposal. Engineering waste and demolition waste are exempt from disposal fees, while decoration waste is charged a disposal fee of more than 50 yuan per ton.
Lu Yupeng (陆宇鹏), chief of the Urban Appearance and Environmental Sanitation Section of the Xianning (咸宁) Urban Management and Law Enforcement Commission, introduced that in order to ensure that the source of construction waste is traceable and the destination is trackable, a joint electronic bill mechanism has also been established locally. After the garbage truck arrives at the construction waste disposal center, the entered information such as the entry time, vehicle number, and collection volume must be consistent with the resident's order information.
There must be both recycling channels and disposal capabilities. As early as May 2024, Xianning (咸宁) had built and operated a construction waste disposal center covering an area of about 50 mu, which can handle 1.1 million tons of construction waste annually. "In addition, new communities built in Xianning (咸宁) have construction waste stacking pools, and centralized construction waste stacking points will also be built near old communities," said Lu Yupeng (陆宇鹏).
Currently, Hubei (湖北) has 95 construction waste resource utilization plants with an annual processing capacity of over 30 million tons; and 69 construction waste landfill sites in use, with a total designed storage capacity of approximately 77 million cubic meters. "For areas such as urban-rural fringe areas and traffic routes, we use satellite remote sensing, drone aerial photography, grid inspections, and other means to rectify the phenomenon of random dumping of construction waste," said Liu Dengqiang (刘登强), director of the Urban Management Department of the Hubei (湖北) Provincial Department of Housing and Urban-Rural Development. "Construction waste must also be properly found its destination and play its value."
How should the recycled construction waste be treated? "Those with utilization value will be converted into recycled aggregates, permeable bricks, roadbed materials, etc., and become resources again; those with less utilization value will be directly backfilled and utilized as much as possible," said Liu Dengqiang (刘登强). Hubei (湖北) resourcefully disposes of approximately 21 million tons of construction waste every year.
Zero-Carbon Village Surges with Development Momentum
In Tudianzi (土店子) Village, Xinling (信陵) Town, Badong (巴东) County, Hubei (湖北), the village appearance is clean and tidy. In places such as street lights, corridors, barren slopes, and rooftops, it is not difficult to find the "figure" of photovoltaic equipment.
"Tudianzi (土店子) Village is the first zero-carbon village in Hubei (湖北) to achieve 100% clean energy supply and be able to operate off-grid," said Chen Wentao (陈文涛), the person in charge of the rural energy revolution project of State Grid Enshi (恩施) Power Supply Company. The installed photovoltaic capacity of Tudianzi (土店子) Village is 1,800 kilowatts, and the annual power generation is about 2 million kilowatt-hours. The green electricity can not only meet the daily needs of the villagers, but also have a surplus to be transmitted to the outside.
Tudianzi (土店子) Village is located in the depths of the Wuling (武陵) Mountains, and the village's power supply was not stable in the early years. "For a long time, every household would pile up some firewood in front of and behind their houses to boil water, cook, and heat when there was no electricity," said Fu Lin (付林), the first secretary stationed in Tudianzi (土店子) Village.
In August 2023, State Grid Hubei (湖北) Electric Power Co., Ltd. launched a pilot demonstration project for the rural energy revolution in Tudianzi (土店子) Village, building a new power system integrating source, grid, load, and storage. The electricity supply work in Tudianzi (土店子) Village has since opened up.
In addition to laying photovoltaic panels, the village also installed 8 micro wind turbines and built a biogas power generation project with an installed capacity of 30 kilowatts. The power supply department also upgraded the transformers and power lines.
In rural areas, green electricity is often "more supply than demand" during the day and "less supply than demand" at night. "The newly installed more than 170 'photovoltaic + energy storage' integrated street lights, as well as 6 flexible energy storage devices, can solve the problem of supply and demand mismatch," Chen Wentao (陈文涛) introduced.
Since the completion of the zero-carbon village in early 2024, the electricity demand of Tudianzi (土店子) Village has been fully released, and it is expected that the village's electricity consumption will exceed 600,000 kilowatt-hours this year. "The village has more momentum to develop planting, breeding, and tourism," said Fu Lin (付林).
Today, Hubei (湖北) has built 3 zero-carbon villages. The new path of rural energy revolution of "new energy development and utilization + waste recycling + industrial driving" is being promoted throughout the province.
Anchoring the "dual carbon" goal and practicing green development. According to statistics, for every 10 kilowatts of power supply in Hubei (湖北), 7 kilowatts are clean energy; half of the power generation comes from renewable energy, and new energy has surpassed thermal power to become the largest power source.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 李俊杰
"Representative Du (杜艳) is here, we've been waiting for someone to explain the regulations!" In the production workshop, employees of Anhui Xudong Food Technology Co., Ltd. (安徽旭咚食品科技有限公司) arranged their seats and invited Du Yan (杜艳), a representative of the Huainan Municipal People's Congress (淮南市人大), to sit down and begin her explanation.
At the end of last year, the "Huainan City Huainan Beef Soup Industry Development Regulations" (淮南市淮南牛肉汤产业发展条例) were unanimously approved by the Standing Committee of the Anhui Provincial People's Congress (安徽省人大常委会) and will officially take effect on February 1st of this year. This is the first local regulation tailored by Huainan (淮南) for its local specialty cuisine.
Du Yan (杜艳) began by discussing the long history of Huainan beef soup, then moved on to the main topic: "Beef soup is a symbol of our city. Huainan (淮南) has 235 enterprises related to the industrial chain, more than 2,000 offline stores, and drives nearly 60,000 jobs."
With the rapid development of the industry, problems followed. "The market lacks standardization, the industry is large but not strong, and there are many stores but not of high quality." Du Yan (杜艳) said that the recipes and techniques of street shops vary, making it difficult for many citizens and tourists to distinguish what is "authentic." Some unscrupulous merchants use cheap raw materials to produce counterfeit products, which further damages the reputation of Huainan beef soup.
"We noticed that some places have promoted the standardization and branding of specialty snacks through legislation." In order to boost the development of the Huainan beef soup industry, Du Yan (杜艳) and other representatives conducted in-depth research and submitted relevant legislative proposals at the Huainan Municipal People's Congress (淮南市人民代表大会) in early 2025.
In March 2025, the relevant working committee of the Standing Committee of the Huainan Municipal People's Congress (淮南市人大常委会) took the lead and formed a special research team with departments such as agriculture and market supervision to enter enterprise workshops, visit old street shops, stay at breeding bases, and observe live sales, striving to understand the current situation and demands of all links in the industrial chain, and fully absorb public opinion.
Facing the research team, Chen Shuanglin (陈双林), an operator of a beef soup restaurant, expressed his doubts: With so many stores, do we have to unify the taste and give up our characteristics? The research team responded that the legislation will find a balance between establishing standards and retaining characteristics, both maintaining the traditional flavor and leaving room for innovation.
Widely listening to opinions and suggestions from all sectors of society allows public opinion to run through the entire legislative process. In early summer 2025, at the grassroots legislative liaison point in Tiandong Street (田东街道), Tianjia'an District (田家庵区), representatives of functional departments, enterprise leaders, store operators, and people's representatives gathered to scrutinize the draft clauses one by one.
"I hope the content supporting technological innovation will be more specific, so that enterprises have more basis when applying for policy preferences," suggested an enterprise leader.
"The expression 'standard construction' should be expanded to 'standard system construction' covering the entire chain," said a representative of the market supervision department.
Suggestions were recorded one by one and carefully studied, and the draft was repeatedly polished: adding prohibitive protection clauses for collective trademarks; clarifying the principle of "unified soup base, diverse side dishes" to take into account both commonality and individuality; supplementing specific support clauses to respond to the needs of industrial upgrading...
After multiple rounds of soliciting opinions, two reviews, and the early intervention and guidance of the Legislative Affairs Working Committee of the Standing Committee of the Anhui Provincial People's Congress (安徽省人大常委会法工委), on October 29, 2025, the 29th meeting of the 17th Standing Committee of the Huainan Municipal People's Congress (淮南市十七届人大常委会) voted to approve the "Huainan City Huainan Beef Soup Industry Development Regulations" (淮南市淮南牛肉汤产业发展条例). The regulations cover raw material supply, production and processing, brand building, and other content, with a total of 7 chapters and 43 articles, providing a reliable legal guarantee for the inheritance and promotion of this specialty cuisine.
"Legislation is not the end, but a new starting point for the high-quality development of the industry." Chen Rujiang (陈儒江), director of the Standing Committee of the Huainan Municipal People's Congress (淮南市人大常委会主任), said that in the future, they will continue to track the implementation of the regulations to ensure that the regulations take root and play an effective role.
(Bai Song (柏松) participated in the writing)
Return to TopThe 2026 Spring Festival travel season will begin on February 2nd and end on March 13th, lasting 40 days. All regions and departments should prepare and provide services for the Spring Festival travel season, and take practical actions to better meet the travel needs of the people.
Return to TopThis newspaper Beijing (北京) January 30th (Reporter Li Xinping (李心萍)) On January 30th, the "My Railway Scenery" theme publicity and first season activities, jointly organized by the Civilization Creation Bureau of the Central Propaganda Department (中宣部), the Bureau of Internet Communication of the Central Cyberspace Administration of China (中央网信办), the Publicity Department of the State Administration of Radio and Television (广电总局), the Resource Development Department of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism (文化和旅游部), the Domestic Liaison Department of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles (中国文联), the Creation Liaison Department of the Chinese Writers Association (中国作协), and the Publicity Department of the Party Group of the China National Railway Group (国家铁路集团), were simultaneously launched at major railway passenger stations across the country.
In 2026, the "My Railway Scenery" theme publicity campaign will continue to use railway lines as a link and perspective, mobilizing the vast number of passengers and netizens to create works in the categories of pictures, videos, paintings, and beautiful essays, fully demonstrating the new achievements of Chinese-style modernization construction, the new picture scroll of beautiful China, the new fashion of civilized travel, and the new picture of people's happy life.
The event will run throughout the year. The first season, the "Spring Festival Season" event, will be launched in late January and will last until mid-March, inviting the public to check in at the New Year's flavor railway and record the warmest Spring Festival travel moments. The second season, the "Culture Season" event, will be held from late April to early June, welcoming passengers and netizens to record the unique charm of the culture along the railway line. The third season, the "Homeland Season" event, will be held from before the National Day to mid-November, inviting the public to share the changes around them and express their feelings for their family and country.
Return to TopThe 14th People's Congress of Liaoning Province held its fifth meeting on January 30th, during which Xu Kunlin (许昆林) was elected as the Director of the Standing Committee of the Liaoning Provincial People's Congress.
Return to TopThis newspaper reported from Beijing on January 30th (Reporter Li Hongmei (李红梅)): On January 30th, the China Meteorological Administration (中国气象局) released the first "Spring Festival Travel Season Meteorological Service Special Report" for 2026, marking the start of the 2026 Spring Festival Travel Season meteorological support service.
According to forecasts, during the peak period of passenger return travel from February 2nd to 14th, two cold air masses will affect the north. From February 5th to 7th, strong cooling and snowfall weather may occur in northern North China, Northeast China, and eastern Inner Mongolia (内蒙古). From February 10th to 13th, low-temperature rain and snow weather may occur in North China, Northeast China, Inner Mongolia, northern East China, northern Central China, and eastern Northwest China.
In the early part of the Spring Festival holiday, affected by a moderate-intensity cold air mass, northern regions may experience periodic strong cooling and heavy snowfall, and northern East China, northern Central China, and eastern Southwest China may experience periodic low temperatures, rain, snow, and ice.
During the Spring Festival travel season, the China Meteorological Administration (中国气象局) will strengthen rolling monitoring and accurate forecasting of disastrous weather, and promptly release the latest weather forecasts and warning information to relevant departments and the public.
Return to TopXinhua News Agency, Beijing, January 30th. Comrade Wei Fulin (隗福临), a retired cadre at the Zhengda military rank level and former Deputy Chief of General Staff of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (中国人民解放军), passed away in Beijing (北京) on January 15th due to illness, at the age of 88.
Wei Fulin (隗福临) was a native of Xinbin (新宾), Liaoning (辽宁). He enlisted in the army in 1956 and joined the Communist Party of China (中国共产党) in 1961. During his revolutionary career, he served as a platoon leader, staff officer, company commander, deputy battalion commander, battalion commander, regimental chief of staff, deputy regimental commander, regimental commander, division chief of staff, division commander, army chief of staff, deputy director and director of the Operations Department of the General Staff Headquarters, Assistant to the Chief of General Staff, and Commander of the Chengdu Military Region (成都军区), among other positions, making contributions to the revolutionary, modern, and regularized construction of the armed forces.
Wei Fulin (隗福临) was a representative to the 13th, 14th, 15th, and 16th National Congresses of the Communist Party of China (中国共产党), a member of the 15th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (中国共产党), a representative to the 9th National People's Congress (全国人民代表大会), and a member of the Standing Committee of the 10th National People's Congress (全国人民代表大会) and Deputy Chairperson of the Ethnic Affairs Committee. He was awarded the rank of Major General in 1988, promoted to Lieutenant General in 1994, and promoted to General in 2000.
Return to TopBeijing, January 30th (Reported by Zhang Tianpei (张天培) from this newspaper) Recently, the Traffic Management Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security (公安部交管局), combined with the characteristics of road traffic accidents during previous Spring Festival travel seasons, analyzed the traffic safety situation for the 2026 Spring Festival travel season and issued traffic safety reminders.
