People's Daily - April 24, 2026

Further summarize and utilize the "Yiwu Development Experience" to explore a high-quality development path that suits each region's specific conditions.

■ Yiwu's small commodities have forged a large market and developed into a large industry, forming the "Yiwu Development Experience," which is a successful practice of developing the county economy in accordance with local conditions.

■ It is necessary to combine the study and education on establishing and practicing a correct view of performance, further summarize and apply the "Yiwu Development Experience," guide all regions to base themselves on their own resource endowments, respect the pioneering spirit of the grassroots and the masses, reform and innovate, work hard and 久久为功 (jiǔ jiǔ wéi gōng - "achieve success through persistent effort," persistent effort will lead to success), explore a path of high-quality development that suits their respective realities, and better serve and integrate into the overall national development.

Xinhua News Agency, Beijing (北京), April 23rd. Xi Jinping (习近平), General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (中国共产党), President of the People's Republic of China (中华人民共和国), and Chairman of the Central Military Commission (中央军事委员会), recently issued an important instruction pointing out that Yiwu's (义乌) small commodities have forged a large market and developed into a large industry, forming the "Yiwu Development Experience," which is a successful practice of developing the county economy in accordance with local conditions.

Xi Jinping (习近平) emphasized that it is necessary to combine the study and education on establishing and practicing a correct view of performance, further summarize and apply the "Yiwu Development Experience," guide all regions to base themselves on their own resource endowments, respect the pioneering spirit of the grassroots and the masses, reform and innovate, work hard and 久久为功 (jiǔ jiǔ wéi gōng - "achieve success through persistent effort," persistent effort will lead to success), explore a path of high-quality development that suits their respective realities, and better serve and integrate into the overall national development.

During his work in Zhejiang (浙江), Xi Jinping (习近平) visited Yiwu (义乌) many times to investigate, summarize, and promote the "Yiwu Development Experience." In recent years, Yiwu (义乌) has continued to write new chapters in the "small commodities, large market" story. Currently, the number of business entities in the small commodity market has exceeded 1.26 million, with trade relations with more than 230 countries and regions. In 2025, the foreign trade export volume ranked first among counties (cities, districts) nationwide.

Return to Top

General Offices of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council Issue the "Comprehensive Evaluation and Assessment Measures for Carbon Peaking and Carbon Neutrality"

Xinhua News Agency, Beijing (北京), April 23rd. Recently, the General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (中共中央办公厅) and the General Office of the State Council (国务院办公厅) issued the "Comprehensive Evaluation and Assessment Measures for Carbon Peaking and Carbon Neutrality," and issued a notice requiring all regions and departments to earnestly comply with and implement them.

The full text of the "Comprehensive Evaluation and Assessment Measures for Carbon Peaking and Carbon Neutrality" is as follows.

Comprehensive Evaluation and Assessment Measures for Carbon Peaking and Carbon Neutrality

(Reviewed and approved at the meeting of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee (中共中央政治局常委会会议) on February 26, 2026; issued by the General Office of the CPC Central Committee (中共中央办公厅) and the General Office of the State Council (国务院办公厅) on April 12, 2026)

Chapter I General Provisions

Article 1: In order to leverage the strategic guiding role of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, accelerate the construction of a dual control system for total carbon emissions and intensity, promote local Party committees and governments to establish and practice a correct view of political achievements, and resolutely shoulder the responsibility for carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, these measures are formulated in accordance with the "Opinions of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council on Fully, Accurately, and Comprehensively Implementing the New Development Concept and Doing a Good Job in Carbon Peaking and Carbon Neutrality," the "Opinions of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council on Accelerating the Comprehensive Green Transformation of Economic and Social Development," and relevant regulations.

Article 2: These measures apply to the evaluation and assessment of the progress of Party committees and governments of all provinces (autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government) in implementing carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals and accelerating the comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development, starting from the year 2026.

Article 3: Under the centralized and unified leadership of the Party Central Committee (党中央), the evaluation and assessment work shall be coordinated and guided by the Organization Department of the Central Committee (中央组织部) and implemented by the National Development and Reform Commission (国家发展改革委) in conjunction with relevant departments.

Article 4: The evaluation and assessment shall implement the principle of shared responsibility between the Party and the government, with each position having dual responsibilities, and adhere to the working principles of overall consideration, objectivity and fairness, scientific standardization, and emphasis on practical results.

Chapter II Evaluation and Assessment Content

Article 5: The evaluation and assessment shall closely focus on the implementation of the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee (党中央) and the State Council (国务院) on carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, as well as the national independent contribution goals for addressing climate change, and promote all provinces (autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government) to implement the dual control targets for total carbon emissions and intensity.

Article 6: The evaluation and assessment shall set up control indicators and support indicators.

Control indicators include indicators such as total carbon emissions, reduction in carbon emission intensity, total coal consumption, total oil consumption, and the proportion of non-fossil energy consumption.

Support indicators include representative indicators in fields such as energy conservation, industry, urban and rural construction, transportation, public institutions, and carbon emission rights trading, which support carbon peaking and carbon neutrality.

Article 7: During the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, the National Development and Reform Commission (国家发展改革委) shall, in conjunction with relevant departments, formulate the "15th Five-Year Plan" Carbon Peaking Action Plan, focusing on achieving the carbon peaking target before 2030 as scheduled, ensuring that carbon emission intensity is reduced by more than 65% compared to 2005 by 2030, and that the proportion of non-fossil energy consumption reaches 25% by 2030, achieving peak coal consumption and peak oil consumption, reasonably controlling the scale of coal-fired power installations and power generation, and striving to gradually cover the incremental electricity consumption of the whole society with incremental clean energy power.

Article 8: During the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, the Party committees and governments of all provinces (autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government) shall formulate provincial-level carbon peaking action plans, determine the five-year goals and annual goals for various indicators in their respective regions in accordance with national-level goals, and propose corresponding tasks and measures.

The provincial action plans shall be completed on time, and after being reviewed and approved by the National Development and Reform Commission (国家发展改革委) in conjunction with relevant departments, they shall be submitted to the Party Central Committee (党中央) and the State Council (国务院) for approval and used as the basis for subsequent evaluation and assessment of all provinces (autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government).

When the National Development and Reform Commission (国家发展改革委) reviews and approves the provincial action plans in conjunction with relevant departments, it shall focus on achieving national-level goals, urge local governments to implement requirements such as carbon emission equivalent or reduced replacement for the implementation of new (reconstructed, expanded) "two-high" industrial projects, and comprehensively consider the main functional positioning, industrial and energy structure, and natural resource endowments of different types of regions, and coordinate rigid constraints and flexible regulation to reflect differentiated requirements.

Article 9: Starting from the "16th Five-Year Plan" period, in the first year of each five-year plan period, the National Development and Reform Commission (国家发展改革委) shall, in conjunction with relevant departments, formulate a national carbon emission control action plan in accordance with the phased goals determined by the Party Central Committee (党中央) and the State Council (国务院), and all provinces (autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government) shall formulate provincial carbon emission control action plans to promote the gradual realization of carbon neutrality.

Article 10: The National Development and Reform Commission (国家发展改革委) shall, in conjunction with relevant departments, formulate an annual implementation plan for evaluation and assessment in a timely manner, refine working measures, clarify the evaluation and assessment rules for each indicator, and may adjust and improve the indicator system in a timely manner according to the situation and work needs.

Chapter III Evaluation and Assessment Procedures

Article 11: The evaluation and assessment work shall be carried out on an annual basis and shall be implemented in the year following the evaluation and assessment year.

Article 12: The Party committees and governments of all provinces (autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government) shall conduct self-assessments of the carbon peaking and carbon neutrality work in their respective regions for the year and submit the self-assessment reports to the Party Central Committee (党中央) and the State Council (国务院) on time, and send copies to the National Development and Reform Commission (国家发展改革委) and other departments responsible for evaluation and assessment.

Article 13: All relevant departments shall evaluate the national annual progress of the indicators they are responsible for and evaluate the annual progress of each province (autonomous region, and municipality directly under the Central Government). The evaluation results of a single indicator for each province (autonomous region, and municipality directly under the Central Government) shall be divided into meeting the standard and failing to meet the standard. If the evaluation result is "failing to meet the standard," the department responsible for the evaluation and assessment of the relevant indicators shall analyze the problems and reasons existing in the work of the province (autonomous region, and municipality directly under the Central Government) and put forward improvement suggestions to form a written opinion. All relevant departments shall send the evaluation results and written opinions to the National Development and Reform Commission (国家发展改革委) on time.

Article 14: The National Development and Reform Commission (国家发展改革委) shall, in conjunction with relevant departments, conduct on-site verification of the progress of work, implementation of tasks, completion of goals, and authenticity of data in relevant provinces (autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government) through methods such as on-site spot checks and entrusting third-party verification.

Article 15: The National Development and Reform Commission (国家发展改革委) shall, in conjunction with relevant departments, combine local self-assessments, departmental evaluations, and on-site verifications, and propose suggestions for the comprehensive evaluation and assessment results of annual carbon peaking and carbon neutrality in each province (autonomous region, and municipality directly under the Central Government) in accordance with three grades: excellent, qualified, and unqualified, and report them to the Party Central Committee (党中央) and the State Council (国务院) in accordance with the procedures after consultation with the Organization Department of the Central Committee (中央组织部).

Provinces (autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government) where all control indicators and support indicators meet the standard shall have an evaluation and assessment result of "excellent"; provinces (autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government) where one or more control indicators fail to meet the standard or three or more support indicators fail to meet the standard shall have an evaluation and assessment result of "unqualified"; the rest shall be "qualified."

Chapter IV Application of Evaluation and Assessment Results

Article 16: After the evaluation and assessment results are reviewed and approved by the Party Central Committee (党中央) and the State Council (国务院), the Organization Department of the Central Committee (中央组织部) and the National Development and Reform Commission (国家发展改革委) shall, in accordance with the procedures, provide feedback to the Party committees and governments of all provinces (autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government) and send them to the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission (中央纪委国家监委).

Article 17: Based on the evaluation and assessment results, relevant provinces (autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government) shall be subject to interviews, notification reminders, and commendations.

If the evaluation and assessment result is "unqualified," the Organization Department of the Central Committee (中央组织部) and the National Development and Reform Commission (国家发展改革委) shall urge the Party committee and government of the relevant province (autonomous region, and municipality directly under the Central Government) to submit a written report to the Party Central Committee (党中央) and the State Council (国务院) within 30 working days after receiving the feedback of the result, propose rectification measures, and clarify the completion deadline. If the rectification is not in place within the time limit, the Organization Department of the Central Committee (中央组织部) and the National Development and Reform Commission (国家发展改革委) shall, in conjunction with relevant departments, interview the Party committee and government of the province (autonomous region, and municipality directly under the Central Government) depending on the circumstances.

If the evaluation and assessment result is "qualified" but some indicators fail to meet the standard, the department responsible for the evaluation and assessment of the relevant indicators shall issue a notification reminder within a certain range.

If the evaluation and assessment result is "excellent" or a single indicator performs outstandingly, the National Development and Reform Commission (国家发展改革委) shall, in conjunction with relevant departments, issue a commendation, and summarize and publicize good experiences and good practices in a timely manner.

Article 18: The evaluation and assessment results shall serve as an important reference for the comprehensive evaluation, selection and appointment, supervision and management of the leading bodies and relevant leading cadres of the Party committees and governments of the provinces (autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government).

If major dereliction of duty or malfeasance is discovered in the evaluation and assessment or rectification, the National Development and Reform Commission (国家发展改革委) shall, in conjunction with relevant departments, propose suggestions for accountability, and transfer relevant issues and factual materials to the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission (中央纪委国家监委) and the Organization Department of the Central Committee (中央组织部) in accordance with procedures and regulations, and hold relevant units and individuals accountable in accordance with regulations and laws.

Units and individuals who perform outstandingly in the evaluation and assessment may be commended and rewarded by relevant provinces (autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government) and departments in accordance with regulations.

Article 19: The evaluation and assessment shall be based on facts, fair, and just. For acts such as engaging in malpractice for personal gain, making false reports, concealing information, tampering with data, and forging materials, which cause serious distortion of the evaluation and assessment results, the evaluation and assessment results of the relevant provinces (autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government) shall be directly determined as "unqualified," and relevant units and personnel shall be held accountable in accordance with relevant regulations.

Chapter V Implementation of Evaluation and Assessment

Article 20: The evaluation and assessment shall mainly be based on national statistical data. If statistical data is missing or the timeliness cannot temporarily meet the needs of evaluation and assessment, national carbon market data and statistical, survey, monitoring, and accounting data from relevant departments may be used. The National Bureau of Statistics (国家统计局) and other departments that have data shall provide the data required for evaluation and assessment to the departments responsible for evaluating and assessing relevant indicators in a timely manner.

Article 21: The National Development and Reform Commission (国家发展改革委), the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (生态环境部), and the National Bureau of Statistics (国家统计局) shall continuously improve the carbon emission statistical accounting system, and, together with other departments responsible for evaluation and assessment, continuously improve data statistics, survey, monitoring, and accounting capabilities, and strengthen data support for evaluation and assessment work.

The National Development and Reform Commission (国家发展改革委), the National Bureau of Statistics (国家统计局), and the National Energy Administration (国家能源局) shall establish an important data dynamic monitoring and early warning system to regularly monitor indicators such as national and provincial (autonomous region, and municipality directly under the Central Government) carbon emissions, coal consumption, oil consumption, incremental electricity consumption, and incremental clean energy power consumption, and provide reminders and early warnings to relevant provinces (autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government) as appropriate.

Article 22: All provinces (autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government) shall combine evaluation and assessment work, coordinate carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, economic and social development, and energy security and supply, scientifically and rationally decompose and consolidate emission reduction responsibilities, ensure a smooth transition from dual control of energy consumption to dual control of carbon emissions, steadily and orderly reduce carbon emissions in traditional industries, and resolutely curb the blind launch of "two-high" projects. Adhere to the combination of an effective market and an active government, and actively leverage the role of carbon markets and other market-based emission reduction mechanisms.

If the evaluation and assessment results of relevant provinces (autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government) are affected by non-man-made factors such as major natural disasters and emergencies, the National Development and Reform Commission (国家发展改革委) shall conduct a comprehensive judgment in conjunction with relevant departments, propose suggestions for evaluation and assessment results based on facts, and provide separate explanations in the report submitted to the Party Central Committee (党中央) and the State Council (国务院).

Chapter VI Supplementary Provisions

Article 23: The State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council (国务院国资委) shall, with reference to these measures, formulate relevant evaluation and assessment systems for central enterprises to implement carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals and tasks.

Article 24: The National Development and Reform Commission (国家发展改革委) shall be responsible for interpreting these measures.

Article 25: These measures shall come into force on the date of promulgation.

Attachment: Comprehensive Evaluation and Assessment Indicator System for Carbon Peaking and Carbon Neutrality

Return to Top

Earnest Work and Dedication: Promoting the Transformation of Learning and Education Outcomes (Establishing and Practicing a Correct View of Performance)

By: 本报记者

Since the launch of the learning and education campaign to establish and practice a correct view of performance, all regions, departments, and units have meticulously organized the campaign, promoting learning, investigation, and rectification in an integrated manner. They are practicing their original aspirations and missions with practical work and dedication, striving to transform the results of learning and education into practical achievements that promote high-quality economic and social development and benefit the people.

Deep Learning and Thorough Understanding: Strengthening the Foundation

Langfang City (廊坊市), Hebei Province, has deeply studied and comprehended General Secretary Xi Jinping's (习近平) important exposition on establishing and practicing a correct view of performance. Through various forms such as Party committee (Party group) meetings, reading classes, theoretical study central groups, and "three meetings and one lesson," it has meticulously organized learning guidance, exchange discussions, and warning education. This promotes deep learning, thorough understanding, and faithful practice among Party organizations and Party member cadres at all levels, further calibrating ideological coordinates and honing a pragmatic work style.

Binzhou City (滨州市), Shandong Province, adheres to building the foundation through learning, organizing study and education reading classes for leading cadres at the county and department levels and above. At the same time, it strengthens classified training, holding special training classes for key post cadres, young cadres, and newly promoted cadres. Combining the ideological and work realities of different cadre groups, it adopts methods such as warning education, case analysis, and on-site teaching to promote the internalization and externalization of a correct view of performance.

Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University (西北农林科技大学) established a special working team and fully implemented the general requirements of learning and education through mechanisms such as notification and feedback. At the same time, it focuses on implementing policies according to different categories. For leading cadres, it guides them to follow the laws of running a school and improve their scientific decision-making ability. For teacher Party members, it guides them to practice the spirit of educators and scientists, concentrate on teaching and educating people, and carry out scientific research. For student Party members, it guides them to build a solid foundation of ideals and beliefs and set an example in specific actions such as professional study and volunteer service.

Deep Investigation and Careful Examination: Correcting Deviations

Lu'an City (六安市), Anhui Province, regards carrying out activities to visit enterprises and enter villages as a concrete starting point for learning and education. Party member cadres at the municipal, county, and township levels go down to the front line to visit enterprises and enter villages. Focusing on outstanding problems discovered by inspections and patrols, through face-to-face exchanges and point-to-point services, they draw up lists of problems, consolidate rectification responsibilities, and strive to solve the difficulties and pain points in the production and operation of enterprises and the urgent difficulties and anxieties in the production and life of the masses.

Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture (怒江傈僳族自治州), Yunnan Province, adheres to learning, investigating, and rectifying simultaneously. The Standing Committee of the Prefecture Party Committee takes the lead in demonstrating, focusing on various feedback problems such as inspections and audits, and drives all levels and departments to comprehensively examine themselves against the main problem list of deviations in the view of performance. Through in-depth research to open the way and scientific decision-making to set the direction, it solves problems such as the insufficient stability of industrial wealth driving and the insufficient breadth of income-increasing channels in the prefecture, and continues to promote the development of local characteristic industries.

Ledong Li Autonomous County (乐东黎族自治县), Hainan Province, combined with promoting governance through cases, rectifying feedback from the central inspection, and discovering problems from inspections and supervision at all levels, focused on problems such as coastal zone ecological restoration, comprehensively sorted out its own shortcomings, and strived to find problems accurately and list them practically to ensure that rectification is implemented.

