Summary: The article emphasizes Xi Jinping's focus on technological self-reliance ("科技自立自强") as crucial for building a strong, modern socialist country and achieving Chinese-style modernization. Xi highlighted the need for breakthroughs in core technologies and increased investment in research and development to support high-quality development. He stressed that technological innovation is the primary driver for achieving modernization and developing new productive forces. Xi also acknowledged China's progress in science and technology, including advancements in AI and chip development. The article notes Xi's call for enhanced confidence and determination in pursuing technological advancements.
Summary: President Xi Jinping spoke with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, emphasizing China's commitment to developing relations with Saudi Arabia based on mutual respect and mutual benefit as they celebrate 10 years of their comprehensive strategic partnership. Xi called for an immediate ceasefire in the Middle East and the Persian Gulf. He supported peaceful conflict resolution and the free passage of the Strait of Hormuz. Mohammed stressed the strategic importance of Saudi-China relations and expressed a desire to strengthen coordination with China to maintain the ceasefire, prevent renewed conflict, and ensure navigational security, recognizing China's role as a responsible global power with an impartial stance.
Summary: The article highlights Tibet's efforts to develop its unique agricultural sector, focusing on technological innovation and high-quality development as guided by Xi Jinping's instructions from August 2025. These efforts include cultivating new crop varieties, expanding the use of technology like drones, and promoting the deep processing of agricultural products to increase their value. The region is focusing on key areas like seed innovation for highland barley, yaks, dairy cows, and pasture. Wang Junzheng, the Secretary of the Tibet Autonomous Region Party Committee, stated the commitment to enhance agricultural capabilities and promote specialized agriculture to support rural revitalization. There is no mention of the United States or U.S. - China relations in the article.
Summary: Premier Li Qiang emphasized the importance of energy security and green transition during a State Council study session, calling for the optimization of energy structure and deepened reform of energy mechanisms to support high-quality development. Li stressed the need to enhance the resilience and security of the energy system, particularly given the changing international landscape and China's growing energy consumption. He advocated for expanding renewable energy sources, improving the clean and efficient utilization of fossil fuels, and accelerating the construction of new power grids. Vice Premiers Ding Xuexiang, Zhang Guoqing, and Liu Guozhong also participated in the session. The Premier's remarks did not include a discussion of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: Chairman Zhao Leji convened the 65th meeting of the 14th NPC Standing Committee, scheduling the 22nd session for April 27-30. The upcoming session will deliberate on draft revisions to multiple laws, including those related to prisons, social assistance, medical security, and farmland protection, as well as treaties with Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The meeting also reviewed key work points for 2026 and plans for legislation, oversight, representation, and foreign affairs. Li Hongzhong, Wang Dongming, and other NPC Standing Committee vice chairpersons attended the meeting.
Summary: The first "Hualong One" nuclear power unit in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, China General Nuclear Power Group's (CGN) Taipingling Nuclear Power Project Unit 1, located in Huidong County, Huizhou City, Guangdong, has commenced commercial operation. The unit is projected to generate over 9 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually. The Taipingling project plans to construct six "Hualong One" units in three phases, with a total anticipated annual electricity generation capacity exceeding 55 billion kilowatt-hours upon completion. The article did not mention U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The 23rd National Reading Survey, released by the Chinese Academy of Press and Publication, indicates a steady increase in China's overall adult reading rate to 82.3% in 2025, with an average of 8.39 books read per person. Digital reading engagement among adults reached 80.8%, with growing popularity in audiobooks and video book reviews. The digital reading report also indicates that the total number of digital works in China reached 70.5592 million. There were 949,200 works exported, including translated works, original overseas works and e-books, up 17.42% year on year.
Summary: This article discusses state-owned enterprises (SOEs) engaging in overseas "small and beautiful" projects aimed at fostering people-to-people connectivity. The article also touches on integrating theoretical learning with practical experience. The presence of any U.S. related topics or U.S. China relations is not discussed in the article. No specific officials or their statements are mentioned.
Summary: Politburo member and head of the Central Propaganda Department Li Shulei attended the 5th National Reading Conference in Nanchang, Jiangxi, announcing the launch of the 2026 "National Reading Activity Week." Attendees emphasized the importance of reading for cultural strength and the need to promote a love of reading throughout society to achieve the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. The conference focused on implementing the "National Reading Promotion Regulations" to institutionalize and legalize reading promotion efforts. Zhu Yongxin, Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, also attended the conference. The "National Reading Activity Week" aims to promote reading and build a "book-fragrant society."
Summary: Li Hongzhong, a member of the Politburo, addressed the opening of the 2026 first session of the National People's Congress (NPC) deputies' study session. He stressed the importance of studying Xi Jinping Thought and the spirit of the 20th Party Congress, upholding the "Two Establishments," strengthening the "Four Consciousnesses," and implementing the "15th Five-Year Plan". He also emphasized the role of the NPC in translating the advantages of China's socialist system into governance and development effectiveness. The opening ceremony was presided over by an official from the General Office of the NPC Standing Committee. 221 NPC deputies from 34 electoral units attended the study session.
Summary: The fifth National Reading Conference was held in Nanchang, Jiangxi, focusing on promoting reading and building a "book-fragrant society." Discussions centered on the value of reading in the age of AI and how to leverage technology for wider access. China's adult reading rate has reached 82.3% in 2025 and is steadily increasing, thanks to both cultural promotion and government policies such as the "National Reading Promotion Regulations". Digital reading is also increasing, with 689 million users in 2025, integrating new technologies to enhance reader engagement.
Summary: Shaanxi Province aims to build a modern industrial system and become a strong cultural province during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, according to Governor Zhao Gang. The province will focus on developing advanced manufacturing, modern agriculture, and expanding service industries, leveraging its existing strengths in energy production and promoting high-quality development of the China-Europe Railway Express (Xi'an). Shaanxi will also promote technological innovation and the commercialization of research, with a focus on key areas such as aerospace and new materials. The province also aims to strengthen cultural heritage protection and develop its tourism industry. There was no mention of the United States or U.S. - China relations.
Summary: The 2026 Shanghai International Flower Festival opened on April 18th, with the Huangpu district venue connecting Xintiandi and Gucheng Park. The event aims to create a city-wide "flower festival" for residents and tourists. Citizens and tourists were seen enjoying the flowers in Gucheng Park on April 19th. The article does not mention the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: During the 32-day spring travel season ending April 20, the Yangtze River Delta Railway safely transported over 91 million passengers, a 5% increase year-on-year. Daily passenger volume averaged 2.85 million, peaking at 4.66 million on April 4, a new single-day record. Popular high-speed rail lines, including those connecting major cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, and Hangzhou, experienced high demand for tourism. Seven stations, including Xuzhou East, Nanjing South, and Hangzhou East, set new single-day passenger volume records. Over 20 stations saw passenger volume increases exceeding 30% compared to the previous year.
Summary: The China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) investigated 701 cases of violations in 2023, with information disclosure violations decreasing while insider trading and market manipulation cases increased. The CSRC issued 661 penalties, totaling 15.474 billion yuan in fines and confiscations, and banned 142 individuals from the market. 172 cases of suspected securities and futures crimes were transferred to public security organs. The CSRC stated it will continue to crack down on illegal activities to protect investors and promote high-quality development of the capital market. The article does not discuss U.S.-China relations.
Summary: To commemorate the seventh "International Chinese Language Day," the article interviews three individuals from Italy, Egypt, and Turkey who have engaged with the Chinese language in various capacities. Italian translator Li Sha emphasizes the unique beauty and depth of the Chinese language and her commitment to promoting Chinese literature. Egyptian sinologist Gao Shan sees Chinese as a window into understanding modern China and its civilization. Turkish entrepreneur Oudi credits his Chinese language skills for opening doors to business opportunities and fostering cultural exchange. The article highlights how the Chinese language contributes to global understanding and offers insights into Chinese culture.
Summary: According to the article, the Global Security Initiative (GSI), proposed by Xi Jinping, aims to address international conflicts and improve global security governance amidst an increasingly tense global security landscape and the recent Middle East conflict. China actively promotes dialogue and mediation, citing its role in brokering the Saudi-Iranian detente, the "Beijing Declaration" among Palestinian factions, and a five-point initiative with Pakistan for stability in the Gulf region, as well as promoting the "Friends of Peace" group for the Ukraine crisis. The GSI is rooted in multilateralism, promoting cooperation to address security challenges and aligning with the UN Charter. China also emphasizes the connection between security and development, supporting the UN 2030 Agenda and promoting inclusive globalization.
Summary: Jennifer Payán, headmaster of Peru's Juan XXIII School, emphasized the importance of Chinese language education in fostering Peru-China friendship, highlighting the school's long-standing bilingual program. She recalled Xi Jinping's 2024 state visit to Peru, where students performed for him, and praised China's warm reception during a recent "Chinese Bridge" summer camp for students and their families. Payán, who has Chinese ancestry, stressed the value of learning Chinese for understanding Chinese culture and its development. She hopes students internalize Chinese values such as diligence, honesty, and loyalty, advocating for increased educational cooperation between Peru and China. Through mutual visits of teachers and students, she looks forward to constructing a friendship bridge between Peru and China.
Summary: Politburo Member and Vice Premier Liu Guozhong met with World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Secretary-General Celeste Saulo in Beijing. Liu stated China highly values global meteorological cooperation and is supporting the UN's Early Warnings for All initiative with its "MAZU" program. He affirmed China's commitment to President Xi Jinping's Global Initiatives and support for the WMO's leading role in global meteorological governance. Saulo praised China's meteorological advancements and disaster prevention efforts, expressing interest in deepened collaboration.
Summary: To commemorate the 17th UN Chinese Language Day and the 80th anniversary of Chinese becoming an official UN language, Chinese diplomatic missions and the UN Secretariat organized celebrations in New York, Geneva, and Vienna. The events, themed "Harmony in Calligraphy, Shared Flourishes in Chapters," highlighted the "harmony without uniformity" and "harmonious coexistence" inherent in Chinese culture. The Chinese Mission to the African Union (AU), along with UN agencies and the AU Commission, also hosted a celebration attended by over 200 diplomats and UN officials. The event fostered a friendly atmosphere, with guests experiencing Chinese calligraphy. No explicit discussion of U.S.-China relations was mentioned in this report.
Summary: The launch ceremony for the 2026 "International Chinese Day" and the "Poetry Across the Seas" global Chinese poetry gathering was held at Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications. Over 700 Chinese and foreign guests, including diplomats, representatives of international language and cultural organizations, and students, attended the event, which aimed to promote friendship and cultural exchange through Chinese language and poetry. Attendees participated in activities like a "Young Poets' Fair" and viewed exhibitions and performances. Participants noted the increasing global popularity of the Chinese language and the important role of Chinese poetry in understanding Chinese language and civilization. The event, initiated by the Center for Language Education and Cooperation, is expected to spark thousands of Chinese language and culture events in over 100 countries.
Summary: The article criticizes the Philippines for seeking renewed oil and gas cooperation with China while simultaneously engaging in provocative actions in the South China Sea, specifically around Huangyan Island and Ren'ai Jiao. The author asserts that the Philippines is attempting to leverage China for economic assistance amidst an energy crisis while challenging China's core interests. It highlights the Philippines' recent joint military exercises with the U.S. and Japan. The piece accuses the Philippines of opportunism and warns against relying on external allies while simultaneously depending on China for trade, suggesting the Philippines should take actions in order to stabilize bilateral relations.
Summary: Politburo member and Vice Premier He Lifeng met with Albright Stonebridge Group Senior Advisor Myles B. Caggins III in Beijing. He Lifeng stated that China's economy had a strong start in the first quarter, demonstrating resilience and stability. He emphasized the broad scope for Sino-U.S. cooperation and hoped Albright Stonebridge Group would promote stable and healthy U.S.-China trade relations. Caggins affirmed the benefits of healthy U.S.-China trade ties and pledged to facilitate deepened cooperation.
Summary: Liu Haixing, head of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, met with Lao Deputy Prime Minister Saleumxay Kommasith, a special envoy of Lao leader Thongloun Sisoulith, in Beijing. The two discussed implementing the consensus reached by the top leaders of both parties and countries to further develop China-Laos relations.
Summary: A celebration of the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan, entitled "75 Years of Friendship, Building a China-Pakistan Bond Together," was held in Islamabad on April 18th. The event was hosted by the Pakistan China Cultural Center, co-organized by the Pakistan Chinese Education Association and the Chinese Students and Scholars Association in Pakistan. Approximately 500 attendees included Pakistani government officials, representatives from Chinese diplomatic missions in Pakistan, leaders from the overseas Chinese community, and children from both countries.
Summary: A Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) investigation revealed that Ren Yu, former chairman of China National Aviation Supplies Holding Company (CASGC), and Zhao Baohui, former chief accountant, along with several colleagues, engaged in misconduct during a business trip in Frankfurt, Germany. The group consumed excessive alcohol in an airport lounge, leading to Zhao being denied boarding and a 68-minute flight delay after Ren pressured the crew. The investigation found that Ren, Zhao and Tang attempted to cover up the incident, providing false information to authorities. The CCDI subsequently disciplined Ren, Zhao, Tang, and relevant staff from both CASGC and Air China, highlighting the issue as a case of distorted performance values and a disregard for party discipline. The article does not mention any relationships or discussion of the United States.
Summary: The Central Office for Rectifying Formalism and Reducing Burdens at the Grassroots Level, along with the General Office of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, reported four cases of formalism. These include Jilin's Bai City assigning newspaper subscriptions, Jiangsu's Nanjing falsifying foreign trade data through purchased exports, Jiangxi's Xinyu acquiring a fraudulent listed company resulting in losses, and a subsidiary of China General Technology Group inflating performance via fake trade. These cases reveal deviations in performance assessment, leading to burdens on lower levels and data manipulation, with some entities pursuing short-term gains irrespective of actual results. Authorities emphasize the need to rectify performance assessment criteria and address the underlying issues of bureaucracy and skewed performance views. The report does not mention United States, or U.S. - China relations.
Summary: Liaoning Province has opened a new seed bank costing 117 million yuan, housing 30,000 samples of germplasm resources. Researchers at the Liaoning Academy of Agricultural Sciences' Seed Industry Innovation Research Institute (种研院) have used the resource to cultivate 12 new low-GI rice germplasm suitable for local planting, addressing previous challenges in growing such rice in the region. The facility features advanced technologies for gene identification, analysis, and editing, which are now being used to improve breeding efficiency and precision. The seed bank also aims to be a public platform for seed industry innovation, sharing resources and technologies with enterprises and research units. The new seed bank helps promote the use of better seed technology and protect the Chinese agricultural sector.
Summary: Workers in Inner Mongolia's Tongliao City are engaged in a sand control project in the Horqin Left Rear Banner, laying grass grids and planting trees across nearly 3,000 acres of mobile and semi-mobile sand dunes. This project aims to address the last remaining area of such dunes in the region. Tongliao City plans to treat 4 million acres of the Horqin Sandy Land this year. Within that goal, 1.4857 million acres are to be treated as part of the "Three-North" Shelterbelt Project.
Summary: According to the Supreme People's Court, Chinese courts handled 552,600 intellectual property (IP) cases in the past year, concluding 539,600. Courts are strengthening technical protections in areas like integrated circuits and AI, and are drafting guidance on AI-related disputes to promote its healthy development. The courts concluded 908 cases involving data rights and transactions, a 25.6% year-on-year increase. Trademark protection was also strengthened, with courts supporting efforts to reject malicious trademark registration and protect well-known brands.
Summary: The Xiong'an Workers' Cultural Palace, a 38,000 square meter complex featuring opera, arts, recreation, cinema, and innovation spaces, has opened in the Rongxi district of the Xiong'an New Area. It aims to provide leisure activities for construction workers and relocated employees. The Palace is launching the "Opera Gathering in Rongxi" series, partnering with national troupes for opera performances, and hosting events like sports weeks and film festivals. The aim is to create an attractive and frequently visited "city living room" for workers.
Summary: <b style="color:red">[Summary Error - Empty Input]</b>
Summary: The article discusses China's commitment to ecological preservation and sustainable development, highlighting the balance between economic progress and environmental protection. It cites examples such as the preservation of the ancient tea forests in Yunnan's Jingmai Mountain, where roads were deliberately kept unpaved to protect the local ecosystem. The article emphasizes China's ecological achievements, including its significant contribution to global afforestation and renewable energy production, while noting the development of domestically produced environmentally friendly road paving materials that reduce carbon emissions. The piece concludes that China's actions in environmental protection justify its claim as a responsible major power, particularly in the context of global energy transition.
Summary: According to Xie Jialin, China's improved air quality, resulting in the best national environmental air quality since records began in 2025, is due to Xi Jinping's ecological civilization thought and societal efforts. The reduction of emissions has driven industrial upgrades, exemplified by Tangshan's steel industry transformation, reducing PM2.5 while increasing GDP. China's green transition, including its lead in new energy vehicles and energy storage, benefits the world and is shifting towards exporting technology and standards. However, Xie notes challenges remain, including structural pollution pressures and regional disparities, requiring sustained effort, with some regions facing fatigue and inadequate planning. China's approach provides solutions and wisdom for global air quality improvement and carbon reduction.
Summary: The rise of "One-Person Companies" (OPCs) is a notable trend in China, driven by AI technology enabling individuals to manage entire projects independently. These companies, legally defined as those with a single shareholder, offer advantages like limited liability and streamlined online registration. While "one-person" refers to the shareholder, the company can employ others. Local governments are providing support, such as free computing power in Shanghai and entrepreneurial ecosystems in Shenzhen, to foster OPC growth. By the end of 2023, the number of newly established one-person companies nationwide was 7.315 million, an increase of 42.3% year-on-year.
Summary: The Sixth China International Consumer Products Expo in Hainan showcased China's expanding market as the first major exhibition of the "15th Five-Year Plan" and the first since Hainan's free trade port began operations. Over 3,400 brands from more than 60 countries and regions participated, with international exhibits comprising 65% of the total, a 20% increase from the previous expo. The event highlighted China's large market opportunities and attractiveness to international businesses. The Expo demonstrates China's open attitude towards global engagement.
Summary: The article discusses the "grant-investment combination" (拨投结合) mechanism in China, which aims to support early-stage, promising science and technology innovation projects facing funding difficulties. This mechanism combines initial grants to mitigate research and development risks with subsequent conversion into equity upon market financing, seeking to optimize the effectiveness of fiscal funds and encourage private investment. The article cites the Long Delta National Technology Innovation Center as an example, noting that it has supported numerous projects using this approach, attracting significant social capital investment. The article emphasizes the importance of accurate project evaluation and a long-term perspective to foster a thriving innovation ecosystem. The "grant-investment combination" mechanism is believed to resolve the concern of those who "dare not invest".
Summary: An automotive brand's legal department reported organized smear campaigns online following a new car launch, prompting a police investigation into those responsible. This incident highlights the issue of unethical competitive practices within the Chinese electric vehicle (EV) market, where paid internet trolls spread misinformation to damage competitors. The article argues that while combating malicious attacks is important, EV companies must also address their own shortcomings, particularly regarding product quality and customer service issues reflected in rising complaint rates. The piece emphasizes that true progress requires rejecting malicious competition and embracing constructive criticism to enhance product quality and user experience. The article does not mention the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: Please provide the article you would like me to summarize. I need the text of the article to be able to provide a summary tailored to professional analysts of Chinese politics, focusing on key statements, accompanying officials, and any mention of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The article reports on the construction of the Dashixia water conservancy project in Xinjiang, focusing on its high dam which has reached 247 meters. The project uses smart technologies to improve efficiency and overcome challenges such as high winds and temperature extremes. These technologies include a smart monitoring system for transporting materials and a system for long-distance concrete pouring. The dam is designed to provide ecological water transfer, flood control, irrigation, and power generation, ultimately aiming to alleviate water scarcity in the Tarim River basin. There is no mention of the United States.
Summary: Xu Kai, a ceramic文物 restorer, was recognized as a "National Craftsman of Cultural Relics" for 2025. He has developed a unique ceramic restoration technique, using an airbrush instead of a brush to restore porcelain patterns. Over his 27-year career, Xu has restored over ten thousand ceramic relics, ranging from Northern Song celadon to Yuan blue-and-white porcelain. Xu emphasizes the importance of understanding the spirit and artistry of each piece, tailoring restoration approaches accordingly. He hopes to leverage AI technology for preventative conservation and leave the relics as they are for the future generations.
Summary: A regularly scheduled freight train service has commenced between Beijing and Almaty, Kazakhstan, marking Beijing's first fixed-schedule Central Asia train route. The train, carrying auto parts and machinery, departed from Beijing's Liangxiang station on April 20th, traveling via the Alashankou border crossing. Operated jointly by the China Railway Beijing Group and Beijing Fangshan International Land Port Operation Co., the service will run weekly, aiming to provide a stable and efficient logistics channel for trade between Beijing and Central Asia. The new route is expected to lower logistics costs and enhance the competitiveness of Beijing's foreign trade enterprises.
Summary: Jinta County in Gansu Province is promoting the use of intelligent agricultural machinery equipped with Beidou navigation and precision seeding technology to improve planting quality and efficiency. This initiative aims to upgrade agricultural equipment towards greater intelligence and precision, bolstering mechanized support for food security. The deployment involves policy support, demonstration projects, and targeted training. An image shows large planters equipped with the Beidou navigation system sowing corn in Dongba Township on April 17th.
Summary: Inner Mongolia has issued a new trial implementation method for monitoring, early warning, and handling mine safety risks. The new rules aim to shift mine safety governance towards preventative measures by clarifying the responsibilities of both enterprises and regulatory departments. The method establishes a closed-loop process for risk management and categorizes warning levels into four tiers (red, orange, yellow, and blue), specifying response times and feedback requirements. The initiative is intended to improve the ability to identify and respond to major risks, such as gas explosions, water damage, and tailings dam collapses. The report did not mention the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: Heilongjiang Province's State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission issued a plan to promote the adoption of "Artificial Intelligence+" by state-owned enterprises. The plan focuses on computational infrastructure, high-quality datasets, application scenarios, and intelligent terminal applications with targets through 2030. The plan aims to foster new productive forces and upgrade industries by integrating AI with key sectors like agriculture, manufacturing, and energy. The goal is to build a cloud computing center and multiple application scenarios and high-quality datasets. The plan seeks to push the scaled application of intelligent terminals and bodies in provincial state-owned enterprises.
Summary: Please provide the article you would like me to summarize. I need the text of the article to be able to provide an accurate summary for professional analysts of Chinese politics. Once you provide the article, I will give you a concise, five-sentence summary focusing on key details like official statements, accompanying personnel, and any mentions of the United States or US-China relations.
Summary: The article discusses the reopening of Xiaofeng Bookstore in Fuzhou after eight years and its significance in promoting reading habits. It highlights the bookstore's transformation into a community space offering not just books but also cultural events and services. The article also touches upon the challenges faced by private bookstores due to changing reading habits and rising costs, emphasizing the need for them to adapt by creating unique cultural experiences and integrating online and offline services. The piece references the "National Reading Promotion Regulations," which encourages physical bookstores to improve reading conditions and carry out reading activities.
Summary: To celebrate the first "National Reading Week," the article highlights the vibrant reading culture in Nanchang, Jiangxi, focusing on the Qingyuan Bookstore. The bookstore, established in 1992, has become a beloved "spiritual home" for book lovers by prioritizing quality book selection and community engagement over chasing trends. The bookstore focuses on curating valuable books, organizing author events, and building reader communities. Despite facing financial pressure in 2020, Qingyuan Bookstore was supported by its readers and continues to operate. The article makes no mention of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The "This Bookstore" cultural space in Changchun, Jilin, has become a new platform for cultural exchange, offering a diverse range of activities beyond traditional book sales. According to Jilin Xinhua Bookstore Group Party Committee Secretary and Chairman Shi Leizhang, the bookstore focuses on enriching cultural content for young readers. The space features specialized sections like "Jilin Culture" and hosts cultural events and lectures. Jilin Province's Xinhua Bookstore Group is transforming traditional bookstores into urban cultural spaces through renovations, new reading spaces, and digital experiences. Shi Leizhang emphasized the importance of institutional innovation, mechanism optimization, and talent activation in revitalizing Xinhua Bookstore.
Summary: Chinese bookstores are evolving beyond traditional retail spaces, integrating into commercial areas and tourist spots with diverse formats. Some bookstores are experimenting with AI to understand reader preferences and offer customized experiences, such as AI-powered study rooms and personalized book recommendations. This transformation aims to create immersive and interactive cultural spaces that cater to individual needs, fostering a deeper engagement with reading. The new "National Reading Promotion Regulations" encourage bookstores to improve services. These efforts help promote national reading habits.
Summary: The fifth National Reading Conference's "Storytelling in Rural Areas" event was held in Nanchang, Jiangxi, focusing on the theme of "New Countryside, New Youth, New Reading." The event highlighted the role of rural reading and farm bookstores in promoting cultural revitalization. It featured stories from farm bookstore managers and youth reading promoters, showcasing the integration of intangible cultural heritage and new popular art. The event provided practical examples for implementing the "National Reading Promotion Regulations." The event was co-sponsored by the Printing and Distribution Bureau of the Central Propaganda Department and the Rural Social Undertakings Promotion Department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.
Summary: The 2026 Beijing Book Market, sponsored by the Beijing Municipal Party Committee Propaganda Department, commenced on April 18th. This year's market features a distributed model with four main exhibition areas in different parks, along with specialized and affiliated bookstore locations across the city. The main exhibition areas focus on themes like themed publications, family reading, lifestyle aesthetics, and traditional culture. Over 70 promotional events will be held in communities, business districts, schools, and companies throughout the month-long event. Two thousand bookstores are participating in the city-wide event by putting on cultural events. The article makes no mention of the U.S. or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The "2025 China Good Books" list, selected by the China Book Review Society under the guidance of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, has been announced, with 42 books chosen across various categories, including two "Annual Honorary Books": the Chinese and English editions of *Xi Jinping: On Governance, Volume V*, and *Xi Jinping and Frontline Workers*. Other selected books include *“Party History Six Pairs” Revelation*, *Creating a New Culture Belonging to Our Era*, and *A Newly Compiled History of World War II*. The list also includes books on topics such as cross-strait relations, ancient Egyptian civilization, and artificial intelligence. The list does not mention the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The "Hong Kong Reading Week 2026" and "Hong Kong Reading+ 2026" events kicked off in Shatin, aiming to promote reading as a daily habit among citizens. Organized by the Hong Kong Public Library and the Hong Kong Publishing Federation, the events include approximately 470 activities under the theme "Reading/Savoring Happiness." As part of the initiative, the Hong Kong government has designated April 23rd as "Hong Kong National Reading Day." The Hong Kong Publishing Federation is hosting "Hong Kong Reading+ 2026," featuring author talks, exhibitions, and workshops. The Hong Kong Public Library is also showcasing its electronic resources and hosting family-friendly reading activities.
Summary: Please provide the article you would like me to summarize. I need the text of the article to be able to provide a summary that meets your specific requirements.
Summary: This article celebrates the camellia as the official flower of Chongqing, highlighting its historical significance, resilience, and integration into the city's culture. It details the camellia's origins in southwestern China and its cultivation in the Chongqing area for over 2000 years. The article emphasizes the diverse varieties of camellias found in Chongqing's Nanshan Botanical Garden, including ancient trees and unique cultivars. The camellia is presented as a symbol of the city's spirit, reflecting the people's strength and resilience, and is incorporated into modern life through cultural events, designs, and cuisine.
Summary: Researchers at the Chongqing Landscape Architecture Science Research Institute are using molecular breeding and other bioengineering techniques to develop camellias that bloom in all seasons. They have collected over 900 camellia resources and, through genome sequencing, have identified key genes controlling flowering time. By using "embryo rescue" technology and other methods, they have created over 600 innovative germplasm materials and expect to release new varieties of ever-blooming Sichuan camellias within three years. They are also working on developing fragrant varieties. The goal is to have these camellias blooming throughout Chongqing's urban landscape.
Summary: The article describes the revitalization of the Shan·Chahua (Mountain Camellia) Plaza in Chongqing's Banan district, highlighting its integration of camellia-themed attractions, cultural activities, and commercial spaces. These activities include musical performances, cultural exchanges, and sporting events, which attract large crowds and boost local business. The plaza also hosts markets featuring local agricultural products, handicrafts, and culinary offerings. Recent improvements to the plaza's infrastructure, such as camellia-themed lighting and new amenities, have further enhanced its appeal and economic impact. There is no mention of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: Please provide the article you would like me to summarize. I need the text of the article to give you an accurate and concise summary for professional analysts of Chinese politics.
Summary: According to the article, Xi Jinping has emphasized the importance of prioritizing the domestic economy, balancing consumption and investment, and linking economic growth to improved living standards. The "15th Five-Year Plan" focuses on boosting domestic consumption by promoting employment, increasing income, and stabilizing expectations. The author argues that focusing on these three factors is critical for addressing structural employment issues, increasing income, improving income distribution, and stabilizing economic expectations through strengthened social security and public services. Optimizing income distribution is crucial to solving the problem of insufficient consumption. The analysis does not discuss the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The article criticizes the "數字出官" (promotion based on fabricated statistics) phenomenon, a manifestation of distorted performance evaluation. It argues that some officials falsify data to inflate achievements, leading to formalism and ineffective governance. The root cause lies in impure Party spirit and personal ambition, prioritizing personal gain over genuine development and public well-being, which ultimately harms both the officials themselves and the region's long-term prospects. The article emphasizes the need to shift focus from superficial numbers to tangible results, improve people's well-being, and establish a comprehensive supervision system. It promotes a practical and responsible approach to governance, emphasizing tangible achievements over superficial displays of numerical progress.
Summary: This article emphasizes the importance of aligning local environmental regulations with the newly established Ecological Environment Code (生态环境法典). It argues that local legislatures must revise existing regulations to reflect the Code's systematic integration of national environmental laws, ensuring consistency and uniformity. Recognizing the Code's broad scope, the article advocates for "small, quick, and flexible" (小快灵) local legislation to address specific regional environmental challenges and supplement national laws. Furthermore, it encourages local governments to proactively explore innovative regulatory approaches in areas not yet covered by national legislation, contributing to broader systemic reform and informing future national legal frameworks. The article does not mention the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: An article by Xinhua News Agency highlights the importance of China's major economic provinces taking the lead in national economic development, especially at the start of the 15th Five-Year Plan. Experts like Liu Zhicheng from the National Development and Reform Commission and Liu Wenqiang from the CCID emphasized that these provinces should drive innovation, cultivate new industries, and promote common prosperity. Guangdong province, for example, is focusing on integrating technological and industrial innovation within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, as well as deepening reform and opening-up. The article mentions the need to cope with external uncertainties, but does not mention the United States directly. The experts called for these provinces to lead in reform, opening up, and exploring paths towards common prosperity.
Summary: Zhou Jian, director of product development at the old Hu Kaiwen Ink Factory in She County, Anhui Province, and a municipal-level inheritor of徽墨 (Huizhou Ink) making techniques, revitalized the industry by opening the factory to tourism and embracing online sales. Zhou reorganized the ink-making process into an interactive experience for visitors, leading to a surge in tourism and study visits to the factory. Furthermore, Zhou utilized internet直播 (live streaming) to sell Huizhou Ink nationwide and internationally, with online sales accounting for over half of the industry's revenue. He also innovated product designs to appeal to younger consumers. These changes have attracted more young people back to She County to work in the Huizhou Ink industry.
Summary: China and Laos have launched their first 500kV cross-border power grid project, the largest and highest-voltage joint project between the two countries. The project, completed in just over a year from its February 2025 launch, increases power exchange capacity from 50,000 kW to 1.5 million kW, allowing for the annual transmission of 3 billion kWh of clean energy. This new infrastructure facilitates a "surplus-deficit reciprocity" mechanism, where Laos exports hydroelectric power to China during the rainy season, and China supplies electricity to northern Laos during the dry season. By the end of 2025, China-Laos electricity trade had already exceeded 1.6 billion kWh. The project is expected to substantially boost bilateral energy cooperation and regional green development.
Summary: China's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) reported a 98.5% pass rate in its Q1 2026 routine monitoring of agricultural product quality and safety, encompassing vegetables, fruits, livestock, and aquatic products. While the ministry has already forwarded information on substandard products to local agricultural departments for immediate action, MARA intends to continue its efforts to address excessive drug residue, prohibit the use of forbidden medications, and enhance the overall quality, branding, and standardization of agricultural production, along with a better assessment and grading system. The ministry will also focus on expanding the production of "green," organic, and geographically-branded products to increase the supply of high-quality agricultural products. No mention of the United States or U.S. - China relations were made.
Summary: Yulin, Shaanxi province is implementing policies to attract and cultivate talent in rural areas, aiming to revitalize the countryside. Initiatives include identifying and training local talent, attracting young entrepreneurs with e-commerce support, and providing certifications and financial incentives for skilled farmers. The city has also attracted over 800 high-level experts, including academicians from the Chinese Academy of Sciences like Shao Ming'an, to work on agricultural and ecological projects. Yulin offers comprehensive services to retain talent, fostering a supportive environment for rural development. These efforts have guided more than 1400 talents to return, leading to sustainable income growth for 37,000 households.
Summary: AIDA Cruises announced the product launch and inaugural season routes for its second domestically built large cruise ship, the "AIDA Huacheng," with ticket sales starting May 20th. The ship's maiden voyage will be a 6-day, 5-night international cruise from Guangzhou, Guangdong, to Hong Kong and Hue (Chan May), Vietnam. The initial season will feature a mix of short, medium, and long cruise itineraries. AIDA Cruises intends to build on the operational success of its first domestically built cruise ship to further develop the "cruise + culture" model. The "AIDA Huacheng" is expected to be delivered in November.
Summary: <b style="color:red">[Summary Error - Empty Input]</b>
Summary: The Minister of Natural Resources emphasizes safeguarding national security through enhanced management of natural resources, focusing on food, energy, and ecological security. Key initiatives include strict protection of arable land, strategic mineral exploration, and ecological restoration projects, including national parks. The article also highlights expanding China's presence in deep sea and polar regions. It mentioned China is expanding its presence in the South China Sea, and will work to protect China's maritime rights. The Ministry aims to strengthen its role in global ocean governance and contribute to building a maritime community with a shared future, but the article does not mention the United States.
Summary: The Ministry of Justice, together with the Ministry of Ecology and Environment and the Ministry of Emergency Management, has released guidance to standardize enforcement regarding factory window operations. The guidance addresses conflicting requirements from local regulators regarding whether factories should operate with windows open or closed. It clarifies that environmental protection necessitates closed or sealed operations with proper ventilation and pollutant collection, while safety production may require open windows for ventilation when hazardous substance levels exceed safety thresholds. The guidance aims to prevent rigid enforcement and calls for tailored approaches based on industry specifics. Further training for enforcement personnel is also required.
Summary: Beijing's Market Supervision Administration released a plan outlining 25 measures to optimize the business environment by 2026, focusing on improving the quality of business development and market competition governance. The plan emphasizes addressing "involution" competition among accommodation and catering platforms through compliance evaluations and increased anti-monopoly enforcement. It also streamlines administrative processes for businesses, such as automatically updating food production and operating licenses upon changes to business licenses. Additionally, the plan promotes inter-regional cooperation with Tianjin and Hebei to streamline business license processes and coordinates inspections to reduce burdens on businesses.
Summary: Jiangxi Province's Transportation Department has issued guidelines for "reasoned law enforcement" (说理式执法), shifting from simple punishment to explaining the law and combining education with penalties. The guidelines standardize procedures throughout the entire enforcement process, emphasizing explaining the reasoning behind decisions regarding facts, evidence, procedures, legal applications, and discretionary power. The "three clarifications" (三个讲清楚) mandate that law enforcement officers clearly explain the dangers of violations, legal consequences, and available remedies. The guidelines also promote delivering documents regarding credit repair and business compliance suggestions alongside penalty decisions, and also conducting follow-up visits to evaluate satisfaction and understanding of the violations.
Summary: Hong Kong authorities are preparing for an anticipated surge of mainland Chinese tourists during the upcoming "May Day" holiday. Chief Secretary for Administration Eric Chan Kin-geung chaired a task force meeting to coordinate government departments in preparing for the influx. The Immigration Department expects approximately 980,000 mainland tourists, a 7% increase from 2023. Measures include increased staffing at border crossings, enhanced MTR train services, and special traffic management plans. The Hong Kong Tourism Board will also launch promotional campaigns in mainland China to attract tourists and encourage spending.
Summary: The article reports on the efforts of local discipline inspection and supervision agencies in China to address pressing public concerns and combat corruption affecting the populace. These agencies are employing methods like soliciting public feedback, reinforcing accountability, and integrating investigation, rectification, and governance. The aim is to enhance the people's sense of fulfillment, happiness, and security through targeted supervision. These efforts are focused on resolving practical issues and ensuring tangible benefits for the Chinese people.
Summary: Guangxi province conducted "Spring Thunder" No. 3 operation, focusing on combating border-related crimes like illegal immigration and smuggling. The operation resulted in 872 arrests, the dismantling of 53 criminal gangs, and the seizure of vehicles, boats, and smuggled goods worth approximately 53.89 million RMB. Guangxi has also launched an online reporting platform using QR codes to encourage public participation in border security governance. This initiative aims to enhance the efficiency and coverage of intelligence gathering to combat cross-border crime.
Summary: <b style="color:red">[Summary Error - Empty Input]</b>
Summary: <b style="color:red">[Summary Error - Empty Input]</b>
Summary: The article highlights the entrepreneurial journey of Lun Wenjing, a Hong Kong youth who started a business in Shenzhen focusing on AI-powered unmanned retail solutions like coffee kiosks and ice cream robots. Supported by favorable policies and resources in the Greater Bay Area, Lun was able to overcome challenges in funding and technology, eventually expanding her business with the help of investors. The article also mentions the support that she received from Shenzhen University. Lun is quoted as saying that the Greater Bay Area is especially friendly to "newbie" entrepreneurs.
Summary: The 43rd Weifang International Kite Festival was held in Shandong province, attracting kite enthusiasts from 57 countries and regions. While seemingly simple, kite flying poses safety hazards, notably from high-strength kite lines that can cause severe cuts. Authorities advise choosing open areas away from crowds and power lines, and to promptly address entangled lines. It is also recommended to wear gloves and be aware of weather conditions to prevent accidents. The article does not allude to the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: Driven by the京津冀 collaborative development initiative, Chengde city in Hebei Province is expanding its eldercare industry and vocational training programs to meet the demands of an aging population. Chengde Applied Technology Vocational College is a key player, emphasizing "smart" eldercare through technology and emotional intelligence, and partnering with Beijing-Tianjin eldercare facilities to provide practical training. The college's "smart health eldercare service and management" program has seen a significant increase in enrollment, with graduates being highly sought after by eldercare institutions. Currently, 72 eldercare projects are in place, and over 100,000 elderly from Beijing and Tianjin come to Chengde for eldercare services each year. The article does not discuss the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: Beijing has launched and expanded "技师" (skilled worker) training programs for unemployed college graduates to address structural unemployment. The Beijing Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau initiated the program in 2023 in collaboration with three integrated circuit companies. Following a successful pilot, six new full-time programs will be offered in 2024, focusing on areas such as smart manufacturing, biopharmaceuticals, and integrated circuit technology, with enrollment also open to graduates from the Jing-Jin-Ji region. In addition, 21 short-term training programs are being offered at vocational schools and "产教评" (industry-education-evaluation) skill eco-chains.
Summary: A mobile medical team in Nanchong, Sichuan province, is providing healthcare services to villagers in rural areas. The "mobile micro-clinic" is part of a "mobile healthcare+" service model designed to address the difficulties rural residents face in accessing medical care. The mobile medical team provides routine medical services to the local population. The program aims to improve access to medical services for those in rural areas. The article did not discuss the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: Heilongjiang Province has issued guidelines for drug and medical device retailers to use automated vending machines. The guidelines cover various aspects, including entry requirements, sales restrictions, equipment standards, sales management, information traceability, after-sales service, and safety measures. The move aims to promote a more convenient, intelligent, and efficient industry while ensuring quality and safety. The new regulations will provide standards and basis for the province's pharmaceutical (medical device) business enterprises to expand the service model through automatic medicine (medical device) vending machines.
Summary: A ten-year-old boy named Li Yifeng in Zhejiang province used his smartwatch to call the police after finding a lost four-year-old boy who had wandered away from home. Li and his friends attempted to locate the child's parents by asking nearby shopkeepers without success, prompting the call to authorities. Police used drones and local officers to reunite the boy with his father, who had also reported him missing. Li was commended by the police at his school for his quick thinking and responsible action. The article makes no mention of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: <b style="color:red">[Summary Error - Empty Input]</b>
Summary: To protect the Yangtze River's ecology, Yibin, Sichuan Province, relocated or closed down riverside enterprises and transformed the former factory sites into a "Minjiang Flower Sea" based on the local climate and flowering seasons. This flower sea has not only beautified the area but also stimulated the development of related industries, such as a wedding-themed commercial district. Approximately 197 riverside enterprises were relocated or shut down, freeing up 5.61 kilometers of shoreline. Local officials have stated that the project has transformed natural landscapes into tangible industrial gains.
Summary: China successfully launched a high-precision greenhouse gas detection satellite into orbit from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The satellite, primarily overseen by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, is designed to monitor greenhouse gases and air pollutants globally using various technologies, including lidar and hyperspectral instruments. It aims to support China's efforts in addressing climate change by monitoring carbon dioxide and methane, while also monitoring pollutants like nitrogen oxides and ozone. It will also contribute to monitoring dust aerosols from China and Mongolia. The Ministry of Ecology and Environment will now conduct in-orbit testing and application evaluations for the satellite.
Summary: The Central Meteorological Observatory reports that a wide range of precipitation is expected in central and eastern China from the night of April 20th to the 23rd due to the combined influence of cold and warm air. Heavy to torrential rain is expected in parts of southwest China, Jianghan, Jiangnan, and South China, with some areas experiencing severe convective weather. Northern China is expected to experience frequent windy and dusty weather, and drastic temperature drops in some areas. The observatory issued a yellow alert for rainstorms at 6 PM on April 20th. The article does not mention the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The 2026 Chongqing Hub Port Industrial Park Jiulong New City Development Conference outlined a "19239" work system to drive the city's development towards becoming an international, urbanized, and modernized area. Jiulong New City aims to become a key area for Chongqing's westward expansion and logistics hub, focusing on advanced materials, intelligent connected new energy vehicles, and high-end equipment industries, targeting an industrial output value exceeding 200 billion yuan by 2030. The city is developing transportation networks and promoting industry by upgrading traditional industries and fostering emerging sectors like hydrogen energy. Jiulong New City is also improving services, including innovation platforms, financial support, and legal services, to enhance the city's attractiveness for businesses and investment.
Summary: <b style="color:red">[Summary Error - Empty Input]</b>
Summary: The sixth Asian Beach Games will be held in Sanya, Hainan from April 22nd to 30th, with nearly 1,800 athletes from 45 countries and regions participating. China has sent a 255-member delegation, including 171 athletes, to compete in 13 major events. The opening ceremony will be held at Yasha Park in Tianya Haijiao, and 65,000 benefit tickets will be issued to allow citizens to easily enter the stadium and feel the charm of international events up close. Sanya has implemented a visa-free entry policy for 86 countries worldwide, allowing more players to save more energy during their trips and better prepare for the competition. Sanya's Vice Mayor Xiang Yihai stated that the city is committed to hosting a successful event, improving the city's quality, and benefiting all citizens.
Summary: The article depicts paddleboarders enjoying the ecological scenery and recreational opportunities within a forest park in Changxing County, Huzhou, Zhejiang Province. The activity takes place among the dawn redwood trees of the Taohuajian Forest Park. There is no discussion of Chinese politics, statements by officials, or U.S.-China relations in the provided text.
Summary: This article outlines appropriate first aid responses to common sports-related injuries, distinguishing when to apply cold compresses versus warm compresses and when to seek immediate medical attention. Immediate ice application is recommended for sprains, strains, and bruises to reduce swelling, while heat is advised for muscle cramps after initial stretching and rehydration. The piece emphasizes seeking medical attention for suspected fractures, dislocations, deep wounds, or signs of internal injury or concussion. The article does not mention United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: Chinese snooker players Ding Junhui and Xiao Guodong advanced to the last sixteen at the 2026 World Snooker Championship in Sheffield. Ding defeated Gilbert 10-5, achieving his 100th century break at the championship. Xiao Guodong beat Zhou Yuelong 10-6, emphasizing the competitiveness and his effort to relax and enjoy the game. Zhang Anda lost to Mark Allen 6-10. The article does not mention the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The 18th Tour of Sayram Lake International Road Cycling Race in Xinjiang will be held from May 19-25, featuring 6 stages and 529 kilometers, with over 20 teams and 600 participants. Organizers emphasized the unique characteristics of the race, exploring market-oriented operational models to enhance sustainability, and adding a prologue stage. The event will also include cultural performances, intangible cultural heritage displays, and product exhibitions to promote the integration of sports, culture, tourism, and trade. This year will also feature mass cycling events to promote public engagement. There is no mention of the United States or U.S.-China relations in this article.
Summary: The 2025-2026 National Middle School Campus Relay Race, organized by the China Student Sports Federation, began its season in Changsha, Hunan. The competition featured U18 and U15 categories, with teams from Changsha's Leifeng School and Hunan Normal University Affiliated Furong Middle School winning their respective divisions. The race is scheduled to continue until mid-July, encompassing local competitions and a national final. The race will take place in several major cities, including Xi'an, Chongqing, and Beijing. The article makes no mention of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The 2026 Longtan Zhonghu 100km Endurance Challenge, a rare park-based ultramarathon in China, was held on April 19th in Beijing's Dongcheng District. The race featured 100km and 50km individual races, as well as a 50km relay. Shi Zhiqiang won the men's 100km race in 7:54:43, while Dan Ying won the women's 100km race in 8:06:11. The single loop standard distance was 2.544 kilometers. The article does not mention the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: During the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, Qiaojia County in Yunnan Province is focusing on six development strategies: strengthening specialized agriculture, building an energy base, developing health and wellness tourism, constructing a transportation hub, prioritizing education, and strengthening grassroots governance. The county is emphasizing integrated development of wind, solar, water, and energy storage and aims to be a significant green energy base. Qiaojia is also promoting tourism by leveraging the Baihetan Hydropower Station and natural scenery. The county is improving its transportation infrastructure to integrate into regional economic circles. Finally, Qiaojia is prioritizing education and strengthening local governance mechanisms.
Summary: <b style="color:red">[Summary Error - Empty Input]</b>
Summary: <b style="color:red">[Summary Error - Empty Input]</b>
Summary: The EU is accelerating its AI development through initiatives like the "AI Continental Action Plan" and strategies focusing on applying AI across various sectors. Individual countries like Germany, Italy, and France are also implementing national AI strategies, emphasizing industrial applications and responsible AI. Recognizing a need to translate research into industry, the EU is deploying "AI factories" and investing in supercomputers to boost its AI capabilities. Concerns remain about over-regulation potentially hindering innovation and the need for greater policy coordination among member states to enhance the EU's global competitiveness in AI. The EU aims to become the "third pole" in global AI, rivaling the United States.
Summary: A memorial service for former Japanese Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama was held in Tokyo, attended by approximately 450 political and social figures, including Speakers of both houses of the Japanese Diet. Speakers at the memorial, including former LDP President Yohei Kono, emphasized the importance of the "Murayama Statement," which sincerely addressed Japan's colonial rule and history of aggression in Asia. Speakers also highlighted Murayama's commitment to Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution, which they argued is crucial for preventing Japan from being drawn into war amid escalating international conflicts. They affirmed the need to inherit Murayama's honest attitude toward history, his firm will for peace, and his vigilance against power, especially given current trends towards constitutional revision in Japan. The article does not mention any comments on the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo JiaKun stated that Japan's constitutional amendment trends have provoked increasing questioning and opposition domestically, among Asian neighbors, and in the international community. Guo emphasized that preventing the resurgence of militarism is Japan's obligation and the firm will of the international community, including China. He criticized Japan's failure to deeply reflect on its history of aggression and the attempts by some forces to beautify these crimes, urging Japan to adhere to its international obligations and pursue peaceful development. The statement followed a question about protests in Japan against the government's attempts to revise the constitution.
Summary: Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jia Kun addressed concerns regarding the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, following the U.S. seizure of an Iranian vessel originating from China. Guo expressed concern over the U.S. action and urged all relevant parties to adhere to the ceasefire agreement to de-escalate tensions. He emphasized that China supports the continuation of the ceasefire and negotiation momentum, and is willing to work with the international community to promote de-escalation. Guo also stated that maintaining peace, stability and smooth passage in the Strait of Hormuz is in the common interest of regional countries and the international community, adding that China hopes all parties can jointly avoid further deterioration of the situation.
Summary: Southeast Asian destinations face flight cancellations due to jet fuel shortages exacerbated by disruptions to the Hormuz Strait shipping. The global benchmark price for jet fuel has surged, impacting airlines significantly, with nearly all major airlines cutting flights. Reduced fuel exports from the Middle East are contributing to shortages in Asia and Europe. Some countries are prioritizing domestic fuel supplies. Experts warn of potential wider disruptions if European airports experience fuel shortages, and are urging people to take alternative modes of transit where possible.
Summary: The "Balikatan" joint military exercises between the Philippines and the United States began in Manila on April 20th. Hundreds of Filipino protestors gathered outside the Armed Forces headquarters to protest the exercises, holding signs demanding the end of the joint military maneuvers and the removal of U.S. military bases and troops. A student leader criticized the Philippines' subservience to the U.S., claiming it was pushing the country towards war. The exercises, which are expected to involve 17,000 personnel from the Philippines, the U.S., Japan, and other countries, will last until May 8th. The protests highlight domestic opposition to U.S.-Philippines military cooperation.
Summary: Canadian Prime Minister Carney, in a video address, stated that Canada's close ties with the U.S. have become a disadvantage due to fundamentally altered U.S. trade practices, including tariffs on Canadian industries. He cited U.S. tariffs on Canadian automobiles, steel, and lumber as having a negative impact. Carney emphasized that Canada cannot rely on the U.S. changing course and must diversify its trade relationships. He highlighted the signing of 20 new trade agreements in the past year and pledged to reduce reliance on a single external market by attracting global investment and coordinating trade regulations.
Summary: The World Food Programme reports that 17.4 million Afghans require urgent food assistance due to ongoing food shortages exacerbated by conflict, drought, and infrastructure damage. Over 9 million children face severe hunger, with agricultural output insufficient to meet the country's needs, further strained by regional conflicts disrupting imports and the return of Afghan refugees. A UN report estimates that Afghanistan needs $1.71 billion in humanitarian aid, but has received only 10% of that amount. UN experts are calling on the United States to unfreeze the $7 billion in Afghan central bank assets frozen after the U.S. military withdrawal.
Summary: <b style="color:red">[Summary Error - Empty Input]</b>
Summary: Several recent reports highlight how Chinese companies are implementing small-scale projects to improve local livelihoods and foster goodwill in countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative. China Tourism Group's Cambodian subsidiary has supported a children's welfare home through infrastructure improvements and cultural exchanges. State Grid Brazil's "Light to Hospitals" project is providing renewable energy solutions to Brazilian hospitals, reducing costs and carbon emissions. China General Nuclear Power Group's "Firefly Program" in Laos promotes local crafts and community development through skills training and infrastructure projects. Baowu Steel's Simandou iron ore project in Guinea has built roads to improve transportation and access to resources for local communities.
Summary: Please provide the article you would like me to summarize. I need the text of the article to provide an accurate and concise summary for professional analysts of Chinese politics.
Summary: Huang Yong, a National People's Congress representative, shared stories illustrating Guizhou's digital economic transformation, emphasizing the shift from limited data processing capabilities to real-time data analysis and digital twins for disaster prevention. Zhang Xuerong, Director of the Guiyang Big Data Development Administration, highlighted the province's focus on big data development tailored to local conditions, leveraging its unique advantages in climate, geology, and energy. Guiyang Vice Mayor Fu Tao noted plans to implement "Artificial Intelligence+" initiatives in the next five-year plan, focusing on specific applications. The article also detailed efforts to improve power supply and talent development to support the growing big data industry.
Summary: The article details the transformation of the Beijing Pixel residential complex in Chaoyang District, Beijing, from a site plagued by disrepair and resident complaints to a more functional community. The Chaoyang District Communist Party Committee (CPC) addressed the issues by establishing Party organizations within the complex and implementing an "emergency property service mechanism" to replace the ineffective developer-affiliated property management. These Party organizations facilitated resident input and oversaw the selection of a new property management company, leading to improvements in services like heating and infrastructure. According to Han Youchen, Secretary of the Changying Township Party Committee, the district's top-down organizational strength needs to be converted into bottom-up governance vitality, and the community is transitioning from phased rectification to systematic governance under the coordination of the Party organization. The article emphasized that the CPC leadership plays a key role in solving problems, resolving appeals, and improving the people's sense of satisfaction and happiness.
Summary: An investigation in Xiangyun County, Yunnan Province, revealed that former village Party Secretary Xi misappropriated over one million yuan from village agricultural cooperatives for personal use. Xi, who also served as head of two cooperatives, bypassed oversight procedures by arranging cash withdrawals and signing sham contracts. He was discovered after investigators reviewed cooperative accounts following tips from the public. The investigation highlighted weak regulatory awareness and the need for improved oversight of collective assets at the village level. The report did not allude to the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: This article critiques the phenomenon of "excessive reporting" (过度请示) among some local officials in China. It argues that this behavior stems from a desire to avoid responsibility ("upward blame-shifting"), curry favor with superiors, or simply avoid work. The article suggests that this practice leads to inefficiency and erodes public trust, and that it is rooted in an incorrect view of governance. To rectify this, the piece calls for establishing clear guidelines that reward officials who are willing to take responsibility and act decisively, while also ensuring a tolerance mechanism for mistakes. The piece does not discuss the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: Please provide the article you would like me to summarize. I need the text of the article to provide an accurate summary for professional analysts of Chinese politics. Once you provide the text, I will follow your instructions regarding brevity, focus on official statements/actions, and inclusion of U.S.-related content.
Summary: This article emphasizes the importance of continuous learning and adapting to rapid changes in the modern era. It highlights the necessity of combining theoretical knowledge with practical experience to enhance one's abilities. Several authors recommend books on diverse subjects like technology, history, and economics to help readers stay informed and maintain intellectual agility. One author in particular emphasizes the need for China to leverage information technology, including AI, to address challenges and improve its global standing, rather than fearing its potential disruptions. Finally, another suggests understanding China through its geography and historical narratives, rather than simply through political changes.
Summary: The provided text only contains an email address and a design credit for a newspaper. Without substantive content, a summary about Chinese politics or U.S.-China relations is impossible.
By: 本报记者 吴月辉 李君强
In the first quarter of this year, China's economy achieved a good start, with the added value of high-tech manufacturing above designated size increasing by 12.5% year-on-year, witnessing the accelerated growth of new quality productive forces.
During his first inspection in the opening year of the "15th Five-Year Plan," General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) visited the National Information Innovation Park in Yizhuang, Beijing (北京亦庄), to learn in detail about the innovation and application of information technology, pointing out that "the key to building a strong socialist modern country lies in self-reliance and self-strengthening in science and technology." The "15th Five-Year Plan"纲要 lists "a significant increase in the level of self-reliance and self-strengthening in science and technology" as one of the main goals of economic and social development during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period.
Standing tall and looking far ahead, standing at a historical height, General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) has put forward a series of new ideas, new viewpoints, and new conclusions, such as the new development concept and new quality productive forces, demonstrating the power of truth and the great power of practice, and providing scientific guidance for Chinese-style modernization.
"The key to Chinese-style modernization lies in the modernization of science and technology." In July 2023, General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) pointed out during his inspection in Jiangsu (江苏).
"Chinese-style modernization needs the support of scientific and technological modernization, and achieving high-quality development requires technological innovation to cultivate new driving forces." In June 2024, General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) emphasized at the National Science and Technology Conference, the National Science and Technology Award Conference, and the Academician Conference of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering.
Anchoring the strategic goal of building a strong country in science and technology by 2035, innovation is surging across China as the primary driving force.
This is a profound insight into the connotation of Chinese-style modernization.
"From the initial proposal of the 'Four Modernizations' to the current proposal of building a strong socialist modern country in an all-round way, the modernization of science and technology has always been an important part of China's realization of modernization." General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) profoundly revealed the historical positioning of scientific and technological modernization.
