People's Daily - February 7, 2026

Guangdong Province Vigorously Promotes High-Quality and Efficient Development of the Service Industry (Starting Well for the "15th Five-Year Plan")

By: 本报记者 吴齐强 洪秋婷

A tough battle against severe chronic diseases is being carried out intensely at the Songshan Lake Cell Preparation Center in Dongguan (东莞), Guangdong (广东).

Inside the laboratory, human tissue cells are stored in liquid nitrogen tanks at minus 196 degrees Celsius. Researchers are using these "seeds" for drug development.

Developing drugs from the cellular level changes the traditional disease treatment model: from "symptom management" to "causal treatment." Guangdong Xiankangda Biotechnology Co., Ltd. (广东先康达生物科技有限公司), the owner of this center, is deeply involved in front-line research and development, providing laboratory design and process output for research and development enterprises. Xie Haitao (谢海涛), Chairman of the Board, introduced that relying on Guangdong's (广东) industrial chain cluster and talent advantages, the group provides support for the entire industrial chain. "In 2025, we will add nearly 20 new cooperative hospitals, and our revenue will increase by more than 10% year-on-year."

In October 2020, General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) pointed out at the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Shenzhen (深圳) Special Economic Zone: "We must vigorously develop modern service industries and enhance the development level and competitiveness of the service industry." The "15th Five-Year Plan" proposal proposes to "promote high-quality and efficient development of the service industry."

Thoroughly implementing the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's (习近平) important instructions and the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee, Guangdong (广东) is vigorously promoting the high-quality and efficient development of the service industry. In 2025, the added value of Guangdong's (广东) service industry increased by 4.7% year-on-year, an increase of 1.9 percentage points year-on-year. Among them, the Internet and related service industries grew by 12.2%, and the software and information technology service industry grew by 9.5%.

Promote the extension of producer services to specialization and the high end of the value chain.

Producer services, which provide intermediate services for the production process of goods or other service products, are catalysts and lubricants for industrial development. Guangdong (广东) has 9 trillion-yuan-level industrial clusters and 18 Fortune Global 500 companies, which strongly support the development of producer services.

Li Heyan (李和言), a professor at Shenzhen Technology University (深圳技术大学), and his team have been deeply involved in the field of intelligent electric vehicles for many years and have obtained a number of scientific research achievements with independent intellectual property rights. Having patents in hand does not necessarily mean a promising future.

The "transformation" exam question is not easy to solve. In particular, the transformation and use of job-related scientific and technological achievements cannot be decided by Li Heyan (李和言) alone. "Does the school agree to the authorization? How should state-owned assets be managed and how should ownership be defined?" These questions once made him feel difficult.

After coming to Shenzhen Technology University (深圳技术大学), Li Heyan (李和言) received a "surprise": the school agreed to the transformation and use of 5 patent technology licenses, and no usage fees were required for 10 years; the income generated after the patent application would be returned to the school at a certain percentage.

"This model allows us to more flexibly connect with social capital and greatly shortens the technology landing cycle," Li Heyan (李和言) said with emotion.

Li Heyan's (李和言) joy is a common feeling among many scientific researchers in Guangdong (广东). Since 2025, Guangdong Province (广东省) has focused on exploring the reform of "use first, then transfer" of job-related scientific and technological achievements, promoted new models for the transformation of scientific and technological achievements such as "use first, pay later," and released more than 2,100 lists of convertible scientific and technological achievements, allowing innovation and application to "make friends" faster.

"For enterprises, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, the 'use first, then transfer' related model significantly reduces trial and error costs and initial capital pressure. The formulation of province-wide systematic 'use first, then transfer' reform policies and measures has been completed and implemented since February this year," said Yang Jun (杨军), Deputy Director of the Guangdong Provincial Department of Science and Technology (广东省科技厅).

Mechanism reform has stimulated innovation vitality, and producer services are accelerating their development and flourishing in Lingnan (岭南): Guangzhou (广州) is focusing on artificial intelligence and the digital economy, commercial logistics, and technology finance, connecting points into surfaces and radiating leadership; Shenzhen (深圳) is focusing on building an international supply chain resource element allocation center and logistics center, deploying in multiple dimensions and allocating globally; Huizhou (惠州) is deeply involved in intelligent connected vehicles, new energy storage, and other industries, focusing on breakthroughs and gathering chains to form momentum... During the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, Guangdong (广东) will guide the rational agglomeration of producer services and create industrial clusters with regional characteristics and high-end industrial clusters with "integration of the two industries."

Promote high-quality, diversified, and convenient development of consumer services.

Different from producer services, consumer services directly serve people's daily lives and meet residents' final consumption needs.

Guangdong (广东) has more than 19 million registered business entities, and the real-time population in Guangdong (广东) reaches 150 million; in 2025, the total retail sales of social consumer goods in Guangdong (广东) reached 4.6 trillion yuan... The large market size lays a solid foundation for the high-quality development of consumer services.

Wearing virtual reality equipment, tourists are in the "Chaoqi Yingge·AI Digital Space Experience Hall" (潮起英歌·AI数字空间体验馆) in Shantou (汕头), and the Yingge Dance (英歌舞) dancers seem to be jumping in front of them; relying on the 10,000-mu horseshoe base and unique Danxia landform, Beixiang Town (北乡镇), Lechang City (乐昌市), Shaoguan City (韶关市) has developed an immersive tourism of "homestay + farming experience"... Guangdong (广东) promotes the cultivation of new formats, the application of new technologies, and the expansion of new fields to promote the expansion and quality improvement of consumer services.

In the Guangzhou Beijing Road (广州北京路) smart business district, an intelligent guide robot driven by artificial intelligence large model and coordinated by an autonomous navigation system is guiding tourists; at the Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center (中山大学肿瘤防治中心), the MR image-assisted detection software developed with the help of artificial intelligence technology reduces the time for generating medical records by 80%... Guangdong (广东) is focusing on developing new service models such as "artificial intelligence + consumption" new scenarios, "Internet +" medical services, and digital education, continuously optimizing supply, and promoting the digital and intelligent upgrading of consumer services.

"Bearing in mind General Secretary Xi Jinping's (习近平) earnest entrustment, during the '15th Five-Year Plan' period, Guangdong (广东) will accelerate the construction of a high-quality and efficient modern service industry system, continue to strengthen the financial industry, the three advantageous industries of information transmission, software and information technology services, and modern life services, and promote the high-quality development of modern service industries," said Huang Kunming (黄坤明), Secretary of the Guangdong Provincial Party Committee (广东省委).

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A Cozy Literary Courtyard in the Snowy Field (New Year's Grassroots Visit: Warmth in Every Household)

By: 本报记者 徐元锋

The person on stage was speaking when, with a "pop," the power went out.
The "conference room" was right next to the kitchen, and the sounds of pots and pans could be heard from time to time. A large red "福" (fú - "Good Fortune") character was hung on the wall. Two or three dozen wooden tables, forty or fifty students—the "Xihai Gu Grassroots Writers Scriptwriting Training Class" was being held at the "Mulan Academy" in Yanghe Village (杨河村), Xiji County (西吉县), Guyuan City (固原市), Ningxia (宁夏).

Everyone was unfazed by the power outage. The person on stage continued, "Let literature nourish the hearts of the farmers like spring rain..."

Shi Jingbo (史静波), the "Dean" of Mulan Academy, rubbed his hands and joked, "Business is developing too fast, the meter can't keep up!"

Indeed! This little literary courtyard nestled in the mountains of Xihai Gu (西海固) is cold in the winter and used to close down in November. Xiji County (西吉县) has been awarded the title of "Literary Township" by the China Literature Foundation (中华文学基金会), which is supervised by the Chinese Writers Association (中国作家协会), and has more than 1,600 writers, more than 300 of whom are genuine farmers. Shi Jingbo (史静波) returned to his hometown to start a business, and the Mulan Academy he built has become a "home" for farmer writers to communicate and learn.

Literature should not have peak and off seasons. How can farmer writers avoid "hibernating"? At the end of last year, Wei Xibei (位西北), the Secretary of the Xiji County (西吉县) Party Committee, held an on-site meeting and installed air-source heat pump heating equipment within a month. Where does the electricity for the air-source heat pump come from? Solar photovoltaic panels were erected on the open space of the academy.

No wonder Shi Jingbo (史静波) pulled the reporter into the room as soon as they met, and covered the radiator, saying, "Feel it, it's hot!"

Outside, the snow was falling heavily; inside, there were quite a few familiar faces—

Ren Jianping (任建平), a teacher at Xiji No. 7 Middle School (西吉第七中学), came. He is a math teacher, but he is in charge of the school's "Nanlu Literature Society" (南麓文学社). Today, he brought his two children and two students to listen to the lecture. "I've liked literature since I was a child, but I haven't been exposed to scripts before," he said, full of expectations for the course.

Farmer writers Shan Xiaohua (单小花) and Li Chengshan (李成山) came. The reporter asked Shan Xiaohua (单小花), "I heard you performed a few stage plays in the townships?" She chuckled, "Opposing high-priced betrothal gifts, I put real feelings into it when I performed, and I really cried." Li Chengshan (李成山) became famous and appeared on TV several times. "I fed the cattle early and guarded the TV. I didn't even care about the meal my wife brought me. She doesn't dislike me this time." Old Li chuckled.

Ma Jinlian (马金莲), Vice Chairman of the Guyuan City Federation of Literary and Art Circles (固原市文联), came. Xiji County (西吉县) held a "Literary Village BA" (文学村BA), inviting a hundred grassroots writers to live-stream to help farmers, and Ma Jinlian (马金莲) also participated. Everyone chatted enthusiastically in the live broadcast room, but Ma Jinlian (马金莲) reminded them, "Don't just talk about literature and forget to sell goods." The "Literary Village BA" broadcasted 25 sessions, selling more than 800,000 yuan worth of agricultural products.

Ma Li (马丽), a college graduate from Yanghe Village (杨河村), came. Her mother, Ma Qiaoqin (麻巧琴), who had only three years of primary school education, wrote her first poem at the age of 49 and won an award at the first Yanghe Village Literary and Art Week (杨河村首届文学艺术周). The poem was co-created by Ma Qiaoqin (麻巧琴) and her eldest daughter, Ma Yan (马燕). In order to read poetry and show her style at the Art Week, Ma Qiaoqin (麻巧琴) made four phone calls, urging her two daughters to rush back from Yinchuan (银川). "Listening to everyone talking about creation here, there's a warm feeling," said Ma Li (马丽).

…………

After a while, the power came back on. The lecture continued, with Zhao Jing (赵静), a teacher from the Ningxia National Art Research Institute (宁夏民族艺术研究所), talking about "A Brief Discussion on Scriptwriting"...

The reporter asked Liu Defei (刘德飞), Chairman of the Xiji County Federation of Literary and Art Circles (西吉县文联), to lead the way to see Ma Qiaoqin (麻巧琴), who was taking care of her mother-in-law at home. Along the way, Liu Defei (刘德飞) lamented the great changes in Yanghe Village (杨河村): asphalt roads underfoot, solar street lights overhead, newly built flower walls along the way, and poems by farmers on the walls.

Ma Qiaoqin (麻巧琴) invited us to sit on the kang (heated brick bed), which was warm. She spoke slowly and clearly. In the past, she raised four children, living off more than 20 mu of "hope-for-rain fields" (望天田), and even getting water was difficult. Poverty alleviation has brought tremendous changes to the mountain village, and mechanization has reduced the burden on farmers. Cooking at the Mulan Academy, she often saw farmer writers talking about literature, and Ma Qiaoqin (麻巧琴) also fell in love with writing.

"My mother has been worried for most of her life, and finally has poetic and artistic feelings," Ma Yan (马燕) said with red eyes.

In a plastic-sealed folder, along with the household registration book and land certificate, Ma Qiaoqin's (麻巧琴) poem "Summer Rhyme of Yanghe" (杨河夏韵) lay quietly—"Thin noodles in broth floating with broken light/Nine bowls and thirteen flowers filled with hope/Night wind sweeps across the summer window lattice/Carrying the fragrance of wheat/Spreading far beyond the dreams of farmers..."

Since its establishment, Mulan Academy has not only attracted thousands of writers from other places to Yanghe (杨河), but also cultivated 50 "literary seed" families in the village, and has also been exploring the path of "literature + tourism." "Solidly promoting the construction of a culturally strong county" and "Publishing the History of Xiji Literature (西吉文学史)" have all been written into this year's Xiji County (西吉县) government work report.

When leaving Yanghe (杨河), the sky cleared after the snow, and the land of Xihai Gu (西海固) turned into a vast snowfield, covered in silver. Shi Jingbo's (史静波) words lingered in my ears: "Literature is really a warm thing!"

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Li Qiang Presides Over the 10th Plenary Meeting of the State Council

Xinhua News Agency, Beijing (北京), February 6th. Premier of the State Council Li Qiang (李强) presided over the tenth plenary meeting of the State Council on February 6th to discuss the draft of the government work report and the draft outline of the "15th Five-Year Plan," which are proposed to be submitted to the fourth session of the 14th National People's Congress for deliberation.

Li Qiang (李强) pointed out that this year is the first year of the "15th Five-Year Plan." Forming a high-quality government work report and planning outline is of great significance for building consensus, boosting confidence, and promoting development. It is necessary to thoroughly implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's (习近平) important instructions and the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee, accurately grasp the domestic and international situation this year and in the next five years, combine development needs with the people's expectations, fully reflect the requirements of high-quality development, earnestly respond to social concerns, and further revise the two draft documents well.

Li Qiang (李强) pointed out that it is necessary to implement the various tasks deployed at the Central Economic Work Conference, be brave in tackling tough problems, and ensure a good start and a good step for the "15th Five-Year Plan." Macro policies should be front-loaded, fiscal funds should be arranged as early as possible, and the coordination and cooperation of fund allocation and project construction should be strengthened so that policies can take effect as soon as possible. Various key tasks should be promoted as soon as possible, and those with mature conditions should be organized and implemented early. Adhere to both policy support and reform and innovation to better stimulate market vitality and tap new growth points in domestic demand. It is necessary to closely track changes in the situation, highlight stabilizing employment, stabilizing enterprises, stabilizing the market, and stabilizing expectations, do a good job in policy pre-research and reserves, and launch them in a timely manner as needed to ensure the smooth completion of the annual target tasks.

Li Qiang (李强) pointed out that it is necessary to adhere to the combination of long-term and short-term goals and solidly promote high-quality development. Further strengthen the connection between annual work and the five-year plan, and implement medium- and long-term goals and tasks into annual work deployments. It is necessary to pay attention to the combination of overall planning and key breakthroughs, focus on the high-quality preparation of special plans in various fields around the planning outline, and deeply plan and implement a number of major measures and major projects, especially to achieve greater breakthroughs in developing new quality productive forces, strengthening the domestic cycle, and promoting residents' income growth. It is necessary to pay attention to forward-looking layout, adhere to being down-to-earth, and continuously shape new development advantages that lead the future in practice.

Li Qiang (李强) emphasized that in the face of new situations and tasks, it is especially necessary to establish and practice a correct view of political achievements, adhere to proceeding from reality and acting according to laws, and consciously create political achievements for the people and create political achievements with practical work. As the Spring Festival holiday is approaching, it is necessary to attach importance to safety production, Spring Festival transportation guarantee, governance of wage arrears, ensuring supply and stabilizing prices, and other work to ensure that the masses have a safe, happy, and peaceful festival.

Members of the plenary meeting of the State Council attended the meeting, and heads of relevant departments and units attended the meeting as nonvoting delegates.

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Wang Huning Presides Over National Committee of the CPPCC Chairman's Meeting

Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, February 6th. The 46th Chairman's Meeting of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) was held in Beijing (北京) on the afternoon of the 6th. Wang Huning (王沪宁), member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, presided over the meeting and delivered a speech.

The meeting conveyed and studied the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's (习近平) recent important speeches and instructions. Wang Huning (王沪宁) stated that it is necessary to conduct in-depth consultation and deliberation on the strategic tasks and major measures determined in the "15th Five-Year Plan," implement the CPPCC National Committee's 2026 consultation plan, inspection and research plan, democratic supervision work plan, etc., to better gather people's hearts, build consensus, gather wisdom, and gather strength for a good start to the "15th Five-Year Plan." It is necessary to carefully organize and prepare for the Fourth Session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee, adhere to the correct political direction, practice whole-process people's democracy, gather wisdom and strength, transmit confidence and strength, and ensure the complete success of the conference. It is necessary to consolidate and expand the achievements of Party discipline learning and education and the in-depth implementation of the spirit of the Central Eight-Point Regulation, promote the normalization and long-term effectiveness of work style construction, persistently rectify conduct, enforce discipline, and combat corruption, and further purify the political ecology of the CPPCC. It is necessary to deeply understand the major achievements made by the Party and the country during the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, focus on the implementation of the strategic deployment of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, and conduct in-depth investigation and research and actively offer suggestions on major issues such as building a modern industrial system and developing new quality productive forces in accordance with local conditions. It is necessary to adhere to the principle of the CPPCC serving the people, carry out in-depth activities for members to perform their duties "serving the people," achieve political achievements for the people, and achieve political achievements through practical work.

The meeting reviewed and approved the CPPCC National Committee's work plan for carrying out democratic supervision on the implementation of the "15th Five-Year Plan," reviewed and approved the list of executive chairmen and hosts for the plenary sessions of the Fourth Session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee, and listened to a report on the preparations for the Fourth Session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee.

The meeting reviewed and approved the decision to revoke the qualifications of Tian Xuebin (田学斌) and He Song (何松) as members of the 14th CPPCC National Committee, and submitted it to the 15th meeting of the Standing Committee of the 14th CPPCC National Committee for confirmation.

The Chairman's Meeting held its first collective study in 2026, with the theme of "The Situation and Response to Our Country's Peripheral Work." Sun Weidong (孙卫东), Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, was invited to give a report.

Hu Chunhua (胡春华), Shen Yueyue (沈跃跃), Ho Hau Wah (何厚铧), and Su Hui (苏辉), Vice Chairmen of the CPPCC National Committee, made speeches on studying and implementing the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's (习近平) recent important speeches. Wang Dongfeng (王东峰), Vice Chairman and Secretary-General of the CPPCC National Committee, made explanations and reports on relevant topics.

Wang Yong (王勇), Zhou Qiang (周强), Leung Chun-ying (梁振英), Bater (巴特尔), Shao Hong (邵鸿), Gao Yunlong (高云龙), Mu Hong (穆虹), Xian Hui (咸辉), Jiang Xinzhi (姜信治), Jiang Zuojun (蒋作君), He Baoxiang (何报翔), Wang Guangqian (王光谦), Zhu Yongxin (朱永新), and Yang Zhen (杨震), Vice Chairmen of the CPPCC National Committee, attended the meeting.

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Cai Qi Visits Renowned Figures in the Cultural Field and Science and Technology Experts

Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, February 6th. Cai Qi (蔡奇), a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Secretary of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, visited well-known figures in the cultural field and science and technology experts on the afternoon of February 6th on behalf of General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) and the Party Central Committee. He extended sincere greetings to them and New Year blessings to the vast number of cultural workers and science and technology workers.

Cai Qi (蔡奇) first visited the home of Zhai Guangming (翟光明), Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and petroleum exploration expert. He cordially inquired about Zhai Guangming's (翟光明) health and living conditions, expressed his gratitude for his long-term contributions to the cause of oil and gas exploration, and listened to his suggestions on the sustainable development of China's oil and gas industry. When visiting Zhou Xiaoxin (周孝信), Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Honorary President of the China Electric Power Research Institute, Cai Qi (蔡奇) fully affirmed his long-term commitment to electric power scientific research and listened to his suggestions on the innovative development of energy and electric power. At the home of Ma Ke Yao (马克垚), professor of the Department of History at Peking University (北京大学) and historian, Cai Qi (蔡奇) highly praised his contribution to promoting the construction of the discipline system of medieval world history in China, praised him for actively participating in academic exchange activities after retirement, caring about the growth and development of young scholars, and listened to his suggestions on doing a good job in philosophy and social science. When visiting Pang Xianzhi (逄先知), former director of the Central Literature Research Office (中央文献研究室) and expert in Party history research, Cai Qi (蔡奇) thanked him for his efforts in promoting the study of Marxist theory and construction projects, and listened to his suggestions on strengthening Party history research and Party ideological construction.

Several well-known figures in the cultural field and science and technology experts expressed their gratitude for the cordial care of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) at its core, and expressed their agreement with the Party Central Committee's decisions and deployments to promote the prosperity and development of socialist culture and accelerate high-level self-reliance and self-improvement in science and technology. Cai Qi (蔡奇) said that the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee made strategic deployments for economic and social development during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, and drew a new blueprint. Cultural prosperity is an important symbol of Chinese-style modernization. It is necessary to deeply study and implement Xi Jinping's (习近平) thought on culture, stimulate cultural innovation and creativity, and steadily promote the construction of a strong cultural country. Chinese-style modernization must be supported by scientific and technological modernization. It is necessary to promote the virtuous interaction between independent scientific and technological innovation and independent talent cultivation, and lead the development of new quality productive forces. The vast number of cultural workers and science and technology workers should take the initiative to shoulder the responsibilities of the times, explore and innovate, work hard, and make new and greater contributions to promoting the development of the Party and the country.

Shi Taifeng (石泰峰), member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee, and Li Shulei (李书磊), member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, accompanied the visit. Responsible comrades from relevant departments and units of the central government participated in the visit.

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Industry proposes the questions, science and technology provide the answers.

By: 本报记者 吴月辉 喻思南 谷业凯

The opening year of the "15th Five-Year Plan," on January 30th, the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee (中共中央政治局) collectively studied and focused on one theme: forward-looking layout and development of future industries. General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) profoundly pointed out: "The degree of technological breakthrough largely determines the speed, breadth, and depth of future industrial development."

Technological innovation is the core element of developing new quality productive forces. Future industries have the characteristics of being forward-looking, strategic, and disruptive. For the development of future industries, "technological breakthroughs" are crucial.

Focusing on the main direction of attack, scientifically demonstrating technical routes, enhancing strategic forecasting capabilities, adapting to local conditions, and developing in a differentiated manner, various localities and departments are leading industrial innovation with technological innovation, continuously injecting inexhaustible power into the development of future industries.

Fully Leverage the Advantages of the New National System to Intensify Efforts to Tackle Key Core Technologies in Key Areas

General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) emphasized: "We must fully leverage the advantages of the new national system, adhere to the principle of 'industry posing the questions, technology answering the questions,' and increase efforts to tackle key core technologies in key areas."

Adhering to the principle of "industry posing the questions, technology answering the questions" requires strengthening the tackling of key core technologies in key areas, fully embodying the organic combination of driving technological innovation with actual needs and driving industrial upgrading with technological breakthroughs.

At the Intelligent Biomanufacturing Center of the Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (中国科学院天津工业生物技术研究所), Xia Jianye (夏建业), director of the center, is working with his team of researchers to improve the prototype of the "Microbial Parallel Bioreactor." Not far away, the digital separation pilot platform is running smoothly, providing support for the separation of fermentation broth products.

Bioreactors are the "heart" of the biomanufacturing industry, and their performance directly determines the efficiency of strain cultivation and production levels. However, for a long time, China's high-performance bioreactor field has faced many problems, and key technologies such as parallel reactors and animal cell reactors have mostly been monopolized by foreign countries.

"With the rapid development of synthetic biology technology, laboratories can cultivate hundreds of high-yielding strains in a year, but the efficiency of traditional reactors is low and cannot keep up with the pace of strain research and development," Xia Jianye (夏建业) admitted frankly.

Industrial pain points have become the driving force for tackling key problems. Xia Jianye (夏建业) led his team to work together and, after four years of hard work, developed the "Microbial Parallel Bioreactor," successfully solving this problem. The equipment has broken through the two core technologies of "miniaturization" and "high parallelism," and its efficiency has increased several times compared with traditional equipment.

Behind the breakthrough is the collaborative innovation of multiple units. "We have joined forces with Tianjin National Center for Synthetic Biotechnology Innovation Co., Ltd. (天津国家合成生物技术创新中心有限公司) and Bloomage Biotechnology (Tianjin) Co., Ltd. (华熙生物科技（天津）有限公司) to form a complete closed loop of 'research institutions + manufacturing enterprises + application end' to accelerate the transformation of technological achievements and industrial implementation," Xia Jianye (夏建业) said.

Next, the team will launch an assault on automation and intelligence on the existing basis. In the future, the popularization of the equipment will accelerate the transformation of China's synthetic biology innovation achievements and promote the quality and efficiency of the biomanufacturing industry.

Fully leveraging the advantages of the new national system is a key guarantee for promoting the development of China's future industries.

"Future industries have the characteristics of cutting-edge uncertainty, system complexity, and strategic decisiveness. These characteristics lead to the risk of 'failure' of market mechanisms in basic research, long-term investment, and cross-field collaboration. The new national system can take national strategy as the lead and provide 'strategic patience' and long-term stable investment that the market cannot guarantee," said Xu Jiabin (徐佳宾), a professor at the Business School of Renmin University of China (中国人民大学商学院). More importantly, this system can efficiently integrate national resources, form a systematic tackling capability, and concentrate efforts to break through key core technologies.