Learning for Application: Practical Work

Nantong City (南通市), Jiangsu Province, adheres to promoting learning, investigation, and rectification in an integrated manner, establishing a correct view of performance, and preventing the phenomenon of "new officials ignoring old accounts." The local area takes the handover of the main leaders of the leading group as a starting point and issued the "Implementation Opinions on the Handover of the Main Leaders of the Leading Group in Nantong City." For different types of leaders such as counties (cities, districts) and government departments, it formulates handover lists by category, clarifying the five steps of the organization department issuing notices, the departing person filling in, the organization holding meetings for handover, both parties communicating and exchanging, and the successor conducting research, to ensure that "old accounts" are taken over and managed by someone.

Since the launch of the learning and education campaign, Shantou City (汕头市), Guangdong Province, has promoted more than a thousand city-managed cadres to go deep into the villages (communities) they are responsible for to visit and contact the masses and work on-site, understand the demands of the masses, and drive Party member leading cadres at all levels in the city to widely listen to the voices of the people, observe the conditions of the people, and solve the worries of the people, combining the rectification and remediation of problems with doing practical things for the masses and solving their difficulties.

Xiajiang County (峡江县), Ji'an City (吉安市), Jiangxi Province, has equipped elderly people over 60 years old who live alone and are left behind with a "one-key call" device. When the elderly press the "small button," the system immediately cyclically dials the phone numbers of the guardian and the paired village cadre, forming an emergency trigger mechanism that calls immediately with multi-level response. Xiajiang County adheres to open education, asking the people about their needs and asking the people for advice, and implementing a number of key livelihood projects such as transportation, urban and rural water supply, elderly care services, and express delivery into villages, promoting the transformation of learning and education results into practical benefits for the people.

(Reporters Shi Yiqi (史一棋), Zhou Yajun (周亚军), Li Maoying (李茂颖), Tian Xianjin (田先进), Ding Yasong (丁雅诵), Shao Yuzi (邵玉姿), Li Zong (李纵), Bai Guangdi (白光迪), Li Rui (李蕊), and Zhou Huan (周欢) of this newspaper)

Return to Top

This year's spring plowing "opens" like this

By: 本报记者 郁静娴 李 纵 申智林

A spring rain brings a new look to everything, and the "progress bar" of spring plowing across the country is steadily advancing. The latest agricultural situation dispatch shows that winter wheat is in the booting and heading stage, winter rapeseed is entering the pod-setting stage, early rice planting has exceeded 80%, and spring corn, spring potatoes, and spring wheat are being sown in an orderly manner.

General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) emphasized: "Ensuring a stable supply of grain and important agricultural products for more than 1.4 billion people is always a top priority" and "We must unremittingly focus on grain production."

China's grain output has stood firmly at the 1.4 trillion jin level for two consecutive years. As the opening year of the "15th Five-Year Plan," grain production is starting again from a high base, and taking the lead in spring plowing and management is of great significance for safeguarding the bottom line of food security.

Observing this year's spring plowing and management from three perspectives—"new," "resilient," and "practical"—confidence and assurance are written on the fields.

New Ideas Emerge

Agricultural New Quality Productivity Injects New Momentum into Grain Production

In mid-April, wheat in southwestern China began to fill. After a rain, water mist filled a wheat experimental field in Pidu District (郫都区), Chengdu (成都市), Sichuan (四川), where Yang Wuyun (杨武云), director of the Academic Committee of the Sichuan Academy of Agricultural Sciences (四川省农科院), was busy selecting seeds. Not far from the experimental field, newly sown wheat seeds in the greenhouse had already sprouted, "and when they reach the flowering stage, they can be hybridized with local wheat."

Sharing high-quality germplasm resources helps to rejuvenate the "chips" of agriculture. During the National People's Congress (全国两会) this year, three wheat breeding experts from Henan (河南), Hebei (河北), and Sichuan (四川) exchanged the wheat seeds they had cultivated. Yang Wuyun (杨武云) obtained two valuable germplasm materials, namely "Bainong K4016" from Henan (河南) and "Malan U9" from Hebei (河北).

"Introducing fresh 'blood' from different regions into germplasm resources is a real need," said Yang Wuyun (杨武云). From the perspective of climate change, the filling period of wheat in Sichuan (四川) in recent years has been affected by rising temperatures, shortening the cycle, while wheat in the north fills quickly and is more resistant to hot and dry winds; from the perspective of production performance, Sichuan (四川) wheat is mostly sparse-eared and large-grained, and introducing northern germplasm resources is conducive to improving plant type and tillering ability, adapting to mechanized production. For other regions, the stripe rust resistance characteristics of Sichuan (四川) wheat are more advantageous.

Agriculture takes seeds as the priority. Each grain of fine seed contains the code for food security. In Shaanxi (陕西), medium- and late-maturing, dense-planting-tolerant, stress-resistant, and stable-yielding high-quality hybrid varieties are preferred for spring corn this year; in Hubei (湖北), the red lotus-type hybrid rice fine variety "Luohongyou 1564" cultivated by Professor Zhu Renshan's (朱仁山) team at Wuhan University (武汉大学) is popular in the market... China is implementing the seed industry revitalization action in depth, and from laboratories to fields, the trend of "Chinese grain mainly using Chinese seeds" is becoming more and more solid.

The "15th Five-Year Plan" clearly states "strengthening the supply guarantee of grain and other important agricultural products" and proposes the goal of "reaching a comprehensive grain production capacity of about 1.45 trillion jin." As of now, the national action plan for increasing the yield per unit area of grain and oil crops has been formulated and released, focusing on five major crops: corn, rice, wheat, soybeans, and rapeseed. The number of counties promoting the action as a whole has increased from 702 to 1,000, and 20 cities promoting the action as a whole have been launched.

How to increase yield per unit area? Looking closely at the spring plowing scene, the key variable of technological innovation is being transformed into a strong increase in grain fields.

New agricultural tools are fully powered.

This year, drones, robots, and other technologies were written into the No. 1 Central Document for the first time. Heilongjiang (黑龙江), Jiangsu (江苏), and other places are deploying "artificial intelligence + agriculture," and agricultural new quality productivity is injecting new momentum into grain production.

In the Jifei Super Farm next to Liantang Ancient Village (莲塘古村) in Huangpu District (黄埔区), Guangzhou (广州), Guangdong (广东), an upgraded drone equipped with an "artificial intelligence brain" flies evenly over the farmland along a preset route for sowing. "The sowing amount, operation route, and other parameters are set in advance in the software, and after takeoff, it can realize autonomous path planning and automatic obstacle avoidance," said Ye Yonghui (叶永辉), the farm's operations manager. Relying on artificial intelligence recognition technology and the Beidou navigation system, the drone can perceive complex terrain in real time and operate in accordance with the undulations of the terrain, with an efficiency 50 times that of traditional manual labor.

New services expand capacity and improve quality.

"More than 300 mu of wheat seedlings were sown late last year, and the nutrition must keep up." In mid-March, seeing that it was time to topdress the wheat, Wang Jiankang (王建康), a grain grower in Zhongwangzhuang Village (中王庄村), Liuguang Town (留光镇), Fengqiu County (封丘县), Henan (河南), opened the "Tianguanjia" (田管家) mini-program on his mobile phone and submitted a request in the "Agricultural Busy Season Help" module. In less than an hour, two members of the county's Tianguanjia (田管家) service team arrived after hearing the news, quickly allocated fertilizer, and started efficient fertilization operations.

"In addition to a one-click 'call' for professional service teams and advanced agricultural machinery, farmers can also report problems with farmland facilities such as machine wells and ditches on the platform, and track the progress of repairs in real time to ensure the normal progress of spring plowing and management," said Yan Lina (闫利娜), director of the Fengqiu County (封丘县) Agricultural Comprehensive Development Service Center. In Fengqiu County (封丘县), the "Tianguanjia" (田管家) digital management and protection platform efficiently connects agricultural needs, and has accumulated more than 130 service orders during the spring management period, serving more than 20,000 mu of farmland.

Full of Resilience

More Confident in Facing Various Risks and Challenges

Food security must rely on self-reliance. Looking at the front line of agricultural production this spring, the veins of strong supply guarantee are becoming clearer.

Looking at the supply chain, it is more calm in responding to market fluctuations.

In Caowei Town (草尾镇), Yuanjiang City (沅江市), Hunan (湖南), Zhou Bo (周波), a large grain grower in Shangmatou Village (上码头村), planted thousands of mu of early rice. "The operating cost of rotary tillage machines has increased by nearly 8 yuan per mu, and all 14 agricultural machines are dispatched, consuming 1,300 yuan of diesel per day." In order to reduce the cost pressure of spring plowing oil, Yuanjiang City (沅江市) actively coordinated with local oil supply enterprises to provide agricultural machinery operators with a "green channel for spring plowing oil," ensuring sufficient diesel supply and transparent prices, and guiding service entities to optimize routes and precise operations.

At the Tianfeng Agricultural Materials Distribution Center in the town, a large trailer truck delivered 40 tons of fertilizer. "This was planned and reserved before the New Year, and now it's all in place. We have signed sales guarantee contracts with agricultural material and fertilizer manufacturers from other places to protect the interests of farmers," said Tian Hong (田宏), the head of the distribution center. The center can radiate to four surrounding towns, serving a spring plowing area of 200,000 mu.

The spillover and diffusion of geopolitical conflicts have put pressure on the global agricultural material market. China's stabilization of agricultural material prices and supply is supported by the collaboration of various forces. In terms of diesel, the state has taken regulatory measures on refined oil prices, guiding relevant crude oil processing enterprises to organize the production and transportation of refined oil to ensure stable market supply; in terms of fertilizer, multiple departments have introduced a combination of policies based on the entire process of production and circulation, and the national fertilizer commercial reserve system's "light storage and heavy investment" mechanism has been launched to fully guarantee the supply of fertilizer to the front line of the fields. As of now, the on-site placement rates of fertilizer at the provincial, municipal, and county levels are 94.7%, 89.2%, and 88.5%, respectively, which are 1.4, 0.2, and 1.1 percentage points faster than the same period last year.

Looking at the production chain, the disaster prevention and mitigation system is constantly improving.

In Tashan Town (塔山镇), Ganyu District (赣榆区), Lianyungang City (连云港市), Jiangsu (江苏), agricultural machinery manufacturers and production entities are closely linked to ensure that agricultural activities are not delayed. "Since the beginning of the year, the workshop has been working overtime to assemble and debug new rotary tillage machines and seeders," said Sun Chuandong (孙传东), the head of Dalishi Machinery Manufacturing Co., Ltd. The company has long been equipped with complete accessories, and technicians are on standby 24 hours a day to respond to agricultural machinery failures in real time and replenish agricultural machinery gaps as soon as possible.

Grasping disaster prevention and mitigation is grasping increased production and income. China places the construction of an agricultural disaster prevention and mitigation system in a more prominent position, and this year's No. 1 Central Document specifically made arrangements for strengthening the construction of an agricultural disaster prevention and mitigation system. Recently, Liaoning (辽宁) issued a disaster prevention and mitigation plan; Henan (河南), relying on the agricultural meteorological observation network and integrating satellite and drone data, makes wheat growth "visible, distinguishable, and judgeable"; Heilongjiang (黑龙江), Jiangxi (江西), and other places are accelerating the construction of regional agricultural machinery socialization service centers... From hardware to software, the ability to respond to extreme weather is constantly improving.

Looking at the market chain, the space for increasing grain planting efficiency continues to expand.

In the Simiao Rice Industry Demonstration Base in Quanan Town (全安镇), Nanxiong City (南雄市), Guangdong (广东), Zhong Mingming (钟明明), a large grain grower, said with certainty, "This year's orders have already been signed, and I know what to plant, how to plant, and who to sell to."

The "Nanxiong Simiao Rice" planted by Zhong Mingming (钟明明) is the fourth batch of Guangdong (广东) Simiao rice certified products. Nanxiong City (南雄市), relying on the "leading enterprise + village collective + supply and marketing cooperative" jointly held and operated "community-village" cooperation structure, innovatively promotes the "order agriculture + multi-link socialization service" model, and implements stable price acquisition for rice that meets the standards. At present, the rice orders of many growers have been implemented, and the revenue of the community-village company is expected to be 150 million yuan.

This year's "Government Work Report" proposed "promoting the prices of grain and other important agricultural products to remain at a reasonable level." Various places are accelerating the cultivation of grain and oil brands and innovating business methods, and complete chains from the field to the workshop are making grain planting more profitable.

Implementation in Detail

The Field Progress Table is Advancing Steadily and Orderly

To firmly hold the rice bowl, all regions must shoulder their responsibilities. During the spring plowing season, the intended area is implemented to the field, the guidance service is implemented to the household, and the solid policy combination punches are constantly exploring and releasing the potential for stable production and increased production.

The sown area is the "iron plate" of production. At the beginning of this year, Hunan Province (湖南省) clearly proposed to consolidate the construction goal of the "Dongting Granary" and strive to stabilize the province's grain sown area at about 71.5 million mu and grain output at about 61.5 billion jin. Dongkou County (洞口县) anchored the goal of stabilizing the annual grain sown area at more than 1.103 million mu and the output at more than 503,000 tons, and compacted responsibilities at all levels.

"We have broken down the bottom-line tasks of grain production item by item, refined them to administrative villages, and implemented them to specific fields; at the same time, we have vigorously promoted the 'Party organization + cooperative + farmer' model, effectively mobilizing and stimulating farmers' enthusiasm for growing grain," said Xiang Wang (向旺), Party Secretary and Director of the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau of Dongkou County (洞口县). As of now, the county's early rice production task has been completed at a rate of 70%, and it is expected that the 289,000 mu of early rice production task will be fully completed by the end of this month.

The national planting intention survey shows that the intended grain sown area this year is generally stable, of which the rice area is basically the same, and the corn area is stable and increasing. The planting structure and regional layout continue to be optimized.

Training services are in place in a timely manner. In Qi County (淇县), Henan (河南), the wheat jointing stage this year was delayed by about 5 days compared with previous years. Due to the high temperature after the year, many late-sown seedlings had secondary tillering, resulting in problems such as large field density and easy lodging of plants. "During this period, agricultural technicians guided us to carry out refined management and protection, and applied foliar fertilizer and growth regulators according to local conditions and seedlings," said Li Wenzhou (李文周), the head of Dazhou Agricultural Cooperative. "Looking at the current growth, this year's yield will not be bad."

At present, it is the "spring window" when seedling conditions are transformed the fastest and fertilizer and water demand is the most urgent. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs launched the action of fighting for 140 days to strengthen spring management, promote strong seedlings, resist disasters, and win a bumper summer grain harvest, and sent 5 working groups and science and technology teams to 10 key provinces such as Henan (河南) and Shandong (山东) to promote the implementation of key technical measures. Online and offline spring management and spring plowing master classes and mid- and late-stage field management technology training courses were launched, and 14 sets of technical hanging charts were released to promote classified management and precise policy implementation according to local conditions and seedlings. From the perspective of various places, the growth and development process of wheat seedlings in the main producing areas have basically caught up with normal years.

Stable policies and practical measures firmly support farmers' expectations for growing grain. Since the beginning of the year, the central government has arranged a total of 1.25 billion yuan, focusing on providing appropriate subsidies for disaster prevention and stable production measures such as increasing the application of seedling-promoting fertilizer to support 11 major producing provinces in promoting the transformation of weak winter wheat to strong; the National Development and Reform Commission and other departments issued a notice that the minimum purchase price of rice will continue to remain stable in 2026; the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs released a list of central financial policies to strengthen agriculture, benefit farmers, and enrich farmers, sending farmers a "big gift package" of 16 policies such as subsidies for arable land fertility protection.

In the warm spring sunshine, all regions and departments are working together, and hundreds of millions of farmers are working hard to go all out to win the first battle of grain production for the whole year, laying a more solid and stable foundation for a good start and a good step for the "15th Five-Year Plan."

Return to Top

Develop county-level economy by adapting to local conditions (Today's Talk)

By: 尹双红

Small commodities have carved out a large market and developed into a large industry. The development achievements of Yiwu (义乌), Zhejiang (浙江) are a successful practice of developing the county economy by adapting to local conditions. To further summarize and apply the "Yiwu development experience," the key is to follow the direction guided by General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) and "explore a path of high-quality development that suits their respective realities."

Adapting to local conditions is valuable because it is based on reality. Relying on the solid foundation of the commercial and trade industry, Yiwu (义乌) has adhered to the principle of "building the city through commerce" and promoted the leap from traditional trade forms to a digital trade ecosystem. Gonghe County (共和县) in Qinghai (青海) uses clean energy as an engine, turning the desert into an oasis and generating "green wealth" from barren beaches. Comprehensively, accurately, and fully implementing the new development concept and basing it on one's own reality can lead to a path of high-quality development.

From implementing "an unprecedented expansion of power reform" to deepening comprehensive international trade reform and then forming a three-dimensional open new pattern, Yiwu (义乌) has revitalized its surging momentum through reform and innovation, 量体裁衣 (liáng tǐ cái yī - "measure the body to make clothes," tailor-made; to act according to actual circumstances). This inspires us that the more we face the bottlenecks and obstacles of development, the more we must make good use of reform and opening up as an "important magic weapon," be brave in breaking down institutional and mechanism barriers, and smooth internal and external circulation.

Yiwu (义乌) has gone from "chicken feathers for sugar" to "buying and selling globally" relying on generations of people who dare to think, dare to venture, dare to try, and dare to do. At present, the study and education of establishing and practicing the correct view of performance are being carried out in depth throughout the Party. Taking this as an opportunity, adhering to reform and innovation, earnestly grasping implementation, and working persistently, we will surely continue to create a new situation of development with thousands of sails racing and hundreds of rivers flowing.

Return to Top

Photo Report

The 11th "China Space Day" falls on April 24 this year. The immersive aerospace science popularization exhibition "Footprints in the Stars - Rendezvous with the Lunar Far Side" opened on April 23 at the China Science and Technology Museum (中国科学技术馆). With the theme of "Exploring the Lunar Far Side, Embarking on a Journey to the Stars," this exhibition deeply integrates precious aerospace physical objects with large-space virtual reality science fiction experiences.

The picture shows visitors viewing the exhibition on April 23.

People's Daily reporter Li Junqiang (李君强) wrote the text. Xinhua News Agency reporter Chen Yehua (陈晔华) took the photo.