From the Central Plains to the coastal areas, from scientific research institutes to enterprise workshops, from laboratories to the front line of production... the General Secretary goes deep into the forefront of scientific and technological innovation, pointing out the direction, clarifying the path, and setting the tone.
"If China is to be strong and to be rejuvenated, it must vigorously develop science and technology and strive to become a major world science center and innovation highland," "We must further enhance our sense of urgency, further increase our efforts in scientific and technological innovation, and seize the commanding heights of scientific and technological competition and future development"... the General Secretary earnestly exhorted.
The "National Innovation Index Report 2025" released by the Chinese Academy of Science and Technology for Development shows that China's comprehensive national innovation index ranks ninth in the world. One gratifying achievement after another demonstrates the historic leap of China's scientific and technological undertakings.
"We rely on innovation to empower high-quality development. The deep integration of science and technology and industry, the emergence of innovative achievements, the competition of artificial intelligence large models, and new breakthroughs in the independent research and development of chips have made China one of the fastest-growing economies in terms of innovation." In his New Year's message in 2026, General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) praised China's achievements in scientific and technological innovation.
This is a guide to the direction of Chinese-style modernization.
High-quality development is the primary task of building a socialist modern country in an all-round way, and achieving high-quality development requires technological innovation to cultivate new driving forces.
"To promote Chinese-style modernization, science and technology must take the lead, and technological innovation is the only way." General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) emphasized.
From economic and social development to improving people's livelihoods, from the transformation of old and new driving forces to the overall planning of development and security, we must seek answers from scientific and technological innovation, and we need to enhance innovation as the primary driving force even more.
Planning and laying out, making efforts.
Jilin (吉林) "strives to achieve new breakthroughs in a number of major science and technology projects," Shanghai (上海) "accelerates the construction of a science and technology innovation center with global influence," Hebei Xiong'an New Area (河北雄安新区) "strives to build a new era of innovation highland and a model for promoting high-quality development"... General Secretary Xi Jinping's (习近平) inspections and research have both deep encouragement and clear requirements.
The "15th Five-Year Plan" period is a critical period for laying the foundation and making comprehensive efforts to basically realize socialist modernization. High-level self-reliance and self-strengthening in science and technology are accelerating, the integration of scientific and technological innovation and industrial innovation is accelerating, and new quality productive forces are booming.
General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) profoundly pointed out: "Achieving high-level self-reliance and self-strengthening in science and technology is the key to building Chinese-style modernization." "The most essential feature of building a new development pattern is to achieve a high level of self-reliance and self-strengthening." "Accelerating the realization of high-level self-reliance and self-strengthening in science and technology is the only way to promote high-quality development."
The key to the key lies in self-reliance and self-strengthening.
The foundation must be stronger. "Strengthening basic research is an urgent requirement for achieving high-level self-reliance and self-strengthening in science and technology," "Key core technologies cannot be obtained, bought, or begged for."
The driving force must be stronger. "Scientific and technological innovation and industrial innovation are the basic paths for developing new quality productive forces."
The vitality must be greater. "China's science and technology team has huge innovation potential, and the key is to effectively release this potential through deepening the reform of the science and technology system."
During the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, China's number of high-level international journal papers and international patent applications ranked first in the world for five consecutive years, and the number of global top 100 science and technology innovation clusters ranked first in the world for three consecutive years... Reform releases innovation vitality, and the construction of a strong country in science and technology is advancing steadily.
"We must climb the peaks of science and technology and the peaks of industry ourselves." General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) is full of expectations.
Enhancing confidence and aiming high, the pace of Chinese-style modernization is even more powerful.
Return to TopXinhua News Agency, Beijing, April 20th. On the afternoon of April 20th, President Xi Jinping (习近平) had a phone conversation with Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed (穆罕默德) at the latter's request.
Xi Jinping (习近平) pointed out that China highly values its relationship with Saudi Arabia and always adheres to the principles of mutual respect, equal treatment, and mutually beneficial cooperation. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries. China is willing to work with Saudi Arabia to take this as an opportunity to deepen strategic mutual trust, strengthen pragmatic cooperation, expand exchanges at all levels, and continue to expand the breadth and depth of China-Saudi Arabia relations, so as to play a demonstrative role in the development of relations between China and Arab countries.
Regarding the current situation in the Middle East Gulf region, Xi Jinping (习近平) emphasized that China advocates an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire and cessation of hostilities, supports all efforts conducive to restoring peace, and insists on resolving disputes through political and diplomatic means. The Strait of Hormuz should maintain normal passage, which is in the common interests of countries in the region and the international community. China supports countries in the region in building a common homeland of good neighborliness, development, security, and cooperation, taking their future and destiny into their own hands, and promoting long-term peace and stability in the region.
Mohammed (穆罕默德) said that the Saudi-China relationship is strategic, and developing relations with China is crucial for Saudi Arabia. The current war in the Middle East is damaging the security of the Gulf countries and seriously affecting the world's energy supply and economic operation. Saudi Arabia is committed to resolving contradictions and differences through dialogue and hopes to avoid escalation of the situation. China is a responsible major country in the world, and has always adhered to a fair position, supporting Middle Eastern countries in good neighborliness, friendship, dialogue, and cooperation. Saudi Arabia is willing to strengthen communication and coordination with China to maintain the ceasefire, prevent the rekindling of war, ensure the safety and freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, and jointly find ways to achieve long-term peace and stability in the region.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 徐驭尧 琼达卓嘎
In April, Yadong County (亚东县), Shigatse City (日喀则市), Tibet (西藏), is full of spring, with mountains covered in greenery. Surrounded by mountains, a modern salmon farming workshop comes into view. Gesang Dawa (格桑达瓦), a villager from Chema Village (切玛村), Lower Yadong Township (下亚东乡), is now a technical backbone in salmon farming.
Gathering talent and introducing technology, Yadong County (亚东县) has successively overcome technical problems such as artificial domestication and breeding of salmon, and the industry is gradually taking shape. "Last year, we also built a new production line, which can process salmon into fish cakes, fish fillets and other products." Gesang Dawa (格桑达瓦) is full of expectations for the future, "This year, we will continue to focus on live broadcast e-commerce and improving brand benefits."
In August 2025, when listening to the work report of the Tibet Autonomous Region (西藏自治区) Party Committee and Government, General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) pointed out: "We must develop plateau characteristic advantageous industries in accordance with local conditions, especially characteristic agriculture, animal husbandry and clean energy industries."
Thoroughly implementing the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's (习近平) important instructions, the Tibet Autonomous Region (西藏自治区) adheres to stabilizing grain, revitalizing animal husbandry, and strengthening characteristics, and promotes the improvement of quality and efficiency of characteristic agriculture and animal husbandry through scientific and technological innovation.
Increase investment in scientific and technological research and development to enhance the scientific and technological content of agriculture and animal husbandry—
In the highland barley germplasm resource protection base in Linzhou County (林周县), Lhasa City (拉萨市), researchers are working with local farmers to record the sowing of highland barley in detail.
"This place has nurtured more than 4,000 copies of highland barley germplasm resources, accounting for more than 60% of the total amount of highland barley preserved in the national germplasm bank." Dawa Dunzhu (达瓦顿珠), associate researcher at the Institute of Agricultural Science of the Tibet Autonomous Region (西藏自治区), said, "We are selecting drought-resistant, disease-resistant and higher-yielding varieties under different environmental conditions."
It's not just highland barley. In Bailang County (白朗县), Shigatse City (日喀则市), Li Guanghui (厉广辉), a Shandong (山东) aid-Tibet (援藏) technical talent, is busy in the experimental shed, "Introduced from Shandong (山东) and cross-bred locally, we want to develop a new high-yield and high-quality asparagus variety suitable for the local area."
In addition to asparagus, there are also cucumbers, peppers, and tomatoes. "Multiple approaches will further expand the variety of local vegetable supplies and enrich the masses' dining tables," said Li Guanghui (厉广辉).
With the joint efforts of superior varieties, superior machines, superior methods, and superior systems, the coverage rate of superior varieties of major crops in Tibet (西藏) has reached more than 95%.
Continue to carry out technology promotion to help ordinary farmers increase production and income—
"Three greenhouses, all planted with broccoli, with an annual income of 60,000 yuan!" Dan Zeng (旦增), a farmer in Kesong Community (克松社区), Naidong District (乃东区), Shannan City (山南市), is full of joy. In the past, he planted some Chinese cabbage and radishes, with low yields and low prices, and it was once difficult to even recover the cost.
Dan Zeng (旦增) switched to growing broccoli to increase his income, and Gesang (格桑), an agronomist at the Agricultural Technology Extension Center of Shannan City (山南市农业技术推广中心), helped a lot. "Give seeds, teach technology, and help hand-in-hand when there are difficulties." Now, Dan Zeng (旦增) trusts Gesang (格桑) very much, "I will try any new varieties in the future."
It is understood that the Agricultural Technology Extension Center of Shannan City (山南市农业技术推广中心) sends more than 100,000 seedlings to farmers throughout the city every year and conducts on-site technical training. In 2025, Tibet (西藏) deepened and expanded the agricultural and animal husbandry science and technology going to the countryside technology contracting work, focusing on the key and weak links of agricultural and animal husbandry production, and more than 5,000 agricultural and animal husbandry science and technology personnel sent mature and applicable technologies to fields, pastures, and the front line of production, and the on-site rate of main promotion technologies reached more than 95%.
In Longzi County (隆子县), Shannan City (山南市), drones are spraying medicine over nearly 30,000 mu of contiguous farmland. "In recent years, the county has used drones on a large scale, saving time and effort." said Gesang Ciren (格桑次仁), director of the Agricultural and Animal Husbandry Comprehensive Service Center of Longzi County (隆子县农牧综合服务中心).
Tibet (西藏) has included Beidou terminals and plant protection drones in the scope of agricultural machinery subsidies, and in 2025, 46 counties (districts) completed 200,000 mu (times) of drone plant protection operations. Since the beginning of this year, Tibet (西藏) has sorted out 10 mature and applicable technologies for crop cultivation, 10 for animal husbandry, 8 for agricultural and animal product processing, and 8 for ecological and green agriculture and animal husbandry according to the needs of the grassroots, for grassroots agricultural promotion.
Make up for the shortcomings of intensive processing and sell plateau goods at higher prices—
In the suburbs of Nyingchi City (林芝市), apples are rolling on the fruit selection line at Tibet Shangcheng Health Industry Co., Ltd. (西藏上诚健康产业股份有限公司). "Our apples are sold in a variety of forms, including fresh fruit gift boxes and processed products such as freeze-dried products," said Lin Chuanqing (林传清), head of the company.
"In order to enhance brand influence and market competitiveness, Nyingchi (林芝) has cultivated 3 national-level technology-based small and medium-sized enterprises in the apple industry chain, developed deep-processed products, and extended the apple industry chain." Yan Xinhang (闫新航), Party Secretary of the Nyingchi Municipal Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (林芝市农业农村局), introduced that the city will implement agricultural and animal husbandry science and technology innovation projects and facility agricultural and animal husbandry modernization improvement actions, cultivate and strengthen the under-forest economy, and moderately expand the scale of characteristic planting and breeding.
In 2025, Tibet (西藏) created 20 regional public brands, and the total output value of agricultural and animal product processing reached 9.68 billion yuan, an increase of more than 10%; a total of 514 related agricultural products such as "three products and one standard" were certified, and 60 local standards were released.
During the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, Tibet (西藏) will increase the research on the development plan of modern seed industry, promote the revitalization of the seed industry as a whole, especially the four major seed source innovation actions of highland barley, yak, dairy cow and pasture, and consolidate and enhance the development foundation of the plateau characteristic agricultural and animal husbandry industry.
"Bearing in mind General Secretary Xi Jinping's (习近平) earnest entrustment, we will focus on improving the production capacity of grain and important agricultural products, strengthen the empowerment of agricultural and animal husbandry science and technology, develop plateau characteristic agriculture and animal husbandry in accordance with local conditions, and consolidate the foundation for the comprehensive revitalization of the countryside." said Wang Junzheng (王君正), Secretary of the Tibet Autonomous Region (西藏自治区) Party Committee.
Return to TopXinhua News Agency, Beijing, April 20th. On April 20th, the State Council conducted its 19th special study session with the theme of "Coordinating Energy Security and Green Low-Carbon Transition, and Accelerating the Construction of a New Energy System." Premier of the State Council Li Qiang (李强) emphasized while presiding over the study session that it is necessary to thoroughly study and implement the important instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) on building a strong energy nation and the relevant decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee, implement the new energy security strategy, promote the optimization and adjustment of the energy structure, deepen the reform of the energy system and mechanism, and provide solid energy support for accelerating the comprehensive green transition and high-quality development.
Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and Director of the Huairou National Laboratory, Tang Guangfu (汤广福), gave an explanation. Vice Premiers of the State Council Ding Xuexiang (丁薛祥), Zhang Guoqing (张国清), and Liu Guozhong (刘国中) made exchange speeches.
Li Qiang (李强) pointed out after listening to the explanation and exchange speeches that improving the level of energy security is an important foundation for building a strong energy nation. The current international situation is undergoing profound changes, and China's total energy consumption continues to grow. We must maintain a sense of urgency, adhere to the bottom-line thinking, and continuously enhance the resilience and security capabilities of the energy system.
Li Qiang (李强) pointed out that the key to grasping the initiative in energy security is to further optimize and adjust the energy structure, strengthen energy science and technology innovation, accelerate the construction of a new energy system, and promote the green and low-carbon transformation of energy production and consumption patterns. We must fully tap the supply potential of renewable energy, adhere to a national approach, accelerate the construction of clean energy bases such as wind power and photovoltaics in the Northwest region, hydropower in the Southwest region, and offshore wind power in the Eastern region, vigorously develop distributed photovoltaics and decentralized wind power, develop biomass energy, geothermal energy, and ocean energy in accordance with local conditions, and promote the integrated development of new energy. We must continuously improve the level of clean and efficient utilization of fossil energy, accelerate the energy-saving and carbon-reducing transformation of existing coal-fired power units, and promote the transformation of coal power to a dual focus on basic security and system regulation power. We must accelerate the construction of new power grids, actively explore new architectures, new technologies, and new services, increase investment in optimizing the layout of transmission channels, strengthening the construction of backbone networks, building new distribution systems, and improving energy storage and charging facilities, use artificial intelligence to empower the digital transformation of the power grid, consolidate the network foundation, enhance system coordination and regulation capabilities, and create a safe, reliable, green, low-carbon, strong, resilient, intelligent, and flexible new power grid to better ensure the diversified energy needs of high-quality development.
Li Qiang (李强) emphasized that coordinating energy security and transformation is a systematic project that requires deepening institutional and mechanism reform and innovation, fully mobilizing the enthusiasm of all parties, and releasing the vitality of energy development. We must improve relevant standards and certification systems, enrich application scenarios, and enable green energy creators and users to realize green value through the market. We must deeply promote the construction of a unified national electricity market, form access, supervision, pricing, and other mechanisms that are adapted to the direction of the construction of a new energy system, and allow more business entities and electricity users to benefit from electricity transactions.
Return to TopThis newspaper reported from Beijing (北京) on April 20th (本报北京4月20日电) (Reporter Peng Bo (彭波)) The 65th Chairman’s Meeting of the 14th National People's Congress (全国人大) Standing Committee was held at the Great Hall of the People (人民大会堂) in Beijing (北京) on the afternoon of April 20th. Chairman Zhao Leji (赵乐际) presided over the meeting. The meeting decided that the 22nd session of the 14th National People's Congress (全国人大) Standing Committee will be held in Beijing (北京) from April 27th to 30th.
The Chairman’s Meeting suggested that the 22nd session of the 14th National People's Congress (全国人大) Standing Committee should review the draft revision of the Prison Law, the draft Social Assistance Law, the draft Medical Security Law, and the draft Farmland Protection and Quality Improvement Law; review the motion submitted by the National People's Congress (全国人大) Financial and Economic Affairs Committee regarding the draft revision of the Enterprise State-owned Assets Law; review the motion submitted by the National People's Congress (全国人大) Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee regarding the draft revision of the Agriculture Law; review the motion submitted by the State Council (国务院) and the Central Military Commission (中央军事委员会) regarding the draft revision of the National Defense Mobilization Law; review the motion submitted by the State Council (国务院) regarding the draft revision of the Water Law; and review the motion submitted by the State Council (国务院) regarding the request for review and approval of the "Treaty between the People's Republic of China (中华人民共和国) and the Republic of Azerbaijan (阿塞拜疆共和国) on Criminal Justice Assistance" and the motion regarding the request for review and approval of the "Treaty of Permanent Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation between the People's Republic of China (中华人民共和国) and the Republic of Kazakhstan (哈萨克斯坦共和国), the Kyrgyz Republic (吉尔吉斯共和国), the Republic of Tajikistan (塔吉克斯坦共和国), Turkmenistan (土库曼斯坦), and the Republic of Uzbekistan (乌兹别克斯坦共和国)".
The agenda of the 22nd session of the Standing Committee suggested by the Chairman’s Meeting also includes: reviewing the State Council's (国务院) report on the completion of environmental conditions and environmental protection targets for 2025, and the report on the research, handling, rectification, and accountability of the review opinions on the report on the management of state-owned assets for 2024; reviewing the report of the Credentials Committee of the National People's Congress (全国人大) Standing Committee on the qualifications of individual deputies; and reviewing relevant appointment and removal proposals, etc.
The Chairman’s Meeting reviewed and approved the key work points for the National People's Congress (全国人大) Standing Committee in 2026 and the work plans for legislation, supervision, deputies, and foreign affairs, reviewed the reports of the "One Government and Two Courts" on the handling of the Standing Committee's review opinions and the written opinions of relevant special committees and working committees, and reviewed and approved the key supervision proposals for the Fourth Session of the 14th National People's Congress (全国人大).
At the Chairman’s Meeting, Liu Qi (刘奇), Secretary-General of the National People's Congress (全国人大) Standing Committee, reported on the draft agenda and schedule of the 22nd session of the Standing Committee. Relevant Deputy Secretaries-General of the National People's Congress (全国人大) Standing Committee and heads of relevant special committees and working committees of the National People's Congress (全国人大) reported on relevant topics.
Vice Chairmen of the National People's Congress (全国人大) Standing Committee Li Hongzhong (李鸿忠), Wang Dongming (王东明), Xiao Jie (肖捷), Zheng Jianbang (郑建邦), Ding Zhongli (丁仲礼), Hao Mingjin (郝明金), Cai Dafeng (蔡达峰), He Wei (何维), Wu Weihua (武维华), Tie Ning (铁凝), Peng Qinghua (彭清华), Zhang Qingwei (张庆伟), Losang Jamcan (洛桑江村), and Shohrat Zakir (雪克来提·扎克尔) attended the meeting.
Return to TopOn April 20th, the first "Hualong One" nuclear power unit in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area—the No. 1 unit of the CGN Guangdong Taipingling Nuclear Power Project (中广核广东太平岭核电项目) in Taipingling (太平岭), Huidong County (惠东县), Huizhou City (惠州市), Guangdong Province (广东省), was put into operation and generated electricity. It is now officially ready for commercial operation, with an estimated annual power generation of over 9 billion kilowatt-hours. The Taipingling Nuclear Power Project (太平岭核电项目) plans to build six "Hualong One" nuclear power units in three phases. Once fully completed, it is expected to generate over 55 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually. The picture shows the Taipingling Nuclear Power Project (太平岭核电项目).
Li Gang (李刚) and Ke Yongchu (柯勇初) of this newspaper (People's Vision) (人民视觉)
Return to TopThis newspaper's Nanchang (南昌) April 20th dispatch (Reporters Zhi Chunli (智春丽) and Geng Lei (耿磊)) The 23rd National Reading Survey results released by the Chinese Academy of Press and Publication (中国新闻出版研究院) on the 20th showed that in 2025, the comprehensive reading rate of adult citizens in China steadily climbed to 82.3%, an increase of 0.2 percentage points compared to 2024; the per capita reading volume of paper books and e-books reached 8.39 books.
Among adult citizens in China, 13.5% read an average of 10 or more paper books per year, an increase of 0.3 percentage points compared to 2024. The mobile phone reading rate of adult citizens was 79.0%, an increase of 0.3 percentage points compared to 2024. The contact rate of adult citizens with digital reading methods reached 80.8%, and more and more people are choosing to read by listening to books and watching videos of book narrations, with their proportions increasing from 38.5% and 5.7% in 2024 to 38.7% and 6.3% in 2025, respectively.
The book reading rate of minors in China reached 86.7%, with an average book reading volume of 11.72 books, with several indicators better than the adult group, showing the spiritual growth potential of the new generation.
In addition, the "2025 China Digital Reading Report" released by the China Audio-video and Digital Publishing Association (中国音像与数字出版协会) on the same day showed that as of the end of 2025, the total number of digital reading works in China was 70.5592 million, an increase of 11.87% year-on-year. The total number of overseas works, including translations, overseas originals, and e-books, was 949,200 (types), an increase of 17.42% year-on-year. In 2025, the scale of digital reading users in China was 689 million, an increase of 2.95% year-on-year.
(Related reports can be found on pages two and seven)
Return to TopCentral State-Owned Enterprises Going Global: Connecting Hearts and Minds
"Small but Beautiful" Projects Build Heartwarming Bridges
Page 18
Earthly Fragrance of Books
Combining reading "books with words" and reading "books without words"
Page 20
Return to TopXinhua News Agency, Nanchang, April 20th. Li Shulei (李书磊), member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of the Central Propaganda Department (中宣部), attended the 5th National Reading Conference in Nanchang (南昌), Jiangxi (江西) on the 20th and delivered a speech, announcing the launch of the 2026 "National Reading Activity Week."
The participating guests stated that General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) has always attached great importance to and advocated reading, leading and promoting national reading to rise to a national strategy and national will, and the work of promoting national reading has ushered in unprecedented development opportunities. It is necessary to deeply study and practice Xi Jinping's (习近平) cultural thought, better promote national reading, deeply promote the construction of a book-fragrant society, and enhance the spiritual strength to realize the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
The participating guests believe that reading is the most basic cultural construction. It is necessary to give full play to the important role of national reading in the construction of a culturally strong country and stimulate the cultural innovation and creativity of the entire nation. It is necessary to cultivate a strong social atmosphere of love for reading, so that people develop the habit of lifelong reading, cultivate cultural heritage, and enhance the realm of life. It is necessary to continue to carry out national reading activities in depth, cultivate the "Reading China" activity brand, and improve the construction and management level of national reading facilities. It is necessary to implement the "National Reading Promotion Regulations," promote the institutionalization and legalization of national reading promotion work, and further form a strong atmosphere of loving to read, reading good books, and being good at reading.
Zhu Yongxin (朱永新), Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and Executive Vice Chairman of the Central Committee of the China Association for Promoting Democracy (民进中央), attended the conference.
This year's "National Reading Activity Week" will be implemented from April 20th to 26th, focusing on the theme of "Promoting National Reading Together and Building a Book-Fragrant Society Together," and holding a series of activities such as the National Reading Conference, aiming to stimulate the enthusiasm of the whole society for reading and promote the construction of a book-fragrant society.
Return to TopThis newspaper's Beijing (北京) dispatch on April 20th (Reporter Peng Bo (彭波)) - Li Hongzhong (李鸿忠), member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (全国人大常委会), attended the first session of the 2026 National People's Congress (全国人大) Deputies' Study Class in Beijing (北京) on the 20th and delivered the opening report. He emphasized the need to adhere to Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as guidance, thoroughly study and implement the spirit of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, profoundly understand the decisive significance of the "Two Establishes," strengthen the "Four Consciousnesses," strengthen the "Four Confidences," and achieve the "Two Safeguards." He urged unifying the political responsibility of deputies to perform their duties in accordance with the law and serve the people with the political mission of implementing the "15th Five-Year Plan" Outline, contributing to the comprehensive and effective implementation of the "15th Five-Year Plan" and continuously creating a new landscape for Chinese-style modernization.
Li Hongzhong (李鸿忠) emphasized the need to deeply study and understand General Secretary Xi Jinping's (习近平) important expositions on development strategies and planning, and to effectively unify thoughts and actions with the Party Central Committee's strategic deployment for the "15th Five-Year Plan" development. It is essential to deeply recognize that the socialist system with Chinese characteristics is the fundamental institutional guarantee for contemporary China's development and progress, enhance the sense of responsibility and mission to uphold, improve, and operate the system of the People's Congress, and better transform the advantages of the fundamental political system of the country into governance effectiveness and development momentum. It is necessary to adhere to the supreme political principle of the centralized and unified leadership of the Party Central Committee, closely focus on the overall situation to perform duties, fully play the role of the bridge between the Party and the state and the masses, make contributions based on one's own position, and seek progress while maintaining stability to promote the high-quality development of the work of the People's Congress.
The responsible comrade of the General Office of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (全国人大常委会办公厅) presided over the opening ceremony. 221 National People's Congress (全国人大) deputies from 34 electoral units participated in the study.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 耿 磊 智春丽 周 欢
Reading is a way of life, a spiritual pursuit.
With the spring breeze blowing and the air filled with the fragrance of books, the Tengwang Pavilion (滕王阁), located on Yanjiang Road in Donghu District, Nanchang City (南昌市), Jiangxi Province (江西省), is filled with the sound of reciting "Preface to the Pavilion of Prince Teng" every morning. Not far away, the theme research activity "Following the Long March to Understand China" attracts many readers and tourists to stop and watch... Well-equipped reading spaces and diverse themed reading activities add a strong reading atmosphere to Nanchang (南昌), the city of heroes.
General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) pointed out in his congratulatory letter to the first National Reading Conference: "Reading is an important way for human beings to acquire knowledge, develop intelligence, cultivate morality, and can inspire people's thoughts, establish lofty ideals, and cultivate a sense of integrity."
On April 20th, on the occasion of the first "National Reading Activity Week," the 5th National Reading Conference opened in Nanchang (南昌). With the theme of "Promoting National Reading Together and Building a Society of Readers Together," readers and book lovers from all over the world gathered on the banks of the Gan River (赣江), using reading to gather strength for progress and building a strong country with the fragrance of books.
Promoting Together: Rule of Law Escorts, Reading Integrated into the Fabric of Society
Faced with the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence, how to actively accelerate knowledge updates?
Faced with the mixed nature of online information, how to maintain core values and literacy?
The unique value of reading in the intelligent era has become a hot topic at this conference. The methods of reading are advancing with the times, and the value of reading is irreplaceable. Many guests pointed out that reading, as an important way to acquire knowledge, develop intelligence, and cultivate morality, is not only not outdated, but is more urgent than ever.
At the conference, the 23rd National Reading Survey released by the Chinese Academy of Press and Publication showed that the comprehensive reading rate of adult citizens in China in 2025 was 82.3%.
The comprehensive reading rate of adult citizens is showing a steady upward trend, and the foundation of national reading is continuously consolidated, which benefits from the active advocacy at the cultural level and is inseparable from the attention and policy promotion of the Party and the government. Since 2014, "National Reading" has been written into the "Government Work Report" for 13 consecutive years, and the "15th Five-Year Plan" outlines the need to "deepen national reading activities and promote the construction of a society of readers." The promulgation and implementation of the "National Reading Promotion Regulations" has brought national reading into an era of rule of law escort, with standardized guidance in all aspects from infrastructure construction to public reading resource supply.
The combination of traditional reading spaces and digital reading spaces, complete with children's books and books for the elderly, and digital search platforms and voice recording walls showcasing a sense of technology... During the "National Reading Promotion Regulations" publicity exhibition held during the conference, a simulated community bookstore attracted the attention of visitors. "Community libraries and farmers' (workers') bookstores are important components of national reading facilities. We want to use this form to showcase the combination of community bookstores and modern reading," the exhibition负责人 (fù zé rén - "person in charge," the person responsible for the exhibition) introduced. The exhibition also provided interpretations from three aspects: reading services, reading guarantees, and reading promotion, allowing the public to have a deeper understanding of the regulations.
"Last year, our village upgraded the farmers' bookstore, making the space brighter, the environment more beautiful, and the types of books more abundant." At the rural reading "storytelling session" themed "New Countryside, New Youth, New Reading," Liu Shili (刘诗利), a farmer reading representative from Yingang Village (银岗村), Wenliu Town (文留镇), Puyang County (濮阳县), Puyang City (濮阳市), Henan Province (河南省), said, "With better conditions and fewer obstacles, naturally more people will be willing to read."
Incorporating reading guarantees into the public cultural service system, with continuous investment from the central to local governments, service facilities that carry the fragrance of books are being built more comprehensively.
Today, in many cities, 15-minute reading circles have taken shape and landed, and 24-hour self-service bookstores have opened in business districts and communities.
Reading is the most basic cultural construction. The support of the system and the improvement of facilities make reading no longer just a personal matter, but a lifestyle that everyone aspires to and can access, and becomes a cultural fabric shared by the entire society.
Resonance Together: Digital Intelligence Empowers, Reading Becomes More Convenient and Faster
"The cuckoo sings in spring, urging farmers to cultivate in time from spring to summer..." After dinner, Zhu Rongru (朱荣如), an 81-year-old resident of Xinju Community (新琚社区), Jiulonghu Street (九龙湖街道), Honggutan District (红谷滩区), Nanchang City (南昌市), went downstairs for a walk, opened the Jiangxi Provincial Library's (江西省图书馆) "Gan Tu Cloud Library" (赣图云书馆) WeChat mini-program, put on headphones, and listened to an audiobook with a melodious tune.
To create a digital reading service matrix covering the entire province, Jiangxi (江西) has woven a five-level digital book resource co-construction and sharing network at the provincial, municipal, county, township, and village levels, relying on digital platforms such as the "Gan Tu Cloud Library" (赣图云书馆) to provide free access to more than 1 million e-books and 3 million episodes of audiobooks to the public.
In today's era of surging digital intelligence, how to use technological change as a lever to drive the high-quality development of national reading has become a must-answer question.
The "2025 China Digital Reading Report" released at the Digital Reading Forum of this conference showed that the number of digital reading users in China in 2025 has reached 689 million.
With the deep integration of new technologies such as artificial intelligence and big data into the reading ecosystem, national reading is evolving from "paper and ink fragrance" to "digital intelligence reading."
Technology has enriched the "opening method" of national reading. Through intelligent dialogue and virtual interaction, readers can "communicate" with ancient sages, and use light, shadow, sound effects, and holographic images to restore the life scenes of ancient sages. The "Righteousness of Heaven and Earth - Wen Tianxiang (文天祥) Theme Exhibition" and the "Loyal Heart Shines in History" classic poetry reading session held during the conference used new technologies to break down barriers, allowing readers to immerse themselves in the scene, experience the integrity of the sages, and let the spirit of integrity permeate people's hearts.
New publishing technologies make knowledge transfer more universal and convenient. China News Publishing Media Group is exploring the pilot application of AIGC (Artificial Intelligence Generated Content) technology in the content production process, promoting the construction of a converged media platform, and providing a systematic foundation for the digital dissemination of publishing and national reading content. "From 'scanning the code to listen to books' to open up the 'last mile' of rural reading, to artificial intelligence guidance to help visually impaired people overcome obstacles, technology is silently safeguarding the reading rights of more groups," said Li Zhong (李忠), Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of China News Publishing Media Group.
Reading Together: Broad Participation, Stimulating Social Reading Enthusiasm
"It is a sailing ship standing on the coast, looking out at the sea, with the tip of its mast already visible; it is a round of rising sun standing on the top of a high mountain, looking far to the east, already seeing the light shining in all directions..." After the rain, the Hongqi Square (红旗广场) in Jinggangshan (井冈山) was shrouded in clouds and mist, and 40 teenagers lined up neatly, reciting classic red masterpieces in a loud voice.
The majestic Jinggang (井冈), azaleas are red. On the eve of the opening of this conference, a unique research activity "Red Reading Jinggang Trip" was held in Jinggangshan (井冈山). More than 400 students entered the Jinggangshan Hongqi Square (井冈山红旗广场), Longjiang Academy (龙江书院), Shenshan Village (神山村), and other places in batches, focusing on the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China and the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Red Army's Long March, and carried out a red reading journey of spiritual root-seeking through collective recitation, immersive experience, and situational teaching.
During this conference, Jiangxi Province (江西省) launched 94 special activities such as the "Beautiful Jiangxi, Poetic Ganpo" poetry conference. From the continuous singing of the Bailudong Academy (白鹿洞书院) to the quiet reading in the street study rooms, from the red research walking classroom to the national interaction of the poetry conference, the series of activities made reading a pulsating melody on the land of Ganpo (赣鄱).
Along with the "National Reading Activity Week" came the national reading activities innovatively carried out in various places. Holding a book and reading has become the most beautiful scenery in this April.
In Wuhan (武汉), Hubei (湖北), the 2026 "Fragrant Wuhan · National Reading Month" centralized release event kicked off a year-round, region-wide, and nationwide reading festival; in Guangzhou (广州), Guangdong (广东), the "Cultural Enrichment of Yangcheng, Reading the Future" theme reading month activity, relying on physical bookstores and other positions, organized nearly a thousand key reading activities; in Hohhot (呼和浩特), Inner Mongolia (内蒙古), a series of national reading season activities were in full swing, inviting many well-known writers to carry out reading experience sharing and other activities to promote national reading to go deep into the grassroots and benefit the masses.
…………
General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) pointed out: "I hope that the whole society will participate in reading, forming a strong atmosphere of loving reading, reading good books, and being good at reading."
From the continuation of the cultural context of the millennium academy to the deep roots of national reading, the Chinese nation's tradition of advocating reading has been passed down from generation to generation. The more rapid the advancement of digital technology, the more necessary it is to cultivate a profound and profound spiritual world and innovative and creative abilities. A study room lights up a world, and a half-acre pond nourishes a full of literary spirit. Promoting national reading together and building a society of readers together, loving reading, reading good books, and being good at reading, let us dialogue with the sages in the fragrance of books and open up the future in the fragrance of books.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 张 铁 高 炳
On April 20th, the "15th Five-Year Plan" Shaanxi Special Press Conference was held in Xi'an (西安), Shaanxi (陕西). Zhao Gang (赵刚), Deputy Secretary of the Shaanxi Provincial Party Committee and Governor of Shaanxi Province, stated that Shaanxi will anchor its goals, seize opportunities, remember its entrustment, bravely shoulder its mission, be low-key, pragmatic, and not ostentatious, work diligently, and strive to write a new chapter of Shaanxi's Chinese-style modernization construction.
Accelerating the Construction of a Modern Industrial System
During the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, Shaanxi cultivated and formed 21 national-level industrial clusters, such as modern coal chemical industry, aviation, and advanced structural materials, with strong momentum for industrial development. "During the '15th Five-Year Plan' period, we will continue to leverage our comparative advantages, cultivate more new growth points, and strive to promote larger-scale, better-structured, and more competitive industrial development," said Zhao Gang (赵刚).
Promoting the Improvement of Quality, Expansion of Quantity, and Enhancement of Efficiency in Advanced Manufacturing. In recent years, 127 sets of major technical equipment developed by Shaanxi have been promoted and applied. The aviation, modern coal chemical industry, and industrial machine tool clusters have been selected as national advanced manufacturing clusters. Automobile production has increased by 1.7 times, especially new energy vehicle production, which has increased by 17 times. Semiconductors, new energy vehicles, solar photovoltaic equipment, titanium metal processing, heavy-duty unmanned aerial vehicles and other industries have become Shaanxi's key pillar industries. During the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, Shaanxi will steadily increase the proportion of manufacturing, strive to increase the number of 100 billion-yuan-level industrial chains from 11 to more than 18, and accelerate the construction of a modern industrial system with advanced manufacturing as the backbone.
Vigorously Developing Characteristic Modern Agriculture. Apple, kiwi fruit, and goat milk industries have become typical representatives of Shaanxi's characteristic agriculture. Shaanxi will focus on building eight key agricultural industrial chains, including apples, kiwi fruit, livestock and poultry meat, dairy products, vegetables, tea, edible fungi, and Chinese medicinal materials, and accelerate the cultivation of more "large industries" like "small black fungus."
Promoting the Expansion and Quality Improvement of the Service Industry. During the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, Shaanxi's technology services, software design, cross-border e-commerce and other industries have shown good growth momentum. In Xi'an (西安) alone, the number of people engaged in the software industry exceeds 300,000. Shaanxi will deeply implement the service industry expansion and quality improvement action, and strive to build a trillion-yuan-level modern service industry cluster.
At the same time, as an important national comprehensive energy base, Shaanxi strives to make greater contributions to the construction of a strong energy country. Shaanxi's coal, oil, and gas reserves rank fourth, third, and second in the country, respectively. Last year, coal and natural gas production accounted for 1/6 and 1/7 of the country's total, respectively. During the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, Shaanxi produced more than 60% of its coal, 40% of its natural gas, and nearly 30% of its electricity to other provinces, effectively ensuring national energy security. During the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, Shaanxi will orderly release high-quality coal production capacity, promote the increase of oil and gas reserves and production; accelerate the construction of a new energy system, adjust and optimize the energy structure, firmly stabilize the basic energy supply; cultivate new energy industry formats and models, and focus on building a first-class high-end chemical new materials industrial base.
Promoting the High-Quality Development of the China-Europe Railway Express (Xi'an). During the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, Shaanxi actively set up points, routes, networks, and layouts. The China-Europe Railway Express (Xi'an) stably operates 18 international routes and 26 "+ Western Europe" routes. In 2025, 6,037 trains were operated, with a cumulative total of more than 34,000 trains. The daily loading and unloading capacity of Xi'an Port (西安港) reached 3,700 TEUs, ranking among the top land ports in the country. During the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, Shaanxi will continue to increase efforts in stabilizing quantity, improving quality, promoting trade, and gathering production.
Deeply Implementing the Innovation-Driven Development Strategy
As a major province in science, education, and technology, Shaanxi has recently used the Qin Chuangyuan (秦创原) platform to coordinate resources and elements, and taken the construction of the Xi'an Regional Science and Technology Innovation Center (西安区域科技创新中心) as a major opportunity to create a gathering place for scientific frontier fields and emerging industrial technology innovation with strong driving force.
Abundant scientific and technological resources are constantly catalyzing high-level scientific research achievements and modern industries. Shaanxi's technology has supported national major projects such as Shenzhou's spaceflight, Chang'e's lunar exploration, Jiaolong's deep-sea exploration, and Tianwen's Mars exploration. In the previous National Science and Technology Awards, the total number of awards won by Shaanxi ranked second in the country. At the recent Zhongguancun Forum Annual Meeting, two Shaanxi scientific research achievements, "xenotransplantation" and "high-performance flexible stacked solar cells," were selected as the "Top Ten Scientific Advances in China" for 2025. During the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, the number of science and technology-based SMEs and high-tech enterprises in Shaanxi increased by 3.2 times and 2.5 times, respectively.
"During the '15th Five-Year Plan' period, we will adhere to the core position of innovation in the overall situation of modernization construction, vigorously promote the integrated reform of education, science, technology, and talent, and strive to promote innovation-driven development to a higher level," said Zhao Gang (赵刚).
In serving the country's high-level scientific and technological self-reliance, Shaanxi will focus on the basic frontier fields and key core technologies of national strategic breakthroughs, focusing on five advantageous fields: aerospace, new materials, energy, new-generation information technology, and dryland agriculture; accelerate the construction of national major scientific and technological infrastructure such as high-precision ground-based timing systems, molecular medicine transformation centers, and advanced attosecond lasers.
In promoting the deep integration of scientific and technological innovation and industrial innovation, Shaanxi will promote the efficient transformation of scientific and technological achievements, make good use of the Qin Chuangyuan (秦创原) platform, consolidate and expand the results of the "three reforms," further improve the policy system, and promote the transformation, incubation, and industrialization of more scientific and technological achievements; strengthen the innovation subject status of enterprises, and continue to promote the convergence of various policies and resources to enterprises, so that the innovation and creation potential of enterprises and talents can be fully released.
Continuing to Exert Efforts Towards the Goal of a Strong Cultural Province
As one of the important birthplaces of the Chinese nation and Chinese civilization, Shaanxi has a profound cultural heritage and obvious advantages in cultural tourism resources. During the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, Shaanxi highlighted cultural construction, took the creation of a trillion-yuan-level cultural tourism industry cluster as a traction, and promoted the construction of a strong cultural province to achieve new achievements and present a new atmosphere.
Shaanxi added 502 new items of human intangible cultural heritage representative works, national and provincial intangible cultural heritage projects, and successfully created two national-level cultural ecological protection zones. The number of national-level awards such as the "Wenhua Award" (文华奖) and "Qunxing Award" (群星奖) has remained in the first echelon in the country. The revenue of eight key cultural tourism industrial chain clusters has increased by an average of 11.02% annually. The province receives more than 800 million tourists annually. The Tang Paradise (大唐不夜城) and Chang'an Twelve Hours (长安十二时辰) have become national demonstration cases of immersive cultural tourism. Six tourism performances, including "Song of Everlasting Regret" (长恨歌) and "Fierce Great Qin" (赳赳大秦), have become national boutique projects.
During the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, Shaanxi will continue to exert efforts around the goal of building a strong cultural province.
Coordinating the Promotion of Cultural Heritage Protection. Shaanxi will protect the spiritual symbols of Chinese civilization such as the Mausoleum of the Yellow Emperor (黄帝陵), and deepen the exploration of the origin of Chinese civilization and the protection and display of the Zhou, Qin, Han, and Tang (周秦汉唐) major heritage sites. Build and use the Yellow River, Great Wall, and Long March National Cultural Parks (Shaanxi Section) (黄河、长城、长征国家文化公园（陕西段）), and create characteristic cultural corridors.
Expanding the Supply of High-Quality Cultural Services. Shaanxi will implement the project of creating and prospering literary and artistic masterpieces, and promote the improvement of artistic original ability. Implement the action of improving the quality and efficiency of public cultural services, and actively build a convenient and efficient 15-minute cultural service circle.
Expanding and Strengthening the Cultural Tourism Industrial Chain Cluster. Shaanxi will improve policy and financial support and promote the transformation and upgrading of eight key cultural tourism industrial chain clusters. Implement the "Hundred Scenic Spots Renewal" action and create a number of immersive digital cultural tourism new scenes. Promote the facilitation of inbound tourism and comprehensively improve the tourism consumption environment.
Return to TopThe 2026 Shanghai International Flower Festival opened on April 18th. The Huangpu District (黄浦区) venue of the event connects two areas, Xintiandi (新天地) and Gucheng Park (古城公园), creating an "event of floral splendor" blooming throughout the entire area for citizens and tourists. The picture shows citizens and tourists enjoying the flowers in Gucheng Park (古城公园) on April 19th.
Photo by Wang Chu (王初) (People's Vision)
Return to TopThis newspaper's Beijing (北京) dispatch on April 20th (Reporter Li Xinping (李心萍)): This reporter learned from China Railway Shanghai Bureau Group Co., Ltd. (中国铁路上海局集团有限公司) that as of April 20th, the Yangtze River Delta (长三角) Railway's 2026 Spring Tourism Transportation has concluded, safely transporting over 91 million passengers in 32 days, with an average daily passenger volume of 2.85 million, an increase of over 5% year-on-year; among which, April 4th saw 4.66 million passengers transported, setting a new record for the Yangtze River Delta (长三角) Railway's single-day passenger volume.
During the Yangtze River Delta (长三角) Railway's Spring Tourism Transportation period (March 20th to April 20th), the Jiangnan (江南) region was filled with spring and bright scenery. Coupled with the "double holiday" overlap of spring break and the Qingming (清明) Festival holiday in many places, spring outings and concentrated travel became the preferred choice for many people. Multiple high-speed rail tourism routes, such as the Beijing-Shanghai (京沪), Shanghai-Nanjing (沪宁), Shanghai-Kunming (沪昆), Hangzhou-Nanchang (杭昌), Hangzhou-Shenzhen (杭深), and Shanghai-Suzhou-Huzhou (沪苏湖) lines, continued to be popular. Urban attractions, famous historical and cultural towns, and suburban villages along the routes were favored by many passengers. Statistics show that since the beginning of spring, the passenger flow in the Yangtze River Delta (长三角) region has shown a significant increase. The proportion of high-speed rail travel on weekends and holidays has continued to rise, and the railway's medium and short-distance passenger transport market has seen a slight increase, up about 5% year-on-year. The trend of highly concentrated and high-level passenger flow has run through the entire spring tourism transportation stage.
During this period, the daily passenger volume of stations in many key tourist cities in the Yangtze River Delta (长三角) region simultaneously set new historical highs. Seven stations, including Xuzhou East (徐州东), Nanjing South (南京南), Changzhou (常州), Suzhou (苏州), Hefei South (合肥南), Huangshan North (黄山北), and Hangzhou East (杭州东), set new records for their respective single-day passenger volumes. The passenger volume of more than 20 stations, including Shanghai Songjiang (上海松江), Jinshan North (金山北), Suzhou South (苏州南), Hengdian (横店), Jiande South (建德南), and Hefei West (合肥西), increased by more than 30% year-on-year.
Return to TopThis newspaper reported from Beijing on April 20th (Reporter Zhao Zhanhui (赵展慧)) that the China Securities Regulatory Commission (证监会) recently announced that it investigated and handled 701 cases of violations of laws and regulations throughout the year last year.
From the perspective of the areas where the cases occurred, there were 200 cases of violations of information disclosure, 77 cases of violations by intermediary institutions, 218 cases of insider trading, 85 cases of market manipulation, 26 cases of violations by private equity funds, and 51 cases of violations by practitioners.
From the perspective of the trend of cases, corporate institutional violations and transaction violations showed a "one decrease and one increase" trend. The number of information disclosure violation cases decreased by 19.68% year-on-year, and the number of intermediary institution violation cases decreased by 18.95% year-on-year. At the same time, with the increase in transaction activity, the number of transaction violation cases increased, with the number of insider trading cases increasing by 22.47% year-on-year and the number of market manipulation cases increasing by 19.72% year-on-year.
In terms of the severity of punishment, 661 penalty decisions were made throughout the year, an increase of 11.66% year-on-year; the amount of fines and confiscations was 15.474 billion yuan, an increase of 0.86% year-on-year; 1,506 people/times were penalized, an increase of 13.49% year-on-year; and 142 people were banned from the market, an increase of 20.34% year-on-year. 172 cases of suspected securities and futures crimes were transferred to public security organs, which was basically the same as last year, involving more than 500 illegal entities.
The China Securities Regulatory Commission (证监会) stated that it will continue to severely crack down on violations of laws and regulations in accordance with the law, focus on improving the ability and level of supervision and law enforcement, effectively safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of investors, and escort the high-quality development of the capital market with high-quality law enforcement.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 魏 贺 姜 峰
April 20th this year marks the 7th "International Chinese Language Day." With its profound cultural heritage and unique linguistic charm, Chinese attracts more and more foreign friends to learn and use it. Currently, 90 countries around the world have incorporated Chinese into their national education systems.
Chinese, illuminating colorful dreams – opening up new spaces for career development for learners, building a bridge for the world to understand China, and contributing unique Eastern wisdom to global governance. Recently, three Chinese language communicators, researchers, and learners from different countries were interviewed by reporters from this newspaper to talk about their stories of connecting with Chinese and share their thoughts on how Chinese helps the world understand China and promotes people-to-people connectivity.
Italian Translator Li Sha (李莎) –
"Contributing to the dissemination of excellent Chinese literary works"
In the 1990s, Li Sha (李莎) studied Chinese, which was still rarely studied at the time, at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, and has been associated with it ever since.
Li Sha's (李莎) translation career began in 2003. That year, she saw Mo Yan's (莫言) "Sandalwood Death" (檀香刑) at the Sanlian Taofen Bookstore (三联韬奋书店) in Beijing (北京), and a friend bought it for her. "At that time, reading Chinese books was an arduous adventure for me. But when I sat down and read a few pages, I couldn't put it down. My friend said, since you like it so much, why not translate it into Italian?" In this way, Li Sha (李莎) began her journey of translating Chinese literature.
Over the past 20 years, Li Sha (李莎) has translated a large number of contemporary Chinese literary works: Mo Yan's (莫言) "Sandalwood Death" (檀香刑), "Life and Death Are Wearing Me Out" (生死疲劳), "Frog" (蛙), Liu Zhenyun's (刘震云) "I Am Not Pan Jinlian" (我叫刘跃进), "One Sentence Is Worth Ten Thousand Sentences" (一句顶一万句), Jia Pingwa's (贾平凹) "Old Tales" (老生), Li Er's (李洱) "Coloratura" (花腔)... Since 2014, she has served as the editor-in-chief of the Italian version of "People's Literature" (人民文学) magazine, promoting more short and medium stories by Chinese writers to Italy, allowing readers to "both read the taste of foreign lands and resonate," and understand the kindness, warmth, righteousness, and millennia-old etiquette of the Chinese people.
In Li Sha's (李莎) eyes, Chinese has a unique beauty. "It has three or even four dimensions. The first and second dimensions are artistic conception and musicality, and the third dimension is visual; if you experience calligraphy on rice paper, there is also a fourth dimension – tactile sensation." She said that Chinese also taught her humility and self-discipline. "If you study other languages for nearly 40 years, you might say that you have reached the level of a native speaker. But Chinese is broad and profound, and learning Chinese requires continuous persistence."
"For young people in today's world, this era belongs to China." Li Sha (李莎) said that today's China gathers the world's best talents and produces many excellent cultural and artistic works. "The mission of us translators is to contribute to the dissemination of excellent Chinese literary works."
Egyptian Young Sinologist Gao Shan (高山) –
"Opening a window to perceive modern China and explore Chinese civilization"
Gao Shan's (高山) Chinese learning journey began in his youth. "At that time, I often encountered Chinese tourists and businessmen in Egypt, listening to them speak Chinese and watching them write square characters. At that time, I felt that this ancient Eastern country was worth exploring in depth." With this curiosity, Gao Shan (高山) applied to the Chinese Department of Cairo University (开罗大学).
In 2012, Gao Shan (高山) came to China to study. "For me, learning Chinese is a path from curiosity to in-depth participation in civilizational exchange. The responsibility of young Sinologists is not only to understand China, but also to tell the world about a real, three-dimensional, and comprehensive China, and to promote more detailed and sincere dialogue between civilizations."
In Gao Shan's (高山) view, Chinese culture has unique value in the global dialogue of civilizations, "'Harmony but not sameness' (和而不同) and 'The world is for all' (天下为公) – these concepts remind us that the world can pursue cooperation and coexistence on the basis of recognizing differences."
Gao Shan (高山) believes that there is a large amount of content in Chinese culture about national governance, social ethics, family relations, and collective life. "They provide wisdom for the many problems that humanity faces together today. Chinese opens a window for people to perceive modern China and explore Chinese civilization."
"When I applied to the Chinese Department of Cairo University (开罗大学), there were not many students choosing the Chinese Department. Now, I can see many local young people in Egypt communicating with Chinese people in Chinese." Gao Shan (高山) said that on international platforms such as the World Sinology Conference, the number and activity of young Sinologists are constantly increasing, and the scope of research is constantly expanding, "Mastering Chinese is an indispensable basic ability for academic research on China."
"A bosom friend afar brings a distant land near." Gao Shan (高山) said that Chinese allows people to increase understanding at a deeper level. "The significance of 'International Chinese Language Day' also lies in this – not only to let more people know Chinese, but also to let Chinese become an active resource in cross-cultural exchange from a learning object in the classroom."
Turkish Entrepreneur in China, Oudi (欧弟) –
"Chinese opens the door of opportunity for me"
Chongqing (重庆), a mountain city, the Jiefangbei (解放碑) business district is crowded with people. Turkish youth Oudi (欧弟) is in his restaurant, introducing his hometown cuisine to customers in fluent Chinese. In 2011, Oudi (欧弟) came to China and entered Xi'an Foreign Studies University (西安外国语大学) to systematically study Chinese. At that time, his understanding of China mostly came from Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan's kung fu movies, and a friend's suggestion that "If you want to do business, you should go to China" strengthened his determination to take root in China. "At first, I thought Chinese was very difficult, and the tones and writing gave me a headache. But the more I learned, the more I realized that Chinese characters have form and meaning, and each character carries culture, and Chinese contains the wisdom and tolerance of the Chinese people," Oudi (欧弟) said.
Oudi (欧弟) took the initiative to walk into the streets and alleys of Xi'an (西安), honing his listening and speaking skills in the hustle and bustle of the city, and this immersive learning allowed him to grow. Gradually, Oudi (欧弟) went from being a Chinese beginner who could only say "hello" to a "China hand" who could understand various dialects and communicate in depth with entrepreneurs.
At the end of 2017, Oudi (欧弟) set his sights on Chongqing (重庆), which is known as the "Motorcycle Capital" – he saw the strong mechanical industry foundation here, and even more the logistics potential of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor (西部陆海新通道). In Chongqing Liangjiang New Area (重庆两江新区), he founded a foreign trade company, mainly engaged in the export of motorcycle parts and machine tool equipment.
"Chinese is the most solid foundation for my entrepreneurial journey, and it is also the key for me to understand China." Oudi (欧弟) said that fluent Chinese allows him to smoothly connect with manufacturers and establish deep trust with partners. Today, the company's products are sold to more than 10 countries and regions including Turkey, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates.
In 2020, Oudi (欧弟) opened a Turkish restaurant in the Jiefangbei (解放碑) business district, and he often uses Chinese to tell customers about Turkish culture. Half a year ago, Oudi (欧弟) started creating short videos, recording his daily life in Chinese. "I hope to use my own personal experience to become an envoy of non-governmental exchanges between Turkey and China, so that the people of the two countries can deepen mutual understanding and witness the friendship between the two peoples." Oudi (欧弟) said, "Chinese has opened the door of opportunity for me, and it has also allowed me to find the value of life."
(Peng Lihua (彭丽桦) participated in writing)
Return to TopFaced with a world of intertwined changes and chaos, the Global Security Initiative clarifies the direction of efforts to solve security problems and maintain global stability, providing cooperative leadership.
On April 21, 2022, President Xi Jinping (习近平) solemnly proposed the Global Security Initiative, aimed at eliminating the root causes of international conflicts, improving global security governance, and promoting the international community to work together to inject more stability and certainty into a turbulent era. At present, the international situation is becoming more severe, and local conflicts are common. The practical significance and contemporary value of practicing the Global Security Initiative are further highlighted.
In recent years, structural and deep-seated problems in the global security field have accumulated, and the global security situation has become increasingly tense. The recent outbreak of war in the Middle East is a realistic microcosm of the severe security dilemma. The latest "Global Security Situation Report (2025)" points out that the world peace deficit is constantly expanding, and international conflicts and regional turmoil have significantly intensified. Faced with a world of intertwined changes and chaos, the Global Security Initiative clarifies the direction of efforts to solve security problems and maintain global stability, providing cooperative leadership.
The Global Security Initiative responds to the urgent need of the international community to maintain peace and stability and prevent conflicts and wars. The initiative adheres to the concept of common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security, upholds the principle of indivisible security, and promotes the construction of a balanced, effective, and sustainable security architecture, providing ideological guidance for achieving lasting peace and stability in the world. President Xi Jinping (习近平) recently put forward four proposals on maintaining and promoting peace and stability in the Middle East, which reflects China's consistent position of promoting peace and stopping war and advocating dialogue to resolve differences. In recent years, China has taken the lead in practicing the Global Security Initiative and actively mediating for world peace. On the Middle East issue, China successfully mediated the historic reconciliation between Saudi Arabia and Iran and facilitated the signing of the "Beijing Declaration (北京宣言)" by various Palestinian factions. Recently, it jointly issued a five-point initiative with Pakistan on restoring peace and stability in the Gulf and Middle East regions. In the Ukrainian crisis, China promoted the establishment of the "Friends of Peace" group to accumulate conditions for a political solution. China actively promoted the reconstruction of peace in Thailand and Cambodia and continued to play a constructive role in issues such as Afghanistan and Myanmar. This series of pragmatic actions fully proves that dialogue and negotiation are the effective way and the only way out to resolve disputes and maintain peace.