According to the analysis, the main outstanding risks to national road traffic safety during this year's Spring Festival travel season are as follows: Concentrated self-driving travel, with a high incidence of illegal and accident-prone small passenger vehicles; high passenger transport demand during and after the holiday, with high road passenger transport safety risks; increased number of rural returnees and vehicles, prone to vehicle collision and rollover accidents; many holiday gatherings and parties, increasing the risk of drunk driving; busy freight transport before and after the holiday, with prominent phased safety risks; and large fluctuations in weather temperatures, bringing adverse effects to traffic travel.
The Traffic Management Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security (公安部交管局) advises that when traveling by car, you should understand traffic conditions and weather forecasts in advance, avoid speeding, avoid driving while fatigued, and never drive after drinking. When driving on highways, always maintain a safe following distance, and when passing through congested or slow-moving sections, follow in an orderly manner and strictly prohibit changing lanes or occupying emergency lanes at will.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 吴齐强 贺林平 李 纵
Core Reading
Starting in 2026, the General Office of the People's Government of Guangdong Province issued a document to deploy the province-wide deepening of the "immediate response and handling" reform of the 12345 hotline platform, promoting quick acceptance and handling of government services, and reshaping the governance model and service concept with a single hotline.
"I found a lot of scattered garbage on the Yuejiang Bridge (阅江大桥), which poses a safety hazard to passing vehicles. Please have the relevant departments handle it." Recently, the 12345 hotline in Zhaoqing (肇庆) City, Guangdong Province, received a call. The operator recorded the information while quickly entering it into the system. Within seconds, the work order was accurately transferred to the Municipal Highway Affairs Center.
"Let's go immediately!" After receiving the notification, the staff immediately gathered their tools and rushed to the scene. In less than half a day, the debris on the road was cleaned up. Afterwards, the public said in a return visit call: "It was handled quickly and well. Thumbs up to you!"
In Guangdong (广东), a familiar number—12345—has become the most direct bridge connecting the Party committee and government with thousands of households. From clearing safety hazards to lighting up streetlights in villages, from resolving noise complaints to helping small and micro enterprises overcome difficulties... These "key small matters" concerning the warmth and coldness of the people are being transformed into tangible gains, happiness, and security for the masses through the "immediate response and handling" of the 12345 hotline platform.
Quick Acceptance and Handling, Allowing Public Opinion to Enter the "Expressway"
"Immediate response and handling" focuses on speed and the key is in handling.
"My Hong Kong (香港) travel endorsement information cannot be found at the Shenzhen (深圳) port. Now I can't pass the border, what should I do?" Ms. Gan (甘), a citizen of Guangzhou (广州), anxiously dialed the Guangzhou (广州) 12345 hotline. The operator comforted her while quickly recording: "Don't worry, we will immediately contact the immigration management department to coordinate."
The work order was instantly transferred to the Exit-Entry Administration Division of the Guangzhou (广州) Municipal Public Security Bureau. The division has established a "rapid collaboration and disposal mechanism for intelligent endorsement equipment failures" with the 12345 hotline. The staff immediately searched the data flow: "The system shows that your business was not archived due to interruption. We will deal with it immediately."
Soon, the data rollback was completed. The 12345 hotline immediately called back: "Ms. Gan (甘), the restriction has been lifted, you can reapply for the endorsement." On the other end of the phone, Ms. Gan (甘) repeatedly thanked: "I really didn't expect it to be so fast, thank you so much!"
"Guangzhou (广州) has built a unified channel and resource-sharing governance pattern through 'extensive access and intelligent handling', forming a responsive and efficient urban governance system, and promoting the establishment of a new model of mega-city governance driven by citizen demands," said Huang Jin (黄津), Director of the Guangzhou (广州) Municipal Government Services and Data Management Bureau. This fast track compresses the process that originally might have taken several days to the minute level, realizing immediate handling of complaints and urgent handling of urgent matters.
List Clarifies Responsibilities, Solving the "Pass the Buck" Problem
Quick acceptance requires even better handling. In the past, overlapping responsibilities and mutual buck-passing were pain points affecting the hotline. Guangdong (广东) is breaking down barriers through reform and consolidating "handling matters well."
In Huizhou (惠州), a constantly refined "list of people's livelihood demands" has become a "navigation map" for distribution. Taking noise as an example, the list divides it into 7 categories: construction noise is under the ecological environment department, park noise is the responsibility of urban management enforcement, and noise from aviation and railway facilities is coordinated by the port, aviation and railway affairs department...
With a clear distribution "navigation map" and a responsibility table for handling responsibilities, Huizhou (惠州) used the "Benefit the People Quickly" platform to sort out and summarize the "helicopter noise" demands that have plagued the masses since 2023, and listed historical legacy issues as key tracking and supervision items for solving people's livelihood problems. Finally, in January of this year, a new route was implemented to avoid densely populated areas as much as possible, effectively solving the problem of helicopter noise disturbing residents.
"The list is not static, it must keep pace with the times and be dynamically adjusted. To prevent departments from 'pushing, delaying, circumventing, and dodging' during the distribution and handling process, we have also established supporting working mechanisms such as first-handling responsibility and difficult problem mediation," said the relevant person in charge of the Huizhou (惠州) Municipal Government Services and Data Management Bureau.
In response to cross-departmental and cross-level problems, Guangdong (广东) strengthens collaborative linkage and promotes handling separately to collaborative governance.
A company in Chashan (茶山) Town, Dongguan (东莞), planned to relocate, and 72 employees had disputes with the company due to compensation issues. After Dongguan (东莞) 12345 hotline identified the risk through big data, it immediately launched the "12345 + diversified forces" linkage mechanism to resolve conflicts and disputes. "This matter involves a large number of people, so we have to work together." The local Ping An (平安) Rule of Law Office and the Government Affairs Center jointly took the lead, and jointly formed a working group with multiple departments such as human resources and social security, public security, and justice to carry out mediation. After many communications and negotiations, the company and employees reached an agreement, and the compensation matters were properly resolved.
At present, this mechanism has been piloted and promoted in 10 towns and streets in Dongguan (东莞), and has successfully resolved many high-frequency problems such as labor disputes, environmental pollution, and consumer rights protection, forming a new paradigm of proactive governance.
Data Empowerment, Promoting "Handling Before Complaints"
The "immediate response and handling" of 12345 is backed by Guangdong's (广东) determination to drive reform with digitalization and intelligence—integrating multiple channel entrances such as telephone, scanning, and the Internet to create an "online + offline" all-round acceptance system to ensure that the masses can "find and complain." This hotline is also a "rich mine" of public opinion. Guangdong (广东) strengthens the excavation and analysis of demand data to promote the extension of "immediate response and handling" to "proactive governance."
The story of Shenzhen (深圳) netizen "Ruler Brother" recently became popular online. He walked the streets with a tape measure, measuring "minor problems" such as the slope of overpasses and the width of green belts, and released more than a thousand videos in two years. Many problems were quickly rectified after being reported by him.
"What we are concerned about is not only this one netizen, but the clues of people's livelihood reflected on the entire network," said Zhou Jianming (周剑明), Director of the Shenzhen (深圳) Municipal Government Services and Data Management Bureau. Since 2024, the "@Shenzhen (深圳)—Public Opinion Quick Handling" platform system has collected clues about people's livelihood on the network platform, and actively generated work orders after verification, forming a closed loop of "clue discovery—verification—filing—supervision," and promoting the resolution of a number of historical legacy issues.
The warmth of the reform is also reflected in the care for different groups. The Guangdong (广东) 12345 hotline continues to expand the depth of service: Dongguan (东莞) has opened special sign language and psychological care lines; Guangzhou (广州) has launched an Internet "elderly version" self-service... Subtle details fully demonstrate the original intention of serving the people.
"Currently, various departments in Guangdong (广东) have clarified the reform timetable and roadmap, and will fully launch it before the end of January, and strive to achieve significant results before the end of March," introduced Wang Tianguang (王天广), Director of the Guangdong (广东) Provincial Government Services and Data Management Bureau. The 12345 hotline, which is becoming more and more intelligent and warmer, puts the people-centered development thought into daily practice and life, and guards the lights of thousands of homes in the land of Southern Guangdong (南粤大地).
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 韩 鑫
The proportion of established villages with village-level integrated postal and express logistics service stations reached 80%, the village entry rate of directly-operated express delivery companies exceeded 90%, and the village entry rate of franchise express delivery companies increased to 1/3... On January 30, the State Post Bureau (国家邮政局) announced the completion of the 2025 postal and express delivery industry's practical measures to be closer to people's livelihood, among which "strengthening the construction of village-level integrated postal and express logistics service stations and continuously improving the delivery level in rural areas" was particularly eye-catching.
"Express delivery to villages" is deepening and becoming more practical, the postal and express delivery network directly reaches the grassroots level, and the service scope is constantly expanding. The construction of the rural postal and express logistics system in the postal and express delivery industry has continuously made new progress—
SF Express (顺丰速运) has developed more than 250,000 village and town-level station cooperation points, with a township coverage rate of 99.75%, forming a relatively complete rural express delivery network; from 2020 to 2025, J&T Express (极兔速递) has cumulatively built more than 1,500 township outlets and 45,000 village-level express delivery service stations (including co-construction); Yunda (韵达) relies on its developed terminal network to strengthen its service support for characteristic agriculture, helping Gansu Tianshui apples (甘肃天水苹果), Xinjiang Aksu apples (新疆阿克苏苹果) and other agricultural products to go out of the villages and into the cities; JD Logistics (京东物流) network has penetrated into Bomi County (波密县) and Motuo County (墨脱县) in Tibet, and online shopping goods sent from Lhasa (拉萨) basically achieve "next-day delivery".
As the postal and express delivery network sinks down, the service quality improves. "By organizing and carrying out special governance of the problem of irregular charges for receiving mails and express deliveries in rural areas, the quality of express delivery services in rural areas has continued to improve," said Liu Ying (刘莹), spokesperson for the State Post Bureau (国家邮政局). In 2025, the public satisfaction with express delivery services was 85 points, an increase of 0.4 points year-on-year; the 72-hour delivery rate in key areas was 87.04%, an increase of 3.09 percentage points year-on-year. Regarding the problem of irregular charges that still exists in some rural areas, Liu Ying (刘莹) said that the State Post Bureau (国家邮政局) will strengthen the supervision mechanism in key areas and promote the deepening of the source governance mechanism, and strive to achieve "dynamic clearing" of the problem of irregular charges for receiving mails and express deliveries in rural areas nationwide by the end of this year.
The postal universal service network plays a fundamental supporting role in better meeting the basic postal needs of central and western remote areas. In 2025, the State Post Bureau (国家邮政局) promoted the trial of end-of-line parcel delivery services using the postal universal service network in the Tibet Autonomous Region (西藏自治区), making innovative explorations to improve the efficiency of the postal universal service network, and has achieved initial results. Data shows that in 2025, the number of express parcels delivered to villages in the Tibet Autonomous Region (西藏自治区) through the postal universal service network exceeded 6 million, which is 2.5 times that of 2024.
According to reports, this year the State Post Bureau (国家邮政局) will expand the scope of pilot projects, carry out special pilot projects for postal bottom-line guarantee for express delivery to villages in rural areas of the central and western regions; strengthen supervision and inspection of rural mail delivery services, consolidate and improve the level of rural mail delivery services; guide express delivery companies to increase capacity investment, encourage the development of joint distribution, and reduce operating costs through postal-express cooperation, express-express cooperation, and passenger-cargo-mail integration.
Return to TopAs the Spring Festival approaches, New Year's markets across the country are experiencing a consumption boom. The picture shows the Licun Grand Fair (李村大集) in Qingdao (青岛), Shandong Province (山东省) on January 30th, where citizens are coming and going, selecting New Year's decorations, dried fruits, seafood and other New Year's goods. The scene is lively, festive, and full of New Year's flavor.
Photo by Zhang Ying (张鹰) (Image China (影像中国))
Return to TopAccording to the Ministry of Water Resources, the nation's first transaction of newly added cultivated land indicators from newly built irrigation areas has been successfully completed. Suining County (睢宁县), Xuzhou (徐州), Jiangsu Province (江苏省), successfully traded 100 mu of newly added cultivated land indicators from newly built irrigation areas on the Jiangsu Provincial Land Transaction Platform (江苏省土地交易平台). The funds are specifically earmarked for the construction of the second phase of the Huai River Estuary Waterway Project (淮河入海水道二期工程) (Huaian Section (淮安段)), with a transaction price of 200,000 yuan per mu and a total transaction amount of 20 million yuan. The local government will allocate 12 million yuan from the proceeds for the subsequent construction and long-term management and protection of the irrigation area. The relevant experiences and practices have important demonstration significance for promoting the construction of modern irrigation areas and ensuring national food security.
In recent years, the Ministry of Water Resources has focused on water conservancy guarantees for food security and has been making every effort to promote the modernization and renovation of large and medium-sized irrigation areas. Since 2024, it has guided Xuzhou (徐州), Jiangsu Province (江苏省), to successively start the construction of two new medium-sized irrigation areas, the Shuanggou Irrigation Area (双沟灌区) and the Taoyuan Irrigation Area (桃园灌区). Simultaneously, measures such as land consolidation have been taken to form a certain amount of newly added cultivated land with good irrigation and drainage conditions. On January 6, Suining County (睢宁县) successfully traded 800 mu of cultivated land indicators on the Jiangsu Provincial Land Transaction Platform (江苏省土地交易平台), including 41 mu from the Shuanggou Irrigation Area (双沟灌区) and 59 mu from the Taoyuan Irrigation Area (桃园灌区). The transferee was the Construction Office of the Second Phase of the Huai River Estuary Waterway Project (淮安市淮河入海水道二期工程建设处) in Huaian (淮安市).
Next, the Ministry of Water Resources will systematically summarize and promote the experiences and practices of this transaction, guide various regions to vigorously innovate the investment and financing mechanism of irrigation areas, and strongly support the construction of modern irrigation areas.