Return to Top

Total electricity consumption of the whole society increased by 5.2% year-on-year in the first quarter.

Beijing, April 23 (Reporter Ding Yiting (丁怡婷)) - The reporter learned from the National Energy Administration (国家能源局) that in the first quarter, the total electricity consumption of the whole society was 2514.1 billion kWh, an increase of 5.2% year-on-year.

In the first quarter, electricity consumption in the primary industry was 33.6 billion kWh, an increase of 7.1% year-on-year; electricity consumption in the secondary industry was 1598.7 billion kWh, an increase of 4.7% year-on-year; and electricity consumption in the tertiary industry was 483.3 billion kWh, an increase of 8.1% year-on-year. Among them, electricity consumption in the charging and swapping service industry and the Internet data service industry was 37.6 billion and 22.9 billion kWh respectively, with growth rates of 53.8% and 44% respectively. Electricity consumption for urban and rural residents was 398.5 billion kWh, an increase of 3.4% year-on-year.

Data released by the China Electricity Council (中国电力企业联合会) shows that in the first quarter, electricity consumption in the high-tech and equipment manufacturing industries increased by 8.6% year-on-year, among which the electrical machinery and equipment manufacturing industry, the computer/communication and other electronic equipment manufacturing industry, and the instrumentation manufacturing industry maintained double-digit growth in electricity consumption.

Return to Top

Fixed-asset investment by central SOEs rose 23.5% year-on-year in the first quarter.

This newspaper's Beijing (北京) April 23rd dispatch (Reporter Li Xinping (李心萍)): The reporter learned from the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council (国务院国资委) that in the first quarter, the economic operation of central enterprises was stable and orderly, the quality and efficiency of operation continued to improve, the growth of effective investment was strong, and the value contribution continued to increase.

In the first quarter, central enterprises completed fixed asset investment of 1.05 trillion yuan, an increase of 23.5% year-on-year, driving the growth of fixed asset investment in the whole society by 2 percentage points; realized an added value of 2.7 trillion yuan, an increase of about 3% year-on-year; basic supplies such as power generation and sales, air transportation, total water transport turnover, refined oil sales, and coal production and sales grew steadily, effectively maintaining market supply and price stability; industrial development is becoming newer and better, and investment in strategic emerging industries increased by 19.5% year-on-year, laying a solid foundation for achieving a good start to the "15th Five-Year Plan."

Return to Top

The Story of the Chinese Communist Party: Special Promotion on Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Held

The People's Daily, Shenzhen, April 23 (Reporters Guan Haoyu and Gong Ming) On April 23, the "Story of the Chinese Communist Party – The Practice of Xi Jinping (习近平) Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area" thematic briefing session, co-hosted by the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (中共中央对外联络部) and the Guangdong Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China (中共广东省委), was held in Shenzhen (深圳市), Guangdong Province. With the theme of "Strategic Pivot of the New Development Pattern, Demonstration Zone of High-Quality Development, and Leading Area of Chinese-style Modernization," this thematic briefing session showcased the vivid practices and fruitful achievements of China's in-depth implementation of the regional coordinated development strategy and promotion of Chinese-style modernization under the strong leadership of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (中共中央) with Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平同志) at its core, through the stories of Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao working together to build a world-class bay area and world-class city cluster in recent years. The Vice Speaker of the Parliament of Moldova, member of the Executive Committee of the Party of Socialists of the Republic of Moldova, Batryncha, and the Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly of Dominica, Coordinator for Youth Affairs of the Labour Party, Rolle, and more than 160 political party leaders, think tank scholars, and business representatives from more than 40 countries attended the meeting.

Huang Kunming (黄坤明), member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Secretary of the Guangdong Provincial Party Committee (广东省委书记), said in his speech that the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area is a major national strategy personally planned, personally deployed, and personally promoted by General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平总书记), bearing the new exploration of integrated development of Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao under the "One Country, Two Systems" framework, reflecting the magnificent journey of building a strong country and national rejuvenation, accumulating strong momentum for high-quality development, surging with the rolling spring tide of deepening reform and opening up, and outlining a moving picture of ecological beauty, cultural prosperity, and people's happiness. During the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, with the release of a series of major benefits, the construction of the Greater Bay Area will usher in greater opportunities and broader prospects. Guangdong will keep in mind the earnest entrustment of the General Secretary, anchor the strategic pivot of building a new development pattern, the demonstration zone of high-quality development, and the leading area of Chinese-style modernization, effectively play the role of the main force and locomotive, and work with Hong Kong and Macao to accelerate the construction of a world-class Greater Bay Area and the best-developed bay area. The 33rd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in 2026 will be held in Shenzhen (深圳市), Guangdong Province, which will bring the world's attention back to the Greater Bay Area, bringing new opportunities and possibilities. We sincerely invite all guests to visit and see more, feel the new changes in the Greater Bay Area and the new atmosphere of Chinese-style modernization, strengthen the confidence to go with China, and achieve win-win development in sharing opportunities.

Liu Haixing (刘海星), Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee (中联部部长), said in his speech that since the new era, under the scientific guidance of Xi Jinping (习近平) Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, China has deeply implemented the regional coordinated development strategy, promoted the coordinated development of people first, complementary advantages, smooth circulation, green development, and open cooperation, and achieved major achievements. The 20th Fourth Plenary Session of the CPC Central Committee held last year and the recent Two Sessions of China (中国全国两会) made new strategic deployments for regional coordinated development during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period. China will continue to enhance its internal economic driving force and development resilience through regional coordinated development and linkage, actively respond to changes in the external environment, and strive to achieve long-term sustainable development. The Communist Party of China (中国共产党) is willing to work with political parties of all countries to adhere to independence, innovation-driven, and open cooperation, firmly grasp the initiative of development, build a good innovation ecosystem, firmly safeguard a fair and open international economic and trade order, and achieve common prosperity and development.

In the story sharing session, grassroots representatives from different industries in Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao told vivid stories of the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area from the perspectives of infrastructure connectivity, technological innovation, opening up to the outside world, and people's livelihood security.

Chinese and foreign officials, scholars, and business representatives also held a dialogue on the theme of "The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the World."

The foreign guests attending the meeting said that through participating in this thematic briefing session and visiting the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, they witnessed the great achievements made in the construction of the Greater Bay Area. The development of the Greater Bay Area benefits from the wise decisions of General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平总书记), the strong leadership of the Communist Party of China (中国共产党), and reflects China's ability and advantages in combining industrial growth with ecological responsibility, opening up to the outside world with internal coordination, and market competition with national planning. China's implementation of the regional coordinated development strategy and promotion of high-quality development provide useful lessons for countries to address the problem of unbalanced development and bring important cooperation opportunities. We are willing to deepen exchanges of experience in governance with the Communist Party of China (中国共产党) and work together to promote modernization.

Return to Top

Bridging Mountains and Seas: Building a Bridge for Mutual Learning Between Civilizations

By: 本报记者 尚凯元

On the banks of the Seine, spring is in the air, and the Grand Palais (大皇宫) in Paris, France, is filled with the fragrance of books. The three-day 2026 Paris Book Festival recently concluded here. This year's book festival brought together nearly 450 publishing institutions and more than 1,200 writers from around the world, attracting over 110,000 readers. The Chinese publishing delegation made a brilliant appearance with selected books and a series of cultural activities, showcasing the achievements of Chinese publishing in the new era and the charm of Chinese culture to the French and European people through book exhibitions, literary dialogues, and intangible cultural heritage performances, building a bridge for exchange and mutual learning between different civilizations.

"Provides a valuable opportunity to perceive the pulse of China's development and appreciate the charm of Chinese culture"

The Chinese publishing delegation, organized by Global News Publishing Development Co., Ltd. (环球新闻出版发展有限公司), brought together nearly 60 representatives from the publishing industry, writers, and intangible cultural heritage inheritors, becoming one of the largest foreign exhibiting groups at this year's book festival. The delegation meticulously created the "Reading China" booth in the core area of the exhibition hall, setting up book exhibition areas for cultural and tourism integration, science fiction literature, original comics, and children's publishing. It presented more than 600 kinds and 1,200 copies of selected publications in multiple languages, focusing on displaying the Chinese and foreign language versions of "Xi Jinping: The Governance of China" (《习近平谈治国理政》) Volumes I to V, "A Chronicle of Governance in the New Era" (《新时代治国理政纪实》) Volume I, "Xi Jinping Tells Stories About the History of the Communist Party of China" (《习近平讲党史故事》) and other thematic publications, as well as the Chinese-French bilingual series of the "Great Chinese Library" (《大中华文库》), a national key publishing project.

At the same time, the "Encounter China" Chinese culture-themed exhibition, guided by the China Foreign Languages Publishing Administration (中国外文局) and hosted by the Academy of Contemporary China and World Studies (当代中国与世界研究院) and China International Book Trading Corporation (中国国际图书贸易集团公司), made its debut at this year's book festival. With the theme of "Fragrant China," the exhibition set up three exhibition areas: selected books, harmony culture, and featured cultural creations, displaying more than 260 kinds of books and cultural and creative products, attracting many French readers to stop and read.

"Cultural exchange has always been an important part of the Franco-Chinese relationship, and the people of both countries have great aspirations and appreciation for each other's culture." Former French Ambassador to China Sylvie Bermann (白林) said, "The rich exhibits provide the French people with a valuable opportunity to perceive the pulse of China's development and appreciate the charm of Chinese culture. I look forward to more Chinese publishers and writers coming to France to participate in the exhibition, further promoting cultural exchange and intellectual dialogue between the two countries."

"The participation of the Chinese delegation has brought surprises to the French publishing and cultural circles." Julien Papelier, representative of the Paris Book Festival Organizing Committee and CEO of European publishing company Dargaud, introduced that the cooperation between Dargaud and its Chinese partners is becoming increasingly diverse, expanding from traditional book publishing to digital content fields such as webcomics and animation. "The Paris Book Festival is transforming into a comprehensive cultural platform integrating publishing, culture, and media. We look forward to the continuous deepening of dialogue and cooperation between France and China, and even Europe and China, in the humanities field."

"Even more yearning to go to China and perceive a real, three-dimensional, and comprehensive China"

This year's book festival centered on the theme of "Travel." Chinese book sharing sessions, cultural performances, and other activities attracted people to stop and inspired the audience's enthusiasm to "understand China."

"Behind a cup of tea, how many crafts are involved?" At the sharing session of writer Su Cangsang's (苏沧桑) essay collection "On Paper" (《纸上》), the sharing of Virginie Silles, one of the translators, made the audience thoughtful. The book uses the intangible cultural heritage, craftsmanship, customs, and human feelings of southern China as basic elements, recording traditional labor methods such as paper making, opera singing, tea picking, beekeeping, silkworm rearing, winemaking, and boat rocking. Its French version was launched by Éditions You Feng (法国友丰出版社) in April 2025.

Silles originally worked in marketing-related fields. Because her daughter took a Chinese class, she also entered the world of Chinese. At the invitation of a Chinese friend, Li Yizhi (李奕芝), another translator, she joined the translation of the French version of "On Paper." "This is a beautiful fate." Silles said that this book is a cultural discovery for French readers. In the context of globalization, "this book shows empathy for human history across national borders."

The Chinese booth held a series of cultural performance activities, deeply integrating intangible cultural heritage skills with book publishing, conveying the warmth of cultural exchange. Representatives from China's intangible cultural heritage inheritance, calligraphy, seal carving, and other fields interacted and exchanged with French audiences. In the official activity area of the book festival, the "China in Classics" Chinese Vocational Education Intangible Cultural Heritage Achievement Performance was successfully held. Huangmei Opera (黄梅戏), Wuju Opera (婺剧), guzheng (古筝) duets, Dishuquan (地术拳), Bajiquan (八极拳), and other performances showcased the profound heritage and contemporary vitality of outstanding Chinese traditional culture through living inheritance.

Han Zaifen (韩再芬), Vice Chairman of the Chinese Dramatists Association and Huangmei Opera performing artist, performed an excerpt from Huangmei Opera "Female驸马", which drew applause from the audience. "Chinese opera carries the aesthetics and warmth of the East. It is not just skills on the stage, but also a bridge for heart-to-heart dialogue between people." Han Zaifen said. Under her guidance, a French girl, Faudier (福迪尔), learned to sing the rhyme of Huangmei Opera. "Even if the language is not understood, I can still appreciate the charm of the role from her gestures." Faudier said, "By participating in this event, I am even more yearning to go to China and perceive a real, three-dimensional, and comprehensive China."

"Deepen exchanges and cooperation to better protect the cultural creation ecology and knowledge innovation capabilities"

In recent years, Chinese science fiction novels have risen rapidly, gradually entering the international mainstream with their grand narrative patterns and distinct technological imagination. In the Chinese book exhibition area, the original and comic versions of Liu Cixin's (刘慈欣) works occupied a large space. At the "Paris Book Festival Chinese Young Writers Promotion Event," Chen Qiufan (陈楸帆), Liu Tong (刘同), Liang Qingsan (梁清散), and other Chinese writers held dialogues with French writers and publishing figures, discussing topics such as science fiction literature and the future of humanity.

Chen Qiufan's work "The Waste Tide" (《荒潮》) was translated into French in 2022. At this event, the French version of the book was placed in a prominent position at the Éditions de l'Aube (法国海岸出版社) booth. French translator Marion told reporters that science fiction themes have similarities worldwide, but the expressions under different cultural backgrounds are different. "Compared with reading books related to the history of Chinese thought, understanding Chinese culture through science fiction literature is a very attractive path."

Anna, a staff member from a library in the suburbs of Paris, purchased the French version of "The Waste Tide." She has been paying attention to Chinese culture for a long time and usually reads Chinese literature and philosophical books. "In Chinese culture, I can feel a spirit of slowing down, valuing observation and thinking." She said that she plans to recommend Chinese science fiction works to her colleagues so that more French readers can understand Chinese culture and contemporary narratives.

During the book festival, the "Encounter China" Civilization Exchange Dialogue, hosted by the Academy of Contemporary China and World Studies, was held at the China Cultural Center in Paris. Chinese and French figures conducted in-depth discussions on civilization exchange and new paradigms of Sino-French cooperation in the era of artificial intelligence.

Mo Bai (墨白), Special Advisor for Chinese Affairs to the President of Vivendi Group (法国维旺迪集团), was deeply impressed by the use of artificial intelligence in the Chinese film and television industry for cross-language dubbing and the synchronization of dubbing and lip movements. "If artificial intelligence is used well, cultural content can be spread to the world faster and more widely. We should not reject artificial intelligence, but learn to 'dance with it.'" Mo Bai said.

Regarding the multiple challenges that artificial intelligence may bring, such as cultural homogenization and weakening of creativity, Rougé Lydie, General Inspector of Cultural Affairs of the French Ministry of Culture (法国文化部文化事务总督察), said: "In the process of jointly promoting technological innovation, France and China can deepen exchanges and cooperation to better protect the cultural creation ecology and knowledge innovation capabilities, and jointly create a healthy and sustainable cultural environment."

Return to Top

Saying Goodbye to the Logic of "Menu" and "Table": How Can Middle Powers Inject Positive Energy into Multipolarity? (Global Perspective)

Medium-sized powers "banding together" should not create new weaknesses in multilateralism. Bidding farewell to the old logic of international relations where "if you're not at the table, you're on the menu," and moving towards a new paradigm of international cooperation based on joint consultation, joint construction, and shared benefits, will allow us to gather broader international consensus amidst turbulence and change, and jointly add the power of peace, the power of stability, and the power of development to the world.

This year, discussions in the international community surrounding the topic of "medium-sized powers" have been increasing.

Not long ago, the leaders of the five Nordic countries and Canada issued a joint statement, stating that they would use regular multi-level contacts to "advance common principles and interests." International public opinion interprets such actions as an attempt to create a "new alliance of medium-sized powers" with the aim of reducing dependence on the United States.

"If we are not at the table, we will be on the menu." At the beginning of this year, Canadian Prime Minister (卡尼) Carney's sharp words revealed the growing collective anxiety of many countries, including traditional allies of the United States, against the backdrop of rising power politics and the reshaping of global rules. At that time, Carney's solution was: medium-sized powers must awaken.

Amidst the diverse opinions, how should we grasp the impact of this trend on the international landscape? We might as well start with an analysis of the following questions.

First, what is a medium-sized power?

This concept has no clear boundaries, and its connotation is constantly adjusted with changes in the international power structure. It is generally believed that medium-sized powers are in the middle segment of the global political ladder. Although they do not have the leading power over the international order, they do not completely depend on others when dealing with international affairs. They are a group of countries that have a certain economic volume, diplomatic agency, and regional influence.

In recent years, countries that self-identify as medium-sized powers have played an increasing role in international affairs. From Mexico (墨西哥), Indonesia (印尼), South Korea (韩国), Turkey (土耳其), and Australia (澳大利亚) forming the "Medium-Sized Powers Cooperation Body" within the G20 framework, to Egypt (埃及), Turkey (土耳其), Saudi Arabia (沙特) and others actively mediating on hotspot issues, and then to South Africa (南非), Indonesia (印尼) and others taking the initiative on issues such as green energy, poverty reduction and development, and climate change, the medium-sized power group is increasingly becoming an important variable affecting global governance.

The hope of medium-sized powers to become active shapers of the regional and even international order is closely related to changes in the global situation. The frequent geopolitical conflicts and increasingly fierce great power games in recent years have impacted the existing international order, and the uncertainty of the international system has increased significantly. In particular, in the past year or so, hegemonic countries have become more unscrupulous in impacting global peace and development, and a group of medium-sized powers are facing the bitter situation of direct damage to their own interests. Out of the urgent need to safeguard their own interests, these countries are constantly adjusting their foreign policies and paying more attention to acting independently and cooperating with each other. This confirms the analysis of British political scientist Hedley Bull: how great powers use their strength will have an important impact on world peace; when great powers do not know how to use their strength in good faith, and even try to use force to prevent their own hegemonic decline, it will not only cause chaos and turbulence, but also accelerate their decline, promote the debunking of the hegemony myth, and awaken more countries in thought and action.

Second, what does the rising "sense of existence" of medium-sized powers mean for the world?