The Global Security Initiative conforms to the common pursuit of all countries in the world to adhere to multilateralism and maintain unity and cooperation. The initiative is rooted in the concept of true multilateralism, advocates responding to security challenges with cooperation and win-win results, and clarifies ideas for further improving global security governance. Its core concepts have been highly praised by heads of United Nations agencies and written into relevant multilateral mechanism documents. From actively participating in UN peacekeeping operations to leading the construction of a multilateral cooperation architecture, promoting the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (上海合作组织) and BRICS mechanism (金砖机制) framework cooperation to complement and promote the Global Security Initiative, and then to jointly promoting security cooperation with Mekong River, Central Asian, and African countries at the regional level, China has always been practicing the purposes and principles of the UN Charter in global security governance, practicing true multilateralism, and gathering broad consensus and strong forces to bridge the security deficit.
The Global Security Initiative conforms to the universal desire of people of all countries to overcome difficulties together and jointly create a better future. The initiative advocates that security and development are inseparable, and advocates promoting sustainable security through sustainable development, conforming to the trend of peace, development, cooperation, and win-win results, and injecting impetus into all countries to promote people's livelihood and seek development. China insists on taking development as the "master key" to solving security problems, actively supports the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, promotes inclusive economic globalization, and builds the "Belt and Road (一带一路)" with high quality to empower global development and help developing countries improve people's livelihood. China insists on coordinating the maintenance of security in traditional and non-traditional fields, not only continuing to promote international cooperation in climate change, industrial chain supply chain, resource energy and food security, but also launching the "Global Data Security Initiative" and the "Global Artificial Intelligence Governance Initiative" to jointly address various new security challenges with all parties.
No matter how the international situation changes, China's determination to be a builder of world peace will not change. China will continue to work with the international community to fully and deeply implement the Global Security Initiative, transform the consensus on maintaining common security into pragmatic actions, adhere to the new security path of dialogue rather than confrontation, partnership rather than alliance, and win-win rather than zero-sum, and continue to inject peace, stability, and justice into a turbulent world.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 宋亦然
"I hope the students become a bridge connecting the friendship between Peru and China." Jennifer Payán (珍妮弗·帕扬), the principal of the Peru Juan XXIII School (秘鲁若望二十三世秘中学校), expressed this belief in her many years of engaging in Chinese education during an interview with our newspaper reporter.
The Peru Juan XXIII School (秘鲁若望二十三世秘中学校), located in Lima (利马), the capital of Peru (秘鲁), has long carried out bilingual teaching in Chinese and Spanish, and has experienced many important moments in the relationship between Peru and China. In November 2024, President Xi Jinping (习近平) paid a state visit to Peru (秘鲁), and the school's students performed Chinese dance and traditional Chinese folk music at the welcome banquet held at the Presidential Palace of Peru (秘鲁总统府). "The children, dressed in Chinese clothing, performed for the distinguished Chinese guests who had come from afar. They were expressing their respect and love for China and Chinese culture with their hearts," Payán (帕扬) said. "It is an honor for our entire school to receive the praise of President Xi Jinping (习近平)."
Last year, Payán (帕扬) led 38 teachers and students to China to participate in the "Chinese Bridge" Summer Camp. She said that the uniqueness of this summer camp lies not only in the design of the route, but also in the innovation of the form—it was launched for the first time in the form of a "family camp," where students could be accompanied by their families to enter China and understand China together. "We hope that through this arrangement, cross-cultural understanding will become a family value."
During this trip, many students participated in the Chinese Proficiency Test (HSK). "Although the children can also take the same exam in Peru (秘鲁), conducting Chinese proficiency certification in China adds unforgettable significance to the children's efforts." Payán (帕扬) said that language is the starting point for understanding and empathy. "The students saw the world outside of textbooks in China and planted a seed of understanding and friendship in their hearts. We believe that through continuous efforts, students' language skills will continue to improve, and they will therefore gain a broader international perspective."
What was even more unforgettable for Payán (帕扬) was the enthusiasm of the Chinese people. "Wherever we went, we were treated with meticulous care. Whether it was the Chinese teachers, volunteers, or the Chinese families who opened their doors to welcome us, everyone made us feel warm," she said. "The reason why Chinese culture is so touching is not only because of its profound history, but also because it advocates kindness and respect between people."
Payán (帕扬) herself has Chinese ancestry and has a natural affinity for Chinese culture. As the principal, she has always emphasized the deep value of learning Chinese: Chinese is not only a language, but also a way of thinking, a path to understanding the world. By learning Chinese, students can understand China's cultural logic and development logic. "What really touches me is the Chinese people's consistent efforts, their loyalty to the country, and the sincerity between people." She hopes that students can also internalize these spirits into their own values, "to be a diligent and honest person, loyal to their beliefs, loyal to the country, respecting culture, and respecting others."
In recent years, China-Peru (中秘) cooperation in the field of education has continued to expand. Payán (帕扬) believes that the two sides can carry out more in-depth cooperation in teacher training, cultural curriculum development, history education, and STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, mathematics) teaching. "Cultural exchanges require the participation of generations of young people." She said, "We will continue to lead students to visit China, and we also welcome more Chinese teachers and students to visit our school, enter Peruvian families, and understand Peruvian culture. Through such mutual visits, we will jointly build a bridge of friendship between Peru and China."
Return to TopXinhua News Agency, Beijing, April 20th (Reporter Wang Bin) Vice Premier of the State Council Liu Guozhong (刘国中), a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, met with World Meteorological Organization Secretary-General Celeste Saulo in Beijing (北京) on the 20th.
Liu Guozhong (刘国中) stated that the Chinese government attaches great importance to global meteorological cooperation, has released the "Mazu (妈祖) Action Plan" for universal early warning in China, and supports the implementation of the United Nations' universal early warning initiative. China will actively implement the four major global initiatives proposed by President Xi Jinping (习近平), continue to support the World Meteorological Organization in playing a leading role in global meteorological governance, and make greater contributions to promoting the building of a human community with a shared future.
Saulo highly praised the significant achievements of China's meteorological development and disaster prevention and mitigation, and looks forward to further deepening cooperation with China.
Return to TopApril 20 this year is "Grain Rain" (谷雨), one of the twenty-four solar terms in the Chinese tradition, and also the 17th United Nations Chinese Language Day.
This year marks the 80th anniversary of Chinese being listed as an official language of the United Nations. As one of the oldest languages in the world, Chinese has stretched from ancient times to the present, across mountains and seas, inheriting the oriental wisdom of "harmony without uniformity" and "harmonious coexistence," and witnessing the peaceful dreams carried by the United Nations for more than 80 years. Around the theme of the United Nations Chinese Language Day, "Ink Harmony, Shared Composition" (翰墨和鸣 华章同赋), Chinese diplomatic missions abroad and the United Nations Secretariat held a series of wonderful celebrations in New York, Geneva, Vienna, and other places.
Recently, the Chinese Mission to the African Union (中国驻非盟使团) jointly held a celebration for the United Nations Chinese Language Day with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, the UNESCO Liaison Office to the African Union, and the African Union Commission (非盟委员会). More than 200 people, including envoys from various countries and officials from United Nations agencies, attended the event. The atmosphere was friendly and warm. The picture shows the participating guests experiencing Chinese calligraphy.
Photo courtesy of the Chinese Mission to the African Union (中国驻非盟使团).
Return to TopThis newspaper's Beijing (北京) dispatch on April 20th (Reporter Wei He (魏贺)) The launching ceremony of the 2026 "International Chinese Language Day" and the "Poetry Connects the World" Global Chinese Poetry Association was held on the 20th at Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications (北京邮电大学). More than 700 Chinese and foreign guests, including ambassadors to China from various countries, representatives of international language and cultural institutions, and representatives of universities and international students in Beijing (北京), gathered together to use Chinese as a bridge and poetry as a medium to convey sincere friendship and deepen mutual learning among civilizations.
At the event, Chinese and foreign guests jointly participated in the "Youth Poetry Fair" and watched a series of themed exhibitions and the sand painting drama "Dreams and Poetry," among other activities. Attendees believed that the "Chinese craze" is continuing to heat up around the world, and more and more overseas people are approaching and understanding China (中国) through learning Chinese. As an important bridge for understanding Chinese language and civilization, Chinese poetry plays an irreplaceable role. All parties will take this event as an opportunity to contribute more to deepening Sino-foreign cultural exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations.
It is reported that "International Chinese Language Day" was initiated by the Center for Language Education and Cooperation (教育部中外语言交流合作中心) of the Ministry of Education (教育部) and has been held for six consecutive sessions. The theme of this year's event is "Chinese: Illuminating Colorful Dreams," and thousands of Chinese language and cultural activities will be held in more than 100 countries around the world.
Return to TopIn recent times, the Philippines has frequently voiced its desire to restart oil and gas cooperation with China. However, while talking loudly about "cooperation," the Philippines' infringement and provocations in the South China Sea have not only not stopped, but have intensified. They want to pull China in economically for "emergency" help, while also creating disturbances on issues concerning China's core interests.
The Philippines is currently facing a severe energy crisis. As the spillover effects of the Middle East war expand, the Philippines, with its single energy structure and high dependence on Middle East oil imports, is suffering greatly from the turbulence in global energy supply. At the end of last month, the Philippines formally announced a national energy emergency. Faced with a series of thorny problems that directly impact the economy and people's livelihoods, the Philippine government is eager to find ways to break the deadlock and solve the problems. It is precisely out of this realistic consideration that the Philippine leader not only publicly thanked China for "providing great help in fertilizers," but also stated in a high-profile manner that he is "open to" restarting Philippine-China oil and gas negotiations.
However, the so-called voice of "cooperation" had not yet faded when the Philippines' small actions on the South China Sea issue came one after another. The Philippine President signed an executive order unilaterally announcing the renaming of 131 marine features located within China's Nansha Islands (南沙群岛) in the South China Sea. The Philippines gathered a large number of ships to break into the training area within China's jurisdiction near Huangyan Island (黄岩岛), creating incidents and inciting hype under the guise of "fishing." The Philippines illegally harassed Chinese fishing boats engaged in normal fishing, robbed fishermen of their living supplies, and even staged a so-called "cyanide" farce. The Philippine military also fabricated facts and blamed others, falsely claiming that Chinese naval vessels used fire control radar on Philippine vessels near Xianbin Reef (仙宾礁), engaging in large-scale public opinion manipulation. In addition, the Philippines' actions to collude with other countries to disrupt regional security have not stopped. Recently, the Philippines held a large-scale "shoulder-to-shoulder" joint military exercise with the United States and Japan. This is the first time in more than 80 years since the end of World War II that Japanese combat personnel have set foot on Philippine soil.
The obviously contradictory words and deeds expose the speculative behavior of Philippine politicians who are hedging their bets. In fact, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (小马科斯) stated as early as 2022 that he "intended to restart joint oil and gas development with China in the South China Sea." However, the reality in recent years has been that the Philippines has spared no effort to introduce extraterritorial forces and continue to create incidents in the South China Sea. On the one hand, it bets on extraterritorial allies who fear chaos in the South China Sea on security issues, and on the other hand, it has to rely on cooperation with China in economic and trade matters. Philippine politicians call this "separating territorial disputes from trade arrangements." They have no scruples when infringing on the interests of neighboring countries, but expect neighboring countries to help themselves at critical moments. How can there be such a reason in the world?
As a country with a fragile ability to resist external risks, the Philippines has not only failed to concentrate on seeking development, but has insisted on wading into the muddy waters of geopolitics. This short-sighted behavior will only push the Philippines to the forefront time and time again. There are already many historical lessons. Philippine politicians should also see clearly and think clearly about how to act in order to truly safeguard national interests.
Neighboring countries cannot be moved away. It is the right solution to have good relations with them. If the Philippines sincerely cares about its own people and hopes to improve relations with China, it should think clearly about the problem from the root, strategically calibrate the overall positioning of China-Philippines relations, and stop provocations in action. China attaches importance to the Philippines' desire to stabilize relations and strengthen dialogue, and hopes that the Philippines will meet China halfway and take practical actions to create the necessary conditions and atmosphere for the stabilization and improvement of bilateral relations.
Return to TopXinhua News Agency, Beijing, April 20th (Xinhua) -- He Lifeng (何立峰), Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council, met with Melvyn Levitsky, Senior Advisor of Albright Stonebridge Group of the United States, in Beijing (北京) on the afternoon of the 20th.
He Lifeng (何立峰) pointed out that China's (中国) economy had a good start in the first quarter, with major indicators growing well, demonstrating the strong resilience and stability of the Chinese (中国) economy. China (中国) and the United States (美国) have broad cooperation space and extensive common interests. It is hoped that Albright Stonebridge Group will continue to play a positive role in promoting Sino-US (中美) economic and trade relations to enter a stable, healthy, and sustainable development track.
Melvyn Levitsky said that a healthy and stable US-China (美中) economic and trade relationship is beneficial to both countries and the world, and he is willing to play a bridging role and continue to promote the deepening of US-China (美中) economic and trade cooperation.
Return to TopXinhua News Agency, Beijing, April 20th (Xinhua) – On April 20th, Minister Liu Haixing (刘海星) of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (中共中央对外联络部) met in Beijing with Saleumxay Kommasith (沙伦赛), Lao People's Revolutionary Party (老挝人民革命党) Central Committee Politburo member and Deputy Prime Minister of the Lao government, who was visiting as a special envoy of Thongloun Sisoulith (通伦), General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee and President of Laos (老挝). The two sides exchanged views on jointly implementing the important consensus reached by the top leaders of the two parties and two countries, and promoting the further development of China-Laos (中老) relations.
Return to TopIslamabad, April 20th (Reported by Zhao Yipu (赵益普)) The "75 Years of Friendship Road, Building China-Pakistan Affection Together - Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between China and Pakistan and the China-Pakistan Children's Gala" was held on the 18th in Islamabad (伊斯兰堡), the capital of Pakistan (巴基斯坦). This event was hosted by the Pakistan China Cultural Center (巴基斯坦中国文化中心), organized by the Pakistan Chinese Language Education Association (巴基斯坦华文教育协会), and co-organized by the Chinese Students and Scholars Association in Pakistan (中国留巴学生联谊会). Approximately 500 people, including Pakistani (巴基斯坦) government officials, representatives of Chinese diplomatic missions in Pakistan (巴基斯坦), overseas Chinese leaders, and children from both countries, attended the event.
Return to TopXinhua News Agency, Beijing, April 20th. Recently, the Central Special Team for Establishing and Practicing Correct Views on Performance Evaluation and the General Office of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection publicly announced the problems of Ren Yu (任宇), former Chairman and Party Secretary of China National Aviation Holding Company (中国航空器材集团有限公司) (hereinafter referred to as China National Aviation Holding Company), and Zhao Baohui (赵保辉), former Chief Accountant and member of the Party Committee, such as distorted and misplaced views on performance evaluation, deceiving the organization, and infringing on the interests of the masses.
Upon investigation, on March 21, 2024, Ren Yu (任宇), Zhao Baohui (赵保辉), and accompanying personnel Su (苏某某), Wu (伍某某), Jiao (焦某), Cui (崔某), and Li (李某), a total of 7 people, were transferring at Frankfurt Airport in Germany on official business to return to China. Ren Yu (任宇), Zhao Baohui (赵保辉), and 6 others gathered in the aviation business class lounge to drink alcohol provided by the lounge. Zhao Baohui (赵保辉) was severely drunk and was refused boarding by service personnel of Air China (中国国际航空股份有限公司) (hereinafter referred to as Air China). Ren Yu (任宇) pressured the crew and strongly demanded that the entire group board the plane, causing a 68-minute flight delay and triggering passenger complaints. Ren Yu (任宇) and Zhao Baohui (赵保辉) also violated regulations by upgrading to first class. After returning to China, Ren Yu (任宇), Zhao Baohui (赵保辉), and other members of the group concealed the facts and did not truthfully report the situation. Tang (唐某), Secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission of China National Aviation Holding Company, learned about the drunkenness of the leadership team members in November 2024 but did not report it to the organization. In March 2026, the higher-level organization conducted an investigation into the matter. Ren Yu (任宇), Zhao Baohui (赵保辉), and others provided false information to the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council (国务院国资委). Tang (唐某) did not verify the relevant situation and provided false information to the Discipline Inspection and Supervision Group of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the State Supervision Commission stationed in the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council (中央纪委国家监委驻国务院国资委纪检监察组) (hereinafter referred to as the Discipline Inspection and Supervision Group stationed in the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council). At the same time, after investigation and verification, Hu (胡某), Jia (贾某某), Xu (徐某某), Xiao (肖某) and others from the Air China Operations Center did not adhere to principles and violated regulations by allowing drunk people to board the plane, and Gu (顾某) was negligent in his work; Gao (高某) and others from the Air China Marketing Department violated regulations by treating relevant personnel of China National Aviation Holding Company as VIPs and giving them priority for upgrades.
The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the State Supervision Commission guided and urged the Discipline Inspection and Supervision Group stationed in the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council and the Discipline Inspection and Supervision Group stationed in China National Aviation Holding Company to conduct investigations and give disciplinary actions to relevant responsible persons of China National Aviation Holding Company: Ren Yu (任宇) and Zhao Baohui (赵保辉) were given the punishment of removal from Party positions and administrative dismissal; Su (苏某某), Wu (伍某某), Jiao (焦某), and Cui (崔某) were given serious warnings within the Party and major demerits in administrative affairs; Tang (唐某) was given a serious warning within the Party and a major demerit in administrative affairs, and was transferred from the discipline inspection post. Relevant responsible persons of Air China were given disciplinary actions: Hu (胡某) and Jia (贾某某) were given serious warnings within the Party and administrative demotions; Xu (徐某某), Xiao (肖某), and Gao (高某) were given warnings within the Party and administrative demerits; Gu (顾某) was given a warning within the Party; other responsible persons were given corresponding disciplinary actions.
Ren Yu (任宇), Zhao Baohui (赵保辉) and others, as Party member leading cadres of state-owned enterprises, took the lead in gathering to drink and getting drunk on board during overseas business trips, fabricating facts and concealing reports. After the incident in 2024, no comparison or inspection was made in the Party discipline study and education carried out throughout the Party; in 2025, the leading team of China National Aviation Holding Company and Ren Yu (任宇) and Zhao Baohui (赵保辉) did not mention this matter in the list of problems identified and the centralized rectification ledger in the study and education on thoroughly implementing the spirit of the Central Eight-Point Regulation carried out throughout the Party; in the study and education on establishing and practicing correct views on performance evaluation carried out this year, Ren Yu (任宇), Zhao Baohui (赵保辉) and others still harbored侥幸心理, 心存侥幸 (xīn cún jiǎo xìng - "harbor a僥幸 mind," to cling to luck; to take a chance; to hope that things will turn out well contrary to expectations) and deceived the organization. These problems reflect that a small number of Party member leading cadres have weak Party spirit, do not abide by political discipline and political rules, have a weak sense of discipline and law and organizational concept, are disloyal to the Party and dishonest in their conduct, ignore the Party Central Committee's decisions and deployments on work style construction, turn a blind eye to the spirit of the Central Eight-Point Regulation, and have no respect or fear; they fail to implement orders and prohibitions; they lack a sense of purpose, are accustomed to showing off their official power and engaging in privileges, and disregard and infringe on the interests of the masses, which is a typical problem of distorted and misplaced views on performance evaluation.
Currently, the study and education on establishing and practicing correct views on performance evaluation is being carried out in depth and in a solid manner. Party organizations at all levels must take this as a warning and learn from the lessons, and promote learning, investigation, and rectification in an integrated manner with the courage to face problems head-on and solve the problem of deviations in performance evaluation. It is necessary to deepen study and discussion, strengthen warning education through cases, and educate and guide the vast number of Party members, cadres, especially leading cadres, to enhance Party spirit cultivation, strengthen loyalty to the Party, strictly abide by political discipline and political rules, and consolidate the ideological foundation for establishing and practicing correct views on performance evaluation. It is necessary to thoroughly investigate problems, earnestly implement the "three comparisons" requirements, comprehensively investigate the existing problems in terms of deviations in performance evaluation, dare to touch the depths of the soul, dare to expose shortcomings and show ugliness, and achieve no dilution, no avoidance, and no concealment, and find gaps, investigate the root causes, and strengthen self-cultivation from the perspective of Party spirit. It is necessary to rectify problems strictly and realistically, earnestly correct and rectify problems of deviations in performance evaluation, and rectify them immediately upon discovery. Those who violate the Party Central Committee's decisions and deployments in a perverse manner and disregard and infringe on the interests of the masses, especially those who violate regulations and discipline against the wind, must be grasped as typical cases, caught in the act, and notified. It is necessary to tighten and solidify responsibilities, urge leading cadres at all levels, especially the "top leaders," to lead by example, be strict with themselves, be strictly responsible, and strictly manage their subordinates, and resolutely hold accountable those who commit crimes while rectifying and conceal reports, and never tolerate or condone them.
Return to TopXinhua News Agency, Beijing, April 20th (北京). Recently, the office of the special work mechanism for rectifying formalism and reducing burdens at the grassroots level under the Central Committee, together with the General Office of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, issued a notice on four typical problems of rectifying formalism and reducing burdens at the grassroots level. The details are as follows:
1. Relevant departments in Baicheng City (白城市), Jilin Province (吉林省), apportioned newspaper and magazine subscription tasks, increasing the burden on the grassroots. In recent years, the Propaganda Department of the Baicheng Municipal Party Committee (白城市委宣传部) violated the Party Central Committee's requirements on strictly regulating the order of newspaper and magazine distribution in its annual subscription work for Party newspapers and periodicals. It bundled and apportioned more than 10 other types of newspapers and magazines, and decomposed the subscription tasks. Some counties added additional layers to complete the tasks, and some townships apportioned English newspaper subscription tasks to villages. In 2025 alone, Tongyu County (通榆县) spent 1.3989 million yuan to subscribe to 17 other types of newspapers and magazines. The Baicheng Municipal Federation of Trade Unions (白城市总工会), the Bureau of Ecology and Environment (生态环境局), and other municipal units also apportioned industry newspaper and magazine subscription tasks to lower levels as required by higher authorities. A large number of newspapers and magazines had low readership, and were left idle, causing waste.
2. Relevant departments in Nanjing City (南京市), Jiangsu Province (江苏省), only assessed foreign trade data without verification. Some districts did not hesitate to "purchase" export data from other places in order to compete for advancement. In recent years, under the pressure of assessment from higher-level departments, the Nanjing Municipal Bureau of Commerce (南京市商务局) frequently ranked and notified the completion of foreign trade indicators. Some districts "purchased" export data that actually occurred in other places in order to complete the tasks. After inspections, audits, and other repeated pointing out of related problems, and after relevant departments issued multiple warnings of abnormal situations, the Nanjing Municipal Bureau of Commerce still failed to effectively supervise the assessment data, and the rectification and remediation became a mere formality. From 2018 to June 2025, the Nanjing Jiangning Economic Development Zone (南京市江宁经济开发区) used a large amount of financial funds to "purchase" export data from other places.
3. Xinyu City (新余市), Jiangxi Province (江西省), blindly acquired a listed company, causing huge economic losses. In September 2020, in order to complete the "doubling plan" for the listing of enterprises issued by higher authorities, Xinyu City acquired shares of a listed company outside the province with state-owned enterprise funds and became its controlling shareholder without sufficient demonstration and evaluation, and in-depth investigation and verification. Then, the company was moved from other places to Xinyu City. The company's main business was not highly compatible with Xinyu City's industry, and there were long-term serious financial fraud problems, but Xinyu City was eager for quick success and completed the acquisition in only three months. At the end of 2020, the company had obvious violations and financial difficulties. In order to prevent the company from "exploding" and cover up the problems in the acquisition, Xinyu City repeatedly lent money to the company, and even continued to lend money after discovering the company's financial fraud in previous years. In July 2023, the company was finally delisted. After full recovery and loss mitigation, Xinyu City still suffered huge losses.
4. Subordinate enterprises of China General Technology (Group) Holding Co., Ltd. (中国通用技术集团) falsely increased performance through fictitious trade, increasing the risk of state-owned asset losses. After relevant parties repeatedly pointed out the problem of fictitious trade by some of its subordinate enterprises, China General Technology (Group) Holding Co., Ltd. failed to effectively promote the rectification of the problem. In 2025, relevant parties once again discovered that four of its subordinate enterprises increased operating performance and expanded non-main domestic trade business by introducing external enterprises to increase trade links and other means to falsely increase revenue. China Vehicle Import and Export Co., Ltd. (中国车辆进出口有限公司), a subsidiary of the group, disregarded business risks and evaded supervision to carry out financing trade, creating risk exposure, and some orders resulted in both money and goods being lost.
The above problems expose the deviations and misplacements in the performance views of some local governments, departments, and state-owned enterprises, and there are still gaps in implementing the Party Central Committee's decision-making arrangements for rectifying formalism and reducing burdens at the grassroots level. Some only care about satisfying the superiors and disregard the actual situation at the grassroots level, adding additional layers to issue indicators and apportion tasks, wasting resources and fostering formalism. Some only care about good-looking data, frequently ranking and notifying, and exerting pressure on the grassroots at all levels, resulting in repeated data fraud. Some only pursue short-term political achievements, deviating from reality and being impetuous and rash, making blind decisions regardless of conditions, causing huge economic losses.
All regions and departments should combine the development of learning and education on establishing and practicing correct views on performance, and promote the rectification of formalism and reduction of burdens at the grassroots level as a whole. They should educate and guide party organizations and party member cadres at all levels to work hard and create practical achievements that can stand the test of practice, the people, and history. Strengthen the consistency assessment with reducing burdens at the grassroots level when making decisions and formulating policies, reasonably set goals and tasks, and continuously optimize and improve the assessment and evaluation system. Resolutely correct the practice of simply "determining performance by quantity" and frequent ranking and notification, and prevent "officials from producing numbers and numbers from producing officials" (数字出官、官出数字 (shù zì chū guān, guān chū shù zì - "numbers produce officials, officials produce numbers," meaning officials manipulate statistics to advance their careers)). Special work mechanisms for rectifying formalism and reducing burdens at the grassroots level at all levels should continue to deepen the "six corrections," adhere to grasping typical cases, grasping current cases, and issuing notices, strengthen warning education and promote reform through cases, deeply explore the bureaucracy and deviations in performance views behind formalism, and promote the realization of a good start to the "Fifteenth Five-Year Plan" with correct views on performance.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 刘佳华
Common rice has a high glycemic index (GI), so diabetics who want to enjoy a bowl of fragrant white rice can only turn their attention to low-GI rice.
In Liaoning Province (辽宁省), low-GI rice was once unsuited to the local environment, growing slowly and difficult to hybridize. This situation was changed in March of this year: The Institute of Crop Germplasm Innovation of the Liaoning Academy of Agricultural Sciences (辽宁省农业科学院种业创新研究院) (hereinafter referred to as "the Institute") used a gene-typing platform and plant factories to successfully cultivate 12 new low-GI rice germplasms suitable for local planting.
Behind this breakthrough is the assistance of a germplasm "treasure house": In September 2025, the Liaoning Provincial Germplasm Resource Bank (辽宁省种质资源库) was officially put into use in a corner of the Liaoning Academy of Agricultural Sciences (辽宁省农业科学院). With an investment of 117 million yuan, two years of construction, and a building area of approximately 7,000 square meters, this germplasm resource bank is not only responsible for protecting germplasm resources, but also for stimulating innovation through related platforms and mechanisms, enabling precise breeding and serving the industry.
Storing seeds in the bank and cultivating grain in the fields, this germplasm "treasure house" marks the progress of revitalizing agriculture through science and technology, and also engraves the original intention and perseverance of breeders rooted in the land.
Protecting Resources, Building a Complete Conservation System
Walking into the Liaoning Provincial Germplasm Resource Bank (辽宁省种质资源库) is like entering a "seed bank": on the first floor, the "double fifteen" drying room, where temperature and humidity are strictly controlled, is filled with the roar of dryers, surrounded by short-term, medium-term, and long-term storage rooms, with metal shelves neatly arranged and bottles and jars filled with seeds; on the second floor, in the ultra-low temperature storage room, giant liquid nitrogen tanks emit a cold light, and inside the tanks is an ultra-low temperature environment of minus 196 degrees Celsius...
"The core advantages can be summarized in four words: large, intelligent, comprehensive, and special!" Wu Yu (吴禹), a researcher at the Institute, said with pride when talking about the new bank.
"Large" mainly refers to the total storage capacity of 500,000 copies, which is enough for Liaoning Province (辽宁省) for the next 50 years, ranking among the top in the country in terms of scale.
"Intelligent" is equipped with intelligent stacker cranes and conveyor belt systems, and the entire process of storing and retrieving seeds is automated, which not only saves space but also reduces the interference of personnel entering and exiting the warehouse on temperature and humidity.
"Comprehensive" includes four major libraries: low-temperature, ultra-low temperature, test-tube seedlings, and DNA, which can not only preserve the seeds of crops such as grains, oils, and vegetables, but also preserve asexual reproduction materials such as potato tubers and flower bulbs, and also preserve the DNA of rare seeds, building a comprehensive preservation system of "seeds + living bodies + genes." Among them, the "longest-lived" seeds have been dormant for 16 years.
"Special" includes special "collections" such as Jinxiangyu millet and Liaodong Zoysia grass. The bank currently stores more than 30,000 copies of various germplasm resources, covering hundreds of crop types such as grains, oils, vegetables, fruits, flowers, and trees, of which wild resources, farmer seeds, rare resources, and foreign-introduced resources account for more than half, with rich genetic diversity.
The wild soybean resources in the bank are the most advantageous. Since 2012, Wu Yu (吴禹) has led a team on a long journey to find seeds, successively collecting more than 7,000 wild soybean populations and more than 20,000 single-plant seeds, ranking first in the country in terms of quantity.
Finding the "Baitou Shuang" corn variety from the hands of elderly villagers in mountain villages, collecting foxtail grass seeds on dangerous slopes on the mountain roads of western Liaoning (辽西)... The members of the Institute of Crop Germplasm Innovation (种研院) traveled over mountains and ridges, sparing no effort to collect and preserve more agricultural "chips."
"Last year, enthusiastic citizens in Shenyang (沈阳), Panjin (盘锦), and other places provided us with many clues about wild soybeans," Wu Yu (吴禹) said, adding that a mother and son even drove specifically to cooperate with the team in the field to find and collect them. The child is still in elementary school, but he knows a lot about germplasm resources.
Next to the seed sorting area of the germplasm resource bank, a large screen displays the distribution of germplasm resources, with light spots all over Liaoning Province (辽宁省). Each light spot is a memory and a protection. Wu Yu (吴禹) said: "After the new germplasm resource bank is put into use, we must better preserve the seeds, share resources with society, and contribute to firmly holding the 'Chinese rice bowl.'"
Activating Innovation, Building a Diversified Application Platform
In the crop molecular improvement laboratory on the third floor of the Liaoning Provincial Germplasm Resource Bank (辽宁省种质资源库), Lu Xiaochun (陆晓春), deputy director of the Institute of Crop Germplasm Innovation (种研院), sent a microplate containing seed genome DNA into the card slot, tapped the screen to issue instructions, and the robotic arm moved precisely, extracting seed DNA and starting automatic detection.
"To determine the value of seeds, you don't have to plant them in the ground first. You can also directly analyze their genetic code, analyze the genetic information such as disease resistance, high yield, and stress resistance, screen the seeds, and then plant them to see their performance in the field. This is more efficient and accurate," Lu Xiaochun (陆晓春) explained.
To promote the high-quality development of biological agriculture, the construction of platform facilities is crucial. The Liaoning Provincial Germplasm Resource Bank (辽宁省种质资源库) has introduced more than 100 high-end equipment and built 6 innovation platforms, which can carry out crop phenotype identification, physiological and biochemical analysis, gene mining, functional analysis, and gene editing. In addition, it also shares biological information and databases, building a full-chain breeding system of "resource preservation - precise identification - innovative utilization."
"Take this high-throughput gene-typing platform, for example. It can detect the genotypes of 15,000 crop materials every day. Compared with traditional technology, the efficiency is significantly improved," Lu Xiaochun (陆晓春) said. "Phenotype identification has also been fully automated. We have established a molecular marker-assisted breeding system for dwarfing sorghum. Combining gene-typing and phenotype identification, we have already screened out a batch of dwarfing parental lines."
Gene mining has also accelerated accordingly. "In the past, it took many years to mine and find sorghum smut resistance genes. Now with these platforms, I believe that some varieties can find key genes in one or two years," Lu Xiaochun (陆晓春) said. "Finding genes is not the end. It is only successful if it can be used in breeding."
Walking into the gene editing experimental area, Lu Xiaochun (陆晓春) held up a petri dish, and the sorghum seedlings carrying smut resistance genes glowed with vitality under the light. Targeted cultivation of new varieties with excellent traits is their direction of effort.
"These platforms have great potential, such as identifying the authenticity of seeds. You can tell by testing them," Lu Xiaochun (陆晓春) said, adding that the next step will be to use germplasm gene editing, DNA identification, and other technologies more in practice to help protect the seed industry order.
The "seed bank" is also a teaching classroom. The College of Agriculture of Shenyang Agricultural University (沈阳农业大学农学院) organized 178 students to intern here. "From seed collection and storage to breeding, the entire process reflects modernization and intelligence. On-site visits and learning allow us to learn more about the forefront of the profession, so that we can better combine theory and practice," said Sun Fanqiao (孙凡乔), a junior student.
Serving Production, Consolidating the Foundation of Agricultural Development
"Temperature 30 degrees Celsius, relative humidity 65%." Outside the artificial climate chamber, the screen displays the indoor environmental parameters and the growth of rice seedlings in real time. Inside, the humidity is mixed with the smell of green grass, and the rice grows lushly under the light. Zheng Wenjing (郑文静), executive vice president of the Institute of Crop Germplasm Innovation (种研院), put paper isolation bags on the rice ears and carefully checked the marked information. Having been engaged in breeding for 30 years, she is very excited to see this "seed bank" showing its skills today.
How to ensure that seeds carrying high-quality genes do not just sleep in the bank, but go to the fields and serve agricultural production? Relying on the germplasm resource bank, Zheng Wenjing (郑文静) led the team to establish a rice molecular design breeding technology system of "intelligent selection of breeding parents + molecular design hybridization + anther culture + breeding factory rapid breeding and reproduction + progeny marker-assisted selection."
"In the past, the breeding of a good variety mainly relied on experience and took many years. Now, relying on the germplasm resource bank, the time has been greatly shortened," Zheng Wenjing (郑文静) said with emotion. In the past, it took many years to successfully cultivate rice carrying rice blast resistance genes, but recently it took less than a year to cultivate low-GI rice suitable for planting in Liaoning (辽宁).
Zheng Wenjing (郑文静) also led the team to comprehensively evaluate more than 1,500 rice resources and analyzed 47 functional genes in them, further clarifying the family background of Liaoning (辽宁) rice germplasm.
"We are willing to be good 'liaisons' and 'translators,' verifying gene functions, so that those engaged in scientific research and those engaged in breeding can understand each other and get along well, and open up the 'last mile' from technology to the field," Zheng Wenjing (郑文静) said. Not long ago, they officially signed a contract with a rice company in Liaoning (辽宁). On the one hand, they rely on high-throughput identification to design breeding plans and provide technical support. On the other hand, they also help companies to carry out directional improvement of rice.
Creating new sorghum germplasm carrying dwarf and herbicide-resistant genes, creating new semi-wild soybean germplasm aggregating high protein, large grain, and other genes... Since the germplasm resource bank was put into use, the teams of the Institute of Crop Germplasm Innovation (种研院) have broken through the bottlenecks of long breeding cycles, low efficiency, and insufficient accuracy of traditional breeding, and innovation has been moving forward all the way.
Today, the resources and equipment of the new bank are open to enterprises and scientific research units throughout the province, sharing good seeds and sharing technology. The Institute of Crop Germplasm Innovation (种研院) also regularly holds germplasm resource exhibitions and technical demand docking meetings to promote the implementation of excellent varieties and new technologies. Zheng Wenjing (郑文静) said: "We strive to promote the germplasm resource bank to become a public platform for seed industry innovation in the province, so that scientific research results can become good seeds in the hands of farmers faster and better."
Return to TopOn April 19th, in the Shuligutai desertification control project area of the Horqin Left Wing Rear Banner (科尔沁左翼后旗) in Tongliao (通辽市), Inner Mongolia (内蒙古), desertification control workers laid grass checkerboards and planted *Pinus sylvestris* var. *mongolica* to clothe the yellow sand in "green garments." The project area has a sandy area of nearly 3,000 mu and is the last mobile and semi-mobile sandy land to be treated in the Horqin Left Wing Rear Banner (科尔沁左翼后旗). This year, Tongliao (通辽市) will complete the treatment of 4 million mu of sandy land in the Horqin (科尔沁) sandy area, of which the "Three-North" Shelterbelt Project accounts for 1.4857 million mu.
Xinhua News Agency reporter Lian Zhen (连振) photo
Return to TopThis newspaper's Beijing (北京) dispatch on April 20th (Reporter Wei Zhezhe (魏哲哲)): The "State of Judicial Protection of Intellectual Property Rights by Chinese Courts (2025)" released by the Supreme People's Court (最高人民法院) on April 20th shows that last year, the people's courts newly accepted 552,600 intellectual property cases of various types and concluded 539,600 cases. Key quality and efficiency indicators such as the case completion rate within the time limit, the appeal rate, and the civil mediation withdrawal rate continued to improve, and the trial operation trend was stable. Among them, 64,000 first-instance civil cases of technology-related intellectual property rights were concluded. The people's courts strengthened the technical protection of fields such as integrated circuits, industrial mother machines, high-end instruments, basic software, advanced materials, and bio-manufacturing, achieving good results.
The people's courts have strengthened intellectual property adjudication in emerging fields. Civil cases involving cutting-edge issues such as AI (artificial intelligence) generated content and AI model parameters were properly tried; 908 cases involving disputes over data ownership and transactions were concluded, an increase of 25.6% year-on-year. The Supreme People's Court (最高人民法院) is working hard to draft opinions on properly hearing cases involving artificial intelligence disputes in accordance with the law, and striving to promote the healthy and orderly development of artificial intelligence in a beneficial, safe, and fair direction.
In terms of trademark right protection, the people's courts protect the trademark registration order in accordance with the law, support administrative agencies in rejecting "malicious trademark registration applications that are not for the purpose of use," declare trademarks registered by "other improper means" invalid, and actively and steadily apply trademark law provisions such as well-known trademark protection, prohibition of agent preemption, and prohibition of damage to prior rights to regulate malicious trademark registration. At the same time, the entire chain of trademark rights protection is strengthened. Last year, 115,300 first-instance trademark civil infringement cases and 8,033 criminal cases were concluded, with special emphasis on strengthening judicial protection of well-known trademarks, traditional brands, geographical indications, and "time-honored brands." In addition, acts such as "free-riding" and "infringement and counterfeiting" are punished in accordance with the law to effectively safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of trademark owners.
Return to TopThis newspaper's Xiong'an (雄安) April 20th dispatch (Reporter Shao Yuzi (邵玉姿)) The Xiong'an (雄安) Workers' Cultural Palace recently officially began operations in the Rongxi (容西) Area of the Xiong'an New Area (雄安新区), Hebei (河北). This is Xiong'an's (雄安) first group-level comprehensive cultural and sports center featuring opera.
The Xiong'an (雄安) Workers' Cultural Palace has a total construction area of approximately 38,000 square meters, integrating functions such as a worker cultural and art center, service center, cultural and sports activity center, cinema, and innovation and entrepreneurship workshops. It is committed to providing builders, relocated employees, and other members of the public with a high-quality, one-stop living and leisure experience.
The Xiong'an (雄安) Workers' Cultural Palace has also launched the "Opera Gathering in Rongxi (容西) - Urban Rhythm" series of activities, linking up with national-level troupes to carry out opera performances, and simultaneously holding National Fitness Week, Employee Film Festival, photography and calligraphy exhibitions, and food markets, striving to create an "urban living room" that workers and the public are willing to come to and visit often.
Return to TopBy: 常 晋
The actions are concrete, the greening is the most and fastest, and the carbon reduction is steady and orderly. Today's China deserves the title of a responsible major country.
I went to Jingmai Mountain (景迈山) in Pu'er (普洱), Yunnan (云南) to gather inspiration. The car twisted and turned on the mountain road, which was still a bumpy cobblestone road, making people's bones protest. New tourists can't help but complain, why not make the road smoother? Unexpectedly, the driver smiled and said, "To allow the plants to breathe."
One sentence of explanation silenced everyone in the car. It turns out that the ancient tea forest on the mountain has long been integrated with this land. In the early years, it wasn't that they hadn't thought about smoothing the road, but the village elders didn't agree, and the experts didn't agree after demonstration. Asphalt roads are smooth, but traditional asphalt releases a variety of chemical substances under high temperatures, polluting the tea; cement roads are smooth, but the road surface reflects light, which may affect the tea's growing temperature.
What about the cobblestone road? The gaps between the stones are left for rainwater, for grass, and for the earth to breathe. Such a road surface integrates the charm of the mountains and fields, and also achieves a unique beauty. The car slows down, the wind slows down, and time slows down. The bumps are no longer bumps, but an unadorned dialogue between the mountain and people. A passenger smiled knowingly, "This has become a ritual, quite romantic." In 2023, the "Cultural Landscape of Pu'er Jingmai Mountain Ancient Tea Forest (普洱景迈山古茶林文化景观)" was selected into the "World Heritage List." It seems that what the world sees is not only the vast forest, but also a respect for nature.
The wheels swayed, and thoughts drifted away with the mountain breeze. I can't help but think that just 20 years ago, Mr. Fan Jingyi (范敬宜) wrote an article entitled "Listen to the Sighs of Plants and Trees," calling on urban construction not only to focus on appearance, but also to listen to the voices of plants and trees and leave them with a suitable environment. Twenty years have passed, and this bumpy journey is like a vivid response. Local people guard the tea forest and nourish each other in protection; visitors step on the mountain road and slow down in understanding. A share of protection and a share of recognition complete a closed loop of harmonious coexistence between man and nature in a two-way rush. How is ecological civilization reflected in life? Perhaps, it is that we are willing to give up a little comfort in travel in exchange for a little more stretch for the plants; it is to leave blank space for development and leave room for all living things to grow freely.
What is even more valuable is that with the rapid development of technological innovation, we have placed more balanced weights on the balance between development and protection. A section of the cobblestone road in Jingmai Mountain (景迈山) is being "repaired" using environmentally friendly asphalt independently developed in China, which is not only highly stable at high temperatures, but also emits no obvious polluting gases, reducing carbon emissions by about 30% per kilometer. After completion, this will be not only a more comfortable ecological road, but also a high-performance modern road. The hardcore support of "Made in China" allows us to explore better combinations between human needs and nature protection.
Looking out from this road, a sense of ecological confidence arises spontaneously.
This confidence stems from the continuation of more than 5,000 years of civilization. The millennial philosophy of "Heaven and earth are born with me, and all things are one with me" and the ancient precepts of 不涸泽而渔，不焚林而猎 (bù hé zé ér yú, bù fén lín ér liè - "Don't drain the pond to catch fish, don't burn the forest to hunt," meaning do not be short-sighted and exhaust resources) have been creatively transformed and innovatively developed, blooming everywhere in China. In Xiamen (厦门), Fujian (福建), a protected area has been opened up for the "most beautiful bird in China," the chestnut-throated bee-eater, among high-rise buildings; Beijing (北京) made way for ancient cypresses and moved Songcao Road (松曹路) more than 10 meters to the east... Protecting in development and developing in protection, the bits of green have not faded under the baptism of time, but have become more lush.
This confidence arises from the magnificent practice of green development. Lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets. China has embarked on a development path different from the Western "pollute first, treat later" approach, and has built the world's largest renewable energy system. The mountains and plains covered with layers of "green" are a solid ecological foundation and a solid foundation for development. Today, the global energy landscape is turbulent and changing, and relying on independent and controllable "green support," we are moving forward calmly.
This confidence is demonstrated by the practical contribution to the world. During the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, China afforested 185 million mu, how big is that piece of green? Equivalent to a Fujian Province (福建省). China contributed about 1/4 of the world's new green area in the past 20 years. The rapid development of the new energy industry has allowed the green and low-carbon wind to blow across the global village. We have provided 70% of the world's wind power equipment and 80% of photovoltaic module equipment to countries around the world, contributing important impetus to achieving global energy transition and sustainable development. The actions are concrete, the greening is the most and fastest, and the carbon reduction is steady and orderly. Today's China deserves the title of a responsible major country.
Unconsciously, the car reached the top of the mountain. Looking around after getting off the car, some people squatted down to observe the grass poking out of the cracks in the rocks, some carefully counted the scattered wildflowers on the roadside, and some hurriedly took a special photo with this cobblestone road... Beside them, the ancient tea forest exudes the fragrance condensed by time; under their feet, the overlapping gaps flow out the free rhythm of the mountains and fields; in front of them, a magnificent and vibrant picture of the times is slowly unfolding.
Plants and trees are silent, breathing freely. Where the spring breeze blows, it is the most vivid stroke in this picture.
Return to Top**Participants:**
Zhou Shanshan (周珊珊), *People's Daily* Commentator
Xie Jiali (谢佳沥), Deputy Director of the Editorial Office, *China Environment News*
Zhou Shanshan (周珊珊): "The environment is for the people's livelihood; green mountains are beauty, and blue skies are happiness." In 2025, the national ambient air quality reached its historical best since monitoring records began. Where does the blue sky come from, and what is the governance logic behind it?
Xie Jiali (谢佳沥): The azure blue does not come out of thin air. The reason why this report card is so bright is fundamentally due to the scientific guidance of Xi Jinping's (习近平) ecological civilization thought, and it is also inseparable from the joint efforts of the whole society.
Deeply promoting emission reduction has effectively reduced pollutant emissions and promoted industrial upgrading. Consolidating the foundation of governance, going with clues, checking with problems in mind, and reforming with problems in sight, basically achieving "non-disturbance, omnipresence, and invincibility" in law enforcement supervision. Using systematic thinking to do emission reduction work demonstrates the maturity of the governance concept.
Zhou Shanshan (周珊珊): The constant blue sky is an answer sheet for ecological governance, reflecting the innovation of development methods. During the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, the national average PM2.5 concentration cumulatively decreased by 20%, while the growth rate of domestic GDP exceeded 30%. It can be seen that protection and development are not just a single choice. How can a win-win situation be achieved?
Xie Jiali (谢佳沥): In 2025, the average PM2.5 concentration of the 29 cities in the country with a GDP of over 1 trillion yuan was 27.8 micrograms per cubic meter, which is better than the national average. Improved air quality is not a stumbling block to economic development, and data is the best proof.
Tangshan (唐山), the "City of Steel," accelerated the transformation of the steel industry. In 2025, the average PM2.5 concentration decreased by 60% compared to 2015, while GDP increased by 72%. The ultra-low emission transformation of the national steel industry has driven investment of more than 400 billion yuan, and has also created broad application scenarios for new energy heavy trucks. Last year, the sales volume of new energy heavy trucks increased by 173% year-on-year. From a city to a chain, it vividly interprets that "the transformation and upgrading of traditional industries can also develop new quality productive forces." Ecological protection and economic development are not opposed, but symbiotic and prosperous.
Zhou Shanshan (周珊珊): Green transformation activates green industries. In 2025, China's production and sales of new energy vehicles both exceeded 16 million units, ranking first in the world for 11 consecutive years; China's installed capacity of new energy storage has accounted for more than half of the global total... The "spillover effect" of China's green industry benefits the world.
Xie Jiali (谢佳沥): Green transformation is a fundamental solution, reducing pollution from the source, which not only improves the quality and efficiency of the industry, but also frees up ecological space, and gradually realizes the constant presence of blue skies, clear waters, and pure land. The demand for environmental improvement also drives the iterative development of green technology. For example, the improvement of mobile source emission standards has promoted the comprehensive upgrading of China's engine emission control level, and the green competitiveness of automobile "going overseas" has been continuously improved.
Today, China's green industry is shifting from capacity output to technology standard output, which not only significantly reduces the global cost of clean energy, but also contributes Chinese solutions and Chinese wisdom to global air quality improvement and carbon emission reduction.
Zhou Shanshan (周珊珊): Ecological improvement has no end, only continuous new beginnings. From including "new major progress in the construction of a beautiful China" in the main goals of economic and social development during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, to the official promulgation of the Ecological Environment Code, and then to the update of the *Ambient Air Quality Standard* and technical specifications, ecological improvement and green transformation have always been on the road. Entering a "protracted war" from a "tough battle," what key tests will we face in the future?
Xie Jiali (谢佳沥): The constant blue sky still requires long-term efforts. China's air quality is in a difficult transition period from "significant improvement" to "fundamental improvement." The structural, root, and trend pressures of air pollution have not been fundamentally alleviated. The amount of air pollution emissions in key areas is still huge, and continuous improvement has a long way to go.
It is worth noting that as air pollution control enters the "deep water zone" during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, a few places have shown fatigue and fear of difficulties, and there is a mentality of relaxation and rest. The coordination of development and protection is not strong, and the planning of emission reduction is insufficient and the accuracy of policies is not enough. At the same time, there is still a gap between China's PM2.5 control and international advanced levels. Meteorological conditions and extreme weather affect the diffusion of pollution, and global warming also affects domestic air governance.
The protracted war requires more perseverance and determination. We must use environmental standards to drive industrial upgrading and use green transformation to promote new quality productive forces.
Zhou Shanshan (周珊珊): Behind the blue sky defense battle is a systematic transformation from end-of-pipe treatment to source reconstruction. When "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" (绿水青山就是金山银山 (lǜ shuǐ qīng shān jiù shì jīn shān yín shān - "clear waters and green mountains are golden mountains and silver mountains," ecological environment is invaluable)) is transformed into a perceptible and knowable action consensus, what China is writing is a new narrative of the harmonious coexistence of man and nature. The constant blue sky and green sustainability are our commitment to future generations, and the foundation of Chinese-style modernization.
Return to TopBy: 林丽鹂
【Phenomenon】Since the beginning of this year, "One Person Company" (OPC) has become a popular term on the internet. A single person can form an innovative team and independently complete the entire process from the initial idea to the project's implementation. This new paradigm of entrepreneurship in the era of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly emerging in many places, attracting more and more entrepreneurs.
【Commentary】
Legally, the concept of a one-person company has existed for a long time. According to the Company Law, it refers to a company established with investment from a single shareholder (natural person, legal person, or other organization), including a one-person limited liability company and a one-person joint-stock limited company.
From multiple perspectives, a more comprehensive understanding and grasp of one-person companies can be achieved.
Looking at its "birth," the registration of a one-person company is no different from that of a general company. The entire process can be handled online, and no fees are charged. A one-person company enjoys the rights stipulated by law and must also fulfill legal obligations such as tax payment. Its business license must indicate information such as "Limited Liability Company (Solely Invested by Natural Person)" or "Limited Liability Company (Solely Invested by Legal Person)" in the "Business Entity Type" section as required.
Looking at its "structure," a one-person company does not necessarily have only one person. "One person" refers to the shareholder having to be one person (natural person or legal person), but the directors, supervisors, and senior management personnel can be other natural persons different from the shareholder, and employees can also be hired. If other shareholders or senior management personnel stipulated by the Company Law are introduced, registration and filing must be applied for in accordance with the law. At the same time, a single equity structure and a lack of internal checks and balances may increase the financing difficulty of a one-person company and affect its long-term development.
Looking at its "exit," a one-person company also needs to go through three main stages: resolution of dissolution, liquidation and distribution, and cancellation of registration when it terminates its business activities and exits the market. However, it should be noted that if the shareholder of a one-person company cannot prove that the company's assets are independent of personal assets, they must bear joint and several liability for the company's debts. Therefore, the risk of mixing public and private accounts should be avoided as much as possible.
Some people wonder: What is the difference between a one-person company and an individual business? As a legal person organization established in accordance with the Company Law, a one-person company assumes limited liability. An individual business, on the other hand, is a natural person in civil law, does not have legal person status, cannot establish branches, and the operator bears liability for its debts with all of their personal or family property. The characteristic of "assuming limited liability" allows a one-person company to reduce investors' risks, improve the concentration and allocation efficiency of capital, and thus promote enterprise innovation and economic growth.
In the AI era, why has the popularity of one-person companies surged? Technological empowerment has further highlighted the advantages of this new type of entrepreneurial model, such as lightweight organization, more flexible governance, faster response, and low cost and high elasticity. With the proper use of AI tools, fewer people can complete tasks ranging from product conception and technology development to marketing and customer service. This is a vivid example of "seizing innovation is seizing development, and planning innovation is planning the future," and powerfully demonstrates that "science and technology are the primary productive force and the primary competitive force."
People often say “单丝不成线，独木不成林” (dān sī bù chéng xiàn, dú mù bù chéng lín - "a single thread cannot make a line, a single tree cannot make a forest," one person cannot accomplish much alone). This principle still applies to one-person companies. Shanghai Pudong New Area (上海浦东新区) provides a maximum of 300,000 yuan of free computing power for newly registered one-person companies. Shenzhen (深圳), Guangdong (广东) has launched an action plan to create an AI OPC entrepreneurial ecosystem leading area. Chengdu (成都), Sichuan (四川) will deepen the innovation of talent introduction and cultivation mechanisms, accelerate the cultivation of new products and new scenarios, and improve the innovation and entrepreneurship support system... Strengthening institutional and policy supply, optimizing the innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem, and creating a first-class market-oriented, law-based, and international business environment can enable more good ideas to be implemented, and cultivate and spawn more new business forms and models.
As of the end of 2025, there were 7.315 million newly established one-person companies nationwide, an increase of 42.3% year-on-year. The achievement is closely related to the Company Law's lifting of the restriction that a natural person can only invest in the establishment of one one-person limited liability company. Implementing and improving inclusive and prudent supervision, leaving sufficient room for development, and stimulating innovation and creativity, allows each seed to germinate and grow vigorously, creating a large forest of Chinese economy where all trees compete for prosperity and are lush and verdant.
Return to TopRecently, the 6th China International Consumer Products Expo (消博会) was successfully held in Hainan (海南). This is the "first exhibition" of major Chinese exhibitions in the first year of the "15th Five-Year Plan" and also the "first show" after the full island closure operation of the Hainan Free Trade Port (海南自贸港). This year's Consumer Products Expo attracted more than 3,400 brands from over 60 countries and regions to participate, with international exhibits accounting for 65%, an increase of 20 percentage points compared to the previous session, fully demonstrating the huge opportunities and magnetic attraction of China's ultra-large-scale market.
This is precisely:
From the ends of the earth, the world gathers,
Ten thousand products compete to shine and show their elegance.
Open our hearts to welcome guests,
The great power's market allows free travel.
Chang Yanwen (常言文)
Return to TopBy: 谢 玮
How difficult is it for promising science and technology innovation projects to obtain financial support in the early stages?
"The technology is highly cutting-edge, and there are no comparable companies in the market." "Some investment institutions are optimistic about the prospects, but require a controlling stake of 60% or more." Suzhou Hanhua Semiconductor Co., Ltd. (苏州汉骅半导体有限公司), which has now grown into a national-level specialized and sophisticated "little giant" enterprise, was once in a dilemma at the beginning of its business.
Immature technology routes and unclear market demands are typical characteristics of the "first kilometer" of scientific and technological achievements transformation, and also the difficulty for many science and technology innovation projects to move towards industrialization.
At this stage, better leveraging the role of fiscal funds to compensate for market failures is of strategic significance for promoting more cutting-edge, leading, and original technologies to cross the "valley of death."
The more difficult it is to obtain financing, the more important it is to make good use of precious funds. Recently, the "grant-investment combination" mechanism has been favored by more and more local governments because it can optimize the efficiency of fund use and provide long-term support for innovative projects. Not long ago, Beijing (北京) issued 18 measures to promote the transformation of scientific and technological achievements in universities, proposing to establish concept verification funds and special investment funds through city-district linkage and "grant-investment combination." Previously, Guangxi (广西) also specifically released a work plan for the "grant-to-investment" of scientific and technological achievement transformation projects.
Compared with traditional funding methods, the breakthrough of the "grant-investment combination" mechanism lies in the fact that it not only focuses on leveraging the strategic role of fiscal funds in supporting technological innovation and leveraging social capital, but also pursues high precision of funding support at the tactical level. In the initial stage, it is in the form of grants to help the team share research and development risks; when subsequent market financing is carried out, it is converted into corresponding equity as agreed... It not only provides timely help in times of need, but also provides long-term nourishment, which not only reflects encouragement for innovation, but also demonstrates the adherence to long-termism, and the supporting role and use efficiency of funds are significantly enhanced.