Return to TopChangchun, January 30th (People's Daily reporter Meng Haiying (孟海鹰) and Zheng Zhiwen (郑智文)) On the 28th, reporters learned from the press conference of the Two Sessions of Jilin Province (吉林省) that in 2025, the total grain output of Jilin (吉林) reached 87.16 billion jin, achieving "three increases" in total output, yield per unit area, and planting area; 9.1 million mu of high-standard farmland were constructed; the average thickness of the black soil cultivated layer increased to 20.6 cm, and the organic matter content increased to 27 g/kg.
Liu Xiangyi (刘翔宜), Director of the Jilin Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (吉林省农业农村厅), introduced that during the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, Jilin (吉林) adhered to the priority development of agriculture and rural areas, and grain output repeatedly reached new highs. The area of high-standard farmland constructed in the past three years is equivalent to the total of the past 10 years, and the trend of black soil becoming thinner and leaner has been effectively curbed.
To accelerate the construction of modern high-quality farmland, Jilin (吉林) implemented the second phase of the "Black Soil Granary" science and technology campaign, promoted the iterative upgrading of the "Lishu Model" (梨树模式) and the comprehensive utilization of saline-alkali land in the west, and continued to increase the organic matter content of the soil; improved the "construction, operation, and management" working mechanism of high-standard farmland, and plans to build another 10 million mu this year; plans water and fertilizer integration projects together with high-standard farmland projects, integrates construction, and promotes them simultaneously, and plans to add another 10 million mu this year.
Return to TopBy: 陈 双
"Classmates, please look at this lamp - more than 70 years ago, Chairman Mao (毛主席) used this faint light to plan strategies in the command tent, directing the three major campaigns that determined the fate of China, and wrote many important articles that influenced the course of history..." As a guide at the Xibaipo Memorial Hall (西柏坡纪念馆), my daily work is to transform the profound history of the Party and the silent cultural relics into vivid stories that the general public, especially young people, can understand, enjoy, and remember, through heartfelt narrations, so that the red gene can take root, sprout, and grow vigorously in the soil of the new era.
In 2015, I graduated from the Broadcasting and Hosting major of Hebei Normal University (河北师范大学). With admiration for the revolutionary holy land, I came to work at the Xibaipo Memorial Hall (西柏坡纪念馆) in Pingshan County (平山县), Hebei (河北). The leaders of the museum did not give me a ready-made script, but handed me a thick stack of historical materials and told me, "To tell the red story well, you must first understand the history."
I delved into the historical archives, read through thousands of documents, and excavated the moving details behind the cultural relics: Why did the Party Central Committee choose Xibaipo (西柏坡) as the "last rural command post" for the liberation of all of China? What sleepless nights did those simple tables and chairs and yellowed maps witness? I also visited the descendants of old revolutionaries to collect oral history materials, and integrated the life fragments of the leaders and the simple emotions of the soldiers into the narration, bit by bit, polishing the script.
I hope that my commentary is not a cold textbook, but a story with flesh and blood and warmth, so that young people can listen and resonate.
One summer, a group of middle school students who came to visit said that they found it difficult to understand the hardships of the revolutionary era. I did not rush to explain, but took them into the farmhouse in Xibaipo (西柏坡), and let the children push the stone mill and shake the spinning wheel with their own hands to experience the years of "millet plus rifles." After the activity, a child whispered, "It turned out that it was so difficult for them to even eat and dress warmly. We are so happy today." I was very pleased that the immersive experience was more moving than thousands of words.
The history told to children should start from the world they are familiar with. Once, facing a group of elementary school students, I pointed to the adobe houses built on the mountainside in the sand table, "Classmates, do these small courtyards look like the houses in cartoons?" The children nodded excitedly. "But more than 70 years ago, great men who rewrote Chinese history lived in these simple houses." With that said, the children were immediately attracted.
Facing children, I started with the cartoons they love to watch, and through vivid narration, let the red memory quietly enter the children's hearts; facing young audiences, I narrated from the perspective of peers, interpreting cultural relics in connection with current hot topics, so that history and reality resonate at the same frequency.
In order to ensure that the commentary is historically accurate and expressed precisely, while reading a large number of historical materials, I also insist on studying the Party's latest theories and tracking current hot topics every day. During the peak tourist season, I give 4 lectures in a row every day. My voice is hoarse and my feet are sore, but when I stand in front of the audience, I am particularly energetic. I also go to schools, communities, and military camps to spread the seeds of red culture to farther places.
At the 5th National Red Story Explainer Competition, I won the title of "Gold Medal Explainer." Now, I am not only a "veteran" on the front line of explanation, but also lead young explainers born in the 95s and 00s to study historical materials, check details, and impart storytelling skills. I am very happy that more and more youthful faces are joining the red propaganda team.
According to rough statistics, in the past 10 years, I have served more than 300,000 visitors, of which young people account for more than 60%. Many children who have heard my stories have now grown into red little lecturers in schools and Party history propagandists in communities, becoming red inheritors of the new era.
Standing at the starting point of a new journey, I will continue to tell the red story vividly, so that the flame of ideals and beliefs will burn brighter and shine farther in the hearts of young people.
(The author is an explainer at the Xibaipo Memorial Hall (西柏坡纪念馆). This article was compiled and edited by Zhang Tengyang (张腾扬), a reporter from this newspaper.)
Return to TopBy: 孟庆云
Using red resources well to strengthen the ideal and belief education of young people is a key measure to inherit the red gene and cultivate new people of the times. At present, all parts of the country are promoting red education to be deeply rooted in the hearts and minds of young people and guiding them to build a solid foundation of faith through technological empowerment, immersive experience, and mechanism innovation.
Technological empowerment innovates forms, making red history tangible and touchable. The Xibaipo Memorial Hall (西柏坡纪念馆) has built a digital exhibition hall and the first 5G+VR red education exhibition hall in North China, using 3D modeling technology to reproduce the site of the Second Plenary Session of the Seventh Central Committee of the Party at a 1:1 scale. Audiences can "participate" in historical meetings by wearing smart devices, and AI commentators intelligently push extended historical materials based on the visiting route.
Immersive integration of practical experience makes the revolutionary spirit practicable and inheritable. The Memorial Hall of the 129th Division of the Eighth Route Army (八路军一二九师纪念馆) in Shexian County (涉县), Handan (邯郸) has carried out experiential research and practice activities in depth, systematically sorting out the development process of the 129th Division of the Eighth Route Army and the Jin-Ji-Lu-Yu Border Region (晋冀鲁豫边区), and has received more than 1.3 million visitors in the past three years.
Expert support mechanism guarantees that the red gene is passed down from generation to generation. North China Electric Power University (Baoding) (华北电力大学（保定）) and the Langya Mountain Scenic Area Management Committee (狼牙山景区管委会) jointly built a "Great Ideological and Political Course" practice and teaching base, and jointly carried out volunteer services and topic research. Leting County (乐亭县), Tangshan (唐山) relies on the veteran revolutionary tradition education propaganda group of the military sanatorium to carefully compile propaganda materials such as "Revolutionary Pioneer Li Dazhao (李大钊)" and regularly conducts propaganda in government agencies, enterprises, communities, villages, and schools, completing more than 500 sessions, covering more than 50,000 people.
Looking forward to the future, red education is revitalized by multiple forces, striving to better integrate the red gene into the blood of young people, and stimulate patriotism, ambition to strengthen the country, and the determination to serve the country.
(The author is a professor at the Party School of the Hebei Provincial Committee (河北省委党校), and this newspaper reporter Zhang Tengyang (张腾扬) compiled the interview)
Return to TopThis newspaper reported from Nanning (南宁) on January 30th (Reporter Zhang Yunhe (张云河)) Recently, the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (广西壮族自治区) Department of Civil Affairs, the Public Security Department (公安厅), and other six departments issued a notice regarding the "One Thing" Work Plan for Application of Welfare Subsidies for the Elderly in the Autonomous Region, promoting the effective implementation of the "One Thing" application for welfare subsidies for the elderly throughout the region, achieving "one-stop online processing" and "access through one door offline," and comprehensively improving the effectiveness of elderly care services.
The notice proposes that, guided by the needs of the elderly, the "One Thing" business system for application of welfare subsidies for the elderly should be upgraded based on the Guangxi (广西) Digital Government Integrated Platform, optimizing and simplifying business processing procedures, promoting interconnection and data sharing between departments such as civil affairs and public security, and implementing one-time application and parallel processing. The notice clarifies that the handled items are application for high-age allowances, application for nursing subsidies, and application for elderly care service subsidies, among which elderly care service subsidies do not require application, but rather subsidies are directly issued to eligible individuals determined through data analysis by the civil affairs system.
The notice also requires that comprehensive windows of government service centers in each county (city, district) uniformly accept the "One Thing" application for welfare subsidies for the elderly, providing one-stop application services, and where conditions permit, service windows can be set up in township (street) convenience service centers.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 常 钦
What comes to mind when you talk about the deep sea? Is it the dark abyss or the mysterious and unknown creatures?
For the "Haiyang Dizhi Liuhao" (海洋地质六号) scientific research vessel of the Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey (广州海洋地质调查局) of the China Geological Survey (中国地质调查局) under the Ministry of Natural Resources (自然资源部), the deep sea is more like a huge "geological archive" waiting to be interpreted. On December 1, 2025, after 95 days and 12,673 nautical miles, the research vessel successfully returned to the Nansha (南沙) scientific research wharf in Guangzhou (广州), bringing back the secrets of the deep Pacific. This scientific expedition achieved several important scientific results, which were officially released to the public.
On this long trip, the scientists brought back amazing "special products" - polymetallic nodules that have been sleeping on the seabed for 30 million years, and also "incidentally" performed a "CT scan" of the Earth's interior.
Let's board this ship together and see the unique scenery thousands of meters deep in the Pacific Ocean.
Seabed "Black Potatoes"
Recording 30 Million Years of Deep-Sea Environmental Changes
The most notable thing about this voyage was the upgrade of the "exploration team." Previous deep-sea surveys often relied on single equipment fighting alone. This time, Chinese scientists staged a wonderful "mech co-op battle" in the deep waters of the Pacific Ocean.
This is the first time in China that a self-developed deep-sea remotely operated vehicle and an autonomous underwater robot have been paired up. Imagine a nimble and tireless deep-sea remotely operated vehicle responsible for large-scale patrols and scanning, and another autonomous underwater robot with quick eyes and hands, responsible for pinpoint sampling. This deep-sea "twin star" completed high-precision joint experiments and operations at a depth of 4,900 meters in the Pacific Ocean, not only capturing valuable exclusive videos, but also giving scientists the feeling of having "clairvoyance" and a "Qilin arm."
What did this pair see on the seabed thousands of meters deep?
In the video, the dark seabed is covered with black-brown spheres - this is due to the coverage of iron-manganese oxides and hydroxides, densely packed, like "black potatoes" scattered on the deep-sea plains.
The scientific name of these "black potatoes" is polymetallic nodules. In the achievement video released this time, they lie quietly in the deep-sea basins at a depth of 4,000-6,500 meters, with various shapes such as spherical, ellipsoidal, and clastic.
Don't underestimate these stone pebbles, which are only 3 to 10 centimeters in diameter. If land minerals are a gift from the Earth, these deep-sea nodules are the crystallization of time. They are rich in metallic elements such as cobalt, nickel, copper, and manganese, and are an important successor to land resources, which is of great significance for enhancing the security of mineral resources.
Sun Zhen (孙珍), a researcher at the Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey (广州海洋地质调查局), revealed that these nodules grow at an astonishingly slow rate - they only grow a few millimeters every 1 million years. A small nodule in the video may have formed 30 million years ago. During the long growth process, they "wrap" the environmental characteristics of the ocean at that time layer by layer. The layers of texture record the environmental changes in the deep sea over 30 million years. By studying them, we can not only identify where there are minerals, but also understand what kind of vicissitudes the deep sea has experienced in the past tens of millions of years, and even gain insight into the mysteries of global climate change.
Deep Earth "Physical Examination"
Seeing the "Clash of Cold and Heat" 50 Kilometers Below the Seabed
In addition to picking up "potatoes," one of the core achievements of this scientific expedition was to give the Earth a deep "physical examination." The scientific expedition team deployed a set of self-developed electromagnetic measurement equipment to a depth of 7,663 meters, setting the current domestic record for the deepest electromagnetic profile measurement.
Why go to so much trouble to put the equipment in such a deep place?
Song Laiyong (宋来勇), the technical director of the "Haiyang Dizhi Liuhao" (海洋地质六号) scientific research vessel, gave a vivid analogy: electromagnetic profile measurement is like giving the Earth a "CT scan." A CT scan in a hospital uses X-rays to penetrate the human body, while scientists use the response signals of the Earth's interior to natural electromagnetic fields. By analyzing these signals, we can reverse-engineer the resistivity of underground rocks and see through the stratum structure and material composition.
The results of this "CT scan" are exciting. Scientists successfully obtained a deep-sea electromagnetic profile more than 100 kilometers long, and captured a key "clash of cold and heat" position about 50 kilometers below the abyssal seabed.
At this depth, the resistivity changed significantly. Above is the "cold" lithosphere, below is the "hot" asthenosphere, and in the middle is a layer with melt. This discovery has given scientists a more thorough understanding of the Earth's internal structure, seafloor spreading, and plate tectonic dynamics.
It is not easy to complete such a deep "physical examination." First, it is necessary to develop electromagnetic acquisition and auxiliary recovery equipment suitable for all sea depths; it is also necessary to understand the seabed topography and geological conditions of the sea trial area, reasonably deploy the points for offshore operations, and ensure high-quality data acquisition in the future. Deep into the sea, the safe recovery of equipment is also a major challenge. To this end, the research vessel is equipped with AIS (Automatic Identification System) positioning and Beidou (北斗) positioning devices, which effectively improve the efficiency and success rate of equipment recovery.