The strengthening of proactive actions by medium-sized powers is a manifestation of the continued evolution of world multipolarity. In recent years, although hegemonism and power politics have continued to rise, the general trend of multipolarization has not changed. Members of the international community, including many Western countries, have significantly deepened their understanding of multipolarization. Taking the Munich Security Conference as an observation window, the "Munich Security Report" has acknowledged the irreversibility of multipolarization for two consecutive years, showing that Europe has accepted the arrival of a "multipolar world" at the cognitive level. A 2026 report by the Australian Institute for Economics and Peace shows that the collective rise of medium-sized powers is profoundly reshaping the global power structure and will continue to be a key force affecting the direction of the international order in the next 20 years.

The connotation of multipolarity lies not only in changes in the power structure, but also in the increasingly diverse coexistence of development paths, governance models, and civilizational forms. For a long time, the international order has been largely dominated by a few major powers. Today, medium-sized powers are strengthening strategic autonomy and paying attention to joint voices and coordinated positions, which helps to check unilateralism and hegemonic behavior and promote a more diverse and inclusive international system. Patrick Stewart, a scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in the United States, analyzed: "In a new multipolar world that is beginning to emerge, medium-sized powers will play an important role in revitalizing international cooperation."

Some scholars have pointed out that medium-sized powers are a diverse group, and "the key is to find the right alliance for the right issue." It is understandable for medium-sized powers to come closer to each other in turbulent situations, but this kind of "banding together" should not create new weaknesses in multilateralism. If it is only out of consideration for their own interests or the interests of small groups, and deviates from the prevailing international rules and order, the so-called "awakening and alliance" of medium-sized powers may be reduced to a new exclusive "small circle" or even become a more complex tool for camp confrontation. For a considerable number of medium-sized powers, if they continue to understand their own strategic predicament as needing to make an "emergency response" to hegemonic behavior, and cannot face up to their own long-term structural dependence on hegemonic countries, then these countries will not be able to truly get rid of the manipulation of hegemonic countries. As American economist Eswar Prasad of Cornell University warned, unless medium-sized powers can transcend their respective short-term interests, they may become a force that further undermines stability.

Third, how should medium-sized powers add the power of peace and stability to the world?

Historical experience proves that the root cause of the international order appearing out of order lies not in the "multipolar" structure, but in the loss of principles and the lack of behavioral norms. Faced with a world intertwined with changes and chaos, medium-sized powers do have a need to safeguard their own rights and interests, but relevant actions should adhere to focusing on the big picture, working hard from the root of order and governance, and helping to shape an overall environment that is more conducive to peaceful development.

Adhere to the correct direction of equal and orderly multipolarization. Promoting the development of world multipolarization in an equal and orderly direction is a realistic need to safeguard world peace and development. The so-called equality means that all countries, regardless of size or strength, are equal members of the international community, can find their own place in the multipolar pattern, and play their due role. The so-called order means that all countries must abide by universally recognized international rules, that is, the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter, which are the basic norms of international relations. Only in this way can the "awakening" of medium-sized powers be transformed into a driving force for promoting cooperation and truly promote world peace and development.

Firmly safeguard international rule of law and fairness and justice. In today's international relations, the international rule of law is the fundamental guarantee and the foundation for maintaining fairness and justice. Individual major countries regard international law as an obstacle to the realization of national interests, and often "use it if it suits them, and abandon it if it does not" with regard to international rules, and often "abolish treaties" and "withdraw from groups" with regard to international treaties and international organizations, which seriously damages the authority of international rule of law and multilateral mechanisms. Medium-sized powers safeguard their own rights and interests through the international rule of law, fully, fully, and completely abide by the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter and other recognized basic norms of international relations, and do not engage in "double standards" in order to effectively maintain the seriousness of the international rule of law.

Resolutely oppose hegemonism and power politics. The prominent challenge facing the world today is that hegemonic behavior seriously threatens the international order. This has an impact on all countries, medium-sized powers as well as small and weak countries. If medium-sized powers want to truly play a greater positive role in international affairs, they must unite the broader international community, adhere to the principle that international affairs should be discussed and handled jointly by everyone, form the largest common denominator for maintaining multilateralism, and voice a common voice for maintaining the international order.

The anxiety of medium-sized powers reflects the problems faced by the times. To truly get out of anxiety, we must accurately identify the crux of the problem and focus our efforts. Bidding farewell to the old logic of international relations where "if you're not at the table, you're on the menu," and moving towards a new paradigm of international cooperation based on joint consultation, joint construction, and shared benefits, will allow us to gather broader international consensus amidst turbulence and change, and jointly add the power of peace, the power of stability, and the power of development to the world.

Return to Top

Cambodian Acting Head of State Hun Sen Meets with Wang Yi

Xinhua News Agency, Phnom Penh, April 23rd (Reporter Wu Changwei) - Wang Yi (王毅), Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs, met with Cambodian Acting Head of State and Senate President Hun Sen (洪森) in Phnom Penh on April 23rd.

Hun Sen (洪森) asked Wang Yi (王毅) to convey his sincere greetings to President Xi Jinping (习近平), congratulated the first meeting of the Cambodia-China Foreign Ministers' and Defense Ministers' "2+2" strategic dialogue mechanism on its complete success, and stated that China is Cambodia's closest and most trusted friend. No matter how the international environment changes, the Cambodian People's Party and the government's determination to pursue a pro-China policy remains unchanged, and their determination to firmly promote cooperation with China remains unchanged. They are willing to strengthen strategic communication with China, deepen strategic cooperation, safeguard political security, enhance economic resilience, ensure that Cambodia-China friendship is passed down from generation to generation, and promote the continuous achievement of new results in the Cambodia-China community with a shared future. Online gambling and telecom fraud endanger the lives and property of people of all countries and Cambodia's national image. Cambodia is determined to crack down on it to the end and is willing to continue to cooperate closely with China.

Wang Yi (王毅) conveyed President Xi Jinping's (习近平) cordial greetings to Hun Sen (洪森), and said that Your Excellency's recent visit to Beijing sent a clear attitude and firm willingness to inherit and promote the traditional friendship between China and Cambodia to the outside world. With the care and support of the leaders of the two countries, the first meeting of the China-Cambodia Foreign Ministers' and Defense Ministers' "2+2" strategic dialogue mechanism was successfully held yesterday, and broad consensus was reached. We all agreed to firmly support each other in safeguarding core interests, deepen all-round cooperation, strengthen law enforcement and defense cooperation, and strengthen multilateral coordination and cooperation. We believe that the mechanism will effectively enhance mutual strategic trust between the two sides, provide new means for the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between China and Cambodia, inject new connotations into the construction of a new era of all-weather China-Cambodia community with a shared future, and play an important role in the two sides working together to address global and regional challenges.

The two sides also exchanged in-depth views on major international and regional situations.

During the visit, Wang Yi (王毅) also met with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet (洪玛奈) and held talks with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sok Chenda Sophea (布拉索昆).

Return to Top

China-Cambodia Foreign and Defense Ministers' "2+2" Strategic Dialogue First Meeting Reaches Six-Point Consensus

Phnom Penh, April 23 (Xinhua) -- (Reporter Wu Changwei (吴长伟)) Wang Yi (王毅), a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs, briefed the media on April 23 on the six-point consensus reached at the first China-Cambodia Foreign Ministers' and Defense Ministers' "2+2" strategic dialogue:

First, both sides agreed to firmly support each other, focusing on supporting each other in safeguarding their core interests. The Chinese side appreciates the Cambodian side's reiteration of its firm adherence to the one-China principle, its support for China's cause of reunification, and its support for the major global initiatives proposed by President Xi Jinping (习近平).

Second, both sides agreed to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, focusing on helping Cambodia accelerate the improvement of its independent development capabilities, especially focusing on the construction of the "Industrial Development Corridor" and the "Fish and Rice Corridor," and promoting the strategic project of the Funan Techo Canal.

Third, both sides agreed to strengthen political and security cooperation, focusing on safeguarding their respective regime security and institutional security, working together to resist external infiltration, and preventing "color revolutions."

Fourth, both sides agreed to strengthen law enforcement cooperation, focusing on resolutely and thoroughly combating online gambling and telecom fraud, safeguarding the lives and property of the people, and creating a favorable external environment for China-Cambodia cooperation.

Fifth, both sides agreed to strengthen defense cooperation, focusing on assisting Cambodia in accelerating its national defense capacity building and safeguarding its own sovereignty, security, and development interests.

Sixth, both sides agreed to strengthen coordination and cooperation in international and regional affairs, focusing on opposing power politics and bullying practices, maintaining global free trade, and supporting the United Nations in playing its due role.

Return to Top

He Lifeng Meets with Blackstone Chairman and CEO Stephen Schwarzman

Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, April 23 (Reporter Feng Xinran) - He Lifeng (何立峰), member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council, met with Stephen Schwarzman, Chairman and CEO of Blackstone Group, at the Great Hall of the People on the 23rd. He stated that China's economy achieved a good start in the first quarter of this year, and its resilience and vitality have been further demonstrated. China will unswervingly expand high-level opening up to the outside world and promote high-quality development. China's ultra-large-scale market will provide greater opportunities and more choices for the world. We welcome more foreign-funded enterprises, including Blackstone Group, to continue to deepen cooperation with China and achieve mutual benefit and win-win results (互利共赢 (hù lì gòng yíng - "mutual benefit win-win," mutually beneficial and achieving win-win outcomes)).

Stephen Schwarzman (苏世民) stated that Blackstone Group cherishes its cooperative relationship with China and is willing to continue to expand its business in China and contribute to promoting US-China economic and trade cooperation.

Return to Top

Wang Xiaohong Meets with Director General Graeme Biggar of the UK's National Crime Agency

Beijing, April 23 (Reporter Zhang Tianpei (张天培)) State Councilor and Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong (王小洪) met with Director General Graeme Biggar of the UK's National Crime Agency in Beijing on the 23rd.

Wang Xiaohong (王小洪) stated that China is willing to, under the strategic guidance of the leaders of both countries, deepen practical cooperation with the UK in combating economic and financial crimes, telecommunications network fraud, illegal immigration activities, and drug control, increase coordination of actions within multilateral frameworks such as the United Nations and Interpol, strengthen cooperation in law enforcement capacity building and exchange of experiences, continuously promote the in-depth development of Sino-British law enforcement cooperation, and jointly safeguard the well-being of the people of both countries.

Graeme Biggar expressed his willingness to maintain close communication with China and jointly improve the level of law enforcement cooperation between the two countries.

Return to Top

Peng Qinghua Meets with Delegation from the Standing Committee on Foreign Relations and Peace Affairs of the Ethiopian House of Peoples' Representatives

Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, April 23rd. On April 23rd, Peng Qinghua (彭清华), Vice Chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, met with a delegation from the Standing Committee on Foreign Relations and Peace Affairs of the Ethiopian House of Peoples' Representatives, led by Chairman Dima Noggo (迪马·诺古), at the Great Hall of the People (人民大会堂). The two sides exchanged views on China-Ethiopia relations and exchanges between the two countries' legislative bodies.

Return to Top

China-Mexico Economic and Trade Cooperation Forum Boosts Deepening Bilateral Economic and Trade Relations

This newspaper reported from Mexico City on April 23rd (Reporter: Cheng Shijie (程是颉)) The China-Mexico Economic and Trade Cooperation Forum was held on the 22nd in Mexico City (墨西哥城), the capital of Mexico (墨西哥), with more than 200 representatives from the political and business circles of the two countries attending, building a platform for deepening bilateral economic and trade cooperation.

Ren Hongbin (任鸿斌), Chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (中国贸促会), led a delegation of Chinese entrepreneurs to attend and address the forum. He stated that the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (中国贸促会) is willing to work with the Mexican side to help companies from both countries deepen cooperation in traditional fields such as infrastructure, expand cooperation in emerging fields such as electric vehicles, agricultural machinery, clean energy, and digital technology, and promote greater development of bilateral economic and trade relations in the new era.

Chen Daojiang (陈道江), Chinese Ambassador to Mexico (墨西哥), said in his speech that although China and Mexico (墨西哥) are separated by vast oceans, economic and trade cooperation has always been the 压舱石 (yā cāng shí - "ballast stone," a stabilizing force) of the relationship between the two countries. This forum focuses on core areas such as automobiles, new energy, and electronic manufacturing, precisely to transform the complementary advantages of the two countries into practical results. China welcomes Mexican companies to use platforms such as the China International Supply Chain Expo (链博会) to achieve more precise industrial docking and promote the implementation of more projects.

Mexican political and business representatives attending the meeting believe that in recent years, the strategic, complementary, and mutually beneficial nature of Mexico-China (墨中) relations has become more prominent, and cooperation between companies from the two countries has been upgraded from simple trade to investment, technology cooperation, and joint research and development, with broad prospects. They look forward to meeting more Chinese partners through the China International Supply Chain Expo (链博会) and integrating into the global industrial chain, supply chain, and value chain more efficiently.

This event was hosted by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (中国贸促会) and supported by several Mexican institutions. During the forum, the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (中国贸促会) and the Mexican Foreign Trade Council (墨西哥外贸委员会), and the Mexico-China Chamber of Commerce and Technology (墨中商业科技商会) renewed their cooperation memorandum. China Exhibition Group (中展集团) signed exhibition agreements for the fourth China International Supply Chain Expo (链博会) with several Mexican companies. Representatives of Chinese and Mexican companies had in-depth exchanges on new energy, digital technology, and electronic information.

Return to Top

Seminar on "China's High-Quality Development and China-Europe Economic and Trade Cooperation" Held in Brussels

This newspaper Brussels April 23rd (Reporter Niu Ruifei (牛瑞飞)) The Chinese Mission to the European Union recently held the second lecture in the "China Grand Lecture Hall" series in Brussels, inviting Ma Jiantang (马建堂), member of the Standing Committee of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and Deputy Director of the Economic Committee, to give a special lecture on "China's High-Quality Development and China-Europe Economic and Trade Cooperation." Wu Hongbo (吴红波), former Special Representative of the Chinese Government on European Affairs, and other members of the expert group attended the event. Cai Run (蔡润), head of the Chinese Mission to the European Union, presided over the event. More than 150 people attended, including officials from EU institutions such as the Council of the European Union, the European Commission, the European External Action Service, the European Parliament, and the European Economic and Social Committee, as well as think tank scholars, media representatives, and EU ambassadors from relevant countries.

Return to Top

The 11th Sino-German Young Leaders Conference Opens in Changsha

The People's Daily Changsha, April 23rd (Reporter Yang Xun (杨迅)) The 11th Sino-German Young Leaders Conference, co-sponsored by the Chinese People's Institute of Foreign Affairs and the German Bridge of Friendship Association, opened in Changsha (长沙), Hunan (湖南) on the 23rd. Forty young representatives from the political, economic, academic, and media fields of China and Germany participated in the conference.

The theme of this conference is "Sino-German Cooperation under the New Situation: Opportunities, Challenges and Youth Responsibility."

Return to Top

Good momentum in agricultural and rural economic development (Authoritative Release)

By: 本报记者 朱 隽

The nationwide spring plowing and sowing are in full swing. In the first quarter, the national fixed asset investment in the primary industry increased by 15.9% year-on-year, and the retail sales of rural consumer goods increased by 3.1% year-on-year... At the press conference held by the State Council Information Office (国务院新闻办) on April 23, Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Mirdan Maktay (麦尔丹·木盖提), stated when introducing the "Three Rural Issues" situation in the first quarter that the agricultural and rural economy maintained a good momentum of development.

The growth and reproductive process of winter wheat have basically caught up with the normal year, and the progress of spring sowing of grain is slightly faster than the same period last year. In the first quarter, China had a good foundation for grain and oil production. According to Lü Xiutao (吕修涛), head of the Crop Production Management Department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, summer grain output accounts for a little more than 20% of the annual grain output and is the first season of the year for grain production. Judging from the spring management situation, thanks to the implementation of various measures to promote the transformation of weak seedlings into strong seedlings, coupled with the generally favorable weather conditions from last winter to this spring, the transformation of winter wheat seedling conditions has continued to improve. The current growth and reproductive process have basically caught up with the normal year. Judging from the progress of spring plowing, the progress of spring sowing is normal, and the intended area is generally stable. The supply of chemical fertilizers for spring plowing is sufficient, and domestic fertilizer prices are far lower than international prices.

The latest agricultural situation dispatch from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs shows that the area of winter rapeseed is stable and the growth is good. The progress of spring sowing of grain has exceeded 20%, which is slightly faster than the same period last year. Among them, the sowing of early rice has exceeded 80%, the sowing of spring corn has exceeded 10%, and the sowing of spring soybeans has been launched one after another.

There are still about 40 days before the summer grain harvest, and there are still multiple hurdles to overcome, such as diseases and insect pests, lodging, hot and dry winds, and rotten field rains. Spring sowing will also enter its peak. Lü Xiutao (吕修涛) said that it is necessary to precisely and meticulously grasp spring management, seize the agricultural season to grasp spring sowing, and unremittingly grasp disaster prevention and mitigation.

An important factor in China's successive years of bumper grain harvests is the in-depth promotion of large-scale yield improvement per unit area. In 2025, the contribution rate of yield improvement per unit area to national grain production will exceed 90%. This year, China will continue to implement the action of large-scale yield improvement per unit area of grain and oil crops, increasing the number of counties promoting the action as a whole from 702 to 1,000, launching 20 cities promoting the action as a whole, and continuing to promote the integrated efficiency of good fields, good seeds, good machinery, and good methods to promote large-scale balanced production increase.

The good situation in agricultural production cannot be separated from the support of agricultural science and technology. China's agricultural intelligentization and digital transformation are accelerating, and various intelligent equipment are showing their skills in agricultural production. China's stock of agricultural drones exceeds 300,000, ranking first in the world. Mirdan Maktay (麦尔丹·木盖提) said that during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, the country will promote the deep integration of scientific and technological innovation and industrial innovation, give full play to the advantages of the new national system, continuously improve the overall effectiveness of the agricultural scientific and technological innovation system, and accelerate the realization of high-level agricultural scientific and technological self-reliance.

The per capita disposable income of rural residents increased by 5.4% year-on-year in real terms. "Since the beginning of this year, the purchase price of grain has been rising steadily, and the situation of farmers going out to work and finding employment locally has been generally stable, which has promoted the steady growth of farmers' income," said Xu Jianmin (许健民), Director of the Poverty Alleviation Department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

Data from the National Bureau of Statistics (国家统计局) show that in the first quarter, the per capita disposable income of rural residents increased by 5.4% year-on-year in real terms, 2.2 percentage points faster than that of urban residents, of which wage income and net operating income contributed more than 70% to the increase in income.