Technological breakthroughs will also greatly accelerate the speed of future industrial development. Wang Xiaoming (王晓明), director of the Industrial Science and Technology Innovation Research Department of the Institutes of Science and Development, Chinese Academy of Sciences (中国科学院科技战略咨询研究院), believes that "giving play to the leading role of national strategy in front-end exploration, stimulating the vitality of enterprise entities in the later stage of transformation, and promoting the rapid entry of achievements into the market, fully leveraging the advantages of the new national system will accelerate the cultivation process of future industries."

Strengthen the Strategic, Forward-Looking, and Systematic Layout of Basic Research

Basic research is the source of technological innovation and the fulcrum of technological innovation in future industries.

Regarding future industries, General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) emphasized, "Strengthen the strategic, forward-looking, and systematic layout of basic research, and accelerate the transformation and application of scientific and technological achievements."

In the Hefei High-tech Zone (合肥高新区) in Anhui (安徽), located on "Quantum Avenue," the operation and maintenance screen of the third-generation independent superconducting quantum computer "Benyuan Wukong" (本源悟空) at Origin Quantum Computing Technology (Hefei) Co., Ltd. (本源量子计算科技（合肥）股份有限公司) continuously refreshes access data - as of now, the global access volume has exceeded 40 million times, and the service network covers more than 160 countries and regions.

Also on "Quantum Avenue," QuantumCTek (国盾量子) has repeatedly made breakthroughs in 2025, not only occupying an important position in the construction of domestic quantum secure communication networks, but also achieving autonomy in key quantum computing equipment such as dilution refrigerators.

From the technological breakthroughs of leading enterprises to the industrial synergy of the entire "Quantum Avenue," Hefei's (合肥) quantum industry has accelerated in recent years. The rise of the quantum industry began with the accumulation of basic research. Decades of technological accumulation by the scientific research team of the University of Science and Technology of China (中国科学技术大学) laid the key seeds for industrial development.

Breakthroughs in basic research have provided a source of living water for future industries. The world's first neuromorphic complementary vision chip, "Tianmou Core" (天眸芯), has been successfully developed, promoting the further improvement of the neuromorphic intelligence ecosystem; breakthroughs have been made in allogeneic universal CAR-T therapy for autoimmune diseases, taking the lead in innovating the treatment of autoimmune diseases... China's high-quality basic research results continue to emerge, building up the advantages of future industrial development.

In the Hohhot Economic and Technological Development Zone (呼和浩特经济技术开发区) in Inner Mongolia (内蒙古), the construction of a high-efficiency and green extraction process production line for paclitaxel is in full swing. In February, all related equipment will be completed and put into place, and test production is expected within the year. Paclitaxel is a plant-based anti-cancer natural product drug extracted from yew trees, which has low yield, complex process, and high cost. The industry hopes to replace natural extraction with biosynthesis, but progress has been slow.

Yan Jianbin's (闫建斌) team, a researcher at the Shenzhen Institute of Agricultural Genomics, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (中国农业科学院深圳农业基因组研究所), noticed this problem early on and began to carry out forward-looking basic research. After more than 10 years of cultivation, the team relied on the independently drawn genome map, clarified the mechanism behind it, opened up the paclitaxel biosynthesis pathway, mastered completely independent intellectual property rights, and gained a head start in the field of paclitaxel green manufacturing.

Looking forward, Yan Jianbin (闫建斌) is full of confidence: "Based on a deep understanding of paclitaxel biosynthesis, from the laboratory to the production line, we are taking every step very firmly."

"Basic research has the characteristics of long cycles, high difficulty, and great uncertainty. It is necessary to strengthen the strategic, forward-looking, and systematic layout, use the 'certainty' of institutional layout to hedge against the 'uncertainty' of technological iteration, encourage innovation, tolerate failure, and promote the continuous growth of major original innovative achievements, which will inject power into future industries," said Xiao Youdan (肖尤丹), a researcher at the Institutes of Science and Development, Chinese Academy of Sciences (中国科学院科技战略咨询研究院).

Give Play to the Main Role of Enterprises and Lead the Industry to Move Towards the Frontier and High-End Fields

Enterprises are the main body of technological innovation and the key force in developing future industries. The rise of many future industries is driven by enterprises making breakthroughs step by step.

General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) emphasized: "We must give play to the main role of enterprises, promote the aggregation of various innovation resources to enterprises, vigorously cultivate leading technology enterprises and high-tech enterprises with leading core technologies and strong innovation capabilities, and lead the industry to move towards the frontier and high-end fields."

Controlled nuclear fusion, a global competition that is expected to reshape the future energy landscape, is moving from the laboratory to the market.

In Chengdu (成都), Sichuan (四川), the "China Fusion Engineering Test Reactor (CFETR)" (中国环流三号) continues to operate stably. In 2025, the "China Fusion Engineering Test Reactor (CFETR)" (中国环流三号) achieved a "double 100 million degree" steady-state operation with an atomic nucleus temperature of 117 million degrees Celsius and an electron temperature of 160 million degrees Celsius. Core indicators such as the "fusion triple product" have greatly increased, officially entering the key stage of fusion combustion experiments.

Also in 2025, China Fusion Energy Co., Ltd. (中国聚变能源有限公司) was officially established. From research institutes "playing the leading role" to enterprises "taking the lead," this is not only the birth of a new company, but also marks China's pressing of the "acceleration key" for the commercialization of controlled nuclear fusion.

"We will give play to the industrial empowerment advantages of enterprises in the fields of engineering design, material research and development, and equipment manufacturing, rely on China's complete nuclear industry system and rich nuclear engineering experience, focus on the key links in the entire life cycle of fusion reactors, and promote the engineering technology tackling and industrial transformation of fusion reactors step by step," said Liu Ye (刘叶), Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of China Fusion Energy Co., Ltd. (中国聚变能源有限公司).

Scientific research achievements "from 0 to 1," "from 1 to 100 and then to N," can only complete the market-oriented closed loop with the participation of enterprise entities. Future industries must be conceived and developed in market competition from scratch and from small to large.

As a well-known neurobiologist, Luo Minmin (罗敏敏), director of the Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders (北京脑科学与类脑研究所), has a new identity. The Beijing "Intelligent Brain-Machine System Enhancement Program" led by Luo Minmin (罗敏敏) has incubated and established Beijing Xinzhida Neurotechnology Co., Ltd. (北京芯智达神经技术有限公司), and he also serves as the chief scientist of this start-up company.

"Brain-machine interface is a future industry and also a typical interdisciplinary complex system. We have established a 'new type of research and development institution + clinical institution + enterprise' industry-university-research-medical innovation consortium to carry out organized tackling," Luo Minmin (罗敏敏) introduced. This innovative model promotes in-depth cooperation and innovative integration between the technology end of scientific research institutions, the clinical application demand end, and the enterprise industrial transformation end. The "Bei Nao No. 1" (北脑一号) intelligent brain-machine system developed by Xinzhida (芯智达) has completed 6 human implants, helping patients with spinal cord injury, stroke, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis to achieve limb movement and speech function replacement and rehabilitation.

To develop future industries, enterprises are not only the recipients of scientific and technological achievements, but also the key forces in technology origination, ecological construction, market transformation, and global competition.

"Enterprises are close to market demand and are highly sensitive to the prospects of technology application and the trends of industrial development. They can carry out original and disruptive technological innovation through long-cycle and high-intensity R&D investment, and promote the development and growth of future industries," said Han Junhui (韩军徽), associate researcher at the Chinese Academy of Science and Technology for Development (中国科学技术发展战略研究院). It is necessary to support leading technology enterprises and high-tech enterprises to lead the formation of innovation consortia and undertake more national science and technology tackling tasks, and accelerate breakthroughs in key core technologies and cutting-edge technologies through the organic combination of an effective market and a promising government, and seize the commanding heights of future industrial development.

"We must fully leverage the advantages of the new national system, guide enterprises to cooperate closely with universities and research institutions, jointly condense scientific and technological problems facing industrial needs, jointly carry out key core technology tackling, and coordinate to promote the efficient transformation and application of scientific and technological achievements," said Wan Jinbo (万劲波), a researcher at the Institutes of Science and Development, Chinese Academy of Sciences (中国科学院科技战略咨询研究院).

Today's future industries may be tomorrow's strategic emerging industries and the day after tomorrow's pillar industries. Developing future industries is for the present and even more for the future of the country. Based on objective conditions, giving play to comparative advantages, adhering to the principle of seeking progress while maintaining stability and gradient cultivation, promoting the continuous achievement of new breakthroughs in the development of China's future industries, and firmly seizing the commanding heights of science and technology and industry and grasping the initiative of development.

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Photo Report

On February 6th, at the construction site of the Jintang Undersea Tunnel (金塘海底隧道) on the Ningbo (宁波) side of the Yong (甬) Zhou (舟) Railway in Zhejiang Province, the first domestically produced shield tunneling machine saturated pressure entry equipment, "Deep Sea Space Station," successfully carried out a 75-meter deep high-pressure environment shield entry operation. This marks the successful application of China's independently developed shield saturated pressure entry technology, filling a domestic gap.

Photo by Zhao Rongfa (赵荣发) (Xinhua News Agency)

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Li Qiang Presides Over State Council Executive Meeting

Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, February 6th. Premier of the State Council Li Qiang (李强) presided over an executive meeting of the State Council on February 6th, hearing reports on the handling of suggestions from deputies to the National People's Congress and proposals from members of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference by State Council departments in 2025, studying policy measures to promote effective investment, deploying revisions to the "Environmental Air Quality Standards," and discussing the "Bidding Law of the People's Republic of China (Revised Draft)."

The meeting pointed out that properly handling the suggestions of NPC deputies and the proposals of CPPCC members is an inherent requirement for the government to consciously accept supervision and perform its duties in accordance with the law, and is also an important manifestation of deeply practicing whole-process people's democracy. In the past year, State Council departments have combined the handling work with the implementation of the Party Central Committee's (党中央) decisions and deployments, and with the implementation of the goals and tasks of the "Government Work Report," and promoted the solution of a number of urgent and difficult problems related to reform, development, and the vital interests of the people. As the National People's Congress (全国人大) and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (全国政协) are about to convene, it is necessary to conscientiously implement the newly revised Deputies Law and the newly revised Regulations on the Work of CPPCC Proposals, actively listen to and adopt the opinions and suggestions of deputies and members, work hard on implementation and promotion of transformation, and do a high-quality job in handling suggestions and proposals this year.

The meeting pointed out that promoting effective investment is of great importance for stabilizing economic growth and enhancing the momentum for future development. It is necessary to innovate and improve policy measures, increase efforts to improve the efficiency of funds such as central government budget investment, ultra-long-term special treasury bonds, local government special bonds, and new types of policy financial instruments. Combining the formulation and implementation of the "15th Five-Year Plan," focusing on long-term development needs and building future competitive advantages, we should deeply plan and promote a number of major projects and major engineering projects in key areas such as infrastructure, urban renewal, public services, emerging industries, and future industries. It is necessary to give better play to the role of central state-owned enterprises in expanding investment, increase support for the development of private investment, and form a joint force to promote effective investment.

The meeting pointed out that after unremitting efforts, China's air quality has improved significantly in recent years, and the people's sense of gain has been continuously enhanced. The newly revised "Environmental Air Quality Standards" puts forward higher requirements for the annual average concentration target of PM2.5. It is necessary to adhere to planning guidance, strengthen policy support, benchmark new standards to do a good job in overall coordination, improve support policies for finance, science and technology, and prices, strengthen the governance and joint prevention and control of key areas, continuously improve governance effectiveness, and protect the beautiful blue sky.

The meeting discussed and in principle approved the "Bidding Law of the People's Republic of China (Revised Draft)" and decided to submit the draft to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (全国人大常委会) for deliberation. The meeting pointed out that it is necessary to take this amendment as an opportunity to reform and improve the bidding system and mechanism, break down hidden barriers, improve evaluation methods, improve work transparency, severely crack down on illegal activities, and promote the standardized and healthy development of the bidding market by addressing both the symptoms and root causes.

The meeting also studied other matters.

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Ensuring the supply and stable pricing of essential commodities for the Spring Festival

The National Development and Reform Commission (国家发展改革委), together with relevant departments, recently issued a notice to guide various regions in focusing on production and supply, and smoothing the connection between production and sales, in order to ensure the supply and stable prices of important people's livelihood commodities for the Spring Festival, and to effectively safeguard the people's livelihood. On February 6, the average retail price of 15 kinds of vegetables in 36 large and medium-sized cities was 4.36 yuan per jin, down 1.8% from the high point in late January.

Grasp agricultural production and ensure market supply. Beijing (北京市) focuses on the entire chain of production, supply, storage and sales, promoting "stable prices" with "stable supply," grasping local vegetable production, actively organizing sources of goods, and increasing the purchase volume of vegetables and other major agricultural products in major agricultural product wholesale markets. Chongqing (重庆市) gives full play to the role of 300,000 mu of emergency supply bases for fast-growing leafy vegetables in Tongnan (潼南), Tongliang (铜梁) and other districts and counties, as well as a number of industrialized sprout and edible fungus production bases, basically eliminating seasonal and sudden supply tensions in the central urban area.

Smooth circulation links and implement the reserve system. Shandong Province (山东省) strengthens the organization of goods, monitoring and scheduling, and reserve regulation and control to ensure that key supply enterprises in the province maintain 4 days of sales inventory of vegetables to meet holiday and daily consumption needs; Jinan (济南市) and Qingdao (青岛市) plan to release more than 35,000 tons of government-reserved meat and vegetables to fully ensure the stability of market supply. Hainan Province (海南省) expands diversified supply channels, promotes key enterprises such as the Vegetable Basket Group (菜篮子集团) to sign medium- and long-term supply agreements with production areas such as Hubei (湖北), and enhances market regulation capabilities.

Strengthen monitoring and early warning, and stabilize price trends. Beijing (北京市) implements a "daily monitoring and daily reporting" mechanism for important people's livelihood commodities, combines festival consumption characteristics, strengthens the monitoring of the quantity and price of grain, oil, meat, eggs, vegetables, etc., and does a good job in responding to market anomalies as soon as possible. Chongqing (重庆市), in response to the characteristics of holiday consumption, focuses on monitoring 45 varieties in 12 major categories, including grain, oil, meat, eggs, milk, vegetables, fruits, etc., and promptly understands supply and sales and price changes. Hainan Province (海南省) pays close attention to market price dynamics, increases the frequency of daily inspections in key areas and key industries before the festival, strictly cracks down on price violations in accordance with the law, and effectively maintains the order of market prices during the festival.

At the same time, the National Development and Reform Commission (国家发展改革委), the Ministry of Civil Affairs (民政部), the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (农业农村部) and other departments have increased efforts to guarantee the basic livelihood of people in difficulty, strengthened dynamic monitoring and assistance to people in difficulty, improved and operated a normalized monitoring and assistance mechanism to prevent returning to poverty; encouraged the early distribution of social assistance funds such as minimum living allowances, and actively carried out festival visits and condolences; strictly implemented the linkage mechanism between social assistance and guarantee standards and price increases, and promptly initiated it when conditions are met.

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"New National Subsidy" Lands, Consumption Market Booming in First Month (Economic New Perspective)

By: 本报记者 王 珂

As the Spring Festival approaches, Aunt Sun from Yingjie Village (英杰村) on Xiaochangshan Island (小长山岛) in Changhai County (长海县), Dalian (大连), Liaoning (辽宁) Province, on the coast of the Yellow Sea, received a special New Year gift – a large-screen smart TV.

"The old TV has been used for more than 10 years, and I've wanted to replace it with a new one for a long time," said Aunt Sun. In early 2026, a new round of trade-in policies was launched. Aunt Sun's son learned that purchasing home appliances on JD.com could directly enjoy national subsidies, as well as one-stop delivery and installation services, so he decisively placed an order. Soon, JD Logistics' large-item delivery and installation engineers delivered the smart TV to her home on time, completing the entire process of new machine delivery, installation and debugging, as well as old TV disassembly and recycling in one go.

"Including the national subsidy and the old machine deduction, I saved nearly 500 yuan, and the key is that the whole process is worry-free and effortless." Looking at the new TV with a clear screen and smooth operation, Aunt Sun's face was full of smiles.

At the beginning of the new year, the consumer market is heating up, and the "new national subsidy" has become an "eye-catching protagonist." With the implementation of the 2026 trade-in policy, the popularity of home appliance and automobile stores in many places has increased, and upgraded products such as energy-saving home appliances, smart home appliances, and new energy vehicles have become popular "sweet potatoes." From January 1 to 2, Hebei Province (河北省) sold a total of 133,600 home appliances, digital products, and smart products, with a total sales of 590 million yuan; during the New Year's Day holiday, Fuzhou (福州市), Fujian Province (福建省), saw nearly 16 million yuan in trade-in sales of consumer goods (excluding automobiles), driving consumption of 125 million yuan... Policy dividends are connected to consumer demand, and the "opening show" of expanding domestic demand and promoting consumption in the new year has begun.

Data witnesses consumer vitality. According to data from the Ministry of Commerce (商务部), in 2026, the Ministry of Commerce will work with various regions and departments to optimize the implementation of trade-in for home appliances and subsidies for the purchase of new digital and smart products, support the development of offline physical retail, and promote green and smart products, and the policy effect will gradually become apparent. In January, sales of 6 types of home appliances and 4 types of digital and smart products exceeded 15 million units, with sales of nearly 59 billion yuan.

The implementation of the consumer goods trade-in policy not only revitalized the consumer market, but also strongly supported the high-quality development of offline physical retail. At the Suning.com (苏宁易购) Beijing Zhongta MAX store (北京中塔MAX店), customers who came to purchase home appliances were in an endless stream. The person in charge of the store introduced that from January 1 to 8, the store's sales increased by more than 8 times month-on-month. Driven by the "new national subsidy" policy, the overall passenger flow of all Beijing Suning.com stores increased by more than 110% month-on-month, the sales proportion of first-level energy efficiency (water efficiency) home appliances increased to 92%, and the sales volume of key categories such as refrigerators, washing machines, air conditioners, TVs, and water heaters all achieved a month-on-month increase, and the vitality of offline physical retail was effectively released.

The recovery of offline consumption has also driven the synergistic growth of diversified consumption. According to data from the Ministry of Commerce, in January, offline sales of trade-in for home appliances and the purchase of new digital and smart products accounted for nearly 80%, an increase of about 20% year-on-year. The increase in performance and passenger flow of some offline stores also has a strong driving effect on cross-scene consumption such as leisure and entertainment, transportation, and specialty catering, forming a virtuous circle of trade-in attracting traffic and diversified consumption increasing revenue.

The "new" in trade-in is not only the "new" of replacing the old with the new, but also the "new" of innovative development.

The 2026 trade-in policy ushered in a new round of optimization and adjustment, hiding the ingenuity of "seeking innovation in continuation and giving vitality in overall planning." On the one hand, the policy steadily supports the bottom line, and a unified national subsidy standard is implemented for areas such as automobile scrapping and renewal and the replacement of 6 types of key home appliances, giving business entities a "reassurance pill" with stable policy expectations; on the other hand, it closely follows the new trends in consumption and industry, and expands the scope of subsidies to new-generation smart terminals such as smart glasses. At the same time, home appliance subsidies are further focused on first-level energy efficiency (water efficiency) products, and automobile subsidies are tilted towards new energy models, so that policy dividends can accurately help high-quality development.

"Judging from the transaction data in January, the trade-in policy continues to promote the transformation of the automobile industry towards high-end, intelligent, and green." Zhao Zhifeng (赵志峰), head of used car business at Dongchedi (懂车帝), said. Data research conducted by Dongchedi in conjunction with China Automotive Information Technology Co., Ltd. (中汽信科) shows that Chinese brands dominate the replacement market and have strong competitiveness. From the perspective of consumer research, 81.2% of fuel vehicle users will choose pure electric, plug-in hybrid, and extended-range new energy models when replacing their vehicles, and 74.1% of consumers replace vehicles with prices of 200,000 yuan or more. Trade-in not only leads the new fashion of consumption, but also injects impetus into the high-quality development of the automobile industry, and opens up greater space for enterprise innovation and development.

According to data from the Ministry of Commerce, this year's home appliance trade-in subsidy standard has been increased to first-level energy efficiency (water efficiency), driving the rapid growth of high-performance home appliance products. Data from third-party institutions shows that online sales of first-level energy efficiency water heaters and TVs increased by 35.7% and 28.9% year-on-year, respectively. The sales proportion of mid-to-high-end mobile phone models exceeded 70%. Smart glasses were included in the subsidy range for the first time this year, achieving sales of 7.197 million yuan.

The optimization of the trade-in policy not only accurately responds to the people's demand for quality consumption, but also profoundly grasps the law of economic development, and is upgrading from a phased policy lever to a long-term institutional support. Relevant officials from the Ministry of Commerce stated that they will continue to do a good job in organizing and implementing the home appliance trade-in and digital and smart product purchase subsidy policies, guide various regions to increase support for offline physical retail, and focus on replacing new products, new tracks, and new quality productivity, and promote greater results in the trade-in of consumer goods.

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The Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee posthumously confers the title of "Role Model of the Times" on Comrade Dong Yijun

This newspaper reported from Beijing on February 6th (Reporter Zhang Tianpei (张天培)) Recently, the Central Propaganda Department (中宣部) publicized and released the advanced deeds of Comrade Dong Yijun (董亦军) to the whole society, and posthumously awarded him the title of "Role Model of the Times."

Dong Yijun (董亦军) was a male of Han ethnicity, born in October 1967 in Beijing (北京市). He was a member of the Communist Party of China (中共党员). Before his death, he was a member of the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau (北京市公安局) Party Committee and Deputy Director, and the Party Secretary and Director-General of the Traffic Management Corps (Traffic Management Bureau) (交通管理总队（交通管理局）). He consciously strengthened his awareness of the capital and adhered to the highest standards. Whether as an ordinary police officer or in a leadership position, he always placed the people in the highest position in his heart, measured public sentiment with his footsteps, solved people's worries with practical work, and dedicated his life to the people's public security cause, making outstanding contributions to the safety and stability of the capital and the happiness and well-being of the people. He strictly abided by discipline and law, was honest and clean, and insisted that "there must be no flaws in my police career." He earnestly fulfilled his leadership responsibilities in grasping the leading body, leading the team, and rectifying the atmosphere, took the lead in establishing a good family style, and set an example for the police officers of the capital. Due to a sudden illness, Comrade Dong Yijun (董亦军) passed away unfortunately on October 21, 2025, at the age of 58, despite medical treatment. He was awarded the title of "National First-Class Heroic Model of the Public Security System" and other titles, and was awarded the first-class personal merit twice.

At the "Role Model of the Times" release ceremony, the "Decision of the Central Propaganda Department (中宣部) of the Communist Party of China on Posthumously Awarding Comrade Dong Yijun (董亦军) the Title of 'Role Model of the Times'" was read out, a short film reflecting his advanced deeds was played, and the person in charge of the Central Propaganda Department (中宣部) presented the "Role Model of the Times" medal and certificate to the relatives of Comrade Dong Yijun (董亦军).

In the decision to posthumously award the title of "Role Model of the Times," the Central Propaganda Department (中宣部) pointed out that Comrade Dong Yijun (董亦军) was an outstanding representative of faithfully practicing the purpose of "the people's public security for the people." His advanced deeds powerfully interpreted the political character of a Communist Party member who keeps the original aspiration and mission in mind and is determined to benefit the people, and vividly demonstrated the image of a good cadre in the new era who is diligent in serving the people and is pragmatic and responsible. In order to publicize and commend his advanced deeds, the Central Propaganda Department (中宣部) of the Communist Party of China decided to posthumously award Comrade Dong Yijun (董亦军) the title of "Role Model of the Times," calling on the vast number of party members and cadres to take the "Role Model of the Times" as an example, unite more closely around the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) as the core, adhere to the guidance of Xi Jinping (习近平) Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, thoroughly implement the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Party and the plenary sessions of the 20th Central Committee, conscientiously implement the deployment of the Fourth Plenary Session, deeply understand the decisive significance of the "Two Establishments," enhance the "Four Consciousnesses," strengthen the "Four Confidences," and achieve the "Two Safeguards," consciously establish and practice a correct view of performance, adhere to achieving performance for the people and achieving performance through hard work, be down-to-earth, be responsible, actively participate in the practice of Chinese-style modernization, and strive to write an era answer worthy of the people.

Responsible comrades from the Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission (中央政法委), the Ministry of Public Security (公安部), and the Beijing Municipal Party Committee (北京市委), as well as party member cadres from the political and legal system, front-line police officers, and representatives of teachers and students from universities, middle schools, and primary schools in the capital, attended the release ceremony.

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Industry proposes the questions, science and technology provide the answers.

By: 本报记者 吴月辉 喻思南 谷业凯

The opening year of the "15th Five-Year Plan," on January 30th, the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee (中共中央政治局) held a collective study focusing on a theme: forward-looking planning and development of future industries. General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) profoundly pointed out: "The degree of technological breakthroughs largely determines the speed, breadth, and depth of future industrial development."