For example, the Yangtze River Delta National Technology Innovation Center (长三角国家技术创新中心) has supported the implementation of more than 190 "grant-investment combination" projects, of which 29 projects have completed the transfer of fiscal funds to equity, with a cumulative investment of more than 400 million yuan, corresponding to an equity value of more than 1.1 billion yuan. Of course, equity transfer or profitability is not the goal of this mechanism. The goal is to irrigate more innovative flowers with higher fund use efficiency.
The greater significance of the "grant-investment combination" lies in promoting the "two hands" to promote innovation with a higher level of synergy. From an internal mechanism perspective, combining public grant support with market-oriented investment methods can resolve the concerns of "not daring to invest" and allow funding support to flow continuously. From an external effect perspective, the improved efficiency of public fund use and more precise investment in valuable projects will strongly drive social capital to follow up. For example, the innovation projects supported by the Yangtze River Delta National Technology Innovation Center (长三角国家技术创新中心) with "grant-investment combination" have cumulatively attracted more than 2.4 billion yuan of social capital investment.
Supporting technological innovation is very similar to planting trees and making forests. We must not ignore it after planting it, and we must not rush to realize profits. Instead, we must patiently guard it during the long growth period, give it more sufficient sunshine and rain, carefully care for the seedlings to grow into towering trees, and ultimately form a virtuous circle and an endless ecological circle.
From the perspective of better cultivating an innovation ecosystem, changing the funding support method is not just about adding some follow-up links, but about conducting a full-chain, systematic optimization of the innovation support mechanism. For example, for the "grant-investment combination" to run steadily, project evaluation must be more accurate. Which projects are worth investing in should be comprehensively judged through in-depth interviews and due diligence with truly knowledgeable experts and downstream customers, rather than adopting the method of "randomly selecting experts." While respecting the rules and being tolerant of failure, we should strive to use funds where they are most needed, so that those high-quality projects with potential and prospects have more opportunities to stand out.
Innovation is a marathon, and only with patience and wisdom can we run more steadily and further. This requires focusing on the long-term and starting with the details, innovating the risk-sharing mechanism, creating more institutional carriers for patient capital, and allowing public funds to play a greater role. Building solid bridges for innovative achievements to move towards application, the vast land will surely nurture vibrant industrial forests.
Return to TopBy: 连海平
Recently, the legal department of a certain car brand issued a statement saying that after the launch of its new car, some platforms saw organized and homogeneous malicious smear posts. Evidence has been collected and the case has been reported to the police to pursue the legal responsibility of the behind-the-scenes planners, organizers, and specific implementers.
This incident has once again pushed the competitive ecology of new energy vehicles into the public eye. When marketing accounts are hired by competitors to direct online trolls to fabricate facts in batches and deliberately degrade competing products, this act of "shooting arrows from the dark" is undoubtedly a trampling on business ethics and hits the pain points of the new energy vehicle industry's development.
Industry competition should be the driving force for progress. Deepening technology allows the range to continue to break through, and optimizing services allows the user experience to continue to upgrade. However, using online public relations, online trolls, etc., to create false word-of-mouth, create a one-sided illusion of public opinion, mislead consumer judgment, and disrupt the fairness of the market evaluation system ultimately damages the credibility of the entire industry.
Everyone is on the same road; dimming other people's lights will not make your own path brighter. Everyone is on the same boat; mutual trampling will not make the boat sail faster or more steadily. Since September 2025, when the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (工业和信息化部) and other six departments launched a special rectification action against online chaos in the automotive industry, the industry atmosphere has been somewhat purified. However, this incident warns us that promoting fair competition in the industry still requires sustained effort - 久久为功 (jiǔ jiǔ wéi gōng - "achieve success through persistent effort," persistent effort leads to success).
While criticizing malicious smear campaigns, the industry needs to be more sober: new energy vehicle companies cannot use the name of fighting back against malicious smears to avoid their own problems. Kind criticism and reasonable suggestions are a boost to industry development.
Looking at the industry as a whole, there are still many problems that affect the consumer experience. According to reports, in 2025, the ratio of domestic automobile complaints to sales hit a peak in nearly 5 years, and new energy vehicles became the focus of complaints. Car owners' complaints are concentrated on false labeling of battery life, sluggish and crashing vehicle system, and failures of intelligent driving assistance functions. Some new technologies and new applications of new energy vehicles are not yet mature. Some car companies, in order to seize market share, blindly pursue iteration speed and highlight appearance design while ignoring "quality control," resulting in frequent problems after the products are launched. This will inevitably reduce brand reputation.
Technology polishing and service improvement are eternal compulsory courses. In the face of malicious smear campaigns, car companies must dare to pick up legal weapons to defend their legitimate rights and interests; in the face of public criticism, they must take a "correct mistakes if they have been committed and guard against them if they have not" - 有则改之、无则加勉 (yǒu zé gǎi zhī, wú zé jiā miǎn - "correct mistakes if they have been committed and guard against them if they have not," accept criticism and improve oneself) attitude, face up to car owners' demands, optimize quality management, listen to user voices, and improve service temperature. Only by rejecting malicious competition and accepting kind criticism can the new energy vehicle industry truly achieve high-quality development.
(Excerpted from *Guangzhou Daily (广州日报)*, originally titled *Reject Malicious Smears, Accept Kind Criticism*)
Return to TopThis edition's email: rmrbl@peopledaily.cn (Please indicate the column name when submitting manuscripts)
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 尚嵘峥
On the edge of the Taklamakan Desert in spring, sandstorms frequently occur. Following the Kumarak River upstream from Wensu County (温宿县), Aksu Prefecture (阿克苏地区), Xinjiang (新疆), the wide river channel gradually narrows, and the vast Gobi Desert connects to the towering Tianshan Mountains (天山山脉). Continuing forward, through the hazy air, a behemoth reveals its true form—the Dashixia Hydropower Project (大石峡水利枢纽工程), a concrete-faced rockfill dam lying across the valley.
Ecological water conveyance, flood control, farmland irrigation, and power generation are the important missions assigned to the Dashixia Hydropower Project; high dam, high slope, high seismic intensity, high flood discharge velocity, and high excavation and filling intensity are the five major challenges to be addressed in the dam construction. Since the full commencement of construction in November 2019, thousands of builders have worked hard in harsh environments, completing the dam capping eight months ahead of schedule, and are currently sprinting towards full completion.
Applying more than 10 intelligent technologies, the dam filling construction efficiency has increased by nearly 25%.
In the valley, the river rushes and the wind howls. To cut off the Kumarak River, which has an average annual runoff of 4.879 billion cubic meters, and build a 247-meter-high dam is no easy task.
"Here, strong winds often blow, with maximum wind force reaching level 14," said Song Xiaojian (宋晓建), Chairman of Xinjiang Gezhouba Dashixia Hydropower Development Co., Ltd. In winter, the minimum temperature can reach minus 22 degrees Celsius, and the wind makes the perceived temperature drop sharply; in summer, the maximum temperature exceeds 40 degrees Celsius, and the wind picks up sand, making the heat even more unbearable.
At the end of 2019, the construction team braved the severe cold and strong winds to advance into the depths of the Kumarak River canyon, building a cofferdam on the frozen river surface to cut off the flow, kicking off the full-scale construction of the Dashixia project.
In the international engineering community, 200 meters high is a watershed for concrete-faced rockfill dams. Above 200 meters, there are very few. 247 meters is equivalent to the height of an 80-story ordinary residential building.
"A concrete-faced rockfill dam can be divided into two parts, namely the main body of the dam filled with gravel, and the water-retaining panel cast with concrete," introduced Xu Shumei (徐树梅), Deputy Manager of the I Section Project Department of the Dashixia Hydropower Project. Building a dam is like stacking blocks, filling one layer, compacting one layer, and repeating the cycle.
Song Xiaojian introduced that there is a lot of knowledge in how to select materials and how to proportion various materials. A slight deviation may affect the stability and seismic resistance of the dam. To this end, the construction team, together with Tsinghua University (清华大学), Tianjin University (天津大学), China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research (中国水利水电科学研究院) and other scientific research institutes, conducted project research on 21 topics and 44 special subjects.
On the wall of Xu Shumei's office hangs a colorful cross-sectional view of the dam. "Each color represents a type of dam material, which has its own fixed position in the dam body, and must be accurately 'sent home'," she said.
Traditional dam material transportation uses "paper tickets." The dam material transport vehicle "buys a ticket" when leaving the material plant, and the ticket is written with the specific information of the dam material. When it arrives at the construction site, it goes to the exclusive "drop-off point" for the dam material to "check the ticket."
"If this method relies purely on manual labor, the dam materials are often sent to the wrong location, the error rate is high, and it is easy to delay the construction period," Xu Shumei introduced. The R&D team designed a set of intelligent monitoring system for dam material transportation, upgrading the "paper ticket" to a "online car-hailing."
The on-site construction personnel clarify the dam material filling plan in the system, determine the material source and filling area, and "call a car" with one click. Each dam material transportation work area configures transportation vehicles according to the work plan pushed by the system. Once there is an error in the loading and unloading location, and the "passenger" is sent to the wrong destination, the system will automatically issue an alarm message. This system greatly reduces the management difficulty of material source allocation.
Intelligent mining of material yards, intelligent monitoring of paving process, unmanned rolling collaborative operation... During the dam construction process, more than 10 related intelligent technologies were applied, and the dam filling construction efficiency increased by nearly 25%.
Adopting the method of concrete ultra-long-distance chute into the warehouse to achieve the pouring target.
On the day the reporter met Xu Shumei, a phone call temporarily interrupted the interview—the system showed that the concrete mix ratio was abnormal, and the staff in front hurriedly called to report the situation.
Xu Shumei's hometown is in Chongqing (重庆), and her personality carries the spiciness of Sichuan and Chongqing, speaking directly and not afraid of offending people. The construction site is full of sand and dust, but she cannot tolerate any sand in the quality of the project, "People who work on quality must be consistent and have an iron spirit."
As the main water-retaining structure of the Dashixia project, the concrete panel area exceeds 160,000 square meters, equivalent to the size of 22 standard football fields. How to achieve high-quality concrete pouring and maintenance on such a large work surface has become a key factor determining the quality of the project. The construction team decided to adopt the method of concrete ultra-long-distance chute into the warehouse to achieve the pouring target.
"The chute is like a 'slide'. The concrete sits on the 'slide' from the top of the dam, 'slides' to a specific height, and enters its exclusive position to complete the entry into the warehouse," introduced Tang Guozhong (汤国忠), Deputy General Manager of Xinjiang Gezhouba Dashixia Hydropower Development Co., Ltd. The high dam makes the length of the "slide" reach more than 300 meters, and there is no precedent to learn from in similar projects.
During the "sliding" process, the ultra-long distance makes the concrete like a plate of "loose sand", causing segregation and affecting the durability and bearing capacity of the dam panel.
How to prevent the "loose sand" from scattering? The construction team worked on the concrete mix ratio, and through repeated experiments, found the best proportional relationship between the various constituent materials in the concrete; at the same time, the team also added fibers to the concrete to improve the concrete's encapsulation and make the various combined materials more "united." In the end, the construction of all dam panels was completed in only 6 months, saving 8 months of construction time.
Looking at the dam as a whole, gravel is the flesh and blood, and the concrete panel is the skin. Only by maintaining the skin well can the flesh and blood be better wrapped and the stability of the dam be improved.
"Just like we humans use skin care products for skin care, it is actually refined management," Xu Shumei said, standing on the observation deck near the top of the dam, pointing to the concrete pavement under her feet.
The concrete panel maintenance process of the dam is like refined "skin care." First, do "moisturizing", put on the "mask" of plastic film to block the strong ultraviolet rays on the edge of the desert and reduce the evaporation of concrete moisture; then use geotextiles to keep the concrete warm and maintain the temperature required for concrete maintenance; in the cold winter, after doing "skin care", it is also necessary to wrap a thick layer of glass wool to prevent low-temperature frostbite.
All refined construction management is ultimately for project quality. After testing, the dam settlement rate is only 0.29%, which is lower than the design requirement of 0.6% settlement rate, and far lower than the industry-recognized 1% settlement rate, and the process technology has reached the international leading level.
On January 23, 2024, a 7.1 magnitude earthquake occurred in U什 County (乌什县) near the dam. In an instant, thousands of safety monitoring points previously installed in the dam body were activated, and the "safety nerve network" composed of 29 types of sensors worked simultaneously. In just a few seconds, the project's "smart brain" received tens of thousands of data from key parts such as slope deformation and cave settlement. Data analysis showed that the dam withstood the test of nature on the quality of the project.
Building an intelligent construction platform to grasp the project progress in real time and expand the comprehensive benefits.
The hot and dry climate on the edge of the desert makes the water source in Aksu Prefecture (阿克苏地区) heavily dependent on high-mountain snowmelt. In summer, the temperature rises, and snowmelt is prone to form floods; in autumn, snowmelt enters the final stage, and water shortage begins to become serious; in winter, the river channel dries up; in spring, drought continues.
Every year for three seasons, crops are "not full", and for one season they are "too full". "The sooner it is completed, the sooner it can play its benefits," Song Xiaojian introduced. Dam water storage takes time. If water can be stored before the flood season, it can store enough water for crop growth.
"During the construction process, we had in-depth exchanges with the local people, and we increasingly felt that the dam is very important to their lives," Song Xiaojian said. How to ensure that downstream crops are "full" as soon as possible, while solving various problems in the construction and efficiently achieving various established construction goals, has become a "big test" faced by the construction team.
"The scientific research funding alone accounts for nearly 10% of the total project investment," Song Xiaojian said. Faced with the test, the construction team is determined to take technological innovation as a breakthrough, and strive to achieve the comprehensive benefits of shortening the construction period, controlling costs, improving quality, and ensuring safety by building an intelligent construction platform to grasp the project progress in real time.
Above the platform, the jump of each number means that the on-site process is being effectively promoted; outside the platform, the benefits of technological innovation continue to emerge.
The dam material transportation system has realized all-weather unmanned management, which not only greatly saves management personnel costs and improves vehicle utilization, but also saves a lot of money; the blockchain concrete production and pouring intelligent monitoring system is the first time in the industry to introduce blockchain technology for concrete data collection and intelligent transportation management; the hydraulic intelligent construction system is the first time to be used in large-scale water conservancy infrastructure projects. During the construction of the combined inlet of the Dashixia project, the system can complete the overall jacking of the formwork in 10 minutes, shortening the construction period by 4 to 5 days.
In December 2024, the Dashixia project achieved the dam filling to the top; in October 2025, the project was officially closed for water storage. As of March this year, the water storage has reached 125 million cubic meters.
In the sky full of yellow sand, the builders are stepping up the construction of the dam top wave wall and other work. When the gate is opened and water is released, the clear snowmelt will converge from the Kumarak River into the Aksu River (阿克苏河), and then flow into the Tarim River (塔里木河), nourishing the entire Tarim River basin. The days when the edge of the Taklamakan Desert is "thirsty" will become less and less.
Extended reading
The Dashixia Hydropower Project is one of the 172 national water-saving and water supply major water conservancy construction projects, and it fully started construction at the end of 2019. The main project consists of three parts: a concrete-faced rockfill dam, a left-bank water diversion power generation system, and a left-bank flood discharge system.
Among them, the water-retaining structure is a concrete-faced rockfill dam with a maximum dam height of 247 meters, a total reservoir capacity of 1.17 billion cubic meters, a single unit capacity of 250,000 kilowatts, and a total installed capacity of 750,000 kilowatts, making it the world's highest concrete-faced rockfill dam.
After the project is completed, it is expected to produce more than 1.8 billion kilowatt-hours of clean energy every year, which can meet the annual electricity demand of 650,000 households, and will ecologically transfer 3.42 billion cubic meters of water to the Tarim River every year, alleviating the water shortage problem in downstream irrigation areas.
(Organized by Shang Rongzheng (尚嵘峥), reporter of this newspaper)
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 马睿姗
Highlights:
Xu Kai (续凯), a ceramic artifact restorer at the Shanxi Museum (山西博物院), was named a "National Craftsman of Cultural Relics" for 2025. Cleaning, bonding, grinding, coloring, polishing... After more than 20 years of dedicated research, Xu Kai (续凯) has developed a set of ancient ceramic restoration techniques, uniquely creating a method of restoring porcelain patterns using an airbrush instead of a brush, vividly showcasing the charm of the artifacts. In his 27-year career, from Northern Song celadon to Yuan dynasty blue-and-white porcelain, over ten thousand ceramic artifacts have been revitalized in Xu Kai's (续凯) hands.
Holding a piece of porcelain, wielding an airbrush over the porcelain body, the blue-and-white ink quietly spreads out. Xu Kai (续凯) (see picture, courtesy of the interviewee) arches his back slightly, holding his breath and concentrating. Between the flowing strokes of the brush, the blue-and-white patterns slowly "grow." "Done!" Xu Kai (续凯) slowly exhaled a breath he had been holding for a long time.
During restoration, Xu Kai (续凯) always holds his breath to ensure that his hand is steady, has strength, and applies even force when painting with the airbrush. He cannot be distracted, so that the restoration process can be completed in one go.
From the sixth grade of elementary school, Xu Kai (续凯) began to formally learn painting, and he entered the Fine Arts major of Shanxi Normal University (山西师范大学). His profound artistic foundation laid the foundation for his later in-depth work in the field of ceramic artifact restoration. In 1999, while still in college, Xu Kai (续凯) visited the ceramic restoration studio of Gao Guilin (高桂林), an expert in ancient ceramic restoration in Shanxi Province, and was immediately attracted to this restoration technique. So, he became a disciple of Gao Guilin (高桂林) and officially embarked on the path of ceramic artifact restoration.
Before entering the profession, one must first temper the heart; before repairing objects, one must first cultivate the mind. Xu Kai (续凯) still clearly remembers that the first lesson upon entering the profession was not ingenious techniques, but rather tempering the heart day after day. His master handed him a broken bottle mouth and asked him to grind it with a file, which he did for a month. Xu Kai (续凯) said: "Porcelain restoration requires extremely high precision. Even a 0.1 mm error will be magnified in the subsequent bonding, eventually leading to failure to restore it." This reverence and prudence for the restoration work has become the underlying tone of his career.
What is more difficult than the restoration work is recreating the charm of the porcelain. Many years ago, someone tried to reproduce Western Xia (西夏) porcelain. From the raw materials to the kiln shape, although the Lingwu ancient kiln site (灵武古窑址) was strictly replicated, they were never able to burn out that porcelain charm. Later, Xu Kai (续凯) helped to point out the key - "lack of atmosphere." It turned out that the old kiln walls of the Lingwu kiln (灵武窑) had been fired for thousands of years, and the walls were covered with crystalline glaze droplets. During firing, the glaze gas rebounded and diffused, creating the unique warm and soft charm of ancient porcelain. The new kiln lacked the precipitation of time and was only piled up with dry bricks, so it was naturally difficult to find the ancient charm.
In Xu Kai's (续凯) view, although the steps of firing porcelain and repairing porcelain are different, the principles are the same. Restoring ancient ceramics is not just about restoring the shape, but also about restoring its unique charm. There are no two completely identical ceramic artifacts in the world, and there are no two completely identical restoration plans. There is no template to follow for ceramic restoration. He always insists on "one object, one plan." Every time he repairs a piece of porcelain, he carefully observes the process characteristics and forming features, as if he is talking to ancient craftsmen across time and space.
Recalling the most difficult restoration experience, a blue-and-white appreciation vase from the Chongzhen (崇祯) period of the Ming Dynasty (明代) once stumped everyone: although the missing parts of the artifact had been repaired, the blue-and-white pattern on the vase could not be restored. Upon closer inspection, Xu Kai (续凯) discovered the key. The blue-and-white pattern on this porcelain had a particularly large degree of haloing, with the lines haloing up to five or six millimeters. Between the flowing glaze layers, a unique hazy glaze charm was formed. If traditional brushes were used for painting, it would be difficult to avoid leaving brush marks and difficult to restore the original appearance of the ancient porcelain.
After several thoughts, Xu Kai (续凯) boldly abandoned the brush and chose to use an airbrush for restoration. The airbrush is a restoration tool in the ancient ceramic restoration technique. The airbrush coloring can make the color transition natural and the glaze texture uniform, perfectly replicating the hazy effect of the blue-and-white haloing, but the technical requirements are more stringent. Adjusting the air pressure, controlling the force, and mastering the spraying distance, every detail must not be missed. He sat for more than ten hours, with his heart and hands in harmony, operating precisely, gradually blending colors, restoring patterns, and replicating the glaze and bubbles. Finally, this blue-and-white appreciation vase was restored to its original appearance in Xu Kai's (续凯) hands, with a lifelike shape.
Xu Kai (续凯) always believes that artifact restoration cannot tolerate any assumptions or randomness.
"Theoretically, there is only one chance for ancient ceramic restoration, so we must be very careful. In the future, I hope to use artificial intelligence technology to carry out preventive protection for more artifacts through digital scanning. Maintaining the status quo, presenting history, and leaving it to the future can truly make cultural relics 'live'," said Xu Kai (续凯).
According to information obtained by reporters Li Xinping (李心萍) and Wang Zhou (王洲) from China National Railway Beijing Group Co., Ltd. (国铁北京局): On April 20th, a China-Central Asia freight train loaded with auto parts, mechanical equipment, and other goods departed from Beijing Liangxiang Station (北京良乡站). It will exit the country via the Alashankou Port (阿拉山口口岸) and head to Almaty (阿拉木图), Kazakhstan (哈萨克斯坦). This marks the first scheduled China-Central Asia freight train service from Beijing (北京), adding a stable and efficient logistics channel for economic and trade exchanges between Beijing (北京) and the Central Asian region.
The train service is jointly created by China National Railway Beijing Group Co., Ltd. (国铁北京局) and Beijing Fangshan International Land Port Operation Co., Ltd. (北京房山国际陆港运行有限公司), and will operate regularly with a frequency of one train per week. According to reports, the scheduled train service operates with fixed times, fixed routes, and fixed train numbers, offering significant advantages such as higher transportation efficiency and more stable delivery. Companies can confidently arrange production plans and fulfill overseas orders, which helps reduce logistics costs and enhance market competitiveness. According to the relevant person in charge of Beijing International Land Port (北京国际陆港), relying on the advantages of the Alashankou Port (阿拉山口口岸), the scheduled China-Central Asia freight train will build a stable and efficient cross-border logistics path for foreign trade enterprises in the capital. Beijing International Land Port (北京国际陆港) will also continue to improve service quality, focus on customizing logistics solutions for enterprise needs, and help more goods go abroad and reach the world.
Return to TopIn recent years, Jinta County (金塔县), Jiuquan City (酒泉市), Gansu Province (甘肃省), has adhered to a combination of policy support, demonstration leadership, and precise training, vigorously promoting intelligent agricultural machinery equipment equipped with advanced technologies such as Beidou navigation and precision seeding. This has continuously improved the quality and efficiency of sowing, accelerated the transformation and upgrading of agricultural machinery equipment towards intelligence and precision, and provided strong mechanized support for ensuring food security. The picture shows on April 17, in the corn planting base of Dongba Town (东坝镇), Jinta County (金塔县), large planters equipped with the Beidou navigation system are carrying out corn planting operations.
Cao Hongzu (曹红祖) photographed (Image China)
Return to TopThis newspaper Hohhot (呼和浩特) April 20th (Reporter Zhang Cheng (张枨)) In order to comprehensively standardize the entire process of mine safety risk monitoring, early warning, response, and disposal, and to promote the transformation of mine safety governance towards pre-event prevention, the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (内蒙古自治区) Mine Safety Supervision Bureau and the Inner Mongolia Bureau of the National Mine Safety Administration (国家矿山安全监察局内蒙古局) recently jointly issued the "Implementation Measures for Mine Safety Risk Monitoring, Early Warning and Disposal Work in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (Trial)".
The measures clarify the boundaries of responsibilities between enterprises and regulatory and supervisory departments, forming a prevention and control network that is shared by the system, shares data, is horizontally linked, and vertically connected. The measures clarify that mining enterprises are the responsible entities, establishing a closed-loop process of "duty inspection - early warning alarm - response and disposal - analysis and judgment - verification and feedback," improving the monitoring and early warning system according to standards, improving working systems, and equipping 24-hour duty personnel to ensure the system is online in real-time and the alarm function is normal.
The measures divide early warning information into four levels: red, orange, yellow, and blue, and at the same time strictly standardize the response time limit, requiring enterprises to provide initial reasons and measures within 1 hour after the early warning, and regulatory departments to complete verification and upload to the system within 10 working days, and strengthen supervision for situations such as failure to receive alarms in a timely manner or providing false feedback. The introduction of these measures is a key measure for Inner Mongolia (内蒙古) to deepen the fundamental tackling of mine safety and strengthen safety through science and technology. By consolidating the main responsibility of enterprises and the regulatory and supervisory responsibilities of departments, and improving the closed-loop mechanism for early warning and disposal, it will effectively enhance the ability to accurately identify, quickly respond to, and efficiently dispose of major risks such as gas, water hazards, slopes, and tailings ponds, and build a solid defense line for the continuous stability of mine safety production in the entire Inner Mongolia (内蒙古) region, helping to upgrade the mine safety governance system and governance capabilities.
Return to TopThis newspaper reported from Harbin (哈尔滨) on April 20th (Reporter: Fang Yuan (方圆)). Recently, the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of Heilongjiang Province (黑龙江省国资委) officially issued the "Special Action Plan for 'Artificial Intelligence+' in Enterprises with Capital Contributions," promoting state-owned enterprises under the province's jurisdiction to actively embrace the artificial intelligence revolution, empowering industrial upgrading and laying out new tracks with digital intelligence technology, accelerating the cultivation of new quality productive forces, and injecting strong scientific and technological impetus into the high-quality development of state-owned assets and enterprises throughout the province.
The plan focuses on key areas such as computing power infrastructure, high-quality datasets, typical application scenarios, and the application of intelligent terminals and intelligent agents, clarifying clear development goals and implementation paths. According to the plan, by 2030, the province's state-owned assets system will build a cloud computing power center to high standards, create no less than 40 typical application scenarios, and more than 3 high-quality industry datasets, and promote the large-scale popularization and application of intelligent terminals and intelligent agents in provincial enterprises. Based on the characteristics of the province's state-owned enterprises having a large industrial volume, wide application scenarios, and full coverage of fields, the plan accurately locks in eight key industries such as agriculture and forestry, manufacturing, and energy, taking the creation of high-value, high-matching industrial application scenarios as the starting point, promoting the deep integration of artificial intelligence and the real economy, and comprehensively stimulating new vitality in industrial development.
Return to TopLayout design for this edition: Zhang Fangman (张芳曼)
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 施 钰
Online book purchases are more convenient, and digital reading is increasingly popular. Why do we still need physical bookstores?
Bookstores offer the joy of discovering books, satisfying different reading needs through the connection between people and books. Bookstores provide a quiet space for reading, safeguarding immersive reading in a small world. Bookstores offer the pleasure of exchange, where book lovers share their insights and pass on the love of reading to more people.
The "Regulations on Promoting National Reading" propose: "Encouraging physical bookstores to improve reading conditions, carry out reading activities, and play a service function for national reading." How can we promote the transformation and development of physical bookstores and better play their role in serving national reading and building a society filled with the fragrance of books? Let us step into several physical bookstores and experience more vivid reading and a more vibrant fragrance of books.
--Editor
"'Xiaofeng' is back!"
Recently, on Guping Road (鼓屏路) in Fuzhou (福州), Fujian (福建), people often say this.
"Xiaofeng" refers to Xiaofeng Bookstore (晓风书屋), an old bookstore located at No. 153 Guping Road (鼓屏路153号). After nearly 8 years of absence, this old bookstore, which had accompanied readers for more than 20 years, has reopened at its original site. For many readers, this is a long-awaited "reunion."
Mr. Jing (景先生), a Fuzhou (福州) citizen in his 30s, first visited Xiaofeng Bookstore (晓风书屋) when he was in elementary school. At that time, he held his grandfather's hand and stepped into this world.
"On both sides of the first floor were displayed Chinese and foreign literary classics, with newly published books in the middle, and the entire second floor was filled with academic classics." Mr. Jing (景先生) familiarly introduced the former layout of Xiaofeng Bookstore (晓风书屋) to the reporter. However, today's "Xiaofeng" is somewhat different from the old bookstore in his memory.
"The bookstore not only 'hardcore' sells books, but there are more tables and chairs in the corners, and it also offers coffee and tea." Mr. Jing (景先生) said, "Before, I could only lean against the pillars in front of the bookshelves for a while, but now I can sit for two or three hours at a time."
Xiaofeng Bookstore (晓风书屋) has a small facade, only a hundred square meters, two floors, but it is a concern in the hearts of many readers.
As a private bookstore that started in Zhangzhou (漳州), Fujian (福建) in the 1980s, Xiaofeng Bookstore (晓风书屋) attracted many book lovers with its rich humanities, history, and social science books, and also gained many fans after entering Fuzhou (福州).
On Guping Road (鼓屏路), time flows, and the old bookstore leaves behind the shared literary memories of several generations of families.
In the "Old Readers' Donated Books" section on the second floor, a yellowed 1975 edition of "Das Kapital" is often taken down and read. "This is the book donated to the bookstore by Mr. Zhu (朱先生), the first old book friend to enter the store on the day of the reopening." Chen Bin (陈斌), the current store manager of Xiaofeng Bookstore (晓风书屋), introduced that this book was bought by Mr. Zhu's (朱先生) father and sent to him when he was studying in the History Department of Xiamen University (厦门大学), and later he transferred it to his child who was going to college. Learning that "Xiaofeng" was back, Mr. Zhu (朱先生) specially found this book, which had been read by three generations, to donate.
The inheritance of the love of reading is the accumulation in old books, and also the nourishment in ordinary family life.
"When my daughter was in elementary school, I often brought her to Xiaofeng Bookstore (晓风书屋) to read and buy books. She read children's literature, and I read history books." Old book friend Mr. Huang (黄先生) said that at that time, the father and daughter each found a corner to read, "Now my daughter is working, and I have retired, but my daughter and I still love to read, which is a good habit that benefits us for life."
Warm reading scenes also left a deep impression on Cai Wenqiang (蔡文强), the former store manager of Xiaofeng Bookstore (晓风书屋). In the past, an old couple often came to the bookstore together, "They always walked into the bookstore hand in hand with smiles, to buy newly published magazines." Cai Wenqiang (蔡文强) recalled, "The old people's granddaughter also read and bought books in the bookstore since she was a child. After going to college, she often came back to the bookstore during her holidays."
With the rise of online reading and online book purchases, and the increase in rent, labor, and logistics costs, Xiaofeng Bookstore (晓风书屋) closed its doors in Fuzhou (福州) in May 2018, which became a regret in the hearts of many readers.
"Changes in public reading and book buying habits, as well as increased operating costs, are all tests faced by physical bookstores." Zhang Lianwang (张连旺), deputy general manager of Dameng Bookstore (大梦书屋) and head of the Xiaofeng Bookstore (晓风书屋) re-establishment project, said.
During the time that "Xiaofeng" was temporarily away from Fuzhou (福州), many readers were still running around and appealing for it. In order to restart "Xiaofeng", with the efforts of the Fujian Provincial Party Committee Propaganda Department (福建省委宣传部), the Provincial Government Affairs Administration (省机关事务管理局), and the Haixia Publishing and Distribution Group (海峡出版发行集团), Xu Zhiqiang (许志强), the founder of Xiaofeng Bookstore (晓风书屋), authorized the brand at a price of 1 yuan, the bookstore was rebuilt on its original site, and Dameng Bookstore (大梦书屋), a cultural brand under Fujian Education Press (福建教育出版社), was responsible for the bookstore's operation.
"Xiaofeng", which has reunited with everyone, has changed its single book sales model and added multiple business formats while maintaining its content characteristics. "Now 'Xiaofeng' is more like a 'city living room' for national reading. Readers can not only read and drink tea here, but also participate in book sharing sessions, cultural salons and other activities." Chen Bin (陈斌) said.
However, as a private bookstore chain brand, "Xiaofeng" faces considerable survival pressure. In early April, Xiaofeng Bookstore (晓风书屋) Zhangzhou Ancient City Store (漳州古城店) issued a notice that it plans to temporarily close its doors in the near future. The news spread, affecting the hearts of many readers. In this regard, Xu Zhiqiang (许志强) said that he is seeking new cooperation and operating models, hoping to retain the Zhangzhou Ancient City Store (漳州古城店) as much as possible and make it develop healthily.
In Zhang Lianwang's (张连旺) view, in the face of a rapidly changing external environment, physical bookstores must survive and develop, and should realize the transformation from "selling books" to "creating cultural experiences" as soon as possible. "Optimize store layout, enrich cultural formats, and promote online and offline integration, strengthen content e-commerce operations, selection capabilities, improve supply chain efficiency, and extend store service content and value." Zhang Lianwang (张连旺) said that adhering to the characteristics of humanities and social sciences and science popularization, and attracting readers with the ability to select and recommend books and high-quality versions, is a significant feature of Xiaofeng Bookstore (晓风书屋). Providing readers with more personalized content presentation and more convenient digital service methods will give the development of physical bookstores more possibilities.
A reader once wrote when recalling "Xiaofeng": "There are always places in this world that computing power cannot reach, and it is at No. 153 Guping Road (鼓屏路153号)." In today's increasingly popular online shopping and digital reading, why do we still need bookstores? "The joy of finding books cannot be 'replaced' online." In Mr. Jing's (景先生) view, the important value of physical bookstores is to create a direct connection between readers and books, "Reading habits need to be cultivated for a long time, and having a good bookstore at your doorstep gives us more opportunities to encounter a good book and more environments to cultivate reading habits."
"People's governments at or above the county level shall, based on actual conditions, take policy measures to support the development of physical bookstores; encourage physical bookstores to improve reading conditions, carry out reading activities, and play a service function for national reading." -- The implementation of the "Regulations on Promoting National Reading" provides strong support for the development of physical bookstores.
"Xiaofeng" is blowing again, adding a touch of warm brightness to the cultural landscape of a city. We have seen what an old bookstore looks like in the memory of readers, and we have also seen the appearance of growing in the future.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 杨颜菲
The first "National Reading Activity Week" has arrived, and the reading atmosphere in Nanchang (南昌), Jiangxi (江西) is becoming increasingly strong. In Qingyuan Bookstore (青苑书店) in Qingshanhu District (青山湖区), bright sunlight shines on the bookshelves, and readers either read quietly or communicate in soft voices. Wan Guoying (万国英), the bookstore operator, shuttles among them, organizing books and greeting readers. This bookstore, which was founded in 1992, has grown from its initial 21 square meters to a business area of more than 1,000 square meters, becoming an irreplaceable "spiritual home" in the hearts of many Nanchang (南昌) book lovers.
"When we open a bookstore, we deliver good books to book lovers steadily and safely." Wan Guoying (万国英) often says this. For 34 years, Qingyuan Bookstore (青苑书店) has not blindly followed discounts or blindly pursued traffic, but has regarded selection as the foundation of its survival. In Wan Guoying's (万国英) eyes, book selection focuses on value rather than popularity. The bookstore has long-term and in-depth cooperation with high-quality publishers such as Zhonghua Book Company (中华书局), SDX Joint Publishing Company (三联书店), and People's Literature Publishing House (人民文学出版社), focusing on books with profound classical literature and history, traditional culture, and high-quality social sciences, screening them layer by layer and selecting the best from the best.
"What readers want is not just a book, but complete knowledge nourishment." Fang Wenmin (方文敏), the person in charge of bookstore procurement, introduced that the bookstore relies on more than 30 years of sales data and reader community feedback to accurately capture reading needs. When popular TV dramas are broadcast, Qingyuan Bookstore (青苑书店) is not limited to single popular items, but systematically builds related history, character, and culture book lists; facing niche academic books and out-of-print books, the team actively explores inventory, supplies them at the original price, and never increases the price, so that readers can always "find treasures that cannot be found elsewhere" here. Fine services such as signed copies, special editions, customized cultural creations, and themed book lists have enabled Qingyuan Bookstore (青苑书店) to firmly maintain readers' trust under the impact of e-commerce.
Around 2020, Qingyuan Bookstore (青苑书店) faced huge operating pressure, and hundreds of readers supported the bookstore in various ways. "Some people recharged anonymously, and some sent encouragement to accompany the bookstore through the winter." Wan Guoying (万国英) said, "Readers treat us as family, and this trust is more precious than anything else."
In Qingyuan Bookstore (青苑书店), reading is not a one-way purchase, but a two-way rush. "The bookstore's positioning is to become a 'public study for readers'. We have established book friend groups online to share good books in real time, and hold author sharing sessions and reading salons offline every week to allow the fragrance of books to reach more people," said Fang Wenmin (方文敏).
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 郑智文
The spring sunshine is perfect, the guzheng music is melodious, and more than 10 children dressed in traditional costumes recite classics in unison. Inside the "This Has Books" (这有书) cultural space in Changchun (长春), Jilin (吉林), a series of cultural activities are unfolding one after another. Book lovers sit around the small stage in the central hall, watching cultural performances, listening to humanities lectures, and enjoying classic readings. The atmosphere is filled with the fragrance of books and is very lively.
At the end of 2025, the "This Has Books" (这有书) cultural space officially debuted. This bookstore, covering an area of over 10,000 square meters, is not only a new place for readers to read and buy books, but also a new platform for cultural exchange.
"Different from the operating philosophy of traditional bookstores, 'This Has Books' (这有书), while deeply cultivating the main business of books, enriches cultural connotations for young book friends," said Shi Leizhang (时磊章), Party Secretary and Chairman of Jilin Xinhua Bookstore Group Co., Ltd. (吉林省新华书店集团有限责任公司).
Previously, the site of "This Has Books" (这有书) was mainly used for warehousing and logistics. Now, in the two-story space, there is not only a traditional layout arranged according to categories such as social sciences, literature and art, and biographies, but also special areas such as Jilin Style and Culture (吉风文韵) and foreign language corners. A small stage is also set up in the central hall on the first floor to undertake cultural activities and create a dynamic and static layout.
"I like to read books about Jilin (吉林) stories in the Jilin Style and Culture (吉风文韵) area, and I also like to stroll around the cultural shops on the second floor," said Shi Zhen'an (石镇铵), a middle school student in Changchun (长春) and a regular visitor to "This Has Books" (这有书). In his opinion, the most attractive thing about "This Has Books" (这有书) is the rich cultural activities. "Here, you can often hear people of different identities share their reading experiences and tell the stories behind the books."
Immersive reading, life-oriented experience. In recent years, Jilin Xinhua Bookstore Group (吉林省新华书店集团) has promoted the transformation of traditional bookstores into urban cultural living rooms, renovated 14 central stores in Baicheng (白城市), Yanji (延吉市) and other cities, built 37 new reading spaces, introduced cultural brands, optimized the selection structure, set up digital cultural consumption experience areas, and provided an immersive reading experience.
"Xinhua Bookstore (新华书店) has a profound historical background and is now continuing to焕发新活力 焕发新活力 (huàn fā xīn huó lì - "radiate new vitality," to regain vigor and energy). From Jilin's (吉林) practice, the key lies in institutional innovation, mechanism optimization, and talent activation, taking reading space as the carrier, cultural experience as the focus, and digitization as the wings, so that the connotation of bookstores is richer and the business format is younger," said Shi Leizhang (时磊章).
Return to TopBy: 张 萱
"Bookstore markets," "cultural and creative bookstores," "treasure book cafes"... More and more physical bookstores are no longer traditional places to sell books, but are embedded in business districts, streets, and scenic spots in diverse forms, presenting "multi-scene adaptation" characteristics. What is even more surprising is that some bookstores have begun to try to use new technologies such as AI (artificial intelligence) to understand readers' reading preferences and provide diversified reading experiences.
So, how should we visit bookstores? From going to buy books to immersing ourselves in richer reading scenes: Young people who pursue trendy culture can "check in and explore" in the pop-up stores of bookstores and walk into the world of reading; parents with children can participate in parent-child co-reading classes in Xinhua bookstores (新华书店) across the country and feel the atmosphere of parent-child reading. In the Dream Butterfly Bookstore (梦蝶书店) in Hangzhou (杭州), Zhejiang (浙江), books are meticulously cataloged, recreating the memories of the Liyuan (梨园) in the 1930s, and visiting the bookstore becomes a dialogue with history. Adapting to local conditions and catering to different people, bookstores are no longer "large and comprehensive" grocery stores, but "small and beautiful" scene designers; they are not simple stacks of business formats, but cultural spaces that accurately meet the needs of readers.
Many bookstores in the early stage of transformation aim to help readers find good books; with the help of big data and AI, bookstores are becoming more and more aware of readers' reading tastes and are beginning to explore how to plan a reading growth path for readers. In Shandong (山东), many bookstores have built AI self-study rooms, equipped with intelligent study tables and AI tutoring programs, to provide students with personalized learning paths; in the Guaniu Recycling Bookstore (瓜牛循环书店) in Wuhan (武汉), Hubei (湖北), a digital mini-program realizes "read and sell" cycle reading, and the system will also realize accurate recommendations based on readers' recycling records and reading history. In the future, AI can also customize an exclusive reading advancement route for you: What do you like to read? What should you read next? The bookstore may know better than you. From casual browsing to lifelong growth, the deep goal of national reading is realized in this silent and subtle way.
Some people worry that as technology becomes more and more intelligent, will bookstores lose their "human touch"? In fact, when a bookstore can generate an exclusive dialogue record for you through your notes and annotations; when the emotional fluctuations when you flip through a book are perceived and you get appropriate feedback, this is precisely the accurate response of technology to the individual's spiritual world. The "National Reading Promotion Regulations" (《全民阅读促进条例》) are officially implemented, encouraging physical bookstores to improve reading conditions, carry out reading activities, and play the service function of national reading. When technology is responsible for standardized and repetitive work, more physical bookstore practitioners can free up their hands to provide warm and personalized reading services to different types of readers.
As an important cultural facility, physical bookstores build a bridge between readers and books and are an indispensable position for building a book-filled society. Relying on immersive experience, on-site interaction, and precise services, today's bookstores are not only composite cultural spaces, but also knowledge partners that grow together with readers, injecting vitality into promoting national reading to go deeper and more solid while meeting people's high-quality spiritual and cultural needs.
(The author is an associate professor at the School of Journalism and Communication, Hubei University (湖北大学)).
Return to TopThis newspaper's Nanchang (南昌) April 20th dispatch (Reporter Wang Dan (王丹)) The 5th National Reading Conference's Rural Reading "Storytelling Session" was held on the 20th in Nanchang (南昌), Jiangxi (江西). This event, themed "New Countryside, New Youth, New Reading," used authentic stories that were down-to-earth and fresh to depict a vivid panorama of rural reading in the new era.
The event included three sections: "Nourishing the Heart with Reading," "Youth Building Dreams," and "Passing on the Cultural Heritage," bringing together farm bookstore administrators and young reading promoters from the front lines of rural reading work. It integrated intangible cultural heritage inheritance with new popular literary and artistic creations to create a storytelling session that combined rural sentiments and contemporary style. It showcased the positive role of farm bookstores and rural reading in empowering rural civilization and promoting rural cultural revitalization, providing vivid case references for the implementation of the "National Reading Promotion Regulations."
This event was co-sponsored by the Printing and Distribution Bureau of the Central Propaganda Department (中宣部) and the Rural Social Undertakings Promotion Department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (农业农村部).
Return to TopThis newspaper's Beijing (北京) April 20th dispatch (Reporters Shi Fang (施芳) and Wang Zhou (王洲)) The 2026 Beijing Book Market, sponsored by the Beijing Municipal Party Committee Propaganda Department (北京市委宣传部) and undertaken by the Capital Culture and Technology Group (首都文化科技集团) and Beijing Distribution Group (北京发行集团), opened on April 18th.
The book market breaks through the single exhibition venue model, creating a city-wide reading service network of "four major centralized exhibition venues + four types of special exhibition venues + N physical bookstore linked exhibition venues," covering all districts of the city. From April 18th to 26th, the four major centralized exhibition venues located in Chaoyang Park (朝阳公园), Nanyuan Forest Wetland Park (南苑森林湿地公园), Shougang Park (首钢园), and Yuanmingyuan (圆明园) will hold concurrent exhibitions and sales, setting up nearly 500 booths.
The Chaoyang Park (朝阳公园) exhibition venue has set up thematic publishing zones, old books and new knowledge zones, and new reading scene zones to showcase the book market's youthful and artistic new look. The Nanyuan Forest Wetland Park (南苑森林湿地公园) exhibition venue focuses on "nature + parent-child reading," setting up three major zones for high-quality physical bookstores, leisure and entertainment, and reading activities, allowing citizens to enjoy the fun of reading in lush greenery. The Shougang Park (首钢园) exhibition venue creates an atmosphere of lifestyle aesthetics and leisure reading. The Yuanmingyuan (圆明园) exhibition venue highlights the cultural heritage of "Three Hills and Five Gardens (三山五园)," focusing on the exhibition and sale of traditional culture and history books and cultural and creative products.
From April 18th to May 17th, the month-long book market will enter communities, business districts, schools, and units to carry out more than 70 exhibition and sales activities. The city's 2,000 physical bookstores will fully participate in the book market as linked exhibition venues and carry out reading and cultural activities in conjunction with their own characteristics.
Return to TopThis newspaper reports from Nanchang on April 20th (Reporter: Geng Lei (耿磊), Zhou Huan (周欢)) Under the guidance of the Central Propaganda Department (中宣部), the "China Good Books" for 2025, organized and evaluated by the China Book Review Society, were recently announced, with a total of 42 books selected. Among them, there are 2 annual honorary books, 7 theme publications, 10 humanities and social science books, 10 literature and art books, 3 popular science and lifestyle books, and 10 children's books. In addition, 14 books were shortlisted for the 2025 "China Good Books."
The annual honorary books are: "Xi Jinping: The Governance of China" Volume V in Chinese and English (Foreign Languages Press), and "Xi Jinping (习近平) and Frontline Workers" (China Workers' Publishing House).
The theme publications are: "Enlightenment of the 'Six Pairs of Party History'" (written by the Book Writing Group, People's Publishing House), "Creating a New Culture Belonging to Our Era" (written by Shuang Chuanxue (双传学) and Li Yang (李扬), Jiangsu People's Publishing House), "A New History of World War II" (edited by the Institute of World History, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (中国社会科学院), China Social Sciences Publishing House), "History of the Anti-Japanese Struggle of the People of Taiwan During the Japanese Occupation" (edited by Zhang Haipeng (张海鹏), People's Publishing House), "Cross-Strait Family Letters" (written by the China Museum of Fujian-Taiwan Kinship, edited by Shen Wenfeng (沈文锋), Fujian People's Publishing House), "So This Is What China Looks Like" (written by [Germany] Zhang Yungang (张云刚), Pan Haoyan (潘昊琰), Hai Yang (海洋), etc., Sichuan People's Publishing House), "Breaking the Urban-Rural Dual Structure" (written by Cai Fang (蔡昉), Zhejiang People's Publishing House).
The humanities and social science books are: "Sociology Looks at China: A General Course in Chinese Sociology" (written by Qu Jingdong (渠敬东) et al., SDX Joint Publishing Company), "A Century of Guardianship: From the Forbidden City to the Palace Museum" (edited by the Palace Museum (故宫博物院), Palace Museum Publishing House), "Building Dreams in the Sky: Gu Songfen (顾诵芬)" (written by Xu Ruizhe (徐瑞哲), Shanghai Jiao Tong University Press), "Eighteen Lectures on Marine Culture" (edited by Dai Minhan (戴民汉), Xiamen University Press), "Ancient Egyptian Civilization" (written by Jin Shoufu (金寿福), Hunan Fine Arts Publishing House), "Looking at China Through Chinese Characters: Civilization and Life Between the Lines" (written by Meng Dehong (孟德宏), Commercial Press International Co., Ltd.), "Amazing Grottoes: A Panoramic Interpretation of China's Top Ten Grottoes" (written by Hang Kan (杭侃) et al., Hunan Literature and Art Publishing House), "Mount Tai Is Lofty: Mount Tai and Chinese Culture" (written by Liu Hui (刘慧), Shandong People's Publishing House), "Mending Books" (written by Wang Fan (汪帆), Zhejiang Ancient Books Publishing House), "Inviting Gods by Season: A Pictorial Record of Chinese Gods" (written by Li Long (李龙), CITIC Press).
The literature and art books are: "Human World Wide Mansion" (written by Chen Yan (陈彦), Beijing October Arts and Literature Publishing House), "Kunlun Agreement" (written by Bi Shumin (毕淑敏), People's Literature Publishing House), "Qingyun Ladder" (written by Fan Wen (范稳), Beijing October Arts and Literature Publishing House, Yunnan People's Publishing House), "Landscape" (written by Lu Nei (路内), People's Literature Publishing House), "The Source of the Great River" (written by Alai (阿来), Qinghai People's Publishing House), "I Love Rice Valley" (written by Yu Zhen (玉珍), Hunan Literature and Art Publishing House), "Biography of Tang Poetry" (written by Zhao Baitan (赵柏田), Shandong Literature and Art Publishing House), "Vertical Takeoff" (written by Fei Jia (匪迦), Chunfeng Literature and Art Publishing House, Qimao Chinese Website), "The Beauty of Chinese Calligraphy: The Course of the Beauty of Chinese Characters" (written by Fang Jianxun (方建勋), Beijing Arts and Crafts Publishing House), "Peddler's Picture: Small Vendors Carrying Great History" (written by Huang Xiaofeng (黄小峰), Henan Fine Arts Publishing House).
The popular science and lifestyle books are: "The Boundaries of Artificial Intelligence" (written by Zhang Junping (张军平), illustrated by Luo Ji (罗棘), Hunan Science and Technology Publishing House), "Building Dreams in the Arctic for Forty Years" (written by Chen Yu (陈瑜), Shanghai Science and Technology Education Publishing House), "May Your Eyes Be Bright and Your Heart Be Clear: An Eye Care Guide for the Whole Family" (written by Tao Yong (陶勇), People's Medical Publishing House).
The children's books are: "Bugle" (written by He Nan (何南), Chenguang Publishing House, People's Daily Publishing House), "General's Order" (written by Li Zhigang (李志刚), Hebei Children's Publishing House), "February Ballad" (written by Fang Guanqing (方冠晴), Changjiang Children's Publishing House), "Deep Blue" (written by Deng Xi (邓西), 21st Century Publishing Group), "Lhasa's Beautiful Camel and Steed" (written by Yang Zhijun (杨志军), Tomorrow Publishing House), "Wilderness on the Clouds" (written by Uncle Monkey Sun Peng (猴叔孙鹏), Fujian Children's Publishing House), "Fox, Half Squatting, Half Walking" (written by Zhang Wei (张炜), Changjiang Literature and Art Publishing House), "Groundhog Writes a Letter to Lightning" (written by Baoerji·Yuanye (鲍尔吉·原野), Hunan Children's Publishing House), "Snow Deer" (written by Peng Yi (彭懿), illustrated by Tian Yu (田宇), Jieli Publishing House), "Peach Blossom Creek" (written by Hai Fei (海飞), illustrated by Wang Zumin (王祖民), China Peace Publishing House).
Other shortlisted books are: "One Hundred Questions on the Hainan Free Trade Port Closure" (written by the Book Writing Group, People's Publishing House, Hainan Publishing House), "Returning as a Youth: Biography of Yang Zhenning (杨振宁)" (written by Lin Kailiang (林开亮), illustrated by Zhang Tingting (张婷婷), Hunan Education Publishing House, CITIC Press), "Civilized China: A Million Years of Human History, Ten Thousand Years of Cultural History, More Than Five Thousand Years of Civilization History" (edited by the Institute of Archaeology, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (中国社会科学院), Social Sciences Academic Press), "And Go to the Book Building: The Chinese Literary Tradition in the Library" (edited by Gu Daoyuan (顾道远) and Lu Qing (鲁青), written by Tong Detian (童德田) et al., Jiangsu Phoenix Fine Arts Publishing House), "Jiangnan Objects" (written by Xu Feng (徐风), Yilin Press), "Crossing the Qinling Mountains" (written by Wang Jie (王洁), Shaanxi People's Publishing House), "Sea Wind" (written by Zhao Defa (赵德发), Writers Publishing House), "Brake Sea" (written by Chen Qiufan (陈楸帆), Flower City Publishing House), "Human Hotel" (written by Chen Nianxi (陈年喜), Tianjin Ancient Books Publishing House), "The Color of Life" (written by Shi Jun (史钧), illustrated by Xie Chaoqi (谢超奇), Anhui Science and Technology Publishing House), "A Brief History of Life: Traversing 4.6 Billion Years of Earth" (12 volumes) (edited by Jia Yueming (贾跃明), deputy editors Liu Shuchen (刘树臣), Wang Yuan (王原), Wang Yongdong (王永栋), Yangmei Sunshine Painting, Chemical Industry Press), "Ten Thousand Miles Drifting Bottle" (written by Feng Yulan (冯与蓝), Children's Publishing House), "Firefly Ballad" (written by Wen Yanxia (温燕霞), Hope Publishing House), "Nine-Colored Deer" (written by Tan Dun (谭盾), illustrated by Yao Li (尧立), China Children's Publishing House).
Return to TopThis newspaper's Hong Kong (香港) April 20th dispatch (Reporter Chen Ran (陈然)) "Hong Kong Reading Week 2026" and "2026 Hong Kong Reading+" opening ceremony was held recently in Sha Tin (沙田), Hong Kong (香港).
This event was hosted by the Hong Kong Public Libraries (香港公共图书馆) in conjunction with the Hong Kong Publishing Federation (香港出版总会). Starting in 2024, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (香港特区政府) government designated April 23rd of each year as "Hong Kong National Reading Day," and responded with a number of large-scale events to further promote reading to the public.
"Hong Kong Reading Week 2026" takes "Reading/Savoring Happiness" as its theme and will hold approximately 470 activities to promote reading as a habit for citizens. The Hong Kong Publishing Federation (香港出版总会) held the "2026 Hong Kong Reading+" event at the New Town Plaza (新城市广场) in Sha Tin (沙田) from April 18th to 26th, including author sharing sessions, exhibitions, and workshops. The Hong Kong Public Libraries (香港公共图书馆) introduced the electronic resource services of the public library to the public at the venue, and held parent-child reading activities and handicraft workshops.
"Hong Kong Reading Week 2026" will bring activities suitable for citizens of different ages, including "Read Together for Half an Hour," "Children's Fun Reading Carnival," and "Pop-up Library @ Hong Kong Reading Week 2026," etc.
Return to TopLayout Design: Shen Yiling (沈亦伶)
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 姜 峰
For three days, the east garden has been battered by rain and wind,
Peach and plum blossoms have fallen, leaving the ground empty.
Only the camellia remains enduring,
Its green foliage releasing several red blooms.
"A Camellia Tree That Flowers Continuously from Winter Solstice to Qingming Festival"
——Lu You (陆游) of the Song Dynasty
Floral Stationery
Chongqing (重庆) · Camellia
Camellia, of the Camellia genus in the Theaceae family, is one of China's traditional famous flowers, possessing high ornamental and cultural value. Of the approximately 280 known Camellia species worldwide, about 250 are native to China, with the original species concentrated in southwestern China. Camellias have been cultivated in the Sichuan (川) and Chongqing (渝) areas for over 2000 years. Traditional Sichuan camellia varieties number over 100, including Chongqing Red (重庆红), Drunken Concubine Yang (醉杨妃), Angry Spring Red (怒春红), Pomegranate Tea (石榴茶), and Rouge Scale (胭脂鳞), all classic Sichuan camellia varieties. Flower colors cover red, pink, white, yellow, and multi-colored series, and flower shapes include single-petal, double-petal, tokay, peony-shaped, and other rich forms.
Source: Chongqing Municipal Urban Management Bureau (重庆市城市管理局)
Flower Viewing
In the spring of Chongqing (重庆), there is a striking color, which is the camellia. Trees of camellias bloom brilliantly in every corner of the mountain city, passionate and powerful, bright but not ostentatious.
In July 1986, the 19th meeting of the Standing Committee of the 10th People's Congress of the former Chongqing City (重庆市) of Sichuan Province (四川省) decided that the camellia would be the city flower of Chongqing (重庆). Where camellias bloom, there is the essence of human life; flowers reflecting the mountain city, adorned with happy daily life.