Drilling "Scalpel"
Exploring the Answers to the Origin of Life and Climate Evolution
The deep sea is also a place full of life miracles.
With the development of marine technology, especially the continuous improvement of deep-sea exploration technology and equipment, scientists have successively discovered a series of deep-sea biological resources with extremely high scientific research value and potential application prospects. For example, microorganisms existing in special environments such as deep-sea hydrothermal vents and cold seeps can synthesize a series of unique enzymes and metabolites, which have broad application prospects in the fields of biomedicine, food processing, and chemical synthesis. In addition, through in-depth research on the morphology, function, and genes of deep-sea biological resources, we can learn about the origin and development of life.
In this scientific expedition, scientists also used robotic arms to collect deep-sea corals and deep-sea sponges. These deep-sea corals grow in dark and low-temperature environments and are "indicator organisms" for studying ancient marine climates; while deep-sea sponges, these "long-lived organisms," are potential biological medicine treasures, and the special compounds in their bodies may contain the hope for humans to fight diseases.
From polymetallic nodules to electromagnetic profiles, from microscopic genetic resources to macroscopic plate tectonics, the achievements of the "Haiyang Dizhi Liuhao" (海洋地质六号) scientific research vessel in deep-sea geological surveys provide an important basis for China's research on deep-sea geological environments, ecosystems, and more.
The data brought back from the deep sea will directly serve the future ocean scientific drilling program. At present, scientists are formulating an action plan for the more advanced "Mengxiang" (梦想) ocean drilling vessel and planning to conduct a trial drilling in the South China Sea (南海).
If the "Haiyang Dizhi Liuhao" (海洋地质六号) scientific research vessel is giving the Earth a CT scan, then future drilling will be a real "scalpel," directly probing into the depths of the Earth to touch those answers about the origin of life and climate evolution.
In addition to deep-sea creatures, there are many mysteries on the seabed that are worth exploring. For example, how do seabed sediments and submarine volcanic activity participate in global material cycles? How does the seabed environment affect the global climate? What is the structure of the deep seabed? How does the movement of the oceanic crust affect the evolution of the Earth? Soon, the "Haiyang Dizhi Liuhao" (海洋地质六号) scientific research vessel will set off again to the South China Sea (南海) and then to the Pacific Ocean in the future. Mankind's exploration of the deep blue is **永无止境** (yǒng wú zhǐ jìng - "never ending," without end; limitless).
Return to TopBy: 席 正
Is light a wave or a particle? This question has remained unresolved for nearly a century.
Recently, the team of Pan Jianwei (潘建伟) at the University of Science and Technology of China (中国科学技术大学) found the key to solving the puzzle. They used a single atom as a slit to verify the complementarity principle of photon wave-particle duality, thereby confirming the main laws of the quantum world.
In 1927, Niels Bohr proposed the "complementarity principle" in quantum mechanics, which states that the wave and particle nature of microscopic particles (such as photons and electrons) cannot be simultaneously observed—either you see its interference fringes (wave nature) or you know its path of motion (particle nature). It is impossible to observe both at the same time.
This view was opposed by Albert Einstein, who designed a "thought experiment": if the slit is made movable, when a single photon passes through, it will give the slit a tiny "recoil force." If this recoil force can be measured accurately, it is possible to know which slit the photon passed through. At the same time, as long as the position of the slit is controlled precisely enough, the interference fringes (wave nature) should also be retained.
For nearly a century, this experiment has not been successful. The key lies in the difficulty of realizing a "movable slit." The momentum of a photon is very small, and the mass of a macroscopic slit is too large, making it extremely difficult to measure the recoil force of a photon hitting it. It's like hitting the Earth with a ping-pong ball; the Earth hardly moves, making it difficult to determine the trajectory of the ping-pong ball through the Earth's movement.
Pan Jianwei's (潘建伟) team used a single rubidium atom as a slit. Compared to macroscopic objects, a rubidium atom is much smaller, which is equivalent to changing the object hit by the ping-pong ball from the Earth to a basketball, making the collision effect clearly observable.
However, the team still had to solve two key problems: first, how to "capture" and fix the atom? This requires "optical tweezers technology," which uses a highly focused laser beam to form "tweezers" to firmly confine a single rubidium atom in a vacuum environment; second, how to make the atom "obedient"? This requires the use of "Raman sideband cooling" technology to cool the atom to near absolute zero (minus 273.15 degrees Celsius), at which point the atom's motion becomes extremely slow.
In this way, an "atomic slit" that can accurately sense the recoil of photons is formed.
After the experiment began, single photons passed through this slit one after another, and the team observed the clarity of the interference fringes (representing wave nature) behind it, while also judging the path of the photons by measuring the recoil of the atom (representing particle nature). The results were as Bohr predicted, showing a clear "ebb and flow": when the optical tweezers were "loosened" and the atomic momentum was stable, the team could clearly measure the recoil force of the atom, knowing which direction the photon came from, but at this time the interference fringes on the screen became blurred; when the optical tweezers were "tightened" and the atomic position was fixed but the momentum was uncertain, the accurate recoil information could not be measured, and the photon path could not be determined, but the interference fringes on the screen became particularly clear.
This result confirms the complementarity principle: the wave and particle nature of photons are like the two ends of a seesaw. When one end rises, the other end must sink, and it is impossible to reach the highest point at the same time. Einstein's original idea cannot be realized under the quantum limit.
This experiment proved the completeness of quantum mechanics with conclusive evidence, writing an important chapter for basic research in quantum physics. Scientific progress is achieved through continuous questioning and verification. Repeated experiments are the "shortcut" to in-depth exploration of the quantum world.
(The author is an associate researcher at the Department of Science and Technology Communication, University of Science and Technology of China (中国科学技术大学). Reporter Xu Jing (徐靖) of this newspaper compiled the article.)
Return to Top(Reporter Zhao Yongxin (赵永新) from our Beijing (北京) office) The original drug, from scientific discovery to drug development, all completed by a Chinese team—Libebavta single antibody injection (trade name "Huayounuo (华优诺)"), used to treat chronic hepatitis D virus infection, was recently approved for marketing by the National Medical Products Administration (国家药品监督管理局).
Libebavta is the first monoclonal antibody drug approved in the global field of viral hepatitis. Academician Wang Xiaodong (王晓东), Director of the Beijing Institute of Life Sciences (北京生命科学研究所), introduced that the vast majority of original drugs are first discovered by scientists from one (or more) country regarding the pathological mechanism, and then followed up by pharmaceutical companies in their own or other countries, who determine new targets, design molecular structures, and conduct clinical research based on the scientists' discoveries. It is rare in the world to have a completely independent innovation of the entire process completed by one team, like Libebavta single antibody.
Hepatitis D is the most serious of all types of viral hepatitis. The mechanism of action of Libebavta single antibody is: by specifically binding to the pre-S1 protein region on the surface of hepatitis B/hepatitis D virus, it blocks the binding of hepatitis B/hepatitis D virus to its receptor NTCP, thereby preventing viral infection or re-infection of liver cells. This drug will provide a more economical, more effective, and more accessible treatment plan for patients worldwide, and contribute a Chinese solution to achieving the goal of "eliminating the public health hazards of viral hepatitis by 2030."
Return to TopThis newspaper Taiyuan (太原) electric (Reporter Zheng Yangyang (郑洋洋)) A brand-new low-temperature strong magnetic field detection method was proposed by a scientific research team led by Shanxi University (山西大学) and cooperated with many domestic and foreign units. It breaks through the limitations of traditional measurement methods and improves the spatial resolution of strong magnetic field measurement at low temperatures to the micron level, taking high-definition photos of the magnetic field. The relevant results were published online in the international academic journal "Nature-Sensor".
In the field of low-temperature strong magnetic field detection, although the existing nuclear magnetic resonance method has high precision, it has extremely high requirements for the uniformity of the magnetic field to be measured. Once the magnetic field environment is complex or there is a gradient, the measurement signal will become blurred.
The research team constructed a large-angle twisted bilayer graphene device with micron scale by precisely stacking two layers of single-crystal graphene in a similar "building block" manner and encapsulating it with high-quality hexagonal boron nitride. Under a strong magnetic field, the system exhibits unique quantum characteristics. When the vertical electric displacement field and carrier concentration are adjusted, clear, "Chinese knot"-like diamond patterns appear in the electrical measurement map.
The formation of the "Chinese knot" stems from the competition and switching between electronic phases. Experiments show that this quantum characteristic has extremely high stability. Based on this, the research team proposed a new type of low-temperature magnetic sensing scheme: using the strict linear relationship between the characteristic peak spacing in the "Chinese knot" pattern and the magnetic field strength, only the distance between two nodes in the "Chinese knot" needs to be measured, and the magnetic field strength can be accurately deduced, just like reading a scale. Dong Baojuan (董宝娟), the first author of the paper and associate professor at the Institute of Optoelectronics, Shanxi University (山西大学光电研究所), said that the new scheme utilizes the quantum characteristics of micro-nano devices, which is equivalent to providing a micron-level "ruler" for magnetic field measurement.
Return to TopBy: 刘茂甸 周诚真
The Antarctic ice sheet's edge is dotted with Antarctic polynyas of varying sizes. Researchers have discovered that these seemingly inconspicuous bodies of water have an astonishing carbon sequestration capacity.
The Southern Ocean is one of the world's most important "carbon sinks," absorbing a large amount of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere by humans. Where the absorbed carbon goes and whether it can be "locked up" for a long time has always been the focus of scientific attention.
Antarctic polynyas, bodies of water surrounded by sea ice year-round, are regarded as the "throat" of energy and material exchange and are key to studying the carbon cycle. However, limited by the extreme environment and observation difficulties, the role of polynyas in deep-sea carbon sequestration remains unclear.
A research team from Peking University (北京大学), in conjunction with multiple research institutions at home and abroad, systematically collected and analyzed 86 sediment core samples from multiple sea areas in Antarctica, constructing a high-resolution carbon burial record from 12,000 years ago to the present. The related research results were published in the international journal *Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences*. The study revealed that, against the backdrop of climate warming, coastal polynyas, which account for only about 3% of the Southern Ocean's area, contribute about 42% of the total organic carbon burial in Southern Ocean sediments, and their "carbon absorption" capacity has increased ninefold in the past 12,000 years due to warming.
The warmer the climate, the more "carbon" the polynyas absorb. What is the principle behind this?
The research team's reconstruction of the past 12,000 years of history found that climate warming leads to a reduction in sea ice cover, an expansion of the open water area of polynyas, and an extension of their existence time, as if opening up more growing space for phytoplankton. Through photosynthesis, these tiny organisms absorb carbon dioxide dissolved in the water. During the sedimentation process, their remains and excrement particles "hitchhike" on the fine particulate matter provided by ice shelf melting, forming aggregates that are easier to sink, and are eventually transported and buried in the seabed sediments, completing the carbon sequestration from the atmosphere to the deep-sea sediments.
Analysis revealed that two pathways can enhance carbon absorption: one is to directly stimulate biological productivity; the other is to release more fine mineral particles that are conducive to carbon adsorption and protection by accelerating the melting of the bottom of the ice shelf. This means that, within a certain range of warming, the Antarctic polynya system may play the role of a natural "buffer" in the Earth's climate system, and its continuously enhanced carbon sequestration capacity can partially offset the increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration caused by human activities.
It is estimated that, with the current Antarctic warming rate being about twice the global average, the carbon burial rate of polynyas may reach nearly three times the current level by the end of this century. Therefore, the area change, biogeochemical processes, and feedback to warming of polynyas should be incorporated into the new generation of Earth system models to help accurately predict ocean carbon absorption capacity and climate change trajectories.
It is worth noting that excessive warming will lead to fundamental changes in the formation patterns that support polynyas, or large-scale disintegration of ice shelves. Therefore, recognizing the regulatory capacity of natural systems such as Antarctic polynyas will help us more comprehensively understand the complexity of the Earth system, so as to more firmly follow the path of green development.
(The authors are researchers at the College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University (北京大学城市与环境学院), and doctoral students at the College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University (北京大学城市与环境学院), respectively.)
Return to TopThis newspaper reports from Beijing (Reporter Huang Chao (黄超)) After nearly 7 years of collaborative research, a research team composed of multiple institutions including the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (中国科学院大学), Tsinghua University (清华大学), Beijing Institute of Nanoenergy and Nanosystems (北京纳米能源与系统研究所), Fuwai Hospital (阜外医院), and Peking University (北京大学), has successfully developed a capsule-sized micro-symbiotic self-powered wireless cardiac pacemaker. This device can capture kinetic energy from the heart's own beating through electromagnetic induction technology and convert it into electrical energy.
In reality, after the battery of an implanted device is exhausted, heart patients must undergo a second surgery to replace the device. This surgical trauma not only exceeds the initial implantation but also brings medical risks and economic pressure, which has long plagued doctors and patients. Therefore, achieving "lifetime maintenance-free operation" has become the pursuit goal in the field of implantable electronic devices. Meeting the critical energy supply required for lifetime service is the main technical bottleneck.
The research team proposed the concept of "symbiotic bioelectronics" in 2019 and successfully developed a symbiotic pacemaker. Since then, the application boundary of this concept has continued to expand, and progress has been made in the fields of bone repair, neuromodulation, and bioresorbable electronic devices.