Technological innovation is the core element of developing new quality productive forces. Future industries have the characteristics of being forward-looking, strategic, and disruptive. Developing future industries requires "technological breakthroughs" to be of utmost importance.

Focusing on key areas, scientifically demonstrating technical routes, enhancing strategic forecasting capabilities, and developing in a differentiated manner according to local conditions, various regions and departments are leading industrial innovation with technological innovation, continuously injecting inexhaustible power into the development of future industries.

Fully Leverage the Advantages of the New National System to Intensify Efforts to Tackle Key Core Technologies in Key Areas

General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) emphasized: "It is necessary to fully leverage the advantages of the new national system, adhere to the principle of 'industry posing the questions, technology answering them,' and increase efforts to tackle key core technologies in key areas."

Adhering to the principle of "industry posing the questions, technology answering them" requires strengthening the tackling of key core technologies in key areas, fully embodying the organic combination of driving technological innovation with actual needs and driving industrial upgrading with technological breakthroughs.

At the Intelligent Bio-manufacturing Center of the Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (中国科学院天津工业生物技术研究所), Xia Jianye (夏建业), director of the center, is working with his team to improve the prototype of the "Microbial Parallel Bioreactor." Not far away, the digital separation pilot platform is operating smoothly, providing support for the separation of fermentation products.

Bioreactors are the "heart" of the bio-manufacturing industry, and their performance directly determines the efficiency of strain cultivation and production levels. However, for a long time, China's high-performance bioreactor field has faced many problems, and key technologies such as parallel reactors and animal cell reactors have been monopolized by foreign countries.

"With the rapid development of synthetic biology technology, laboratories can cultivate hundreds of high-yielding strains in a year, but the efficiency of traditional reactors is low and cannot keep up with the pace of strain research and development," Xia Jianye (夏建业) admitted frankly.

The pain points of the industry have become the driving force for tackling key problems. Xia Jianye (夏建业) led his team to work together and, after four years of hard work, developed the "Microbial Parallel Bioreactor," successfully solving this problem. The equipment has broken through the two core technologies of "miniaturization" and "high parallelism," and its efficiency has increased several times compared with traditional equipment.

Behind the breakthrough is the collaborative innovation of multiple units. "We have jointly formed a complete closed loop of 'scientific research institutions + manufacturing enterprises + application end' with Tianjin National Center for Synthetic Biotechnology Innovation Co., Ltd. (天津国家合成生物技术创新中心有限公司) and Bloomage Biotechnology (Tianjin) Co., Ltd. (华熙生物科技（天津）有限公司), accelerating the transformation of technological achievements and industrial implementation," Xia Jianye (夏建业) said.

Next, the team will launch an assault on automation and intelligence on the existing basis. In the future, the popularization of the equipment will accelerate the transformation of China's synthetic biology innovation achievements and promote the quality and efficiency of the bio-manufacturing industry.

Fully leveraging the advantages of the new national system is a key guarantee for promoting the development of China's future industries.

"Future industries have the characteristics of frontier uncertainty, system complexity, and strategic decisiveness. These characteristics lead to the risk of 'failure' of the market mechanism in basic research, long-term investment, and cross-field collaboration. The new national system can take national strategy as the lead and provide 'strategic patience' and long-term stable investment that the market cannot guarantee," said Xu Jiabin (徐佳宾), a professor at the Business School of Renmin University of China (中国人民大学商学院). More importantly, this system can efficiently integrate national resources, form a systematic tackling capability, and concentrate efforts to break through key core technologies.

Technological breakthroughs will also greatly accelerate the development of future industries. Wang Xiaoming (王晓明), director of the Industrial Science and Technology Innovation Research Department of the Institutes of Science and Development, Chinese Academy of Sciences (中国科学院科技战略咨询研究院), believes that "giving play to the leading role of national strategy in front-end exploration, stimulating the vitality of enterprise entities in the later stage of transformation, and promoting the rapid entry of achievements into the market, fully leveraging the advantages of the new national system will accelerate the cultivation process of future industries."

Strengthen the Strategic, Forward-looking, and Systematic Layout of Basic Research

Basic research is the source of technological innovation and the fulcrum of technological innovation in future industries.

Regarding future industries, General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) emphasized, "Strengthen the strategic, forward-looking, and systematic layout of basic research, and accelerate the transformation and application of scientific and technological achievements."

In the Hefei High-tech Zone (合肥高新区) "Quantum Avenue" (量子大道), Anhui, the operation and maintenance screen of the third-generation independent superconducting quantum computer "Origin Wukong" (本源悟空) of Origin Quantum Computing Technology (Hefei) Co., Ltd. (本源量子计算科技（合肥）股份有限公司) is constantly refreshing with access data - as of now, the global access volume has exceeded 40 million times, and the service network covers more than 160 countries and regions.

Also on "Quantum Avenue" (量子大道), QuantumCTek (国盾量子) has also made breakthroughs in 2025, not only occupying an important position in the construction of domestic quantum secure communication networks, but also achieving autonomy in key quantum computing equipment such as dilution refrigerators.

From the technological breakthroughs of leading enterprises to the industrial synergy of the entire "Quantum Avenue" (量子大道), Hefei's (合肥) quantum industry has accelerated in recent years. The rise of the quantum industry began with the accumulation of basic research. Decades of technological accumulation by the scientific research team of the University of Science and Technology of China (中国科学技术大学) laid the key seeds for industrial development.

Breakthroughs in basic research have provided a source of living water for future industries. The world's first neuromorphic complementary vision chip "Tianmou Core" (天眸芯) was successfully developed, promoting the further improvement of the neuromorphic intelligence ecosystem; breakthroughs in allogeneic universal CAR-T therapy for autoimmune diseases have taken the lead in innovating the treatment of autoimmune diseases... China's high-quality basic research results continue to emerge, building up the advantages for the development of future industries.

In the Hohhot Economic and Technological Development Zone (呼和浩特经济技术开发区) in Inner Mongolia (内蒙古), the construction of the production line for the efficient and green extraction process of paclitaxel is in full swing. In February, all related equipment will be completed and entered into the site, and test production is expected within the year. Paclitaxel is a plant-based anti-cancer natural product drug extracted from yew trees, which has low yield, complex process, and high cost. The industry hopes to replace natural extraction with biosynthetic methods, but progress has been slow.

Yan Jianbin's (闫建斌) team, a researcher at the Shenzhen Institute of Agricultural Genomics, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (中国农业科学院深圳农业基因组研究所), noticed this problem early and began to carry out forward-looking basic research. After more than 10 years of cultivation, the team relied on the independently drawn genome map to figure out the mechanism behind it, opened up the paclitaxel biosynthesis pathway, mastered completely independent intellectual property rights, and gained a first-mover advantage in the field of paclitaxel green manufacturing.

Looking forward, Yan Jianbin (闫建斌) is full of confidence: "Based on a deep understanding of paclitaxel biosynthesis, from the laboratory to the production line, we are taking every step very firmly."

"Basic research has the characteristics of long cycle, high difficulty, and great uncertainty. It is necessary to strengthen the strategic, forward-looking, and systematic layout, use the 'certainty' of the institutional layout to hedge against the 'uncertainty' of technological iteration, encourage innovation, tolerate failure, and promote the continuous growth of major original innovative achievements, which will inject power into future industries," said Xiao Youdan (肖尤丹), a researcher at the Institutes of Science and Development, Chinese Academy of Sciences (中国科学院科技战略咨询研究院).

Give Play to the Main Role of Enterprises and Lead the Industry to Move Towards the Frontier and High-end Fields

Enterprises are the main body of technological innovation and the key force in developing future industries. The rise of many future industries is driven by enterprises making breakthroughs step by step.

General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) emphasized: "It is necessary to give play to the main role of enterprises, promote the aggregation of various innovation resources to enterprises, vigorously cultivate leading science and technology enterprises and high-tech enterprises with leading core technologies and strong innovation capabilities, and lead the industry to move towards the frontier and high-end fields."

Controlled nuclear fusion, a global competition that is expected to reshape the future energy landscape, is moving from the laboratory to the market.

In Chengdu (成都), Sichuan (四川), the "China Fusion Engineering Test Reactor (CFETR)" (中国环流三号) is operating continuously and stably. In 2025, the "China Fusion Engineering Test Reactor (CFETR)" (中国环流三号) achieved a "double 100 million degree" steady-state operation with an atomic nucleus temperature of 117 million degrees Celsius and an electron temperature of 160 million degrees Celsius. Core indicators such as the "fusion triple product" have greatly increased, officially entering the key stage of fusion combustion experiments.

Also in 2025, China Fusion Energy Co., Ltd. (中国聚变能源有限公司) was officially established. From research institutes "playing the leading role" to enterprises "taking the lead," this is not only the birth of a new company, but also marks that China has pressed the "acceleration key" for the commercialization of controlled nuclear fusion.

"We will give play to the industrial empowerment advantages of enterprises in the fields of engineering design, material research and development, and equipment manufacturing, rely on China's complete nuclear industry system and rich nuclear engineering experience, focus on the key links of the entire life cycle of fusion reactors, and promote the engineering technology tackling and industrial transformation of fusion reactors step by step," said Liu Ye (刘叶), secretary of the Party Committee and chairman of China Fusion Energy Co., Ltd. (中国聚变能源有限公司).

Scientific research results "from 0 to 1," "from 1 to 100 and then to N," can only complete the market-oriented closed loop with the participation of enterprise entities. Future industries must be conceived and developed in market competition from scratch and from small to large.

As a well-known neurobiologist, Luo Minmin (罗敏敏), director of the Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders (北京脑科学与类脑研究所), has a new identity. The Beijing "Intelligent Brain-Machine System Enhancement Program" (智能脑机系统增强计划) led by Luo Minmin (罗敏敏) has incubated and established Beijing Xinzhida Neurotechnology Co., Ltd. (北京芯智达神经技术有限公司), and he also serves as the chief scientist of this start-up company.

"Brain-machine interface is a future industry and also a typical interdisciplinary complex system. We have established a 'new research and development institution + clinical institution + enterprise' industry-university-research-medicine innovation consortium to carry out organized tackling," Luo Minmin (罗敏敏) introduced. This innovative model promotes the in-depth cooperation and innovative integration of the technical end of scientific research institutions, the clinical application demand end, and the enterprise industrial transformation end. The "Beinao No. 1" (北脑一号) intelligent brain-machine system developed by Xinzhida (芯智达) has completed 6 human implants, helping patients with spinal cord injury, stroke, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis to achieve limb movement and speech function replacement and rehabilitation.

To develop future industries, enterprises are not only the recipients of scientific and technological achievements, but also the key forces in technology origination, ecological construction, market transformation, and global competition.

"Enterprises are close to market demand and highly sensitive to the prospects of technology application and the trends of industrial development. They can carry out original and disruptive technological innovation through long-cycle and high-intensity R&D investment, and promote the development and growth of future industries," said Han Junhui (韩军徽), associate researcher at the Chinese Academy of Science and Technology for Development (中国科学技术发展战略研究院). It is necessary to support leading science and technology enterprises and high-tech enterprises to take the lead in forming innovation consortia and undertake more national science and technology tackling tasks, and accelerate breakthroughs in key core technologies and cutting-edge technologies through the organic combination of an effective market and a promising government, and seize the commanding heights of future industrial development.

"It is necessary to fully leverage the advantages of the new national system, guide enterprises to cooperate closely with universities and research institutions, jointly condense scientific and technological problems oriented to industrial needs, jointly carry out key core technology tackling, and coordinate to promote the efficient transformation and application of scientific and technological achievements," said Wan Jinbo (万劲波), a researcher at the Institutes of Science and Development, Chinese Academy of Sciences (中国科学院科技战略咨询研究院).

Today's future industries may be tomorrow's strategic emerging industries and the pillar industries of the day after tomorrow. Developing future industries is a plan for the present and even more so for the future of the country. Based on objective conditions, give play to comparative advantages, adhere to seeking progress while maintaining stability, and cultivate in a gradient manner, promote the continuous achievement of new breakthroughs in the development of China's future industries, and firmly seize the commanding heights of science and technology and industry and grasp the initiative of development.

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Two Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing Aircraft Debut

This newspaper's Beijing (北京) dispatch on February 6th (Reporter Liu Shiyao (刘诗瑶)) The first aerospace-built electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOL), jointly developed by the Ninth Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (中国航天科技集团九院) and various forces in Chongqing (重庆), successfully completed its maiden flight at Da'an Airport (大安机场) in Yongchuan (永川), Chongqing (重庆) on the 6th.

The aircraft adopts a split design, consisting of a flight body composed of wings, a cockpit, and a chassis, and a land-based body in two forms. The flight body can carry two passengers to fly at a speed of 150 kilometers per hour in low altitude below 3,000 meters, and the land-based body is based on a fully electric intelligent wire-controlled chassis, which can achieve a range of more than 300 kilometers. Relying on independently developed automatic alignment and separation coupling mechanisms, the connection and separation of each part can be autonomously controlled by the program. Customized cockpits and multiple types of chassis and wing modules greatly improve the scene adaptability and use flexibility.

The aircraft is a multi-functional low-altitude equipment designed and developed for airworthiness standards, which can realize the modular combination of "aerospace-grade building blocks" and will play a role in transportation, logistics, emergency support and other fields.

This newspaper's Beijing (北京) dispatch on February 6th (Reporter Qiu Chaoyi (邱超奕)) The 5-ton eVTOL—V5000 Sky Dragon (天际龙), independently developed by Fengfei Aviation Technology (峰飞航空科技), recently completed its conversion flight in Kunshan (昆山), Jiangsu (江苏).

The take-off weight of such products is mostly concentrated in the range of 1.5 tons to 3 tons, and the passenger capacity does not exceed 6 people. The aircraft increases the take-off weight to 5 tons, the maximum range of the pure electric version is 250 kilometers, the maximum range of the hybrid version is 1,500 kilometers, the passenger version can carry 10 people, and the cargo version can realize ton-level cargo transportation, making low-altitude travel and transportation more economically feasible.

Conversion flight refers to the process of converting from vertical take-off and landing to fixed-wing cruise. It can take off and land vertically like a helicopter, and can also cruise horizontally like a fixed-wing aircraft, which can reduce energy consumption and extend the range, and can be used in intercity short-distance commuting, air logistics and other scenarios.

The aircraft adopts a compound wing configuration design and a three-wing layout, and uses 20 lift motors, which enhances the safety flight capability.

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Cherries Crossing the Ocean: A "Sweet Business" Success Story for China and Chile (Belt and Road Initiative: First Report from the Scene)

By: 本报记者 陈一鸣

On the morning of February 6th, a cargo ship carrying 136 containers, weighing approximately 2,700 tons of Chilean cherries, arrived at Guangzhou Nansha Port (广州南沙港), adding a fresh sweetness to China's Spring Festival consumer market.

According to estimates from the Chilean Fruit Exporters Association, the current season's Chilean cherry production is approximately 655,000 tons, with over 90% destined for export to China. These seasonal fruits enter Chinese households along an efficient and convenient trade route, writing a sweet story of "from orchard to table" between China and Chile.

Fruit farmers are busy harvesting—

"We are not just growing fruit, but also participating in a friendly dialogue spanning thousands of miles."

Leaving Highway 5, which runs through the north and south of Chile, the car travels along a country road for about 20 minutes to reach the Rodriguez family orchard. The orchard is located in the Central Valley of the Maule Region in central Chile. Rows of cherry trees are neatly arranged, and the crimson fruits hanging from the branches gleam in the sunlight.

"These cherries are all going to China," said Pablo Rodriguez, general manager of the orchard, to reporters. More than 10 years ago, this land was mainly used to grow corn and tomatoes. In 2012, the Rodriguez family seized market opportunities and began planting cherries.

"In 2014, our cherries successfully entered the Chinese market, which was a turning point!" Rodriguez said. Today, almost all of the cherries produced in the orchard are sold to China. Whenever the orchard welcomes the harvest season, hundreds of workers shuttle through the trees, carefully picking and sorting to ensure that the fruit enters the cold storage within 3 hours of leaving the branches.

"We know that these fruits will arrive on the other side of the world, in a market that values quality," Rodriguez said. In early 2024, at the invitation of his Chinese partners, he visited Guangzhou (广州), Guangdong (广东) for the first time. The vitality of Chinese cities and the pursuit of high-quality fruits by consumers left a deep impression on him. "We are not just growing fruit, but also participating in a friendly dialogue spanning thousands of miles."

The season when cherries are heavily marketed coincides with the Chinese Spring Festival. "The cherries are plump and ruddy, which fits the festive atmosphere of traditional Chinese festivals and are deeply loved by Chinese consumers," said Iván Marambio, chairman of the Chilean Fruit Exporters Association. In the 2024-2025 production season, Chile's cherry exports to China increased by 51% year-on-year, and China has been the largest export destination for Chilean cherries for many years. "The growth is not only reflected in quantity, but also in quality improvement and deepening cooperation." Marambio said that in order to better embrace the Chinese market, the Chilean cherry industry has formulated stricter standards for fruit size, color, sugar content, and crispness. "This is a virtuous interaction. The high requirements of the Chinese market have promoted the comprehensive upgrading of Chilean orchard planting technology and post-harvest processing levels."

Fernando Reyes Matta, director of the Latin American-China Studies Center at Andrés Bello University in Chile, said in an interview with this reporter: "China is not only a huge market, but also a market willing to grow together with its partners."

"Seizing Freshness" Relay Race—

"Ensuring that Chinese consumers taste fresh Chilean fruit that tastes like 'just picked from the branch'."

From the orchards at the foot of the Andes to the tables of Chinese consumers, for cherries that travel across nearly half the globe, "seizing freshness" is an important lifeline, and transportation becomes a relay race against time.

Chile's Highway 5 is the transportation artery connecting orchards, packaging plants, and ports, and is known locally as the "Cherry Highway." In recent years, the Chilean government has cooperated with Chinese companies to improve logistics efficiency through technological upgrades, promote non-sense toll collection systems on key road sections, greatly shorten the transit time of transport vehicles, and allow the fruit to enter pre-cooling warehouses faster, saving valuable time for ocean shipping.

The maritime transport link is also constantly being optimized. In November 2025, the first "Cherry Express" of the new season set sail from San Antonio Port (圣安东尼奥港) in Chile, heading directly to China, reducing the voyage to about 23 days, more than half the time of ordinary routes. At the launching ceremony, Chilean Minister of Agriculture, Ignacia Fernández, said: "An efficient and stable direct航体系 is our solemn commitment to the Chinese market, ensuring that Chinese consumers taste fresh Chilean fruit that tastes like 'just picked from the branch'."

The final leg of this relay is handed over to Chinese ports. Major entry ports such as Tianjin (天津), Shanghai (上海), and Guangzhou (广州) have all opened "green channels" for fresh agricultural products, implementing convenient measures such as "advance declaration" and "unaccompanied inspection" to ensure efficient customs clearance for fresh fruits such as cherries.

"The rapid development of Sino-Chilean trade has driven the continuous upgrading of logistics, transportation, and other fields in Chile, and has also promoted industrial coordination and the improvement of public governance capabilities," Matta said. Cherries have become "star products" on the tables of Chinese consumers, which is not only due to their high quality, but also to the high degree of mutual trust between the two sides in trade rules, inspection and quarantine, and logistics systems. "This is precisely the embodiment of the China opportunity—ordinary fruit farmers at the foot of the Andes also have the opportunity to integrate into the global value chain."

In Marambio's view, the success of the Chilean cherry industry is inseparable from the solid friendly relations and institutional guarantees between the two countries. "Chile was the first South American country to sign a free trade agreement with China. Over the years, the agricultural, customs, and other departments of the two countries have worked closely together to create a stable, transparent, and convenient policy environment for fruit trade, reflecting China's high trust in the quality and safety system of Chilean agricultural products."

Building the Industrial Chain—

"China's opportunities are providing realistic support for the development of Latin American countries in a more three-dimensional and diverse way."

The development of cherry trade is a microcosm of Sino-Chilean agricultural cooperation moving towards a deeper and broader field. "Cherries have become a golden calling card for Chilean agriculture," said Claudia Soler, executive director of the Cherry Committee of the Chilean Fruit Exporters Association. "From variety research and development, intensive planting, intelligent sorting, cold chain logistics to brand marketing, cherry trade has driven the transformation and upgrading of the entire industrial chain, created a large number of jobs, and brought prosperity to rural areas in Chile."

In recent years, the Chilean Fruit Exporters Association has continued to bring itself closer to Chinese consumers by establishing offices in China, carrying out localized marketing, deepening cooperation with e-commerce platforms, and building brands. "We are actively learning from China's advanced experience in e-commerce marketing, supply chain management, and other aspects," Soler said. Cooperation has also extended to the fields of science and technology and sustainable development. The Cherry Committee of the Chilean Fruit Exporters Association is carrying out agricultural research cooperation with Chinese scientific research institutions, and the industries of the two countries are also exchanging technologies and experiences in smart irrigation and green prevention and control of plant diseases and insect pests.

"Many fruit farmers' lives have changed because of the Chinese market opportunities," Marambio told reporters. Andrés Cortés, a fruit farmer in Talca (塔尔卡) City, graduated from university in 2009 and planted cherries with his fellow villagers. Today, the cooperative he belongs to exports nearly 1,000 tons of cherries to China every year. "Stable income allows farmers to have the confidence to expand reproduction and introduce new technologies, and their lives are more prosperous. This is a vivid portrayal of the mutually beneficial and win-win economic and trade relationship between the two sides."

José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), headquartered in Santiago (圣地亚哥), said that the current Latin America-China cooperation is gradually moving towards a higher quality stage of development, and the connotation of cooperation is constantly expanding, extending to emerging fields such as the digital economy, green energy, and technological innovation. "This kind of cooperation is not a one-way output, but is based on complementary advantages and common development goals." He said that with the in-depth alignment of the "Belt and Road" initiative with the development strategies of Latin American countries, the potential of Latin America-China cooperation continues to be released. "From a cherry to an industrial chain, from agricultural product trade to infrastructure and digital economy cooperation, China's opportunities are providing realistic support for the development of Latin American countries in a more three-dimensional and diverse way."

In the sunset, Rodriguez stood on a high point in the orchard, watching another batch of cold chain trucks loaded with cherries drive onto Highway 5, heading to China across the ocean. "This is a story of mutual奔赴. In the past, we only thought about growing the fruit well. Now, we know that we are participating in a far-reaching undertaking—connecting two distant countries with sweet fruits." He said, "We will continue to firmly walk this 'sweet road'."

(Reported from Santiago (圣地亚哥) by our correspondent. Luis Blanco of the Latin American Center Branch participated in the writing.)

Layout design: Shen Yiling (沈亦伶)

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Seventy Years of Legacy, Together Towards a New Chapter (Ambassador's Notes: Seventy Years of Shared Aspirations, Together Towards Modernization)

By: 蒋 烽

The year 2026 marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Africa. Seventy years of weathering storms together, seventy years of fruitful achievements. From the Bandung Conference jointly issuing the strong voice of the era against imperialism, colonialism, independence, and self-reliance, to the Tanzania-Zambia Railway spanning the African hinterland, Chinese and African builders have worked side by side, paving the way for development and revitalization with sweat and blood. Furthermore, China has achieved "full coverage" of strategic partnership relations with all 53 African countries that have diplomatic ties with it. Over the past 70 years, China and Africa have fought side by side in the struggle to defend sovereignty and independence, supported each other on the road to development and revitalization, and helped each other in the changing international situation, jointly safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries, and forging a brotherly friendship of sharing weal and woe and a common destiny.

This year is also the "China-Africa Year of People-to-People and Cultural Exchanges." Holding the "China-Africa Year of People-to-People and Cultural Exchanges" is an important consensus reached by President Xi Jinping (习近平) and African leaders, and an important measure to promote China-Africa friendship to further penetrate the hearts of the people at a new historical starting point. Recently, the opening ceremony of the 2026 "China-Africa Year of People-to-People and Cultural Exchanges" was held at the African Union (非盟) headquarters. President Xi Jinping (习近平) sent a congratulatory letter to the opening ceremony, profoundly expounding the important significance of mutual learning between civilizations in promoting the modernization of China and Africa, and clearly pointing out the direction and principles of China-Africa people-to-people and cultural exchanges and cooperation. Continuing the tradition of starting the new year with a visit to Africa, the Chinese Foreign Minister, together with Congolese (布) Foreign Minister Gakosso (加科索), the non-African co-chair of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (中非合作论坛), African Union Commission (非盟委员会) Chairperson Youssouf (优素福), Ethiopian President Taye (塔耶), and other dignitaries, attended the opening ceremony and unanimously agreed that strengthening mutual learning between civilizations is of great significance for promoting the modernization of China and Africa and promoting the high-quality development of China-Africa cooperation.