Bright Red Like Fire Blooming in the Snow
China is the home of camellias. The Tang Dynasty (唐代) notebook novel collection "Miscellaneous Morsels from Youyang" ("酉阳杂俎") describes camellias as follows: "Leaves resemble tea trees, reaching over ten feet in height, flowers are large, filling an inch, color like scarlet, blooming in December." Blooming through winter and into spring, green trees bursting with fragrance, camellias have an early and long flowering period, flowers and leaves on the same tree, abundant flowers and bright colors, and have been loved since ancient times. No wonder Su Dongpo (苏东坡) praised them as "bright red like fire blooming in the snow."
The cultivation history of camellias is long, and the southwestern region where Chongqing (重庆) is located is one of the centers of origin and distribution of Camellia species. Ming Dynasty (明代) gardening works such as "A Wide Range of Flowers" ("群芳谱") and "Miscellaneous Notes on Garden Management" ("学圃杂疏") all record the characteristics of camellias in the Sichuan (川) and Chongqing (渝) areas, and the tradition of planting and appreciating camellias among the people is also commonly found in the local chronicles of various counties and districts of Chongqing (重庆).
Trees of abundant flowers integrate into life, adding color to daily life, nourishing the past and present of the people of the mountain city.
On the banks of the Yangtze River (长江), the camellia garden of Nanshan Botanical Garden (南山植物园) in Chongqing (重庆) is in full bloom. The tall Purple Gold Crown (紫金冠) is 5 meters high; White Pagoda (白宝塔), the flower shape is like a pagoda built on a lotus flower; Three Scholars (三学士), red, white, and pink interspersed, one bunch with multiple shapes; the slightly humorous Fat Turtle Tea (肥鳖茶), named for its leaves, with both beautiful flowers and leaves; and classic varieties such as Chongqing Red (重庆红), Claw Scratch Face (抓破脸), Drunken Concubine Yang (醉杨妃), and Rouge Scale (胭脂鳞).
Quan Junping (权俊萍), director of the R&D Center of Nanshan Botanical Garden (南山植物园), introduced that after a century of protection and breeding, there are now 6 major categories, more than 600 varieties, and more than 50,000 camellia plants planted here. There are more than 200 ancient Sichuan camellia trees over 100 years old, among which a Golden Top Big Red (金顶大红) with a tree age of more than 300 years, lush branches and abundant flowers, is undoubtedly the "champion of flowers."
"The Sichuan (川) and Chongqing (渝) regions have accumulated to form an important cultivated lineage of Chinese camellias, Sichuan Camellia, which, together with East China Camellia, Yunnan Camellia, Golden Flower Tea, and Tea Plum, forms the five major system categories of modern ornamental camellias," said Quan Junping (权俊萍). The camellia garden of Nanshan Botanical Garden (南山植物园) has been rated as an "International Camellia Garden of Excellence" by the International Camellia Society, and is the specialized garden with the most Sichuan camellia varieties in China, and also the first batch of national flower germplasm resource banks.
Only the Camellia is Particularly Durable
As a traditional famous flower, the camellia does not show any "delicate" or "arrogant" air, just like the upright and tenacious character of the mountain city.
In terms of its naming, calling it "mountain tea" feels approachable and friendly. Furthermore, in terms of its growing environment, camellias have strong adaptability, being both cold-resistant and heat-resistant, and can be planted outdoors in most areas south of the Yangtze River (长江) in China; moreover, camellias have a long lifespan and stable resistance, and ancient trees hundreds of years old can still bloom brilliantly. The famous poet Lu You (陆游) once praised: "Only the camellia is particularly durable, its green foliage releasing several red blooms."
Matching in character, flowers suit people. For thousands of years, camellias have bloomed year after year, overlooking the rushing river, witnessing the past and present of the mountain city. With a simple name, enthusiastic blooming, and strong flower nature, camellias are loved by the people of the mountain city. Isn't it precisely because the flowers are like the people?
A major river port, waves surge on Baisha (白沙). Walking into Baisha Town (白沙镇) in Jiangjin District (江津区), Chongqing (重庆), the fragrance of centuries-old books and camellias coexist. As a national historical and cultural town, it was once a hub on the land and water thoroughfare of Sichuan (川), Chongqing (渝), and Guizhou (黔). During the Anti-Japanese War, Jiangjin Baisha Dam (江津白沙坝) and Chongqing Shapingba (重庆沙坪坝), Beibei Xiaba (北碚夏坝), and Chengdu Huaxi Dam (成都华西坝) were known as the "Four Cultural Dams," and it was one of the cultural centers of the Sichuan (川) and Chongqing (渝) regions.
Walking in Baisha Town (白沙镇), you will encounter Jukui Middle School (聚奎中学), a school with a history of over a hundred years. The 7 ancient red camellias in the campus are gnarled and vigorous, still full of flowers, echoing the sound of reading aloud, witnessing the growth of well-known alumni such as Zhou Guangzhao (周光召), winner of the "Two Bombs, One Satellite Achievement Medal," and Wu Fangji (吴芳吉), one of the founders of Chongqing University (重庆大学). "The century-old camellias are like bright red torches, inspiring generations of students to take root in their hometown and be tenacious and upward," said Zou Bo (邹波), Secretary of the Party Committee of Baisha Town (白沙镇).
In Nan'an District (南岸区), Chongqing (重庆), the Air Force Anti-Japanese War Memorial Garden is the final resting place of Chinese and foreign air combat heroes who fought against the Japanese army and died heroically. The steps rise layer by layer, with camellias planted on both sides, and the crimson petals are like immortal medals. The camellias, defying frost and snow, have become a silent witness to the spirit of heroes.
Unafraid of the severe cold, with fiery colors and vigorous vitality - the character of the camellia has long been integrated into the city's bloodline, becoming a spiritual symbol of the people of Chongqing (重庆) being tenacious, loyal, brave, open, and striving for the first.
Flowers Bloom Every Year, Sharing Beauty Together
Last summer, in front of Chaotianmen (朝天门), where the two rivers meet, a performance formation composed of 11,787 drones "bloomed" a huge camellia shape in the night sky, breaking the Guinness World Record and giving this young municipality a special "birthday gift."
In the "Charming Chongqing" drone light show, the camellia shape was deeply loved by citizens and tourists, and frequently "returned to the stage." Chongqing (重庆) integrates camellia elements into modern life, using flowers as a medium to share beauty together.
Today, the camellia-related activities held continuously for more than 20 years by Nanshan Botanical Garden (南山植物园) have become an exclusive festival for the people of the mountain city. During the flowering season, tourists flock to take photos, sketch, and create, and some people bring their children to learn about various varieties, feeling the beauty of nature in the fragrance of flowers.
The beauty of camellias is also integrated into the daily life of the city. The Chongqing Red (重庆红) variety, which is highly representative and widely spread, has been integrated into cultural and creative products by designers, and the patterns on teacups, scarves, and bookmarks have become new city calling cards; foodies are inspired by camellias to make camellia pastries and camellia soups, and the fragrance of flowers blooms on the tip of the tongue. In the classroom, teachers and students create calligraphy and painting works on the theme of ancient red camellias, allowing the cultural context to flow in the campus.
In recent years, Nanshan Botanical Garden (南山植物园) has also carried out research on camellia germplasm creation, cultivating 29 new camellia varieties, and has won many awards at the World Horticultural Exposition.
Endless life, lasting beauty. Camellias bloom enthusiastically in the Bashan (巴山) and Yu (渝) waters, becoming an excellent witness to the mountain city's profound history, high-spirited spirit, and happy life.
By: 本报记者 姜 峰
In the camellia germplasm resource nursery of the Chongqing Institute of Landscape Architecture Science (重庆市风景园林科学研究院), red, pink, and white camellias are blooming on the branches. April is usually the "tail end" of the camellia flowering season, but researchers at the Joint Key Laboratory for Innovation and Utilization of Native Plant Germplasm in Sichuan and Chongqing (川渝共建乡土植物种质创新与利用重点实验室) are using molecular breeding and other bioengineering technologies to make camellias bloom in all seasons.
"This is a hybrid seedling cultivated using the 'embryo rescue' technology. The male parent is a traditional Sichuan camellia variety, and the female parent is a rhododendron camellia that blooms in all seasons." In the tissue culture room, engineer Li Lingli (李玲莉) held a transparent culture bottle. Inside, fine roots were entwined around the culture medium, and tender buds topped with new leaves. "In the past, hybrid seeds often experienced abortion midway. We improved the technology to 'rescue' the immature embryos in advance and cultivate seedlings in the laboratory, which greatly shortens the breeding cycle," said Li Lingli (李玲莉).
Arriving at the molecular laboratory, precision instruments were operating in an orderly manner. Lü Zhiyuan (吕志远), head of the germplasm innovation team, was analyzing gene sequencing maps. The dense data on the screen contained the genetic code of camellias. "We have collected more than 900 camellia resources. Through whole-genome sequencing, we have identified the key genes that regulate flowering time." Lü Zhiyuan (吕志远) pointed to the data on the computer and introduced, "This work is like 'programming' the plant. Through genetic transformation, we can precisely control the flowering time, allowing camellias to adapt to more scenarios."
From collecting germplasm resources in the mountains and countryside to adjusting culture medium formulas thousands of times; from overcoming the "seed abortion" problem to innovating the "two-step rooting method" to improve seedling survival rate, more than 10 researchers in the laboratory have worked together to overcome difficulties and have obtained more than 600 innovative germplasm materials. Today, some hybrid new lines have been trial-planted in experimental fields. It is expected that within 3 years, new Sichuan camellia varieties that bloom in all seasons will be officially launched.
"Most camellia varieties do not have fragrance. In addition to tackling flowering time regulation, we are also conducting fragrant variety cultivation." Engineer Wang Jiao (王娇) took out a petri dish, and a fragrance wafted as she brought it closer to her nose. "I hope that one day, more fragrant camellias can bloom on the branches," said Wang Jiao (王娇).
"The camellia is the city flower of Chongqing (重庆). It is our wish to make it bloom for a long time." Looking at the trees full of flowers, Zou Shihui (邹世慧), director of the Institute of Plants of the Chongqing Institute of Landscape Architecture Science (重庆市风景园林科学研究院植物研究所), said that in the future, through camellia supporting technologies, Sichuan camellias are expected to bloom in the streets, parks, and communities of the mountain city in all seasons, bringing more wonderful experiences to citizens and tourists.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 王欣悦
Beneath a giant "山" (shān - mountain) shaped landmark, pink and white camellias adorn the branches, complementing the newly updated camellia-themed lighting; at the edge of the square, the lights of the cultural and creative market intertwine with the laughter from the children's play area...
This is the Mountain Camellia Square (山·茶花广场) located in Banan District (巴南区), Chongqing (重庆). This urban leisure square, named after the city flower, features camellia elements everywhere. Relying on the square's riverside location and the city flower IP advantages, integrating cultural and sports entertainment, leisure consumption, and cultural experience, it is becoming a new urban landmark.
Various mass cultural and sports activities are regularly held in the square, covering citizens of all ages, and the popularity is high. Representative inheritors of the national intangible cultural heritage Mudong Mountain Song (木洞山歌) regularly perform on stage, the melodious and graceful mountain songs echoing with the river breeze; the "Sparrow Art Review" (麻雀艺评) mass cultural exchange activities are lively, with citizens sitting around chatting; parent-child picture book reading, camellia-themed calligraphy and painting creation and other activities are also staged in turn.
Not long ago, the mass table tennis event "Cun Ti Ti" (村踢踢) kicked off at Mountain Camellia Square (山·茶花广场), attracting more than 12,000 citizens and tourists to participate in just 3 days, directly driving the square and surrounding catering, cultural and creative, agricultural and special product sales and other types of revenue to exceed 2.8 million yuan.
"Now there are activities in the square almost every day. We can watch games, listen to mountain songs, and accompany our children to do handicrafts. Our whole family loves to come," said citizen Zhang Ying (张英).
The updating of activities and the renewal of scenes not only bring rich experiences, but also stimulate consumption vitality. In Xiliutuo Town (西流沱小镇) on one side of the square, local agricultural and special products such as special snacks and fresh fruits and vegetables are neatly placed, and handmade camellia cultural and creative products, intangible cultural heritage rubbing works, etc. are dazzling, attracting many citizens to come and buy. The square links surrounding merchants to create a riverside food and leisure area, further extending the consumption chain with special delicacies.
"Since the square started various activities, my stall business has become better and better. Many tourists come to buy some special products and cultural creations after watching the performances and visiting the square," said market merchant Master Wang (王师傅).
In recent years, the supporting facilities of the square have also been continuously improved. The camellia-themed lighting renovation completed at the beginning of this year has greatly improved the night-time appearance of the square, and many citizens and tourists have made a special trip to visit at night; the newly added convenience service stations, rest areas, and parent-child play corners make the play experience more comfortable.
According to statistics, from January to March this year, Mountain Camellia Square (山·茶花广场) has held more than 100 various activities, attracting more than 1.5 million people, driving sales of surrounding merchants to exceed 15 million yuan, an increase of 12% year-on-year. The beautiful camellia is integrating into urban life in more diverse forms.
Return to TopThis edition planned by: Ji Yalin (纪雅林), Guan Xuanyue (管璇悦)
Layout design: Zhang Fangman (张芳曼)
By: 蔡 昉
General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) pointed out at the opening ceremony of the seminar for leading officials at the provincial and ministerial level to study and implement the spirit of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China: "We must adhere to the domestic cycle as the mainstay, correctly handle the relationship between consumption and investment, demand and supply, adhere to the close combination of benefiting people's livelihoods and promoting consumption, investing in things and investing in people, strive to improve the quality and efficiency of the national economic cycle, and let domestic demand become the main driving force of economic development." The "15th Five-Year Plan" outline makes important deployments for "building a strong domestic market and accelerating the construction of a new development pattern," and puts "vigorously boosting consumption" as an important task, proposing to "coordinate efforts to promote employment, increase income, and stabilize expectations." To implement this task requirement, it is necessary to deepen the understanding of the tasks of promoting employment, increasing income, and stabilizing expectations, and also to accurately understand the internal logical relationship between the three and promote them in a coordinated manner in practice, so as to create a more favorable foundation and conditions for building a strong domestic market and accelerating the construction of a new development pattern.
The Realistic Relevance and Urgency of Coordinating Efforts to Promote Employment, Increase Income, and Stabilize Expectations
Promoting employment, increasing income, and stabilizing expectations are key tasks of economic work. Under the conditions that China's economy has entered a higher stage of development and is facing profound and complex changes, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) at its core emphasizes these three aspects in parallel, which further highlights the realistic relevance and urgency. Completing the corresponding goals and tasks around these three aspects is conducive to accurately grasping the close connection between consumption and investment, supply and demand, and promoting the formation of a virtuous interaction between the three in policy implementation; it is conducive to eliminating the "temperature difference" between macro indicators and micro feelings and enhancing the confidence of business entities; it is conducive to ensuring and enhancing the endogenous power of the domestic cycle and enhancing the reliability and sustainability of the domestic economic cycle. Specifically, the understanding can be deepened from the following dimensions.
The Micro Foundation for Achieving Macro Policy Goals. Compared with other policy goals, promoting employment, increasing income, and stabilizing expectations directly meet the needs of micro subjects, namely individual workers and resident households. The three are closely related to each other, forming an inseparable whole, which can not only produce better policy effectiveness, but also requires coordination of the three. This policy orientation and pertinence reflects our Party's profound understanding and high attention to the needs of workers and other micro subjects for a better life, and highlights the increasingly important role of demand in economic growth. From a methodological level, this three-in-one understanding and deployment helps to promote policy measures to focus on the main contradictions in economic work and implement them in a way that grasps the key points.
A Policy Tool to Effectively Address the Contradiction of Strong Supply and Weak Demand in China. In recent years, the external environment has undergone profound changes and has deepened its impact on China's economic growth through exports and supply chains. China's economic structure transformation has entered a critical stage, and at the same time, the population as a whole has shifted to a stage of decreasing development and shows trends such as fewer children and an aging population. This has led to China's economy facing challenges on the supply side, while also facing pressure on the demand side, especially the impact of residents' consumption on economic growth has increased. Promoting employment, increasing income, and stabilizing expectations is a reliable driving force for unblocking the domestic cycle. The three empower each other and jointly constitute an important guarantee for promoting economic growth to remain within a reasonable range, and also reveal the internal logic and direction of reform for coordinating the three. Research shows that the level of residents' consumption is closely related to the level of income and distribution, and the proportion of residents' consumption expenditure in GDP (that is, the residents' consumption rate) is highly positively correlated with the proportion of household income in total social disposable income and with the proportion of labor remuneration in the initial distribution.
An Important Field and Policy Focus for Investing in People. Combining investment in things and investment in people, and promoting more funds and resources to be invested in people, is an inevitable requirement for China's economy to enter a higher stage of development, and it is also an urgent need to actively respond to prominent problems in economic structure transformation. First, at a higher stage of development, the improvement of people's quality of life mainly comes from the supply of basic public services, and the government increasingly assumes the main expenditure responsibility; second, with economic and social development, the rate of return on investment in material capital has decreased, and the pulling effect on economic growth has weakened, and opening up new growth momentum requires increasing investment in human capital with increasing returns; third, there are some blockages and shortcomings in the field of people's livelihood, mainly manifested in the fact that the supply level, coverage rate, and equalization degree of public products need to be improved, and these need to be solved and supplemented under the overall deployment of increasing investment in people; fourth, the new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation represented by artificial intelligence has greatly improved labor productivity, on the one hand, making investment in people have a more solid material foundation, and on the other hand, it is also necessary to share the development dividends brought by the technological revolution through investment in people. Coordinating efforts to promote employment, increase income, and stabilize expectations not only establishes a focus for policy implementation for investing in people, but also demonstrates the development concept of putting people first.
Focus on Solving Structural Employment Contradictions
Employment is the most basic livelihood, and high-quality and full employment is the inherent requirement and inevitable result of high-quality development. At present, China's employment contradictions have changed from total contradictions to structural contradictions, and the labor market has also returned to the normal state of full employment. This determines that the policy focus of promoting employment should shift from expanding the scale of employment to improving the quality of employment, from responding to cyclical unemployment to solving structural employment contradictions, and improving the matching level of the labor market.
Improve the Rights and Interests Protection Level of New Employment Form Workers. Entering the stage of high-quality development, with the adjustment of industrial structure and the widespread application of new technologies in all walks of life, some traditional jobs are replaced, while new industries, new business forms, and platform economies also create a large number of new jobs and correspondingly change the employment form, the most prominent feature of which is the non-unitization of employment. For traditional employment forms, the implementation and supervision of labor employment laws and regulations, the implementation of labor market systems such as minimum wages, labor contracts, and collective bargaining, and the coverage of social security systems are all carried out relying on employment units. These aspects are not fully applicable to new employment forms. Therefore, we should improve the rights and interests protection level of new employment form workers and improve various systems such as workers' rights and interests protection and social welfare in accordance with the new characteristics and requirements of the labor market.
Promote the Rational Flow of Labor. Generally speaking, the optimization and upgrading of industrial structure and the improvement of employment quality are mostly achieved through the flow of labor from low to high in order of labor productivity. In the period of high-speed economic growth, the transfer of labor from rural to urban areas and from agriculture to non-agricultural industries has improved labor productivity at the macro level and increased labor remuneration at the micro level, and employment quality has also been improved accordingly. At the same time, it should be noted that in the case of accelerated industrial structure changes, there will also be a phenomenon of reverse flow of labor. Especially in the case of a decrease in the working-age population, a decline in the proportion of manufacturing, and an increase in the degree of job automation, the speed of labor transfer will slow down and the scope of transfer will narrow. Research shows that in recent years, the employment of migrant workers in China has shown a trend of localization, rather than flowing to large and medium-sized cities with higher labor productivity. At the same time, there is also a transfer of labor from the secondary industry with higher labor productivity to the tertiary industry with lower labor productivity. In response, we must take strong reform measures and macro-control policies to encourage and guide labor to flow to regions and industries with higher labor productivity and maintain a reasonable proportion of manufacturing.
Enhance the Matching Degree of Human Resources Supply and Demand for Key Groups such as Older and Young Workers. The core of labor market supply and demand matching is the skills of workers. This is mainly obtained by workers through human capital cultivation mechanisms such as school education, vocational training, and work experience accumulation. Rapid technological changes and industrial structure upgrades often cause the cultivation of workers' skills to lag behind the updating and upgrading of skill needs, forming structural employment difficulties characterized by human capital supply and demand mismatch. This situation is more common in older and young worker groups. Older workers often have lower levels of education, weaker skills updating ability and labor market adaptability, and the "digital divide" will further expand the skills gap they face; the employment difficulties faced by young workers are usually due to a lack of work experience, and the widespread application of artificial intelligence may further weaken the competitiveness of young workers with lower skill levels. In response, relevant policies and measures should be taken to strengthen technical skills training and help key groups better adapt to the job requirements of the intelligent era.
Promote Simultaneous Increase in Income and Improvement in Distribution
The continuous increase in residents' income and reasonable distribution are the source of improving the quality of people's lives and improving people's well-being, and are also a concrete manifestation of all the people sharing the fruits of modernization construction. Based on the essential requirement of Chinese-style modernization to achieve common prosperity for all, it should be recognized that "increasing income" includes not only the increase in the level of residents' income, but also the improvement of the income distribution pattern. Therefore, the requirement of "coordinating efforts to promote employment, increase income, and stabilize expectations" should be understood from a deeper and broader level, which is the premise for promoting policy measures to be more targeted and policy effectiveness to be more significant.
Promoting the growth of residents' income in sync with economic growth can effectively solve the problem of unbalanced and insufficient development and better meet the people's growing needs for a better life. The increase in residents' income ultimately depends on making the "cake" bigger and promoting the effective improvement of the quality and reasonable growth of the quantity of the economy. From 2012 to 2025, the actual average annual growth rates of China's per capita disposable income of residents and per capita GDP were 6.0% and 5.7% respectively, which not only achieved reasonable growth, but also the growth rate of residents' income was slightly ahead. During the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, whether it is to effectively respond to the challenges facing China's economic growth or to achieve the goal of reaching the level of moderately developed countries in terms of per capita GDP by 2035, it is necessary for the economic growth rate to remain within a reasonable range. This also puts higher demands on the growth of residents' income in sync with economic growth.
While continuously increasing residents' income, it is also necessary to optimize the income distribution pattern, promote social fairness and justice, and make the fruits of modernization construction benefit all the people more and more fairly. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, China's residents' income distribution has been significantly improved, and the ratio of per capita disposable income of urban and rural residents has narrowed from 2.81:1 in 2013 to 2.31:1 in 2025. However, compared with the common experience of modernization in various countries and the goal of achieving common prosperity for all the people, the income distribution pattern needs to be further optimized. At present, the contradiction of strong supply and weak demand is prominent in China's economic operation, and expanding residents' consumption has become an important content of promoting high-quality economic development, and optimizing the income distribution pattern has become an inevitable requirement for breaking the constraints of insufficient consumption and weak demand on economic growth. This also means that dividing the "cake" well has become a necessary condition for making the "cake" bigger, and policy efforts to improve income distribution can contribute to promoting economic growth and thus increasing residents' income.
Optimizing the income distribution pattern cannot only rely on the "trickle-down effect" formed by market self-regulation, but also needs to further comprehensively deepen reforms to improve the system and mechanism in related fields, so that various policy measures can produce synergistic efforts. International experience shows that the initial distribution is not enough to form a reasonable income distribution pattern, and the use of redistribution means such as taxation and transfer payments can significantly narrow the income distribution gap and keep it within a reasonable range. In recent years, China has continuously improved the income distribution of residents by building a basic institutional arrangement for coordinating and supporting the initial distribution, redistribution, and third distribution, increasing the adjustment efforts of taxation, social security, and transfer payments, and improving the accuracy of policy measures, and the income gap between urban and rural residents has been significantly narrowed, and the proportion of labor remuneration in the initial distribution and the proportion of residents' income in national income have been continuously increased, showing the key role of policy concepts and related measures.
Stabilize Expectations by Strengthening People's Livelihood Construction
Expectations are an important factor affecting economic development. Whether consumers or investors, when facing changes in the economic environment, psychological expectations and reaction behaviors will change to a certain extent. This will correspondingly affect their expectations and behaviors. For example, in the period of high-speed economic growth, residents' employment and income will be somewhat dependent on the economic growth rate. When the growth rate changes and the development momentum is transformed, people often need an adaptation process psychologically. For another example, after economic growth encounters cyclical fluctuations, the balanced household budget curve will be impacted, and the household financial situation will also change, which may affect residents' expectations and behaviors. For another example, changes in the external environment such as sluggish growth in the world economy and international trade, frequent geopolitical conflicts, and complex and fierce great power games will also make consumers tend to avoid risks and affect their expectations and behaviors; and so on. These factors will lead to unstable residents' expectations and make residents' consumption more cautious.
From an epistemological point of view, change is a normal state in the long-term development process, and the resulting uncertainty is also unavoidable. We should not and cannot prevent change in order to eliminate uncertainty, but should focus on reducing the instability of expectations caused by change. To effectively address these issues, on the one hand, we should hedge the uncertainty brought about by various changes by coordinating macroeconomic policies and social policies; on the other hand, we should strengthen institutional construction in the long term to stabilize residents' expectations as consumers. Coordinating efforts to promote employment, increase income, and stabilize expectations has established a basic framework for policy implementation and institutional construction. Focusing on the overall requirements of the three-in-one and considering the overall situation, efforts should be made in the following aspects.
Strengthen the Public Employment Service System. The main goal of this institutional construction is to improve the matching level of human resources supply and demand, that is, to improve and update workers' skills by strengthening education and training, promote the effective connection between school education and work training, improve the ability and level of human capital to cope with the employment challenges brought about by the application of artificial intelligence technology, and form new demographic dividends, help develop new quality productivity, and cultivate new growth momentum; promote the development of a mature and functional labor market, unblock the channels for the rational flow of labor, and improve the matching level and allocation efficiency of human resources supply and demand. To this end, it is necessary to change the government's public service and expenditure concepts and deepen reforms in the fields of providing employment services and training, increasing the supply of public products, and improving incentive compatibility mechanisms.
Accelerate the Improvement of the Income Distribution System. In the initial distribution and redistribution links, promote the reasonable growth of workers' wages and residents' income, promote the remuneration distribution between labor factors and other factors to tend to be reasonable, and narrow the income gap between urban and rural areas, between departments, and between resident groups. At the same time, implement active employment policies, improve the labor market system, increase labor participation rate, improve the overall quality of employment, and achieve a significant increase in the proportion of labor remuneration in the initial distribution. Optimize the tax system structure, reasonably adjust the income distribution pattern, encourage technology to be good, innovation to be good, and intelligence to be good, significantly increase the proportion of residents' income in the national income distribution, especially strengthen the redistribution role of transfer payments and social security, and continuously narrow the income gap between residents.
Improve the Basic Public Service Supply System. Actively implement the concept of investing in people, promote institutional construction around the goal of providing broader, higher quality, more equal, and more inclusive public products for all residents throughout the entire life cycle, and achieve the goal of making the fruits of modernization construction benefit all the people more. Specifically, it includes: improving population support policies focusing on providing basic public services in the fields of fertility and parenting, as well as policies to actively respond to population aging, including elderly care, elderly assistance, and the silver-haired economy, improving the human capital cultivation system centered on providing education, training, and re-education, deepening the reform of the household registration system, promoting the formation of an employment-friendly development mode, improving the social security system, and other social welfare systems including guaranteed housing policies.
(The author is a member of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences)
Return to TopBy: 韩骏升
"Numbers determine official positions" is a typical manifestation of a distorted view of performance. General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) criticized some leading cadres for "making false accounts, playing with numbers, and reporting false achievements at the expense of seeking fame and gain," and clearly pointed out that this practice "harms oneself and others and is unacceptable." Numbers have the characteristics of being intuitive and concise. Using them to assess the performance of cadres, objectively reflect the actual situation, and serve scientific decision-making is what modern social governance requires. However, if party members and cadres package their achievements with data, play number games, and engage in performance "beautification" in order to seek promotion, they will fall into the quagmire of formalism and the vicious circle of governance failure, and the harm should not be underestimated.
The crux of "numbers determine official positions" lies in a "false" character. Some leading cadres are deeply caught up in the "number myth," simply equating good performance with beautiful numbers, obsessively judging heroes by "numbers" and measuring good men by "indicators." To this end, they do not hesitate to deviate from reality in planning and ignore the laws of nature in pursuing advanced development, only "seeking the obvious" and not "seeking the potential," only "seeking speed" and not "seeking reality." The numbers are bright and beautiful, but the quality and efficiency are seriously "shrunk." However, false data cannot support real achievements; it will only cover up contradictions, mislead decision-making, waste financial resources, and overdraw the potential for development. If the numbers do not match the actual development and the feelings of the masses, the "fake tricks" will be exposed sooner or later, and the result will be harm to oneself and others. Why inflate the data? The starting point is to use beautiful numbers to "pave the way" for promotion, and the root cause is impurity of party spirit and expansion of personal desires, tying the work of governing and doing things to personal fame and gain, and losing respect for basic facts and adherence to the original aspiration and mission in order to satisfy selfish desires.
General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) emphasized: "Prevent the vicious cycle of 'numbers determine official positions, and official positions determine numbers.'" The reason why "numerical achievements" have been repeatedly prohibited is that the individual assessment orientation of emphasizing the obvious over the potential and the increasing assessment pressure at each level are important reasons, which objectively create an improper connection between numbers and "official positions" and form a vicious cycle. If beautiful numbers can attract the attention of superiors and gain promotion opportunities, it will inevitably exacerbate the "numerical achievement" impulse of more leading cadres and put their efforts into superficial work. And those leading cadres who have taken on more important positions by relying on "numerical achievements" need to use more fabrication to cover up contradictions. In this cycle, those who take shortcuts will gain profits, and those who do practical work will suffer and be disheartened, which will seriously damage the political ecology and development foundation of a place.
Numbers are not the goal of development, and "numerical achievements" are not equal to the actual achievements of the people's hearts. Evaluating how economic and social development is and measuring the merits and demerits of party members and cadres has never been about how beautiful a string of numbers is, but about whether the voices of the masses are being listened to, whether the worries of the masses in education, medical treatment, employment, and other aspects have been properly resolved, and whether the masses' sense of gain, happiness, and security have been enhanced. Gu Wenchang (谷文昌)'s afforestation and sand control and Jiao Yulu (焦裕禄)'s governance of the "three harms" did not rely on the accumulation of numbers, but were written in the hearts of the masses and on the development foundation of a place. To get out of the "number myth," we must focus our energy on improving the effectiveness of development, enhancing the potential for development, and increasing the well-being of the people, squeezing out the water and pursuing real growth. We must not only look at the increase in total volume, but also look at the optimization of the structure; we must not only focus on projects that have immediate results, but also do a good job in laying the foundation; we must not only calculate economic accounts, but also calculate ecological accounts and people's livelihood accounts. The achievements gained through hard work can stand the test of practice, the people, and history.
To correct the erroneous view of performance that "numbers determine official positions," we must break the false and establish the real. On the one hand, we must strengthen ideological guidance, guide party members and cadres to tighten the "main switch" of their thinking, keep theoretical study "permanently" in their hearts, keep practical results and effectiveness "permanently" in their actions, cultivate the spiritual realm and historical responsibility of "achieving success does not necessarily have to be me, but achieving success must have me," and truly correct the source and consolidate the foundation from the root of their thinking. On the other hand, we must eliminate the tendency of "only numbers" and "only rankings," make good use of the performance assessment baton, scientifically define the target system of "what to assess," accurately measure the methodological logic of "how to assess," realize cross-validation of multi-dimensional data, and effectively promote the transformation from "being responsible for numbers" to "being responsible for the masses." In addition, we must also polish the "probe" of supervision, and constantly improve the supervision system in which all parties, including internal party supervision, public opinion supervision, and mass supervision, participate, have "zero tolerance" for data fraud, and make the erroneous view of performance nowhere to hide.
凌空蹈虚 (líng kōng dǎo xū - "treading on air," to be divorced from reality), it is difficult to achieve a career; seeking truth and being pragmatic is the only way to succeed. Starting a business relies on hard work, fighting for responsibility, and relying on ability, and there is no room for any superficiality. Leading cadres must always adhere to the basic ideological method, working method, and leadership method of seeking truth from facts, adhere to the bottom line of digital authenticity, and hand in a qualified answer sheet for performing their duties with solid achievements.
Return to TopBy: 唐金楠 吴凯杰
General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) emphasized: "We must always adhere to using the strictest system and the most stringent rule of law to protect the ecological environment." The Environmental Code adheres to Xi Jinping's (习近平) thought on ecological civilization and Xi Jinping's (习近平) thought on the rule of law as guidance, providing strict legal guarantees for high-level protection of the ecological environment. Ecological and environmental problems often have regional characteristics. In addition to the Environmental Code and other laws, China's ecological and environmental legal system also includes many local regulations. The promulgation of the Environmental Code not only systematically integrates the ecological and environmental legal system at the national level, but also points out the direction for improving the quality of local ecological and environmental legislation. We must adapt to the new requirements of implementing the Environmental Code, further improve local ecological and environmental legislation, better leverage the enthusiasm of both the central and local governments, and effectively improve the effectiveness of ecological and environmental governance.
Strengthen the review of local regulations to reflect the latest provisions. General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) pointed out: "As the times progress and practices develop, new demands are constantly being placed on the construction of the legal system, and the legal system must be improved in line with the times." The Legislation Law stipulates: "The people's congresses and their standing committees of provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government may, in accordance with the specific conditions and actual needs of their respective administrative regions, formulate local regulations on the premise that they do not conflict with the Constitution, laws, and administrative regulations." As the superior law of local ecological and environmental legislation, the Environmental Code systematically integrates, compiles, revises, and integrates and elevates the current ecological and environmental legal system norms, and makes corresponding adjustments to many original legal norms. Ten laws are no longer retained because they are included in the Code. This means that major changes have taken place in the superior law, and local ecological and environmental legislation must be revised in a timely manner according to the changes in the superior law, and the content that conflicts with the provisions of the superior law must be abolished, so as to ensure that local ecological and environmental legislation keeps pace with the times and effectively maintains the unity, dignity, and authority of the national rule of law. This requires the local people's congresses and their standing committees with local legislative power to accurately grasp and thoroughly understand the new provisions of the Environmental Code, strengthen the comprehensive review of local regulations on ecological civilization construction in their respective regions, eliminate contradictions and inconsistencies with the superior law, and continuously enhance the systematicness, integrity, coordination, and timeliness of local ecological and environmental legislation.
Adapt to local needs and promote "small, quick, and flexible" legislation. General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) pointed out: "We must study and enrich the forms of legislation. We can engage in some 'large blocks,' but we must also engage in some 'small, quick, and flexible' ones to enhance the pertinence, applicability, and operability of legislation." The Legislation Law stipulates that local regulations may make provisions on "matters that belong to local affairs and require the formulation of local regulations." In recent years, many localities have formulated and improved local regulations to address specific local ecological and environmental problems. For example, Shaanxi (陕西) promulgated and revised the "Shaanxi Province Qinling (秦岭) Ecological Environment Protection Regulations," and Jingzhou (荆州市), Hubei (湖北) formulated the "Jingzhou Catering Service Industry Oil Smoke Pollution Prevention and Control Regulations." The Environmental Code is a typical "large block" of legislation, breaking the past pattern of decentralized legislation of 头痛医头、脚痛医脚 (tóu tòng yī tóu, jiǎo tòng yī jiǎo - "treat the head when the head aches, and the foot when the foot aches," to treat symptoms but not the root cause), but as a basic national law, it cannot make comprehensive provisions on local ecological civilization construction matters. This requires local ecological and environmental legislation to give full play to its advantages of being familiar with local conditions and close to local realities under the guidance of the legal principles and legal norms established by the Environmental Code, to play a complementary role by promoting "small, quick, and flexible" legislation, to better use the thinking of the rule of law and the methods of the rule of law to deal with ecological and environmental problems around the masses and involving the vital interests of the masses, and to jointly form a normative synergy with the Environmental Code and other basic national laws, so as to achieve the unity of principle and flexibility.
Explore reform experiences and promote institutional innovation. The Legislation Law stipulates that, except for matters that can only be legislated by law, "if the state has not yet formulated laws or administrative regulations on other matters, provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the Central Government, and cities divided into districts and autonomous prefectures may first formulate local regulations in accordance with the specific conditions and actual needs of their localities." The Environmental Code codifies the theoretical, institutional, and practical achievements of ecological civilization construction since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (中国共产党第十八次全国代表大会), stipulates important legal principles and basic, comprehensive, and universal legal systems in the field of ecological environment, and covers many aspects such as pollution prevention and control, ecological protection, and green and low-carbon development, reflecting the characteristics of the times and forward-looking nature. At the same time, it should be noted that the Environmental Code cannot make specific and detailed norms in advance for new ecological and environmental problems that may occur in various places in reality. This requires taking "making efforts and gaining experience in studying new situations and solving new problems" as an important direction for improving local ecological and environmental legislation. For matters that the superior law, including the Environmental Code, has not yet made provisions for, it is necessary to actively carry out exploratory local legislation in combination with the requirements and characteristics of the region in terms of development stage, industrial layout, and natural endowments, to drive institutional innovation with local exploration, serve the reform of the ecological civilization system, and provide important references for the state to formulate and revise relevant ecological and environmental laws and regulations.
(Author's affiliation: Peking University Law School (北京大学法学院))
Return to TopThe major economic provinces should shoulder greater responsibilities, which is both their duty and a necessity for development. It is not only crucial for stabilizing the overall national economy at present but also a strategic choice for driving the next five years and leading long-term development.
At the 2025 National People's Congress (全国两会), General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) emphasized that major economic provinces should shoulder greater responsibilities and profoundly clarified the key points that major economic provinces must grasp in shouldering these responsibilities. At this year's National People's Congress, the General Secretary further required major economic provinces to "make efforts and gain experience in studying new situations and solving new problems."
Xinhua News Agency (新华社) launched the thirty-first issue of the "China Economic Roundtable" (中国经济圆桌会) large-scale all-media interview program on the 20th, inviting Liu Zhicheng (刘志成), a researcher at the Academy of Macroeconomic Research of the National Development and Reform Commission (国家发展和改革委员会宏观经济研究院), Liu Wenqiang (刘文强), Secretary of the Party Committee of the CCID Research Institute (赛迪研究院党委书记), and Wu Zuyan (吴祖艳), President of the Guangdong Provincial Development and Reform Research Institute (广东省发展和改革研究院院长), to discuss the responsibilities of major economic provinces in the first year of the "15th Five-Year Plan" ("十五五") and analyze and interpret the experiences and achievements of practical exploration.
Based on the overall situation, shoulder the responsibility of major provinces.
For a long time, major economic provinces have always been the "ballast stone" for stabilizing the overall national economy and the "mainstay" for supporting high-quality development. The 10 major economic provinces, with nearly 20% of the country's area, contribute more than 60% of the country's gross domestic product.
"From the supply side, major economic provinces, as the main force of innovation, the pioneers of reform, and the vanguards of opening up, are the source of new industries, new momentum, and new quality productive forces. From the demand side, major economic provinces have more investment projects, a larger consumer market, and a higher level of opening up, which plays a major engine role in driving economic growth," said Liu Zhicheng. Major economic provinces must not only support "stability" but also break the局 (pò jú - "break the situation," overcome difficulties) for "progress."
This year is the first year of the "15th Five-Year Plan." To complete the goals and tasks of economic and social development, it is necessary to cope with a more complex environment and solve more deep-seated contradictions. Implementing the major deployment of major economic provinces shouldering greater responsibilities is of far-reaching significance for promoting high-quality development.
"We have made some analysis of the 10 major economic provinces. In the first two months of this year, the growth rate of industrial enterprises above the designated size mostly exceeded the national growth rate, and Zhejiang (浙江) even achieved a high-speed growth of 9.8%. These major economic provinces have played a good leading role," said Liu Wenqiang.
According to the data for the first two months, the added value of Guangdong's (广东) computer, communication, and other electronic equipment manufacturing industry increased by 14.2% year-on-year, with the growth rate nearly 9 percentage points faster than the same period last year. The added value growth rate of equipment manufacturing in Shandong (山东) and Jiangsu (江苏) both exceeded 10%.
The guests said that they felt in recent investigations that entrepreneurs' confidence in development has been significantly boosted, and their enthusiasm for starting businesses has become more sufficient.
Wu Zuyan introduced that in the practice of Guangdong shouldering greater responsibilities, combined with its own resource endowments and development realities, it has been promoting the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (粤港澳大湾区) in depth, accelerating the deep integration of technological innovation and industrial innovation, comprehensively deepening reform and expanding high-level opening up, and deeply implementing the "Hundred Counties, Thousand Towns, Ten Thousand Villages High-Quality Development Project" ("百县千镇万村高质量发展工程").
In 2025, the economic aggregate of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area will exceed 15 trillion yuan, 10 trillion-yuan-level industrial clusters will be built, the total import and export volume of foreign trade will rank first in the country for 40 consecutive years, and the income ratio between urban and rural residents in the province will be reduced to 2.27:1... A series of data show Guangdong's vivid practice of tapping potential internally and expanding the economic depth externally in shouldering greater responsibilities.
Based on the overall situation, plan for one region, and grasp one region to promote the overall situation.
"For major economic provinces, it is necessary to grasp the strategic positioning, give play to their own advantages, and strive to shoulder the responsibility of taking the lead, striving for the first, walking in the front, and setting an example," said Liu Zhicheng. Major economic provinces must firmly establish the idea of the country as a whole and take responsibility in comprehensively integrating into, actively serving, and deeply participating in the construction of a unified national market.
Liu Zhicheng said that major economic provinces should rely on a solid foundation and enhance the overall resilience of the national economy to support overall stability. In terms of technological innovation, they should play the role of a "locomotive," take the lead in developing new quality productive forces, and enhance competitiveness through the integration of technological innovation and industrial innovation to better cope with external uncertainties. At the same time, in terms of reform and opening up, they should play the role of a "leading goose," take the lead in demonstrating and assuming greater responsibility in deepening reform, expanding opening up, and exploring the path of common prosperity.
"If major economic provinces shoulder and shoulder well the responsibility, they can drive the overall situation by planning well for one region, promote overall progress with key breakthroughs, and constantly create a new situation in the construction of Chinese-style modernization," said Liu Zhicheng.
Improve quality and efficiency, and activate the driving force of development.
The "Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou" innovation cluster jumped to the top of the global innovation cluster list; Jiangsu (江苏) authorized 116,900 invention patents last year, accounting for 12.95% of the national total; Shandong's (山东) corporate R&D investment accounted for 88.4% of the total social R&D investment last year, 10.8 percentage points higher than the national average...
Innovation is the primary driving force for leading development. Grasping innovation means grasping development, and planning innovation means planning the future.
At present, a new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation is accelerating, and countries are vying to seize the commanding heights of development. The guests believe that whether major economic provinces can closely integrate with their own realities and take the lead in cultivating new economic growth points and produce good experiences is directly related to the effectiveness of national high-quality development.
"Major economic provinces have rich innovation resources. All parties should further support major economic provinces in enhancing their technological innovation capabilities, prioritize the layout of national strategic scientific and technological forces, actively undertake key core technology research tasks, and build world-class scientific and technological innovation sources," said Liu Zhicheng.
Industry is an important carrier for the landing of technological innovation and the acceleration of the cultivation and development of new quality productive forces. At present, industrial transformation and upgrading still face some problems, such as the coexistence of weakening traditional competitive advantages and insufficient support for new momentum, and the phenomenon of homogenized layout and low-end competition in emerging industries occurs from time to time.
"Accelerating industrial upgrading and gradient cultivation is the key," Liu Wenqiang believes that it is necessary to attach great importance to the transformation and upgrading of traditional industries in major provinces, improve quality and efficiency, promote the intelligent, green, and integrated development of traditional industries, and revitalize existing advantages.
Liu Wenqiang said that it is also necessary to accelerate the cultivation and growth of emerging industries and future industries, implement the requirements of "adapting to local conditions," implement actions to develop and strengthen emerging industries and create new momentum, focus on creating a number of emerging pillar industries with international competitiveness, and at the same time carry out the unveiling and commanding of subdivided tracks in future industries, build a number of future industrial pilot zones, and cultivate the core driving force of new quality productive forces.
Economic climbing "high" and moving "new" cannot be separated from institutional and mechanism innovation.
The launch of the country's first "lexeme-level" urban comprehensive computing power operation service platform, the vigorous promotion of artificial intelligence technology to the "real battlefield" of transportation, and the innovative construction of a trusted data space for the low-altitude industry... From Guangdong's (广东) development practice, we can feel the enabling role of industrial development resource element guarantees.
"It is necessary to encourage major economic provinces to strengthen the supply of elements such as scenarios, data, and computing power to provide strong support for the construction of a modern industrial system," Wu Zuyan believes that it is necessary to further cultivate and open up application scenarios, support qualified places to build market-oriented scenario centers, build bridges and release opportunities for enterprises to promote new technologies and new products; accelerate the cultivation of the data element market ecosystem, and promote the construction of national digital economy innovation and development pilot zones; strengthen the supply of intelligent computing power, and vigorously promote the construction of computing power centers.
A fair and competitive market environment is a catalyst for stimulating innovation vitality and optimizing resource allocation.
The guests said that it is necessary to support major economic provinces to take the lead in exploring regional rectification of "involution-style" competition practices, and encourage the use of technological innovation, collaborative cooperation, industry self-discipline, domestic and foreign linkages, etc., to strive to break the stubborn disease of "involution-style" competition and form an effective set of practices in industrial governance.
People's livelihood is paramount, and development results are shared.
Chinese-style modernization is the modernization of common prosperity for all people. Major economic provinces have a higher level of development and better basic conditions, and they need to strengthen their sense of responsibility and set an example in promoting common prosperity for all people.
"Taking Guangdong (广东) as an example, in recent years, we have learned and applied the experience of the 'Thousand Villages Demonstration, Ten Thousand Villages Renovation' project ('千万工程'), implemented five major actions: county industrial revitalization, new urbanization construction, urban and rural landscape improvement, integrated reform and innovation, and social force mobilization, and continuously consolidated the development foundation of eastern, western, and northern Guangdong," Wu Zuyan introduced that by 2025, the average annual growth rate of the gross domestic product of 57 counties (cities) will be faster than that of the province in the past three years, among which Boluo (博罗) in Huizhou (惠州) has become a county with a gross domestic product of over 100 billion yuan.
Looking at other major economic provinces, Zhejiang (浙江) is exploring the development of regional group clusters to activate new engines for common prosperity in rural areas; Jiangsu (江苏) has achieved north-south linkage, continuously deepening the connotation of cooperation and innovating cooperation models... At present, many places have a series of innovative practices in promoting common prosperity.
Promoting coordinated regional development requires giving full play to the driving role of major provinces.
Wu Zuyan believes that it is necessary to strengthen new assistance and cooperation, promote the orderly transfer of industries, and expand various forms of cross-regional industrial cooperation. Promote the high-quality development of the county economy, highlight characteristic development, integrated development, and clustered development, adhere to industry where appropriate, agriculture where appropriate, commerce where appropriate, and tourism where appropriate, and strengthen the county's pillar industries and leading industries.
How to further explore and promote effective ways to promote common prosperity for all people in terms of promoting high-quality and full employment, increasing the income of urban and rural residents, and further improving basic public services and social security levels? Liu Zhicheng believes that during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, major economic provinces should further strengthen institutional innovation and optimize resource allocation.
"It is necessary to strengthen the coordination of industry and employment, support the development of industries and enterprises with strong employment absorption capacity, and create more high-quality jobs. Focus on developing emerging industries and future industries to cultivate new occupations and new jobs, and use skills training to solve the structural contradiction of 'there is work but no one to do it, and there are people but no work to do'," said Liu Zhicheng.
He said that it is necessary to continuously improve the mechanism for the reasonable determination and normal growth of labor remuneration. In terms of income distribution, further improve the initial distribution system, improve the redistribution system, and better play the role of the third distribution.
In terms of public services and social security, it is necessary to do more practical things in strengthening inclusive, basic, and bottom-line livelihood construction and solving the urgent, difficult, and worrying problems of the masses, especially to do a good job in the forward-looking layout of education resource allocation, promote the coordinated development and governance of medical care, medical insurance, and medicine, and focus on strengthening the services for the elderly and children.
"It is necessary to improve the social security system and enhance the balance and accessibility of basic public services to a new level, promote high-quality expansion and high-level participation in insurance, reasonably improve the level of treatment security, and enhance the sustainability of the social security system," said Liu Zhicheng.
Take the lead, strive for the first, walk in the front, and set an example.
The guests said that it is necessary to closely unite around the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) as the core, give fuller play to the role of major economic provinces in shouldering greater responsibilities, shoulder the important national responsibilities with greater achievements, escort the good start of the "15th Five-Year Plan" with excellent results, and inject a continuous stream of striving power into the high-quality development of China's economy.
(Xinhua News Agency (新华社), Beijing (北京), April 20, Xinhua News Agency reporter)
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 李俊杰
"Bang... Bang..." In the early morning, the sound of hammering came from the Laohukaiwen Ink Factory (老胡开文墨厂) in She County (歙县), Huangshan City (黄山市), Anhui Province (安徽省). Following the sound, a middle-aged man was seen tightly gripping an iron hammer with both hands, repeatedly pounding a piece of dark, warm ink clay on a chopping board. The fragrance of ink permeated the air with each rise and fall of the hammer.
The man hammering the ink is Zhou Jian (周健), the director of the product research and development department of She County Laohukaiwen Ink Factory (歙县老胡开文墨厂), and also a municipal-level inheritor of the intangible cultural heritage Huizhou ink (徽墨) making skills.
In 2007, after graduating from university, Zhou Jian (周健) returned to the ink factory to inherit the old craftsmanship. When he first joined the factory, Zhou Jian (周健) started from basic positions, entering four key workshops: mold engraving, ink making, ink drying, and gold tracing to learn. He calmed down to hone his skills, and soon he mastered the complete set of Huizhou ink (徽墨) making processes.
However, at that time, the Huizhou ink (徽墨) industry was in a development trough: changes in writing methods and the updating of modern stationery led to a decrease in the number of traditional ink workshops, and many old craftsmen switched careers. This made Zhou Jian (周健) think harder: how to keep the Huizhou ink (徽墨) making skills alive?
A turning point came in 2014. During a reception for visitors, a tourist exclaimed: "Such a good craft should not only be hidden in the ink workshop." This sentence awakened Zhou Jian (周健). He realized that Huizhou ink (徽墨) is not only a stationery item, but also a living intangible cultural heritage; it cannot just stick to the old model, but must "open the door and let more people see and understand Huizhou ink (徽墨)."
Once he thought of it, he did it. Zhou Jian (周健) led the craftsmen in the factory to re-sort and integrate more than 100 ink-making processes, turning the workshop into an experience space, creating multiple workshops for visitors to visit and experience. From taking smoke and mixing materials to hammering ink and making blanks, and then to drying ink and tracing gold, interactive experience spaces are left in every link.
"At the beginning, there were not many tourists who came to visit and study, so we took the initiative to connect with travel agencies, plus the government departments helped to promote, and more and more people became interested." Zhou Jian (周健) said that now there are tourists coming to the factory every day, and when it is busy, it receives thousands of people a day.
Zhou Jian's (周健) innovative attempt has brought ink-making skills from behind the scenes to the front, and also blazed a new path for the transformation of the county's Huizhou ink (徽墨) industry. Many local ink workshops have followed suit, creating intangible cultural heritage research and study experience points. According to statistics from the She County (歙县) Culture and Tourism Department, the number of people who visit and study in various ink workshops every year has reached 200,000, driving consumption of more than 40 million yuan.
In 2019, Zhou Jian (周健) began to try using internet live broadcasts to bring Huizhou ink (徽墨) to a wider world. He moved the live broadcast room directly into the ink-making workshop and pointed the camera at the craftsmen. "We make and explain at the same time." Zhou Jian (周健) said that this form has led to a significant increase in sales. "Last year, our sales reached 38 million yuan, of which 20 million yuan came from online."
She County (歙县) Huizhou ink (徽墨) has broken away from the single offline sales model, actively embraced the internet, and sold products to all parts of the country and even overseas through multiple platforms. "In recent years, online sales of Huizhou ink (徽墨) have accounted for more than half, becoming a key engine for industrial development." said Wang Xiaojuan (王晓鹃), deputy director of the She County (歙县) Culture, Tourism and Sports Bureau.
In order to better meet the consumption needs of young people, Zhou Jian (周健) continues to work hard on product research and development. He incorporates elements such as zodiac patterns, fish lantern shapes, and cartoon patterns into the design of Huizhou ink (徽墨), and has successively launched hundreds of cultural and creative products. "During the Spring Festival of the Year of the Horse, our 'three-dimensional Tang Horse Ink' was based on the cartoonized image of the Tang Horse and was very popular." Zhou Jian (周健) said.
From guarding the workshop to make ink, to opening the door for research and study, and then to cloud live broadcasts, Zhou Jian (周健) has spent more than ten years revitalizing the century-old factory. Under his leadership, more and more young people have returned to She County (歙县) to inject new vitality into the old craftsmanship. Today, there are more than 600 people engaged in the Huizhou ink (徽墨) industry in She County (歙县), among whom the post-80s and post-90s are the main force.
Return to TopThis newspaper's Kunming (昆明) April 20th dispatch (Reporter Ye Chuanzeng (叶传增)) - This reporter learned from China Southern Power Grid (南方电网公司) that on April 20th, China's first 500 kV cross-border AC interconnection project—the China-Laos 500 kV Interconnection Project—was officially put into operation. This is the largest-scale and highest-voltage-level cross-border power grid project between China and Laos. From now on, the power mutual assistance capacity between China and Laos has jumped from 50,000 kilowatts to 1.5 million kilowatts, and about 3 billion kilowatt-hours of clean energy can be transmitted annually, which is 30 times that of the original line, injecting strong momentum into deepening power cooperation between the two countries and promoting regional green development.
The China-Laos 500 kV Interconnection Project started construction in February 2025, with a transmission line of 177.5 kilometers, connecting Yunnan (云南), China, with Oudomxay Province (乌多姆塞省) and Luang Namtha Province (琅南塔省) in Laos. Based on the differences in energy endowments between the two countries, Chinese and Laotian power companies have innovatively established a "surplus and deficiency mutual assistance" power cooperation mechanism, sending Laos's surplus hydropower to China during the rainy season and China supplementing power to northern Laos during the dry season. By the end of 2025, the total volume of China-Laos electricity trade had exceeded 1.6 billion kilowatt-hours.
Return to TopThis newspaper reported from Beijing on April 20th (Reporter Yu Jingxian (郁静娴)). From January to March this year, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (农业农村部) organized the first quarter of 2026 routine monitoring of the quality and safety of agricultural products. Sampling inspections were conducted on vegetables, fruits, livestock and poultry products, and aquatic products, involving 7,517 samples of 125 varieties in 4 major categories, including 132 parameters, with a monitoring pass rate of 98.5%. Among them, the pass rates for vegetables, fruits, livestock and poultry products, and aquatic products were 98.8%, 96.2%, 99.3%, and 97.7%, respectively.
In response to the problems discovered in the routine monitoring, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (农业农村部), in accordance with the mechanism of immediate inspection and reporting, and immediate reporting and transfer, has transferred the information on unqualified samples to local agricultural and rural departments for timely disposal. In the next step, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (农业农村部) will continue to carry out tackling and governance of key issues related to drug residues in agricultural products, strictly supervise the quality and safety of agricultural products, severely crack down on illegal use of prohibited and restricted drugs, and strictly manage excessive residues of conventional drugs. We will vigorously promote variety improvement, quality improvement, brand building, and standardized production, construct a quality evaluation and grading system for agricultural products, expand the production of green, organic, famous, special, high-quality, and new agricultural products with geographical indications, and increase the supply of green and high-quality agricultural products.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 贾丰丰
In Jiliping Village (吉利坪村), Zizhou County (子洲县), Yulin City (榆林市), Shaanxi Province (陕西省), Li Ning (李宁) and villagers squatted by the fish pond, checking the growth of the fish fry. This entrepreneur, who had worked outside for many years, returned to the village and led the villagers to build 56 mu of fish ponds and 864 mu of high-standard farmland, raising oriental blue crabs and planting organic coarse grains. Last year, the villagers' dividends were 220,000 yuan, and the average annual income increased to 19,000 yuan.