As an important source of income for farmers, the rural industries that enrich the people are developing well. In the first quarter, the agricultural product processing industry was stable and progressive, and the added value of agricultural and sideline food processing industries above designated size increased by 6.8% year-on-year. In March, the National Agricultural Industrialization National Key Leading Enterprise Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) was 58.1%, remaining in the expansion range above 50%, with month-on-month and year-on-year increases of 6.8 and 3.8 percentage points respectively, and the industry's prosperity level continued to improve.

The five-year transition period for consolidating and expanding the achievements of poverty alleviation and effectively connecting with rural revitalization has been successfully completed, and this year is the first year to shift to normalized assistance. Xu Jianmin (许健民) introduced that "the Party Central Committee has made comprehensive arrangements for the coordinated establishment of a normalized mechanism to prevent returning to poverty. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, together with relevant departments, has formulated and issued a series of supporting policy documents to guide all localities to implement various work measures for normalized and precise assistance, continuously consolidate and expand the achievements of poverty alleviation, and firmly guard the bottom line of preventing large-scale return to poverty." In the first quarter, an additional 10.13 billion yuan of small assistance loans were issued to support assistance recipients in developing production. The employment situation of assistance recipients is generally stable.

In March, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs publicly released a list of central financial policies that benefit farmers and enrich farmers, including 16 subsidies such as arable land fertility protection subsidies, agricultural machinery purchase and application subsidies, and wheat "one spray three prevention" subsidies. "We will work with relevant departments to implement the policies without compromise and transform the policy dividends into tangible income benefits for farmers," said Xu Jianmin (许健民).

It must be ensured that the original contracted land of the vast majority of farmers remains stable and the extension of contracts is smooth. Maintaining the stability of rural land contract relations and keeping them unchanged for a long time, and extending the second round of land contracts for another 30 years after expiration, is a major decision made by the Party Central Committee.

This year's No. 1 Central Document clearly proposes to fully carry out the pilot project of extending the second round of land contracts for another 30 years on a province-wide basis. On March 18, the General Office of the CPC Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council officially released the "Opinions on Doing a Good Job in the Pilot Work of Extending the Second Round of Land Contracts for Another 30 Years," making specific arrangements for this work.

Chen Bangxun (陈邦勋), Director of the Development Planning Department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, introduced that during the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, a total of 7 province-wide pilot projects and 221 county-wide pilot projects were carried out across the country, and more than 26 million farmers successfully signed extension contracts.

"To carry out the pilot work of extending contracts, it is necessary to adhere to the principle of extending contracts, adhere to 'major stability, minor adjustments,' and standardize the procedures for extending contracts," said Chen Bangxun (陈邦勋). It is necessary to properly resolve the contradictions and disputes in the extension of contracts. For a small number of villages and groups where contracted land has been damaged by natural disasters and other special circumstances and the masses generally demand land adjustment, "minor adjustments" can be made, but the premise is "major stability." It must be ensured that the original contracted land of the vast majority of farmers remains stable and the extension of contracts is smooth. It is not allowed to overturn and redistribute, and it is not allowed to illegally adjust or take back farmers' contracted land by taking the opportunity.

Return to Top

The Foundation of Agriculture, Rural Areas, and Farmers is Solid! (Quick Commentary)

By: 朱 隽

Observing the "15th Five-Year Plan"’s first-quarter report card for the agricultural and rural economy, it is clear that as the most stable ballast stone supporting the high-quality development of the economy and society, "agriculture, rural areas, and farmers" continue to maintain a "stable" trend.

This "stability" is not only reflected in the stability of rice bags and the abundance of vegetable baskets, but also in the richer supply of rural cultural products and services, the accelerated efforts to address shortcomings in modern rural living conditions, and even more in the steady growth of agricultural investment and rural consumption, and the continuous deepening of rural reforms...

When "agriculture, rural areas, and farmers" are doing well, the overall situation is proactive. At present, the external situation is becoming more complex and volatile, the contradiction between strong domestic supply and weak demand remains prominent, and the foundation for economic improvement still needs to be consolidated. The more we respond to risks and challenges, the more we must stabilize the fundamental plate of "agriculture, rural areas, and farmers." The "15th Five-Year Plan" outlines the need to "accelerate the modernization of agriculture and rural areas" and "solidly promote the comprehensive revitalization of the countryside." In the first year, it is crucial to do a good job in "agriculture, rural areas, and farmers." Anchoring the modernization of agriculture and rural areas, adhering to the priority development of agriculture and rural areas, allowing the foundation for rural development to continuously accumulate and vitality to continuously burst forth, and steadily transforming the "blueprint" of the planning outline into the "real-life picture" of rural development.

Return to Top

183,000 People Disciplined by National Discipline Inspection and Supervision Organs in the First Quarter

This newspaper reported from Beijing on April 23rd (Reporter Zhao Cheng (赵成)) The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission (中央纪委国家监委) announced the supervision, inspection, and investigation situation of national discipline inspection and supervision agencies in the first quarter of 2026 on April 23rd. In the first quarter of 2026, national discipline inspection and supervision agencies filed 245,000 cases and punished 183,000 people, including 56 provincial and ministerial-level cadres.

The announcement showed that in the first quarter of 2026, national discipline inspection and supervision agencies received a total of 968,000 letters and visits reporting violations, including 264,000 letters and visits reporting accusations. 570,000 pieces of information regarding potential violations were processed. 245,000 cases were filed, including 30 cases involving provincial and ministerial-level cadres, 1,267 cases involving department and bureau-level cadres, 10,000 cases involving county and division-level cadres, and 33,000 cases involving township and section-level cadres; 23,000 cases involved current or former village Party branch secretaries and village committee directors. 183,000 people were punished, including 135,000 with Party disciplinary actions and 61,000 with administrative disciplinary actions; 56 provincial and ministerial-level cadres, 1,125 department and bureau-level cadres, 8,439 county and division-level cadres, 25,000 township and section-level cadres, 25,000 general cadres, and 124,000 other personnel from rural areas, enterprises, etc. were punished.

According to the announcement, in the first quarter of 2026, national discipline inspection and supervision agencies used the "four forms" of criticism, education, and handling for 376,000 person-times. Among them, the first form of criticism, education, and handling was used for 190,000 person-times, accounting for 50.5% of the total; the second form of handling was used for 149,000 person-times, accounting for 39.7%; the third form of handling was used for 19,000 person-times, accounting for 5.1%; and the fourth form of handling was used for 18,000 person-times, accounting for 4.7%. At the same time, adhering to the principle of investigating both bribery and offering bribes, 9,066 people who offered bribes were filed, and 983 were transferred to the procuratorate.

Return to Top

"Golden" Forests Sprout in the Dabashan Mountains (Striving for the "15th Five-Year Plan": On-the-Ground Observations)

By: 本报记者 王欣悦

In the hinterland of the Daba Mountains (大巴山), on a hillside more than 1,000 meters above sea level in He'an Village (河岸村), Chengkou County (城口县), Chongqing (重庆), more than 10 villagers were skillfully wielding hoes early in the morning to weed and loosen the soil for the Amur cork tree seedlings on the ridges.

"The weeds grow quickly. If you don't take care of them for a while, they will compete with the seedlings for nutrients, so you have to take care of them carefully," said one villager.

In the past, these left-behind elderly people had almost nothing to do. Now, working in this forest land, they can earn more than 100 yuan a day in stable income.

In earlier years, the young and middle-aged people of He'an Village (河岸村) went out to work, and a large amount of steep and thin forest land was left idle. Facing the barren mountains, villagers with single families were unable to develop it. The mountains are high and the valleys are deep, and the cost of building roads and management facilities is high. It costs 160 yuan per ton to transport timber down the mountain by drone. The local area realized that small-scale operations could not support forestry in the deep mountains. Only by transferring land in concentrated areas and introducing social capital for large-scale development to spread the costs can the resources in the mountains be truly revitalized.

It just so happened that it coincided with local needs. Kang Kaixiang (康开祥), who had been doing engineering for many years and returned to his hometown to start a business, established Chengkou County Ruikang Forestry Development Co., Ltd. (城口县瑞康林业开发有限公司) and transferred thousands of acres of idle forest land in one go to plant Amur cork, a traditional Chinese medicine with strong risk resistance and high economic value. After several years of reclamation and afforestation, the barren mountains originally covered with weeds gradually turned green.

However, as the scale expanded, the pressure faced by the enterprise became increasingly prominent. The growth cycle of Amur cork is as long as 10 to 15 years. In the early stage, the enterprise only has input and no output. At the same time, mountain weeds grow rapidly. Kang Kaixiang (康开祥) hired more than 50 workers, and often the weeds on the east side had not been removed before the weeds on the west side grew again. If the funds cannot keep up and no one takes care of them, the carefully planted seedlings will be covered by weeds in a few months.

To break the situation, the only way is to convert all other inefficient forests into high-value tree species and give full play to the scale effect of thousands of acres of forest land. However, what stands in front of Kang Kaixiang (康开祥) are two invisible barriers.

One barrier: If you want to change the species, you are not allowed to cut down trees.

Limited by the forest logging policy at the time, large-scale clearing of inefficient forests on the mountains was not allowed. Kang Kaixiang (康开祥) could only use a stupid method: cut a small strip area this year, plant seedlings, and wait for the seedlings to grow up before clearing a small area next to it the following year.

The other barrier: If you want to invest, you can't get a loan.

Due to the lack of objective standards, forest land cannot be regarded as legal collateral, and banks cannot evaluate it and dare not grant loans. At the end of 2024, when funds were tightest, workers' wages were 550,000 yuan short, and Kang Kaixiang (康开祥) could only borrow money everywhere.

If these two barriers cannot be overcome, the enterprise will be dragged down sooner or later, the villagers' jobs will be lost, and the mountains will still be barren mountains.

In April 2024, Chengkou County (城口县) was included in the pilot counties and districts of Chongqing (重庆市) to deepen the reform of the collective forest tenure system. In response to the pain point of not allowing large-scale clearing, the local forestry department explored and introduced measures for the identification and transformation of low-quality and inefficient forests. After on-site expert identification and planning approval, operating entities are allowed to scientifically transform forest land with poor site conditions and poor tree species characteristics.

With the policy in place, Kang Kaixiang (康开祥) quickly completed the relevant procedures, let go of his hands and feet, and began to clear weeds on a large scale.

Where does the money come from? "In the past, banks did not dare to lend because forest land was difficult to value." The relevant person in charge of the Chengkou County Forestry Bureau (城口县林业局) introduced that in response to the evaluation and mortgage problems faced by forestry business entities, Chengkou County (城口县) issued forest land management rights certificates and introduced an asset evaluation mechanism to unblock the blockage of evaluation and financing, making forest land management rights a mortgageable asset.

In 2025, with the forest land management rights certificate and asset evaluation report, Kang Kaixiang (康开祥) successfully obtained a loan of 3.6 million yuan from the bank. "It has not yet started to make a profit, and the developed area only accounts for 1/10 of the transferred forest land. But with these policy supports, I will continue to plant it." Kang Kaixiang (康开祥) specially recruited the surrounding left-behind elderly people to let them have work to do at their doorstep. In 2025 alone, Kang Kaixiang (康开祥) issued more than 890,000 yuan in wages.

Chengkou County (城口县) has more than 4 million mu of forest land and less than 240,000 mu of cultivated land. "This forces us to revitalize the under-forest space and benefit the people and enrich the people by relying on the forest." The relevant person in charge of the Chengkou County Forestry Bureau (城口县林业局) introduced that through a series of measures such as dividing mountains, changing species, activating rights, and financing, the output value of the county's forestry ecological industry has exceeded 3 billion yuan.

Return to Top

Forestry reform empowers, resources become assets (Editor's Note)

By: 何 彪

How can lush mountains and clear waters become the people's "mountain of happiness"? The practice in the Dabashan Mountains (大巴山) provides the answer: In the past, the elderly left behind had almost nothing to do; now, weeding and loosening the soil in the Huangbai Forest (黄柏林), they can earn more than 100 yuan a day, and the dividends of reform are truly falling into the pockets of the masses.

The local area has transformed "sleeping" forest resources into assessable, mortgageable, and transferable assets through reforms such as the transformation of inefficient forests and the mortgage financing of forest land management rights, solving the old problems of "large investment, long cycle, and difficult financing" in forestry. With the policies enlivened and the enterprises stabilized, the most direct beneficiaries are the people in the mountains. From "having no income while guarding barren mountains" to "having work to do and money to earn at their doorstep," the roots of benefiting the people are deeply rooted in the soil.

Practice shows that deepening the reform of forest rights should ultimately focus on letting the people obtain tangible benefits. Only by continuously clearing various policy bottlenecks and building a financial service system that meets the actual situation can we transform ecological advantages into real money, and achieve a win-win situation of ecological beauty, industrial prosperity, and people's wealth.

Return to Top

China's Imports from Over 150 Countries and Regions Increased in the First Quarter

This newspaper reported from Beijing on April 23rd (Reporter Luo Shanshan (罗珊珊)): The reporter learned from the Ministry of Commerce (商务部) on the 23rd that China's imports maintained a good growth trend in the first quarter of this year. High-tech industries developed rapidly, with imports of integrated circuits and computer components increasing by 41.4% and 45.3% respectively. Imports of bulk commodities maintained growth, with crude oil, iron ore, and grain increasing by 8.9%, 10.5%, and 11.2% respectively.

China's imports from more than 150 countries and regions have increased. ASEAN remains China's largest source of imports, accounting for 14.8% of total imports. Imports from RCEP (Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (《区域全面经济伙伴关系协定》)) member countries, Europe, and Latin America increased by 25%, 26.4%, and 26.3% respectively, all higher than the overall growth rate.

The Ministry of Commerce (商务部) stated that it will focus on building the "Export to China" brand, strengthen policy coordination and support, implement the comprehensive zero-tariff measures for the 53 African countries that have diplomatic relations with China, continue to hold the China International Import Expo (进博会) successfully, better leverage the role of the National Demonstration Zone for Import Trade Promotion and Innovation, and share new opportunities for China's development with countries around the world.

Since 2021, the Ministry of Commerce (商务部) has organized the "Chinese Cuisine Festival (中华美食荟)" activity every year in conjunction with relevant departments. This year's "Chinese Cuisine Festival (中华美食荟)" will be launched in Yinchuan (银川), Ningxia (宁夏) on April 28th, with more than 140 special catering promotion activities running throughout the year. It mainly includes four aspects: cultivating distinctive catering brands, innovating diverse consumption scenarios, promoting excellent Chinese catering culture, and promoting precise agricultural-catering connections.

Return to Top

In 2025, Beijing's technology contracts flowing to Tianjin and Hebei will approach 100 billion yuan.

The Xiong'an Comprehensive Bonded Zone (雄安综合保税区) is fully sealed and operational, the first cross-provincial bus route between Beijing (北京) and Tianjin (天津) is officially opened, and Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (京津冀) jointly tackles 130 "choke points" in the industrial chain... In the first year of the "15th Five-Year Plan," the breadth and depth of the coordinated development of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei continue to expand.

A reporter recently learned from the Joint Working Office for Coordinated Development of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei that in the 12 years since the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei coordinated development strategy was proposed, technological innovation and industrial innovation have continued to integrate. In 2025, the transaction value of technology contracts flowing from Beijing (北京) to Tianjin (天津) and Hebei (河北) reached 99.61 billion yuan, with a cumulative total of over 320 billion yuan during the "14th Five-Year Plan" period.

The coordinated development mechanism is more closely knit. Eighteen special working groups have been formed, including transportation, industry, science and technology, business environment, and adjacent areas, forming a working system of "overall planning for important matters, supervision of tasks, and dedicated teams for implementation."

The capital's functions are continuously optimized and upgraded through relocation. In-depth special actions have been carried out to relocate, rectify, and promote upgrades, with a cumulative relocation and upgrading of more than 3,400 general manufacturing enterprises. In the first quarter of this year, Beijing (北京) achieved a regional GDP of 1293.15 billion yuan, an increase of 5.9% year-on-year calculated at constant prices.

Promoting Beijing's (北京) "two new wings" to take off together. In Xiong'an New Area (雄安新区), central enterprises have cumulatively established more than 400 branches of various types, and the Xiong'an New Area Zhongguancun Science and Technology Park (雄安新区中关村科技园) has cumulatively registered and housed more than 270 enterprises. In the Beijing (北京) Municipal Administrative Center, the East Sixth Ring Road (东六环) reconstruction project has been completed and opened to traffic, and the Beijing Tongzhou Station (北京通州站) has been opened and put into operation.

The construction of a modern capital metropolitan area is accelerating. In January of this year, the spatial coordination plan for the modern capital metropolitan area was approved, and Beijing (北京), Tianjin (天津), and Hebei (河北) are accelerating the high-quality construction and development of the commuting circle, functional circle, and industrial coordination circle. The three places jointly built the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Intelligent Connected New Energy Vehicle Science and Technology Ecological Port, with a cumulative signing of 51 projects. Promoting the integrated development of Beijing (北京) and Tianjin (天津), the Tianjin Binhai-Zhongguancun Science and Technology Park (天津滨海—中关村科技园) and the Tiankai Higher Education Science and Technology Innovation Park (天开高教科创园) have cumulatively registered more than 6,600 and 4,500 enterprises, respectively.

Taking the expansion of the Beijing (Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei) International Science and Technology Innovation Center (北京（京津冀）国际科技创新中心) as an opportunity, the three places continue to promote the integration of the innovation chain and the industrial chain. The number of national advanced manufacturing clusters has increased to 7, the total output value of the life and health cluster's pharmaceutical industry accounts for more than 20% of the country, and the output value of the new generation of information technology application innovation cluster has exceeded 1.6 trillion yuan.

Promoting the coordinated development of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei must ultimately be reflected in enhancing people's well-being. A 1 to 1.5-hour transportation circle among the main cities of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei has basically formed, and customized commuter buses serve an average of about 10,000 people per day. The three places have realized "one-card access" for 44 human resources and social security service items and "one-card settlement" for medical expenses in 64,000 medical institutions; there are 150 Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei medical alliances, and 104 inspection results are mutually recognized in 1,326 medical institutions in the three places, making it more convenient for the public to see a doctor.