People-to-people exchanges are the most solid foundation of the China-Africa friendship edifice, and mutual learning between civilizations is the strongest driving force for the ship of China-Africa cooperation. For a long time, China and Africa have carried out extensive exchanges and cooperation in education, culture, science, and technology, continuously enhancing mutual understanding and emotional identity, and providing a solid public opinion foundation for China-Africa political mutual trust and pragmatic cooperation. At present, China and Africa are both at a critical stage of their respective development and revitalization, with infinitely broad cooperation space and brighter prospects. Taking the "China-Africa Year of People-to-People and Cultural Exchanges" as an opportunity, nearly 600 exchange activities will gather the strength of youth, culture, media, and other aspects, covering a wide range of China-Africa exchanges, and further enhance the sense of gain and identity of the people of both sides. This will not only create new opportunities for practicing the true and sincere concept of China's Africa policy and tapping the potential of pragmatic cooperation in various fields, but also inject new impetus into China and Africa's joint efforts to promote modernization, and provide new support for building a closer China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era.

The evolution of the once-in-a-century changes is accelerating, and the rise of the Global South, represented by China and Africa, is unstoppable. At the same time, chaos is emerging in the international situation, and unilateralism, protectionism, and hegemonism are intensifying. The "law of the jungle" violates international law and the basic norms of international relations, and power hegemony infringes on the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries. Faced with a world of intertwined changes and chaos, China and Africa need to uphold fairness and justice and strengthen unity and mutual assistance more than ever before. China and Africa will continue their traditional friendship, strengthen mutual learning between civilizations, strengthen personnel exchanges, especially youth exchanges, deepen exchanges of experience in governance, jointly promote modernization, and promote the connection of hearts, the integration of emotions, and the convergence of strength of more than 2.8 billion Chinese and African people, which will make new contributions to the Global South's united response to global challenges, the promotion of the common values of all mankind, and the promotion of the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

Standing at a new historical starting point, China and Africa, upholding their original aspiration of friendship and consolidating the cornerstone of cooperation, will surely continuously enhance the color of the China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era by transcending civilizational estrangement with civilizational exchanges, transcending civilizational conflicts with civilizational mutual learning, and transcending civilizational superiority with civilizational inclusiveness, and jointly move towards a better tomorrow for China-Africa relations and the development and revitalization of the Global South!

(The author is the head of the Chinese Mission to the African Union (中国驻非盟使团) and Ambassador)

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China willing to work with APEC economies to jointly build an Asia-Pacific food system

Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, February 6 (Reporter Gu Yiping (古一平)) - The reporter learned on the 6th from the National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration (国家粮食和物资储备局): At the first plenary meeting of the APEC Food Security Policy Partnership (PPFS) 2026 held in Guangzhou (广州市), Guangdong Province (广东省) from February 5th to 6th, Liu Huanxin (刘焕鑫), Director of the National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration (国家粮食和物资储备局), put forward three initiatives focusing on jointly building the Asia-Pacific food system.

Adhere to a systematic approach and promote the construction of a "from farm to table" full industrial chain cooperation mechanism. China is willing to actively share its experience and practices in food reserve management, green grain storage technology, and the implementation of the whole grain action plan, and strive to ensure food security at a higher level.

Adhere to innovation-driven development and cultivate new momentum for food security cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region. China is willing to take the lead in formulating initiative documents, continue to hold the "APEC Food Industry Chain Digitalization and Innovation Technology Research and Experience Exchange Seminar," create a normalized and institutionalized platform for policy dialogue, information sharing, and project docking, and promote the formation of an innovative collaborative system.

Adhere to cooperation and mutual benefit, and consolidate and deepen the Asia-Pacific food security policy partnership. China is willing to work with all member economies to support APEC's relevant mechanisms to fully play their role, based on the diverse characteristics of the Asia-Pacific economies' food systems, dietary structures, and food cultures, promote mutual learning, mutual benefit, and complementary advantages among all parties, and form a cooperative situation of mutual achievement and common development.

Liu Huanxin (刘焕鑫) said that the PPFS is an important dialogue and cooperation platform in the APEC food field. The National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration of China (中国国家粮食和物资储备局) is willing to take this meeting as an opportunity to jointly promote the construction of a resilient, open, efficient, and sustainable Asia-Pacific food system with relevant departments of APEC economies.

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Chinese Entrepreneur Delegation Visits Morocco

According to Xinhua News Agency, Rabat, February 6th (Reporter Zhao Yining (赵一宁)) From the 4th to the 6th, the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (中国贸促会) organized a delegation of Chinese entrepreneurs to visit Rabat, Casablanca and other places in Morocco. Taking the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Africa and the 10th anniversary of the establishment of a strategic partnership between China and Morocco as an opportunity, the visit aimed to strengthen communication and exchanges between the business communities of China and Africa, and China and Morocco, and to deepen practical cooperation in trade, investment and other fields.

During the visit, Ren Hongbin (任鸿斌), Chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (中国贸促会), led the delegation to have extensive exchanges with Moroccan political and business figures, introduced China's new measures to adhere to high-quality development and a high-level of opening up, and promoted the 4th China International Supply Chain Expo.

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Pakistani Public's Positive Sentiment Towards China Significantly Increases

By: 本报记者 赵益普

A recent research report released by the Pakistan Institute of International Relations and Media showed that from 2015 to 2025, the Pakistani people's favorability towards China has significantly increased, mainly due to the smooth progress of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (中巴经济走廊) construction and the increasingly frequent people-to-people interactions between Pakistan and China. The report believes that since the upgrading of Pakistan-China relations to an all-weather strategic cooperative partnership in 2015, the two countries have not only consolidated mutual trust at the official level, but also promoted friendly exchanges between the people.

According to Pakistan's "Dawn" (《黎明报》) newspaper, the research report was jointly completed by the Pakistan Institute of International Relations and Media and the World Bank's (世界银行) resident agency in Pakistan. It adopted a questionnaire survey format, and the respondents came from various fields such as the Pakistani government, social organizations, enterprises, think tanks, and media, as well as ordinary people.

In 2015, China and Pakistan established an all-weather strategic cooperative partnership. The governments of the two countries determined a "1+4" economic cooperation layout with the construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (中巴经济走廊) as the lead, and Gwadar Port (瓜达尔港), energy, transportation infrastructure, and industrial cooperation as the focus. The construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (中巴经济走廊) has entered a fast lane. The report shows that with the rapid advancement of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (中巴经济走廊) construction, a large number of Pakistan-China cooperation projects have been implemented, creating a large number of jobs and improving Pakistan's infrastructure level. "The economic and social spillover effects of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (中巴经济走廊) and the tangible cooperative contacts between the people of Pakistan and China have enhanced the Pakistani people's sense of trust in China." The report said that the reports of friendly cooperation by Pakistani and Chinese media further strengthened the Pakistani people's favorability towards China.

The report pointed out that over the past 10 years, Pakistan's level of interconnectivity has improved, social security has improved, and the business environment has become more convenient. These changes are inseparable from the construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (中巴经济走廊). At the same time, cooperation between Pakistan and China in the fields of academics, culture, and education has become increasingly close, and a large number of Pakistani students have gone to China to study. For the Pakistani people, learning Chinese has changed from cultural curiosity to employment and educational needs. "People-to-people interaction makes the Pakistani people's friendship with China more concrete." The report said, "The '2.0 upgraded version' of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (中巴经济走廊) construction will continue to enhance the Pakistani people's favorability towards China."

Gwadar Port (瓜达尔港) has been transformed from a fishing village into a regional hub, the Lahore (拉合尔) Orange Line (橙线) rail transit has stimulated the development vitality of the ancient city, the Sukki Kinari (苏吉吉纳里) Hydropower Station (水电站) has promoted energy supply security and green transformation, and the Khunjerab Pass (红其拉甫口岸) has achieved year-round opening... As an important pilot project for jointly building the "Belt and Road" (一带一路), the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (中巴经济走廊) construction has achieved fruitful results in the past 10 years, bringing a cumulative US$25.93 billion in direct investment, 261,000 direct jobs, 510 kilometers of highways, more than 8,000 megawatts of electricity, and 886 kilometers of core transmission networks to Pakistan. "Dawn" (《黎明报》) commented that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (中巴经济走廊) has profoundly changed Pakistan's infrastructure, energy structure, and trade pattern.

Noreen Choudhry (努琳·乔杜里), Chief Executive Officer of Pakistan's "National Media Group" (国家媒体集团), said that in the past, Pakistan often experienced power outages, factories were forced to shut down, and students could only study by candlelight. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (中巴经济走廊) has brought new power facilities and a stable power supply. "These changes are truly felt by the Pakistani people, and we recognize China as a true friend and partner."

"The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (中巴经济走廊) has had a huge positive impact on Pakistan's economy, society, and people's lives. In my hometown of Balochistan (俾路支省), the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (中巴经济走廊) has continuously improved the local energy supply, transportation infrastructure, and the construction of Gwadar Port (瓜达尔港), greatly improving the level of interconnectivity, and the development results are impressive." Pakistani Senator Kakar (卡卡尔) said that 2026 is the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China, and he looks forward to Pakistan and China continuing to strengthen cooperation in agriculture, climate, information technology, and other fields, so that the fruits of cooperation will benefit more people, and make Pakistan-China friendship more down-to-earth and deeply rooted in the hearts of the people 深入人心 (shēn rù rén xīn - "enter deeply people's hearts," deeply appreciated by everyone).

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The 10th China-Spain Forum Held in Madrid

This newspaper's Madrid, February 6th (Reporter Yan Huan (颜欢)) The 10th China-Spain Forum was held in Madrid (马德里), Spain from the 5th to the 6th. More than 150 representatives from the governments, think tanks, enterprises, and media of the two countries conducted in-depth discussions and reached broad consensus. The conference was co-sponsored by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (中国人民对外友好协会) and the Spain-China Council Foundation (西班牙中国理事基金会).

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) and Chinese Executive Chairman of the forum, stated that the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (中国人民对外友好协会) is willing to work with the West to earnestly implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries and make good use of the China-Spain Forum mechanism: firmly uphold multilateralism and maintain the stability of the international order with respect for the rule of law; adhere to mutual benefit and win-win results, and solve global development bottlenecks with pragmatic cooperation; invigorate cultural exchanges, and deepen the mutual understanding of the people of the two countries with the power of youth.

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China's Green Development Practice Seen Through "Two 50 Percents"

By: 金 轩

China is firmly committed to the path of ecological priority and green development, and is a staunch actor and important contributor to global green development. Two sets of data continue to attract attention: first, the installed capacity of renewable energy accounts for more than 50% of the country's total installed power generation capacity, and second, its contribution to the world's new installed renewable energy capacity continues to exceed 50%. The "two 50%" are a microcosm of China's achievements in green development. In fact, this remarkable achievement did not fall from the sky, nor did it occur naturally through pure market regulation. Like many of China's development achievements in the new era, this is the result of adhering to the combination of an effective market and a promising government, and continuously stimulating market vitality, institutional vitality, and social creativity.

Implementing the new development concept to build consensus and gather strength for green development. Under the scientific guidance of Xi Jinping (习近平) Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, especially Xi Jinping (习近平) Economic Thought and Xi Jinping (习近平) Thought on Ecological Civilization, the concept that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" has taken root in people's hearts, profoundly reshaping development logic and market behavior. More and more business entities have improved their competitiveness and influence through proactive green transformation, playing an increasingly important role in green development.

Strengthening planning and guidance to point out the direction and clarify the path for the green transformation of enterprises. Scientific formulation and successive implementation of five-year plans is an important experience of our party in governing the country. The "13th Five-Year Plan" proposed "firmly establishing and implementing the development concepts of innovation, coordination, green, openness, and sharing," and the "14th Five-Year Plan" clarified the relevant requirements for achieving the "dual carbon" goals. The continuity of the plan ensures the coherence of goals, the transparency of policies, and the stability of expectations, enabling enterprises to firmly invest in long-term research and development and green transformation, and opening up the entire chain from the implementation of macro policies to micro-level behavior.

Adhering to innovation-driven development to improve the quality and efficiency of green productivity and shape advantages. China is accelerating the green and low-carbon technological revolution, strengthening cutting-edge disruptive low-carbon technology innovation, increasing the promotion and application of green and low-carbon technologies, and promoting enterprises to shift from competing on scale and price to competing on quality and technology. At the same time, the market provides a broad experimental space and rich application scenarios for innovation, enabling it to quickly update and iterate and realize commercial value, promoting the continuous emergence of new technologies, new products, new business forms, and new models, and accelerating the transformation of the advantages of a super-large market into competitive advantages in green industries.

Strengthening institutional support to increase momentum, tap potential, and activate vitality for green development. China adheres to promoting green development with the concept of the rule of law and the method of the rule of law, and uses the strictest system and the strictest rule of law to ensure green development. Dozens of relevant laws have been promulgated and implemented, the Ecological Environment Code has been compiled and a green and low-carbon development section has been established, and the strategy and system of main functional areas, the property rights system of natural resource assets, and the system of territorial space development and protection have been established and improved, and the "four beams and eight pillars" have been gradually consolidated. These laws and regulations effectively regulate market order, create a fair and competitive market environment, and promote the development of the market economy on the track of the rule of law.

Improving element guarantees to help business entities make up for shortcomings, improve efficiency, and increase benefits. China continues to improve fiscal, taxation, financial, investment, and pricing policies that support green development, implement relevant tax and fee preferential policies, vigorously develop green finance, deepen the market-oriented reform of on-grid electricity prices for new energy, improve the market-oriented allocation system for resource and environmental factors, and continuously stimulate the enthusiasm of the entire society to participate in green development. With policy support, China has become the world's largest and fastest-growing new energy vehicle market, the green electricity output of new energy enterprises can be converted into green certificates and obtain additional income, and energy-saving transformation of small and micro enterprises can obtain preferential treatment in financing costs through green finance. Green transformation is no longer a heavy burden, but a visible and tangible economic benefit.

Under the mutual coordination and mutual promotion of the role of the government and the role of the market, China has built the world's largest and fastest-growing renewable energy system, formed the world's largest and most complete new energy industry chain, realized the world's largest and fastest promotion and application of new energy vehicles, and has become one of the countries with the fastest decline in energy consumption intensity in the world, and is the country with the fastest and largest "greening" in the world.

As the world's largest developing country, China has not only created a remarkable miracle of green development, but also contributed Chinese wisdom and Chinese solutions to global ecological governance and the construction of a clean and beautiful world with practical actions. It continues to provide high-quality and efficient green and low-carbon products to the world, especially to the vast number of developing countries. Products such as wind power, photovoltaics, and new energy vehicles are exported to more than 200 countries and regions, providing 70% of the world's wind power equipment and 80% of photovoltaic module equipment to the world, promoting the cost of global wind power and photovoltaic power generation to drop by more than 60% and 80% respectively, allowing the dream of green development in developing countries to be lit up.

China's green development practice shows that coordinating the relationship between an effective market and a promising government, organically combining the "invisible hand" and the "visible hand" to complement each other, and continuously releasing the synergistic advantages of the "two hands" is precisely the "code" for China's green development miracle, and will continue to add green color to a beautiful China.

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A Significant Strategic Opportunity Beckons for the Development of Service Consumption (Authoritative Release)

By: 本报记者 王 珂

On February 6th, the State Council Information Office (国新办) held a State Council policy briefing to introduce the "Work Plan for Accelerating the Cultivation of New Growth Points in Service Consumption" (《加快培育服务消费新增长点工作方案》), hereinafter referred to as the "Work Plan."

Specific Support Policies for Domestic Services, Auto Aftermarket, and Performing Arts Will Be Formulated and Issued

Yan Dong (鄢东), Vice Minister of Commerce, introduced that the General Office of the State Council recently issued the "Work Plan," which makes systematic arrangements for further optimizing and expanding the supply of services, cultivating new growth points in service consumption, and promoting the improvement of quality and benefits for the people in service consumption.

Kong Dejun (孔德军), Director-General of the Department of Trade in Services and Commercial Services of the Ministry of Commerce, stated that with the improvement of residents' living standards, the consumption structure of residents is shifting from commodity consumption to a focus on both commodity and service consumption, and service consumption is increasingly becoming an important engine for high-quality economic development. From 2020 to 2025, the average annual growth of per capita service consumption expenditure of residents was 8.5%, demonstrating strong growth momentum; the proportion of per capita service consumption expenditure in residents' per capita consumption expenditure increased to 46.1%, an increase of 3.5 percentage points.

"In the coming period, the development of service consumption will usher in an important strategic opportunity period, and service consumption will play an important role in driving the increase in residents' consumption rate and promoting high-quality economic development," said Kong Dejun. While the scale of consumption is expanding, the focus of consumption is shifting from "whether there is" to "whether it is good," and the demand for personalized, diversified, and high-quality service consumption products is becoming increasingly strong.

The Ministry of Commerce will rely on the service consumption coordination mechanism to take the lead in implementing the "Work Plan," coordinate all aspects of strength, accelerate the cultivation of new growth points in service consumption, and provide strong support for the high-quality development of China's economy:

In terms of continuously improving the policy and measure system, it will work with relevant departments to build a "1+N" policy system for cultivating new growth points in service consumption, and formulate and issue more than 10 specific area support policies for domestic services, the auto aftermarket, performing arts, railway-tourism integration, and inbound consumption in accordance with the idea of "one policy for each industry," and promote the clearing of unreasonable restrictive measures that restrict service consumption.

In terms of promoting the improvement of quality and benefits for the people in service consumption, it will accelerate the formulation and issuance of an action plan to improve the quality and benefits of service consumption for the people, including more than 60 specific measures, and work together from both the supply and demand sides to promote the improvement of service supply levels in the fields of cultural entertainment, tourism and leisure, and sports events with relevant departments.

In terms of grasping the construction of platform carriers, it will solidly promote the pilot projects of new consumption formats, new models, and new scenarios, the pilot projects of automobile circulation consumption reform, the pilot projects of international consumption environment construction, and the construction of high-quality outdoor sports destinations, and create a number of new consumption scenarios with a wide driving range and high visibility to promote the cultivation of new growth points in service consumption. At the same time, continue to host consumer promotion activities such as the "Service Consumption Season" (服务消费季) and the "Chinese Food Festival" (中华美食荟).

Promote the Construction and Renovation of Charging Facilities in Highway Service Areas

Transportation connects both ends of production and life and is closely related to multiple service consumption areas. Liu Dong (刘东), head of the Department of Comprehensive Planning of the Ministry of Transport, said that the Ministry of Transport, together with the Ministry of Commerce, has deeply implemented the action to improve the quality and benefits of service consumption for the people, continuously optimized and expanded the supply of services, and provided strong support for high-quality economic development.

Liu Dong introduced that the Ministry of Transport plans to cultivate a number of new growth points in transportation service consumption. Promote the high-quality development of small and micro passenger car rentals, and will work with relevant departments to improve the service network for small and micro passenger car rentals, promote free or low-cost car returns in different places, and further strengthen the supply of rental vehicles during key periods; cultivate and develop yacht consumption, and are accelerating the research and formulation of a number of measures to expand yacht consumption; focus on expanding cruise consumption and support qualified localities to develop cruise services.

Self-driving tours have become a new hot spot for tourism consumption. Liu Dong said that they will strengthen the research and introduction of implementation plans for high-quality self-driving tourism highways and create a number of long-distance, cross-regional, and high-quality self-driving tourism routes. Promote the construction and renovation of charging facilities in highway service areas and increase the number of high-power charging facilities. In 2026, it is planned to build more than 10,000 charging guns in highway service areas across the country, of which no less than 25% will be high-power charging guns, thereby focusing on improving the guarantee capacity of charging services.

Aftermarket services such as automobile modification, leasing, competitions, and camping are not only closely related to the people's needs for a better life, but also have great consumption growth space and potential. Kong Dejun said that the Ministry of Commerce will continue to promote the expansion and quality improvement of automobile aftermarket service consumption. Establish and improve the automobile modification standard system, promote the construction of an automobile modification management system, and promote the active and orderly development of the automobile modification market; study and formulate policy measures to promote the high-quality development of automobile leasing, further optimize the automobile leasing service network, and promote the coordinated development of automobile leasing and tourism and other industries. At the same time, around recreational vehicle camping, racing events, etc., improve policy design in different fields, optimize product and service supply, cultivate new formats, create new scenarios, and better meet the diverse automobile consumption needs of the public.

Sports Events, Online Audio-Visual Programs, and Inbound Consumption Have Many Highlights

Ai Yu (艾郁), head of the Sports Economy Department of the General Administration of Sport, introduced that the 2025-2026 ice and snow season has undiminished popularity and consumption enthusiasm. Data shows that from November 1, 2025 to January 31, 2026, the cumulative number of visitors to ski resorts across the country reached 118 million, of which 1.255 million were inbound visitors, an increase of 89.2% year-on-year; the total consumption of ski resorts and surrounding areas was 69.15 billion yuan, and the number of transactions reached 890 million, an increase of 6% year-on-year.

Since last year, the General Administration of Sport has carried out pilot work to promote sports consumption and the sports event economy in 30 cities including Shenyang (沈阳) in Liaoning (辽宁), Hangzhou (杭州) in Zhejiang (浙江), and Jinan (济南) in Shandong (山东), and has continuously enriched consumption content. At the same time, it has carried out pilot monitoring of consumption driven by sports events in 7 places including Hebei (河北), Fujian (福建), and Sichuan (四川). In 2025, a total of 1,947 key events were monitored, realizing 43.128 billion yuan in consumption. This year, the relevant work of the two pilots will be deepened.

Online audio-visual programs have been deeply integrated into the economy, society, and people's lives, and have become an important field for activating consumption and serving people's livelihoods. Wang Xiaoliang (王小亮), Director-General of the Online Audio-Visual Program Management Department of the State Administration of Radio and Television, introduced that the current scale of online audio-visual users in China is 1.091 billion, and the usage rate of netizens is 98.4%. In 2025, the market size of the entire online audio-visual industry will be nearly one trillion yuan. Micro-short dramas are driving new audio-visual cultural service consumption. In 2025, 33,000 micro-short dramas were launched and broadcast, with nearly 700 million domestic users and a market size that doubled year-on-year, exceeding 100 billion yuan.

The State Administration of Radio and Television will accelerate the cultivation of new growth points in online audio-visual service consumption and guide the creation of more high-quality works that combine ideological, artistic, and market appeal. Expand the new model of "online audio-visual +," and deeply integrate with education, cultural tourism, health, e-commerce, and other fields. Highlight technology innovation-driven, and deepen the integrated application of generative artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and other technologies. Increase policy support, strengthen ecological governance, strengthen copyright protection, and build a healthy, orderly, and innovation-encouraging industry ecology.

Inbound consumption plays an important role in boosting consumption. Yan Dong said that the Ministry of Commerce actively works with relevant departments to deepen the construction of international consumption center cities, promote the pilot project of international consumption environment construction, and continuously enhance the attractiveness of "China Tourism" (中国游) and "China Shopping" (中国购). In 2025, the number of foreigners entering and leaving the country at ports across the country was 82.035 million, an increase of 26.4% year-on-year, and the sales of goods for tax refund for departure increased by 95.9% year-on-year; by the end of 2025, there were nearly 13,000 tax refund shops for departure across the country.

In the next step, the Ministry of Commerce will strengthen policy design, optimize platform construction, continue to build the "Shopping in China" (购在中国) brand, and continuously attract and expand inbound consumption; take the lead in formulating relevant policy measures to promote the export of travel services and expand inbound consumption; deepen the construction of international consumption center cities and continue to promote the pilot work of international consumption environment construction; vigorously develop tax refunds for departure, further optimize tax refund services, and effectively stimulate the potential of inbound consumption.

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Over 10 Million New Members in New Forms of Employment Join Labor Unions in Past 3 Years

According to the All-China Federation of Trade Unions (全国总工会), more than 12,000 municipal and county-level federations of trade unions for new forms of business have been established nationwide, and nearly 10.736 million new employment form workers have been recruited as members in the past three years.

Since the launch of the three-year action plan for trade unions to protect the rights and interests of new employment form workers in 2023, it has focused on the concerns of workers and has made progress and achievements in areas such as establishing trade unions and recruiting members, protecting rights and providing services, and skills training. It has achieved full coverage of trade union establishment in prefecture-level and above branches of 12 leading platform enterprises and full coverage of trade union establishment in branches of 7 key platform enterprises in key cities. In addition, 15 platform enterprises have conducted algorithm and labor rule consultations and signed collective agreements, covering more than 20 million new employment form workers.

The All-China Federation of Trade Unions (全国总工会) and trade unions at all levels continue to optimize service positions and carry out care activities. Nearly 180,000 trade union驿站 (yìzhàn - "relay stations," service stations for workers) and more than 10,000 "Driver Homes" have been built. The 12351 trade union service hotline for workers has answered 34,300 calls involving new employment form workers. Activities such as trade union's "Sending Warmth" and "Sending Coolness" have been carried out, offering condolences to 5.56 million new employment form workers. "Trade Union Love Meals" have been distributed 22 million times, "Trade Union Mobile Physical Examinations" have served 700,000 people, and about 2.478 million people have participated in the trade union's mutual assistance "Special Accidental Injury Protection" program. The All-China Federation of Trade Unions (全国总工会) has also issued an overall plan for carrying out special actions by trade unions to protect the rights and interests of new employment form workers, and will take a number of measures to safeguard the rights and interests of new employment form workers.