In Yulin (榆林), there are more and more rural talents like Li Ning (李宁), which is inseparable from the 100 talent-led demonstration points for comprehensive rural revitalization built by the local government, promoting the systematic coverage and full-chain efforts of talent work, so that talents become the engine of rural development.
Discovering talents and cultivating new farmers. In Qingjian County (清涧县), Yulin (榆林), Hui Juanjuan (惠娟娟), a post-90s college student, is busy packing and sending agricultural products such as small grains and red plum apricots to other places. Her Qingjian County Shanyuan Northern Shaanxi Specialty Professional Cooperative (清涧县山元陕北特产专业合作社) achieved a sales volume of more than 20 million yuan last year, driving more than 1,200 farmers in the surrounding area to increase their income.
In order to attract young people, Yulin (榆林) has created a "low-threshold, light-asset, high-empowerment" rural e-commerce entrepreneurship support system, integrating regional agricultural product supply chains, jointly building public brands, and providing professional training to promote a group of young entrepreneurs to become new farmers. Yulin (榆林) has attracted more than 600 agricultural entrepreneurs to return to their hometowns to help the comprehensive revitalization of the countryside.
The "field talents" of the countryside are valuable local talents. Liu Jinfei (刘锦飞), the head of the Qiuxiang Planting Farmers Professional Cooperative (秋香种植农民专业合作社) in Yuyang District (榆阳区), Yulin City (榆林市), has been rooted in melon and fruit fields for decades. "In the past, melon planting relied entirely on experience, and the income was unstable," Liu Jinfei (刘锦飞) said. Now he is taking more than a dozen apprentices to teach them seedling cultivation, grafting, and pest and disease control.
Yulin (榆林) has implemented the "Rural Craftsman" professional shaping project, through government certification, skill assessment, and the establishment of master studios, so that technology and income are directly linked. "The government issues certificates, and we are more confident in leading everyone to plant melons scientifically," Liu Jinfei (刘锦飞) said. At present, Yulin (榆林) has cultivated a total of 24,000 high-quality farmers and 76,000 various technical experts.
Introducing talents and building new rural areas. At the Maowusu Desertification Control and Afforestation Base (毛乌素治沙造林基地) in Shenmu City (神木市), Yulin (榆林), Shao Ming'an (邵明安), an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (中国科学院), is squatting in the sand with his team members to check the roots of newly planted Scotch pines.
"In the past, the forest and grass coverage of this sandy land was only 3%. When a strong wind blew, our mouths were full of sand," Shao Ming'an (邵明安) introduced. By promoting dry planting technology, the survival rate of vegetation in sandy land has increased to more than 85%.
Yulin (榆林) focuses on the key technical bottlenecks of characteristic industries such as jujube and potatoes, and flexibly introduces high-level scientific and technological talents through project cooperation and the establishment of workstations. More than 800 high-end talents, including academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering, are deeply involved in the fields, carrying out 164 scientific research projects and promotion projects in agriculture, ecology and other fields, driving 37,000 farmers to increase their income by 860 million yuan.
Serving talents and stimulating enthusiasm for work. Shaanxi Tianqi Biotechnology Co., Ltd. (陕西省天芪生物科技有限责任公司), located in Matigou Town (马蹄沟镇), Zizhou County (子洲县), is one of the 100 talent-led demonstration points for comprehensive rural revitalization in Yulin (榆林). After passing the acceptance in 2024, the company received a one-time working fund support of 200,000 yuan from the municipal finance, and if it passes the assessment in the next 3 years, it can receive another 100,000 yuan in rewards and subsidies each year.
Respecting talents is the only way to retain talents. Yulin (榆林) has built a three-level talent service grid covering cities, counties, and towns, providing one-stop services from project application and financing docking to children's enrollment and medical security. Yulin City (榆林市) provides precise and customized services for different types of experts and talents. Through systematic environmental construction, talents can better take root in the countryside and serve the countryside.
As of now, the 100 talent-led demonstration points for comprehensive rural revitalization in Yulin (榆林) have cumulatively guided more than 1,400 talents of various types to return to their hometowns, helping more than 37,000 families to achieve sustained income growth.
Return to TopThis newspaper reports from Shanghai on April 20th (Reporter Shen Wenmin (沈文敏)) The domestic cruise brand Adora Cruises officially released the product and inaugural season route of its second domestically built large cruise ship, the "Adora Huacheng (爱达·花城号)," and announced that cruise tickets will officially go on sale on May 20th.
At the press conference, Adora Cruises announced the inaugural voyage route of the "Adora Huacheng (爱达·花城号)," which is planned to depart from Guangzhou (广州), Guangdong (广东), for a 6-day, 5-night international cruise to Hong Kong (中国香港) and Hue (Chan May) (顺化（真美）), Vietnam (越南). The inaugural season of the "Adora Huacheng (爱达·花城号)" announced this time covers cruise routes that combine short, medium, and long durations, balancing short leisure trips with medium-to-long-term in-depth exploration.
Adora Cruises stated that it will rely on the successful operating experience of its first domestically built large cruise ship, the "Adora Magic City (爱达·魔都号)," to continue to deepen the innovative model of "cruise + culture." The cruise ship is expected to be delivered in November.
Return to TopBy: 关志鸥
Natural resources are the material foundation, spatial carrier, and energy source for high-quality development. The Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) clearly defined "adhering to coordinated development and security" as a major principle that must be followed and firmly grasped in economic and social development during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period. The "15th Five-Year Plan" proposal emphasized the need to "consolidate the foundation for national security, ensure the safety of food, energy resources, important industrial and supply chains, and major infrastructure, strengthen the exploration, development, and reserves of strategic mineral resources, and improve the intensive and safe utilization of water resources." The "15th Five-Year Plan" outline clearly included "a more consolidated national security barrier" as one of the main goals, requiring the promotion of the modernization of the national security system and capabilities, and the construction of a higher-level Peaceful China. The Party Leadership Group of the Ministry of Natural Resources (自然资源部) firmly implements the overall national security concept, resolutely grasps the construction of national security capabilities in key areas such as food security and energy resource security, and acts as a good "steward" of natural resources and a "guardian" of Beautiful China.
Deeply Understand the Overall National Security Concept and Systematically Summarize the Experience of Resource Security Guarantee
General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) pointed out that "national security is the foundation of national rejuvenation." Natural resources are the foundation of national security for survival, the foundation for development, and the key to security. Food and resource security guarantee basic people's livelihood and economic operation, which are top priorities; ecological security guards the bottom line of harmonious coexistence between man and nature, which is a noble cause that benefits future generations; and the deep sea and polar regions expand strategic new domains, which are related to the overall situation of national development and security. The CPC Central Committee and the State Council issued the "National Land and Space Plan Outline (2021-2035)" (全国国土空间规划纲要（2021—2035年）), requiring the in-depth implementation of the main functional area strategy, the coordinated delineation and strict control of the three control lines of cultivated land and permanent basic farmland, ecological protection red lines, and urban development boundaries, strengthening spatial control such as natural disaster prevention and control, and historical and cultural protection, guarding the natural security boundaries and bottom lines, consolidating the spatial foundation for safe development, and ensuring a new development pattern with a new security pattern.
The Foundation of Food Security is Solid, and the Bottom Line of Energy Resource Security is Firmly Established. "Of all things, eating is the most important." The reason why China (中国) has been able to achieve social stability and peace of mind is that we have food in our hands and are not panicked. Cultivated land is the lifeline of food production and the foundation for the sustainable development of the Chinese nation. "The rice bowl of the Chinese people must be firmly held in their own hands at all times." The Ministry of Natural Resources (自然资源部) has issued 1.865 billion mu of cultivated land and 1.546 billion mu of permanent basic farmland with location, and has implemented the main responsibility for cultivated land protection at all levels, resolutely guarding the foundation of food security. "Mineral resources are an important material foundation for economic and social development, and mineral resource exploration and development are related to the national economy and people's livelihood and national security." The Ministry of Natural Resources (自然资源部) has clarified the strategic bottom line of domestic production and self-sufficiency of important energy resources, implemented a new round of strategic action for breakthrough in mineral exploration, and promoted domestic exploration, development, and increased storage and production of important energy resources.
The Ecological Security Barrier is Continuously Consolidated, and the Background Color of Beautiful China is Brighter. Ecological prosperity leads to civilization, and ecological decline leads to civilization decline. "Ecological and environmental protection is a century-old plan to benefit the people." We must stand at the height of safeguarding national ecological security, the sustainable development of the Chinese nation, and being responsible for human civilization, strengthen ecological protection and restoration, and leave a beautiful ecological space for future generations. The Ministry of Natural Resources (自然资源部) adheres to the priority of ecology and green development, strictly implements the ecological protection red line management system, coordinates the integrated protection and systematic management of mountains, rivers, forests, fields, lakes, and grasslands, continuously improves the natural protected area system with national parks as the main body, strengthens the connection between land and space use control and ecological environment zoning control, improves the ecological protection compensation system, and continuously improves the diversity, stability, and sustainability of ecosystems, and firmly guards the safety bottom line of Beautiful China.
The Strategic New Domain of Deep Sea and Polar Regions is Continuously Expanded, and the National Security Gateway is Increasingly Solid. "The marine cause is related to the survival and development of the nation, and is related to the rise and fall of the country and its safety." The ocean is a strategic place for high-quality development and an important gateway for national security. Its position in safeguarding national sovereignty, security, and development interests is prominent, and we must advance into the ocean. Managing the new domains of the deep sea and polar regions is a strategic cause for the future, which is of great strategic significance for ensuring national security and leading and promoting the high-quality development of the marine economy. The Ministry of Natural Resources (自然资源部) keeps in mind the entrustment of General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平), proceeds from a strategic height and overall vision, adheres to the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind, takes the initiative to shape a good deep-sea and polar security environment, promotes marine science and technology innovation, protects marine biodiversity, resolutely safeguards marine rights and interests, and accelerates the construction of a maritime power.
Focusing on Key Areas, Significant Results Have Been Achieved in Resource Security Guarantee
Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), the Party Leadership Group of the Ministry of Natural Resources (自然资源部) has always adhered to the overall national security concept, and has run national security through all aspects and the entire process of natural resources work, continuously providing a material foundation, spatial carrier, and energy source for high-quality development, focusing on playing the role of resource elements as a "ballast stone" in national security, and achieving positive results in cultivated land protection, mineral security, ecological barriers, deep sea and polar regions, and marine rights and interests.
Strictly Guard the Red Line of Cultivated Land Protection and Hold Firmly the Rice Bowl of Food Security. Practice the concept of "protecting cultivated land like protecting giant pandas" and strictly guard the red line of cultivated land. In terms of system construction, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (农业农村部) jointly issued the "Measures for the Management of the Red Line for the Protection of Permanent Basic Farmland" (永久基本农田保护红线管理办法), establishing a management mechanism for superior entry and inferior exit; the Ministry of Justice (司法部) cooperated to form the "Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection and Quality Improvement of Cultivated Land (Draft)" (中华人民共和国耕地保护和质量提升法（草案）), and submitted it to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (全国人大常委会) for deliberation according to procedures, providing a solid legal guarantee for cultivated land protection. In terms of supervision and management, strictly implement the joint responsibility of the Party and government for cultivated land protection, and scientifically carry out the assessment of the responsibility system for cultivated land protection; continue to carry out natural resource supervision and law enforcement focusing on cultivated land protection, timely discover and severely investigate major violations of laws and regulations, and strictly control the total amount of cultivated land. In terms of comprehensive measures, cooperate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (农业农村部) to coordinate the promotion of high-standard farmland construction and cultivated land quality improvement. We have firmly guarded the 1.8 billion mu of cultivated land red line, adding confidence and confidence to firmly hold the rice bowl of the Chinese people in our own hands.
Strengthen Strategic Mineral Security and Consolidate the Foundation of Energy Security. Strengthen the entire chain of strategic mineral resource exploration, development, and reserves, and build a complete system of "exploration to increase storage, development to ensure supply, and reserves for emergency response." In terms of exploration, deeply promote a new round of strategic action for breakthrough in mineral exploration, organize and implement major national science and technology projects in deep earth, make major progress in mineral exploration, and release new mineral species of high-purity quartz. In terms of development, promote the orderly development of mineral resources and the comprehensive utilization of resource conservation, and promote the stable production and increased production of strategic mineral resources. In terms of reserve emergency response, carry out risk monitoring and early warning of strategic mineral resource security, implement multiple reserve mineral sites in batches, and complete the target tasks of "14th Five-Year Plan" reserve mineral sites. These achievements have further consolidated the national energy resource base and provided a solid material guarantee for the stable development of related industrial chains.
Promote Ecological Environment Governance and Build an Ecological Security Barrier. Adhere to the integrated protection and systematic management of mountains, rivers, forests, fields, lakes, and grasslands, change the multi-headed management and decentralized management of natural ecological elements to unified management, and build a large pattern of protection and management from the top of the mountain to the ocean. During the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, the delineation of national ecological protection red lines was completed, with a delineated area of more than 3.15 million square kilometers, 49 national park candidate areas were laid out, the construction of the first batch of 5 national parks progressed smoothly, and the "Three North" project completed construction tasks of more than 300 million mu, with a forest area of 3.614 billion mu. The mountain and water project completed protection and restoration area of more than 82 million mu; the restoration and management of historical legacy mines area of 3.35 million mu. Except for major national projects, all reclamation of the sea is prohibited, and the construction actions of "Blue Bay", "Beautiful Coast", and "Harmonious and Beautiful Island" are promoted in a coordinated manner. The retention rate of natural coastline on the mainland remains above 35%, the proportion of excellent water quality in national nearshore waters reaches 84.9%, and the mangrove area reaches 475,000 mu.
Participate in Deep Sea and Polar Governance and Actively Expand Strategic New Domains. Continuously improve the ability to safely enter and exit, conduct scientific expeditions, and develop and utilize the deep sea, and continuously improve the ability to understand, protect, and utilize the polar regions. In the deep sea field, China (中国) has 5 exploration contract areas in the international seabed areas of the Eastern Pacific, Western Pacific, and Southwestern Indian Ocean, with an area of approximately 235,000 square kilometers. The types of resources and the number of mining areas rank first in the world. "Jiaolong" (蛟龙号) completed the localization upgrade and successfully conducted its first Arctic dive, and "Fendouzhe" (奋斗者号) and "Shenhai Yongshi" (深海勇士号) realized the integration of detection operations. In the polar field, the Qinling Station (秦岭站) in Antarctica rises in the ice sheet, basically forming a polar expedition support and guarantee pattern of "two ships, seven stations, and one base." China's (中国) Antarctic krill catch and the number of tourists to Antarctica rank second in the world, and the normalized operation of the Arctic commercial new route has initially taken shape.
Tell the Story of China's Ecological Protection and Firmly Safeguard Marine Rights and Interests. Hold the Global Coastal Forum at a high level, release public products such as the Global Coastal Ecosystem Status Report, and share China's (中国) successful experience in ecological civilization construction. With the approval of the State Council (国务院), a new national nature reserve was established on Huangyan Island (黄岩岛), and ecological survey reports (Chinese and English versions) on coral reefs such as Huangyan Island (黄岩岛) and Ren'ai Reef (仁爱礁) were released. Authorized to publicly announce the names of 89 islands and reefs in the South China Sea (南海), 55 seabed place names, and 50 seabed place names in the East China Sea (东海). Continuously operate the South China Sea (南海) and Diaoyu Islands (钓鱼岛) special websites, launch the Diaoyu Islands (钓鱼岛) Digital Museum, release the Diaoyu Islands (钓鱼岛) topographic survey report, and hold historical and sovereignty photo exhibitions of the South China Sea (南海) and Diaoyu Islands (钓鱼岛), fully demonstrating the historical basis for China's (中国) earliest discovery, naming, and continuous development and utilization of the South China Sea Islands and the Diaoyu Islands (钓鱼岛) belonging to China's (中国) inherent territory, and improving the awareness and literacy of all people in safeguarding marine rights and interests.
Anchor the Goal of Chinese-style Modernization and Strive to Create a New Situation in Resource Security
Standing at a new historical starting point, the Ministry of Natural Resources (自然资源部) will take Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as its guide, thoroughly implement the spirit of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, always keep in mind that resource security is a major event, give play to the role of natural resource management and land and space planning "one map", and systematically plan and promote the coordinated placement of resource elements in the grand coordinates of the overall national security concept to help forge practical and useful national security capabilities.
Strengthen the Strict Tone and Continuously Promote the Dual Improvement of Cultivated Land Quantity and Quality. Deepen and refine the task deployment of the "Outline", compile special plans for cultivated land protection and land greening space, coordinate conflicts on the "one map" of natural resource management and land and space planning, scientifically delineate cultivated land and forest and grass protection space, accurately find cultivated land replenishment space, and promote the implementation of cultivated land retention target. Promote the promulgation of the Law on the Protection and Quality Improvement of Cultivated Land and safeguard the red line of cultivated land with the power of the rule of law. Strictly manage the balance of cultivated land occupation and replenishment to ensure that the quantity and quality of replenished cultivated land are equal, and gradually increase the proportion of high-quality cultivated land in permanent basic farmland. Continue to carry out inspections and law enforcement focusing on cultivated land protection, guard every inch of cultivated land, and ensure that the rice bowl of the Chinese people is firmly held in their own hands.
Strengthen Systematic Efforts and Accelerate the Implementation of a New Round of Strategic Action for Breakthrough in Mineral Exploration. Improve the supporting policies for mineral exploration breakthroughs and accelerate the promulgation of the "Regulations on the Implementation of the Mineral Resources Law" to provide legal guarantees for mineral resource exploration and development. Strengthen risk monitoring and early warning of strategic mineral resource security and enhance risk prevention and control capabilities. Formulate a plan to improve exploration, development, and reserve capacity for each mine, implement policies according to different categories, and make precise efforts. Continue to increase domestic exploration and development efforts and promote increased storage and production of strategic mineral resources. Promote green exploration and green mine construction to achieve coordinated development of resource development and ecological protection.
Strengthen Coordinated Governance and Promote the Long-term Protection of Ecosystems in a Coordinated Manner. Persistently promote ecological construction, enhance the diversity, stability, and sustainability of ecosystems, and provide more high-quality ecological products. Comprehensively promote the construction of a natural protected area system with national parks as the main body and build a unified, standardized, and efficient management system. Establish and improve the long-term management mechanism for ecological governance achievements to ensure that a piece is built, managed well, and effective. Implement the project of updating and investigating geological disaster points and risk areas, the project of improving monitoring, early warning, and comprehensive management capabilities, and the project of building a comprehensive marine disaster prevention and control system to effectively protect the lives and property of the people.
Strengthen Support and Guarantees and Continuously Enhance the Ability to Expand Deep Sea and Polar Regions. Implement deep-sea projects to improve the ability to enter, detect, develop, and secure the deep sea. Accelerate the improvement of the development and utilization level of deep-sea mineral resources and genetic resources, promote deep-sea aquaculture, and develop modern distant-water fishing. Enhance the efficiency of polar and ocean scientific expeditions and strengthen the construction of polar scientific expedition station networks and domestic comprehensive support bases. Pragmatically promote the implementation of the "Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea", strive for the secretariat to settle in China, enhance China's (中国) voice and influence in global ocean governance, and continuously expand the strategic space for the development of China's (中国) marine cause.
Strengthen the Community of Shared Future and Steadily Promote the Safeguarding of Marine Rights and Interests and Stability. Improve the mechanism for safeguarding marine rights and interests, improve the cross-departmental and cross-regional coordination and linkage mechanism, form a joint force for safeguarding rights, and build a copper wall and iron wall for border and coastal defense. Continuously promote the construction of guarantee capabilities and comprehensively improve the level of maritime rights protection law enforcement, scientific research and investigation, and disaster prevention and mitigation. Deepen global marine scientific research and investigation, disaster prevention and mitigation, and blue economy cooperation, and promote the in-depth and solid international exchanges and cooperation in the marine field. Actively build the "Belt and Road" maritime cooperation, build a closer blue partnership, and work together to promote the construction of a marine community with a shared future, providing a solid space guarantee for the expansion of the marine cause and the safeguarding of rights and interests.
Grasping the Lifeline of Resources and Consolidating the Foundation of Security is Related to the Steady and Long-term Progress of National Rejuvenation. We will use the responsibility of "success does not have to be in me", the foresight of "preparing for rain everywhere", the sense of responsibility of "always being uneasy", and the execution of "everything is in the bottom of my heart" to guard the red line of cultivated land, ensure mineral security, build ecological barriers, expand the deep sea and polar regions, and safeguard marine rights and interests, with a rock-solid foundation of resource elements, we will focus on escorting the construction of a Peaceful China and contributing to Chinese-style modernization!
(The author is the Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and Minister of the Ministry of Natural Resources (自然资源部党组书记、部长))
Return to TopThis newspaper's Beijing (北京) April 20th dispatch (Reporter Zhang Cong (张璁)) Recently, the Ministry of Justice (司法部), together with the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (生态环境部) and the Ministry of Emergency Management (应急管理部), issued the "Opinions on Correctly Understanding and Applying the Law Enforcement Standards of 'Factory Open Window or Closed Window Production'" (hereinafter referred to as the "Opinions"), directly addressing the pain points strongly reflected by enterprises regarding the "factory open window or closed window production" issue. It guides the grassroots to accurately and standardizedly apply law enforcement standards, promotes law enforcement supervision to strictly adhere to safety and ecological bottom lines, and resolutely eliminates **一刀切** (yī dāo qiē - "one knife cut," a one-size-fits-all approach) mechanical law enforcement.
It is understood that in the special action to standardize administrative law enforcement involving enterprises, some enterprises have reported that law enforcement personnel from some grassroots ecological environment departments and emergency management departments have inconsistent requirements for "factory open window or closed window production" during on-site law enforcement supervision.
The "Opinions" clarify that, from the perspective of ecological and environmental protection, for workplaces involving pollutant emissions, while taking closed or sealed measures and pollutant collection and treatment, exhaust pipes and vents should be set up in accordance with regulations; if it is impossible to close or seal, measures such as using clean raw materials and local waste gas collection and treatment can be taken, and law enforcement personnel must not simply require enterprises to "close windows." From the perspective of safety production, for closed or sealed workplaces, when the emitted hazardous substances exceed the safety threshold, ventilation measures such as fan interlocks should be taken, and law enforcement personnel must not simply require enterprises to "open windows."
The "Opinions" require that ecological environment departments and emergency management departments in various regions should further clarify the specific meaning of law enforcement standards in light of the characteristics of enterprises in different industries and fields, strengthen the training of law enforcement personnel, guide law enforcement personnel to accurately grasp law enforcement requirements, and avoid mechanical law enforcement.
According to reports, the issuance of the "Opinions" this time is to solve the most concerning, most direct, and most realistic problems of enterprises with a "small incision." In the next step, the three departments will continue to track the implementation of the "Opinions," continuously optimize and improve law enforcement standards and coordination mechanisms, strengthen the business training of law enforcement personnel, and ensure that the "Opinions" are implemented effectively.
Return to TopThis newspaper's Beijing (北京) dispatch on April 20th (Reporters Pan Junqiang (潘俊强) and Lin Lili (林丽鹂)) - Recently, the Beijing (北京) Municipal Market Supervision and Administration Bureau issued the "Beijing (北京) Municipal Market Supervision and Administration Bureau's 2026 Comprehensive Optimization of the Business Environment Work Plan." Focusing on improving the development quality of business entities, standard support and leadership capabilities, the quality and efficiency of services for enterprises, the level of market competition governance, and the effectiveness of comprehensive supervision and law enforcement, the plan proposes 25 work measures to help promote the high-quality development of the capital.
The plan proposes to focus on continuously deepening the comprehensive rectification of "involution-style" competition on accommodation and catering platforms, dynamically improving the negative list of "involution-style" competitive behaviors, conducting compliance evaluations and "flying inspections" of key platform enterprises, increasing anti-monopoly and anti-unfair competition law enforcement efforts, guiding enterprises to improve their internal compliance management systems, and promoting win-win development for platform enterprises, platform operators, and new employment form laborers.
The plan proposes to further optimize the service efficiency of electronic seals in the field of market supervision. When food production and operation enterprises handle changes in the business license name or legal representative, they do not need to apply again to automatically synchronize changes to relevant items in the food production license and food business license, realizing "exemption from application and immediate enjoyment, simultaneous processing." Strengthen the sharing of credit repair data such as the list of business anomalies, the list of serious violations of trust, and administrative penalties to achieve "one-time application, simultaneous repair."
At the same time, the plan requires continuous deepening of the integrated reform of registration and registration, promoting the realization of "handling, issuing, and receiving" business licenses in different places throughout the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (京津冀) region; strictly controlling the total amount of inspections, promoting cross-level, cross-regional, and cross-departmental collaborative linkage, and promoting "entering one door, checking multiple items."
Return to TopThis newspaper's Nanchang (南昌) April 20th dispatch (Reporter Zhou Huan (周欢)) - The Jiangxi Provincial Department of Transportation (江西省交通运输厅) recently issued and implemented the "Jiangxi Province Transportation Reasoning-Based Law Enforcement Work Guidelines (Trial Implementation)" (《江西省交通运输说理式执法工作指引（试行）》, hereinafter referred to as the "Work Guidelines"), promoting the province's transportation law enforcement to shift from simple punishment to reasoning and explaining the law, combining education and punishment, and standardizing the entire process of reasoning-based law enforcement before, during, and after the event.
According to reports, "Reasoning-Based Law Enforcement" refers to the law enforcement personnel in the entire process of administrative inspection, administrative punishment, administrative coercion, and other law enforcement activities, focusing on the facts of the case, evidence, procedures, application of law, and exercise of discretionary power, to thoroughly explain the legal principles, explain the rationale, and explain the emotional reasons, integrating legal publicity and education, dispute resolution, and compliance guidance into all aspects of law enforcement, and striving for the understanding, recognition, and cooperation of the administrative counterparties in a flexible law enforcement model.
The "Work Guidelines" clarifies that before making an administrative penalty decision, law enforcement officers must fully fulfill the "three clear explanations," that is, clearly explain the harm of the violation, clearly explain the legal consequences, and clearly explain the channels for relief. In the process of collecting evidence related to the facts of the case, law enforcement officers should collect favorable evidence clues related to the reduction, mitigation, or non-imposition of penalties for the parties concerned, and promptly inform the parties concerned.
It is worth noting that the "Work Guidelines" requires that when serving the "Administrative Penalty Decision Letter" (《行政处罚决定书》), except in special circumstances, the "Credit Repair Notice Letter" (《信用修复告知书》) and the "Enterprise Compliance Construction Recommendation Letter" (《企业合规建设建议书》) should be served simultaneously in principle to achieve "simultaneous delivery of three letters." Among them, the "Credit Repair Notice Letter" should inform the parties concerned of the website for publicizing administrative penalty information, the publicity period, and the specific procedures for credit repair; the "Enterprise Compliance Construction Recommendation Letter" proposes targeted compliance operation suggestions and risk prevention tips for the weak links and risk points existing in the enterprise's operation and management, safety production, and system construction, so as to prevent violations again from the source.
In addition, the "Work Guidelines" also requires conducting follow-up visits to the parties concerned who have been subject to administrative penalties to understand their degree of understanding of the illegal behavior, the implementation of rectification measures, and the legal difficulties encountered in production and operation, and to listen to their satisfaction evaluation of the standardization of the law enforcement process, the applicable laws and regulations, and the discretionary power benchmark.
Return to TopThis newspaper reported from Hong Kong on April 20th (Reporter Chen Ran (陈然)) - The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (香港特区) Government's Inter-departmental Working Group on Festival Arrangements held a meeting on the 20th to deploy various government departments to prepare for receiving visitors to Hong Kong during the Mainland's "May Day" holiday. The Immigration Department (入境事务处) estimates that approximately 980,000 Mainland tourists will enter Hong Kong through various sea, land, and air control points during the holiday, an increase of approximately 7% compared to 2025.
The Chief Secretary for Administration of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, Chan Kwok-ki (陈国基), chaired the meeting that day, stating that the number of visitors to Hong Kong is expected to increase during the Mainland's "May Day" holiday. The SAR Government will make preparations to receive visitors to Hong Kong, maintain close contact with relevant organizations and the tourism industry, manage crowd flow, release information, arrange public transportation and various ports, and respond quickly to various emergencies to ensure that all aspects of receiving visitors can operate smoothly and provide a high-quality experience for visitors to Hong Kong.
The Travel Industry Regulatory Authority (旅游业监管局) and the industry estimate that approximately 770 Mainland tour groups will enter Hong Kong during the "May Day" holiday.
To ease the flow of people and vehicles, port departments have reduced frontline staff leave to flexibly allocate manpower and will add inspection counters, temporary counters, and channels. MTR Corporation (港铁公司) will strengthen train services at different times from April 30th to May 5th. The Transport Department (运输署) of the SAR Government has formulated contingency plans and will implement special traffic management arrangements at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (港珠澳大桥) Port, Lok Ma Chau (落马洲)/Huanggang (皇岗) Port, and Shenzhen Bay (深圳湾) Port when necessary, including the activation of dedicated public transport lanes.
The Hong Kong Tourism Board (香港旅游发展局) will also launch a tourism information page to strengthen the promotion of Hong Kong tourism in the Mainland, hoping to attract tourists to visit Hong Kong, extend their stay, and promote consumption.
Return to TopDisciplinary inspection and supervision organs at all levels have focused their supervision on the urgent needs and difficulties of the people, continuously deepened the centralized rectification of unhealthy tendencies and corruption problems around the people, and used measures such as "people's problem-pointing," pressing down on responsibilities, and connecting "investigation, rectification, and governance" to brighten the supervision "probe" and broaden supervision channels. They use precise supervision to help handle practical matters for the people, so that the people's sense of gain is more adequate, their sense of happiness is more sustainable, and their sense of security is more guaranteed.
Return to TopNanning, April 20 (People's Daily) -- (Reporter Pang Ge Ping (庞革平)) The reporter learned from the Public Security Department of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (广西壮族自治区公安厅): Recently, Guangxi launched the "Spring Thunder" No. 3 centralized network collection operation to crack down severely on prominent illegal and criminal activities involving border crossings, smuggling, and other related crimes. According to statistics, this network collection operation has cumulatively arrested 872 criminal suspects, cracked down on 53 smuggling and illegal immigration gangs, seized 247 vehicles and 23 ships involved in the case, and seized a batch of smuggled frozen products, cigarettes, and alcohol, involving an amount of 53.8929 million yuan.
In order to severely crack down on illegal and criminal activities such as crossing national (border) boundaries, smuggling, and destroying border blocking facilities, Guangxi has launched new online measures to report illegal and criminal activities involving borders, and widely mobilized the masses to participate in border security governance by releasing a dedicated QR code. "We have established a special working group for QR code reporting. The scanning platform is open 24 hours a day. Once a report is received, the police will take immediate action. From the issuance of clues to on-site verification and disposal, it can be completed in as little as a few minutes," said Lu Tong (陆通), deputy director of the Intelligence Command Center of the Fangchenggang (防城港市) Public Security Bureau. "This move has improved the efficiency and coverage of clue collection, and has played an important role in effectively cracking down on illegal and criminal activities involving borders."
Since January of this year, all levels of departments in Guangxi have carried out two rounds of special actions, "Spring Thunder" No. 1 centralized network collection and "Spring Thunder" No. 2 centralized investigation, to crack down severely on prominent illegal and criminal activities involving borders with a high-pressure posture, and to fully maintain border tranquility and maritime security and stability.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 王云娜
"The "15th Five-Year Plan"纲要 proposes: "Strengthen economic, trade, scientific, technological, cultural, and other cooperation between Hong Kong, Macao, and the mainland, and improve policies and measures to facilitate Hong Kong and Macao residents' development and life in the mainland." "Strengthen exchanges among young people and at the grassroots level, and continue to create better conditions for Taiwan youth to pursue, build, and realize their dreams in the mainland." More and more young people from Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan are sowing the seeds of their dreams in the vast fertile land of the motherland, integrating their personal ideals into the tide of the times, and, with the support of various policies, writing vivid entrepreneurial stories. Through their struggles, we can understand their patriotic feelings of advancing together with the motherland.
——Editor
"Hi! Would you like a freshly made ice cream?" On the screen of an ice cream robot in Longtan Park (龙潭公园), Longgang District (龙岗区), Shenzhen (深圳市), Guangdong Province (广东省), a virtual cartoon character "store manager" is enthusiastically greeting visitors.
Ms. Li (李女士) brought her 6-year-old son, Xiaojie (小杰), to try it out. Scan the code, select the flavor, pay, and the small white robotic arm operates flexibly, taking a cup and placing it under the dispensing nozzle. Gently rotating the cup, the ice cream is stacked into a torch shape. In less than 30 seconds, an ice cream is made and sent to the dispensing port.
This ice cream robot, equipped with AI (Artificial Intelligence) interaction technology, is the latest achievement of Lun Wenjing (伦雯靖), a post-00s girl from Hong Kong, in starting a business in Shenzhen. It has already been launched in Guangming District (光明区), Longgang District (龙岗区), Longhua District (龙华区), and Futian District (福田区). Since conceiving the idea of starting a business in 2022, to developing unmanned coffee kiosks and ice cream robots, she has dared to think, dare to try, and dare to venture, deeply cultivating the field of intelligent unmanned retail mechanical equipment in this innovative fertile land of Shenzhen, pursuing her entrepreneurial dream.
"You can't just assume or make decisions on a whim; you have to identify the right needs."
In Guangming District (光明区), Shenzhen (深圳市), the production workshop of Shenzhen Chuangjie Zhilian Technology Co., Ltd. (深圳市创界智联科技有限公司), founded by Lun Wenjing (伦雯靖), is filled with the roar of machinery.
"The logic and principle of the ice cream robot and the unmanned coffee kiosk are basically the same. They rely on a complete set of algorithms to accurately schedule hundreds of parts. We have applied for more than 20 invention patents." Born in 2001, Lun Wenjing (伦雯靖) speaks eloquently about her products.
Why did she choose to start a business in Shenzhen? In the summer of 2020, Lun Wenjing (伦雯靖) became a student in the Department of Economics at Shenzhen University (深圳大学). Shenzhen University (深圳大学) has a strong entrepreneurial atmosphere. In addition to her studies, she thought most about finding entrepreneurial opportunities. As a freshman, she participated in the school's entrepreneurship competition, accumulating experience and broadening her horizons through competitions.
In 2022, as a sophomore, Lun Wenjing (伦雯靖) had an idea while drinking coffee: Guangdong's (广东) robot industry is booming, and robotic arms have long been used in intelligent manufacturing. Could these "never-tiring" robotic arms be moved to the tea and beverage industry? The idea of building an unmanned coffee kiosk took root.
Could this path work? Lun Wenjing (伦雯靖) was unsure. "You can't just assume or make decisions on a whim; you have to identify the right needs." After thinking it over, she decided to work part-time in a tea and beverage shop to understand the market.
Every weekend, Lun Wenjing (伦雯靖) worked part-time in a popular tea and beverage shop in downtown Shenzhen (深圳市). Taking orders, making drinks, and delivering meals, she mastered everything. In her day-to-day work, she figured out every step of drink making.
It's difficult to go it alone in entrepreneurship. Where would the team come from?
Lun Wenjing (伦雯靖) thought of the partners she had met in the entrepreneurship competition and contacted them one by one. With a passion and clear plan, she quickly found like-minded partners and formed a professional and complementary team, spanning computer science, power machinery, news communication, and other disciplines. Everyone had clear responsibilities.
The school also provided assistance. In 2022, Shenzhen University's (深圳大学) Entrepreneurship Park solicited incubation projects, and Lun Wenjing's (伦雯靖) unmanned coffee kiosk project stood out from more than 70 projects. Free space, free water and electricity, and free WiFi saved the team a lot of expenses.
Research and development of products requires capital investment. Initially, Lun Wenjing's (伦雯靖) team of partners raised 1 million yuan with personal funds, but it was still a drop in the bucket. Just as she was worried about money, a new partner arrived - Pei Yicheng (裴意诚), who had also participated in the school's entrepreneurship competition, was a graduate of Shenzhen University's (深圳大学) computer science program. Also a post-00s, he was very optimistic about Lun Wenjing's (伦雯靖) project and understood the cutting-edge technology of artificial intelligence, so he joined with funding and led the technical research and development.
"Complete industry chain, good policies, and support, the Greater Bay Area is especially friendly to 'newbie entrepreneurs'."
Technical breakthroughs are full of challenges. After solving the problem of funding, Lun Wenjing (伦雯靖) still faced R&D challenges.
How many seconds to brew coffee, how many shakes for milk tea, how much syrup to add? She was familiar with these things. But to get the machine to do it, she had to turn the manual steps into lines of code and give instructions to the machine.
In addition, the robotic arm had to gently pick up an empty cup, steadily place it on the cup dispenser, cover the lid, and then send it to the dispensing port. A series of actions not only tested the stability of a single operation, but also tested the coordination of parts. Even half a mistake was not allowed.
"In order to successfully implement the idea, the technical team threw themselves into the laboratory, working day and night on drawings and code," Pei Yicheng (裴意诚) recalled. To write a set of algorithm programs, the parameters needed to be adjusted repeatedly, some even hundreds of times.
The algorithm had to be self-developed, and the parts had to be carefully selected. Whenever they had time, they had to find parts suppliers. Thanks to the complete industrial support in the Greater Bay Area (大湾区), they could find everything they wanted, which saved the team a lot of trouble.
"From Shenzhen (深圳) to factories in Dongguan (东莞), Huizhou (惠州), and other places, the drive is only a little over an hour, which greatly reduces the docking time and transportation costs. Suppliers also respond quickly. Once, we raised a demand in the morning and received samples the next day," said Lun Wenjing (伦雯靖). In May 2023, the team assembled a sample of the unmanned coffee kiosk in the laboratory and continued to debug it, basically realizing the key idea of intelligent coffee making.
To turn the product into a commodity, Lun Wenjing (伦雯靖) began planning to establish a company in the second half of 2023. When looking for a site, she connected with various parties and repeatedly inspected, and initially selected Guangming District (光明区), Shenzhen (深圳市).
"Guangming District (光明区) has a lot of support for start-ups," said Lun Wenjing (伦雯靖). The Guangming District (光明区) Science and Technology Innovation Service Center has created a Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Macao Youth Innovation and Entrepreneurship Base, introducing professional incubators. After settling in, you can enjoy professional entrepreneurial guidance, 3 years of free rent for office space, and start-up funds.
In September of that year, Lun Wenjing (伦雯靖) rented a 200-square-meter office in the entrepreneurship base for free and registered Shenzhen Chuangjie Zhilian Technology Co., Ltd. (深圳市创界智联科技有限公司).
Rooted in Guangming District (光明区), the team also gained a lot of resources. In November of that year, the China International High-Tech Achievements Fair (hereinafter referred to as "CHTF") was held in Guangming District (光明区). With the help of the Guangming District (光明区) Science and Technology Innovation Bureau and the Commerce Bureau, Chuangjie Zhilian (创界智联) obtained a free booth. The company's 1.0 version of the unmanned coffee kiosk sample was successfully unveiled.
"Complete industry chain, good policies, and support, the Greater Bay Area (大湾区) is especially friendly to 'newbie entrepreneurs'," Lun Wenjing (伦雯靖) said with emotion. She and her team worked hard to continuously polish their technology and launch new products. In July 2025, the team launched the 5.0 version of the unmanned coffee kiosk and achieved mass production. This product can automatically make 3 drinks at the same time, with each drink taking about 70 seconds to make. In addition, this coffee kiosk also added a new AI interactive function. The virtual store manager carefully designed by the team can communicate with consumers.
"Customers and suppliers become partners, and products are sold farther and farther."
"Only after starting a business did I understand what it means to see the light at the end of the tunnel," Lun Wenjing (伦雯靖) told reporters. Whenever funds were running low or products encountered bottlenecks, there was always a turnaround.
In July 2025, just as the 5.0 version of the unmanned coffee kiosk was launched, a company in Huizhou (惠州) took the initiative to come to them and ordered 25 units in one go, to be placed in pedestrian streets and other cultural and tourism venues. This was the largest order the company had received since its establishment, worth 6 million yuan, injecting fresh capital into the company's dwindling funds.
New challenges also followed. "In the past, the products were all indoors. Suddenly moving them outdoors, without shelter, exposed to wind, sun, rain, and typhoons and high temperatures. Could the products withstand the test?" Lun Wenjing (伦雯靖) was worried.
She had to bite the bullet. Lun Wenjing (伦雯靖) and Pei Yicheng (裴意诚) took the products to the site and solved the problems on the spot: if rainwater easily seeped in during typhoons, they would thicken the waterproof coating on the body; if the surface temperature reached 60 degrees Celsius or more in high temperatures and the screen frequently "went on strike," they would immediately contact the manufacturer and replace it with a high-temperature-resistant screen that day.
It was also at this time that Lun Wenjing (伦雯靖) realized the bottleneck: if the products were launched in batches in the future, on-site operation and maintenance would be key, and the team lacked this type of talent.
Just as she was at a loss, Hong Zhaolong (洪兆龙) took the initiative to come to her.
Born in 1997, Hong Zhaolong (洪兆龙) is also an alumnus of Shenzhen University (深大) and had previously started a business in the convenience store field. Hong Zhaolong's (洪兆龙) joining filled the company's shortcomings in market operation.
"The coffee kiosk needs to be cleaned and refilled every day, and on-site operation and maintenance must be standardized." After Hong Zhaolong (洪兆龙) joined, he and the team sorted out 7 major items and 163 minor items of operation and maintenance content, giving the operation and maintenance work a unified template, and the standard was upgraded again.
Soon, a company in Jilin (吉林) came to them, hoping that Chuangjie Zhilian (创界智联) would refer to the unmanned coffee kiosk model to customize a Chinese herbal medicine health drink machine and an ice cream robot.
General-purpose parts could not meet the customized needs and had to be tailored. To this end, Lun Wenjing (伦雯靖) contacted many suppliers. Finally, a supplier from Shenliang Group (深粮集团) Gongming Industrial Park (公明工业园) in Guangming District (光明区) was moved and joined the team, specializing in customizing exclusive parts for the ice cream robot. On the other hand, Pei Yicheng (裴意诚) led the technical team to develop exclusive technologies such as the Internet of Things development system.
Soon, 4 customized ice cream robots were successfully developed and put into use in Changchun City (长春市), Jilin Province (吉林省). Lun Wenjing (伦雯靖) led a team to the local area to follow up on the operation. Field research found that the ice cream robot was very popular and could sell hundreds of cups a day.
This field trip allowed Lun Wenjing (伦雯靖) to keenly capture business opportunities. At the CHTF in November 2025, the team exhibited the ice cream robot. The ice cream, priced at 9.9 yuan to 12.9 yuan per cup, had sales of more than 6,000 yuan in 3 days, and its market potential was fully verified.
While the iron was hot, the team quickly expanded the ice cream robot business. Today, 10 parks in Shenzhen (深圳) can see this robot, each with its own unique appearance and virtual image.
Hong Zhaolong (洪兆龙) has calculated a detailed account: from April this year, relying on the income from the ice cream robot, the company's monthly turnover will be stable at more than 400,000 yuan. After deducting costs, it can finally gain a foothold and support the team.
"On the road to entrepreneurship, we have gone through wind and rain, but the team has grown all the way. Customers and suppliers have become partners, and products are sold farther and farther, which is very wonderful!" Lun Wenjing (伦雯靖) said with emotion, "This hot land allows creativity to grow freely. In the future, we will continue to take root in Shenzhen (深圳)."
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 王 沛
Bathed in the splendor of spring, the skies above the Weifang World Kite Park (潍坊世界风筝公园) in Shandong (山东) once again welcome a multitude of kites. From April 18th to 19th, the 43rd Weifang International Kite Festival (潍坊国际风筝会) was held here, attracting 260 kite enthusiast teams from 57 countries and regions. "This year, each venue of the Kite Festival has set up professional flying areas and free flying areas, so citizens and tourists can also fly their own kites," said Shi Yue (石岳), Secretary-General of the Weifang Kite Association (潍坊风筝协会).
Flying a kite seems simple, but it actually hides many safety hazards, and accidents can happen with the slightest negligence. Recently, Mr. Pan (盘先生) from Nanchong (南充), Sichuan (四川), was riding a motorcycle with his wife when they were knocked down and injured because they failed to avoid a kite string in time. Mr. Pan's face was cut with three obvious wounds.
The most common safety hazard is kite string, which can easily cut people. Chen Yutong (陈语彤), a police officer from the Weifang Public Security Bureau (潍坊市公安局), explained that kite strings are now mostly made of high-strength materials, such as the commonly available nylon and Kevlar lines. With a diameter of only 0.2-0.5 mm, they have extremely high tensile strength when taut, and their cutting power is comparable to that of a knife. Once hooked on trees, they form an aerial barrier, posing a threat to the safety of cyclists or runners. Therefore, when flying a kite, be sure to choose an open and flat area, away from densely populated areas. Once the kite string is entangled in buildings or trees, be sure to deal with it in a timely manner, cut the rope and clean it up.
Electrical safety hazards should also not be ignored. Chen Yutong (陈语彤) reminded that when flying a kite, be sure to stay away from high-voltage towers and substations. Once a high-flying kite touches a high-voltage line or becomes entangled in a power line, it can easily cause short circuits and tripping, causing power outages in the surrounding area. In this case, blindly pulling may cause electric shock accidents or even fire. If the above situation occurs, report it to the power supply bureau and other management departments in a timely manner, and wait for professional personnel to remove the kite.
In addition to preventing accidents, personal safety protection is also important. Chen Yutong (陈语彤) reminded that when flying a kite, be sure to wear gloves to prevent being cut by the kite string. At the same time, pay attention to changes in the weather. When the wind force exceeds level 3, the kite is very likely to lose control. Therefore, when the wind increases, take in the line in time and do not blindly pursue height.
Return to TopBy: 本报通讯员 关鹏玉
With the continuous deepening of the coordinated development of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (京津冀), the coordinated development of the three regions' elderly care industries is steadily advancing.
Chengde City (承德市), Hebei Province (河北省), is accelerating the promotion of professional layout adjustments, encouraging and supporting vocational colleges in Chengde City (承德市) to open relevant majors, deeply promoting the integration of industry and education, comprehensively improving the quality of talent cultivation, and proactively responding to the aging of the population.
The effective exploration of Chengde Applied Technology Vocational College (承德应用技术职业学院) in the cultivation of elderly care service talents is a vivid microcosm of Chengde's vigorous development of talent cultivation related to elderly care services and management. The school has organized sophomores majoring in smart health elderly care service and management to go to Beijing Shoukai Cunchao Elderly Care Service Co., Ltd. (北京首开寸草养老服务有限公司) for enterprise practice during winter vacation for four consecutive years, allowing students to use their professional knowledge to care for the elderly.
These young students use their young shoulders to shoulder the responsibility of guarding the "sunset glow," and also inject the dual momentum of "wisdom" and "emotion" into the traditional elderly care industry.
"Textbooks only teach standard actions, but every elderly person needs exclusive emotional service." Zhao Yanchao (赵艳超), a graduate of the school who interned at the Yanqing District Cunchao Chunhui Elderly Care Service Center (延庆区寸草春晖养老服务中心) affiliated to the company, recalled that when faced with demented elderly people who were unwilling to eat, she opened her mouth wide to demonstrate chewing and used exaggerated expressions to guide the elderly to imitate. When the elderly finally swallowed a mouthful of rice, a senior caregiver next to her gave her an approving look. Behind this "stupid method" is the young caregiver's delicate insight into the psychology of the elderly.
Walking into the intelligent elderly care training room of Chengde Applied Technology Vocational College (承德应用技术职业学院), students are operating massage robots, cognitive impairment prevention and intervention robots, and other equipment.
"From traditional nursing to the integration of intelligent nursing, this is the future of the industry." Guo Xiaowei (郭晓薇), director of the School of Business and Trade Management of Chengde Applied Technology Vocational College (承德应用技术职业学院), introduced that in 2021, the Ministry of Education changed the major of "Elderly Service and Management" to "Smart Health Elderly Service and Management." According to this deployment, the school has increased the proportion of teaching content such as smart elderly care equipment operation and health elderly care big data application.
Graduates like Zhao Yanchao (赵艳超) have become "hot commodities" in the job market. Guo Xiaowei (郭晓薇) revealed: "Elderly care institutions are rushing to recruit people, and graduates have an average of 5 job offer letters in hand." The major plans to enroll more than 290 students in 2026, which is nearly 10 times the number of the first class.
At present, Chengde Applied Technology Vocational College (承德应用技术职业学院) has established a "customized training, direct school-to-job" cooperation model with more than 20 high-quality elderly care institutions in Beijing (北京) and Tianjin (天津). Enterprise experts participate in lesson plan design and classroom teaching, and students can participate in elderly care service scenario training while in school.
"The school is closely following the development opportunities of an aging society, focusing on the needs of elderly care services, and striving to build a smart health elderly care professional group, using professional construction to help the development of the local elderly care industry," said Jiang Lixin (姜立新), secretary of the Party Committee of Chengde Applied Technology Vocational College (承德应用技术职业学院).
According to the relevant person in charge of the Vocational and Adult Education Section of the Chengde Municipal Education Bureau (承德市教育局职成教科), at present, 3 universities including Chengde Applied Technology Vocational College (承德应用技术职业学院) and 11 secondary vocational schools including Fengning Manchu Autonomous County Vocational Education Center (丰宁满族自治县职教中心) in the city have opened 14 elderly care-related majors such as smart health elderly care service and management, elderly health care and management, traditional Chinese medicine rehabilitation technology, and domestic service, cultivating more than 2,400 relevant talents every year. Many colleges and universities are working with a number of well-known elderly care service companies in Beijing (北京) to jointly implement a talent cultivation integration plan. In the past 5 years, 14 schools have carried out relevant training for more than 10,000 people, and more than 1,500 students have obtained 1+X elderly care and maternal and infant care vocational skill level certificates.
The continuously improving quality of elderly care service talents has effectively promoted the development of the elderly care industry in Chengde City (承德市). In the past 5 years, Chengde (承德) has implemented a total of 72 collaborative elderly care demonstration projects, and more than 100,000 elderly people from Beijing (北京) and Tianjin (天津) come to Chengde (承德) for health and elderly care every year.
Return to TopThis newspaper reported from Beijing on April 20th (Reporter Pan Junqiang (潘俊强)) To meet the needs of university students and other young people to learn skills and improve their employment competitiveness, and to alleviate the structural employment contradiction of "**有人没活干、有活没人干**" (yǒu rén méi huó gàn, yǒu huó méi rén gàn - "some people have no work, some work has no people," mismatch between available jobs and qualified workers), in October 2025, Beijing launched the first university technician class at Beijing Electronic Information Technician College (北京电子信息技师学院) for unemployed university graduates in the city. It cooperated with 3 key enterprises in the integrated circuit field to carry out order-based joint training, and comprehensively cultivated "knowledge + skills" compound talents through the "school-enterprise co-education, work-study integration" training model.
After more than half a year of study, the students in this class have successfully passed the electrician senior worker assessment and will conduct two-way selection with cooperative enterprises to enter the internship stage. After the internship, students who meet the conditions can stay directly.
This year, the Beijing Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau (北京市人社局) will continue to open 6 full-time university technician classes, with majors covering intelligent manufacturing technology application, biopharmaceutical, multimedia production (all-media operator direction), electronic technology application (integrated circuit technology direction), automobile maintenance (new energy vehicle field engineer direction) and other directions. The technician class is mainly aimed at unemployed university graduates in Beijing (北京), taking into account unemployed university graduates in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (京津冀) coordinated development area and counterpart support areas, requiring a university junior college degree or above, and the major studied should in principle be in line with the scope of the enrollment major. These 6 university technician classes all adopt full-time education and teaching, with a 2-year academic system, including 1 year of on-campus study and 1 year of cooperative enterprise internship. Upon graduation, they can obtain a graduation certificate from a technical school and a vocational skill level certificate of the corresponding occupational type of work, and are recommended for employment.
In response to the characteristics of university graduates and other young people, this year the Beijing Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau (北京市人社局) also opened 21 short-term training projects in some technical schools and the "production-education-evaluation" skill ecosystem chain. Among them, technical schools opened 9 training projects, including aerospace precision manufacturing, network and information security, information communication network operation + Internet marketing, intelligent building management, jewelry appraisal and marketing, fashion technology, Western pastry and other majors, which will be dynamically adjusted according to the actual situation.
Return to TopAt the centralized diagnosis and treatment point in Juandongmen Village, Lijia Town, Shunqing District, Nanchong City, Sichuan Province, medical personnel from the local central health center's mobile medical team are providing common disease diagnosis and treatment services for villagers. In recent years, Shunqing District has focused on the pain points of rural people having difficulty seeing doctors and accessing medical treatment, innovatively promoting the "mobile medical + " service model, forming professional mobile medical teams, creating "mobile micro-clinics," and carrying out routine medical patrols.
Li Tao (黎涛) photographed (Image China)
Return to TopHarbin, April 20th (People's Daily reporter Fang Yuan (方圆)) - The Heilongjiang Provincial Drug Administration (黑龙江省药品监督管理局) recently officially issued the "Guiding Opinions on Setting up Self-service Drug Vending Machines by Heilongjiang Province Pharmaceutical Retail Enterprises" and the "Guiding Opinions on Setting up Automatic Medical Device Vending Machines by Heilongjiang Province Medical Device Operating Enterprises," providing clear standards and basis for pharmaceutical (medical device) operating enterprises in the province to expand their service models through automatic drug (medical device) vending machines.
The opinions have made detailed provisions on the access conditions, sales restrictions, equipment requirements, sales management, information traceability, after-sales service, and safety measures of self-service drug (medical device) vending machines, ensuring that convenient services and quality and safety supervision are in place simultaneously. This will effectively promote the industry to move towards a more convenient, intelligent, and efficient direction, and build a safe, reliable, convenient, and worry-free new environment for the public to purchase drugs and medical devices.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 窦瀚洋
"Hello, is this the police? There's a child here, and we don't know where his home is." "He's about 4 years old and in the junior class of kindergarten"...
In Haining City (海宁市), Jiaxing (嘉兴), Zhejiang (浙江) Province, the Haining City Public Security Bureau (海宁市公安局) Intelligence Command Center received a special police call. The voice on the other end of the phone sounded a bit childish. The caller's name was Li Yifeng (黎艺枫), and he is only 10 years old this year. What exactly happened?
It turned out that at more than 8 o'clock that night, Li Yifeng (黎艺枫), as usual, was playing with his friends near his own shop. At this time, a little boy riding a children's car caught his attention. "I saw him crying all the time, and there were no adults around, so he might be lost," Li Yifeng (黎艺枫) said. The little boy's face was red from crying, and he kept calling for his mother.
Li Yifeng (黎艺枫) and his friends hurried forward, squatted down, and while comforting the little boy, softly asked, "Little brother, where are your mom and dad?" The anxious and scared child couldn't say his home address for a while, nor could he remember his parents' phone number.
After discussion, several friends decided to start searching from the surrounding area. They led the little boy and asked the nearby shopkeepers one by one, but no one recognized him. After a fruitless search, Li Yifeng (黎艺枫) decisively raised his wrist and used his children's phone watch to dial the "110" police number, which led to the opening scene.
On the phone, Li Yifeng (黎艺枫) clearly reported his location. The police instructed the children to wait in place, and he took the little boy to a safe area by the side of the road. Immediately after receiving the call, the police dispatched a drone to help search. Five minutes later, the police from the nearby Maqiao Police Station (马桥派出所) also arrived at the scene.
In fact, before Li Yifeng (黎艺枫) called the police, the little boy's father had also called the police. It turned out that the little boy took advantage of his parents' inattention and rode out of the community by himself, which is how he got lost. After the police station confirmed the little boy's identity, they immediately notified the little boy's father, who was still anxiously searching in the community, and the father and son were soon reunited.
Before leaving, Li Yifeng (黎艺枫) and his friends repeatedly told the little boy's father: "Uncle, don't hit him or scold him, he is the flower of the motherland."
On the morning of April 16, the police from the Maqiao Police Station (马桥派出所) came to Xincang Central Primary School (新仓中心小学) in Dingqiao Town (丁桥镇), where Li Yifeng (黎艺枫) studies, to hold a small but grand commendation ceremony for him. Holding the golden certificate of honor, Li Yifeng (黎艺枫) said proudly: "What I did was great, and now the whole school knows about it."