Tests show that the output power of the device successfully developed this time has broken through the critical energy threshold for the lifetime operation of the pacemaker, which can stably drive the pacing circuit and accurately regulate the heart rhythm. At the same time, the highly miniaturized design has both excellent biocompatibility and blood compatibility, supporting minimally invasive transcatheter implantation and reducing surgical trauma. The innovative design of the minimalist magnetic levitation energy buffer structure not only reduces energy loss and mechanical friction but also achieves near-zero start-up threshold, high kinetic energy conversion efficiency, and stable intracardiac average output power, simplifying system complexity and improving the long-term stability of the device.
Return to TopLayout Design: Wang Zheping (汪哲平)
Return to TopA well, engraving the loyalty and righteousness passed down for a hundred years; a building, hiding the warmth of an ordinary family; a bridge, blessing the peace of the people in one area... Since the call for contributions to the "Cultural Relics at My Doorstep" column, vivid cultural relic stories from various places have extended our vision to living spaces full of everyday life. There, we truly feel how the millennium-old cultural heritage coexists with people in the countryside and in the streets. Those stories of protection and companionship have warmed the years and added historical weight to our spiritual home.
Today, this edition of the "Cultural Relics at My Doorstep" column selects and publishes three reader contributions. We also look forward to readers continuing to contribute enthusiastically, telling the stories of the cultural relics at your doorstep.
--Editor
Return to TopBy: 陈庆华
I am a 35th-generation descendant of the Chen family of Yuhu, returning to my ancestral home in Tianzhu Village (天竺村), Quangang District (泉港区), Quanzhou (泉州), after retiring from Fujian Normal University (福建师范大学). Like a leaf, I have finally fallen back to the roots that nourished me. Pushing open the wooden door of the ancestral house, I immediately see the old well in front of the door (pictured). The well curb has been polished smooth and warm by the years, and the old banyan tree beside the well is still lush and green. Everything seems to have stopped in my childhood.
This well is the source of my memories. In my childhood, it was the "lifeline" of the whole village. In the early morning, accompanied by the creaking sound of the windlass, the adults drew up the first bucket of clear well water and began their day of ordinary life. In summer, the children gathered around the well to cool off and play. The well water splashed on their bodies, and the coolness could dispel the entire summer heat. My grandfather often said, "Children who grow up drinking this well water have strong bones and don't forget their roots." At that time, I didn't understand, but I just felt that the well water was particularly sweet.
In the spring of 2024, a team wearing straw hats and work badges entered the village, saying that the fourth national cultural relics survey had begun locally. They visited the elderly and recorded the old houses, stone carvings, and old temples in the village. I followed them around, and as I walked, I returned to the old well at the entrance of my house. A young survey team member was squatting by the well curb. I leaned over and said half-jokingly, "Young man, this well has been around for quite a while. I grew up drinking its water, and it has been with me for at least 60 years." He looked up, his eyes bright: "Do you see, are the stones on this well curb a little different?"
I bent down to take a closer look. On the inner side of the well curb, near the water surface, there were faint carvings, and the handwriting was already blurred. I accompanied the survey team members to search around the ancient well, and a stone tablet embedded in the wall was discovered by us. Years of dust had almost covered it. We took a brush and clean water and carefully cleaned it, once, twice... The mottled stone surface gradually became clear. When the line "Dajie Ancestral Well, built in the Guiyou year of Xianchun" (大街祖井一口咸淳癸酉春) was completely revealed, my hand trembled slightly. Xianchun (咸淳) was the reign title of Emperor Duzong of the Song Dynasty (宋度宗), and the Guiyou year of Xianchun (癸酉春) was the spring of 1273. This well that I had used since I was a child was actually from the Southern Song Dynasty (南宋), and was already over 700 years old?
At that moment, it seemed that something was awakening in my heart. I took the initiative to contact the experts of the survey team and embarked on the path of research.
We searched through all the genealogies, county chronicles, and prefectural chronicles we could find. In the yellowed *Quanzhou Prefectural Chronicle* (*泉州府志*), we found records of the ancient Xiaocuo Port (古肖厝港) "where merchant ships gathered and streets were connected" ("商船云集，街市相连"). Combining topographical surveys, we were surprised to discover that this peaceful rice field and village were actually a prosperous block and wharf that thrived on the port and Xixi (西溪) shipping in the Song (宋) and Yuan (元) dynasties. In 1273, the Chen Yingyuan (陈应元) family rebuilt this well, which was a testament to this vibrant area.
Searching in the genealogy is like tracing an underground river. In the twelfth year of Zhengde (正德) in the Ming Dynasty (明朝) (1517), my direct ancestor, Hongtao Gong (宏韬公) and his five brothers, descendants of Chen Zantang (陈瓒堂), who lived in seclusion in Longyan (龙岩), wanted to return to the ancestral land of Yuhu (玉湖) in Putian (莆田) with their families. When they came here, tired and exhausted, they discovered this ancient well with the inscription of their ancestors' era and righteous deeds. "Live by the well and 饮水思源 (yǐn shuǐ sī yuán - "drink water think of the source," be grateful for the source of one's blessings)," the family motto of "loyalty, righteousness, filial piety, and kindness" ("忠义孝慈") deep in their blood made them decide to stop and settle here to protect it.
In this way, a well connected the history of the late Song Dynasty (宋末) and the mid-Ming Dynasty (明中期). Hongtao Gong (宏韬公) and his brothers branched out here, forming four branches of interconnected bloodlines, and their descendants have continued for more than 500 years, spreading to southern Fujian (闽南), Guangdong (广东), Taiwan (台湾), and Southeast Asia.
This piece of history, which was rediscovered due to the "Fourth National Cultural Relics Survey" ("四普"), became clear layer by layer, and the chain of evidence was complete. We systematically organized all the research materials and reported them level by level. After rigorous and detailed argumentation by provincial and municipal "Fourth National Cultural Relics Survey" experts, this "Ditou Dajie Ancestral Well" ("地头大街祖井") completed an amazing leap - from a newly discovered cultural relic site in the "Fourth National Cultural Relics Survey" to a cultural relic protection unit in the eleventh batch of Fujian Province (福建省).
Now, whenever I am at my old home, I will sit on the stone bench by the well. When citizens and tourists come to visit, I will also tell them the story of this well. As I speak, I will remember my grandmother drawing water and the sweetness of the well water in my childhood. From the sweet spring in my memory to the current provincial cultural relic protection unit, this well, in the depths of ordinary life, waits to be seen by a pair of caring eyes, awakened by a sincere emotion, and then continues to flow quietly, heading towards the next century.
(Organized and provided by Li Qingjun (李庆军))
By: 李海彬
I live in Renjiazhuang Community (任家庄小区), Laodong Road (劳动路), Xi'an (西安). Outside the community gate, there stands a lonely old gate tower by the roadside. The gray brick walls bear the marks of time, and the two-story brick and wood structure is unremarkable, but the two round holes on the top of the tower, coupled with the wide doorway in the middle, look exactly like the Chinese character "囧" (jiǒng), so the neighbors jokingly call it "Jiongzi Tower" (囧字楼).
During the fourth national cultural relics census last year, several census members in blue vests came with tape measures and cameras to register it. I re-examined this "dazed and cute" gate tower that I pass by every day. It turned out to be an ancient building from the Kangxi (康熙) period of the Qing Dynasty (清朝), with a history of more than 300 years, and has been officially included in the list of immovable cultural relics.
Yao (姚) Grandpa, who is 82 years old, said that according to legend, during the Kangxi (康熙) period, a Ren (任) surname carpenter from the south passed by here and became ill and unable to travel. The villagers took him in, one family sent a bowl of porridge, another family brought a piece of clothing, and took care of him in turns for more than half a month. After the carpenter recovered from his illness, he was grateful for the villagers' simplicity and kindness, and took the initiative to propose building a gate tower. The carpenter, with a saw and a plane, gathered the villagers to use local materials and built it brick by brick with the gray bricks common in Guanzhong (关中). On the day the gate tower was completed, the whole village came to congratulate, but the carpenter left quietly at night. To commemorate this chance encounter of kindness, the villagers changed the village name to Renjiazhuang (任家庄), and it has been called that for 300 years.
The gate tower used to be the "heart" of the village. Yao (姚) Grandpa recalled that in the early years, villagers went to the market and visited relatives, entering and exiting through the gate tower. The shouts in the morning and the laughter in the evening echoed between the gate towers. When my father was young, Renjiazhuang (任家庄) was still an urban village. The gate tower was surrounded by low bungalows, small vendors set up stalls on the roadside, and children chased and played around the gate tower. Later, the pace of urban development accelerated, the urban village was demolished and renovated, and low bungalows were replaced by high-rise buildings. The villagers moved into brand-new communities, but this gate tower was completely preserved. A few years ago, the cultural relics department came to repair it, repaired the loose bricks, reinforced the decayed wooden beams, and surrounded it with iron fences. A clear cultural relics protection sign was erected at the entrance, and this "old antique" was truly settled.
For me, "Jiongzi Tower" (囧字楼) is the warmest companion of my childhood. When I was in elementary school, I had to go around to the gate tower with my classmates to play for a while every day after school, and sometimes I would bring snacks and share them while sitting on the stone steps next to the gate tower. Once, it rained heavily, and I forgot to bring an umbrella, so I hid under the eaves of the gate tower to shelter from the rain. The rain dripped down the gray tiles, forming a small rain curtain. Yao (姚) Grandpa happened to pass by, saw me standing alone, and held up an umbrella to take me home. On the way, he told me the story of the Ren (任) surname carpenter again, saying: "To be a person, you must know how to be grateful. The villagers helped the carpenter, and the carpenter repaid with the gate tower. This affection is stronger than bricks and stones." At that moment, the shadow of the gate tower was stretched very long.
Now, this "Jiongzi Tower" (囧字楼) has become a unique landscape. Tourists are often attracted by its appearance and stop to take pictures and check in. It has witnessed the transformation of a village from yellow earth walls to high-rise buildings with 300 years of silent perseverance, and witnessed the ancient city of Xi'an (西安) taking on a new look.
Return to TopBy: 陈友桃
I married from Xinhua (新化) in Hunan (湖南) to Yangjiatan (杨家滩) in Lianyuan (涟源). Yangjiatan (杨家滩) has a simple and honest folk custom and is very lively. The closest thing to me is Shengmei Bridge (胜梅桥) at my doorstep.
It was formerly known as Yangtan Bridge (杨滩桥), standing quietly on the Sunshui River (孙水河). This river originates from Longshan (龙山), winds through Yangshi Town (杨市镇), and finally flows into the Lianshui River (涟水) and Xiangjiang River (湘江). It was once a crucial navigable waterway in central Hunan (湘中) and also nourishes the local people. The pier by the river is neatly built, and a small shrine stands next to the bridge pier. Villagers often come here to worship, and after the worship, they distribute sweets. The first time I received the sweet candy, my heart was filled with warmth.
This 39-meter stone bridge, with three arches and four piers, and a bridge deck paved with bluestone slabs, has stood for more than 300 years. In my spare time, I always like to stand alone by the bridge and watch the river flow slowly. The Magnolia vine growing out of the stone crevices is lush and silently witnesses the years of the world.
Old people often walk slowly by, pointing to the shallow marks on the stone railings and recounting the past: those are the marks left by old merchant ships mooring cables and Xiang Army (湘军) tying horses. The Sunshui River (孙水河) area was once a commercial hub in central Hunan (湘中). Under the bridge, ships came and went, and hundreds of boats raced. Yangjiatan's (杨家滩) reputation as "Little Nanjing (小南京)" is hidden in the human fireworks on both sides of this ancient bridge. At that time, Yangshi Town (杨市镇) was a transportation hub connecting Baoqing (宝庆), Changsha (长沙), Anhua (安化), and Hengyang (衡阳). Bamboo, wood, native paper, and medicinal materials from Longshan (龙山), as well as exquisite crafts from Hankou (汉口) and Changsha (长沙), all gathered and circulated here. The pier by the river outlined the most vivid picture of life.
Pushing open the gate of the Xiang Army's (湘军) former residence nearby, it feels like running into the past from a hundred years ago. In those years, countless Yangjiatan (杨家滩) children joined Zeng Guofan's (曾国藩) army. After returning home with honor, they used their accumulated wealth to buy fields, build houses, repair roads, and establish private schools, and encouraged future generations to receive new-style education, injecting endless vitality into this land. Shengmei Bridge (胜梅桥) was also strengthened due to donations for repairs.
The craftsmen used a mixture of lime, tung oil, and glutinous rice to build the bridge body, tightly seamed. The 35 bluestone slabs on the bridge deck, "seventeen up and eighteen down," have been polished to a warm and shiny state by the straw sandals of ancestors, the rubber shoes of fathers, and the sneakers of children. The stone carving of the divine turtle on the bridge hides a touching legend: one saying is that it faces the downstream of the Lianshui River (涟水), taking the meaning of "returning," hoping that those who go out will return safely; another saying is even more legendary. After the bridge was completed, it encountered a mountain torrent, and the bridge body was crumbling. A general passed by and stepped forward to hold the bridge, but he was slightly short in height. It happened that a divine turtle crawled under his feet to raise him up, so that the ancient bridge stood safely. Later generations were grateful for this protection and carved the appearance of the general and the divine turtle on the bridge. Passers-by always like to step on the turtle's back to pray for peace and success.
Today's Shengmei Bridge (胜梅桥) is a provincial-level cultural relic protection unit. The government departments have always retained its original appearance during repairs, and long corridors have been built on both sides of the riverbank. During the Dragon Boat Festival, folks from all over gather here to watch the dragon boat race. The bridge and the bank are crowded with people, and cheers rise and fall, which is very lively. Every year at 12:00 midnight on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, there is a unique folk custom on the ancient bridge: the villagers put up fruits and sweets, burn paper money and worship sincerely. In the sound of firecrackers, the children run to the bridge, take the offerings at will, and laugh and taste them. The adults watch with smiles on their faces, full of human warmth.