Reported by Yi Shuran (易舒冉), Beijing (北京), February 6th.

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Photo Story

On February 6th, a passenger train entered the South Port Terminal of Haikou (海口), Hainan (海南). After precise alignment, it was divided into multiple sections and pushed into the cabins of the Hainan Railway Ferry, crossing the Qiongzhou Strait (琼州海峡) in a "train-ferry" manner.

Photo by Zhang Mao (张茂) (Image China)

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An Important Sign of More Proactive and Systematic Alignment with National Development Strategies

By: 本报记者 冯学知

Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Chief Executive John Lee (李家超) stated on February 4th that this year marks the beginning of the nation's "15th Five-Year Plan," and he will lead various policy bureaus and departments of the SAR government to proactively connect with the "15th Five-Year Plan" framework and formulate Hong Kong's first five-year plan. This has garnered widespread attention and enthusiastic discussion from all sectors of Hong Kong society, who believe that this move represents a significant shift in Hong Kong's governance model and an important sign that Hong Kong is more proactively and systematically connecting with national development strategies, which will help Hong Kong achieve better development by integrating into and serving the overall national development.

Stanley Tan (谭耀宗), Secretary-General of the Hong Kong Coalition to Power Up, believes that Hong Kong society needs systematic and forward-looking governance solutions. The formulation of a five-year plan for Hong Kong is an innovative practice to improve the executive-led system, reflecting the SAR government's determination and commitment. NPC Deputy and Legislative Council Member for the Hong Kong SAR, Brave Chan Yung (陈勇), stated that in the face of profound changes in the global landscape, the formulation of a five-year plan for Hong Kong is a strategic choice to adapt to the times and take the initiative, and it is also a key step in closely integrating "what the country needs" with "what Hong Kong is good at." Chung Ki-fung (钟奇峰), a director of the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce of Hong Kong and a member of the Legislative Council of the Hong Kong SAR, believes that the formulation of a five-year plan for Hong Kong is a significant benefit to the business community, which will help industries such as import and export, and professional services better integrate into the new development pattern.

Lau Siu-kai (刘兆佳), consultant of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies, stated that the formulation of a five-year plan for Hong Kong marks a more proactive approach by Hong Kong in integrating into the overall national development, which will help enhance the confidence of investors at home and abroad in Hong Kong's development. Liang Haiming (梁海明), a Hong Kong economist and Dean of the Belt and Road Think Tank, believes that the country's five-year plan demonstrates a strategic vision with 高瞻远瞩 (gāo zhān yuǎn zhǔ - "far-sighted," having great foresight) and firm strategic determination. The formulation of a five-year plan for Hong Kong will enable it to better connect with the national development plan and lay a more solid foundation for Hong Kong's long-term development.

An editorial in Hong Kong's *Ta Kung Pao* stated that the formulation of a five-year plan for Hong Kong can not only better connect with national strategies and respond to popular opinion, but is also an inevitable choice to cope with various risks and challenges and create a new situation for development, which can promote Hong Kong's accelerated development and better integrate into and serve the overall national development. An editorial in Hong Kong's *Wen Wei Po* believes that the formulation of a five-year plan for Hong Kong is a layout with a global mindset and a long-term vision, which will transform the opportunities of the "15th Five-Year Plan" into a powerful driving force for Hong Kong to move from stability to prosperity. The "Pearl of the Orient" will surely be even more charming.

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Ni Qiang, Former Member of the Standing Committee and Secretary-General of the Hainan Provincial Party Committee, Severely Violated Party Discipline and Laws and Was Expelled from the Party and Removed from Public Office

This newspaper reported from Beijing on February 6th (Reporter Zhao Cheng (赵成)) With the approval of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (中共中央), the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission (中央纪委国家监委) conducted a case review and investigation into the serious violations of discipline and law by Ni Qiang (倪强), former member of the Standing Committee and Secretary-General of the Hainan Provincial Party Committee (海南省委).

The investigation found that Ni Qiang lost his ideals and beliefs, betrayed his original aspiration and mission, made reckless comments on the major policies of the Party Central Committee (党中央), implemented the Party Central Committee's major decisions and deployments with **打折扣、搞变通** (dǎ zhé kòu, gǎo biàn tōng - "discount and be flexible," to offer a discount and seek alternatives, meaning to not fully implement or follow through with directives), resisted organizational review, and engaged in superstitious activities for a long time; violated the spirit of the Eight-Point Regulation of the Central Committee (中央八项规定精神), had serious privileged thinking, sought special treatment for himself and his relatives, violated regulations against the wind, and accepted banquets in violation of regulations; sought benefits for others in cadre selection and appointment and other work; condoned his spouse for obtaining salary without actually working, and illegally accepted gifts and money; had no regard for laws and disciplines, had no awe, used his position to seek benefits for others in project contracting, business operations, etc., and illegally accepted huge amounts of property.

Ni Qiang seriously violated the Party's political discipline, organizational discipline, integrity discipline, and life discipline, constituted a serious violation of duty and was suspected of bribery crimes, and after the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (党的十八大) he did not **不收敛、不收手** (bù shōu liǎn, bù shōu shǒu - "not restrain, not stop," to continue one's wrongdoing despite warnings), his nature was serious, and his impact was bad, and he should be seriously dealt with. In accordance with the "Regulations on Disciplinary Sanctions of the Communist Party of China" (《中国共产党纪律处分条例》), the "Supervision Law of the People's Republic of China" (《中华人民共和国监察法》), the "Public Officials Political Disciplinary Law of the People's Republic of China" (《中华人民共和国公职人员政务处分法》) and other relevant regulations, after research by the Standing Committee of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (中央纪委常委会会议) and reported to the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (中共中央) for approval, it was decided to give Ni Qiang a punishment of expulsion from the Party; the National Supervisory Commission (国家监委) gave him a punishment of dismissal from public office; terminated his qualifications as a representative of the Eighth Party Congress of Hainan Province (海南省第八次党代会); confiscated his gains from violations of discipline and law; and transferred his suspected criminal problems to the procuratorial organs for review and prosecution in accordance with the law, and the property involved was transferred together.

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Gao Xingfu, former Deputy Party Secretary and Deputy Director of the Standing Committee of Zhejiang Provincial People's Congress, expelled from the Party and removed from public office for serious violations of Party discipline and law

This newspaper Beijing (北京), February 6th (Reporter Zhao Cheng (赵成)) - With the approval of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (中共中央), the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission (中央纪委国家监委) has filed a case for investigation into the serious violations of discipline and law by Gao Xinfu (高兴夫), former Deputy Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and Deputy Director of the Standing Committee of the Zhejiang Provincial People's Congress (浙江省人大常委会).

Upon investigation, Gao Xinfu (高兴夫) lost his ideals and beliefs, betrayed his original aspiration and mission, engaged in speculation and profiteering, associated with political swindlers, resisted organizational review, and engaged in superstitious activities; ignored the spirit of the Eight-Point Regulation of the Central Committee (中央八项规定精神), repeatedly accepted banquets and travel arrangements that may have affected the fair execution of official duties, had others pay expenses that should have been paid by himself, and borrowed vehicles from management service objects; lacked organizational principles, failed to truthfully explain problems during organizational inquiries, sought benefits for others and accepted property in work such as promotion of cadres and recruitment of employees; lost the bottom line of integrity, illegally accepted gifts, gift money, and consumer cards; illegally interfered in market economic activities; was morally corrupt, indulged in pleasure-seeking and pursued low-level interests; was excessively greedy, regarded public power as a tool for seeking personal gain, engaged in power-for-money transactions, used his position to seek benefits for others in project contracting, project land use, company listing and operation, and illegally accepted huge amounts of property.

Gao Xinfu (高兴夫) seriously violated the Party's political discipline, organizational discipline, integrity discipline, work discipline, and life discipline, constituted a serious violation of duty and was suspected of bribery crimes, and after the Eighteenth National Congress of the Party (党的十八大) he did not restrain himself or stop his actions, which was serious in nature and had a bad impact, and should be dealt with seriously. In accordance with the "Regulations on Disciplinary Sanctions of the Communist Party of China" (中国共产党纪律处分条例), the "Supervision Law of the People's Republic of China" (中华人民共和国监察法), the "Public Official Political Disciplinary Law of the People's Republic of China" (中华人民共和国公职人员政务处分法) and other relevant regulations, with the approval of the Standing Committee of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (中央纪委常委会会议) and reported to the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (中共中央) for approval, it was decided to give Gao Xinfu (高兴夫) a punishment of expulsion from the Party; the National Supervisory Commission (国家监委) gave him a punishment of dismissal from public office; his illegal gains from violations of discipline and law were confiscated; his suspected criminal problems were transferred to the procuratorial organs for investigation and prosecution in accordance with the law, and the property involved was transferred together.

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Han Song, Former Party Group Secretary and Director of the Standing Committee of Xi'an Municipal People's Congress in Shaanxi Province, Expelled from the Party and Removed from Public Office for Serious Violations of Discipline and Law

This newspaper's Beijing (北京) dispatch on February 6th (Reporter Zhao Cheng (赵成)) With the approval of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (中共中央), the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission (中央纪委国家监委) have filed a case for investigation into the serious violations of discipline and law by Han Song (韩松), the former Party Group Secretary and Director of the Standing Committee of the Xi'an (西安) Municipal People's Congress in Shaanxi Province (陕西省).

Upon investigation, Han Song (韩松) lost his ideals and beliefs, betrayed his original aspiration and mission, violated the spirit of the Eight-Point Regulation of the Central Committee (中央八项规定精神), accepted banquets and arrangements for tourism and fitness activities in violation of regulations, and borrowed vehicles from management and service objects for a long time without compensation; sought benefits for others in cadre selection and appointment and accepted property; lost his bottom line of integrity and accepted gifts in violation of regulations; had no bottom line of discipline and law, engaged in power-money transactions, used his position to seek benefits for others in business operations, project contracting, etc., and illegally accepted huge amounts of property.

Han Song (韩松) seriously violated the Party's organizational discipline, integrity discipline, and life discipline, constituted a serious violation of duty and suspected of bribery crimes, and after the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (党的十八大) did not restrain himself or stop his actions, 不收敛、不收手 (bù shōu liǎn、bù shōu shǒu - "not restrain, not stop," continuing misbehavior despite warnings), his nature was serious, and his impact was vile, and he should be seriously dealt with. In accordance with the "Regulations on Disciplinary Sanctions of the Communist Party of China (中国共产党纪律处分条例)," the "Supervision Law of the People's Republic of China (中华人民共和国监察法)," the "Law on Administrative Disciplinary Actions for Public Officials of the People's Republic of China (中华人民共和国公职人员政务处分法)" and other relevant regulations, after research by the Standing Committee of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (中央纪委常委会会议) and approved by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (中共中央), it was decided to give Han Song (韩松) a punishment of expulsion from the Party; the National Supervisory Commission (国家监委) gave him a punishment of dismissal from public office; terminated his qualifications as a representative to the 14th Party Congress of Xi'an City (西安市第十四次党代会代表资格); confiscated his illegal gains from violations of discipline and law; and transferred his suspected criminal problems to the procuratorial organs for investigation and prosecution in accordance with the law, and the property involved was transferred together.

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Former Party Committee Member and Vice President of Bank of China, Lin Jingzhen, Severely Violated Party Discipline and Laws, Expelled from the Party

This newspaper's Beijing (北京) dispatch on February 6th (Reporter Zhao Cheng (赵成)) With the approval of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (中共中央), the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission (中央纪委国家监委) conducted a case review and investigation into the serious violations of discipline and law by Lin Jingzhen (林景臻), former member of the Party Committee and Vice President of the Bank of China (中国银行股份有限公司).

Upon investigation, Lin Jingzhen (林景臻) lost his ideals and beliefs, betrayed his original aspirations and mission, and privately possessed, read, and mailed books with serious political problems; ignored the spirit of the Eight-Point Regulation of the Central Committee (中央八项规定精神), accepted gifts in violation of regulations, accepted banquets and travel arrangements that might affect the fair execution of official duties, accepted travel service arrangements provided by others in violation of regulations, and entered and exited private clubs in violation of regulations; failed to report personal matters as required, sought benefits for others in employee recruitment and other work and accepted property; lost the bottom line of integrity, illegally possessed shares of non-listed companies, and had others pay expenses that should have been paid by himself; had no bottom line of discipline and law, alienated credit power into a tool for seeking personal gain, engaged in 权钱交易 (quán qián jiāo yì - "power-money transaction," trading power for money), used his position to seek benefits for others in loan financing and other aspects, and illegally accepted huge amounts of property.

Lin Jingzhen (林景臻) seriously violated the Party's political discipline, organizational discipline, and integrity discipline, constituted a serious violation of duty and was suspected of bribery crimes, and after the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (党的十八大) did not 不收敛、不收手 (bù shōu liǎn、bù shōu shǒu - "not restrain, not stop," refusing to cease wrongdoing despite warnings), with serious nature and bad influence, and should be dealt with seriously. In accordance with the "Regulations on Disciplinary Sanctions of the Communist Party of China (中国共产党纪律处分条例)", the "Supervision Law of the People's Republic of China (中华人民共和国监察法)", the "Public Official Political Disciplinary Law of the People's Republic of China (中华人民共和国公职人员政务处分法)" and other relevant regulations, with the approval of the Standing Committee of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (中央纪委常委会会议) and reported to the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (中共中央) for approval, it was decided to give Lin Jingzhen (林景臻) a punishment of expulsion from the Party; cancel the treatment he enjoyed as stipulated; confiscate his illegal gains from violations of discipline and law; transfer his suspected criminal problems to the procuratorial organs for investigation and prosecution in accordance with the law, and transfer the property involved along with him.

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Page One Editors: Xu Nuo, Zhang Shuaizhen, Zhao Chuanbo; Page Two Editors: Lü Li, Qi Jiarun, He Biao; Page Three Editors: Han Xiaoming, Jiang Bo, Li Anqi; Page Four Editors: Liu Nian, Han Chunyao, Chen Zhen

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A Viewing Guide for Chinese Audiences: Please Check It (Olympic Insights)

By: 本报记者 孙龙飞 季 芳

Local time, February 6th, the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics officially kicked off. Before the opening ceremony, competitions in curling, ice hockey, snowboarding, figure skating, and other events had already begun. Chinese athletes Su Yiming (苏翊鸣), Sui Wenjing (隋文静)/Han Cong (韩聪), and other famous athletes appeared on the Winter Olympic stage, while athletes in other events were also seizing the time to prepare for the competition. The Chinese sports delegation sent its largest overseas contingent to this Winter Olympics, striving for excellent results.

Highlights

Snow Events

How to Transcend Oneself

As an advantageous event for the Chinese sports delegation, the freestyle skiing aerials team has previously won a total of 14 Winter Olympic medals, including 3 gold, 7 silver, and 4 bronze. In this Winter Olympics, the Chinese team has secured all 4 entry slots in both the men's and women's individual events. Two veterans, Xu Mengtao (徐梦桃), the reigning champion, and Qi Guangpu (齐广璞), are stepping onto the Winter Olympic stage for the fifth time, with their goal being to transcend themselves.

In the women's event, Xu Mengtao's form has been stable this season, reaching the podium 5 times in 6 World Cup events. Kong Fanyu (孔凡钰) ranks second only to Xu Mengtao in the overall World Cup standings, while Chen Meiting (陈梅婷) and Shao Qi (邵琪) are also in good form. The competition in the men's event is fierce, with Qi Guangpu's rich experience injecting confidence into the team. Young athletes Sun Jiaxu (孙佳旭), Li Tianma (李天马), and Wang Xindi (王心迪) have all won gold in this season's World Cup. However, teams like Switzerland and the United States are strong, making on-the-spot performance crucial in the competition.

Gu Ailing (谷爱凌), who won 2 gold and 1 silver medals in freestyle skiing at the Beijing Winter Olympics, has experienced ups and downs in injuries and recovery during this Olympic cycle. Standing on the Winter Olympic stage again, she maintains a high level in the halfpipe event. In the slopestyle event, judging from her recent performances in the World Cup, she still has competitive strength. Gu Ailing said in an interview before the competition: "After stepping onto the field, my biggest competitor is myself. I will do my best to do the best I can."

In snowboarding, Su Yiming (苏翊鸣), who won China's first Winter Olympic gold medal in snowboarding at the Beijing Winter Olympics, has advanced to the men's big air final in this Winter Olympics. In recent years, the overall world level of this event has improved, increasing the difficulty of competition. The Chinese team has a full quota of entries in the women's halfpipe event, led by Liu Jiayu (刘佳宇) and Cai Xuetong (蔡雪桐), who are participating in their fifth Winter Olympics. Liu Jiayu won a silver medal at the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, setting the best Olympic record for the Chinese team in this event. This time, they will join hands with teammates Wu Shaotong (武绍桐) and Yang Lu (杨露), hoping to go further.

Highlights

Ice Events

How to Be Oneself

The short track speed skating competition will begin on February 10th, local time. As an advantageous event for the Chinese sports delegation, the short track speed skating team not only won China's first Winter Olympic gold medal, but also demonstrated a good spirit on the Winter Olympic stage. In the Milan Olympic cycle, European and American teams have risen, the South Korean team has traditional strength, and the Chinese team's form has fluctuated slightly, facing particularly severe challenges.

"Our goal is very simple, to win glory for the country." Liu Hao (刘浩), deputy leader of the Chinese sports delegation's short track speed skating team, said that the Chinese team has experienced many Winter Olympic competitions and training, and knows that the most important thing is always to be oneself. On the Milan stage, the Chinese team has competitive strength in the 2000-meter mixed relay, the men's 5000-meter relay, and some individual events. "The competition has not yet started, we do not set limits for ourselves, and we will work hard to do well in every event," said Liu Hao.

The Chinese speed skating team has obtained 15 entry slots, 7 for men and 8 for women, covering all events except the men's 10,000 meters. In this Winter Olympics, which is full of strong competitors, the Chinese team has a complete lineup, and has hopes of winning medals in short-distance, medium-distance, and team events. However, to achieve breakthroughs and win gold again, it still faces many challenges.

Highlights

Breakthrough Projects, "New" Projects

How to Catch Up and Learn

At the Beijing Winter Olympics, Yan Wengang (闫文港) historically won a bronze medal in the men's skeleton event, helping the Chinese team to reach the world stage in this event. This season, Yin Zheng (殷正) and Zhao Dan (赵丹) have demonstrated the development and progress of Chinese skeleton in World Cup events. On the Winter Olympic stage, they will not only launch an attack on individual events, but are also expected to join hands to participate in the mixed team competition.

The Chinese bobsleigh team will launch multi-point attacks in 4 events, and the Chinese luge team will participate in all events. After the Beijing Winter Olympics, China's bobsleigh and luge projects have made significant progress, but the overall strength is still far behind the traditional powerhouses. In this Winter Olympics, the team's main goals are to accumulate more competition experience, improve stability, and strive for higher rankings.

The ski mountaineering event has been newly added to this Winter Olympics, with 3 events: men's sprint, women's sprint, and mixed relay. The Chinese team has achieved full participation in all events. The Chinese ski mountaineering team carries the hopes of several generations of mountaineers, constantly learning and catching up, and steadily improving its competitive level. Female athlete Cidan Yuzhen (次旦玉珍) and male athlete Buluer (布鲁尔) will represent the Chinese team in the debut of this event at the Winter Olympics.

Wang Lei (王磊), Secretary-General of the Chinese sports delegation, said that China's ice and snow sports have made considerable progress and gained more expectations after the Beijing Winter Olympics. The Chinese sports delegation will definitely work hard to overcome difficulties and pressures, strive to achieve a double harvest of sports performance and spiritual civilization, and demonstrate the demeanor of Chinese ice and snow athletes.

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Never Stop Challenging Limits (Olympics and Me)

Many people ask me: What does it feel like to participate in the Winter Olympics for the second time?

Four years ago, as a 17-year-old, I was like a newborn calf, not giving myself any pressure, just thinking about doing my best and enjoying the Olympic journey. Now, as a Winter Olympic champion, standing on this arena again, I keep telling myself to focus on doing every move well, enjoy the competition itself, don't be trapped by labels, and only aim to surpass myself.

In this Winter Olympics, I am participating in the snowboard big air and slopestyle events. In this Olympic cycle, snowboard competition is fierce, and the difficulty of techniques on the international stage has undergone 天翻地覆 (tiān fān dì fù - "earth-shaking change," a tremendous change). The moves that won the gold medal at the Beijing Winter Olympics (北京冬奥会) might not even get into the finals now. I think this is a good thing, athletes inspire each other and make progress together.

In the past few years, I have experienced the torment of injuries, and my performance once plummeted. Those days were particularly dark, and sometimes I even doubted myself. But this also made me realize that an excellent athlete should not be afraid of any challenge. Whether it is failure or setbacks, they will eventually make me stronger. Through more than a year of hard work, I unlocked the world's first "back-to-back 1980" move in training and won the Snowboard Big Air World Cup overall champion this season. This "bottoming out and rebounding" experience has helped me grow and is a very valuable experience in life.

I see myself as a challenger—challenging opponents and, more importantly, challenging myself. Looking at the Milan Winter Olympics (米兰冬奥会) entry list, every athlete is very strong. Our challenge to the limits continues, and I believe this Winter Olympics will stage many unimaginable peak showdowns. Moves that I never dared to think about before may appear. All I can do is focus on myself, believe in myself, and do my best to complete every jump.

Uncertainty is the charm of competitive sports and the charm of snowboarding. Like all athletes, I also get nervous during competitions. In the Milan Winter Olympics (米兰冬奥会) snowboard big air preliminaries, I was so nervous that my legs were a little disobedient, and I made a mistake in the first round of landing. In the next two jumps, I knew that I had no way to retreat. I will not wait for others to make mistakes, but I must take the initiative in my own hands, and finally successfully completed the next two jumps and advanced to the finals.

In the past 4 years, the Milan Winter Olympics (米兰冬奥会) has always been my goal. After the Beijing Winter Olympics (北京冬奥会), I felt that I had more responsibilities, so I launched the "Su Yiming (苏翊鸣) Foundation," dedicated to promoting youth sports education and development, hoping to help more Chinese (中国) youth grow up healthily and pursue their dreams. I look forward to promoting Chinese (中国) snowboarding to a higher level and igniting the ice and snow dreams of more young people through our unremitting efforts.

(Chinese (中国) snowboarder Su Yiming (苏翊鸣) talks about participating in the Milan Winter Olympics (米兰冬奥会), interviewed and compiled by Wang Liang (王亮), reporter of this newspaper)

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Withstand the pressure, strive for a breakthrough.

By: 本报记者 陈晨曦 曾华锋

"You've already lost today." On the evening of February 5th, local time, at the Livigno Snow Park, after Su Yiming (苏翊鸣) completed his first jump with only 22 points, his Japanese coach, Kazuhiro Sato, "comforted" his student in this way.

At the start of the men's snowboard big air qualification round at the Milan Winter Olympics, the three Chinese team members were immediately given a 下马威 (xià mǎ wēi - "a show of strength upon arrival," an initial act of intimidation or display of power), with all three making mistakes to varying degrees in the first round, ranking outside the top 20: Su Yiming (苏翊鸣) ranked 24th out of the 30 qualifiers, Yang Wenlong (杨文龙) ranked 28th, and Ge Chunyu (葛春宇), whose mistake was not too serious, ranked 21st.

The opponents, however, showed great strength, with American athlete Jake Canter and Japanese athlete Hiroaki Ogiwara consecutively achieving high scores. "Everyone performed very well, and almost no one in front of me made a mistake, so I also felt a lot of pressure," Su Yiming (苏翊鸣) said after the competition.

Under pressure, Su Yiming (苏翊鸣) was "awakened" by his coach's words on the sidelines: "After the coach said I was sure to lose, I actually felt relieved. He then said, 'I am the one who believes in you the most and always supports you from behind. Just tell yourself that you have already lost, treat the next two jumps as your all, and you will perform better if you relax.' His words, for me, may have had a decisive guidance or influence."

The second jump came quickly. Just when people thought that Su Yiming (苏翊鸣) would lower the difficulty to seek stability, he still performed the inward 1800-degree rotation, and with a high score of 87.75 points, he retained the hope of entering the top 12 and qualifying for the final.

Ge Chunyu (葛春宇), who appeared next, did not perform better, and after a serious mistake in the second jump, he almost lost the possibility of advancing. "I felt that I could have performed better, but maybe I was too nervous today and made a mistake," he said after the competition, unable to hide his disappointment.

Ge Chunyu's (葛春宇) third jump still did not improve much, and he eventually ranked 29th: "I feel that I didn't do well in this competition, and I should continue to refine my movements in future training to have a chance to strive for better results."

Before Ge Chunyu (葛春宇) finished the competition, Su Yiming (苏翊鸣) successfully completed his first 1980-degree rotation at the Milan Winter Olympics, scoring 85 points, and finally qualified for the final held on the evening of the 7th, local time, with the fourth-best score in the qualifying round.