Return to Top

Photo Story

On April 23, the asphalt pavement construction of the Lankao to Fengqiu section of the Yellow River Expressway in Henan Province was completed, marking the full completion of the main project of the Yellow River crossing passage. The picture shows workers paving asphalt on the Lankao (兰考) section of the project.

Photo by Nie Donghan (聂冬晗) (Image China)

Return to Top

The 13th Batch of Remains of Chinese People's Volunteer Army Martyrs Repatriated from South Korea Laid to Rest in Shenyang

This newspaper reported from Shenyang on April 23rd (Reporters Li Longyi (李龙伊) and Liu Jiahua (刘佳华)) On the morning of April 23rd, the burial ceremony for the thirteenth group of remains of Chinese People's Volunteer Army martyrs from South Korea was held at the Shenyang Anti-US Aggression and Aid Korea Martyrs Cemetery (沈阳抗美援朝烈士陵园). The heroic spirits of 12 Volunteer Army martyrs who bravely sacrificed their lives in a foreign land to defend their country, returned to the embrace of the Chinese land to rest in peace after being away from their motherland for more than 70 years.

At 10 a.m., the ceremony officially began. The military band played the melodious and lingering "Song of Longing." Under the armed escort of officers and soldiers of the PLA Honor Guard (解放军仪仗司礼大队), the guards marched in neat steps, escorting the coffins of the Volunteer Army martyrs slowly into the memorial square. The entire audience sang the National Anthem of the People's Republic of China. After the national anthem was sung, all attendees bowed their heads in silent tribute. After the memorial address, all attendees bowed three times to the Volunteer Army martyrs. Twenty-seven guards fired 12 gun salutes in succession to pay the highest respect to the Volunteer Army martyrs.

The "Song of Longing" played again, and the guards raised the coffins of the Volunteer Army martyrs and circled half of the square, slowly heading towards the burial palace. All attendees stood solemnly and gazed at the martyrs' coffins, silently forming a long line to pay their respects, offering flowers to the martyrs in turn, and paying homage to the martyrs' names on the memorial wall.

Nearly 500 people, including representatives of the martyrs' families, representatives of officers and soldiers of heroic companies from the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, heroic astronauts, Olympic athletes, and Young Pioneers, attended the ceremony. The Chinese People's Liberation Army Honor Guard (中国人民解放军仪仗司礼大队), a certain brigade of the Northern Theater Command Army (北部战区陆军某旅), and others were ordered to carry out the honor guard duties for this burial ceremony.

Since 2014, China and South Korea, adhering to the spirit of humanitarianism, have completed the handover of the remains of Chinese People's Volunteer Army martyrs in South Korea for 13 consecutive years, and have cumulatively welcomed back 1,023 martyrs' remains for burial in their homeland.

Return to Top

Public satisfaction with intellectual property protection reaches new high (official release)

By: 本报记者 谷业凯

On April 23rd, the State Council Information Office held a press conference to introduce the construction of a strong intellectual property nation in 2025. According to Rui Wenbiao (芮文彪), Deputy Director of the National Intellectual Property Administration (国家知识产权局), last year China authorized 972,000 invention patents, registered 4,206,000 trademarks, registered 10,677,000 copyrights, identified 104 geographical indication products, approved 51 geographical indications as collective trademarks and certification trademarks, and granted 6,986 plant variety rights. The first phase goals of the Outline for Building a Strong Intellectual Property Nation and the various tasks determined in the "14th Five-Year Plan" have been successfully completed, and new and important progress has been made in the intellectual property cause.

Emerging fields are innovative, technology-intensive, and have broad prospects, serving as new drivers and engines for promoting high-quality economic and social development. Intellectual property departments are taking multiple approaches to promote intellectual property protection in emerging fields. "In the field of artificial intelligence, we have revised the patent examination guidelines to improve the examination standards for artificial intelligence patent applications, and increased ethical considerations and judgments on artificial intelligence technology to adapt to technological development and governance needs," Rui Wenbiao (芮文彪) said. The improvement of examination rules in the field of biological breeding has enabled the patent protection of a batch of valuable intermediate materials generated in the breeding process, realizing an effective connection with the plant variety rights system.

Copyright is related to many fields such as literature and art, news and publishing, radio, film and television, cultural entertainment, arts and crafts, architectural design, computer software, and information networks, and has become an increasingly important factor of production and strategic resource. Data shows that the proportion of the added value of China's copyright industry in the gross domestic product has increased to 7.46%. In March last year, the National Copyright Administration (国家版权局) jointly issued the "Comprehensive Pilot Work Plan for Intellectual Property Financial Ecology" with the National Financial Regulatory Administration (国家金融监督管理总局) and the National Intellectual Property Administration (国家知识产权局). Wang Zhicheng (王志成), Director of the Copyright Management Bureau of the Central Propaganda Department (中央宣传部版权管理局局长), said that this year they will further support and guide various regions to carry out copyright pledge, copyright insurance, copyright securitization and other copyright financial product and service innovations.

In terms of combating infringement and piracy, Wang Zhicheng (王志成) introduced that the National Copyright Administration (国家版权局) will work with relevant departments to carry out the "Sword Net 2026" special action to combat online infringement and piracy, focusing on key areas such as audio-visual works, online literature, and online communication, and continuously deepen the special rectification of online copyright. At the same time, special copyright rectification work will be carried out for core areas, key works, and important groups such as book publishing, cinema movies, cultural and creative products, and juvenile publications to promote the healthy development of the publishing industry, the film industry, and cultural and creative products, and maintain the physical and mental health of young people.

Intellectual property law enforcement and protection are related to innovation, development and market order. Last year, market supervision departments investigated and handled 37,000 cases of patent, trademark and other violations, intellectual property departments concluded 9,341 administrative adjudication cases of patent infringement disputes, and copyright law enforcement departments investigated and handled 2,713 cases of infringement and piracy in physical markets. Social satisfaction with intellectual property protection increased to 82.81 points, reaching a new high.

This year, the State Administration for Market Regulation (市场监管总局) will organize and carry out special law enforcement actions on intellectual property in emerging fields and e-commerce fields. Wang Huowang (王火旺), Director of the Law Enforcement Inspection Bureau of the State Administration for Market Regulation (市场监管总局执法稽查局局长), introduced that in response to the current trend of online infringement, the governance of online infringement will be strengthened, focusing on trademark infringement, patent counterfeiting, and abuse of geographical indications in online sales, live streaming e-commerce, social e-commerce and other links to implement precise strikes.

Last year, the benefits of intellectual property utilization in China accelerated. The national turnover of technology contracts involving patents reached 1.18 trillion yuan, an increase of 18.8% year-on-year; the total national import and export of intellectual property royalties increased to 425.35 billion yuan, of which exports increased by 26.3% year-on-year.

Technology finance is an important part of supporting the transformation and utilization of intellectual property. During the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, banking financial institutions issued more than 900 billion yuan in intellectual property pledge loans, benefiting more than 110,000 small and micro enterprises. Guo Wen (郭雯), Director of the Intellectual Property Protection Department of the National Intellectual Property Administration (国家知识产权局知识产权保护司司长), introduced that 13 provinces and 124 cities have introduced intellectual property pledge financing risk compensation policies. During the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges cumulatively issued more than 37 billion yuan of intellectual property securitization products, and intellectual property insurance cumulatively provided more than 100 billion yuan of risk protection for more than 25,000 enterprises.

In response to the "scheming trademark" problem reflected by consumers, Rui Wenbiao (芮文彪) said that trademarks are used to identify the source of goods and services, and cannot be used as false advertising to mislead consumers. In response to this problem, the National Intellectual Property Administration (国家知识产权局) will conduct special rectification, strictly control the examination and registration, improve relevant laws and regulations, and increase law enforcement efforts.

At present, China has built 519 national-level intellectual property public service institutions, achieving full coverage at the provincial level; the construction of the national intellectual property public service platform has been completed, and the public and innovation entities have handled more than 100 million online transactions, and the level of intellectual property services has been continuously improved. "Innovation entities in different fields and at different stages of development have shown obvious differences in their needs for examination cycles. For example, rapidly iterating industries such as artificial intelligence and the Internet pursue 'rapid confirmation of rights' to seize the market, while the research and development cycle in the biomedical field is long, and they often hope for 'slow examination' to match clinical trials and drug launch rhythms," Guo Wen (郭雯) introduced. The National Intellectual Property Administration (国家知识产权局) is carrying out patent "on-demand examination" to promote the transformation of examination work from "unified rhythm" to "precise supply", providing a variety of options for the patent layout of innovation entities.

Return to Top

Deepening the Construction of Youth Development-Oriented Cities

This newspaper's Beijing (北京) dispatch on April 23rd (Reporter Yang Hao (杨昊)) - This reporter learned from the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League (共青团中央): The Central Committee of the Communist Youth League, the Central Cyberspace Administration of China (中央网信办), the National Development and Reform Commission (国家发展改革委), the Ministry of Education (教育部), and 11 other departments recently jointly issued the "Opinions on Deepening the Construction of Youth Development-oriented Cities to Help Build Modern People's Cities."

The opinions pointed out that the construction of youth development-oriented cities is a concrete practice of the people-centered urban development concept. It is necessary to fully integrate the promotion of youth development into the entire process and various fields of urban work, systematically optimize the development environment for young people to "enter, stay, live in peace, and succeed in their careers," comprehensively plan youth policies in urban planning, construction, and governance, and organically integrate youth needs in urban production, life, and ecology.

The opinions focus on the overall situation of centering on the construction of youth development-oriented cities, stimulating youth creativity and enhancing urban innovation momentum, improving the quality of youth life and revitalizing urban livable spaces, encouraging youth to take the lead and promote urban green development, guiding youth to be progressive and virtuous and shaping the city's cultural temperament, and supporting youth to participate in an orderly manner and improve the level of urban governance, putting forward a number of measures.

In optimizing the ability and quality to support youth innovation, promote the construction of a learning city, and rely on schools, public cultural facilities, etc., to run "Youth Night Schools" and youth palaces well.

In strengthening the youth-oriented guidance of urban planning, combined with the construction of a 15-minute living circle, encourage the development of "Youth Small Shops" and other businesses; build dormitory-style and small-sized youth apartments according to local conditions to reduce commuting costs and promote a balance between work and residence.

In enhancing the youth-gathering effect of urban development, focus on building a city that young people aspire to work in, and increase the employment absorption of college graduates and other young people; promote "Youth驿站 (Youth Stations)," stabilize and expand housing resources, upgrade supporting services, and provide convenience for college graduates seeking jobs in other places; rely on employment service stations at the doorstep, zero-job markets and other resources to build "Youth Employment Stations."

Return to Top

Reading as a "Diamond Drill" (People's Forum)

By: 张 凡

During "National Reading Week," a piece of data provokes deep thought. In the past year, the Shanghai Library's (上海图书馆) electronic resource downloads exceeded 100 million. Analysis reveals that a large number of "borrowers" are not human readers, but artificial intelligence large language models.

Today, technological advancements are reshaping the way we acquire knowledge. In seconds, AI can "read" a book and extract its essence. When knowledge becomes "instantly available," do we still need to spend time and effort on reading?

The answer is self-evident. Especially for Party members and cadres, persisting in deep reading in the AI era is not only a personal interest but also a major matter concerning ideological refinement, capability enhancement, and mental fortitude. "It is hoped that the vast number of Party members and cadres will take the lead in reading and learning," which is both a requirement for guiding social ethos and a method for strengthening the fulfillment of duties and responsibilities.

Currently, some localities and units are unable to break new ground in their work, not because they haven't received professional training or lack specialized knowledge, but because their thinking hasn't kept up. Only by deeply studying and thoroughly understanding the Party's innovative theories can we have a clear direction and clear ideas.

After Chuyuan Group (楚源集团) was issued a "sky-high fine" in 2016, how did the group's leaders, Lao Yang (老杨) and Xiao Yang (小杨), transform from being full of resentment and "challenging" to summoning the courage to "rectify"?

"The solution is in the books." Local leading cadres "delivered ideology" and explained policies, helping the Chuyuan (楚源) people to change their mindset. Now, Xiao Yang (小杨) keeps "Selected Excerpts from Xi Jinping's Discourses on Ecological Civilization" (习近平生态文明文选) on his desk, and the more he studies, the clearer his mind becomes, promoting the group's transformation from a "major polluter" to a "green benchmark."

"The more firmly we grasp Marxism, our family's skill, the higher our political standing will be, the stronger our political judgment, political comprehension, and political execution will be, and the more proactive we will be in observing the situation, planning development, and preventing and resolving risks." When thinking is enlightened, difficulties give way. By reading books that strengthen thinking, we can stand higher to recognize problems, see deeper to analyze problems, and sort out problems more logically to solve them.

As the "Fifteenth Five-Year Plan" begins, Party members and cadres need to have the necessary skills to implement various strategic deployments. The work on the new journey is comprehensive and systematic, requiring accumulation of knowledge in many aspects. Strengthening the expansion and updating of the knowledge system and enhancing the practical transformation and application can enhance development skills in the intertwined cycle of "books with words" and "books without words."

After reading an article in the newspaper introducing Sichuan's (四川) utilization of biogas, Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平同志) traveled thousands of miles to "learn from the experience," leading the villagers of Liangjiahe (梁家河) to build the first biogas digester in Shaanxi (陕西); in Fujian (福建), he specifically sought out county chronicles and prefectural chronicles to read late into the night during his rural surveys; in Zhejiang (浙江), he required leading cadres in Shaoxing (绍兴) to be familiar with "Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion" ("兰亭集序") and "Chai Tou Feng" ("钗头凤"), and to understand the local history and culture... Reading contains the "secrets" to solving difficulties, the "keys" to overcoming challenges, and the wisdom to promote development. Closely integrated with practical work, reading and learning is also a skill that can create a new atmosphere and pattern that benefits the people.

How can artificial intelligence empower economic and social development? How can culture, tourism, and consumption be better integrated? Today, various new knowledge, new things, and new situations are emerging endlessly. By reading books that strengthen skills and adhering to the principle of "learning what you do, and supplementing what you lack," we can make up for shortcomings in capabilities and expand the boundaries of cognition, so as to become experts in promoting development and serving the masses.

In addition, we must also read books that strengthen our will.

After work, picking up books that seem "useless" can actually rectify the mind, cultivate the character, and enhance the spiritual realm.

Reading "Records of the Grand Historian" ("史记") cultivates a historical perspective of "understanding changes from ancient to modern times"; reading "Collected Commentaries on the Four Books" ("四书集注") strengthens the original political intention of "the country takes the people as its foundation, and the state is also established for the people"; reading "Stories to Caution the World" ("警世通言") cultivates a sense of awe that "people's hearts are like iron, and official laws are like furnaces"; reading "History of Entrepreneurship" ("创业史") inspires the spirit of overcoming difficulties...

Loving to read, reading good books, and being good at reading helps us to be more sober in the face of temptations, more calm in the face of difficulties, and more responsible in the face of responsibilities. This is precisely the great use hidden in "uselessness."

"A love for books is an atmosphere." Each of us can grow in talent, gain nourishment, and maintain our true selves from it.

Return to Top

Total production safety accidents in the first quarter significantly decreased.

Beijing, April 23rd (Reported by Liu Wenxin (刘温馨)) - A reporter learned from the Ministry of Emergency Management (应急管理部) that in the first quarter of this year, the number of various production safety accidents, deaths, and missing persons nationwide decreased by 26.7% and 22.7% year-on-year, respectively. No particularly major accidents occurred, and the safety situation in most regions and industries has improved significantly.

Among key industries and fields, the total number of accidents in seven industries and fields, including fishing vessels, coal mines, chemical industry, construction industry, railway transportation, road transportation, and air transportation, has seen a "double decrease." However, major accidents and significant dangerous accidents have occurred frequently in some regions and industries. Illegal and unlawful production activities in industries such as mining, chemical industry, fire protection, and fireworks and firecrackers have shown an upward trend. The pressure to prevent and curb major and extraordinarily serious accidents has further increased.

Return to Top

Ministry of Civil Affairs Launches "Happy Silver Years" Series of Activities

This newspaper's Shenyang (沈阳) April 23rd dispatch (Reporter Wu Chuqi (吴储岐)) On April 23rd, the national "Enjoying the Silver Years" series of activities launching ceremony was held in Shenyang City (沈阳市), Liaoning Province (辽宁省).

At the launching ceremony, civil affairs departments from various regions, national social organizations related to elderly affairs, and enterprises conducted work connections. The "Enjoying the Silver Years" series of activities is organized and carried out by the Ministry of Civil Affairs (民政部) in conjunction with relevant departments and will be held regularly every year starting in 2026. The activities cover six major aspects: joyful-age arts, joyful-age cultural creation, joyful-age reading, joyful-age fitness, joyful-age health and wellness, and joyful-age popular science. It aims to expand the supply of spiritual and cultural products and services for the elderly by encouraging various departments, enterprises, institutions, and social organizations to carry out cultural and sports entertainment activities suitable for the elderly.

Return to Top

General Office of the CPC Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council issued the "Comprehensive Evaluation and Assessment Measures for Carbon Peaking and Carbon Neutrality"

Xinhua News Agency, Beijing (北京), April 23rd. Recently, the General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (中共中央办公厅) and the General Office of the State Council (国务院办公厅) issued the "Comprehensive Evaluation and Assessment Measures for Carbon Peaking and Carbon Neutrality" and issued a notice requiring all regions and departments to earnestly comply with and implement them.

The full text of the "Comprehensive Evaluation and Assessment Measures for Carbon Peaking and Carbon Neutrality" is as follows.

Comprehensive Evaluation and Assessment Measures for Carbon Peaking and Carbon Neutrality

(Reviewed and approved at the meeting of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee (中共中央政治局常委会会议) on February 26, 2026; issued by the General Office of the CPC Central Committee (中共中央办公厅) and the General Office of the State Council (国务院办公厅) on April 12, 2026)

Chapter I General Provisions

Article 1: In order to give play to the strategic guiding role of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, accelerate the construction of a dual control system for total carbon emissions and intensity, promote local Party committees and governments to establish and practice correct views on political achievements, and resolutely shoulder the responsibility for carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, these measures are formulated in accordance with the "Opinions of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council on Fully, Accurately, and Comprehensively Implementing the New Development Concept and Doing a Good Job in Carbon Peaking and Carbon Neutrality" and the "Opinions of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council on Accelerating the Comprehensive Green Transformation of Economic and Social Development" and relevant regulations.