Shengmei Bridge (胜梅桥) at my doorstep is a history book engraved in stone and a precious cultural relic hidden in time. It has seen the prosperity of thousands of sails passing by, withstood the test of wind and rain, witnessed the glory and decline of Yangshi Town (杨市镇), and silently accompanied me through many ordinary and warm times.
Return to TopBy: 呼 啸
Inside the "Exhibition of Fine Tang Dynasty Mural Paintings" at the Shaanxi History Museum (陕西历史博物馆), several tomb murals from the Tang Dynasty silently recount an era on horseback from a thousand years ago.
The "Preparing Horses for Departure" mural on the eastern wall of the tomb passage of Li Shou (李寿), Prince of Huai'an (淮安王) in the early Tang Dynasty, depicts 42 spirited horses in various colors of blue, gray, white, red, and brown, with knights holding four-streamer red flags, looking at each other, showcasing the magnificent scene of a royal procession; the "Polo Game" mural on the western wall of the tomb passage of Crown Prince Li Xian (李贤), Prince Zhanghuai (章怀太子) in the prosperous Tang Dynasty, shows over 20 riders galloping and wielding mallets, with green mountains and ancient trees as a backdrop, displaying the vitality of "divine steeds chasing the wind" between the flying hooves... These figures frozen on the walls are not only treasures of Tang Dynasty painting art but also a window into the pulse of Tang people's lives.
The elegance of saddles and horses fully demonstrates the majesty and convenience of daily travel. In the entire "Preparing Horses for Departure" mural on the eastern wall of Li Shou's tomb, the most striking is a tall white horse in the center of the picture, complete with saddle and stirrups, with a foreign groom standing respectfully beside it, and six attendants holding umbrellas, fans, and bows respectively. The strict etiquette reveals the solemn preparations of the early Tang aristocracy before departure. Du Fu (杜甫) described the spring outing of the Yang sisters in "The Beautiful Ladies": "What is seen behind? Pearls press the waist, the skirt fits snugly." The brilliance of the saddles and horses complements the gorgeous attire of the beautiful ladies, outlining a picture of the Tang Dynasty's upper class traveling with people and horses as one, elegant and unrestrained. Even on the frontier, horses carried the livelihoods and thoughts of ordinary people, as Cen Shen (岑参) wrote: "Meeting on horseback without paper or pen, please convey a message to report safety."
Iron cavalry stepping into battle is the reliance and heroic spirit of military expeditions. In the tomb murals, the "Hulu" (胡禄) (quiver) filled with arrows worn by the knights and the "six sheaths" (马具) (horse gear) equipped on the horses all point to their military use. The "Hunting Trip" mural in Crown Prince Zhanghuai's tomb, although seemingly for entertainment, can actually be seen as an extension of military training. Under the Tang Dynasty's Fubing system (府兵制), soldiers had to provide their own horses and equipment, and the quality of the horses was directly related to combat effectiveness. Emperor Taizong of Tang (唐太宗) Li Shimin's (李世民) beloved "Six Steeds" were witnesses to his southern and northern expeditions and the foundation of his empire. Wang Wei (王维) wrote in "Watching the Hunt": "The wind is strong, the horn bow sings, the general hunts in Weicheng. The grass is withered, the eagle's eyes are sharp, the snow is gone, the horse's hooves are light." Hunting and warfare were often interconnected and metaphorical in the spirit of the Tang people. The lightness of the horse's hooves treading on snow is nothing but a metaphor for the overwhelming force on the battlefield. Li He (李贺) even used horses as a metaphor for ambition, singing in "Horse Poem": "This horse is no ordinary horse, the Room Star is originally a star. Knocking on its thin bones forward, it still carries the sound of bronze." This unyielding spirit is the embodiment of the Tang Dynasty's military soul and enterprising spirit.
Playing polo in spring represents the passion and elegance of the Tang people's entertainment and competition. The sport of polo was popular throughout the Tang Dynasty. Crown Prince Zhanghuai's "Polo Game" vividly recreates this scene: riders either hitting the ball backward or raising their mallets to swing, horses with well-proportioned bones and muscles, four hooves in the air, and the background of green mountains and ancient trees highlighting the joyful atmosphere of this outdoor competition. Tang Dynasty historical records record that Emperor Xuanzong of Tang (唐玄宗) Li Longji (李隆基) once led the Tang Dynasty's polo team to defeat the Tubo (吐蕃) polo team, and his heroic posture of "driving east and west, with the speed of wind and lightning" has been passed down through the ages. Han Yu (韩愈) described it in detail in his poem "Giving to Zhang Pushe on the Exchange of the Bian and Si Rivers": "The ball startles, the mallet is wielded, together and apart, red tassels and golden bridles. Turning sideways and twisting the arm against the horse's belly, the thunder responds to the hand, and the divine pearl flies." On the polo field, people and horses are united, competing fiercely, which is not only a contest of strength but also a competition of skill and wisdom. In addition, hunting, equestrian archery, and even the "donkey polo" of palace ladies were all entertainment activities of the Tang people, demonstrating the abundant vitality and open and inclusive life interest of Tang Dynasty society.
Looking at these murals and poems, the horse in the Tang Dynasty was far from an ordinary animal power; it was sublimated into a cultural symbol and spiritual symbol. It represents speed and strength, symbolizes loyalty and courage, and embodies ambition and heroism. The Tang people loved horses, understood horses, and drove horses, projecting their own pioneering spirit and enterprising consciousness onto this close partner. From the awe-inspiring heroic posture of the "Six Steeds of Zhaoling" (昭陵六骏) to the majestic etiquette in the "Zhang Yichao's Army Departure" (张议潮统军出行图) mural in Dunhuang (敦煌), to the imagery of steeds sung in countless Tang poems, an upward and self-improving spirit runs through it all. The Tang people on horseback expanded the Silk Road, communicated Eastern and Western civilizations, and created unprecedented prosperity. This spirit has long been integrated into the cultural genes of the Chinese nation, becoming our courage to face challenges "like a steed galloping in the wind" and our consciousness of "not waiting for the whip to spur ourselves forward" on the journey.
When we gaze at these murals from a thousand years ago in the museum, the vigorous lines of the horses and the flying spirit of the knights can still transcend time and space and stir people's hearts. The story of the horse is the story of the Tang people, and it is also the story of the Chinese nation's continuous progress and endless life. It reminds us that in that galloping era, there was a spirit, like a divine steed chasing the wind, that never stopped.
(Author's affiliation: Shaanxi History Museum (陕西历史博物馆))
Return to TopBy: 钟 华
The use of grapes has a long history. Today, the most common grapes we see are mainly *Vitis vinifera* from the West. The Yanghai Cemetery in Turpan (吐鲁番) Xinjiang (新疆), dating back more than 2,000 years, is currently the earliest evidence of *Vitis vinifera* in China. Documents such as *Records of the Grand Historian: The Biography of Dayuan* (*史记·大宛列传*), *Book of Han: Records of the Western Regions* (*汉书·西域传*), and *Essential Skills for the Common People* (*齐民要术*) mention that *Vitis vinifera* had already been introduced during the Western Han Dynasty. The archaeological sites located in the Turpan Basin (吐鲁番盆地) in Xinjiang (新疆), thanks to their unique dry conditions, have unearthed a considerable number of grape seed remains from different periods.
In 2023, the Institute of Archaeology of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (中国社会科学院考古研究所) conducted archaeological excavations at the Tuyugou site (吐峪沟遗址) in Turpan (吐鲁番). A large amount of fodder was discovered in a stable within a temple building. These well-preserved fodders, carbon-14 dated, indicate that they belong to the Gaochang Uyghur period (高昌回鹘时期) about a thousand years ago. Laboratory identification revealed that this batch of fodder contained a large number of plant stems (leaves), seeds, and fruit pits, totaling more than 20 genera, including nearly a hundred grape seeds and grape stems (skins).
Grape cultivation in the Turpan (吐鲁番) area has never been interrupted. *The Journey to the West of Changchun* (*长春真人西游记*) records Turpan (吐鲁番) during the Gaochang Uyghur period (高昌回鹘时期): "The land is very hot, and grapes are abundant." According to Uyghur-written Buddhist temple economic documents, Buddhist temples during this period not only owned vineyards to grow grapes but also likely brewed wine. In the stable of the Tuyugou (吐峪沟) temple building, a large number of grape remains were found, with most of the grape seeds preserved as fragments. Winemaking generally requires crushing the grapes and covering them with heavy objects to allow the grape juice to come into contact with the yeast on the grape skins for fermentation. We believe that the crushed grape seeds and grape stems (skins) used as horse feed are likely the pomace left over from winemaking.
Before the introduction of *Vitis vinifera* into China, ancient Chinese ancestors had already begun to utilize native wild *Vitis* plant resources. There are many mentions in pre-Qin literature. For example, the *Book of Songs: Binfeng: July* (*诗经·豳风·七月*) says, "In June, we eat yu and ao," and the *Book of Songs: Zhou Nan: Qiaomu* (*诗经·周南·樛木*) says, "In the south, there is a qiaomu tree, with kudzu vines clinging to it," and the *Book of Changes: Kun Hexagram* (*易经·困卦*) also records, "The top six: trapped by kudzu vines, in danger." Ao and kudzu vines should both belong to wild grapes. Archaeological discoveries also show that the utilization of native *Vitis* plants in China has almost never been interrupted, from the early Neolithic period ten thousand years ago to the middle and late Neolithic period, the Bronze Age, and even later historical periods.
Similar in age to the grape remains found at the Tuyugou site (吐峪沟遗址) in Xinjiang (新疆), we found a non-carbonized grape seed at the site of the Upper Capital of Liao (辽上京城址) in Balin Left Banner (巴林左旗), Inner Mongolia (内蒙古). Morphologically, this grape seed is significantly different from Western *Vitis vinifera* seeds and should be a native *Vitis* remain in China. Several thousand non-carbonized melon seeds and groundcherry seeds were also found here. Given that the ash pit was located in a common residential area of the city site at that time, we believe that grapes, like melons and groundcherries, were eaten as food by the people living here. A string of dried grapes was unearthed from the Liao Dynasty tomb in Xuanhua (宣化), Hebei (河北), with morphological characteristics of obvious *Vitis vinifera*, indicating that high-ranking nobles in the Liao Dynasty may have consumed *Vitis vinifera* in their daily lives.
"This wine has been absent from the world for a long time. I have also seen those returning from the Western Regions say: People of Dashi (大石) squeeze grape juice, seal it and bury it, and it becomes wine in a short time, the longer it is stored, the better it becomes, with some storing up to a thousand hu." Yuan Haowen (元好问) of the Jin Dynasty once described this in *Ode to Grape Wine with Preface* (*蒲桃酒赋并序*). It can be seen that in the Jin Dynasty, ordinary people did not know how to make wine from grapes.
From the archaeological discoveries of grape remains thousands of years ago, after the introduction of Western *Vitis vinifera* into China, it was commonly used for winemaking in the northwestern region represented by Turpan (吐鲁番), while in the northern region during the Liao and Jin Dynasties, grapes were regarded as precious fruits and were eaten by the people. Foreign grapes and native grapes presented a long-term coexistence situation.
(Author's unit: Key Laboratory of Scientific Archaeology and Cultural Heritage Protection, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (中国社会科学院科技考古与文化遗产保护重点实验室))
Return to TopBy: 郎剑锋
The Daxinzhuang Site Museum (大辛庄遗址博物馆), located in Wangsheren Subdistrict (王舍人街道), Licheng District (历城区), Jinan City (济南市), Shandong Province (山东省), is a public cultural facility integrating functions such as cultural relic collection and cultural heritage protection, academic research, cultural display, and public education. Its completion marks the systematic leap of the Daxinzhuang Archaeological Site's protection, research, display, and utilization from the field to the exhibition hall, from academia to the public, and from protection to active utilization.
The year 2025 marks the 90th anniversary of the discovery of the Daxinzhuang Site. After decades of field archaeological work, the Daxinzhuang Site has uncovered various remains such as palace buildings and noble tombs, and unearthed high-level cultural relics such as oracle bones, bronzes, jades, and primitive porcelain. These cultural remains jointly demonstrate the historical status of the Daxinzhuang Site as an important town for the Shang Dynasty (商朝) to manage the East, and it won the "Top Ten National Archaeological Discoveries" in 2010.
The museum's basic display takes "Yi-Shang Integration, Diversity in Unity" as its theme, highlighting the gradual integration of Dongyi culture (东夷文化) in the Haidai region (海岱地区) with the Central Plains Shang culture (中原商文化), and its eventual integration into the historical process of a unified multi-ethnic country and a diverse and integrated Chinese civilization.
The exhibition consists of three parts: "Eastern Capital," "Leading the People in Serving the Gods," and "Hundred Craftsmen in Accordance with the Seasons," which respectively display the important position of the Daxinzhuang Site, the important archaeological discoveries of the Daxinzhuang Site, and the results of multidisciplinary research from three dimensions: politics and society, spirit and belief, and environment and economy. It reflects the transformation of archaeological research paradigms and is a vivid example of contemporary archaeological exhibition frontier narratives.
The exhibition of the Daxinzhuang Site Museum (大辛庄遗址博物馆) not only displays the periodization and age of the Daxinzhuang Site and the genealogy of Shang culture, and exhibits precious cultural relics such as oracle bone inscriptions "with landmark significance," bronze yue (钺) axes symbolizing kingship/military power, huge bronze ding (鼎) tripods, and exquisitely decorated bronze he (盉) ewers, but also comprehensively and three-dimensionally presents the Daxinzhuang settlement and the politics, economy, environment, society, and beliefs of the Shang Dynasty.