"In today's state, I don't want to leave any regrets for myself, I don't want to lower the difficulty, and I don't want to let my fate be in the hands of others." The young boy who won gold at the Beijing Winter Olympics (北京冬奥会) four years ago has more courage to not succumb to fate and opponents after experiencing injuries and ups and downs.

Seeing Su Yiming's (苏翊鸣) performance, Ge Chunyu (葛春宇) said: "His movements are more mature and stable, which is what I want to learn, and I still have a lot of room for improvement."

After successfully completing two trial jumps, Yang Wenlong (杨文龙) eventually ranked 19th and missed the final. Su Yiming (苏翊鸣) became the only Chinese team member in the final. "I still hope to challenge more difficult movements and break through myself, because I practice every day," Su Yiming (苏翊鸣) said.

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San Siro Stadium, Bidding Farewell with Opening (Winter Olympics Notes)

By: 本报记者 刘硕阳

Local time, February 6th evening, nearly 80,000 spectators came to the San Siro Stadium (圣西罗体育场) in Milan (米兰) to watch the opening ceremony and cheer for the Winter Olympics.

Many stadiums become famous for hosting the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games or Winter Olympics, but the San Siro Stadium (圣西罗体育场) was "famous" beforehand. This stadium, which has witnessed a century of history, has seen many classic matches in world football. It is now the home stadium shared by Serie A teams AC Milan (AC米兰) and Inter Milan (国际米兰), with at least two Milan "derby" matches each season. It also hosted the 1934 and 1990 World Cups and hosted the Champions League final four times. With the opening of this Winter Olympics, many stars playing for the two teams also returned here to cheer for the Winter Olympic athletes.

From football feasts to ice and snow events, from the AC Milan (AC米兰) team song familiar to fans to the melodious Olympic anthem, the passion and romance that sports bring to the San Siro Stadium (圣西罗体育场) has never faded.

Built in 1926, the San Siro Stadium (圣西罗体育场) celebrates its 100th birthday in 2026, coinciding with the Milan Winter Olympics (米兰冬奥会). At the opening ceremony, lights and colors intertwined, and traditional culture and modern art complemented each other. The San Siro Stadium (圣西罗体育场) hosted a special birthday party with the Winter Olympics.

This opening ceremony also became the farewell performance of the San Siro Stadium (圣西罗体育场). Previously, AC Milan (AC米兰) and Inter Milan (国际米兰) clubs issued a joint statement formally confirming the demolition of the San Siro Stadium (圣西罗体育场) and the construction of a new stadium next to the original site to welcome the 2032 European Cup.

"For me, San Siro (圣西罗) is history, is life, and is a monument." The words of the famous Italian football coach Capello (卡佩罗) reveal reluctance. It is gratifying that the San Siro Stadium (圣西罗体育场) will not be completely demolished. Some structures will be preserved and transformed into museums and other cultural facilities to tell the story of this stadium and this city.

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Chinese figure skaters make their Olympic debut

This newspaper Milan, February 6th (Reporters Gong Yuhua (巩育华) and Ji Fang (季芳)) On the 6th, the figure skating team event of the Milan Winter Olympics kicked off at the Milan Skating Arena. Chinese team athletes Wang Shiyue (王诗玥)/Liu Xinyu (柳鑫宇), Sui Wenjing (隋文静)/Han Cong (韩聪), and Zhang Ruiyang (张瑞阳) made their appearances.

In the ice dance rhythm dance event, Wang Shiyue (王诗玥)/Liu Xinyu (柳鑫宇) were the first to appear, ranking ninth and contributing 2 points to the Chinese team. This is the third time the two have stepped onto the Winter Olympics arena. Facing fierce competition, they have become more calm. "Being able to come to the Winter Olympics arena is already a source of pride. What we want to show more is the spirit of Chinese sports," said Wang Shiyue (王诗玥). Liu Xinyu (柳鑫宇) introduced that they specially chose Chinese music as the dance accompaniment, hoping that more audiences would understand Chinese culture.

In the pairs short program competition held subsequently, Sui Wenjing (隋文静)/Han Cong (韩聪) ranked sixth, accumulating 5 points for the Chinese team. As the champion pair of the Beijing Winter Olympics, Sui Wenjing (隋文静)/Han Cong (韩聪) have attracted much attention. The debut performance at the Milan venue failed to achieve the best state. The two stated that they will continue to adjust their state and strive to achieve good results in the following competitions.

In the women's singles short program competition, 18-year-old Chinese team player Zhang Ruiyang (张瑞阳) scored 59.83 points. Participating in the Winter Olympics for the first time, she hopes to continuously accumulate experience in the competition with the world's top players.

The team event men's singles short program competition will be held on the 7th, and Chinese team player Jin Boyang (金博洋) will participate. A total of 10 teams are participating in the figure skating team event of the Milan Winter Olympics. The scores of each team in each event are added together, and the top five teams will be eligible to participate in the free skating competition.

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This edition editors: Lin Lin, Shi Zhe, Gao Ji

Layout Design: Shen Yiling (沈亦伶)

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Are Dinosaurs and Birds Related? (Academician Explains Science)

By: 本报记者 杨文明

Netizen: I saw a saying, "Eating chicken eggs is actually eating dinosaur eggs." Is this true? Dinosaurs became extinct tens of millions of years ago, do they still have anything to do with our lives today? Are they "relatives" of birds?

Editor: The origin of birds is one of the most fascinating topics in the scientific community. In addition to the well-known Archaeopteryx, the discovery of a series of important fossils such as Xiaotingia and Aurornis, continues to fill the evidence chain of dinosaur evolution into birds. Xu Xing (徐星), Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Professor of the Vertebrate Evolution Center of the School of Life Sciences of Yunnan University (云南大学), and Researcher of the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (中国科学院古脊椎动物与古人类研究所), has discovered and named many new species of dinosaurs and is known as the "Dinosaur Academician." In this issue of "Academician Talks Science," we invite this "Dinosaur Academician" to explain in detail the evolutionary path of dinosaurs flying to the blue sky.

The Mystery of Archaeopteryx's Identity: Dinosaur or Bird?

Was the earliest bird in the world Archaeopteryx?

In 1861, the first Archaeopteryx fossil was discovered in limestone. It has feathers, wings, and can fly—it seems to have all the characteristics of a bird.

But is it really a bird? Xu Xing (徐星) believes that to answer this question, we must first figure out: What characteristics do we use to determine that an animal is a "bird"?

From the end of the 20th century to the beginning of the 21st century, Chinese scientists successively discovered hundreds of dinosaur fossils in western Liaoning (辽宁西部), southeastern Inner Mongolia (内蒙古东南部), and other places. The information revealed by the fossils is shocking: these dinosaurs dragged their tails, and their bodies were covered not only with scales, but also with feathers, and some dinosaurs even had preliminary flight capabilities.

"This discovery completely subverted past perceptions," said Xu Xing (徐星). "It turns out that dinosaurs can also grow feathers, and flying is not an exclusive ability of birds."

If so, where exactly is the boundary between birds and dinosaurs? Scientists have their own way of distinguishing—the evolutionary tree. According to the order of biological evolution, scientists determine the specific position of a species in evolution and define its affiliation.

However, specific boundary delineation can sometimes lead to disagreements. Feathers, bones, lung structure, and even body temperature regulation methods can all become the basis for classification. From dinosaurs that grew feathers to birds that could fly freely, it took hundreds of millions of years of evolution. Which side should species in the transition zone be classified into sometimes becomes controversial.

By analyzing the evolutionary tree, Xu Xing (徐星) believes that Archaeopteryx does not belong to the bird family, but is closer to a type of small dinosaur called "Deinonychosauria." Although this view has not become mainstream, more and more scholars agree that "Archaeopteryx is a feathered, flying dinosaur."

If Archaeopteryx is not a bird, then what is the earliest bird?

In 2025, a Chinese research team published an important achievement in the journal *Nature*: the bird fossil "Zhenghe Baminornis (政和八闽鸟)" discovered in Fujian (福建) revealed that the body structure of modern birds already appeared in the Late Jurassic.

Xu Xing (徐星) introduced that, unlike the slender, multi-segmented tail bones of dinosaurs and Archaeopteryx, the last few tail vertebrae of "Zhenghe Baminornis (政和八闽鸟)" fused into a lightweight pygostyle. The pygostyle replaces the multi-segmented tail bones, which can both reduce weight and shift the bird's center of gravity forward, maintaining higher stability during flight. Tail bone shortening is one of the most thorough morphological changes in dinosaur-bird evolution. "Potential Jurassic birds" such as Archaeopteryx and Anchiornis still have long tail bones like dinosaurs. From this point of view, they are at least very different from birds in body shape.

The discovery of "Zhenghe Baminornis (政和八闽鸟)" advanced the appearance time of important features represented by the pygostyle by nearly 20 million years. More importantly, "Zhenghe Baminornis (政和八闽鸟)" is clearly located on the bird side of the evolutionary tree. It is currently the only confirmed Jurassic bird and one of the oldest birds discovered.

Xu Xing (徐星) said humorously: "In this sense, the chicken wings we eat are dinosaur wings, and eating chicken eggs is eating dinosaur eggs."

The Wisdom of Survivors: Why Did Birds Survive the Mass Extinction?

66 million years ago, the vast majority of dinosaurs disappeared from the Earth, while birds survived.

Why did birds survive the mass extinction?

First of all, modern birds are generally small in size. Xu Xing (徐星) said: "In times of food shortage, small size means it is easier to find enough food to sustain life and obtain opportunities to reproduce."

But small size is not the only reason. At that time, there were also many small-sized dinosaurs that could not fly, and they also disappeared. "Not only dinosaurs that could not fly, but most early birds also disappeared in this mass extinction." Xu Xing (徐星) believes that the one that truly survived the mass extinction is a branch of birds—the Ornithuromorpha. Studies have found that fossils with modern bird characteristics mostly come from lake, river, or coastal sedimentary environments. In other words, most of the birds that survived lived near water. Studies show that during the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event, large-scale forest fires occurred on Earth. Aquatic plant seeds, mollusks, insects, and small crustaceans in the water bodies did not all die, thus providing food for birds, allowing them to have the opportunity to survive and reproduce.

More importantly, they have strong flight capabilities. Being able to fly means that birds can discover natural disasters faster, have a greater chance of avoiding disasters, and travel farther to find habitats and food. Fossil evidence also shows that the sternums of birds that survived after the mass extinction were stronger, their flight muscles were more developed, and their bone structures were lighter—their flight capabilities were strengthened and screened, with the strong surviving and the weak being eliminated.

A question then arises: Can extinct dinosaurs be resurrected?

"With current technology, dinosaurs cannot be resurrected," Xu Xing (徐星) introduced. True "resurrection" requires extracting ancient DNA and reconstructing its genome. Unlike ancient humans, dinosaur fossils are too old, and DNA cannot be preserved. However, with the development of synthetic biology, we may not be able to create "new species" that are similar to dinosaurs in appearance, color, and movement.

Terrestrial or Arboreal: How Did Dinosaurs Fly to the Blue Sky?

From dinosaurs running on the ground to birds flying in the sky, how did dinosaurs fly and become birds?

Regarding the origin of flight, the scientific community has long had two major hypotheses. The "terrestrial theory" believes that dinosaurs waved their forelimbs while running, and their speed became faster and faster, gradually evolving wings that could help them take off, "running and flying"; the "arboreal theory" believes that small dinosaurs lived in trees, gliding down from branches, flapping their forelimbs, and eventually mastering flight.

In 1999, Xu Xing (徐星) and his colleagues discovered Xiaotingia (小盗龙), which lived about 120 million years ago, in western Liaoning (辽宁西部)—not only did its forelimbs have feathers, but its hind limbs also grew wide flight feathers. "This shows that Xiaotingia (小盗龙) used four wings to fly," said Xu Xing (徐星).

Since then, multiple four-winged dinosaur fossils have been successively discovered in western Liaoning (辽宁西部), northern Hebei (河北北部), and other places. Based on this, Xu Xing (徐星) and his colleagues proposed a "four-winged flight" hypothesis that is more inclined to support the "arboreal theory."

Xu Xing (徐星) explained that arboreal dinosaurs are more likely to generate four wings when gliding between trees; while the hind limbs of terrestrial dinosaurs are mainly used for running, making it difficult to evolve into wings. However, this speculation requires more fossil evidence to support it.

Since dinosaurs once had four wings, why do today's birds all have two wings? "The flight evolution of dinosaurs may have gone through a long experimental stage, evolving and screening in different forms, and eventually two-winged flight was inherited because it showed advantages," said Xu Xing (徐星).

In the process of dinosaurs becoming birds, there are still many links that have not been completely solved. Due to the lack of dinosaur ancient DNA evidence, researchers are trying to explore the evolutionary history of dinosaurs to birds by finding ancient proteins and more fossil evidence of key evolutionary stages. Xu Xing (徐星) and his colleagues go wherever there may be valuable fossils in the depths of the Gobi and the hinterland of the desert, constantly enriching the puzzle of dinosaur evolution to birds in a long and arduous search.

In 2025, Xu Xing (徐星) won the Future Science Prize in Life Sciences. During the award ceremony, he appeared in a straw hat at the field site of Yuanmou (元谋) in Yunnan (云南). In his opinion, science popularization is as interesting and meaningful as scientific research: "Science popularization can allow more people to understand, pay attention to, and even devote themselves to scientific research, helping us to uncover scientific mysteries faster."

As he wrote in his article "Dinosaurs Flying to the Blue Sky": Hundreds of millions of years ago, a feathered dinosaur broke away from its kind, flew to the blue sky, and evolved into today's large bird family. Scientists are gradually retrieving this lost natural mystery.

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Citrus Peel Shows Great Promise in Healing Diabetic Wounds ("Science" Chat)

By: 常 丽

People have a long history of "developing" the uses of citrus peels. Chenpi, a common and widely used Chinese medicine, is made from citrus peels. Adding citrus peels during cooking can remove the fishy smell of meat. Burning dried orange peels can release smoke and odors that repel mosquitoes. In addition, citrus peels can also be used to remove odors from refrigerators.

Citrus peel is a "magical material" in nature, rich in various bioactive components, among which the antioxidant activity is particularly significant. With the development of modern science and technology, more and more components in citrus peels are being discovered and utilized, playing magical effects in different fields. Healing diabetic wounds is one of them.

More than 15% of diabetic patients will encounter wound "crises." The healing of patients' wounds is like being pressed on a "slow-motion button." The high blood sugar environment leads to vascular lesions, nerve damage, and immune cells falling into a state of "strike." Ordinary band-aids are 束手无策 (shù shǒu wú cè - "hands tied, no plan," to be at one's wit's end; helpless) against these wounds - bacteria multiply in large numbers under the nourishment of sugar, forming stubborn biofilms, and sometimes even antibiotics are helpless; although silver ion dressings can kill bacteria, excessive release can damage human cells. The process of wound healing is like reading an old videotape, with stutters, repetitions, and unknowns.

How can small citrus peels show their skills? Researchers from the Southern Special Crop Genetic Breeding Team of the Institute of Bast Fiber Crops, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (中国农业科学院麻类研究所) extracted natural ingredients from citrus aurantium and trifoliate orange, and developed a natural hydrogel with antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and healing functions, which increased the wound healing speed of diabetic patients by 2.7 times.

The researchers used a green synthesis process to extract active ingredients from citrus aurantium and trifoliate orange to prepare silver nanoparticles. Under the synergistic effect of the active ingredients of trifoliate orange, silver nanoparticles not only exhibit excellent antibacterial properties, but also exhibit antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and other effects. In order to further improve its biosafety, the researchers also extracted natural pectin from citrus peel residue to construct a three-dimensional network structure of hydrogel, like a "cell cradle" tailored for wounds. After this network structure is loaded with silver nanoparticles, it becomes an "active bandage" that can not only accurately kill bacteria, but also promote tissue regeneration.

The magic of this hydrogel lies in its two-pronged approach: silver nanoparticles are like "nano-soldiers" equipped with a positioning system, which can penetrate bacterial cell membranes and block the synthesis of their energy factory ATP (adenosine triphosphate), with a killing rate of up to 97.6% against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus; the active ingredients of trifoliate orange and pectin work synergistically, like a conductor guiding immune cells from a "combat state" to a "construction mode," promoting angiogenesis and collagen synthesis. The effect of hydrogel has been confirmed in a diabetic infected mouse wound model, with a healing rate of 92% in the treatment group after 11 days. Under the microscope, there are more encouraging results. Neat capillary networks grew at the treated wound site, and fibroblasts were arranged in regular "repair columns," while the cells in the untreated control group were still "spinning" in chaos. This difference stems from the "three-dimensional navigation" ability of the hydrogel - it provides cells with a growth scaffold similar to healthy skin. More importantly, the hydrogel can be completely degraded in the body, avoiding the pain of secondary surgery.

Medical materials derived from nature are expected to make treatment safer, more economical, and more sustainable. In the future, when we enjoy the sweetness and sourness of citrus, let us not forget to pay more respect to the "low-key" citrus peel.

(The author is an associate researcher at the Institute of Bast Fiber Crops, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (中国农业科学院麻类研究所)).

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Quantum "catcher" offers new tool for the search for dark matter

This report Hefei (合肥) Electric (Reporter Li Junjie (李俊杰)) The reporter learned from the University of Science and Technology of China (中国科学技术大学) that Professor Peng Xinhua (彭新华) and Professor Jiang Min (江敏)'s team at the Spin Magnetic Resonance Laboratory of the university published their latest research results in the journal "Nature." They have innovated nuclear spin quantum precision measurement technology and successfully built the world's first quantum sensor network based on atomic nuclear spin, enabling a qualitative leap in the sensitivity of dark matter detection.

Researchers say that this breakthrough means that a more precise quantum "catcher" has been added to the "toolbox" for humans to search for dark matter. This research not only opens up a new path for dark matter detection, but its networked, distributed detection approach can also be used in the future in collaboration with gravitational wave observatories to search for more cosmic mysteries.

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New "Potentially Habitable" Candidate Planet Discovered in the Milky Way

According to Xinhua News Agency, Sydney (Xinhua reporter Xue Yanwen (薛艳雯) and Li Huizi (李惠子)) A research team led by researchers at the University of Southern Queensland in Australia has discovered a new "potentially habitable" candidate planet, HD137010b, within the Milky Way. The planet is slightly larger than Earth and is approximately 146 light-years away from Earth.

The research team stated that the planet is likely composed of rock, orbits a Sun-like star, and is located on the outer edge of the star's habitable zone. Liquid water may exist, but this depends on atmospheric conditions. The research paper has been published in the American journal *The Astrophysical Journal Letters*.

Finding Earth's "twin" has always been a goal for scientists. However, further observations of this planet are needed to upgrade it from "candidate" to "confirmed." Researchers caution that "potentially habitable" does not equal habitable, but this discovery is "very attractive."

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Chinese Research Team Breaks Record for Vacuum Ultraviolet Laser Output

This newspaper reports from Beijing (Beijing (北京)) (Wu Yuehui (吴月辉), Xi Jiayue (奚嘉悦)) The team of Pan Shilie (潘世烈) from the Xinjiang Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry (新疆理化技术研究所) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (中国科学院) has successfully developed a new type of nonlinear optical crystal—ammonium borofluoride (ABF) crystal. The shortest phase-matching output wavelength of this crystal can reach 158.9 nanometers, setting a new record for the shortest vacuum ultraviolet laser output using birefringence phase-matching technology. The related findings were published in the international academic journal *Nature*.

Nonlinear optical crystals are key materials for achieving all-solid-state vacuum ultraviolet laser output, and their performance determines the output wavelength, conversion efficiency, and other parameters of the laser. With the continuous development of application demands, finding a new type of crystal that combines high vacuum ultraviolet transmittance, strong nonlinear optical response, large birefringence, and excellent growth performance has become a challenging problem in this field.

The Pan Shilie (潘世烈) team innovatively proposed a fluoride design and performance regulation mechanism for vacuum ultraviolet nonlinear optical crystals, and created a series of high-performance crystals represented by ABF. Researchers overcame technical problems in crystal growth and device processing, successfully obtained centimeter-sized ABF single crystals with high optical quality and vacuum ultraviolet frequency-doubling devices, providing a new key material system for compact and efficient all-solid-state vacuum ultraviolet lasers.

Test results show that the crystal has broken three world records in direct frequency-doubling vacuum ultraviolet laser output: shortest direct frequency-doubling vacuum ultraviolet laser output wavelength, highest nanosecond 177-nanometer pulse energy, and significantly improved optical-to-optical conversion efficiency. Its comprehensive performance far exceeds existing materials.

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Robots Are Getting Smarter (On-the-Ground Investigation)

By: 本报记者 吴 君

In January of this year, Hubei Humanoid Robot Innovation Center sold thousands of hours of humanoid robot training data to Zhiyuan Innovation (Shanghai) Technology Co., Ltd. (智元创新（上海）科技股份有限公司), marking the first transaction of humanoid robot training data between enterprises in China.

At the Hubei Humanoid Robot Innovation Center (湖北人形机器人创新中心), such scenes are common: humanoid robots, under the control of "enlightenment teachers" – robot trainers – flexibly flip, jump, and can even pour water and play chess... Each time an action is completed, relevant data is displayed in real-time on the screen next to them.

"This data is the 'knowledge' of humanoid robots. A seemingly simple action often requires two to three months of training for a humanoid robot, accumulating tens of thousands of training data points," explained Li Miao (李淼), a professor at the Robotics Institute of Wuhan University (武汉大学). He added that the background staff collects the data generated during training, cleans out the useless data, and then annotates and inputs the useful data. After repeated rounds of programming, the "knowledge" useful to the humanoid robot is finally obtained.

"If a humanoid robot wants to independently complete a task, it also needs to learn from different 'teachers'," Li Miao (李淼) explained. If only one "teacher" teaches, the robot will not learn to be flexible.

This method, where robot trainers use handles, consoles, VR and other equipment to train robots to perform actions in real-time, thereby obtaining training data, is called the teleoperation method of humanoid robot learning. In addition to this, there are simulation methods and video methods.

The simulation method involves technical personnel generating human-like behavior data in a humanoid robot simulation training environment, and then "injecting" this data into the humanoid robot; the video method uses video to record human behavior and form relevant data to "inject" into the humanoid robot.

"Compared to humans, humanoid robots are still more brawn than brain," Li Miao (李淼) said. For humanoid robots to grow better, they need to cross the "singularity moment" – a critical turning point in technology, realizing a qualitative change from the laboratory to large-scale commercial use.

To cross the "singularity moment," a large amount of effective data is essential. "At least 40 billion pieces of effective data must be stored for humanoid robots to truly become 'useful,' and then gradually evolve into 'easy to use'," Li Miao (李淼) said. The data currently stored in the "brain" of humanoid robots is still relatively small, and collaboration and sharing between enterprises are needed to obtain more effective data.

"The trading and circulation of training data can save manufacturers of humanoid robots a lot of training costs and accelerate the commercialization and scaling of humanoid robots," Li Miao (李淼) said.

In addition, for humanoid robots to cross the "singularity moment," it is also necessary to improve the dissemination effect of effective data among humanoid robots. "The dissemination effect of effective data in different forms of humanoid robots is poor, its versatility is not good, and large-scale application will also be hindered to a certain extent," Li Miao (李淼) said. Humanoid robots ultimately serve people, so the use and participation of different industries and individuals are also crucial. Only when more people use them can humanoid robots have a direction for "on-demand growth" and become smarter.

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SpaceX Applies to Build On-Orbit Data Center Network

According to Xinhua News Agency, Los Angeles (Reporter Tan Jingjing (谭晶晶)) - SpaceX has submitted an application to the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (美联邦通信委员会), proposing to deploy a system of up to 1 million satellites in low Earth orbit to build an on-orbit data center network to support artificial intelligence and other high-performance computing needs.

SpaceX believes that on-orbit data centers can serve as a solution to the rapidly growing global demand for computing power. These satellites are planned to operate in low Earth orbit at an altitude of approximately 500 to 2,000 kilometers, with an orbital inclination of approximately 30 degrees, and will be powered by solar energy.

The application states that these satellites will operate directly using solar energy, aiming to reduce operating and maintenance costs, improve energy efficiency, and reduce the energy consumption and environmental pressure of traditional terrestrial data centers.

Industry experts point out that such a large-scale orbital deployment plan faces multiple challenges such as launch costs, satellite operation and maintenance, orbital congestion, increased risk of space debris, and regulatory review. Whether the relevant application can be approved remains to be further assessed by regulatory agencies.

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This edition's editors: Cao Yiqing, Chen Yuanyuan, Chen Shihhan

Layout Design: Zhang Fangman (张芳曼)

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Hoping the Field of Hope Has More Vitality (Perspective)

The twelfth lunar month arrives, and the atmosphere of the New Year is strong.

In the vast countryside, the first to spread the New Year's atmosphere are the express delivery vehicles loaded with New Year goods, the shouts from the live broadcast rooms, and the surprises of unpacking at the village entrance.