Article 2: These measures shall apply to the evaluation and assessment of the progress of Party committees and governments of all provinces (autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government) in implementing the goals and tasks of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality and accelerating the comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development, starting from the year 2026.

Article 3: Under the centralized and unified leadership of the Party Central Committee (党中央), the evaluation and assessment work shall be coordinated and guided by the Organization Department of the Central Committee (中央组织部) and implemented by the National Development and Reform Commission (国家发展改革委) in conjunction with relevant departments.

Article 4: The evaluation and assessment shall implement the principle of shared responsibility between the Party and the government, with each position having dual responsibilities, and adhere to the working principles of overall consideration, objectivity and fairness, scientific standardization, and emphasis on practical results.

Chapter II Content of Evaluation and Assessment

Article 5: The evaluation and assessment shall closely focus on the implementation of the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee (党中央) and the State Council (国务院) on carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, as well as the national independent contribution goals for addressing climate change, and promote all provinces (autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government) to implement the dual control targets for total carbon emissions and intensity.

Article 6: The evaluation and assessment shall set up control indicators and support indicators.

Control indicators include indicators such as total carbon emissions, reduction in carbon emission intensity, total coal consumption, total oil consumption, and the proportion of non-fossil energy consumption.

Support indicators include representative indicators in the fields of energy conservation, industry, urban and rural construction, transportation, public institutions, and carbon emission rights trading, which have a supporting role in carbon peaking and carbon neutrality.

Article 7: During the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, the National Development and Reform Commission (国家发展改革委) shall, in conjunction with relevant departments, formulate the "15th Five-Year Plan" Carbon Peaking Action Plan, focusing on achieving the goal of carbon peaking before 2030 as scheduled, ensuring that carbon emission intensity in 2030 is reduced by more than 65% compared to 2005, and that the proportion of non-fossil energy consumption reaches 25% in 2030, achieving peak coal consumption and peak oil consumption, reasonably controlling the scale of coal-fired power installed capacity and power generation, and striving to gradually cover the incremental electricity consumption of the whole society with the annual increase in clean energy power.

Article 8: During the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, the Party committees and governments of all provinces (autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government) shall formulate provincial-level carbon peaking action plans, determine the five-year goals and annual goals of various indicators in their respective regions in accordance with the national-level goals, and propose corresponding tasks and measures.

The provincial action plans shall be formulated and completed on time, and after being reviewed and approved by the National Development and Reform Commission (国家发展改革委) in conjunction with relevant departments, they shall be submitted to the Party Central Committee (党中央) and the State Council (国务院) for approval, and shall serve as the basis for subsequent evaluation and assessment of all provinces (autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government).

When the National Development and Reform Commission (国家发展改革委) reviews and approves the provincial action plans in conjunction with relevant departments, it shall focus on achieving the national-level goals, urge local governments to implement requirements such as equal or reduced carbon emission replacement for new (reconstructed, expanded) "two-high" industrial projects, and comprehensively consider the main functional positioning, industrial and energy structure, and natural resource endowments of different types of regions, coordinate rigid constraints and flexible regulation, and reflect differentiated requirements.

Article 9: Starting from the "16th Five-Year Plan" period, in the first year of each five-year plan period, the National Development and Reform Commission (国家发展改革委) shall, in conjunction with relevant departments, formulate a national carbon emission control action plan in accordance with the phased goals determined by the Party Central Committee (党中央) and the State Council (国务院), and all provinces (autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government) shall formulate provincial-level carbon emission control action plans to promote the gradual realization of carbon neutrality.

Article 10: The National Development and Reform Commission (国家发展改革委) shall, in conjunction with relevant departments, formulate an annual implementation plan for evaluation and assessment in a timely manner, refine working measures, clarify the evaluation and assessment rules for each indicator, and may adjust and improve the indicator system in a timely manner according to the situation and work needs.

Chapter III Evaluation and Assessment Procedures

Article 11: The evaluation and assessment work shall be carried out on an annual basis and shall be specifically implemented in the year following the evaluation and assessment year.

Article 12: The Party committees and governments of all provinces (autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government) shall conduct self-assessments of the carbon peaking and carbon neutrality work in their respective regions for the year and submit the self-assessment reports to the Party Central Committee (党中央) and the State Council (国务院) on time, and send copies to the National Development and Reform Commission (国家发展改革委) and other departments responsible for evaluation and assessment.

Article 13: All relevant departments shall evaluate the national annual progress of the indicators they are responsible for and evaluate the annual progress of each province (autonomous region, and municipality directly under the Central Government). The evaluation results of each province (autonomous region, and municipality directly under the Central Government) for a single indicator shall be divided into "meeting the standard" and "not meeting the standard." If the evaluation result is "not meeting the standard," the department responsible for evaluating and assessing the relevant indicator shall analyze the problems and reasons existing in the work of the province (autonomous region, and municipality directly under the Central Government) and put forward improvement suggestions, forming a written opinion. All relevant departments shall send the evaluation results and written opinions to the National Development and Reform Commission (国家发展改革委) on time.

Article 14: The National Development and Reform Commission (国家发展改革委) shall, in conjunction with relevant departments, conduct on-site verification of the progress of work, implementation of tasks, completion of goals, and authenticity of data in relevant provinces (autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government) through methods such as on-site spot checks and entrusting third-party verification.

Article 15: The National Development and Reform Commission (国家发展改革委), in combination with local self-assessments, departmental evaluations, and on-site verifications, shall propose suggestions on the comprehensive evaluation and assessment results of annual carbon peaking and carbon neutrality of each province (autonomous region, and municipality directly under the Central Government) in accordance with three grades: excellent, qualified, and unqualified, and report them to the Party Central Committee (党中央) and the State Council (国务院) according to procedures after consultation with the Organization Department of the Central Committee (中央组织部).

Provinces (autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government) where all control indicators and support indicators meet the standard shall have an evaluation and assessment result of "excellent"; provinces (autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government) where one or more control indicators do not meet the standard or three or more support indicators do not meet the standard shall have an evaluation and assessment result of "unqualified"; the rest shall be "qualified."

Chapter IV Application of Evaluation and Assessment Results

Article 16: After the evaluation and assessment results are reviewed and approved by the Party Central Committee (党中央) and the State Council (国务院), the Organization Department of the Central Committee (中央组织部) and the National Development and Reform Commission (国家发展改革委) shall, in accordance with procedures, provide feedback to the Party committees and governments of all provinces (autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government) and send them to the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the State Supervision Commission (中央纪委国家监委).

Article 17: According to the evaluation and assessment results, relevant provinces (autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government) shall be subject to interviews, notifications and reminders, and commendations.

If the evaluation and assessment result is "unqualified," the Organization Department of the Central Committee (中央组织部) and the National Development and Reform Commission (国家发展改革委) shall urge the Party committee and government of the relevant province (autonomous region, and municipality directly under the Central Government) to submit a written report to the Party Central Committee (党中央) and the State Council (国务院) within 30 working days after receiving the feedback of the result, propose rectification measures, and clarify the completion deadline. If the rectification is not in place within the time limit, the Organization Department of the Central Committee (中央组织部) and the National Development and Reform Commission (国家发展改革委) shall, in conjunction with relevant departments, interview the Party committee and government of the province (autonomous region, and municipality directly under the Central Government) depending on the circumstances.

If the evaluation and assessment result is "qualified" but some indicators do not meet the standard, the department responsible for evaluating and assessing the relevant indicator shall issue a notification and reminder within a certain range.

If the evaluation and assessment result is "excellent" or a single indicator performs outstandingly, the National Development and Reform Commission (国家发展改革委) shall, in conjunction with relevant departments, issue a commendation, and promptly summarize and publicize it to promote good experiences and practices.

Article 18: The evaluation and assessment results shall serve as an important reference for the comprehensive evaluation, selection and appointment, supervision and management of the leading bodies and relevant leading cadres of the Party committees and governments of the provinces (autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government).

If major dereliction of duty or malfeasance is found in the evaluation and assessment or rectification, the National Development and Reform Commission (国家发展改革委) shall, in conjunction with relevant departments, propose suggestions for accountability, and transfer the relevant issues and factual materials to the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the State Supervision Commission (中央纪委国家监委) and the Organization Department of the Central Committee (中央组织部) in accordance with procedures and regulations, and hold the relevant units and individuals accountable in accordance with regulations and laws.

Units and individuals who perform outstandingly in the evaluation and assessment may be commended and rewarded by the relevant provinces (autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government) and departments in accordance with regulations.

Article 19: The evaluation and assessment shall be based on facts, fair and just. For acts such as engaging in malpractice for personal gain, making false reports, concealing information, tampering with data, and forging materials, which cause serious distortion of the evaluation and assessment results, the evaluation and assessment results of the relevant provinces (autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government) shall be directly determined as "unqualified," and the relevant units and personnel shall be held accountable in accordance with relevant regulations.

Chapter V Implementation of Evaluation and Assessment

Article 20: The evaluation and assessment shall mainly be based on national statistical data. If statistical data is missing or the timeliness cannot temporarily meet the needs of evaluation and assessment, national carbon market data and statistical, survey, monitoring, and accounting data from relevant departments may be used. The National Bureau of Statistics (国家统计局) and other departments that possess data shall provide the data required for evaluation and assessment to the departments responsible for evaluating and assessing the relevant indicators in a timely manner.

Article 21: The National Development and Reform Commission (国家发展改革委), the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (生态环境部), and the National Bureau of Statistics (国家统计局) shall continuously improve the carbon emission statistical accounting system, and work with other departments responsible for evaluation and assessment to continuously improve data statistics, survey, monitoring, and accounting capabilities, and strengthen data support for evaluation and assessment work.

The National Development and Reform Commission (国家发展改革委), the National Bureau of Statistics (国家统计局), and the National Energy Administration (国家能源局) shall establish an important data dynamic monitoring and early warning system to regularly monitor indicators such as national and provincial (autonomous region, and municipality directly under the Central Government) carbon emissions, coal consumption, oil consumption, incremental electricity consumption, and incremental clean energy electricity consumption, and issue reminders and early warnings to relevant provinces (autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government) as appropriate.

Article 22: All provinces (autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government) shall combine the evaluation and assessment work, coordinate carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, economic and social development, and energy security and supply, scientifically and rationally decompose and consolidate emission reduction responsibilities, ensure a smooth transition from dual control of energy consumption to dual control of carbon emissions, steadily and orderly reduce carbon emissions in traditional industries, and resolutely curb the blind launch of "two-high" projects. Adhere to the combination of an effective market and an active government, and actively leverage the role of carbon markets and other market-based emission reduction mechanisms.

If the evaluation and assessment results of relevant provinces (autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government) are affected by non-man-made factors such as major natural disasters and emergencies, the National Development and Reform Commission (国家发展改革委) shall conduct a comprehensive judgment in conjunction with relevant departments, propose suggestions on the evaluation and assessment results based on facts, and provide a separate explanation in the report submitted to the Party Central Committee (党中央) and the State Council (国务院).

Chapter VI Supplementary Provisions

Article 23: The State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council (国务院国资委) shall formulate relevant evaluation and assessment systems for central enterprises to implement the goals and tasks of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality with reference to these measures.

Article 24: The National Development and Reform Commission (国家发展改革委) shall be responsible for interpreting these measures.

Article 25: These measures shall come into force on the date of promulgation.

Attachment: Comprehensive Evaluation and Assessment Indicator System for Carbon Peaking and Carbon Neutrality

Return to Top

Earnest Work and Dedication: Promoting the Transformation of Learning and Education Outcomes (Establishing and Practicing a Correct View of Performance)

By: 本报记者

Since the launch of the learning and education campaign to establish and practice a correct view of performance, all regions, departments, and units have meticulously organized the effort, comprehensively promoting learning, investigation, and rectification. They are practicing their original aspirations and missions with practical work and dedication, striving to transform the results of learning and education into practical achievements that promote high-quality economic and social development and benefit the people.

Deep Learning and Thorough Understanding: Strengthening the Foundation

Langfang City (廊坊市), Hebei Province (河北省), has deeply studied and comprehended General Secretary Xi Jinping's (习近平) important exposition on establishing and practicing a correct view of performance. Through various forms such as Party committee (Party group) meetings, reading classes, theoretical study central groups, and "three meetings and one lesson," it has meticulously organized learning guidance, exchange discussions, and warning education. This effort promotes deep learning, thorough understanding, and practical action among Party organizations and Party member cadres at all levels, further calibrating ideological coordinates and fostering a pragmatic work style.

Binzhou City (滨州市), Shandong Province (山东省), adheres to building a foundation through learning, organizing study and education reading classes for leading cadres at the county and department levels and above. At the same time, it strengthens classified training, holding special training classes for key post cadres, young cadres, and newly promoted cadres. Combining the ideological and work realities of different cadre groups, it adopts methods such as warning education, case analysis, and on-site teaching to promote the internalization and externalization of a correct view of performance.

Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University (西北农林科技大学) has established a working group to fully implement the general requirements of learning and education through mechanisms such as notifications and feedback. At the same time, it focuses on implementing policies according to different categories. For leading cadres, it guides them to follow the laws of running a school and improve their scientific decision-making ability. For teacher Party members, it guides them to practice the spirit of educators and scientists, concentrate on teaching and educating people, and carry out scientific research. For student Party members, it guides them to consolidate the foundation of their ideals and beliefs and set an example in specific actions such as professional study and volunteer service.

Deep Investigation and Careful Reflection: Correcting Deviations

Lu'an City (六安市), Anhui Province (安徽省), regards carrying out enterprise visits and village entry activities as a concrete starting point for learning and education. Party member cadres at the city, county, and township levels go down to the front line to visit enterprises and enter villages. Focusing on outstanding problems discovered by inspections and audits, through face-to-face exchanges and point-to-point services, they draw up problem lists, consolidate rectification responsibilities, and strive to solve the blockages and difficulties in enterprise production and operation and the urgent difficulties and anxieties in the production and life of the masses.

Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture (怒江傈僳族自治州), Yunnan Province (云南省), adheres to learning, investigating, and rectifying simultaneously. The Standing Committee of the Prefectural Party Committee takes the lead in demonstrating, focusing on various feedback problems such as inspections and audits, and driving all levels and departments to comprehensively examine themselves against the main problem list of deviations in the view of performance. By deeply researching to open up paths and scientifically deciding on directions, it solves problems such as the insufficient stability of industrial wealth driving and the insufficient breadth of income increase channels in the prefecture, and continues to promote the development of local characteristic industries.

Ledong Li Autonomous County (乐东黎族自治县), Hainan Province (海南省), combines promoting governance through case rectification, rectifying feedback opinions from central inspections, and problems discovered by inspections and supervision at all levels. Focusing on problems such as coastal zone ecological restoration, it comprehensively sorts out its own shortcomings, strives to accurately identify problems and realistically list lists, and ensures that rectification is implemented in place.

Learning for Application: Genuine Hard Work

Nantong City (南通市), Jiangsu Province (江苏省), adheres to comprehensively promoting learning, investigation, and rectification, establishing a correct view of performance, and preventing the “新官不理旧账” (xīn guān bù lǐ jiù zhàng - "new officials ignoring old accounts," a situation where new officials refuse to take responsibility for the problems or debts left by their predecessors). The local area takes the handover of the main person in charge of the leading group as a starting point and issued the "Implementation Opinions on the Handover of the Main Person in Charge of the Leading Group in Nantong City (南通市)," formulating handover lists for different types of responsible persons such as counties (cities, districts) and government departments. It clarifies five steps: the organization department issues a notice, the departing person fills in the form, the organization holds a meeting for handover, both parties communicate and exchange ideas, and the successor conducts research, ensuring that "old accounts" are taken over and managed.

Since the launch of the learning and education campaign, Shantou City (汕头市), Guangdong Province (广东省), has promoted more than a thousand city-managed cadres to go deep into the villages (communities) they are assigned to contact the masses, work on-site, understand the demands of the masses, and drive Party member leading cadres at all levels throughout the city to widely listen to the voices of the people, observe the conditions of the people, and solve the worries of the people, combining the rectification and remediation of problems with doing practical things for the masses and solving their difficulties.

Xiajiang County (峡江县), Ji'an City (吉安市), Jiangxi Province (江西省), has equipped elderly people over 60 years old who live alone and are left behind with a "one-key call" device. When the elderly press the "small button," the system immediately cyclically dials the phone numbers of the guardian and the paired village cadre, forming an emergency trigger mechanism that is activated with one press and has multi-level response. Xiajiang County (峡江县) adheres to open education, asking the people about their needs and asking the people for advice, and implementing a number of key livelihood projects such as transportation, urban and rural water supply, elderly care services, and express delivery into villages, promoting the transformation of learning and education results into practical benefits for the people.

(Our reporters Shi Yiqi (史一棋), Zhou Yajun (周亚军), Li Maoying (李茂颖), Tian Xianjin (田先进), Ding Yasong (丁雅诵), Shao Yuzi (邵玉姿), Li Zong (李纵), Bai Guangdi (白光迪), Li Rui (李蕊), and Zhou Huan (周欢))

Return to Top

First Edition Editors: Xu Nuo, Luan Xinyi, Zhang Yujie; Second Edition Editors: Wu Gang, Zhou Zhou, Wang Xuchen; Third Edition Editors: Lü Li, Qi Jiarun, Guo Xueyan; Fourth Edition Editors: Liu Nian, Chen Zhen, Zhang Xueyan

Return to Top

Let Technological Discourse Power Grow in Tandem with Scientific Research Strength (People's Daily Commentary)

By: 喻思南

The right to speak in science and technology largely influences the evaluation of scientific research achievements and the choice of innovation directions, thereby affecting the flow of international top talents, funds, and other innovative elements.

Recently, the release of two pieces of information in the field of science and technology is meaningful when viewed together. The National Natural Science Foundation of China (国家自然科学基金委员会) announced the "Top Ten Scientific Advances in China for 2025," and the Chinese Academy of Engineering (中国工程院) selected the "Global Engineering Frontiers for 2025." These two releases not only have influence in professional fields but also demonstrate the continuous improvement of China's (中国) right to speak in the field of science and technology.