More than 800 cultural relics unearthed from the Daxinzhuang Site are placed in carefully designed historical scenes in the form of groups and stories. The exhibits are no longer isolated cultural relics, but narrative nodes that connect the political society, spiritual beliefs, and environmental economy of the Shang Dynasty in the East. During the visit, visitors can understand the stories carried by the cultural relics and appreciate the weight of history. The exhibition also displays the archaeological research, protection, and utilization of the Daxinzhuang Site in a special format.
Generations of archaeologists from Shandong University (山东大学) have carried out long-term, systematic, and meticulous field archaeological work and multidisciplinary comprehensive research at the Daxinzhuang Site. The Daxinzhuang Site Museum (大辛庄遗址博物馆) is a vivid example of the deep cooperation, integration, and development of universities, local governments, and enterprises in the new era.
(Author is a professor at the School of Archaeology, Shandong University (山东大学考古学院))
Return to TopThis edition's email: ysbjs@peopledaily.cn
Layout design: Zhang Danfeng (张丹峰)
By: 陈晓明
Recently, I happened to read an old collection of essays by Mr. Zhu Guangqian (朱光潜), which contained a passage advising young readers: rather than reading ten unimportant books, it is better to spend the time and energy reading one truly worthwhile book. I deeply agree with this. I am reminded of the words of the Argentine novelist Jorge Luis Borges, who said: true reading is rereading. Delve into the work, enrich it, because you have already read it. He even "advises everyone to read fewer new books but to reread more." Borges was once the director of the National Library of Argentina. At that time, he was almost blind. It must have been very painful for him to be unable to read with his own eyes while in charge of the national treasure trove of books. Fortunately, he adopted the reading philosophy of slow reading and rereading, and his limited vision still allowed him to experience the wonders of reading masterpieces. Borges's view is quite similar to the definition of classic works by the Italian novelist Italo Calvino. Calvino said: "A classic work is a book that brings discovery every time it is reread as if it were the first time." He also said: "A classic work is a book that never exhausts everything it has to say to the reader." These two sentences can be simplified as follows: a classic is a work that can withstand constant rereading. Reading a classic work obviously takes more time and requires reading it several times to understand its wonders. Many writers have this view: reading is slow thinking, a dialogue with the author. Slow reading allows us time to linger between the lines, feeling the rhythm of the language and the layers of thought. Especially those writers who pay attention to the texture of language and the depth of thought will hope that readers have patience and can read slowly. Slow reading is the attitude that should be taken towards classic works. Not only that, but classic works rely on slow reading to reveal their richness and subtlety.
These thoughts of mine are somewhat contradictory to current reading habits. Since the Internet has become the dominant information dissemination carrier in contemporary society, people are increasingly accustomed to reading various information on computers or mobile phones. In the past 10 years or so, the massive dissemination of e-books and the competition of various reading mini-programs have brought rich reading resources to people. Living in the era of new media and digitalization, people's reading is undoubtedly much more convenient and richer. But this also brings a situation: everyone's reading speed has become very fast, and has to be fast, because the amount of information is too large, and new resources are coming one after another, making people overwhelmed. I often hear friends complain: after reading all day, reading many things, but when I think about it the next day, what I read yesterday, it is very difficult to recall. Asking young friends, they also have the same feeling. It seems that it may be because the reading speed is too fast, there is too much information, everyone is browsing in a hurry, 囫囵吞枣 (hú lún tūn zǎo - "swallowing a date whole," to accept without thinking; to swallow something whole; to read cursorily), and naturally the impression is sketchy and ambiguous. Just think, how many people can now read a book or a novel completely? Not to mention careful reading and close reading. The bottom of the Internet page indicates "views" rather than "reads." There is still a difference between "browsing" and "reading," but with more browsing, there is naturally less reading, and even less serious slow reading. Everyone is being swept up in fragmented browsing, and quiet, patient reading has become rare and precious.
I think there is a problem that needs attention, mainly young friends may need to consider: how to maintain a "slow reading" mentality today? Whether it is for academic needs, or to satisfy knowledge interests and improve personal cultivation, slow reading is a reading method and attitude worth advocating. The speed of reading is of course relative, and it is related to the depth and shallowness, precision and generality, and specialization and breadth of reading. Reading superficially and hastily will naturally be fast, but to read deeply, precisely, and specialized, it will naturally be slow. Of course, reading also requires extensive reading. Without extensive reading and reading widely, the knowledge base cannot be opened, and the horizons will be limited. We must find a balance between extensive reading and intensive reading: on the basis of extensive reading, there must be intensive reading, and on the basis of intensive reading, we must go back to extensive reading. Intensive reading is the soul, and extensive reading is the body; extensive reading can bring massive knowledge, and intensive reading can understand it intuitively.
In today's era, the pace of life is fast, and the pressure of work and study is high. Slow reading is a good way to adjust the mentality of life and relax the mind. Carefully savoring a poetic verse, pondering the author's intention to describe the activities of characters, and feeling the scenery description of a prose passage can be described as a kind of edification. Going back to what I said, today reading has been squeezed by audiovisual media. Many years ago, there was a saying that the era of reading pictures was coming, and now short videos and short dramas are booming. "乱花渐欲迷人眼" (luàn huā jiàn yù mí rén yǎn - "the riot of flowers is gradually becoming dazzling," a profusion of things obscures one's vision; overwhelmed by superficial attractions). How can there be time for slow reading? As long as there is reading, it is precious, and I completely agree with this. However, I still have more expectations for slow reading. I think that in the face of a rapidly changing society and various sensory impacts, immersive slow reading of a book can help people regulate their minds, cultivate patience, and sort out their emotions. It should become an important task in the construction of spiritual civilization, and be advocated and implemented in society.
Return to TopBy: 马 骏
Meetings are always hurried yet meticulous. My experience attending meetings always includes some heartwarming little stories. The Fifth Session of the 12th Xiji County Committee (西吉县委员会) of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (政协) opened, and I sat in the first row, closest to the door, for easy wheelchair access. I was also the only member of the CPPCC attending this meeting in a wheelchair. My draft was fortunate enough to be selected, and I was to speak at the second plenary meeting. Perhaps because of the warm care I received due to being in a wheelchair, I became the first person to speak.
The moment I learned I was to speak, tension, panic, and helplessness like a tangled mess instantly wrapped around me. Speaking requires going on stage, which for others is just a matter of lifting their legs, but those three steps and the speaker's platform were like an insurmountable peak for me. I stared blankly at the high platform. I knew I couldn't get on the stage in a wheelchair, and in such a serious and time-sensitive meeting, where each person's speech was only 8 minutes long, being carried up and down by staff would really waste time. Even if I got on stage, I couldn't stand up and read my draft in a loud voice.
I had also been apprehensive. Being in a wheelchair does indeed lead to some frustrating and helpless situations. The kind of thoughts ingrained in my bones, "I'm not suitable, I'm not capable of doing these things, I shouldn't trouble others," were like a thick rope, instantly tightening around my neck. I had the idea of giving up and asking another member to speak on my behalf.
During the intermission, CPPCC member Li Jun (李君) pushed me to the door to rest. I sat nervously in front of the meeting room door, picking at my palms. Someone walked up beside me, and I will never forget his smile. He took my hand and said jokingly, "Today's speech, Ma Jun (马骏) is going to give us some good suggestions."
The chairman of the County CPPCC used those seemingly joking yet encouraging words to calm the panic in my heart a little. The chairman is an enthusiastic and capable person, and before I could even speak, he thought of the matter of me going on stage and immediately asked the person next to him, "How will Ma Jun get on stage? Has someone been arranged to assist?"
The vice chairman of the County CPPCC immediately said, "Everything has been arranged. Considering that Ma Jun is not convenient to go on stage, a table will be placed here at that time." They went to the meeting room to check my speaking position, and I sat blankly in front of the door. At that moment, a group of people were busying themselves, all so that I could perform my duties smoothly.
At that moment, my blood was surging, and I remembered the motto I filled in for performing my duties in the CPPCC: "Rooted in the people, writing a new era." It constantly reminds me to use words to write about the stories around me, and to use words to record the feelings that are ignored. When I can go out in my wheelchair in the summer, I sit in parks, beside terraced fields, and in early markets, chatting with old men, listening to the songs of the land, and watching the human world full of life. I never thought that one day I would be able to bring the voices of those simple and sincere people, who are as ordinary as me, to the CPPCC meeting.
Before I could figure some things out, the staff pushed me into the meeting room. The vice chairman was gesturing in a vacant spot in front of the rostrum, indicating that when I spoke, a table of the same height as my wheelchair would be placed in front of me. The chairman saw me staring blankly at him, afraid that I would be disappointed because I couldn't go on stage like everyone else, and said to me, "This is even better. The speaker's platform is close to the edge of the rostrum, and the space is limited, so it's not safe for a wheelchair to go up."
The conference started on time at 2:00 PM, and Sister Yu (禹姐) from the County CPPCC Office called me early, her words soft and warm: "CPPCC member Ma Jun, call me in front of the government gate, and we will all go to help you."
My father carried me out of the car, and everyone pushed me in my wheelchair to the meeting room. Two staff members carried in a table and placed it diagonally facing the direction where nearly 200 CPPCC members were seated. The director of the CPPCC Office helped me pin the member card on my chest, and then pushed me to the table, adjusting the position of the microphone to a height where I could speak easily. With everything prepared, the staff member who would push me forward to speak was arranged to stand beside me.
My speech was 8 minutes long, with a table exclusively for me, and nearly 10 people helped me complete it together. At that moment, I no longer had any timidity, and the helplessness and panic I had felt when I first learned I was to speak had long since disappeared. I knew that at this moment, I, in my wheelchair, could speak my heart out in a loud and sincere voice.
I did not feel a bit complacent. The reason I can be known is inseparable from this great and beautiful era, and the lovely people who are giving their all for this era.
Return to TopBy: 肖 睿
I've been living in Ordos (鄂尔多斯) for years. One day, I walked into a small shop by the Wulan Mulun River (乌兰木伦河). The shop's facade was in an orange-yellow style, giving people a warm and down-to-earth feeling. The shelves displayed milk crusts and various milk strips and milk cubes, and the beautifully packaged golden ghee attracted me. The shop's signature product was "ghee coffee," and I couldn't wait to order a cup. The rich aroma made my nose tingle.
It's been about 20 years since I last saw ghee. Ghee is an extremely precious dairy product of the Mongolian people. Herdsmen call it "solidified moonlight" or "drinkable sunshine." When I was a child, the happiest moment was when my mother gave me half a spoonful of ghee mixed with rice. On the grasslands, early summer is the best time to make ghee. Herdsmen put the fresh milk just squeezed from cows into clean containers to ferment into yogurt, and then use a special wooden mallet to pound it in the container until the emulsion becomes a milk paste. Then, they add warm water and continue pounding until the oil floats on the emulsion. People carefully skim this layer of oil into a pot without any oil stains or rust, sprinkle in a handful of fried rice, and simmer over low heat until there is no moisture left. At this time, only a layer of golden "light" remains in the pot, and the ghee is made. Hundreds of pounds of fresh milk can only produce five or six pounds of ghee.
The owners of this small shop are a young Mongolian couple. While drinking the mellow ghee coffee, we chatted. The male owner's name is Abu (阿布). Abu said that he can make ghee because of his mother. It turns out that Abu is the son of a herdsman and grew up in the pastoral area. Later, he studied drone technology at Nanjing University (南京), and after graduation, he went to Sweden to study for a master's degree in this major.
"The industry jump is a bit big," I said in surprise, interrupting. Abu said that he missed home very much when he was wandering abroad, and he missed the pasture life. Every time before leaving home, his mother would make him a can of ghee by hand to take with him. When he missed home, he would scoop a little bit to eat. A Swedish classmate saw it and was curious. Abu shared a spoonful with him, and the Swede was moved to tears. The Swedish classmate said that he had never eaten such delicious butter, and he could feel Abu's grassland and the warm and kind relatives on the grassland. It was at that moment that Abu made a wish to sell Mongolian ghee all over the world.
"My mother is no longer here," Abu's voice was a little low. From then on, whenever Abu was sad, he would try to make ghee himself. He always felt that his mother was hidden in the sky and in the meadow, smiling at him. At first, the ghee always lacked some flavor. Abu tried again and again. One early morning, Abu got up early and squeezed the first bucket of fresh milk, following his mother's method, and sent the pure white milk to the earth and the sky. He prayed in his heart to all things that this time would be successful. The breeze of the grassland blew the milk in the sky back to his face. This time, the taste of the ghee was finally right.
In the past, traditional dairy products like ghee did not have production standards and could not be mass-produced for sale in stores. Abu invested all his money and time in research and development of equipment and applying for patents. Over the years, Abu formulated 14 standards and finally obtained a traditional dairy product production license. Abu's wife said that Abu, holding the production license, jumped and skipped in the crowd like a child.
The ancient and fresh ghee condenses time and the young herdsman's remembrance of his mother. Looking at the bright eyes of these two young people, I felt the vitality surging in my heart, which is the power that energetic people can pass on to others.
Return to TopOil painting "Wudalianchi Snowfield," by Han Jingsheng (韩景生), collection of the National Art Museum of China (中国美术馆).
Return to TopBy: 林建武
My old home is Shima Town (石码镇), an ancient town in southern Fujian (闽南) where Guyue Port (古月港) is located. At the beginning of the New Year, the dawn at Guyue Port (古月港) has not yet broken, and the gaps in the bluestone slabs of Shima Old Street (石码老街) have already exuded wisps of oily fragrance. At the corner of the street, the old iron pot inherited for three generations is surging with amber waves. Wuxiang rolls (五香卷), wrapped in golden coats, stretch their waists in the boiling oil. The rich aroma of garlic, meat, and five-spice powder spreads out, awakening the sleeping streets.