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 游 仪
Headline Highlights:
In order to protect the Yangtze River (长江) ecology, Yibin (宜宾), Sichuan (四川) is relocating or closing down riverside enterprises as a whole. Based on the local climate and combined with the flowering period, the Minjiang Flower Sea (岷江花海) is being built on the old factory site. The flower sea has not only become a beautiful scenic line in the local area, but also promoted the development of related industries.
Yibin (宜宾), Sichuan (四川), on the bank of the Minjiang River (岷江), facing Cuiping Mountain (翠屏山) across the river, roses are layered on top of each other, interwoven with light pink and peach red, spreading along the riverbank. Citizens in groups of three or five walk through the flowers, and from time to time children run with kites on the flower-lined paths. The river breeze is gentle, the flower waves rise and fall, and many tourists hold up their mobile phones to capture brilliant smiles in the lens.
This is the old site of the Yibin Paper Mill (宜宾造纸厂). In the practice of "jointly grasping major protection, not engaging in large-scale development" and building a solid ecological barrier in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River (长江), the local area has relocated riverside enterprises, promoted ecological restoration, and launched the Minjiang Flower Sea (岷江花海) project. The continuous flower sea has become a vivid footnote to the integration and co-existence of ecological protection and urban construction.
After the riverside enterprises moved away, the name of the Minjiang Flower Sea (岷江花海) gradually spread.
After dinner, 55-year-old resident Zhu Yaxi (朱亚西), who lives nearby, always likes to go to the Minjiang Flower Sea (岷江花海) for a walk.
Zhu Yaxi (朱亚西) used to be an employee of the Yibin Paper Mill (宜宾造纸厂). In her memory, more than 10 years ago, riverside paper mills, chemical plants and other enterprises were densely packed, "For the sake of convenient transportation and easy access to water, factories were built around the river, and sewage with black foam was discharged into the river."
To protect the ecology, we must move. In 2012, Yibin Paper Mill (宜宾造纸厂) began to implement overall relocation, and finally moved to Peishi Light Industrial Park (裴石轻工业园区) in Nanxi District (南溪区). In recent years, 197 riverside enterprises in Yibin (宜宾) have been relocated or closed down as a whole, and 5.61 kilometers of production coastline have been withdrawn. Yibin City (宜宾市) has invested nearly 6 billion yuan to implement the "retreat from the city into the park" of polluting enterprises along the river, and is committed to solving the problem of factories surrounding the river.
"The Yangtze River (长江) water is clear, we have seen this change in our eyes and are happy in our hearts," Zhu Yaxi (朱亚西) said, "The neighbors are also thinking, if we can make good use of the abandoned land after the relocation, it would be even better if everyone could go to the river more often."
An attempt to plant flowers opened up ideas.
In July 2023, with the idea of giving it a try, the Cuiping District (翠屏区) Municipal and Landscaping Management Center planted a large area of sunflowers in the central lawn. "At that time, I felt that this piece of land was idle anyway, so it would be better to plant flowers," said Peng Xu (彭煦), director of the Industrial Development Section of the Cuiping District (翠屏区) Urban Greening Project Center. Unexpectedly, the sunflower flower sea became popular, and many citizens came to take pictures. "The name Minjiang Flower Sea (岷江花海) gradually spread like this."
Gradually, flowers bloomed on the old factory site. The 31,000-square-meter central flower sea landscape has not only become an important ecological landscape in Yibin (宜宾), but also made the local practice of the Yangtze River (长江) major protection have an exploration sample of "solving problems with flowers."
The flower sea landscape is improved, and there are flowers to accompany you in different seasons.
Flowering has its seasons, and the landscape improvement of the flower sea is also carried out according to the flowering period.
Recently, the construction site of "Minjiang Small Flower Sea (岷江小花海)" is in full swing. Garden workers are busy transplanting pink sage seedlings to the flower fields. "The Minjiang Flower Sea (岷江花海) covers 120,000 square meters of flowering shrubs and green space. This small flower sea is specially built for seasonal flowers, with an area of 7,000 square meters," Peng Xu (彭煦) said. When the pink sage is in full bloom in summer, the Minjiang Flower Sea (岷江花海) will change from the current pink main color to a pink and purple flower sea.
Cuiping District (翠屏区) is based on local climatic conditions and combined with the flowering period to carry out plant variety screening. "There are flowers to accompany you in different seasons," said Wang Hao (王皓), deputy secretary of the Party Working Committee of Anfu Street (安阜街道), Cuiping District (翠屏区).
In order to better manage and protect the area, intelligent irrigation systems have been installed in the passages on both sides of the central flower sea, and the spray angle of the sprinklers is scientifically set according to the different installation locations. "With a click on the mobile phone, irrigation will start, and it can also be automatically adjusted according to the soil temperature and humidity, and sprayed accurately," Peng Xu (彭煦) introduced. They scientifically regulate the viewing flowering period through flower control pruning and precise water and fertilizer management.
The area of the flower sea is expanding and gradually integrated into the lives of citizens. Some elderly people feel that they are tired of walking in the flower sea and need a place to rest. Cuiping District (翠屏区) adopted the suggestion and added seats in the flower bushes next to the walkway; some young people want to enjoy the flowers and run along the river, so Cuiping District (翠屏区) designed a 2.4-kilometer waterfront ecological belt below the central flower sea, planting various ornamental grasses such as miscanthus and pennisetum along the river... The riverbank is constantly beautified, and a green buffer zone is also formed, which improves the erosion resistance and flood control capacity of the riverbank and provides a guarantee for urban ecological security.
The flower sea is a medium, and a sweet industry is rising on the riverside coastline.
With the "blessing" of the Minjiang Flower Sea (岷江花海), a sweet industrial chain with marriage and love as its characteristics is gradually being improved.
"Now, the riverside coastline has become a popular venue for wedding travel photography," said Zhang Zhixiang (张志翔), deputy director of the Commerce Bureau of Cuiping District (翠屏区). Relying on the Minjiang Flower Sea (岷江花海), Cuiping District (翠屏区) has specially created a marriage and love-themed block and moved the marriage registration business here. "At present, 39 enterprises have settled in the block, most of which are marriage and love-related enterprises, including wedding collection stores, wedding planning companies, etc., covering the entire process of wedding services from love, marriage proposal, marriage registration, wedding planning, and wedding ceremony," Zhang Zhixiang (张志翔) said.
In October 2025, the marriage and love-themed block in Cuiping District (翠屏区) opened, and a company that focuses on immersive cultural dining and shows was among the first to settle in. "The Minjiang Flower Sea (岷江花海) is very distinctive and has a large flow of people, which can bring us more customers," said Wang Min (王敏), the head of the company.
Not far away, a garden restaurant with a Western-style architectural style has attracted the attention of many newlyweds. Pushing open the iron gate, the lawn is full of flowers, making it a venue choice for many young people to hold lawn weddings.
At present, the Minjiang Flower Sea (岷江花海) and the marriage and love-themed block constitute a picture of "**以景育产、以产兴景**" (yǐ jǐng yù chǎn, yǐ chǎn xīng jǐng - "nurturing industry with scenery, promoting scenery with industry," using scenic resources to develop related industries and vice versa). "The flower sea provides a natural romantic atmosphere for the marriage and love industry, and the marriage and love-themed block transforms the natural landscape into tangible industrial benefits," Wang Hao (王皓) said.
Return to TopThis newspaper reported from Beijing on April 20th (Reporter Kou Jiangze (寇江泽)) The reporter learned from the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (生态环境部): Recently, China successfully launched a high-precision greenhouse gas comprehensive detection satellite into its predetermined orbit from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center (酒泉卫星发射中心) using the Long March 4C carrier rocket (长征四号丙运载火箭), achieving complete success in the launch mission.
The high-precision greenhouse gas comprehensive detection satellite is an operational satellite planned and constructed within the "National Medium and Long-Term Development Plan for Civil Space Infrastructure (2015-2025)"《国家民用空间基础设施中长期发展规划（2015—2025年）》, with the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (生态环境部) as the leading user of the satellite. This satellite is the world's first satellite for active-passive collaborative greenhouse gas detection.
The satellite operates in a sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 705 kilometers and has a designed lifespan of 8 years. It carries five payloads, including an atmospheric detection lidar, a wide-swath hyperspectral greenhouse gas monitor, an infrared hyperspectral atmospheric composition detector, an ultraviolet hyperspectral atmospheric composition detector, and a cloud and aerosol imager. By comprehensively observing using multiple methods such as laser, hyperspectral, and infrared, it can achieve large-scale, high-precision detection of global greenhouse gases, gaseous pollutants, clouds, and aerosols.
The successful launch of the high-precision greenhouse gas comprehensive detection satellite will further enhance China's remote sensing monitoring capabilities for greenhouse gases and air pollutants. In addressing global climate change, it can support the remote sensing monitoring of carbon dioxide and methane column concentrations globally, nationally, and in key regions. In terms of atmospheric pollution prevention and control, it can support the remote sensing monitoring of gaseous pollutant column concentrations such as nitrogen oxides, ozone, carbon monoxide, and ammonia, as well as the remote sensing monitoring of dust aerosols in China and Mongolia.
Next, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (生态环境部) will work with the participating research units of the major engineering systems to promptly organize on-orbit testing and application evaluation of the satellite project, put it into operational use as soon as possible, and provide remote sensing data support and information services for continuously and deeply fighting the battle against pollution, building a beautiful China, and achieving national strategies such as carbon peaking and carbon neutrality.
Return to TopAccording to meteorological monitoring, on the 20th, strong winds and cooling weather occurred in Inner Mongolia (内蒙古) and the Northeast region, while heavy to torrential rain occurred in Guangxi (广西), Hunan (湖南), and other places, with localized areas experiencing extremely heavy rainfall.
The Central Meteorological Observatory (中央气象台) forecasts that from the night of the 20th to the 23rd, affected by the combined influence of cold and warm air, there will be a large-scale precipitation process in central and eastern China. Heavy to torrential rain is expected in eastern parts of the Southwest region, southern Jianghan, most of Jiangnan, western and northern parts of South China, with localized extremely heavy rainfall in southern and eastern Hunan (湖南), central and northern Jiangxi (江西), northern Guangxi (广西), and northwestern Guangdong (广东), accompanied by severe convective weather. Light to moderate rain is expected in parts of the southeastern Northwest region, southern North China, Huanghuai, the Northeast region, and Jianghuai, with light to moderate snow or sleet in parts of northeastern Inner Mongolia (内蒙古) and northwestern Heilongjiang (黑龙江), and localized heavy snow. At 18:00 on the 20th, the Central Meteorological Observatory (中央气象台) issued a yellow alert for heavy rain.
Meteorological experts remind that the weather situation in China is complex recently, with frequent strong winds and dusty weather in the north, and drastic temperature drops in some areas. The public should take corresponding protective measures and pay attention to adjusting their clothing. The southern region will continue to experience overcast and rainy weather, with localized areas also experiencing severe convective weather such as thunderstorms, strong winds, and short-term heavy precipitation. It is necessary to pay attention to avoiding rain when going out.
Return to TopThe two rivers surge, the tide surges in Bayu; a new city rises, with a myriad of new appearances.
On the banks of the Yangtze River, Huangjiao Port (黄磏港) in Jiulongpo District (九龙坡区), Chongqing (重庆) is a hive of activity. Cargo ships sound their horns as they set sail, containers are neatly arranged, and tower cranes wave their long arms. This young port is growing rapidly with a daily throughput that is steadily increasing, accompanying the burgeoning growth of Jiulong New City (九龙新城).
The 2026 Chongqing Hub Port Industrial Park Jiulong New City Development Conference, held on February 24, proposed to deeply plan and implement the "19239" work system, promote Jiulong New City to move towards the direction of "establishing pillars and beams, breaking through key points," and is committed to presenting an "open, inclusive, and ever-changing" international, urbanized, and modernized Jiulong New City.
Anchoring the goal, drawing a construction blueprint for a modern new city.
Jiulong New City is located west of Zhongliang Mountain (中梁山) in Jiulongpo District (九龙坡区), Chongqing (重庆), and is the "main battlefield" for Chongqing's westward development and the "main battlefield" for the construction of the Chongqing Logistics Hub Economic Zone.
Strategic goals set the course, and overall planning starts a new journey. Jiulong New City is seizing the strategic opportunity of building the Chongqing Logistics Hub Economic Zone, taking the "19239" work system as the starting point for leading opening up and development, focusing on the requirement of "daring to shoulder heavy responsibilities and taking the lead in building a logistics hub economic zone in the city," anchoring nine major goals, building two major systems of modern collection and distribution, and comprehensive foreign trade and foreign investment services, focusing on building three leading industries: advanced materials, intelligent connected new energy vehicles, and high-end equipment, planning nine special actions, forming a clear goal, clear path, and specific measures for the construction of the new city, promoting the accelerated formation of the "ten thousand acres and one hundred billion" new industrial platform, and striving to drive the total industrial output value of Jiulong New City to exceed 200 billion yuan by 2030.
Substantiating industries, creating a new engine for the development of a modern new city.
At the construction site of the Southwest Aluminum (西南铝) high-performance wide-width alloy sheet and strip production line project, construction machinery is operating in an orderly manner, and the foundation for the development of the advanced materials industry is constantly being consolidated; the expansion and quality improvement project of Huangjiao Railway Station (黄磏火车站) is accelerating the construction of the first phase of the project, and the energy level of the transportation hub is constantly improving; in March 2026, the Jiulong New City Park of the Western (Chongqing) Science City (西部（重庆）科学城) was successfully selected into the "Second Batch of Chongqing Future Industry Pilot Zones" list, and the development of the hydrogen energy industry is booming... With thriving industries and prosperous projects, Jiulong New City is translating its construction vision into a real development scene with concrete actions.
Industrial pillars and beams prop up the backbone of development. In order to promote the upgrading of industrial carrying capacity, Jiulong New City adheres to both the upgrading of traditional industries and the cultivation of emerging industries. On the one hand, it strengthens the advantageous traditional complete equipment industries such as general-purpose machinery and agricultural machinery, and promotes the revitalization of traditional industries. On the other hand, relying on leading enterprises such as Chalco High-End (中铝高端), it focuses on advanced materials to carry out precise investment promotion, and promotes the strengthening and extension of the advanced materials industry chain; proactively lays out new tracks such as hydrogen energy, low-altitude economy, and semiconductor equipment, and promotes the accelerated completion and production of major projects such as the Bosch Hydrogen Power (博世氢动力) project expansion and Daneng (达能) around the construction of the hydrogen corridor; actively lays out the intelligent connected new energy vehicle industry, and has gathered large-scale enterprises such as Qingling Motors (庆铃汽车) and Qin'an Electromechanical (秦安机电), initially forming a collaborative system from complete vehicles to parts and components, and the output of hydrogen energy commercial vehicles and the output of core components of hydrogen energy vehicles rank among the top in the city.
Channels are accessible in all directions, expanding the pattern of openness. Jiulong New City has built a transportation network pattern of "six horizontal, six vertical, two railways, one rail transit, and one port," realizing 15-minute access to the Tuanjie Village Station (团结村站), the starting station of the China-Europe Railway Express (Chongqing-Xinjiang-Europe) (中欧班列（渝新欧）), 10-minute access to the large passenger transport hub Chongqing West Station (重庆西站), and Huangjiao Port (黄磏港), which sits on the golden waterway of the Yangtze River, has a designed annual throughput capacity of 1.7 million tons, and the integrated advantages of opening up in all directions are continuously released. Next, Jiulong New City will rely on the "Four-Direction Channel Running Every Day" special action to build an open pattern of land-sea internal and external linkage and two-way mutual assistance between east and west. At the same time, it will take the upgrading of eight platforms and the two special actions of enterprises going overseas as the traction to continuously activate the endogenous power of open economic development.
Optimizing services and enhancing the innovation and vitality of modern new cities.
A modern new city should not only have the depth of industry, but also the warmth of service and innovation vitality. Jiulong New City focuses on long-term development, deeply explores the inherent characteristics of "openness, inclusiveness, and ever-changing," continuously amplifies its advantages, makes up for its shortcomings, and accumulates momentum for high-quality development.
Innovation empowers and clears the "last mile" of achievement transformation. In response to the difficulty of transforming scientific and technological achievements, Jiulong New City has launched a "Pilot Platform Introduction and Cultivation" special action, striving to achieve a "zero breakthrough" in national-level manufacturing pilot platforms, and build more than 4 municipal-level pilot platforms to provide integrated services such as technology familiarization and small-scale trial production for scientific and technological achievements, building a bridge from the "laboratory" to the "production line."
Financial living water accurately irrigates the growth of industries and enterprises. Jiulong New City continues to improve the financial service system, and plans to newly establish an industrial fund with a scale of more than 2 billion yuan this year, leveraging social investment of more than 10 billion yuan, so that financial resources can accurately connect with the needs of industrial development, and inject a continuous financial impetus into the construction of the new city.
The rule of law escorts and consolidates the "peace of mind" foundation for enterprise development. Jiulong New City provides half a year of free legal services for newly settled enterprises through the "Improvement of Legalized Service Level" special action, launches a "legal health check" service package for existing enterprises, and relies on the Chongqing Hub Port Foreign-related Legal Service Alliance to provide zero-distance, one-stop "legal +" services, and continuously creates a legalized business environment.
Data source: Western (Chongqing) Science City Jiulong New City Park Management Committee (西部（重庆）科学城九龙新城园区管委会)
Return to TopAzure waters, golden sands, swaying coconut palms, and the rhythm of the sea breeze – Hainan exudes the enthusiasm of an approaching grand event. From April 22nd to 30th, the 6th Asian Beach Games (hereinafter referred to as the "Sanya Asian Beach Games") will be held in Sanya (三亚), Hainan. At that time, nearly 1,800 athletes from 45 countries (regions) will gather at the ends of the earth to showcase the unique charm of beach sports.
The Asian Beach Games is one of the five major comprehensive sports events in Asia. After the 2nd Asian Beach Games was held in Haiyang (海阳), Shandong (山东) in 2012, China is once again the host of this event after 14 years. "Long time no see, long time see," this catchy slogan of the event is taken from Hainan folk songs, representing the warm invitation of the local people. In the next 10 days, the focus of Asian sports will converge on this azure sea and blue sky.
Here, traditional events are more refreshing.
The Sanya Asian Beach Games has a total of 14 major events, 15 sub-events, and 62 minor events. The Chinese sports delegation has sent a total of 255 people, including 171 athletes, to participate in 13 major events and 60 minor events except for beach kabaddi. This is the highest participation rate of China in the Asian Beach Games.
On the morning of April 20, the Chinese sports delegation announced that beach handball player Shen Ping (沈萍) and three-person basketball player Yan Peng (颜鹏) will serve as the flag bearers of the delegation at the opening ceremony of the Sanya Asian Beach Games on April 22.
As a coach and athlete, Shen Ping led the Chinese women's beach handball team to sixth place at the 2025 Chengdu World Games, creating the best result for the Chinese women's team in the history of the World Games. Different from the Olympic handball event, beach handball players have to overcome the resistance of the sand while completing technical movements. Beach handball has more scoring methods, and the soft sand also provides more possibilities for players to make difficult shooting actions. Spin shots and aerial relays will get higher scores than ordinary actions, which makes the game more watchable.
When sports such as football and track and field "meet" the beach, the comfortable sea breeze, cheerful music, and new rules add more features and freshness to traditional events. In sports such as water polo and open water swimming, factors such as wind, waves, and seawater flow rate enrich the athletes' participation experience. At present, in addition to beach volleyball, which has long been an Olympic event, sports such as beach handball and beach wrestling are gradually becoming more popular among young people and have become competition events in the Youth Olympic Games, with broad development prospects.
Here, immerse yourself in the integration of cultures.
With the arrival of athletes from various sports delegations, the Asian Beach Games Athletes' Village located in the Sanya Bay Mangrove Resort World has become lively. On April 18, the "opening village" day, a cultural performance event with the theme of "National Quintessence" was launched in the cultural square. Performances such as dragon and lion dances, Sichuan opera face-changing, and pipa performances attracted the attention of many athletes, and many people also went on stage to participate in interactive activities.
One cultural feast after another allows athletes to immerse themselves in the charm of traditional Chinese culture and local Hainan customs in addition to participating in the competition, helping Asian cultural exchanges. In the name of sports, athletes from all over Asia gathered in Sanya to interact friendly and enhance friendship. "Sports bring us together, this is great, people are very enthusiastic, thank you China!" said Sani bin Abdullah Rahman Al Kuwari, head of the Omani delegation to the Sanya Asian Beach Games.
The Hainan Free Trade Port currently implements a visa-free entry policy for 86 countries around the world, allowing more delegation members to save more energy during their journey and better prepare for the competition. Malaysian duathlon athletes completed several weeks of simulation training in mid-April to actively adapt to the physical challenges brought by the "run-swim-run" competition system. The wrestling and jujutsu team of the Syrian delegation conducted adaptive training on Sanya beach on April 14. The Iranian team was one of the first foreign delegations to arrive in Sanya. Beach track and field athlete Mahdi Zamani is already the fourth time to participate in competitions in China. "In 2014, I won the Asian Indoor Athletics Championships in Hangzhou (杭州). I am very happy to come to China again."
Here, share the benefits of hosting the Games for the benefit of the people.
On the evening of April 22, the opening ceremony of the Sanya Asian Beach Games will be held in Yalong Park (亚沙公园) in the Tianyahaijiao (天涯海角) scenic area. As the grand event approaches, rich Asian Beach Games-themed landscapes have been set up in Sanya city and along Sanya Bay. At Haiyue Square (海月广场), the Asian Beach Games-themed sand sculptures have become a popular check-in point, and the mascot "Yaya" (亚亚) is all over the streets. The athletes are eager to try, and the audience's enthusiasm for watching the game is also high. During the event, Sanya will launch 65,000 benefit tickets, allowing citizens to easily enter the stadium and feel the charm of international events up close.
"Host a good event and upgrade a city." As the first large-scale international comprehensive sports event held after the Hainan Free Trade Port's island-wide customs closure operation, this Asian Beach Games is not only a collective event for the Asian Olympic Council family, but also an important opportunity for Sanya to enhance its urban energy level, optimize urban quality, and benefit all citizens. During the preparation process for the event, Sanya City carried out comprehensive environmental improvement and landscape enhancement in the surrounding areas of the venues, along transportation routes, and at important nodes, adding and renovating more than 150,000 square meters of green area, renovating key roads, building and optimizing greenways and pocket parks, and building a convenient transportation system, so that the benefits of the event can benefit the people for a long time.
"We insist on using the Games to promote national fitness, widely popularize beach sports, water sports and other projects. After the Games, some venues will continue to be open, continuously enriching the cultural and sports life of the masses, and realizing the coordinated development of urban appearance, people's livelihood and well-being, and sports undertakings, so that the city is more livable and life is better." Xiang Yihai (向义海), Vice Mayor of Sanya and Commander of the News and Publicity Command Center of the Sanya Asian Beach Games, introduced that Sanya will continue to gather all parties' strengths, refine work measures, and ensure that it is run into a wonderful, outstanding, and extraordinary sports event.
The world is big, but the ends of the earth are not far away. Sanya's openness, vitality and unique charm will be displayed to the world through the window of the Asian Beach Games.
(Our reporters Liu Shuoyang (刘硕阳), Dong Zeyang (董泽扬), Tao Xiang'an (陶相安), Wang Liang (王亮))
Return to TopIn the Taohuajian Forest Park (桃花岕森林公园) of Longshan Street (龙山街道), Changxing County (长兴县), Huzhou City (湖州市), Zhejiang Province (浙江省), paddleboard enthusiasts weave through the metasequoia forest, experiencing ecological elegance and enjoying the fun of sports.
Chen Haiwei (陈海伟) photo (People's Vision (人民视觉))
Return to TopUnder what circumstances should cold compresses be used? Under what circumstances should hot compresses be used? Under what circumstances should one seek emergency medical attention?
During sports activities, external impacts, falls, excessive stretching, or twisting can lead to acute injuries to the body's skin, soft tissues, joints, or bones. Mastering the correct "first response" is crucial; improper handling can worsen the injury.
In the event of a sprain, strain, or contusion, immediately stop exercising, allow the injured area to rest, and avoid weight-bearing. If a fracture or dislocation is suspected, or if a "pop" sound is heard, use splints or the healthy side of the body to immobilize the injured area; do not attempt to reset it yourself. Ice should be applied as early as possible, for 15-20 minutes each time, every 2-3 hours, or every hour if swelling is severe. Subsequently, wrap an elastic bandage from the distal to the proximal end of the limb, with pressure that does not cause numbness or tingling, and loosen it at night. The injured ankle, knee, or wrist should be elevated above heart level to reduce swelling using gravity. Avoid applying heat, taking hot baths, or applying heat plasters within 48 hours; do not drink alcohol, run, jump, massage, or vigorously rub the injured area. If you experience an inability to stand and bear weight, obvious joint deformity, severe pain that persists without relief, or numbness and coldness in the injured area, seek medical attention promptly.
In the event of muscle cramps or spasms, rapid relief can be achieved through reverse stretching. For calf cramps, sit on the ground with your legs straight, grab your toes with your hands and pull them towards your body while trying to straighten your knees. For cramps in the front of the thigh, stand and pull your heel towards your buttocks. For cramps in the arch of the foot, use your hand to bend your toes upwards. After relief, gently knead and massage along the muscle direction, avoiding forceful pounding. At the same time, drink small sips of lightly salted water or sports drinks to replenish fluids and electrolytes. If cramps occur repeatedly, it may be related to a deficiency of sodium, potassium, calcium, or magnesium in the body. After relief, a warm towel can be applied to the cramped area to promote blood circulation.
In the event of cuts, scrapes, or lacerations, stop the bleeding first by applying direct pressure to the wound with sterile gauze or a clean towel for 5-10 minutes, without frequently releasing it midway. Simultaneously, elevate the injured area. If blood soaks through the gauze, add another layer and continue applying pressure. After stopping the bleeding, rinse the wound with running clean water or saline solution, then use an iodine swab to disinfect from the center of the wound outwards in a circular motion, avoiding direct rinsing of deep wounds with alcohol. Small, superficial abrasions do not require bandaging; small wounds can be covered with a bandage, while larger wounds should be covered and secured with sterile gauze, changed daily, and kept dry, avoiding contact with water before scabbing. If the wound is deeper than 0.5 cm, shaped like a "fish mouth," or caused by rusty metal, wood splinters, or animals, seek medical attention promptly. Those who have not received a tetanus vaccine within the past 5 years and have a deep wound should consult a doctor within 24 hours to determine if a vaccination is necessary.
If the following serious conditions occur, they may indicate a fracture, internal organ damage, or concussion, requiring immediate emergency call or transport: twisting or abnormal joint movement, severe pain at the fracture site when gently tapping the distal end of the limb, severe headache, nausea and vomiting, brief confusion, or abdominal stiffness, tenderness, or radiating pain to the shoulder after abdominal impact.
(Organized by reporter Zeng Huafeng (曾华锋) of this newspaper)
Return to TopThis newspaper's Beijing (北京) dispatch on April 20th (Reporter Li Shuo (李硕)) Local time on the 20th, the 2026 Snooker World Championship continued its first-round competition in Sheffield (谢菲尔德), England (英国). Chinese player Ding Junhui (丁俊晖) defeated English player Gilbert (吉尔伯特) 10-5, and joined Xiao Guodong (肖国栋), who won the previous day, in advancing to the round of sixteen.
Ding Junhui (丁俊晖) led 7-2 in the first stage and, with a single-stroke score of 100, became the eighth player in history to score 100 century breaks in the World Championships. In the second stage, although Gilbert's (吉尔伯特) state improved, Ding Junhui (丁俊晖) still won the game with a steady performance. Throughout the game, he scored 2 century breaks and 7 single-stroke scores of 50 or more. Ding Junhui (丁俊晖) will face defending champion Zhao Xintong (赵心童) in the second round.
In the previous day's game, Chinese player Xiao Guodong (肖国栋) scored 3 century breaks throughout the game and defeated compatriot Zhou Yuelong (周跃龙) 10-6. After the game, Xiao Guodong (肖国栋) said that they knew each other well and the game was very close. He tried to relax and enjoy the game. In the next round, Xiao Guodong (肖国栋) will face the winner between Chinese player Fan Zhengyi (范争一) and English player Shaun Murphy (肖恩·墨菲). In another first-round match, Chinese player Zhang Anda (张安达) lost 6-10 to Northern Irish player Mark Allen (马克·艾伦), missing his first win in the Snooker World Championship main draw.
Return to TopThis newspaper Urumqi (乌鲁木齐) April 20th (Reporter Shang Rongzheng (尚嵘峥)) - Recently, the China·Xinjiang (新疆) 18th Tour of Sayram Lake (赛里木湖) (International) Road Cycling Race and China Cycling Movement Cycling Conference press conference was held in Bortala Mongol Autonomous Prefecture (博尔塔拉蒙古自治州), Xinjiang (新疆). The reporter learned from the meeting that this year's event will be held from May 19th to 25th, with a total of 6 stages and a total mileage of 529 kilometers. More than 20 teams and approximately 600 people will participate.
This year's event highlights the characteristics of the Tour of the Lake in the race design and strengthens the connection between the stages. In terms of operation mode, explore market-oriented paths to enhance the sustainable development capability of the event. A prologue race will be added on the first day of the event to enrich the event level and viewing experience.
During the event, cultural performances, intangible cultural heritage exhibitions, and product exhibitions will be held to promote the integration of sports with culture, tourism, and commerce, and continue to improve the "travel with the Tour of Sayram Lake (赛里木湖)" brand. In addition, mass cycling activities will be held, taking into account the professionalism of the event and the participation of the whole people, so that more people can feel the charm of cycling.
Since the first event was held in 2007, the Tour of Sayram Lake (赛里木湖) Road Cycling Race has been successfully held for 17 sessions. With its beautiful stage scenery, diverse supporting activities, and warm event support, it is deeply loved by cyclists from all over the world.
Return to TopThis newspaper Changsha (长沙) April 20th (Reporter Yang Xun (杨迅)) The China School Sports Federation (中国学生体育联合会) 2025-2026 season National Middle School Campus Run Relay Race opening match was held on the 19th at Mingde Middle School (明德中学) in Changsha (长沙), Hunan Province (湖南省), where young runners from many middle schools in Changsha (长沙) competed.
The event was hosted by the China School Sports Federation (中国学生体育联合会). The event is divided into two groups: U18 high school group and U15 junior high school group. Among them, the U18 high school group is a 5×2000 meter relay (3 males and 2 females), and the U15 junior high school group is a 10×1000 meter relay (5 males and 5 females). After competition, Changsha Leifeng School (长沙市雷锋学校) won the U18 high school group championship with a time of 34 minutes and 14 seconds, and Hunan Normal University Affiliated Furong Middle School (湖南师大附中芙蓉中学) won the U15 junior high school group championship with a good result of 30 minutes and 53 seconds.
The event lasts from April to mid-July and is divided into grassroots competitions and the National Finals. After the Changsha (长沙) opening match, the event will successively land in cities such as Xi'an (西安), Chongqing (重庆), Jinan (济南), Changchun (长春), Shenyang (沈阳), Zhengzhou (郑州), and Beijing (北京), and the National Finals will be held in Beijing (北京). It is expected to attract thousands of middle school students from all over the country to participate.
Return to TopThis newspaper Beijing (北京), April 20th (Reporter Zeng Huafeng (曾华锋)) On the 19th, the 2026 Longtan Zhonghu (龙潭中湖) 100km Endurance Challenge was held, one of the few park-based ultramarathon events in China. The competition was held in Longtan Zhonghu (龙潭中湖) Park in Dongcheng District (东城区), Beijing (北京), with a standard single-loop distance of 2.544 kilometers. The event categories included a 100km individual race, a 50km individual race, and a 50km team relay challenge. After competition, Shi Zhiqiang (史志强) won the 100km men's championship with a time of 7 hours, 54 minutes, and 43 seconds, and Shan Ying (单盈) won the 100km women's championship with a time of 8 hours, 06 minutes, and 11 seconds.
Return to TopDuring the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, Qiaojia County (巧家县), Zhaotong City (昭通市), Yunnan Province (云南省), based on its local resource endowments, has set its sights on strengthening characteristic agriculture, building an energy base, developing health and wellness tourism, constructing a transportation hub, prioritizing education, and strengthening grassroots governance – "six development ideas" – to depict a vivid picture of leapfrog development in the coordinated development of Yunnan (滇), Sichuan (川), Chongqing (渝), and Guizhou (黔).
Weaving Brocade on Fertile Land, Strengthening Characteristic Agriculture. Adhering to the integration of "five goods" – good land, good seeds, good methods, good timing, and good systems – expanding the leading industries of potatoes and live pigs, and refining the three characteristic industries of strawberries, tropical fruits, and traditional Chinese medicine. 160,000 mu of high-standard farmland have been built, and 270,000 mu of potatoes, 320,000 mu of Chinese prickly ash, and 30,000 mu of traditional Chinese medicine have achieved large-scale development. The country's first "potato rice" production line has been put into operation, and "Qiaojia Small Bowl Brown Sugar" (巧家小碗红糖) has been recognized as a national geographical indication product. By 2025, the total output value of agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, and fishery will exceed 6 billion yuan, and green and beautiful villages will be scattered like stars, beautifying the urban and rural areas.
Green Energy Surging, Building an Energy Base. Adhering to the integrated development of "wind, solar, water, and storage" and "source, grid, load, and storage," 10 centralized photovoltaic projects and 40,000-kilowatt distributed photovoltaic projects have been built, and the Baihetan Hydropower Station (白鹤滩水电站) has been fully put into operation. The county's installed capacity of clean energy has reached 10.29 million kilowatts, accounting for 44% of Zhaotong City (昭通市) and ranking first in the city. Qiaojia County (巧家县) is accelerating the construction of an important green energy base in the province, allowing green electricity to light up thousands of homes.
Residing by the River, Developing Health and Wellness Tourism. Closely focusing on the urban image of "Jinsha River (金沙江) Bank, Water Charm Qiaojia (巧家)," playing the three cards of "Baihetan Hydropower Station (白鹤滩水电站), Jinsha River (金沙江) Reservoir Area Scenery, and Characteristic Climate." Two national 3A-level tourist attractions, 5 rural tourism spots, and 6 RV campsites have been built, attracting thousands of tourists to spend the winter and reside annually. The riverside leisure and sports ecological corridor stretches windingly, and 23 pocket parks dot the urban area, with cultural and tourism vitality continuing to burst forth. In 2025, 5.4595 million tourists were received, with a total tourism revenue of 4.052 billion yuan.
Smooth Transportation, Building a Transportation Hub. Based on the location of "exiting Yunnan (滇) and entering Sichuan (川)," the Geqiao (格巧), Duxiang (都香), and Huiqiao (会巧) expressways have been opened to traffic successively, 85 kilometers of "four-to-three" roads have been built, 730 kilometers of village and group roads and industrial roads have been hardened, and 583 kilometers of safety and security projects have been completed. Full coverage of rural passenger transport and village-level express delivery has been achieved. The preliminary work of the Baihetan (白鹤滩) dam-overturning and transshipment facilities, the reservoir area waterway project, and the Dongqiao (东巧) quasi-high-speed railway and the Panzhao Bi (攀昭毕) high-speed railway projects are steadily advancing, and Qiaojia County (巧家县) is accelerating its integration into the "Zhaotong (昭通) 1-hour," "Central Yunnan (滇中) 2-hour," and "Chengdu-Chongqing (成渝) 3-hour" economic circles.
Nourishing People with Education, Prioritizing Education. Deepening cooperative school management, 23 new schools have been built, 35 have been renovated and expanded, and 15,000 new student places have been added. In 2025, the gross enrollment rate of pre-school education for three years, the consolidation rate of compulsory education, and the gross enrollment rate of high school will reach 91.04%, 95.36%, and 88.29% respectively; in 2025, the online enrollment rate for undergraduate courses will reach 56.25%, an increase of 19.48 percentage points over the previous year, and the online enrollment rate for special undergraduate courses will reach 16.92%, an increase of 12.77 percentage points over the previous year, allowing more children to "attend good schools" at their doorsteps.
Good Governance to Warm the People, Strengthening Grassroots Governance. Implementing the "2+6" mechanism of Party building leadership and the "3+6" working method of resolving conflicts, and "courtyard consultation" is carried out on a regular basis. The world's first three-dimensional super-observation system for earthquakes has been built, and the follow-up support work for the Baihetan Hydropower Station (白鹤滩水电站) immigrant relocation is being promoted in an orderly manner. 74 "work-for-relief" projects have been implemented, absorbing 14,300 workers; 1.4 billion yuan of civil affairs assistance funds have been distributed, and 2 care service positions for "the elderly and the young" have been built, successfully creating a provincial-level demonstration county for ethnic unity and progress, depicting a warm picture of co-construction, co-governance, and sharing.
Striving for the "15th Five-Year Plan," Qiaojia County (巧家县) will focus on building a large agricultural county, an energy-rich county, a famous cultural tourism county, a county with smooth transportation, a strong education county, and a county with stable governance, and strive to create a new situation in the high-quality development of Qiaojia (巧家) in the construction of Chinese-style modernization.
Data source: Publicity Department of the CPC Qiaojia County Committee (中共巧家县委宣传部)
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 牛瑞飞
The "Artificial Intelligence Innovation Park" located in Heilbronn, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, was recently launched. With a total investment of billions of euros, the park is the largest and most comprehensively planned artificial intelligence (AI) industrial cluster in Germany to date. According to the plan, the "Artificial Intelligence Innovation Park" will focus on industrial AI, intelligent manufacturing, autonomous driving, smart logistics, AI ethics and security, and other fields, aiming to build Europe's largest AI innovation hub.
Multiple European think tank and industry reports point out that the European Union (EU) currently does not demonstrate its due advantages in key dimensions such as AI computing power, industrial investment, and engineering capabilities. European AI cannot remain in the role of a "follower," but must enhance technological autonomy, promote intelligent upgrading of manufacturing, and enhance the global competitiveness of AI by strengthening institutional innovation, industrial integration, and public governance capabilities.
Strengthening Strategic Planning and Layout, Implementing Special Action Plans
The EU regards AI, green transition, and digital sovereignty as the three pillars of its development in the coming decades. Ursula von der Leyen (冯德莱恩), President of the European Commission (欧委会), has repeatedly emphasized: "Europe has a unique path for AI development, and we need to turn it into an advantage."
In recent years, the EU has introduced a number of measures to accelerate the development of AI. In April 2025, the EU launched the "Artificial Intelligence Continental Action Plan." The plan will promote the construction of large-scale AI data and computing infrastructure, broaden access to high-quality data, develop algorithms, and promote the adoption of AI in EU strategic sectors. Hanna Virkkunen (汉娜·维尔库宁), Executive Vice President of the European Commission responsible for technological sovereignty and other affairs, said in a statement that an important measure of the action plan is to minimize the regulatory burden on relevant industries as much as possible. In October of the same year, the European Commission released two strategies, "Applied Artificial Intelligence" and "Artificial Intelligence in Science," to accelerate the application of AI in industry and science. The "Applied Artificial Intelligence" strategy aims to leverage the transformative potential of AI, covering fields such as healthcare and pharmaceuticals, energy, manufacturing, defense, and communications; the "Artificial Intelligence in Science" strategy positions the EU as an AI-driven scientific innovation center, with its core being the use of the virtual research institute "European AI Science Resource" to gather and coordinate AI resources and apply them to scientific research.
At the national development level, Germany identified the development of AI as a national strategy as early as 2018. The German government implements this strategy in coordination with multiple departments, emphasizing "human-centered" and responsible AI applications, and promoting the deep integration of AI and manufacturing. A data center expansion strategic plan recently released by the German government proposes that by 2030, the computing power of Germany's general-purpose data centers will at least double compared to 2025, with the computing power specifically for AI increasing to at least four times that of 2025, aiming to meet the rapidly growing data processing needs due to AI applications, cloud services, and digitalization processes.
Italy promoted national-level AI legislation earlier, strengthening the standardized management of high-risk AI applications, while supporting the application of AI in manufacturing, transportation, public services, and other fields through the establishment of special funds and policy tools. France has prominent advantages in basic fields such as algorithms and data science. Its AI development focuses on long-term investment and public governance, emphasizing the balance between innovation vitality, technological sovereignty, and ethical norms.
Promoting Technological and Industrial Applications, Deploying 13 "Artificial Intelligence Factories"
A research report believes that for some time, the EU has shown the characteristics of "strong research, weak industry" in the field of AI. According to data from Eurostat, in 2024, only 13.5% of enterprises with 10 or more employees in the EU used AI technology in their daily operations. Ursula von der Leyen (冯德莱恩) stated that from robotics to healthcare, energy, and automobiles, the EU will promote the "AI first" concept in all key areas. Christine Lagarde (拉加德), President of the European Central Bank, emphasized that the EU must ensure that it has minimum autonomy in chips, computing power, and data infrastructure. "If Europe misses the productivity revolution brought about by AI, its future competitiveness will be irreversibly affected."
According to relevant EU communiques, the EU is deploying 13 "Artificial Intelligence Factories." In the future, the EU will also promote the establishment of "AI Super Factories," which will be equipped with approximately 100,000 advanced AI chips. EU countries are also increasing their efforts to develop supercomputers, including Finland's "LUMI," Italy's "Leonardo," and Spain's "MareNostrum 5." The global supercomputer TOP500 list shows that three of the world's top-ranked supercomputers come from the EU.
European countries are striving to transform AI from scientific research advantages to industrial advantages. Germany, France, Italy, and other countries have taken the lead in promoting AI applications, including introducing AI technology into the automotive industry chain, from component quality inspection and predictive maintenance to whole vehicle intelligent optimization; the energy industry uses AI to achieve grid balance, new energy data prediction, and carbon emission management; industrial robot companies use AI technology to improve human-machine collaboration capabilities, reduce failure rates, and extend equipment life. French AI is accelerating its application in fields such as medical health, transportation, energy management, and defense security, while the government promotes technology application through public procurement and demonstration projects. Relying on a relatively strong foundation of small and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises, Italy widely introduces AI into industrial automation, quality inspection, equipment maintenance, and logistics management, helping traditional industries upgrade digitally.
The number of European AI startups is constantly increasing. In 2024, there were approximately 6,300 AI startups in the EU. In February 2025, the EU launched the "European AI Champions Initiative," with the core goal of creating a group of globally competitive "European version AI leading enterprises." Currently, the initiative has attracted hundreds of European companies and investment institutions to participate, covering a market value of more than 3.7 trillion euros, and is regarded as an important tool for the EU to promote the scaled development of the AI industry.
Urgent Need to Strengthen Policy Coordination and Focus on Enhancing International Competitiveness
After the EU strengthened the construction of the AI regulatory system, some small and medium-sized enterprises and startups are concerned that overly strict regulation may slow down the pace of innovation to a certain extent, bring about high compliance costs and long approval cycles, and make Europe lag behind other regions in terms of technology iteration speed. How to release innovation vitality while ensuring safety will become the direction of future EU AI policy adjustments.
Christian Klein (克里斯蒂安·克莱因), CEO of SAP (思爱普公司), a global well-known enterprise application software provider, believes that to develop the AI industry, the EU already has advantages such as talent reserves and a manufacturing foundation. The key is to enhance the unified market, flexible regulation, and underlying capabilities that can support industrial scaling.
Analysis also believes that the EU internal market has obvious differences in data standards, language environment, industrial policies, laws and regulations, etc. This fragmented structure is not conducive to forming economies of scale and also affects the speed of cross-border promotion of AI applications. Although the EU has promoted member states to formulate their own AI strategies and strengthen policy coordination through mechanisms such as the "Coordinated Plan," the progress of various countries is not balanced in terms of capital investment, computing infrastructure, and talent cultivation, which to some extent restricts the release of the overall competitiveness of EU AI.
Experts believe that in the next 5-10 years, the EU AI industry will show four major trends: transitioning from "emphasizing ethics" to "emphasizing both ethics and industry"; transitioning from "research-led" to "industry-led"; transitioning from "decentralized innovation" to "transnational clustered innovation"; transitioning from "local competition" to "global cooperation." Many scholars believe that if the EU can form a true synergy between institutional advantages, computing power systems, and industrial systems, it is expected to build a "third pole" of global AI and occupy a favorable position in future international competition.
(Reported by the newspaper from Brussels (布鲁塞尔) on April 20)
Return to TopThe memorial service for former Japanese Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama (村山富市) was held in Tokyo on the afternoon of April 20, reported by our Tokyo correspondent Liu Wenzhang (刘文璋). About 450 people from political and social circles, including Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Japanese Diet, Eitaro Mori (森英介), and Speaker of the House of Councillors, Shoichi Sekiguchi (関口昌一), attended the event.
Yohei Kono (河野洋平), former president of the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan, said in his speech that Murayama's greatest achievement was embodied in the "Murayama Statement." He pointed out that the statement faced up to Japan's colonial rule and history of aggression against Asia with a sincere attitude, and this sense of justice and pursuit of peace were highly praised by the international community. "Against the backdrop of the current escalation of military competition between countries, the path to peace taken by Murayama must continue to be followed."
Mizuho Fukushima (福岛瑞穗), leader of the Social Democratic Party of Japan, recalled that she had heard Murayama mention many times that "war must never happen again." She said that in today's world, where conflicts continue to break out in many places and the movement to amend Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution is constantly increasing within Japan, inheriting and developing the "Murayama Statement" will help prevent Japan from becoming a belligerent country and promote the realization of peace.
Kiyomi Tsujimoto (辻元清美), a member of the House of Councillors, pointed out that Murayama had always been committed to safeguarding Article 9 of the Constitution during his lifetime. In today's international environment of escalating military conflicts, this constitutional provision continues to play a restraining role in preventing Japan from being involved in war. "Mr. Murayama's honest attitude towards history, his firm will for peace, and his vigilance against power must be earnestly inherited in the present era."
Tomiichi Murayama (村山富市) was born in 1924 and became Prime Minister of Japan in 1994. During his tenure, he promoted a number of social policies and, in 1995, issued the "Murayama Statement" in the form of a cabinet resolution, acknowledging that Japan had pursued erroneous national policies in the past and had taken the road of war, explicitly pointing out that Japan's "colonial rule and aggression brought great damage and suffering to many countries, especially the people of Asian countries," and expressing "deep remorse and heartfelt apologies." This statement was widely recognized by the international community. After Murayama (村山) passed away in 2025, various sectors of Japan expressed their condolences in various forms.
Return to TopPeople's Daily, Beijing, April 20th (Reporter Chu Jun (褚君)) Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jia Kun (郭嘉昆) stated on the 20th that Japan's constitutional amendment trends have aroused increasing doubts and opposition within Japan, neighboring Asian countries, and the international community. Preventing the resurgence of militarism is Japan's bounden duty and the firm will of the international community, including China.
At the regular press conference that day, a reporter asked: 36,000 Japanese citizens gathered around the Japanese Diet (日本国会) on the afternoon of the 19th, strongly protesting the constitutional amendment attempts of the Sanae Takaichi (高市早苗) government. The protesters held signs with slogans such as "Oppose War," "Do Not Destroy Article 9 of the Constitution," and "Takaichi Step Down," calling for safeguarding the pacifist constitution. What is the spokesperson's comment on this?
Guo Jia Kun (郭嘉昆) stated that we have also noticed that Japan's constitutional amendment trends have aroused increasing doubts and opposition within Japan, neighboring Asian countries, and the international community. Japanese militarism committed brutal crimes against the people of China and other Asian countries, and also brought profound disasters to the Japanese people. Precisely because of this, Japan's constitutional amendment issue concerns the post-war international order and Japan's direction, and has always been highly concerned by the international community and neighboring Asian countries. However, Japan has so far failed to deeply and thoroughly reflect on its history of aggression, and some forces are still attempting to beautify and whitewash their crimes of aggression, promoting Japan's accelerated "re-militarization," leading to the formation of a "new type of militarism" as a threat, endangering regional peace and stability. The international community should be highly vigilant about this.
"Preventing the resurgence of militarism is Japan's bounden duty and the firm will of the international community, including China. We urge Japan to learn from historical lessons, abide by its international obligations, and adhere to the path of peaceful development," Guo Jia Kun (郭嘉昆) said.
Return to TopThis newspaper reported from Beijing on April 20th (Reporter Chu Jun (褚君)) Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jia Kun (郭嘉昆) stated on April 20th, in response to a reporter's question regarding the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, that he hopes relevant parties will adhere to the ceasefire agreement with a responsible attitude, avoid intensifying conflicts and exacerbating tensions, and provide the necessary conditions for the Strait's passage to return to normal. The current regional situation is at a critical stage of transition between war and peace, and China is willing to work with the international community to continue making due efforts to promote de-escalation.
At the regular press conference that day, a reporter asked: The United States has seized an Iranian cargo ship that departed from China. Iran has stated that it will retaliate against the "armed piracy of the US military" and will not participate in the second round of negotiations, while the Iran-US ceasefire arrangement is due to expire tomorrow. What is China's comment on the US seizure of the ship? What items were loaded on the cargo ship? What are your comments on the impending breakdown of the ceasefire arrangement?
"The situation in the Strait of Hormuz is sensitive and complex. We are concerned about the US's forced interception of relevant ships, and hope that relevant parties will adhere to the ceasefire agreement with a responsible attitude, avoid intensifying conflicts and exacerbating tensions, and provide the necessary conditions for the Strait's passage to return to normal," said Guo Jia Kun (郭嘉昆).
He stated that the current regional situation is at a critical stage of transition between war and peace. Now that the window of peace has been opened, favorable conditions should be created for ending the war as soon as possible. China supports relevant parties in continuing to maintain the momentum of ceasefire and negotiations, and will, in the spirit of President Xi Jinping's (习近平) four-point proposal, continue to promote the easing of the situation and play a constructive role in ultimately achieving lasting peace and stability in the Middle East region.
A reporter asked: Recently, the Iranian military fired on ships flying the Indian flag in the Strait of Hormuz, raising concerns about maritime safety. How does China view this escalation of the situation? What measures will it take to protect its own shipping and energy interests in the Strait?
Guo Jia Kun (郭嘉昆) said that the Strait of Hormuz is an international strait, and maintaining peace, stability, and unimpeded passage in this region is in the common interest of regional countries and the international community. China hopes that all parties will jointly avoid further deterioration of the situation in the Strait and is willing to work with the international community to continue making due efforts to promote de-escalation.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 尚凯元
In recent days, flights in Southeast Asia have experienced large-scale cancellations due to fuel shortages, affecting popular tourist destinations such as Bangkok (曼谷), Phuket (普吉岛), and Vientiane (万象). Fatih Birol, head of the International Energy Agency (国际能源署), recently stated that Europe's aviation fuel reserves "may only have about 6 weeks left," and many flights may be forced to cancel "soon." Currently, at least 19 of the world's 20 largest airlines have cut flights in May.
Currently, shipping through the Strait of Hormuz (霍尔木兹海峡) is obstructed, and the global energy supply system is disrupted. S&P Global Energy data shows that global benchmark prices for jet fuel have soared from the $85 to $90 per barrel range to the $150 to $200 per barrel range. This has a significant impact on the aviation industry, where fuel prices account for about 30% of total costs. Reuters reported that Gulf countries have increased the construction of crude oil refining facilities in recent years to convert crude oil into products such as kerosene. The Middle East alone exported more than $10 billion worth of aviation engine kerosene last year. Now, difficulties in exporting aviation fuel have led to severe fuel shortages in major importing countries in Asia, Europe, and other regions. According to a report by the International Energy Agency, the Middle East may experience a long-term interruption in aviation fuel production and exports, while other regions have limited capacity to increase production, making the global aviation fuel market more vulnerable to shocks.
This round of impact has expanded from the initial airspace closures to multiple levels, including energy supply, route structure, and travel demand. Industry insiders say that the global aviation industry will encounter a "pincer effect" of rising fuel costs and declining public travel demand, and some airlines may fall into difficulties. Currently, flights passing through Gulf aviation hubs such as Dubai (迪拜), United Arab Emirates (阿联酋), and Qatar (卡塔尔) have plummeted, and the transportation network between Europe and Asia is restricted. Middle Eastern airlines such as Qatar Airways (卡塔尔航空), Emirates (迪拜航空), Etihad Airways (阿提哈德航空), and Air Arabia (阿拉伯航空) face severe challenges, being forced to cancel or change routes, and significantly reduce capacity. Many national airlines have announced fare increases or fuel surcharges. Data from Deutsche Bank shows that the average minimum ticket price for flights departing within 24 hours to Asia, Europe, and other places is $1,900, far higher than the $830 to $1,000 level before the Middle East war. Tightening fuel supply directly compresses aviation capacity. Michael Linenberg, an analyst at Deutsche Bank, said that some airlines with the weakest financial conditions may cease operations. If the situation cannot be alleviated in the short term, global airlines may be forced to ground thousands of aircraft.
Currently, countries are strengthening energy security, and global aviation fuel trade is showing a tightening trend. Kpler, a commodity analysis agency, pointed out that South Korea (韩国) and other East Asian countries tend to prioritize domestic supply; the United States (美国), Nigeria (尼日利亚), and other places have a certain export capacity, but the overall scale is difficult to compensate for the Middle East fuel gap; and the European aviation industry "has almost no alternative sources of supply."
Airlines around the world are fully responding to the aviation fuel shortage that may threaten the peak tourist season. KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (荷兰皇家航空公司) announced that it will cancel 80 round-trip flights departing from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (阿姆斯特丹史基浦机场) in May; Air Canada (加拿大航空) has suspended flights from Montreal (蒙特利尔) and Toronto (多伦多) to New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (纽约肯尼迪国际机场); Lufthansa (德国汉莎航空) has closed its subsidiary "CityLine (城市航空)," grounded 27 aircraft, and is gradually phasing out high-fuel-consumption models. The International Energy Agency urged the public to reduce air travel when other travel options are available. Some countries, such as Egypt (埃及), Pakistan (巴基斯坦), and Vietnam (越南), have restricted overseas official travel, and Thailand (泰国) has suspended overseas trips for government agencies and state-owned enterprises. Wouter Dewulf, an aviation transport economist at the University of Antwerp (安特卫普大学), said that rising aviation fuel prices are affecting passengers' travel costs and demand, and passengers face higher fares and fuel surcharges. Route adjustments to avoid some airspaces are further pushing up airline operating costs. If high ticket prices and logistical restrictions persist for one to two months, airlines may be forced to take more targeted capacity adjustment measures.
Willie Walsh, Director General of the International Air Transport Association (国际航空运输协会), recently called for countries to closely communicate and coordinate, in addition to making every effort to ensure alternative supply channels, to deal with the need to implement fuel rationing. Industry insiders generally expect the tensions in the Middle East to ease, but the recovery of the energy supply chain will also take time. It is estimated that it will take at least 6 weeks to restore normal fuel transportation from Kuwait (科威特), an aviation fuel exporting country, to Europe. "The real turning point will be when actual fuel shortages start to appear at European airports. If this happens, it will quickly escalate into wider chaos," Dewulf said.
Return to TopAccording to Xinhua News Agency, Manila, April 20th (Reporters Zhao Chenjie (赵晨捷) and Li Meng (李萌)) The Philippines and the United States' "Balikatan" joint military exercises commenced on the 20th in Manila (马尼拉), the capital of the Philippines. On the same day, Filipino citizens gathered outside the headquarters of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (菲武装部队总部) to protest the joint military exercises between the Philippines and the United States.
On the morning of that day, reporters witnessed hundreds of Filipino citizens gathering outside the headquarters of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, waving banners with slogans such as "Stop 'Balikatan' military exercises," "Dismantle US military bases in the Philippines," and "Immediately withdraw all US troops and missiles," chanting slogans against the military exercises.
Gabriel Magtibay (加布里埃尔·马格蒂瓦伊), National Chairman of the League of Filipino Students, stated at the protest site, "Obediently following the United States is pushing us towards a more severe war crisis." The Philippines should terminate all unequal military agreements with the United States and cancel the "Balikatan" military exercises.
It is reported that the scale of this military exercise is expected to reach 17,000 people and will last until May 8th, with the armed forces of seven countries, including the Philippines, the United States, and Japan, participating.
Return to TopAccording to Xinhua News Agency, Ottawa, April 19th (Reporter Lin Wei (林威)) Canadian Prime Minister Carney (卡尼) delivered a video speech on social media on the 19th, assessing the current Canada-U.S. relationship, stating that many of Canada's previous "advantages" built on close ties with the United States have turned into "disadvantages" that must be corrected, and called for diversification of foreign trade to address current challenges.