In recent years, rural e-commerce has developed rapidly. China has basically established a three-level e-commerce service system and logistics distribution system at the county, township, and village levels. Its role in driving farmers' income growth and promoting rural consumption has become increasingly prominent—in 2025, the national rural online retail sales increased by 6.7% year-on-year, and the online retail sales of agricultural products increased by 9.9% year-on-year.

In this issue's report, reporters went deep into Inner Mongolia, Liaoning, and Shanxi to explore the new changes in rural areas from the perspective of rural e-commerce—it makes mountains and seas no longer distant, makes life more textured, and also makes this field of hope flow with a warmer and more sufficient spring.

——Editor

Express Delivery Takes a "Free Ride"

By Zhao Jingfeng (赵景锋), reporter of this newspaper

"Let's go!" At a little after 7 a.m., at the Xuejiawan Bus Station in Jungar Banner (准格尔旗), Ordos City (鄂尔多斯市), Inner Mongolia (内蒙古), Hou Leng (侯愣), a driver from Jungar Banner Xiangyu Bus Company (准格尔旗翔宇公交公司), was skillfully stacking 102 express delivery packages into the luggage compartment of the urban-rural bus. Then, he greeted passengers to board the bus and set off for Buertao Hai Sumu (布尔陶亥苏木), 60 kilometers away.

Inside the carriage, there are still many empty seats; under the carriage, all kinds of packages are packed tightly. "In order to ensure the travel of residents in remote towns, this bus cannot stop even if there are few passengers," Hou Leng (侯愣) said, holding the steering wheel.

Jungar Banner (准格尔旗) is vast and sparsely populated, with 10 Sumu (苏木) townships distributed sparsely. For a long time, the urban-rural buses have had a high no-load rate and insufficient profitability, and are highly dependent on financial subsidies. And express delivery companies also face difficulties when facing the "going to the countryside and entering villages" delivery tasks. "It costs too much to run a trip for dozens of express delivery orders; if you accumulate too many before sending them, you will miss the timeliness," said Liu Peilong (刘培龙), head of the Jungar Banner (准格尔旗) branch of ZTO Express.

Urban-rural buses have carrying space, and express delivery companies have delivery tasks. The needs of the two coincide.

Since 2024, Jungar Banner (准格尔旗) has explored and promoted the integration model of passenger, cargo, and postal services. Coordinated by the Banner Transportation Bureau (旗交通运输局), the Jungar Banner (准格尔旗) branch of China Post (中国邮政) took the lead in integrating 7 private express delivery companies, and entrusted some express delivery tasks to remote townships and villages to Xiangyu Bus Company (翔宇公交公司) and township post offices.

"The postal company is responsible for building a shared distribution center, uniformly storing, sorting, and transferring express deliveries that are inconvenient for express delivery companies to deliver to the countryside and villages, and charging a certain fee; the bus company signs a cooperation agreement with the postal company, charging delivery fees based on the number of pieces, distance, etc., and using part of the fee as a commission to incentivize bus drivers," said Liu Huan (刘欢), deputy director of the Jungar Banner Transportation Bureau (准格尔旗交通运输局). The postal company has developed resource integration business, the express delivery company has reduced distribution costs, and the bus company has a new profit growth point, realizing intensive efficiency and win-win for all parties.

At 8:40 a.m., the bus arrived at Buertao Hai Sumu (布尔陶亥苏木). Hou Leng (侯愣) then drove to the Buertao Hai Sumu Post Office (布尔陶亥苏木邮政所) not far away. With the help of staff member Wu Hongmei (邬红梅), he unloaded the packages, sorted and registered them, took new packages, and then carried passengers back.

As a grass-roots deliveryman, Wu Hongmei's (邬红梅) workload has increased, but her income has also risen accordingly. "I used to only deliver postal items, but now I have to deliver items from 7 private express delivery companies together. Anyway, I have to drive, it's a convenient thing, and my income has increased a lot."

The integration of passenger, cargo, and postal services has also facilitated the villagers.

Zhang Qiaohuan (张巧换) is 60 years old this year. Her children work outside, and only she and her partner are at home. "In the past, I had to go to the Sumu (苏木) 40 kilometers away to pick up express deliveries. My children said they bought me something, and I was worried." Zhang Qiaohuan (张巧换) gestured with a smile, "Now it's good, express deliveries go directly to the village, and I even dare to buy fresh fruits online, and they are still very fresh when they are delivered home!"

As of the end of 2025, Jungar Banner (准格尔旗) has opened passenger, cargo, and postal services in 7 Sumu (苏木) townships and 94 Gacha (嘎查) villages, with an average daily transportation of 4,000 pieces of mail.

Post Stations Broaden the "Income Increase Path"

By Hu Jingyi (胡婧怡), reporter of this newspaper

In the twelfth lunar month, the New Year's atmosphere in Panjin (盘锦), Liaoning (辽宁), is gradually getting stronger. At 9:05 a.m., a bus arrived on time in front of the Lixin Supermarket in Wangjia Village (王家村), Xinxing Town (新兴镇), Dawa District (大洼区), Panjin City (盘锦市), Liaoning Province (辽宁省). The driver got off the bus and delivered more than a dozen express deliveries from different express delivery companies to the store. Also delivered were New Year goods ordered by the supermarket: rice gift boxes, sea duck eggs, intangible cultural heritage pastries, frozen pears, strawberries, window paper-cuts...

Zhou Ying (周颖), 53 years old this year, has been running this rural supermarket for 9 years. Since 2021, the supermarket has added the function of a village-level post station for postal cooperation. Relying on Panjin's (盘锦) integrated urban-rural bus system, the "last kilometer" of express delivery from the town to the village has been completely opened up.

Back at the cashier, Zhou Ying (周颖) immediately sent out photos and notices in the "Wangjia Village Self-Pickup Point Benefit Group": "Frozen pears and strawberries have arrived, everyone come and taste them!"

Soon, Wang Yanqiu (王艳秋), a 73-year-old villager, walked into the supermarket, took a gift box, and brought a piece of clothing to be returned. "In the past, express deliveries had to be sent and received in the town seven or eight kilometers away from the village. Large items were too heavy to carry, and small items were too troublesome to return. It was inconvenient for my children to buy me anything online," Wang Yanqiu (王艳秋) said, "Now, I have learned to shop online."

After becoming an express delivery station, Zhou Ying (周颖) clearly felt that there were more and more elderly people in the village like Wang Yanqiu (王艳秋) who could shop online.

The smooth flow of logistics not only facilitates consumption, but also broadens sales channels.

Near noon, villager Zhao Rongjie (赵荣杰) sent the rice produced by his family to Zhou Ying (周颖) for packaging and delivery. "It just so happens that the next bus will take it to the town," Zhou Ying (周颖) said, calculating the time, "The express delivery company doesn't have to run to the village, the cost is saved, and the postage is much cheaper."

"Harvesting river crabs, collecting rice, selling New Year goods... In the peak season, I have to send more than a dozen items from the post station every day." Zhao Rongjie (赵荣杰) has been farming for a lifetime and is not good at words, but the smile on his face cannot be stopped, "**止不住** (zhǐ bù zhù - "cannot stop," unable to control or restrain)." "After a online promotion through WeChat Moments, customers from all over the country come to buy our goods, and the price can be doubled compared to selling directly to merchants in the town."

Now, the sales of agricultural products to help farmers have also become smoother.

In order to help rural agricultural products go upstream, Panjin Passenger Transport Bus Group (盘锦客运公交集团) has created the "Liaopin Hui" online platform to display and sell Panjin's (盘锦) local specialty agricultural products, and regularly conducts live broadcasts to help farmers in the fields.

Zhou Ying's (周颖) supermarket also has a special display rack for agricultural products to help farmers, including rice from this village and crown pears from the next village. "Each village has what the other needs, and the bus delivers goods every day, which greatly reduces inventory pressure," Zhou Ying (周颖) said.

The villagers who come and go to send and receive express deliveries bring passenger flow, and Zhou Ying (周颖) runs the supermarket prosperously. Zhou Ying (周颖) said that after adding post station services and product sales, the store's income has increased by 30% compared to before.

Fruit Township Embraces "Cloud Exhibition Hall"

By Fu Mingli (付明丽), reporter of this newspaper

"Family members, look over here, this is our local Linyi (临猗) rock sugar heart Fuji apple, with thin skin, crisp flesh, and lots of juice, and it can be delivered in two days..." At 12 noon, at the Lilin Preferred Farm in Qicun (齐村), Beijing Township (北景乡), Linyi County (临猗县), Yuncheng City (运城市), Shanxi (山西), Guo Liying (郭丽颖), the person in charge, is enthusiastically promoting the product in front of the mobile phone live broadcast lens. Behind her, a dozen workers are busy packaging the red apples and attaching express delivery labels to be sent to various places. In just half a day, the turnover of the live broadcast room has exceeded 30,000 yuan.

"Once it enters the twelfth lunar month, it is the peak season. We insist on live broadcasts from the place of origin, and the whole process from picking to packaging is transparent, and there are many repeat customers," Guo Liying (郭丽颖) introduced. The annual sales cycle lasts from late October to June of the following year.

The popularity of live broadcast e-commerce has directly driven the income of surrounding fruit farmers.

"In the past, we waited for agents to come to collect the goods, but now we sell them to local e-commerce companies on the spot, which saves the intermediate links and transportation costs, and earns an extra dime per catty." Wang Guijie (王桂杰), a 60-year-old villager in Qicun (齐村), planted 20 acres of apple trees, with a yield of more than 200,000 catties in 2025, most of which were sold to all parts of the country through Guo Liying's (郭丽颖) live broadcast room.

Linyi (临猗) is a large fruit county in Shanxi (山西), with an annual output of more than 10 billion catties of fruits such as apples, winter jujubes, and grapes. 70% of the county's population is engaged in fruit production, and 70% of farmers' income comes from the fruit industry. In order to open up the market, Linyi County (临猗县) began to develop e-commerce in 2015. At present, there are more than 1,000 e-commerce enterprises in the county, driving employment for more than 60,000 people.

"From platform e-commerce to live broadcast sales, Linyi's (临猗) e-commerce forms are constantly upgrading, attracting a large number of young people to return to their hometowns to start businesses," introduced Wei Rongping (卫荣平), president of the Linyi County E-commerce Chamber of Commerce (临猗县电子商务商会).

Guo Liying (郭丽颖) is one of the best. In 4 years of entrepreneurship, she has experienced the "three-level jump" from micro-stores, e-commerce platforms to live broadcasts, and her annual sales have jumped from several million yuan to more than 20 million yuan.

Behind the growth of the enterprise is inseparable from the precise drip irrigation of policies. Aiming at the pain point of logistics costs, since 2023, Linyi County (临猗县) has carried out the work of subsidizing express deliveries for agricultural products going upstream, with a subsidy of one yuan per order for local shipments. In 2025, Guo Liying's (郭丽颖) farm enjoyed a express delivery subsidy of 260,000 yuan, which greatly reduced operating costs. "The amount of express delivery logistics subsidies obtained by e-commerce enterprises in Linyi County (临猗县) every year is close to 1/4 of the subsidy amount issued by the Provincial Department of Commerce, which provides strong support for the logistics and distribution of e-commerce enterprises," introduced Wei Rongping (卫荣平).

In addition, the Linyi County Bureau of Commerce (临猗县商务局) regularly conducts e-commerce skills training, with a cumulative training of more than 35,000 people, and relies on the County E-commerce Service Center to provide free venues, warehousing logistics, and product promotion and other supporting services.

"In 2025, the county's e-commerce sales of agricultural products reached 2.5 billion yuan, of which live broadcast e-commerce sales accounted for 1/4," said Wei Rongping (卫荣平). In the next step, Linyi (临猗) will turn its attention to overseas markets, relying on cross-border e-commerce platforms and China-Europe Railway Express logistics channels to open up emerging markets such as ASEAN and Central Asia, promote Linyi apples to "go global," and find new growth points in a broader market.

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Decoding Bronze Inscriptions (A Journey Through Chinese Culture: Relics Speak)

By: 本报记者 张丹华

China's bronze civilization has a long history and is brilliantly splendid, standing alone in the history of world civilization. To understand bronzes, one must understand the diverse and exquisite patterns on them.

"The patterns on bronzes can be divided into three categories: animals, geometric shapes, and human images, and each major category can be further subdivided into several types," said Ning Yaying, Director of the Baoji Bronze Ware Museum (宝鸡青铜器博物院).

Typical animal patterns include the beast mask pattern (饕餮纹), dragon pattern, snake pattern, bird pattern, cicada pattern, scale pattern, and *qiequ* pattern.

The dragon pattern is an important and long-lasting type of decoration on Shang and Zhou bronzes. Dragons in bronzes are unpredictable. The Dan Wufu Pot (单五父壶) from the Western Zhou Dynasty during the reign of King Xuan (宣王) unearthed from the Yangjiacun Bronze Ware Hoard (杨家村青铜器窖藏) in Mei County (眉县), Shaanxi (陕西), when viewed from the front of the pot's belly, has a frontal dragon head as its center, with two dragon bodies symmetrically unfolding to both sides, intertwined with another double-bodied, shared-head dragon. Interestingly, at the end of the dragon's body is a side-view dragon head. That is to say, this dragon is both double-bodied with a shared head and double-headed with a shared body.

Geometric patterns are a very early form of decoration on bronzes, composed of points, lines, circles, and angles, with relatively obvious characteristics of the times. Typical geometric patterns include circle patterns, vortex patterns, cloud and thunder patterns, triangle patterns, and string patterns.

Human images appeared in the late Spring and Autumn period. Prior to this, human figures were often combined with animals on bronzes of the Shang and Western Zhou dynasties, including images of half-human, half-beast figures and images of being devoured by animals. The human image patterns of the late Spring and Autumn period, however, adopted realistic techniques, and the main content included banquets, archery ceremonies, *yi* shooting, hunting, warfare, mulberry picking, etc.

What are the functions and symbolic meanings of bronze patterns?

"The patterns on bronzes can be traced back to the pottery and jade patterns of the Neolithic Age, and have the function of decorating and beautifying objects. In addition, they are also endowed with certain cultural connotations," said Ren Xueli, Director of the Exhibition Department of the Shaanxi History Museum (陕西历史博物馆).

Initially, it was out of aesthetic needs. Making patterns on bronzes enhanced the artistic value of the objects.

Later, it developed into sacrificial and worship functions. The *taotie* patterns and *kuilong* patterns on ritual vessels such as *ding* and *gui* were believed by the ancients to be able to communicate with heaven and earth, and were used for sacrificial activities.

During the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, war patterns and banquet patterns appeared, vividly recording major historical events, social life, and military technology of the time, like "bronze history books."

"The characteristics of bronze patterns are strongly related to the times. They are a reflection of people's love and pursuit of different artistic styles in different historical periods, and also a reflection of people's spiritual world in art," said Ren Xueli.

The well-known scholar Zhu Fenghan (朱凤瀚) mentioned in "Comprehensive Treatise on Chinese Bronzes" (《中国青铜器综论》) that the prevalence of mythological animal patterns during the Shang and Western Zhou periods is generally believed to be closely related to the mysticism and religious consciousness of worshiping ghosts and gods in the Shang Dynasty and the early Zhou Dynasty. This style changed after the late Western Zhou Dynasty and was gradually replaced by patterned styles. By the middle and late Spring and Autumn period, it turned to a free and unrestrained, fresh and elegant style.

The patterns on bronzes are still inherited and continued in folk arts and crafts to this day.

The "Full Moon Tiger" made by folk craftsmen in Fengxiang (凤翔), Shaanxi, and the *xi zun* made by Zhou Dynasty craftsmen are nearly 3,000 years apart, but the design concepts and decorative techniques are similar.

The "Full Moon Tiger" is painted with various auspicious patterns, such as pomegranates, peonies, and copper coins. Auxiliary patterns such as grass patterns, eye patterns, water wave patterns, and spiral patterns can also be easily outlined, flowing and dynamic. "Art is a form of expressing culture, and a tool and means of spreading culture. After thousands of years of circulation, the important instruments in ancient temples and the clay work of today's folk crafts have similar decorative concepts. The inheritance of artistic concepts reflects the inheritance of culture," said Ren Xueli.

"It is necessary to carry out in-depth cultural decoding and contemporary translation of the patterns, so that they can be integrated into the context of the times and realize the contemporary expression and innovative development of bronze patterns," said Ren Xueli.

In the cultural and creative area of the Shaanxi History Museum, you can see the application of bronze patterns in the field of cultural and creative products, showing a gradient development from concrete reproduction to abstract translation. Physical forms are transformed into tangible daily objects through three-dimensional assembled models, Q-version blind boxes, patterned jewelry, and stationery; digital forms are derived into dynamic wallpapers, emoticons, and game skins and other virtual elements, continuing their cultural life in the digital space and realizing the contemporary expression and wide dissemination of traditional patterns.

In today's clothing and fashion fields, the structure and patterns of the patterns are either transformed into the silhouette, tailoring, embroidery, or prints of clothing; or they are widely used in jewelry, bags, and other details through geometric abstraction, becoming cultural expression symbols with both a sense of history and personality. "Bronzes are the embodiment of productivity in the Shang and Zhou periods, and also the representative of the prosperous development of social material and spiritual culture. Today's bronze modeling and pattern design concepts not only reflect the fashion of the times, but also accumulate the power of culture," said Ren Xueli.

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The Gregorian Calendar Date is Not Fixed, But the Lunar New Year Has Specific Customs (Information Service)

By: 张 旸

It's almost Chinese New Year again.

The Spring Festival in 2026 falls on February 17th, 19 days later than in 2025, making it the latest in recent years. Looking further ahead, the Spring Festival in 2027 is 11 days earlier than in 2026. As for the earliest Spring Festival in recent years, it was January 22nd in 2023.

Why does the Spring Festival sometimes come early and sometimes late? This has to do with the calendar we use.

Today, there are three main types of calendars: solar calendars based on the apparent movement of the sun, such as the Gregorian calendar and the Julian calendar; lunar calendars that only consider the apparent movement of the moon, such as the Islamic calendar and the Greek calendar; and lunisolar calendars that combine both, such as the Chinese lunar calendar (农历) and the Tibetan calendar (藏历) that China still uses today.

How we define the year and the month directly affects the compilation of the calendar. Usually, the tropical year (approximately 365.2422 days) and the synodic month (averaging approximately 29.53 days) are used as the basis for definition.

In the compilation of the solar calendar, the length of the year is required to be as close as possible to the "tropical year," with a year of 365 days (common year) or 366 days (leap year, with one extra leap day). The length of the month refers to but is not strictly bound by the synodic month, with artificially set large months of 31 days and small months of 30 days (except for February). The large and small months are basically set at intervals, and the specific dates do not correspond to the phases of the moon.

In the arrangement of the lunar calendar, the length of the month is required to be as close as possible to the synodic month, and the first day of each month must be the new moon, so that the date corresponds directly to the phase of the moon. Large months have 30 days and small months have 29 days, and the specific settings are determined based on astronomical observations and theoretical calculations. Sometimes, there will be no Lunar New Year's Eve (大年三十): from 2025 to 2029, the twelfth lunar month happens to be a small month for five consecutive years, and the Lunar New Year's Eve in these years is the twenty-ninth day of the twelfth lunar month.

In the lunar calendar, the setting of the month is relatively "natural," but how many months to set in a year requires much consideration. If a year is set to 12 months (common year), the whole year is only about 354 days, which is about 11 days less than the tropical year used in the solar calendar; if 13 months are set (leap year, with one extra leap month), the whole year is as many as about 384 days, which is about 19 days more than a year in the solar calendar. In order to be roughly "in step" with the solar calendar, the lunar calendar adopts a compromise: on average, there are 7 leap years every 19 years, so that with 19 years as a cycle, the total number of days in the lunar calendar is very close to the total number of days in the solar calendar, and the two can be reconciled. There is a set of special rules for how to set the leap month in a leap year, which must also be based on astronomical calculations.

In this way, the common year of the lunar calendar is about 11 days shorter than a year of the solar calendar, while the leap year of the lunar calendar is about 19 days longer than a year of the solar calendar. Therefore, the solar calendar date of each Spring Festival is either about 11 days earlier or about 19 days later than the previous year, oscillating back and forth. For example, 2025 is a leap year according to the lunar calendar (Year of the Snake (乙巳蛇年), with a leap sixth month), with as many as 384 days in the whole year, which causes the Spring Festival in 2026 to be "postponed" by 19 days; 2026 is a common year according to the lunar calendar (Year of the Horse (丙午马年)), so the Spring Festival in 2027 will be "advanced" by 11 days.

Not only the Spring Festival, but other lunar festivals, such as the Dragon Boat Festival (端午) and the Mid-Autumn Festival (中秋), will also come early or late in the solar calendar, which is just a manifestation of the corresponding relationship between the lunar calendar and the solar calendar. As for the cold and heat, the blooming and falling of leaves on the earth, that is subject to the sun's light conditions, corresponding to the sun's apparent motion cycle, strictly speaking, it depends on the solar calendar, not the lunar calendar. So, although the Spring Festival in 2026 is late, the flowers of spring in 2026 will not bloom late.

The Chinese lunar calendar has been used since ancient times to guide agricultural production, how can it not be closely related to the seasons?

In fact, as a lunisolar calendar, the lunar calendar has a unique solar element, which is the twenty-four solar terms (二十四节气). The solar terms are strictly compiled according to the tropical year, so as to guide agricultural production.

Being able to reflect the phases of the moon, conform to the seasons, and maintain harmony with the world's common solar calendar, this is the unique advantage of the lunar calendar and a reflection of the great wisdom of the Chinese people.

(The author is an associate researcher at the Zijinshan Astronomical Observatory (紫金山天文台) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (中国科学院), and the interview was compiled by Yao Xueqing (姚雪青), a reporter from this newspaper.)

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Editor in charge of this edition: Meng Yang, Tang Zhongke, Liang Zeyu

Layout Design: Zhang Danfeng (张丹峰)

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Rooted in the Field, Inquiring into the Past and Present (Archaeological China)

By: 周飞亚

"The stove for heat-treating stone tool raw materials is the first discovery in East Asia. Coupled with the emergence of early pottery in a few areas, it shows that early Paleolithic humans invented controlled use of fire. At this point, the spark of civilization has burst forth. The exploration of the origin of Chinese civilization should be advanced to a more distant historical depth..." Researcher Gao Xing (高星) of the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (中国科学院) made such a remark at the press conference of the "2025 New Archaeological Discoveries in China" of the Institute of Archaeology of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (中国社会科学院考古研究所).

The newly selected archaeological discoveries include six projects: the Xinmiaozhuang Paleolithic Site (新庙庄旧石器时代遗址) in Yangyuan County (阳原县), Hebei Province (河北省); the Peiligang Neolithic Site (裴李岗石器时代遗址) in Xinzheng City (新郑市), Henan Province (河南省); the Zhengjiagou Hongshan Culture Site (郑家沟红山文化遗址) in Zhangjiakou City (张家口市), Hebei Province (河北省); the Husta Bronze Age Site (呼斯塔青铜时代遗址) in Wenquan County (温泉县), Xinjiang (新疆); the Langyatai Site (琅琊台战国秦汉时期遗址) of the Warring States, Qin and Han Dynasties in Qingdao City (青岛市), Shandong Province (山东省); and the Badamudong Jin and Tang Dynasties Tomb Complex (巴达木东晋唐时期墓群) in Turpan City (吐鲁番市), Xinjiang (新疆). These new discoveries are constantly solving major academic problems, providing empirical evidence for historical records, and enriching our understanding of the development of ancient humans.

The Xinmiaozhuang Site is located in the Nihewan Basin (泥河湾盆地), known as the "holy land of Paleolithic archaeology." The site has discovered six phases of remains dating from 120,000 to 13,000 years ago, including stone flake tools, Mousterian-style stone tools, stone blades, bladelets, microblades, and other stone tool technologies, constructing a cultural sequence throughout the Late Pleistocene. Among them, microblade technology is considered a typical stone tool technology of early modern humans. The microblade technology discovered at Site 2 dates back 45,000 to 42,000 years, making it the earliest in North China and even East Asia. Mousterian stone tools were discovered in North China for the first time, meaning that Neanderthal populations may have reached or influenced the Chinese hinterland. The abundant and diverse (especially marine animal bone) perforated ornaments unearthed at Site 5 are not only physical evidence of the aesthetic pursuits of humans at that time, but also contain information on long-distance trade, handicraft specialization, social stratification and complexity of ancient populations at that time. Together with complex fire-using remains and exquisite stone tools, they foreshadow a technological and social revolution with far-reaching impact on the course of human history.

Peiligang Culture (裴李岗文化) is one of the earliest Neolithic cultures discovered in the Central Plains, with a wide distribution and great influence on surrounding areas. The archaeological excavation of the Peiligang Site confirmed the existence of Late Paleolithic cultural remains in the lower layer, providing new and important materials for exploring the Paleolithic-Neolithic transition in the Central Plains. A large number of pottery sculptures were unearthed from the site, mainly figures and animal images. The human-faced fangs image is one of the earliest human-faced fangs images discovered so far, and may be one of the sources of the god-faced image in the Late Neolithic Age. The testing of the unearthed pottery small-mouthed pointed-bottomed bottles found evidence of brewing using red yeast rice fermentation technology with rice as raw material, providing an important clue for exploring the origin of the Yangshao Culture (仰韶文化) pointed-bottomed bottles.