Guyue Port (古月港), bordering the estuary, kneads the salty sea breeze into the muscles and bones of the streets. As the sky begins to light up, the freshness of the fish catch and the hot mist of the wuxiang blend on the bluestone slabs. The third-generation successor of the old shop introduced: "My grandfather's generation started the stove at Yin time (寅时) every day to prepare enough warm food for the fishmongers rushing to the early market." As he spoke, the newly rolled wuxiang strips in the bamboo sieve were neatly arranged, waiting to jump into the boiling sea of oil.
Shima wuxiang (石码五香) is made by mixing pork foreleg meat, onions, starch, five-spice powder, etc. into a paste, and then wrapping it in tofu skin into strips of seven or eight centimeters long. Many time-honored shops still insist on hand-made production. The pork should be cut into uniform lengths and sizes. Whether the wuxiang is fragrant depends on the master's control of the seasoning ratio and frying heat. If the heat is too high, it is easy to turn black and have a charcoal taste, making it difficult to eat; if the heat is not enough and it is not fully cooked, the taste will be poor.
The blending of five-spice powder is the soul of making wuxiang strips. Each shop has a unique secret recipe. The different ratios of spices such as cinnamon, star anise, pepper, cloves, and fennel create the unique flavor of each shop. Every time my family buys wuxiang from the shop, I know which one it is from just by tasting it.
The rolling process is the most ritualistic. The softened special bean curd skin is laid flat on a bamboo mat. The old master uses his fingers as a scale, skillfully rubbing the filling into uniform thick strips, placing them on the bean curd skin, and then carefully rolling them up. Experienced masters can see the subtle tremors when their finger joints exert force when rolling wuxiang.
In the life map of Shima people (石码人), wuxiang rolls are an ever-present coordinate. During festivals or weddings and birthdays, every household must have braised noodles, served with Shima wuxiang (石码五香) to entertain relatives and friends or those who come to help, which has become a traditional folk custom.
Just like instant coffee can never replicate the mellowness of charcoal roasting, the soul of Shima wuxiang (石码五香) is hidden in the body temperature of each process, hidden in the handmade atmosphere of fireworks.
Return to TopBy: 胡小平
While washing up, my daughter asked me why I didn't sleep in longer since it was New Year's Day. I glanced at the brightly lit window and said I had things to do today and needed to get up early.
As soon as I got down to the garage, Lao Li (老李) called, asking me to go fishing with him. He was already at the entrance of the community. The weather was good and warm these days, so the fishing should be good. I said okay, and that I would take him to a good spot.
As the sunlight streamed into a corner of the pond, Lao Li (老李) parked the car by the pond, following the direction I pointed. As soon as I got out of the car, Uncle Yu (余大爷), who was basking in the sun in the courtyard, happily walked over. I quickly greeted him, shook his hand, and introduced Lao Li (老李) and his wife, Guihua (桂花), to him.
Uncle Yu (余大爷) is nearly eighty years old. His wife passed away the year before last. His son, Mingliang (明亮), works in Jilin (吉林). Last spring, I took my family to the suburbs to see the rapeseed flowers, and our car accidentally got stuck in a roadside pit. Uncle Yu (余大爷), who was sitting in the courtyard sunbathing, saw it and brought me a hoe and a shovel. After that, we would visit Uncle Yu's (余大爷) house from time to time, digging the ground, planting vegetables, and sweeping the yard with him.
Last night, I had already discussed it with my wife, Yutong (雨桐), that we would take advantage of the sunny weather and go to Uncle Yu's (余大爷) house early this morning to help him clear the silt from the pond and wash the quilts.
Lao Li (老李) was a little impatient and kept asking me where the fish pond was. I pointed to the pond. Lao Li (老李) smiled and said that it was just a pond, not a fish pond. The water wasn't even three inches deep, so there couldn't be any fish to catch. Uncle Yu (余大爷) got anxious when he heard this and said that there were fish inside, and the big ones should be five or six pounds. He pointed to a corner of the pond near the vegetable garden and threw a small clod of earth over there. As soon as the clod hit the water, it immediately stirred up a splash, and the dorsal fin of a fish appeared.
Seeing that I had brought a hoe, a shovel, and a bamboo basket, and had dug open the pond dam, Lao Li (老李) laughed and said that this was how it was, fishing had turned into silt removal. As he said this, he took off his shoes and socks and picked up the shovel. Uncle Yu (余大爷) brought two bowls of wine and said it was homemade, and to drink it quickly to warm up. Lao Li (老李) said he wasn't cold, but he took the bowl and drank it down in a few gulps, praising it as good wine.
The sun was almost overhead. Guihua (桂花) and Yutong (雨桐) were hanging the quilts they had washed for Uncle Yu (余大爷) on the bamboo poles. Lao Li (老李) straightened up, glanced at them, and said that they were still quick, and we were behind, only half of the silt had been cleared, so we had to work harder. I took off my sweater and hung it on a tree by the pond, dragged the bamboo basket over, and began to scoop the silt out to the outside of the embankment. Uncle Yu (余大爷) wasn't idle either, and he took a hoe to help us move the silt down to the fields below.
The sun was about to set. Uncle Yu (余大爷) handed over a fishing net and a tin bucket. The silt had been cleared almost completely, and he said to quickly scoop up a few bigger fish. I said that there weren't many fish in the pond to begin with, so don't scoop them up, and leave them for Mingliang (明亮) to eat when he comes home for the New Year. Uncle Yu (余大爷) sat down on the handle of the hoe lying on the ground and was about to take off his shoes. I quickly nudged Lao Li (老李) with my mouth and said, okay, we'll scoop them up. Uncle Yu (余大爷) said, that's right.
Uncle Yu (余大爷) made a video call to Mingliang (明亮), letting him see the pond after the silt had been cleared, and see us scooping up the fish. Lao Li (老李) and I intentionally didn't scoop up the big ones, only scooping two medium-sized grass carp into the bucket. As soon as I got on the embankment, Uncle Yu (余大爷) handed me the phone, wanting me to quickly talk to Mingliang (明亮). Mingliang's (明亮) eyes were wet, and he repeatedly said he was ashamed, and repeatedly thanked us. I told him to come home earlier for the Spring Festival. He said definitely, definitely.
In the sunset, Uncle Yu (余大爷) handed Guihua (桂花) and Yutong (雨桐) each a plastic bag, saying that there was nothing else, just a fish and a head of cabbage. Yutong (雨桐) looked at me. Seeing that I was about to take out money, Uncle Yu (余大爷) grabbed my hand and refused to take it no matter what.
When we got home, we stewed the grass carp in a pot, steamed some rice flour pork, stir-fried some dried beef, and added a cabbage dish. Yutong (雨桐) said that today was New Year's Day, so we had to make six dishes, and add two more, for a 六六顺 (liù liù shùn - "six six smooth," everything goes smoothly).
Lao Li (老李) called, laughing and saying that the fish was delicious, the cabbage was delicious, today's silt removal was worth it, and this New Year's Day was meaningful.
Return to TopBy: 姜建勋
If Quzhou (衢州) is a thick book, I would definitely write the character "源" (yuán - "source," origin) in bold ink on the introduction page. In my opinion, this is the most profound characteristic of this famous historical and cultural city.
A great river gathers momentum and surges from here, a grain of rice first sprouts here, a set of solar term calendars takes root and grows here... When you turn your gaze to this land, you will be pleasantly surprised to find that many origins converge here by coincidence. Quzhou (衢州) is like an origin, silently containing the power of thousands of years of flow.
What most people know is the source of the Qiantang River (钱塘江). The Qiantang River (钱塘江) stretches for thousands of miles, and its source is hidden in the depths of the green mountains of Quzhou (衢州). In the winter sun, I stood by the "Source of the Qiantang River (钱江源)" monument, watching the streams rushing through the rocks, the water splashing like broken jade, the ancient trees overhead blocking the sun, and the fragrance of grass and trees all around. The handful of clarity and sweetness still in my hand flowed eastward out of the mountains and forests, pouring out the prosperous Qiantang (钱塘).
Water nourishes the heaven and earth, moisturizing things silently. The gurgling stream of the Qiantang River (钱江源) has nurtured the unique agricultural cultural imprint of the Sanqu (三衢) land. The time goes back to November 30, 2016, when China's "Twenty-Four Solar Terms" was officially included in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, among which the representative folk custom of "Beginning of Spring," the Jiuhua (九华) Lichun (立春) Festival, is in Quzhou (衢州). Spring begins in Miaoyuan Village (妙源村), Jiuhua Township (九华乡), northwest of Quzhou City (衢州城). The Wutong Ancestral Hall (梧桐祖殿) in the village is the only temple in the country dedicated to Gou Mang (句芒), the god of spring. Every year at the Beginning of Spring, the ancient Lichun Festival is grandly held here: drumming the spring, welcoming the spring god, whipping the spring ox, and sowing grain seeds, practicing the ancient contract between man and heaven and earth. "One whip for good weather, two whips for a good harvest..." The breath of spring is faintly approaching from afar in the long and ancient chanting. At this moment, you will truly feel that spring does not come from the calendar, but is awakened by piety and singing in the depths of time and space and in the depths of the earth.
The drumbeats of the spring god awaken the cycle of solar terms, and also ignite the spark of rice cultivation civilization on both sides of the Qu River (衢江). The world's earliest known rice paddy field has been silent in Quzhou (衢州) for ten thousand years, deposited into the dark brown soil layers of the Huangchaodun Site (皇朝墩遗址), with mottled and faint imprints of rice husks almost the same color as the soil. This ancient rice paddy field, dating back about 9,000 years, proves the large-scale development of early rice farming. Today, the rice waves roll during the autumn harvest season on both sides of the Qu River (衢江), echoing the ancient harvest prayers.
The abundance of agricultural civilization has nurtured the human world and enriched the scenery of a city. During the Northern Song Dynasty, Quzhou's (衢州) tax revenue ranked among the best in Zhejiang (浙江). Abundant life and convenient transportation allowed many northern noble families who crossed south to quietly choose to settle in Quzhou (衢州). The Kong family (孔氏) is a typical example.
Looking for traces across the country, most of the Confucius Temples are called Wen Temples. Among the two orthodox family temples of the Kong family (孔氏), besides Qufu (曲阜) in Shandong (山东), the other is the Kong Family Southern Ancestral Temple (孔氏南宗家庙) in Quzhou City (衢州城). After the Jingkang Incident, Kong Duanyou (孔端友), the 48th generation descendant of Confucius (孔子) and Yansheng Duke (衍圣公), led the clan chief Kong Chuan (孔传) and some clansmen to cross south. The Song court granted them residence in Quzhou (衢州) and ordered the construction of a family temple. "Southeastern Que Li (东南阙里)" has since become another name for Quzhou (衢州). After 900 years of time, the clansmen who crossed south lived in various parts of Jiangnan (江南), branching out and spreading their leaves. The Southern Ancestral Temple stands quietly in a corner of the bustling city with red walls and black tiles, nurturing the atmosphere of civilization here. The Kong family (孔氏) settled in Quzhou (衢州), and since the Song Dynasty, Jiangnan (江南) has gradually become a center of Confucianism.
Time is long, and the source of history is both far away and like yesterday, just like the sigh "one day in the mountains is a thousand years in the world." Suddenly, I realized that the allusion born with Go also originated in Quzhou (衢州). Wang Zhi (王质), a woodcutter in the Eastern Jin Dynasty, went into the mountains to chop wood and saw two boys playing chess. He watched the chess intently. At the end of the game, he realized that the handle of his axe had rotted. When he went down the mountain and returned home, everything had changed. Only then did he realize that one game in the mountains had passed a hundred thousand years in the human world. The mountain in the story is Rotten Axe Mountain (烂柯山) south of Quzhou City (衢州城), "The immortals in the cave laugh at the guest's infatuation, the axe handle rots and he forgets when to return." The mysterious, romantic, and Eastern philosophical story gives Go the elegant name of "Rotten Axe (烂柯)." Rotten Axe Mountain (烂柯山), with an altitude of just over 100 meters, has become a pilgrimage site for many Go players.
All beginnings yearn for endless flow, but not all origins can stretch for thousands of miles. Why do these origins that originated in Quzhou (衢州) still shine brightly today? I found the answer between the two characters "源" (yuán - "source," origin) and "衢" (qú - "thoroughfare," Quzhou). "源" (yuán - "source," origin) is the foundation, and "衢" (qú - "thoroughfare," Quzhou) is the thoroughfare. The living water of the source is written here, and the thoroughfare extends from here. Thus, the clear spring converges into a great river, the rice seeds are sown in all directions, the cultural context walks out of the deep alleys, and philosophical thoughts illuminate the world.
Return to TopBy: 王彦明
Always wanting to leave something behind:
A poem, a sketch, perhaps even
Just the faint shadow of distant mountains, or
The direction of the river's slow flow.
I know that, more often than not,
I leave behind the traces of three meals a day, leave behind
Dust and fallen leaves, some silence and stillness
And the sound of my son crying after waking up.
Occasionally, I also want to leave behind my mother's back view.
She is already old, and her ears can't hear clearly anymore,
But she still likes to call me
To ask how I've been feeling lately.
The little daughter of the neighbor always likes to
Play a lively piano piece.
Walking through the corridor, one is attracted by the music and the moonlight.
I'm used to finishing writing and then putting it under the light,
Finding some free time, reading it quietly alone.
The tides in my heart and the night
Rise together, and then slowly recede.
This edition's email: dadi@peopledaily.cn
Return to Top