In this video speech entitled "Forward Guidance," Carney (卡尼) said, "The United States has fundamentally changed its trade practices," raising tariffs to levels not seen since the Great Depression of the 1930s. Currently, U.S. tariffs on Canadian auto, steel, and lumber industries have had a negative impact. Carney (卡尼) said that Canada cannot control the interference from the United States, nor can it pin its future on the United States suddenly stopping the aforementioned behavior, "Hope is not a plan, and nostalgia is not a strategy."
Carney (卡尼) pledged to regularly update the public on the progress of national trade diversification. He stated that in the past year, the Canadian government has signed 20 new trade agreements. Canada will attract global investment, coordinate inter-provincial trade regulations, and double clean energy production capacity to reduce reliance on a single external market.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 赵益普
The latest data from the World Food Programme shows that 17.4 million people in Afghanistan urgently need food assistance. The agency is calling on the international community to pay close attention to the increasingly serious humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.
Afghanistan has a population of over 52 million, of which nearly 45% are children and adolescents under the age of 18. Years of food shortages have led to a large number of children facing hunger and malnutrition. Data recently released by Save the Children Afghanistan shows that more than 9 million children in Afghanistan are currently facing severe hunger, compared to 7.69 million last year.
More than 80% of Afghanistan's population relies on agriculture for their livelihoods. Affected by long-term wars, droughts, and damage to infrastructure, Afghanistan's agricultural output is low and insufficient to feed the entire population. According to the latest report from the Afghan Ministry of Agriculture, the total wheat harvest in Afghanistan in 2025 was 4.54 million tons, but the country's annual wheat demand is 6.87 million tons. A related report from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs stated that 2026 is the sixth consecutive year of drought in Afghanistan's agriculture, and the national groundwater level is generally in the lowest 30% range of historical data, with some areas even falling to the lowest 5% range. In 2025, at least 12 provinces in northern and western Afghanistan, affecting approximately 3.4 million farmers, were affected by drought. Water shortages have hindered local crop production and livestock development, and sharply reduced rural incomes.
Affected by the war in the Middle East, the transit of goods between Afghanistan and Iran is not smooth; the ongoing military conflict between Afghanistan and Pakistan has also led to the closure of most of the borders between the two countries. The impact of geopolitical conflicts has further increased the difficulty for Afghanistan to obtain imported food and overseas aid; at the same time, approximately 5 million Afghans have returned to Afghanistan from Iran and Pakistan in the past two years, further increasing the country's food supply pressure.
According to a report released by the United Nations in March of this year, Afghanistan needs at least $1.71 billion in aid to alleviate the humanitarian crisis, but only about 10% has been raised so far. After the U.S. military withdrew from Afghanistan in 2021, the United States froze $7 billion worth of overseas assets of the Central Bank of Afghanistan. United Nations human rights experts have further called on the U.S. government to seriously assess the severe humanitarian situation in Afghanistan and unfreeze the overseas assets of the Central Bank of Afghanistan as soon as possible.
Return to TopThe "15th Five-Year Plan" outline proposes adhering to the guiding principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits, openness, greenness, and integrity, high standards, benefiting people's livelihoods, and sustainability. It also aims to improve the mechanism for promoting high-quality joint construction of the "Belt and Road," deepening infrastructure "hard connectivity," rules and standards "soft connectivity," and people-to-people "heart connectivity" with co-building countries. Currently, an increasing number of Chinese enterprises are precisely aligning with local people's livelihood concerns while steadily advancing infrastructure construction and pragmatic industrial cooperation. They are building bridges of people-to-people connectivity with diverse "small but beautiful" projects, injecting more warmth into the joint construction of "Belt and Road" cooperation.
China Tourism Group (CTG) Cambodia Duty Free's Welfare Institute Public Welfare Project:
Painting the Future with Colored Pencils, Protecting Growth with Love
By Bai Yuanqi, reporter of this newspaper
"Hello! Welcome!" As I walked into the Children's Art Welfare Institute located in the suburbs of Phnom Penh (金边), the capital of Cambodia, the children greeted me enthusiastically in Chinese.
The institute was preparing to celebrate the Cambodian traditional New Year: auspicious triangular colored flags were hung high, models of farming tools symbolizing harvest were neatly arranged, and festive painted coconuts were piled under the mango tree, creating a warm and festive atmosphere. Upon closer inspection, there were hand-painted Cambodian landscapes on the walls of the institute, paintbrushes commonly used by the children hung on the columns of the stilt house, and dozens of sketches and watercolors were displayed on one floor. On one of the walls, there were several photos of the children with employees of China Duty Free Group (Cambodia) Co., Ltd. (中国免税品集团（柬埔寨）有限公司) (hereinafter referred to as "CTG Cambodia Duty Free"), unfolding a scroll of friendship spanning 10 years.
In 2016, an employee of CTG Cambodia Duty Free saw a video introducing the paintings of the welfare institute online. Deeply touched, they visited the welfare institute with colleagues. "At that time, the conditions of the welfare institute were very simple," recalled Heng Sothea, Deputy Director of Human Resources and Administration of CTG Cambodia Duty Free. "The only classroom was a small pavilion built with plastic sheets. There were no desks or chairs, and the children could only sit on tree stumps to study in the open air." After these situations were reported to the company, targeted assistance was quickly launched.
CTG Cambodia Duty Free reinforced the original wooden structure of the stilt house into a concrete structure and added a second floor, equipped with steel frames and stairs. "This place is low-lying, and the water accumulation in the rainy season often reaches 30 centimeters, making it impossible to have classes, and the painting tools were also easily damaged," said Plen Vichea, the director of the welfare institute. "Now, even if it rains heavily, the children can study and play safely on the second floor. Even if they jump around, the floor is stable." Since then, CTG Cambodia Duty Free has built a new classroom behind the stilt house, specifically for younger children to learn painting.
The living conditions of the welfare institute have also improved. The bathrooms are paved with square bricks, clean and bright; the kitchen is equipped with sliding doors, making food storage more hygienic and safe, and the cooking utensils are gradually complete. Srey Sovann, who used to live in the welfare institute and is now in college, said: "The older brothers and sisters of CTG Cambodia Duty Free often come to make local dishes 'Lok Lak' (牛肉用多种香料炖制的 - beef stewed with various spices) with us. Everyone sits together to share food, which is the taste of a happy life in my memory!"
CTG Cambodia Duty Free has also gradually established a regular return visit mechanism to continuously respond to needs. Plen Vichea recalled that the welfare institute once faced a shortage of food. "CTG Cambodia Duty Free sent rice in time many times, so the children did not go hungry." Heng Sothea introduced that, according to the return visit situation, the company added nutritional products such as milk to the donation list and supplemented supplies such as colored pencils and paints.
"Most of the children here are orphans, left-behind children, or from single-parent families. In addition to material support, they need more emotional companionship," said Plen Vichea. Every time CTG Cambodia Duty Free employees visit, they play games and draw with the children. "The children crave this care and always look forward to their arrival."
CTG Cambodia Duty Free employees use multimedia to show cultural elements such as the Great Wall and pandas, making the image of China increasingly vivid in the children's hearts. Kong Sreynith, who grew up in the welfare institute and is now a senior, won an award in a painting competition with a painting of Yongqing Temple in Suzhou (苏州永庆寺). "I have been drawing the Great Wall with my older brothers and sisters since I was a child. I hope to go to China in the future," she said.
Whenever the CTG Cambodia Duty Free team leaves, Plen Vichea always brings a bag of fruit grown in the institute to express his gratitude, and this emotion is also continued in the children's hearts. Srey Sovann, despite being busy with her studies, often returns to the welfare institute to teach her younger siblings to read and draw. "CTG Cambodia Duty Free has opened a window to the future for the children, not only improving their living conditions, but also teaching them to give back to society with a grateful heart," said Plen Vichea.
This long-distance public welfare run is extending to the "public welfare + cultural creation" model. In the cultural and creative exhibition area of CTG Cambodia Duty Free's Phnom Penh store, T-shirts and other products designed with inspiration from the paintings of the welfare institute attract tourists to stop. Yang Ning, General Manager of CTG Cambodia Duty Free, introduced that the painting elements under the children's pens are rich and full of imagination. The company is planning to further develop related cultural and creative products and establish a "benefit feedback" mechanism to use part of the profits from sales for the education and development of children in the welfare institute.
In the past 10 years, CTG Cambodia Duty Free has carried out more than 30 public welfare activities in the welfare institute, benefiting hundreds of children. Under this cross-border companionship and care, the children use paintbrushes to record their growth, express their emotions, and continuously gather the warm power of people-to-people connectivity between China and Cambodia.
State Grid Brazil Power CPFL's "Light to Hospitals" Project:
Warm Sunshine Brings Light, Tender Care Protects Children's Hearts
By Chen Yiming, reporter of this newspaper
The afternoon sun shines on the roof of Paulínia Hospital in São Paulo (圣保罗) State, Brazil, and rows of deep blue photovoltaic panels gleam softly in the breeze. The numbers on the electricity meter turn slowly, reading the clean electricity transmitted from here to the wards and operating rooms.
"A few years ago, hospitals like Paulínia were a different story. During peak electricity consumption periods, medical staff were always worried about whether the electricity was stable and whether medical equipment could be used normally," said Mileni Moreira Mendes, a staff member at Paulínia Hospital. The outdated electricity system had long put local hospitals under high electricity bill pressure, and equipment upgrades and service improvements were also stretched. The change occurred quietly after the launch of State Grid Brazil Power CPFL's "Light to Hospitals" project.
Since its launch in 2019, the project has entered more than 600 public hospitals in Brazil, focusing on hospital energy-saving renovation and medical infrastructure upgrades, combined with volunteer services and patient care, and is committed to creating a greener, more reliable, and higher-quality medical environment for the Brazilian people. Rooftop photovoltaic construction and energy-saving renovation make clean and abundant sunshine a stable energy support for hospitals. Electricity bills have decreased, equipment has stabilized, and more resources have been released to improve medical services and patient experience.
"The most direct change is the significant reduction in electricity expenses, and we can invest more funds in patients," said Pavão Patrício, head of the Sustainable Medicine Center at the Botucatu Medical School Affiliated Clinical Hospital in Brazil. In the past, the department was often worried about insufficient budgets, but now the ward environment is more comfortable, and some medical equipment has also been upgraded. "Walking around the hospital, you can feel such changes."
A burst of laughter came from the pediatric ward of Vargas President Hospital in Porto Alegre (阿雷格里港), Rio Grande do Sul (南里奥格兰德州) State. Walking into the ward, several volunteers wearing colorful aprons sat around the children, holding illustrated picture books and telling stories full of childlike fun and warmth. The children's eyes were full of curiosity, and they burst into cheerful laughter from time to time. The small faces that were originally tense due to being hospitalized gradually relaxed, and the tension and anxiety in their eyes disappeared without a trace.
These volunteers have all received special training and bring comfort to hospitalized children through storytelling, interactive communication, and other methods. "That time was very difficult. My son was in the intensive care unit and later transferred to a regular ward. Volunteers often came to tell him stories, which helped me a lot and left me and my child with good memories," said Eliana, who accompanied her child at the Celso Pierro Hospital of the Catholic University of Campinas.
Up to now, the "Light to Hospitals" project saves local hospitals electricity bills equivalent to the treatment costs of approximately 150,000 patients each year, and the carbon emission reduction achieved is equivalent to planting more than 40,000 trees. In 2021, the project was selected as a United Nations Sustainable Development Excellent Practice, setting a vivid benchmark for international cooperation to help green development. Dário Saadi, Mayor of Campinas (坎皮纳斯), said that the "Light to Hospitals" project significantly reduced hospital energy expenditures and provided solutions for improving the quality of public hospital services, which has important demonstration significance and promotion value.
As night falls, the interior of Paulínia Hospital is brightly lit: in the corridors, medical staff walk in a hurry; in the wards, children laugh and talk. The electricity converted from warm sunshine also exudes another more lasting light—it illuminates the space and also brings people's hearts closer together.
China General Nuclear Power Group's (CGN) Laos "Firefly Program":
Weaving a Helping Road, Lighting Up People's Livelihood
By Yang Yi, reporter of this newspaper
In Pasu Village (帕苏村), Mengsai County (孟赛县), Oudomxay Province (乌多姆赛省), northern Laos, a stilt house built of logs is hidden among the trees. Colorful woven strips hanging under the eaves sway gently in the wind, and a wooden sign on a beam is written in Lao and English: "National Cultural Protection Home." In the courtyard, an embroiderer wearing traditional clothing is focusing on operating in front of a loom, and the wooden shuttle moves flexibly between the warp and weft threads. Inside the house are displayed handmade clothes, backpacks, and decorations, with exquisite patterns and bright colors. This is the "Firefly Workshop" established in 2025 by China General Nuclear Power Group (中国广核集团) (hereinafter referred to as "CGN") in cooperation with the local handicraft center.
Laos has a long history of textiles, but restricted by the level of economic development, the protection and inheritance of these traditional handicrafts face difficulties. CGN implemented the Laos "Firefly Program" to promote the construction of "Firefly Workshops," providing local women with skills display and employment opportunities, exploring a sustainable community assistance path, and effectively promoting the inheritance and promotion of local ethnic cultural heritage.
"Before, this was a small workshop with only seven or eight workers, and most of the textiles produced were sold in Mengsai County, with very few exports," recalled Bounchanh Lathmanyvong, the founder of "Firefly Workshop." "After CGN joined, the number of producers increased to dozens, the production capacity was significantly improved, and the villagers working here also received higher incomes."
In order to make the workshop sustainable, CGN explored and formed an operating model of "market demand-driven, localized production, and cultural value transmission." Relying on its own brand needs and external exchange scenarios, CGN directed the purchase of workshop products, using Lao exquisite fabrics for corporate publicity, international cultural exchanges, etc., establishing a stable sales channel and income guarantee for the workshop. During corporate open days and International Women's Day, the group also organizes traditional textile craft displays to enhance communication and understanding. "All income is distributed by the workshop to local women participating in production according to the established distribution mechanism to ensure that the benefits of assistance are effectively transmitted and accurately implemented," said Tang Xiaobin, Social Responsibility Project Manager of CGN Energy International's Laos Company.
At present, the workshop has absorbed dozens of local women to participate, and employment at the doorstep has stimulated their enthusiasm for starting businesses. "Now everyone sincerely loves and cherishes the textile skills, treating it as a career, not just to make money, but really wanting to pass on the traditional culture and skills of Laos," said Bounchanh Lathmanyvong.
The "Firefly Program" was launched in 2023. While building a clean energy base in northern Laos and promoting the "hard connectivity" of power infrastructure, it also helps local development through various methods such as road construction, bridge reinforcement, donations to schools, and education and training, promoting "heart connectivity" between the Chinese and Lao people. Up to now, several livelihood projects under the "Firefly Program," such as the Mengsai County road construction, solar street light installation, bridge reinforcement, and Mengsing County Hospital operating room project, have been implemented, effectively benefiting the local people.
In March of this year, the Mengsai High School construction and renovation project invested and undertaken by CGN was officially completed and handed over. The new teaching building and activity field canopy all use photovoltaic glass produced in China, equipped with energy storage equipment, integrating clean energy technology into campus construction. Chen Peng Panyasa, Principal of Mengsai High School, said: "There is lighting in the classroom, and fans can be turned on when it is hot, and the children are very happy." Anpe Ulahong, a teacher at the school, said that this self-produced and self-used energy model allows students to have a deeper understanding of the energy knowledge in books.
From artisans in front of looms to clean energy lighting up campuses to roads and bridges connecting villages, the "Firefly Program" integrates into the local community with small actions. "In the future, we will continue to focus on education, medical care, vocational skills training, infrastructure maintenance, and cultural exchanges, promote the continuous deepening and solid implementation of social responsibility projects, and help the social development of Laos," said Tang Xiaobin.
China Baowu Steel Group Corporation Limited's Simandou Iron Ore Project in Guinea:
Building Roads to Simandou, Paving the Way to Prosperity
By Zou Song, reporter of this newspaper
On the red soil plateau of eastern Guinea, a new 19-kilometer-long road winds forward, connecting the city of Konsankoro (孔桑科罗) in Kérouané (凯鲁阿内) Province with the city of Damaro (达马罗). This road surrounds the Simandou (西芒杜) Iron Ore Project invested and constructed by Chinese enterprises and is affectionately called the "South Third Ring Road" by local builders. It is not only an industrial supporting road for mine development, but also a long-awaited travel road, prosperity road, and people's heart road for the local people.
Before the road opened to traffic in August 2024, traveling between Konsankoro and Damaro, which were not far apart but separated by mountains and jungles, could only be done through muddy dirt roads, which were even more difficult to navigate during the rainy season. After the road was built, the lives of the villages along the route changed greatly—the villagers of Kessino (可西诺) Village next to the road used to have difficulty traveling and accessing water, but now the road has been built to the entrance of the village, and the iron ore project has also drilled wells for the village. Clear well water and smooth roads make the villagers' lives more comfortable. At the well in the Founou Kouroudou (福努库鲁杜) community, a little girl named Mafilanliti happily said with a small bucket in her hand: "Before, we had to fetch water from the river. Now it is very convenient to use well water for washing clothes and drinking." Bangkali, the president of the Damaro Youth Association, said with emotion: "Now it is more convenient to go to Konsankoro, and many people have found jobs and their lives are getting better and better."
In the early morning, Ayuba Kamada, wearing an orange-red work uniform, rushed to the mine work area along the "South Third Ring Road." Two years ago, he was just an ordinary excavator operator, but now he has grown into a foreman in the mining management department. A stable income and a clear career prospect give this father of three children confidence in the future. "I really like this job. It has continuously improved the family's conditions. Recently, I plan to send my eldest son to school."
Kaba, an assistant specialist in the community relations department from Konsankoro, has also benefited. It only takes him more than ten minutes to drive from home to the company. "After the project started, the lives of my family and neighbors have undergone gratifying changes." In his opinion, the "South Third Ring Road" shortens commuting time and brings popularity and vitality to the local area, making it gradually lively and prosperous. Nifali Gamaha, the mayor of Konsankoro, felt this even more deeply: "We very much welcome Chinese companies to build Simandou. Many citizens have jobs because of this, and the small city has also gained development opportunities." He said that with the advancement of the project, supporting facilities such as housing, roads, medical rooms, and schools are gradually being improved, and the future development of the small city is promising.
Uka, 32, has realized his dream of settling down and starting a business through the road and iron ore project. This young man who studied Chinese at the Conakry (科纳克里) Railway Institute has become a project translator with his language skills. A stable job and a comfortable environment have strengthened his determination to settle down locally: "I have already found a house, and the next step is to bring my family from my hometown to settle down here." He had a happy smile on his face.
From technical workers to grassroots managers to professional translators, Guinean people in different positions have found their own development stage in the Simandou Iron Ore Project and on this road connecting hearts.
The parties involved in the Simandou Iron Ore Project also jointly funded the renovation of the 18-kilometer port connecting road, upgrading the original bumpy dirt road into an asphalt road. This connecting road not only serves the construction of the port and ensures the logistics and transportation of the mine, but also solves the problem of travel for residents along the route during the rainy season, and opens up product transportation channels for fishery and agricultural producers.
As the world's largest greenfield mining and infrastructure integrated project, the Simandou Iron Ore Project, invested by Baowu Resources, a subsidiary of China Baowu, and jointly constructed by a number of central state-owned enterprises, not only creates green ecological mining areas, modern railways, highways and comprehensive ports, but also drives regional development through industry. Guinean Minister of Mines and Geology, Bouna Sylla (布纳·西拉), once said: "The Simandou Iron Ore Project is Guinea's hope project, giving us the opportunity to change the country's economic landscape and allow the people to share the fruits of development."
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 苏 滨
This year's National People's Congress (全国人民代表大会) and Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (中国人民政治协商会议) (Two Sessions), Huang Yong (黄勇), a National People's Congress (全国人民代表大会) representative and chairman of Guizhou Tuzhi Information Technology Co., Ltd. (贵州图智信息技术有限公司), shared three stories:
The first story is called "Two and a Half Years." In 2016, Guizhou (贵州) launched a comprehensive survey of tourism resources, collecting massive amounts of data. However, storage and computing power couldn't keep up, and data processing took two and a half years. All the data could only be stored on more than 100 hard drives, requiring manual handling and offline copying.
The second story is called "60 Days." In 2023, Guizhou (贵州) conducted a field survey of winter wheat. Relying on computing infrastructure, data was uploaded online, stored in the cloud, and remote sensing images were intelligently interpreted, completing the task with high precision in just 60 days.
The third story is called "Real-Time." In 2025, a cloud-rendered, real-world 3D foundation platform will be launched, building a high-precision digital "twin" for Guizhou's (贵州) mountains and rivers, and disaster prevention will move from "passive response" to a new stage of "real-time perception, three-dimensional perspective, and twin warning."
These three stages, spanning nearly 10 years, outline the growth trajectory of enterprises and reflect the "three-level jump" of the digital economy in Guiyang City (贵阳市) and Gui'an New Area (贵安新区) in Guizhou Province (贵州省), from nothing to something, from storage to calculation, and from calculation to application. Behind this lies the solid support of local party members and cadres who have established and practiced a correct view of political achievements, adapting to local conditions and working hard.
Planning According to Local Conditions
"The emerging big data industry may be a good direction." In 2012, Wu Hequan (邬贺铨), an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (中国工程院), suggested this at the Eco Forum Global Guiyang (生态文明贵阳国际论坛).
At that time, Guizhou (贵州), as an important ecological barrier in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River (长江) and Pearl River (珠江), faced economic development difficulties: weak transportation, fragile ecology, a single industry, and prominent poverty. However, party members and cadres were determined: "We don't want to always be at the bottom; we must strive to climb higher." Behind this is the determination to hope for development, plan for development, and think about development.
"Not just Guizhou (贵州), but across the country, big data was a foreign concept at the time." Zhang Xuerong (张雪蓉), director of the Guiyang Big Data Development Administration (贵阳市大数据发展管理局) and director of the Gui'an New Area Big Data and Science and Technology Innovation Bureau (贵安新区大数据和科技创新局), further explained with e-commerce as an example, "The amount of data generated is increasing, but is this massive data useful? Should it be stored? How should it be used? Almost no one can say for sure."
In that year, the State Council (国务院) issued the "Several Opinions on Further Promoting the Good and Rapid Development of Guizhou's Economy and Society" (关于进一步促进贵州经济社会又好又快发展的若干意见), and Guizhou (贵州) focused on big data. Subsequently, the first Guiyang International Big Data Industry Expo (贵阳国际大数据产业博览会) was held in 2015, and it was approved as the first national-level big data comprehensive experimental zone in 2016; in 2022, it became one of the national "Eastern Data and Western Computing" (东数西算) eight major hub nodes...
"The key to Guizhou (贵州) developing big data from scratch lies in adapting to local conditions, highlighting characteristics, and considering both the big picture and the long-term." Zhang Xuerong (张雪蓉) said that comprehensively considering natural conditions, policy layout, and industrial ecology, Guiyang (贵阳) and Gui'an (贵安) have become important carriers of big data in the province.
How to adapt to local conditions and highlight characteristics?
"The advantages of Guiyang (贵阳) and Gui'an (贵安) in developing big data can be summarized as 'three highs and one low'—high geological stability and safety; abundant energy and high power reliability; increasingly improved digital infrastructure and high data transmission efficiency; cool climate and clean air, resulting in low operating costs for data centers." Zhang Quan (张权), head of the Industrial Integration Section of the Gui'an New Area Big Data and Science and Technology Innovation Bureau (贵安新区大数据和科技创新局), said with emotion that many development disadvantages in the past have now become natural advantages for developing big data.
Over the past decade, from "data warehouses" to "data factories," and then to the coordinated linkage of computing power, data, applications, and industries, Guiyang (贵阳) and Gui'an (贵安) have continued to polish the golden brand of big data. Facing key projects, Guiyang (贵阳) and Gui'an (贵安) have formed "red strong enterprise teams," established Party member demonstration posts and responsibility areas in project departments, and formed Party member commando teams. Party members and cadres overcome difficulties and actively forge ahead in construction.
On March 24 this year, the Guizhou Provincial Artificial Intelligence Application Promotion Center (贵州省人工智能应用推广中心) was established in Guiyang (贵阳), accelerating the promotion and application of artificial intelligence technology through measures such as strengthening supply, promoting docking, and promoting applications, empowering thousands of industries and serving thousands of households.
"We deeply realize that planning development according to local conditions is an essential part of establishing and practicing a correct view of political achievements. During the '15th Five-Year Plan' period, we plan to deeply implement the 'Artificial Intelligence+' action on the basis of the big data industry, take scenario opening as the traction, identify small entry points, and accelerate the cultivation of a batch of industry large model application benchmarks." Fu Tao (付涛), Deputy Mayor of Guiyang City (贵阳市), said.
Working Conscientiously
As of now, Guiyang (贵阳) and Gui'an (贵安) have gathered 27 large and above data centers, with a total computing power exceeding 160 billion billion calculations per second, of which intelligent computing accounts for more than 98%, making it one of the regions with the strongest intelligent computing capabilities in the country. From landing to taking root, it is inseparable from a group of cadres with strong business capabilities.
In 2013, Zhang Quan (张权) came to Gui'an New Area (贵安新区) to participate in big data work. Previously, he was a teacher in a middle school in Sichuan (四川).
"The span is indeed large, but to serve big data well, all cadres must learn and apply, and pressure is also motivation." Studying the central spirit, familiarizing themselves with national policies, purchasing professional books, and attending expert lectures... Zhang Quan (张权) said, "A trend has formed here—advocating practical work, grasping implementation, and constantly enhancing skills."
In 2015, a big data company came to Guiyang (贵阳) to participate in the first Digital Expo (数博会), and in 2016, they went to Gui'an New Area (贵安新区) for inspection. Zhang Quan (张权) provided services throughout the process.
"How do you view the importance of data? Where is its value?" During the inspection, the head of the company raised the topic.
"Data is the root, the foundation of digital economic development; data application is the branch and leaf, the key link for data to realize value. Therefore, we are making great efforts to build data centers." Zhang Quan (张权) started investment promotion on the spot.
"Guizhou (贵州) attaches importance to big data, and Guizhou (贵州) cadres understand big data. This is an important reason why we chose here." Zhou Lin (周林), general manager of Guizhou Data Treasure Network Technology Co., Ltd. (贵州数据宝网络科技有限公司), said. After landing, Zhang Quan (张权) also collected corporate demands and coordinated departments as a Party building instructor, building the Party branch on the big data industry chain.
"We organize Party member cadres from various departments and units, and promote 'Party Building Instructor + Party Building Commissioner + Enterprise Service Officer' for big data enterprises, deeply integrating Party building with industry." Kang Kai (康凯), head of the Organization Section of the Organization and Personnel Department of Gui'an New Area (贵安新区组织人事部组织科), said that the New Area currently selects and strengthens 13 Party building instructors to grasp overall planning, 30 Party building commissioners to grasp follow-up, and 72 enterprise commissioners to grasp services.
Over the past decade, Guizhou's (贵州) big data has shifted from storage-based to integrated storage and computing, with intelligent computing as a priority. This iterative leap is the result of the continuous improvement of the "knowing, understanding, and using" capabilities of the majority of Party members and cadres, and the continuous seizing of new development opportunities.
"We must adhere to learning first, research as the foundation, and practical work as the key. Through regular Party school training, expert lectures, and exploring digital mentor models, we will enhance our digital literacy and take the initiative in institutional design, resource integration, and industrial collaboration to ensure that industrial planning is not biased and project promotion is not blind." Geng Libo (耿立波), Deputy District Mayor of Guanshanhu District (观山湖区) in Guiyang City (贵阳市), said that constantly shaping new advantages in big data development requires solid work.
Walking into Guizhou Hive Data Label Technology Co., Ltd. (贵州蜂巢数标科技有限公司) in Guanshanhu District (观山湖区), Wang Chaofei (王朝飞), an artificial intelligence trainer, stared at the screen, sliding the mouse, and accurately dragging the frame lines. Road information was labeled into high-quality data sets, providing "nourishment" for intelligent driving training.
As the "basic granary" of artificial intelligence, data labeling is a labor- and technology-intensive industry. Since 2024, Guanshanhu District (观山湖区) has relied on data, human resources, and policy advantages, and taken industry-education integration as the starting point to take the lead in deploying the data labeling industry, creating the Xiaolanshan Data Labeling Base (小兰山数据标注基地) through "government-school-enterprise-village" collaboration.
"We have formed multiple Party member government service teams to actively provide door-to-door services, and at the same time encourage enterprises to form Party member technical tackling teams to solve technical problems." Geng Libo (耿立波) said, "Party members and cadres must not only bury their heads in pulling the cart, but also look up at the road, base themselves on their positions, and work hard to achieve solid results."
Focusing on Long-Term Goals
Over the past decade, Guiyang (贵阳) and Gui'an (贵安) have focused on extending, supplementing, and strengthening the big data industry chain, and the digital industry has stepped onto a trillion-level platform. Among them, the added value of the digital economy industry in Gui'an New Area (贵安新区) accounts for 33% of the region's gross domestic product.
"Moving from high-speed growth to expanding coverage and improving quality is inseparable from Party members and cadres grasping implementation with a **钉钉子的精神** (dīng dīng zi de jīng shén - "nailing spirit," perseverance and determination to complete tasks thoroughly), and cultivating a good ecology for the industry to move towards new and better directions." Zhang Xuerong (张雪蓉) said.
As data center clusters accelerate their rise, the power consumption of Gui'an New Area (贵安新区) has increased for 10 consecutive years. In 2025, the total social power consumption will be 5.26 billion kilowatt-hours, an increase of 39.89% year-on-year, posing a challenge to the reliable supply of electricity.
At the end of March this year, the 500 kV Machang Transmission and Transformation Project (500千伏马场输变电工程) located in Gui'an New Area (贵安新区) was officially put into operation, becoming the first 500 kV transmission and transformation project put into operation in Guizhou (贵州) in the first year of the "15th Five-Year Plan." "The power supply capacity of 4 million kilowatts is equivalent to recreating half of the Gui'an power grid." Shi Shunteng (施顺腾), Deputy General Manager of the Planning Department of the Guizhou Gui'an Power Supply Bureau of China Southern Power Grid (南方电网贵州贵安供电局规划部副总经理), introduced that the power supply bureau provides all-weather, all-round, and all-professional power services for key data centers by setting up 13 Party member demonstration posts, dividing 8 Party member responsibility areas, and forming 8 Party member commando teams and 3 Party member service teams, covering more than 110 Party members and young backbones in the bureau, ensuring that data center power consumption achieves "zero power outages" throughout the year.
The big data industry is moving towards new and better directions, inseparable from talent support. "When Data Treasure (数据宝) landed in Gui'an New Area (贵安新区), the company only brought the management team, and there was an urgent shortage of front-line talent." Based on the previous communication and service, Zhang Quan (张权) predicted this demand and connected with Guizhou Normal University (贵州师范大学) and other universities in advance, successfully establishing a talent training mechanism, and successfully recruited more than 80 people in the first batch. "These schools have long established big data majors, and cultivate talents through 'order classes' and 'named classes' to achieve entry into the enterprise upon enrollment and employment upon graduation."
At present, Guiyang (贵阳) and Gui'an (贵安) are accelerating the gathering of a group of compound talents who understand both big data technology and related industries, strengthening the construction of big data-related disciplines and majors, building a data center operation and maintenance talent training base, and building more than 10 big data-related talent training bases to reserve more talent for the development of the big data industry.
"In order to further stimulate the vitality of big data development, we insist on running Party building leadership through the entire process of optimizing the business environment, grasping cadre education and management, and guiding cadres to enhance their awareness of the overall situation, service awareness, integrity awareness, and integrity awareness." Zhang Xuerong (张雪蓉) said that it is necessary to do more practical things that lay the foundation, benefit the long-term, and benefit enterprises, not engage in superficial things, and not seek false fame, and promote the high-quality development of the big data industry.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 王昊男
Spring is in full swing. Stepping into the Beijing Pixel Community (北京像素小区), one sees a busy scene of road repairs, greening, and space renovation.
Just a year ago, unattended garbage, unreliable elevators, and cold winters were the norm here.
What was the problem? Where did the change come from?
Located in Changying Township (常营乡), Chaoyang District (朝阳区), Beijing (北京市), the Beijing Pixel Community (北京像素小区) was once the first stop for many "Beijing drifters" (北漂) coming to Beijing (北京). Its proximity to the subway, mixed commercial and residential use, and low prices once allowed it to accommodate six or seven thousand people at its peak. But behind the bustle, hidden dangers had long been buried.
"The elevator breaks down 8 times a month, with no maintenance or management," "The underground garage is flooded enough to raise fish, and my car has grown mold," "The heating is not working, and the room is only a dozen degrees in winter"... Residents complained about the past.
"There is a large floating population, with 70% of the owners not being local; there is no public maintenance fund, and the property company left by the developer is poorly managed, only collecting money and not investing it," said Ma Hongsong (马洪松), the head of Changying Township (常营乡), Chaoyang District (朝阳区), Beijing (北京市). These historical problems have led to constant property disputes. "One-third of the township's 12345 complaints come from here."
"To solve the governance problems of super-large communities, we must first strengthen the Party organization." Han Youchen (韩酉晨), Secretary of the Party Committee of Changying Township (常营乡), Chaoyang District (朝阳区), said that the Township Party Committee first addressed the organizational system, establishing two Party General Branches for the governance committees of the South and North Zones of Beijing Pixel (北京像素) directly under the Township Party Committee, building a three-level governance system of "Township Party Committee - Party General Branch - Grassroots Party Branch," "allowing the tentacles of the Party organization to extend into building entrances and households."
Around governance problems, Chaoyang District (朝阳区) conducted many field investigations and held special dispatch meetings to explore solutions to the urgent problems of the masses, such as heating security and elevator travel. With the full support of relevant committees and bureaus in Chaoyang District (朝阳区), on April 28, 2025, Changying Township (常营乡) launched an emergency property service mechanism to legally take over the original property through emergency measures.
Taking over was just the beginning; the hard battle was still ahead. The Beijing Pixel Community (北京像素小区) has 9,506 houses and more than 30,000 actual residents, but only 55 staff members. Organizing a owners' meeting to select a property company that everyone is satisfied with is also a challenge.
Distributing questionnaires, listening to opinions door-to-door, holding resident symposiums... The three-level Party organizations each took their responsibilities, and Party members took the lead in going deep into the masses. In October 2025, after voting by the owners' meeting, Beijing Bainian Shihao Property Management Co., Ltd. (北京柏年世豪物业管理有限公司) became the new property company for the community.
Unblocking clogged pipes, repairing damaged roads, and replacing elevator parts, the new property company quickly launched a "renewal action" after moving in. In the 2025 heating season, heating complaints in this community, which once had a high volume of complaints, dropped significantly.
It is necessary to solve problems and increase vitality. "Chaoyang District (朝阳区) always adheres to the principle that 'the best service is the best governance.' The top-down organizational power must eventually be transformed into bottom-up governance vitality." Han Youchen (韩酉晨) introduced that the township has specially launched the "Pixel You+" (像素优+) program, working together from five dimensions: organization, space, governance, industry, and service. By surveying 1,200 residents and more than 80 merchants to understand the situation, residents were mobilized to discuss and govern together, form governance plans, and build a better home together. "Under the overall planning of the Party organization, the community is moving from phased rectification to systematic governance," said Han Youchen (韩酉晨).
Data confirms the effectiveness of governance: In the past year, the number of 12345 citizen requests in the Beijing Pixel Community (北京像素小区) has decreased by more than 30% year-on-year, and the proportion of long-term, high-frequency, and repetitive requests such as heating, elevators, and environmental sanitation has decreased significantly; all of the first 13 governance plans have been implemented, and more than 200 benefit-the-people activities have been carried out, serving nearly 10,000 residents.
The transformation of the Beijing Pixel Community (北京像素小区) is a microcosm. Facing the governance problems of super-large communities, Chaoyang District (朝阳区) always adheres to Party building leadership, gives play to the cohesion, creativity, and combat effectiveness of grassroots Party organizations, takes problems as the guide, resolves contradictions and solves demands, draws a concentric circle of grassroots governance, and effectively enhances the people's sense of gain and happiness.
Return to Top"Where are the actual results of the project? Why were the funds given to the partner in advance?" In a village in Xiazhuang Town (下庄镇), Xiangyun County (祥云县), Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture (大理白族自治州), Yunnan Province (云南省), facing questions from discipline inspection and supervision personnel, Xi (奚), the former secretary of the village's general Party branch, was sweating profusely and stammering, unable to answer a single question.
In 2024, the Xiangyun County (祥云县) Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervision received clues from the public reflecting issues related to Xi (奚) and took detention measures against him after investigation and verification. When reviewing the cooperative's accounts, discipline inspection and supervision personnel discovered that a sales contract signed by Xi (奚) showed that more than 500,000 yuan had been transferred from the cooperative's account even though the contract had not been fulfilled. After verification, the receiving unit of this payment turned out to be a company registered by Xi (奚) through related personnel.
It turned out that Xi (奚) held multiple positions. In addition to being the secretary of the village's general Party branch and the director of the village committee, he also served as the chairman and vice chairman of two planting and breeding farmers' professional cooperatives in the village since September 2021. According to the cooperative's articles of association, although the contract was signed by the legal representative, it also needed to go through relevant procedures of the board of directors. However, Xi (奚) skipped the supervision procedures and embezzled more than 1 million yuan of funds from the two cooperatives for personal use by arranging for financial personnel to withdraw cash and signing "superficial contracts," turning the collective account into his "own piggy bank."
Ultimately, Xi (奚) was severely punished in accordance with regulations, discipline, and law.
[Disciplinary Officer's Remarks] In this case, the village cadre put the funds from the collective "money bag" into his own pocket, exposing problems such as a weak awareness of discipline and law and loopholes in the management of collective "three assets." Grassroots cadres should take this case as a warning and always keep the string of discipline and law tight. At the same time, it is necessary to improve the long-term mechanism for supervising and managing collective "three assets," put village-level micro-powers into the cage of the system, and ensure that collective "three assets" truly bring long-term benefits to the villagers.
(Reported and compiled by Zhang Chi (张驰), reporter of this newspaper)
Return to TopBy: 李林蔚
At the grassroots level, one often hears sayings like: "We can't decide this matter; we have to ask for instructions from above," and "We can't act until the leaders speak." Reporting for instructions is intended to strengthen communication between higher and lower levels, promote scientific decision-making, and better implement policies. However, in some places and units, there is an "excessive reporting for instructions" situation, with requests made at every level and for every matter. Why is this?
There is a "passing the buck upwards" mentality to avoid responsibility. Some cadres, when faced with matters within their own level of authority and responsibility, report them upwards at every level. On the surface, this appears to be following the rules and procedures, but in reality, it is to avoid risk and shift responsibility. "It's not that we don't do things, it's just that we're afraid of doing things wrong," and "The greatest achievement is that no fault can be found in the procedures." This kind of "self-protection" is essentially a lack of responsibility and inaction, treating the request for instructions as a "shield."
There is a speculative mentality of "showing face and making a statement." Some cadres hope to create a false impression of busyness by requesting instructions at every level, believing that "it's not that we're afraid of subordinates being dissatisfied, it's that we're afraid of superiors not noticing," in order to gain the "favor" of leaders and seek personal promotion opportunities.
There is a "doing nothing as an official" mentality of lying flat. There is a saying at the grassroots level, "If you want to prevent something from being done, ask for instructions multiple times." This is actually an excuse for laziness, procrastination, and disorganization. It's not that they're not doing it, but that they're waiting for a reply, delaying as long as possible. Unless the superiors give clear instructions, the matter is put on hold indefinitely.
There is a dependence mentality stemming from a fear of incompetence. Some party members and cadres, when faced with complex situations, prominent contradictions, and issues that the masses strongly react to, easily panic and become at a loss, unable to "handle" the situation. Behind this is a lack of independent thinking and problem-solving skills, using frequent requests for instructions to cover up the fear of not knowing how to do things.
All of this causes some affairs to fall into "procedural idling." Over time, this not only delays development opportunities but also erodes public trust.
Requesting instructions for everything ultimately stems from an incorrect view of performance, avoiding responsibility, risk, and conflict. They are calculating their own "petty gains," wanting only to be officials and not to do things, wanting only to seize power and not to bear responsibility, wanting only to stand out and not to contribute.
To eliminate the "three avoidances," it is necessary to establish a clear direction, so that cadres who dare to act and dare to take responsibility are affirmed and have confidence. Some grassroots cadres frankly say, "The tasks are heavy and the requirements are high, we work hard, but once there is a flaw, we are punished, and the psychological pressure is great." Strict rewards and punishments, a sound mechanism for tolerating errors and correcting mistakes, and the establishment of a clear direction that emphasizes responsibility and practical results are needed to break the vicious cycle of "the more bowls you wash, the more bowls you break," so that cadres can let go and dare to do things boldly.
In the end, requesting instructions and reporting is for the sake of getting things done. As grassroots cadres, requesting instructions when necessary and implementing them when necessary, being responsible for one's territory, and fulfilling one's duties are what the correct view of performance should look like.
Return to TopXi Jinping (习近平), General Secretary of the Communist Party of China, emphasized: "I hope that the vast number of party members and cadres will take the lead in reading and learning, cultivating their moral character and aspirations, and increasing their talents." "We must combine reading 'books with words' and reading 'books without words'." In today's era, the cycle of knowledge renewal is greatly shortened, and various new knowledge, new situations, and new things emerge endlessly. If knowledge literacy and vision cannot keep up, it will be difficult to enhance abilities, and there will be no way to win the initiative, win advantages, and win the future.
In this issue of the "Da Di Book List," we hope to build a bridge between the public's demand for knowledge and the rapidly changing reality of the times, recommending a batch of good books that showcase new trends and new achievements in the fields of theory, history, science and technology, and culture, to help readers understand the times and see China, maintain intellectual vitality, update knowledge structures, and achieve the unity of learning and application.
——Editor
Reading a New World
Hu Yanyan
In an era where heroes are not judged by their origins, people are more easily attracted by legends that emerge out of nowhere. The "Zhang Xue Motorcycle" became famous in one battle. The story of Zhang Xue, who dropped out of school at the age of 14 and "reversed" from a car repair apprentice to become the creator of a motorcycle champion brand, is widely talked about. Some netizens even compared him with experts who studied engines for 30 years but failed to build a real machine, and the "uselessness of reading" seemed to resurface. However, Zhang Xue frankly said in an interview that talent is the foundation of entrepreneurship, and engineers are the most valuable asset of Zhang Xue Motorcycle. And he himself is just attacking the unknown and difficult problems again and again in the oil stains.
In an era when the technology flywheel is spinning rapidly, people often lose patience with the accumulation of still waters. Artificial intelligence pulls together knowledge reserves, and the "strongest brain" is available for call at any time. Who would still go to the ends of the earth to search painstakingly in the vast sea of books? However, from Turing Award winner Geoffrey Hinton and Yao Qizhi (姚期智) to top scientists in the field of AI (artificial intelligence) such as Li Feifei (李飞飞) and Zhang Bo (张钹), these people standing at the forefront of technology all advocate reading and repeatedly encourage young people to read widely and deeply on different occasions.
Countless examples remind us that the usefulness of reading is more lasting and hidden than we imagine.
With the progress of the times, society's understanding of "reading" has long been relaxed: reading is not equal to academic qualifications, reading is not limited to exam-oriented education, all ways of seeking knowledge and solving doubts can be regarded as broad reading, digital reading and traditional reading go hand in hand, and national reading and lifelong learning complement each other... But new obstacles are also emerging. For example, knowledge is updated and iterated very quickly. When the speed of the target moving exceeds the speed of shooting arrows, people do not know what to learn and to what extent is enough. Furthermore, there is a lack of cultural physical strength. The pressure of work and life and online social interaction have already made people feel "drained," and the concentration and investment required for reading are generally "in short supply" for contemporary people.
In contrast, combining reading "books with words" and reading "books without words" is even more necessary.
Reading is destined to pursue change with anchoring, and to explore the infinite with the limited. It is impossible to catch up or exhaust. "Ability panic" is inevitable. But the more technology changes accelerate, and the more knowledge production increases exponentially, the more we should realize that what is really important is not memory, but bandwidth. If there is a gap in memory, it can be converted into a skill interface by learning what to do, and supplementing what is lacking. Bandwidth symbolizes your intellectual vitality, problem vision, and learning ability, which are far more important than mastering how much knowledge. Staying sensitive, finding the right direction, and actively updating are more effective in alleviating panic than any specific skill. And abundant bandwidth is not formed in a day. It originates from long-term reading, from cross-running between books and society, from the complementarity of theory and practice, the integration of knowledge and experience, and the cycle of learning and thinking.
In this issue of the "Da Di Book List," we recommend good books to readers from the perspective of combining "books with words" and "books without words." Some of them are theoretical, helping us build a framework for thinking about problems and analyzing problems; some are historical, giving us the depth of time; some are popular science, lending us a discerning eye to see the future; and some are literature, taking us to understand life and experience life in writing that originates from life and is higher than life. They are just the beginning. Behind each book are countless books, encouraging readers to strive towards the direction of being both broad and specialized, and more and more specialized. In the process of reading them, please also "immerse yourself in the situation," compare them with the big book of society, and accept "calibration" from reality. There are "new models" of rural economy in the books, but when you go to the village, you may see more direct and efficient "local methods." This misalignment is the beginning of breaking out of cognitive rigidity and breaking path dependence.
**善读书者，无之而非书** (shàn dú shū zhě, wú zhī ér fēi shū - "A good reader finds books everywhere," meaning a skilled reader can learn from any source). What is most attractive about reading is not the purpose, but the process. Traveling between "books with words" and "books without words," we are inspired and invigorated, feeling the thoroughness of enlightenment, and also nourished and comforted, indulging in the resonance of warm currents. We have stood on the shoulders of giants, and we have also soberly seen the unknown as the ocean. The painter Li Keran (李可染) talked about facing tradition, one must be able to "use the greatest effort to get in, and use the greatest courage to get out," which can also be used to describe reading. Use the greatest effort to read in, thoroughly understand the wisdom and nourishment, and then use the greatest courage to read out, let go, practice bravely, and create a new world - such a reading life is always needed by us.
Reshaping Oneself in the Information Age
Wu Jun (吴军)
In the past 10 years, from mRNA (messenger ribonucleic acid) drug development to deconstructing proteins, from synthesizing new materials to quantum computing, human technology has made significant progress. Among them, the most critical is the breakthrough in information technology with artificial intelligence as the core.
In my book "A Global History of Technology," I described such a view: the main axis of human progress is "energy" and "information," and the level of civilization development can be measured according to human use of them. Today, the most important indicator for examining technological progress is the ability to store, process, and transmit information. Facing the exponentially growing information and the increasing technical requirements related to information applications, humans are eager to have more powerful information processing tools. Various artificial intelligence technologies have emerged to meet this demand.
Addressing the many challenges facing all mankind - aging population, climate change, shortage of natural resources, etc. - is also inseparable from information technology. For example, studying the problem of human aging and developing new drugs to treat diseases requires understanding the mechanism of metabolism, especially the structure and function of proteins, finding out the causes of aging and diseases, and figuring out how to use genes to control protein synthesis. These problems are essentially information processing problems.
Information technology is developing rapidly, but it is far from enough to solve the above problems. We need faster and more accurate information processing capabilities, more powerful intelligent technologies, and new cutting-edge technologies, such as quantum computing. We should take advantage of the rapid development of information technology, seize opportunities, and accelerate applications, rather than being timid in the face of technological progress. If we do that, we will be abandoned by the times.
Today, many people worry that artificial intelligence will take away their jobs and make us lose ourselves. This may be **杞人忧天** (qǐ rén yōu tiān - "The man of Qi feared the sky falling," groundless fears). Historically, mankind has experienced three industrial revolutions, and the number of employed people has increased significantly each time. In this process, mankind has constantly reshaped itself and become a new human being adapted to the times. We have reason to believe that this new technological wave will also be the same, and mankind will find its new positioning.
When machines can solve more problems, human creativity becomes more and more important. In the future society, we are required to be good at asking new questions, good questions, and not just limited to solving known problems; we need to not be afraid of failure, try boldly, and not stick to existing answers and practices. This is the requirement put forward by the artificial intelligence era for each of us.
In 1930, mathematician Hilbert criticized those who were skeptical of science in his retirement speech - they were intoxicated with agnosticism, but we must know, we will know. Today, for skeptics and worriers, what I want to say is: we can succeed, we will succeed.
(The author is a visiting researcher at Shanghai Jiao Tong University (上海交通大学) and a computer scientist)
The Unity of Knowledge and Action: Cultivating the "Xin Xue" of Communists
Zang Fengyu (臧峰宇)
Traditional Chinese views on knowledge and action either emphasize knowledge before action or focus on action before knowledge. The former is like "think thrice before acting," and the latter is reflected in "knowing the truth after practicing diligently."
Wang Yangming (王阳明) proposed the unity of knowledge and action: "The place where knowledge is truly and firmly grasped is action; the place where action is clearly and carefully observed is knowledge. The effort of knowledge and action cannot be separated." He combined "being able to do it," "solving its doubts," "understanding its principles," "being precise in its observation," and "fulfilling its reality" into one, emphasizing returning to the original heart of conscience, advocating "the mind is principle," "the unity of knowledge and action," and "extending conscience," believing that all things and principles in the world are in people's hearts, and one should achieve consistency in learning and thinking, and the "body of knowledge and action" is "innate knowledge and ability."
Today, Party spirit education, as a compulsory course for communists to cultivate their moral character, is also the "Xin Xue" of communists. Marxism is deeply in line with Xin Xue, which is an important part of outstanding traditional Chinese culture. To understand the "Xin Xue" of communists, it is necessary to grasp the essence of Party spirit education, draw nourishment from the spirit of traditional Chinese Xin Xue, understand its combination with Marxism and the characteristics of creative transformation and innovative development in the era, and engage in entrepreneurship with a view of knowledge and action that conforms to the spirit of the times.
On the one hand, "knowledge is the idea of action, and action is the effort of knowledge." If knowledge is not reached, action is not strong. Today, we must learn and understand the essence and essence of Marxism, master the position, viewpoint, and method of Marxism, and use it to analyze problems and guide practice. After the heart is established, the body is cultivated. By strengthening ideals and beliefs and tempering political character, ideals and beliefs are internalized in the heart and externalized in action. On the other hand, social life is essentially practical, and only by enriching and deepening ideological understanding in practice can there be a constant source of practical motivation. To develop the skills to be able to shoulder heavy responsibilities, temper the heart of responsibility in practice, adhere to the purpose of serving the people wholeheartedly, adhere to the new development concept, and constantly improve the ability to solve complex problems, "dare to straighten one's body" when encountering difficulties, seek truth from facts, and adapt to local conditions.
Establishing oneself in all walks of life, learning comes first. Reading is the most basic way of life and spiritual pursuit. We should read more books with words to increase knowledge; read more books without words to broaden our horizons. Read the books of the world with our hearts, accumulate knowledge, and temper our thoughts. At the same time, apply life experience and social knowledge to practice, and learn true knowledge and understand the true meaning in practice.
Currently, the entire Party is carrying out study and education on establishing and practicing a correct view of performance. Establishing and practicing a correct view of performance, the decisive role is Party spirit. Only by deeply understanding the "Xin Xue" of communists, consciously cultivating Party spirit, deeply recognizing that benefiting the people is the greatest achievement, knowing responsibility in the heart, bearing responsibility on the body, and fulfilling responsibility in action, can we dedicate ourselves to society and achieve ourselves in the process of constantly improving our ability and solving problems, and leave a regretless footprint of struggle on the new era and new journey.
(The author is the Dean of the School of Philosophy of Renmin University of China (中国人民大学))
Seeing the Rivers and Mountains to Understand China
Shi Zhan (施展)
The new book "Rivers and Mountains" is a combination of "reading ten thousand books" and "traveling ten thousand miles." In the past 5 years, I have visited most of the places mentioned in the book, going to historical sites to verify the information I read, and to discover and think about new problems. In the process of writing, I felt more and more strongly that to understand China, one cannot only start from the rise and fall of dynasties, the ups and downs of characters, and the changes of systems, but also return to the rivers and mountains themselves.
For a civilization like China, which is vast and has huge internal differences, if you only look at the political gains and losses of a time and place, many problems will seem fragmented and even contradictory. Once you put your eyes back on the mountain and river situation, climate pattern, transportation routes, agricultural and pastoral divisions, and the interaction of people, many seemingly accidental historical phenomena will show their deep continuity.
The structure of this book has two pillars: one is geography, and the other is stories.
The so-called geography is not the narrow sense of landform, but the underlying conditions on which history depends. The direction of the mountains affects the flow of water vapor; the amount of precipitation shapes different habitats, forming many differentiated groups of people such as Central Plains farming, grassland nomadism, Northeast fishing and hunting, and Western Regions oasis trade. The exchange between differentiated groups of people is the most profound driving force for the evolution of Chinese history.
Geography is the greatest common denominator at the bottom of history. Dynasties will change, systems will change, and concepts will be reorganized, but the basic spatial structure faced by a civilization will remain stable for a long time. Why is China both a unified body and has long contained huge regional differences; why do the Central Plains, grasslands, Western Regions, plateaus, and sea frontiers constantly shape each other; why do some key passages, important towns, and border areas always repeatedly become the focus in history - these questions can only be seen more clearly by returning to the rivers and mountains.
But geography cannot explain history alone. It provides constraints and a stage, but it cannot automatically generate order. To make scattered groups of people form a community, to make many differentiated groups of people and regions recognize each other and live together, it is not only necessary to have common interests, but also to have a common "story." People know where they come from through stories, and also know why they are worth walking together.
For a large country like China with diverse habitats and diverse ethnic groups, stories are especially important. Without a story with a large enough capacity, the vast space may just be a patchwork, and diverse groups of people will find it difficult to have a shared world of meaning. Those eras in Chinese history that were truly creative and integrated were often not simply eliminating differences, but accommodating differences and organizing differences at a higher level, giving differences a common meaning.
This is the most important understanding that "Rivers and Mountains" wants to express: a nation with a large enough spiritual capacity will not easily split due to internal differences, will not lose itself due to external shocks, and will not deny its own historical continuity due to short-term successes and failures. "Rivers and Mountains" starts from the two pillars of geography and stories to understand how this spiritual capacity is formed, and how Chinese history has gradually formed today's appearance in the process of constantly dealing with differences, absorbing heterogeneity, and rebuilding order.
Look at geography first, then look at stories; look at rivers and mountains first, then look at China. That is not only a review of the past, but also a preparation for the future.
(The author is a professor at the Institute of Global Civilization History at Shanghai International Studies University (上海外国语大学))
Netizen Comments
Beijing (北京) Netizen Xu Chang777: The rapid development of AI brings opportunities, but also is accompanied by uncertainty. "A Global History of Technology" takes us to "personally experience" the leap of mankind from drinking blood to the industrial age and the information age, and also allows us to see the human light shining behind every technological breakthrough. Those magnificent moments are happening right now!
Hunan (湖南) Netizen Bamboo Leaf: I recommend Lou Yulie's (楼宇烈) "Chinese Wisdom." This book tells me to do my duty, maintain a normal heart, and become a free person.
Beijing (北京) Netizen Zhu Jing2001: "Interpreting the Chinese Economy" uses solid data and rigorous theory to describe the origin and resilience of the Chinese economy, like an anchor in the wind and waves, adding confidence and determination to readers who are in the "great changes unseen in a century."
Guangdong (广东) Netizen Tingying Dangdang CHN: Mr. Qian Mu's (钱穆) "An Outline of National History" allows me to understand the continuation and resilience of Chinese civilization. This reverence and love for history is transformed into confidence and composure when facing challenges.
Beijing (北京) Netizen Wang Yun1: I opened "Vertical Takeoff" for the fresh theme of "low-altitude economy," but I didn't expect to gain unexpected joy. Entrepreneurship is not a smooth road of high-spirited progress, but must constantly break through in the face of numerous challenges. "Adhering to the original intention" not only questions the protagonist in the book, but also questions us outside the book.
Return to TopThis edition's email: dushu@peopledaily.cn
Layout design: Zhao Siru (赵偲汝)