The Xinmiaozhuang and Peiligang sites have been excavated many times since the 1970s and 1980s. Today, a new round of archaeological surveys, excavations, and the application of multidisciplinary methods have revealed multiple new locations and unprecedented materials and information, making the old sites rejuvenate. This also reminds us that under the support of new academic concepts and scientific and technological means, some areas or sites that have been investigated, excavated, and studied in the early stage may still have academic value that was not recognized before.

Why did the late Hongshan Culture (红山文化) population suddenly disappear in the western Liaoning area? Where did they migrate to? For a long time, this question has plagued the academic community. The excavation of the Zhengjiagou Hongshan Culture Site finally solved the mystery. Carbon-14 dating shows that the No. 1 stone mound at the Zhengjiagou Site dates back 5100 to 4800 years. The relics retain typical elements of the Hongshan Culture and also have local characteristics, which may represent a new archaeological culture type formed by the integration of the Hongshan Culture with the local culture of Zhangjiakou during its southwestward diffusion. The whole-genome sequencing results of 24 human bones unearthed from the No. 1 stone mound show that the Zhengjiagou population has a strong genetic connection with the Hongshan Culture population in the Xiliao River Basin (西辽河流域) and should belong to the same ethnic group. More than 600 artifacts (sets) were unearthed from the tombs and sacrificial pits, including a large number of ornaments made of shellfish, pearls, snails, etc. The jade dragon in the shape of a jue is a typical artifact of the Hongshan Culture.

The Zhengjiagou Site confirms that the Hongshan Culture once migrated to the southwest, extending the timeline of the Hongshan Culture and expanding its distribution range. Gong Zhanqing (龚湛清), the leader of the archaeological project at the site, introduced that more than 200 similar stone mounds have been discovered in the Zhangjiakou area. "Is there a sacrificial center like the Niuheliang Altar Temple Tomb (牛河梁坛庙冢) in this area? Are the structures of these mounds different? What is the relationship between the mounds?" Dai Xiangming (戴向明), a professor at the School of History of Capital Normal University (首都师范大学历史学院), pointed out that there are still many unsolved mysteries at the site, and these questions are the direction of future research.

The Husta Site is a large settlement with an area of more than 12 square kilometers, consisting of a core urban site, a cemetery, and relics outside the core area. A large tomb in the eastern cemetery dates back to 2800-2600 BC and is one of the earliest Bronze Age remains discovered in Xinjiang, with a special shape. A bronze knife unearthed from the tomb is one of the earliest tin bronze products seen in the Eurasian steppe. The unearthed scepter head is a human face image wearing a hat, with realistic and lifelike facial features, which is unprecedented. Han Jianye (韩建业), a professor in the Department of Archaeology and Museology of the School of History of Renmin University of China (中国人民大学历史学院考古文博系), believes that the discovery of the Husta Site enriches people's understanding of the Bronze Age in Xinjiang and looks forward to obtaining more excavation results in the future.

The archaeological confirmation of the Langyatai Site confirmed a high-level building complex consisting of a high platform building on the top of the mountain and a courtyard at the foot of the mountain, which was "built by Qin and repaired by Han" (秦修汉葺). The total area of the building foundation on the top of the mountain is about 45,000 square meters, divided into multiple levels. The uppermost level is the core palace foundation, and rooms, corridors, courtyard gate sites, stone-paved roads, and drainage facilities have been found on different levels of platforms on the east and west sides. High-level building components such as the Kui-patterned semi-circular tile ends and dragon-patterned hollow bricks that were unearthed can confirm the record in the literature that Qin Shihuang (秦始皇) "moved 30,000 households of the common people" to build the "Langyatai" (琅邪台). Bai Yunxiang (白云翔), a researcher at the Institute of Archaeology of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (中国社会科学院考古研究所), believes that the Langyatai Site concentrates on demonstrating the early dynasty's governance capabilities, engineering technology level, and cultural integration strategies, and is another example of studying the evolutionary mechanism of the pluralistic integration of Chinese civilization.

The Badamudong Tomb Complex is a tomb relic from the Jin and Tang Dynasties, providing key physical materials for in-depth research on national governance, cultural integration, and Silk Road exchanges during the Jin and Tang Dynasties. The burial objects in the Tang tombs are mainly painted clay figurines, mainly including "Four Gods and Twelve Hours" figurines, male and female standing figurines, and animal figurines such as horses, cattle, and camels. The custom of containing coins in the mouth and holding them in the hand is common, with typical Central Plains cultural characteristics. A group of "Tianbao Eight Years Wooden Vouchers" (天宝八载木券) were unearthed, with more than 230 characters of ink writing remaining. The preliminary interpretation should be related to the "cutting grass ceremony" in the Central Plains funeral ceremony, showing the Western Regions society's deep identification with the Central Plains culture. The relics are rich in content, reproducing the historical scene of the integration and coexistence of various ethnic groups in the Western Regions, and witnessing the effective governance and cultural infiltration of the Tang Dynasty's central government in the Western Regions.

Most of the sites selected this time have undergone several years of excavation and research. For example, the excavation of the Peiligang Site lasted for 8 years, the excavation of the Husta Site lasted for 10 years, and the Langyatai Site has been around for 7 years. This shows that major archaeological discoveries and research results are not only derived from luck, but are the result of **锲而不舍** (qiè ér bù shě - "to carve without stopping," to persevere; to keep on chipping away at something) and forging ahead. Numerous archaeologists are based in the field, asking questions about the past and present, with much hard work and many setbacks. In the midst of difficulties and confusion, there are occasional breakthroughs and surprises that **拨云见日** (bō yún jiàn rì - "push aside the clouds to see the sun," to dispel doubts and see the truth) and **柳暗花明** (liǔ àn huā míng - "dark willows, bright flowers," a sudden turn for the better after a period of difficulty), pushing China's archaeological cause to a new peak.

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Archaeological Evidence of Frontier Governance (Archaeological China)

By: 郭 物

Turpan's dry climate means that buried cultural relics are as if sealed in a time capsule, and are generally well preserved. In particular, documents and other cultural relics are often difficult to preserve in other regions, but because the same government documents would be transmitted to various local governments under the central dynasty, Turpan preserves the historical scene for us.

The tombs discovered in Turpan archaeology extend from the earlier Yanghai Cemetery to the Han and Tang dynasties. Badamu East Cemetery is an extension of the Astana Tomb complex. Many cultural relics, especially a large number of Turpan documents, were unearthed in Astana in those years, forming the field of Turpan studies. Therefore, the Astana Tomb complex was protected very early on. However, the Badamu area became a vineyard. When local residents irrigated the grapes, the water would suddenly sink, and people realized that there were tombs below, so many tombs were eroded by the irrigation water. From 2022 to 2025, the archaeological team did a lot of work to achieve this particularly important archaeological discovery.

The Badamu East Cemetery has at least three aspects of important value. First, it is a witness to the central government's frontier governance. We know that the Han Dynasty's rule in the Western Regions mainly relied on the Western Regions Protectorate (西域都护府). Later, through the Five Contests for Cheshi, the Wuji Colonel (戊己校尉) was established in Turpan in 48 BC, which was ruled through military and political institutions. When Emperor Taizong Li Shimin (唐太宗李世民) of the Tang Dynasty recovered Turpan in 640 AD, there was still debate in the court about how to rule this area. At that time, Wei Zheng (魏征) and Chu Suiliang (褚遂良) both advocated using the ancient method of setting up an agency that only managed military and political affairs, but Emperor Taizong insisted on ruling in the manner of a regular prefecture, registering all the people in the area around the eastern Tianshan Mountains. Emperor Taizong knew that since the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, the Han culture in this area had a deep foundation, and whether in terms of economic form or cultural identity, it could be directly ruled in the same way as the Central Plains, so he established the Xizhou (西州) and placed the earliest Anxi Protectorate (安西都护府) here. From the Han to the Tang dynasties, this was a process of flowering and bearing fruit. The Qing Dynasty's ability to recover the Western Regions, returning the homeland, was also due to the foundation laid by the central government's long-term frontier governance. These tombs precisely reflect this point. The tomb owners were all registered in the Tang Dynasty, many of them were formal officials of the Tang Dynasty, who were promoted and moved according to the Tang Dynasty system, and were buried according to the etiquette of the time after they were born, grew old, got sick, and died. These generals and officials 克奉正朔 (kè fèng zhèng shuò - "adhere to the correct calendar," to follow the central government's orders) and made important contributions to maintaining the prosperity of the Western Regions.

Secondly, it witnessed the formation of the Chinese nation. The things discovered in the Badamu East Cemetery can illustrate the process of exchange, interaction, and integration of people from all directions under the unified rule of the Tang Dynasty. For example, the epitaphs of two senior officials, Cheng Huan (程奂) and Li Chonghui (李重晖), show that they came from Handan (邯郸) and Tianshui (天水) areas respectively. Cheng Huan's superior, Li Yuanzhong (李元忠), was a Sogdian, but he insisted on defending his territory after the An Lushan Rebellion (安史之乱) until the Tang Dynasty finally withdrew from the Western Regions.

This archaeological discovery is also a witness to the integration of diverse cultures on the Silk Road. The coffin discovered in M20 is high in the front and low in the back, wide in the front and narrow in the back. This shape of coffin can be traced back to the stone coffin tomb culture of the Warring States and Western Han periods in western Sichuan, and is related to the famous crescent-shaped cultural transmission belt. The winged horse on the painted coffin may be an element of Eastern Roman culture. The gold and silver flat-coated ware unearthed in M12 is obviously a high-level political gift bestowed by the Tang Dynasty court. There are also foreign currencies such as Eastern Roman gold coins, Persian silver coins, and Turkic coins, which all witness the prosperity of the Silk Road.

The Turpan Badamu East Cemetery fully embodies the prominent continuity, innovation, unity, inclusiveness, and peacefulness of Chinese civilization, and is an important heritage of the Chinese nation's community.

(The author is a researcher at the Institute of Archaeology, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (中国社会科学院考古研究所))

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A Touch of Celadon, A Millennium of Heritage

By: 郝雪琳 郑建明

With the popularity of the TV series "The Peaceful Years" (太平年), the Wuyue Kingdom (吴越国) and its culture have once again entered the public eye. Secret-color porcelain (秘色瓷), as the pinnacle of craftsmanship and aesthetics during this period, is not only a material witness to the Wuyue Kingdom's (吴越国) preservation of peace and tribute to the Central Plains, but also an artistic crystallization of the elegant and refined spiritual core of Jiangnan (江南) culture.

Many imagine its beauty from poetry: Lu Guimeng (陆龟蒙) of the late Tang Dynasty praised it for "seizing the emerald color of a thousand peaks," and Xu Yin (徐夤) of the Five Dynasties compared it to "skillfully carving the bright moon to dye spring water, lightly swirling thin ice to hold green clouds." At the same time, the saying that "tribute items were not for use by subjects, hence the name 'secret-color'" added to its mystique. This millennium-old mist was not dispelled until the opening of the underground palace of Famen Temple (法门寺) in Shaanxi (陕西) in 1987. The 13 celadon wares unearthed from the underground palace completely matched the records on the "Clothing Account Stele" (衣物账碑) of "seven secret-color porcelain bowls, two with silver rims; six secret-color porcelain plates and dishes," confirming that the legends were true.

As the top-tier porcelain exclusively made for the official use from the late Tang Dynasty (唐朝), the Five Dynasties (五代), to the early Northern Song Dynasty (北宋), secret-color porcelain served both the daily life and rituals of the Wuyue Kingdom's (吴越国) royal family, and was also presented as an important "state gift" in large quantities to the Central Plains. In the Qian clan (钱氏) royal tombs and aristocratic tombs of the Wuyue Kingdom (吴越国), such as the tombs of Qian Kuan (钱宽) and Lady Shuiqiu (水邱氏), the parents of Qian Liu (钱鏐), the founding monarch of the Wuyue Kingdom (吴越国), and in the Kang Mausoleum (康陵) of Qian Yuanguan (钱元瓘), the second king, and his wife Lady Ma (马氏), numerous secret-color porcelains of outstanding quality have been unearthed, telling the story of the royal luxury and internal ritual norms. Its traces as tribute goods spread far to the Central Plains dynasties and the northern Liao (辽) territory. The cloud and crane patterned box unearthed from the imperial tombs of the Northern Song Dynasty (北宋), the dragon and phoenix patterned large plate unearthed from the Liao Ancestral Mausoleum (辽祖陵), the celadon plate with the "Guan" (官) character mark unearthed from the joint tomb of Princess Chen (陈国公主) and her consort, and the figure banquet patterned ewer and warm bowl unearthed from the tomb of Han Yi (韩佚), a Liao Dynasty (辽代) nobleman, are all regarded as secret-color porcelain. Together, they outline the brilliant network constructed by secret-color porcelain as a top-tier commodity and political gift.

Where were these secret-color porcelains fired? The excavation of the Housi'ao Kiln Site (后司岙窑址) in Cixi (慈溪), Zhejiang (浙江) in 2017 provided a definitive origin for this azure legend. This excavation not only confirmed that the kiln site was the core kiln site for firing secret-color porcelain during the late Tang Dynasty (唐朝) and the Five Dynasties (五代), but also established a complete chain from production to use with a series of key evidence: in addition to the matching shapes and glaze characteristics, some porcelain saggars unearthed from the kiln site are clearly engraved with the words "Luohu Master Secret-color Bowl" (罗湖师秘色椀); the fragments of the octagonal clean bottle in the kiln site are completely consistent with the base mark of the octagonal clean bottle unearthed from the underground palace of Famen Temple (法门寺). These findings provide solid archaeological support for the correspondence between the production and circulation of secret-color porcelain.

As the pinnacle of Yue ware (越窑) art, secret-color porcelain represents a perfect fusion of craftsmanship and aesthetics of an era. The aesthetic core of secret-color porcelain lies in abandoning elaborate patterns and winning with the dignified bearing of the shape and the gentle and restrained glaze color. Its vessel types are rich and diverse, mainly including bowls, plates, basins, cups, and boxes, as well as ewers, bottles, jars, dishes, and cup holders. Each type of vessel has multiple shapes, all of which contain ingenuity in simple lines. Its glaze is clear and lustrous, with a soft luster, appearing like distant mountains containing dai and feeling like spring water rippling, fully in line with the elegant and restrained aesthetic temperament advocated by Jiangnan (江南) culture since the Tang Dynasty (唐朝).

In order to pursue the artistic effect of "like ice and jade, waterless yet like water," the craftsmen pioneered the ultimate process of sealing with porcelain saggars and firing single pieces, ensuring the purity and perfection of the glaze color. Each piece, from pulling the blank and shaping to applying the full glaze and sealing for firing, is made with no regard for cost and with meticulous attention to detail, reflecting its exclusivity as court porcelain during the late Tang Dynasty (唐朝) and the Five Dynasties (五代).

Secret-color porcelain pioneered a high-end celadon aesthetic paradigm centered on glaze color and shape. Its azure glaze color and fine craftsmanship completed the ingenious transformation of the charm of gold and silver wares, not only providing an aesthetic source for the "sky blue after rain" of Ru ware (汝窑) and Southern Song Dynasty Guan ware (南宋官窑) in later generations, but also profoundly influencing the aesthetic orientation of Longquan ware's (龙泉窑) powder blue and plum green glaze, and even Goryeo celadon.

Why could this azure color reach the realm of perfection and beauty in troubled times? The answer is deeply rooted in the unique historical circumstances of the Wuyue Kingdom (吴越国). When the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms (五代十国) were plagued by frequent wars, the Wuyue Kingdom (吴越国), which was entrenched in the southeast, enjoyed more than 70 years of relative stability under the rule of the three generations of the Qian family (钱氏), providing fertile ground for the peak of handicrafts. At the same time, in order to survive in troubled times, the Wuyue Kingdom (吴越国) vigorously implemented the policy of paying tribute to the Central Plains, exchanging exquisite porcelain for political recognition and peace. To this end, the Wuyue Kingdom (吴越国) established the "Provincial Porcelain Kiln Affairs" (省瓷窑务) in Shanglin Lake (上林湖), the core production area of Yue ware (越窑), to manage kiln production, pioneering an early "official kiln" system. The saggars with the "Guan" (官) character mark unearthed from the Housi'ao Kiln Site (后司岙窑址), and the record of "tribute kiln" (贡窑) on the epitaph jar of Guanghua three years (光化三年) (900 AD) unearthed near the kiln site, all confirm its official firing attribute. It is this monopolistic resource investment and institutionalized production that laid the foundation for the ultimate craftsmanship of secret-color porcelain.

Today, in the display cabinets of museums, we can still encounter that azure color. It quietly tells the story of a dynasty, the wisdom of a family, and the aesthetics of an era. Secret-color porcelain is a legend of clay and fire, a dialogue between craftsmen and poets, and a bright spot of civilization created by the Wuyue Kingdom (吴越国) in troubled times. It did not disappear with the demise of the Wuyue Kingdom (吴越国), but instead transformed into the genes of Chinese civilization, reborn in the glory of Song porcelain, and immortalized in the inheritance of thousands of years.

(Author's affiliation: Department of Cultural Relics and Museology, Fudan University (复旦大学))

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The Story by the磨针井 Well (There are Cultural Relics at My Doorstep)

By: 赵 亮

My old home is in Shiyan (十堰), Hubei (湖北), at the foot of Wudang Mountain (武当山). In my memory, the seventy-two peaks are the contours of breathing, while the small Taoist temple called "Grinding Needle Well" (磨针井) on the mountainside is a peaceful period. It is not as admired as the Golden Summit (金顶), but quietly guards the ancient mountain road, like a kind elder. When I was a child, I always regarded it as a resting station on the way up the mountain. The adults went to the hall, and the children lay on the railings of the Laomu Pavilion (姥姆亭), staring at the deep well in the pavilion and the iron-cast statue of the old woman grinding a pestle in the well niche. For children, the principle of "where there's a will, there's a way" (只要功夫深，铁杵磨成针) is too profound. Instead, the clearness of the well water, the ancient and simple colored murals of "Zhenwu Cultivation Diagram" (《真武修真图》) on the walls of the hall, and the two dark and shiny iron pestles as thick as bowls in front of the hall constitute a fantastic world that is both understood and not understood.

Later, I went out to study and work, and rarely returned home. It wasn't until a few years ago that I went back to my old house to sort out old things. After finishing, I drove up the mountain again and revisited the Grinding Needle Well (磨针井) alone. The Taoist temple is still delicate and exquisite, surrounded by green forests, and time is filtered here to be slow and peaceful. Different from my childhood memories, there are many more tender faces in the yard. A group of teenagers in training clothes are practicing Wudang (武当) boxing under the shade of a tree next to the ancient well under the guidance of a master. Their bodies rise and fall, silently, only sweat drips on the stone slabs. The team leader told me that the spirit of "aspiring to the Tao and practicing hard" (志道苦修) in Grinding Needle Well (磨针井) is the best enlightenment lesson in martial arts. At that moment, the ancient temple intertwined with fresh vitality, and I suddenly had an unprecedented touch on the word "grinding needle" - what it grinds is not the pestle called "nostalgia" and "original intention" in the hearts of wanderers?

In the following years, whenever I returned to my hometown, I would always come up to see it whenever I had time. In this way, I became familiar with the cultural relics conservator on the mountain. I remember one autumn afternoon, I saw him holding a notebook, carefully checking the beams and pillars of the hall. We chatted and talked about the Grinding Needle Well (磨针井). He knew it like the back of his hand: "Don't look at this small courtyard, it is a unique gem on the crown of the 'World Heritage' of the ancient building complex of Wudang Mountain (武当山古建筑群)." He led me to see the carved ridges of the eaves and the "right-angled stone" fossils embedded in the stone tablet, which are 500 million years old. He pointed to a brick and tile with traces of repair and said: "In the past few years, the city promoted a special maintenance project. We maintained it carefully, like combing the hair of an old man, just to let it tell the story of 'grinding an iron pestle into a needle' for hundreds of years." Although the words were plain, they made people feel a sense of solemnity.

He has been guarding the Grinding Needle Well (磨针井) for some years, and it is full of stories of time. "The people who come here are all those who have a heart." His eyes turned to a mother and daughter whispering in front of the iron pestle. "Every spring and summer, especially during the exam season, many parents will bring their children here specially. It is not just a prayer, but more like a silent oath. Adults touch the iron pestle, and children look at the statue of the old woman. The look of 'working together' is more powerful than any preaching."

The most impressive thing is the unique role of Grinding Needle Well (磨针井) as a "Taoist Integrity Culture Education Base" (道廉文化教育基地). Party members and cadres often come to visit and study, and in this pure place of "embracing simplicity and guarding oneness" (抱朴守一 (bào pǔ shǒu yī - "embrace simplicity preserve oneness," to maintain one's original purity and simplicity)), they think about how to keep their original intentions and hone their political integrity in contrast to the purity of "grinding an iron pestle into a needle" (铁杵磨针). At this time, this well and this pestle become mirrors that reflect the state of mind.

The same cultural relic is read with different profound meanings by different people, but they all point to the core of "persistence" and become people's "spiritual charging station."

When leaving, the setting sun plated the flying eaves of the Laomu Pavilion (姥姆亭) with gold. Looking back, the Taoist temple stood quietly in the vast mountain scenery. I know that this story belonging to my doorstep will still be gently recited by the breeze, by time, and by generations of people with faith.

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Hometown's Bright Castle

By: 董得红

My hometown is located in a mountain valley on the south bank of the Huangshui River (湟水河), a first-level tributary of the Yellow River (黄河) in the eastern part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (青藏高原). In 1967, I started elementary school. The school was located on the east side of the village and was converted from the village temple. In addition to the classrooms converted from the main hall, the campus also had a stage and a back garden, which were the oldest buildings in the village.

My home was at the westernmost end of the village, and I had to cross the entire village to get to school every day. There were several routes to choose from to get from home to school, all of which were created by the elementary school students, letting their horses run free. The shortcut was to take the main road. Turning from the school gate into the village lane on the south side, about 200 meters, you would reach the S206 provincial highway (S206线). The village was scattered on both sides of the highway. The river beach was a favorite route to take in the summer. After school, my friends and I, as free as little birds, would swim and catch fish in the small river, playing until the sun set in the west, and then carry our baskets to the fields to cut grass or pick up cow and horse manure.

The most special route was the moat. Just over 100 meters from the school gate was the village's famous ancient castle, which the villagers were used to calling "Fortress (堡子)." When winter came, the wind became tighter and tighter, mixed with snowflakes, blowing us, who had just walked out of the school gate, so that we shivered all over. A student who was a little older and had some prestige among his friends said loudly: "Let's go through the moat!" A dozen elementary school students followed, shrinking their necks. Walking into the moat, the wind was much smaller, and the snowflakes swayed in the air, taking a long time to fall to the ground.

The moat consisted of a tall and thick wall and a series of connected earthen manor houses on the southeast side of the wall. The moat was about 2 meters wide, and the city wall was more than 10 meters high, built of rammed earth. According to the old people who had lived in the fortress for generations, the earliest fortress was square and upright, with a city gate on the north and south sides, a gate tower on top of the city gate, and horse-drawn carriages could run on top of the city wall. I once went to the home of a classmate who lived in the fortress. The south wall of his house was the city wall, and a small earthen building was built on top of the city wall.

In 1977, the college entrance examination was restored. I left the village through college entrance examination, and after graduation, I made a living outside, and never went to the elementary school and the moat again. When I returned home for the Spring Festival in 2019, I met an elementary school classmate who stayed in the village. He told me that the fortress that I saw and walked through every day when I was a child was a Ming Dynasty castle, and a monument was erected at the base of the wall, which was protected.

Later, one summer, at the suggestion of my classmates, we invited the elementary school teachers to visit the school and the castle together. More than 10 students with gray hair walked slowly along the moat with 4 teachers who were already in their seventies. Compared with those years, the city wall seemed to have become more old and low, and the gullies on the wall that had been washed away by rain were also deeper, but the wall was still intact. A stone tablet erected at the base of the north wall attracted us to move forward. We saw the words written on it: "National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit, Ming Great Wall of Qinghai (青海明长城) - Ping'an Section (平安段), announced by the State Council of the People's Republic of China on June 25, 2001, erected by the People's Government of Qinghai Province on July 30, 2018."

It was unbelievable that the fortress where dozens of households lived, which I had walked past the base of the wall almost every day when I was a child, was actually a part of the Great Wall. But the words on the stone tablet were written clearly. The former earthen wall instantly became solemn and solemn. I pressed my face tightly against the city wall, gently stroking the soil particles on the city wall with my hands, and the time I spent at the base of the city wall many years ago came to my mind.

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Editor in charge of this edition: Zhou Feiya

This edition's email: ysbjs@peopledaily.cn
Layout design: Shen Yiling (沈亦伶)

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