Scientific and technological innovation is not only a competition of hard power but also a contest of international discourse power. Releasing the "Top Ten Scientific Advances in China" with an evaluative nature demonstrates the significant progress of China's (中国) basic research and also highlights the value judgment of scientific research. Selecting the "Global Engineering Frontiers" provides a Chinese (中国) perspective for understanding the development of global engineering technology. Both continuously enhance the appeal and influence of China's (中国) scientific and technological innovation by disseminating innovative ideas.

High-quality scientific research output is a prerequisite for obtaining the right to speak, but the right to speak does not necessarily arise with scientific and technological development. Compared with the rapidly rising scientific research strength in recent years, the improvement of China's (中国) right to speak in science and technology has been relatively slow. Taking artificial intelligence as an example, China (中国) leads the world in the number of papers submitted and the contribution of scientific research in this field, and about half of the accepted results of some important academic conferences come from Chinese (中国) scholars. However, China's (中国) foundation is relatively weak in the construction of artificial intelligence academic communities and international academic organizations, and there is a risk of being controlled by others. Achieving the key leap from a large scientific and technological country to a strong scientific and technological country, and mastering the matching international discourse power is crucial.

Actively speak out and occupy the "high ground" of discourse in scientific and technological innovation. The right to speak in science and technology largely influences the evaluation of scientific research achievements and the choice of innovation directions, thereby affecting the flow of international top talents, funds, and other innovative elements. For a long time, the United States (美国) and the West (西方) have dominated the right to speak in science and technology by setting up various rankings in scientific research, higher education, and other fields. In recent years, China (中国) has gradually shifted from "running alongside" to "leading" in some cutting-edge fields, which provides us with the confidence to occupy the "high ground" of discourse. Whether it is releasing lists such as "Scientific Advances" and "Scientific Breakthroughs" or making plans for the direction of scientific and technological frontiers, it is conducive to demonstrating the right to speak in scientific and technological innovation led by us.

Strengthen scientific and technological journals and continuously accumulate the "home field" advantage of academic publishing. The publication standards and research interests of scientific and technological journals, international conferences, etc., directly affect academic orientation and are key ways to master the right to speak in science and technology. For a long time in the past, China's (中国) basic research had the problem of "both ends outside," that is, finding topics from foreign academic journals and then spending money to publish the results in foreign journals and platforms. This phenomenon breeds the bad orientation of "only Western journals and only international top conferences" and also makes us bear the high costs brought about by the monetization of Western academic platforms. Anchoring the gap to make up for the shortcomings requires building world-class international scientific and technological journals that match China's (中国) scientific research strength, continuously exerting efforts in journal quality, content dissemination, etc., attracting high-quality manuscripts from around the world, and working with the international scientific and technological community to jointly establish new academic evaluation benchmarks.

Participate in international science and technology governance and provide public goods for global science and technology exchanges. To obtain the right to speak in science and technology, it is necessary to deeply participate in international science and technology cooperation and governance. From deeply participating in international cooperation projects such as the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (国际热核聚变实验堆) and the Square Kilometer Array (平方公里阵列射电望远镜), to taking the lead in launching international major science programs such as "Deep-time Digital Earth (深时数字地球)," "Ocean Negative Carbon Emissions (海洋负排放)," and "Plant Planet Project (植物星球计划)," from proposing the Global Governance Initiative for Artificial Intelligence to the establishment of the World Data Organization (世界数据组织), China (中国) is increasingly becoming a key node in the global science and technology innovation network and an important participant in international science and technology cooperation and governance. We must not only "be a guest" but also "invite guests," and strive to play a more important role on the global science and technology stage.

Deepening opening up and cooperation on the basis of self-reliance and self-improvement is the right path and the right way that China (中国) has always adhered to. On the journey of building a strong country in science and technology, promoting the realization of high-level scientific and technological opening up, and allowing China's (中国) right to speak in science and technology to grow together with its scientific research strength will surely provide assistance for China (中国) to become a global innovation highland and inject vitality into global scientific and technological development.

Return to Top

Fix the Required Course of Safety Education (On-the-Spot Commentary)

By: 李林宝

A humanoid robot wearing a blue vest, and being "eloquent," drew gasps of admiration.

At the Guangdong National Security Education Museum (广东省国家安全教育馆), the public listened attentively to the robot "Yue Xiao'an (粤小安)" explain, but what really made everyone exclaim "Wow!" was the "thrilling" nature of the security incidents.

National security is ubiquitous, and security risks are "silent." For example, secretly embedding a miniature scanner in front of a paper shredder blade can make information disappear when the document is shredded; modifying and implanting secret-stealing hardware inside a printer can invisibly intercept and wirelessly transmit printed materials... The cases reveal new types of secret-stealing methods, causing a shock and serving as a warning. Security warnings still resonate, and security education must be strengthened.

Currently, new technologies are rapidly iterating, empowering development, and also brewing more security issues. Only by mastering new technologies, adapting to new scenarios, and stimulating new forces can we write a new answer sheet for security education that is warm, powerful, and resilient.

From a technical perspective, security education must be "visible, tangible, and trustworthy."

Technology is not an ornament for security education, but a "translator" for cognitive transformation. In the past, when conducting security education, people saw "schematic diagrams" in books; today, moments such as gas explosions and roof collapses can be virtually restored. Wearing VR (virtual reality) glasses, people have a more authentic experience of safety. Relying on short videos, interactive Q&A, digital sandboxes, and other forms, new technologies can popularize security-related professional terms, contextualize typical cases, and make legal knowledge interesting.

In fact, technology does not complicate security education, but makes complex security issues more intuitive; it does not replace thinking with algorithms, but supports judgment with computing power. Let every click, every forward, and every file transfer become a silent security training.

From a scenario perspective, security education must be able to "enter, stay, and be used."

Security education must avoid being **两张皮** (liǎng zhāng pí - "two layers of skin," superficial or divorced from reality). People know that data security is important, but sometimes they authorize apps (applications) to read mobile phone files, either helplessly or inadvertently; knowing to pay attention to "counter-espionage," some people treat "special bases" as internet-famous check-in spots. The key to solving the problem lies in migrating security education from classroom scenarios of "specific times, fixed places, and preset content" to life scenarios that are "always, everywhere, and born out of need." For example, some subway station electronic screens scroll short films about national security; some vegetable markets hang personalized collection codes with not only anti-fraud cartoons, but also down-to-earth anti-fraud rhymes.

Reconstructing the field of security education with life-oriented narratives is an important focus. Security education is not about making people feel constrained in life, but about "patching security" to ensure life. Only by making security education both meaningful and interesting, both trendy and lively, can we continuously enhance the appeal and persuasiveness of the content.

From a subject perspective, security education must be "everyone speaks, always speaks, everything speaks."

The more emphasis on security guarantees, the more we call for more "keen lookouts" and "brave swordsmen." When community aunties compose and sing fast-clapper talks about "fraud prevention for the elderly," when couriers and deliverymen form "National Security Knights" volunteer service teams, when ordinary people actively report risks and hidden dangers on the "Security Hidden Danger Photo" mini-program... Security education takes many forms, and everyone can contribute to maintaining security. By using the subject's consciousness to generate internal motivation, security education will transform the masses from "education objects" into participating subjects, disseminating subjects, and responsible subjects, further realizing the leap from "external indoctrination" to "internal growth."

National security education is about making everyone the "chief security officer" in their own field. When more than 1.4 billion pairs of eyes are accustomed to scrutinizing risks, and when more than 1.4 billion pairs of hands actively strengthen defenses, we can build a solid security dam.

Development is the ultimate principle, and security is also the ultimate principle. The "15th Five-Year Plan" proposes to "strengthen national security education and build a solid people's defense line." Security education is a compulsory course, and security awareness must be integrated into urban operations, flow into daily life, and take root in hundreds of millions of hearts. Everyone is a beneficiary of national security and should also be a strong guardian of national security.

(The author is a reporter for *New Security* magazine)

Return to Top

Photo Story

Not long ago, the National Development and Reform Commission (国家发展改革委), together with the Ministry of Finance (财政部), allocated the second batch of this year's 62.5 billion yuan of ultra-long-term special treasury bond funds to local governments to support them in continuing to implement the consumer goods trade-in policy in a stable and orderly manner. As of April 12, 2026, the national sales of consumer goods trade-ins exceeded 500 billion yuan, benefiting 69.777 million people, and the driving effect on consumption continued to manifest.

This is precisely:

The policy benefits like a pleasant breeze,
Shops and stores are full of customers.
The people's hearts are bathed in the warm sun,
The market prospers and all industries flourish.

Xu Zhiwen (徐之文)

Return to Top

Making history vivid with passion (Warm News & Hot Comments)

By: 张佳伟

【Keywords】"Fancy Tomb Sweeping" for Ancient People
【Event】In front of Cao Cao's Tomb (曹操墓), ibuprofen is placed; in front of Li Bai's Tomb (李白墓), fine wine is offered; Huo Qubing's Tomb (霍去病墓) is never without potato chips and spicy sticks... Many young people, while traveling around the country, also engage in "fancy tomb sweeping" for ancient people. Compared with traditional offerings, the objects brought by young people reflect a unique perspective of understanding the lives of ancient people through modern eyes. These offerings, both "outrageous" and "appropriate," have become vivid footnotes for young people to approach history and understand history.
【Commentary】
As the times move forward, the tradition of ancestor worship has not disappeared, but the forms and contents have become more diverse. The objects of worship have expanded from one's own ancestors to "top-tier ancient people"; the forms of worship are no longer limited to burning incense, offering flowers, and offering wine, but also include forms such as sending medicine and awarding prizes.
Although "playing with memes" is jocular, it can be seen that young people love history. In front of the Temple of Marquis Wu (武侯祠), there are high-speed rail tickets from Chengdu (成都) to Xi'an (西安), trying to comfort Zhuge Liang's (诸葛亮) regret of failing to "pacify the Central Plains in the north" with modern life; understanding that Cao Pi (曹丕) loved sugarcane comes from stories learned from *Dian Lun* (《典论》); deeply understanding Emperor Xiaowen of Northern Wei's (北魏孝文帝) efforts to promote reform, incorporating words of praise into modern certificates...
The seemingly "unconventional" choices are based on solid historical accumulation. For a single memorial, some tourists will browse historical materials and even consult archaeological papers from the era of the historical figures, which can be described as doing their homework. Interest is the best guide. This surging love makes thousands of years of history come alive again.
Interpreting with an equal perspective, young people's unique tomb sweeping is full of warmth and respect. They salvage vivid details from the vast historical materials, restoring historical figures with flesh and blood. Some people feel sorry for Yu Qian's (于谦) cough caused by working hard for the country, and specially put on cough medicine; some people write letters by hand, expressing their admiration for Zhuge Liang's (诸葛亮) dedication and 鞠躬尽瘁 (jū gōng jìn cuì - "bowing to the utmost, exhausting one's efforts," dedicating oneself wholeheartedly to the cause until one's last breath) and "knowing that it is impossible but doing it anyway"... What touches young people is not only the ancient people's achievements recorded in history, but also their personality charm and national sentiments. Such emotional resonance reflects the value coordinates and spiritual aspirations in the hearts of young people.
The moon of today once shone on the ancients. Behind the resonance is a similar state of mind. Nowadays, a word is popular among young people - "Odyssey period," which refers to the time between the ages of 20 and 35 when they move from school to society and gradually become independent. In this stage, confusion and anxiety are the norm. Young people travel thousands of miles to commemorate the ancients, not only to confide in history, but also to have a dialogue with themselves, from which they can see the active solution to confusion and anxiety. Drawing strength and accumulating confidence from historical wisdom is the meaning of the two-way rush between the younger generation and history.
In recent years, people have always said that "the taste of traditional festivals is fading." "Fancy tomb sweeping" has created new cultural charm, and the core of 慎终追远 (shèn zhōng zhuī yuǎn - "carefully attend to the end and follow the distant past," to be attentive to the funeral rites of parents and ancestors, and to remember them with reverence) and "emotional connection" has become more deeply rooted in people's hearts. These empathetic and personalized methods are precisely the new expression of cultural identity by contemporary young people.
A game has made Shaanbei storytelling popular, and ancient building filming locations have set off a check-in craze; Miao embroidery has been integrated into "village T-shirts" and has appeared on the stages of London and Paris; wearing traditional costumes and practicing Baduanjin, young people are using vivid cultural practices to bring excellent Chinese traditional culture to a wider stage... Hearing it, seeing it, and practicing it, our culture and life are constantly advancing in such inheritance and innovation, unfolding new chapters.

Return to Top

Small Shops Revitalized, Solid Foundation Cultivated (Micro View)

By: 李砚秋

Today, the numerous urban and rural shops greatly contribute to increasing economic vitality. Grain and oil store owners are changing careers to make specialty snacks, community supermarkets are building "member groups" for easy communication, and express delivery station operators are providing additional services such as fruit purchasing... In recent years, facing market changes, more and more small shops have taken the initiative to seek change and adapt to changes, blazing new business paths and warming the daily lives of neighborhoods.

In 2025, China's newly established individual industrial and commercial households reached 16.194 million, and the number of individual industrial and commercial households established for more than 3 years reached 84.198 million. From street corner breakfast stalls to community barber shops, from alleyway fruit stands to roadside pastry shops, small shops all over the urban and rural areas are like capillaries of the economic body, connecting all walks of life, making people's lives more convenient, and allowing consumption vitality to fully flow in the "last mile" of a better life. It can be said that the healthy growth of the "small shop economy" is not only a direct reflection of the resilience of small and medium-sized micro enterprises, but also a vivid annotation of the huge vitality of the Chinese economy.

Embracing digitalization is the most significant direction of small shop transformation. From "waiting for customers at the counter" to "conquering the market with a mobile phone," it is not just the tools that are changing, but also the business thinking. For example, some restaurants show the process of preparing dishes in the back kitchen and the daily interactions of diners through short videos. Before the audience in front of the screen even arrives at the store, they have already felt the warmth of the small shop. For example, a bakery specializing in niche flavors such as alkali water and whole wheat puts its business focus online, establishes customer groups through social media, and then uses express delivery services to deliver goods to customers' doors. By using new tools to more accurately perceive needs, more efficiently reach customers, and more flexibly organize supply, small shops can also do big business.

Making a difference in differentiation is also very promising. Chain supermarkets and e-commerce platforms have wide coverage and transparent prices, and small shops are destined to be unable to compete in scale and price. However, the advantage of small shops lies in highlighting regional characteristics, deeply exploring cultural connotations, and taking a characteristic and differentiated business route. Operators of small shops in Kuanzhai Alley (宽窄巷子) in Chengdu (成都), Sichuan (四川) deeply cultivate Bashu culture and integrate covered teacups, Sichuan opera face-changing, and panda elements into consumption scenarios, attracting a large number of tourists to experience. In the Qiaozhongli Cultural Block (侨中里文化街区) in Haikou (海口), Hainan (海南), some small shops have created trendy and fashionable urban social spaces by organizing themed song gatherings and craft beer culture experiences. In fact, "small boats" are easier to turn around. Small shops rooted in local culture can have irreplaceable recognition and occupy a place in the segmented market.

The more fertile the soil of the business environment, the deeper the roots of small shops, and the more luxuriant the branches and leaves that grow. In reality, the difficulties faced by small shop operations vary, and "broad irrigation" is not as good as precise policies. Lushan District (兰山区) of Linyi (临沂), Shandong (山东) launched the "Youth Small Shop" entrepreneurship support project, which not only relies on the official account of the Communist Youth League District Committee to promote and attract traffic to characteristic small shops, but also holds various salons and market activities to facilitate exchanges and cooperation among small shop operators. From lowering the threshold for business operations to unblocking financing channels, from providing skills training to building digital platforms... Taking multiple measures to encourage small shop innovation and enrich the supply of high-quality goods and services, more small shops will surely operate more prosperously and develop more confidently.

From the perspective of urban governance, small shops are not only providers of goods and services, but also important carriers of urban vitality and atmosphere. Some cities reserve outdoor space for small shops in urban appearance management to gather popularity for catering small shops; some cities guide small shops to develop together in business district renovation to form the "magnetic field effect" of characteristic blocks; some cities guide small repair and patching industries such as shoe repair and key matching to return to the community in promoting the construction of "15-minute convenient living circles." Guarding every light and every stall in the streets and alleys brings not only a sense of gain for merchants, but also a sense of happiness for the people and the attractiveness of the city.

Hundreds of millions of small shops carry the livelihoods and dreams of hundreds of millions of families. Continuously optimizing the business environment, continuously improving governance measures, and allowing more small shops to grow vigorously will surely gather the inexhaustible and powerful force for economic development.

Return to Top

Why "Acting Skills Competition" is Trending (Perspective)

By: 谷疏博

Recently, "competing in acting skills" has become a popular term in literary and artistic discussions, reflecting changes in audience aesthetic preferences.

Compared to appearance, topics, and traffic, more and more viewers are refocusing their attention on the performance itself. At the same time, whether it is the industry's continued emphasis on creative ability, or the positive market feedback shown by some popular works, all indicate that audiences are more willing to pay for solid character shaping and authentic emotional expression.

This change is related to the accelerated transformation of film and television production methods in recent years. With the rise of short videos, micro-dramas, and the like, some works have been advancing along the path of "strong settings, fast pace, and high concepts." Narrative is increasingly pursuing efficiency, and performance is also increasingly inclined to create "excitement" and "explosions." Audiences may initially be attracted by this strong stimulus, but now they are no longer satisfied with it. Instead, they care more about whether the characters have three-dimensional images, whether the emotions have internal logic, and whether the dramatic conflict is truly built on the natural growth of the characters' fate.

As a result, those performances that allow characters to slowly "grow out" are increasingly recognized. For example, some actors use simple and steady methods to progressively advance the character's spiritual growth, so that emotional power gradually accumulates in the ups and downs of fate; some actors present the character's sense of responsibility and resilience through detailed handling and emotional measure. The reason why this kind of performance touches the audience is that the actor truly enters the role and understands the role. A pause in a line, a hesitation in a look, and a restraint in an action can all make the audience feel the weight of the character and the texture of life.

From a deeper level, "competing in acting skills" reflects the improvement of the public's aesthetic ability. Nowadays, audiences are increasingly able to "see the tricks of the trade." They will repeatedly review a scene, compare the relevant actors' handling of the role, and are more able to keenly identify which are just the exposure of skills, and which truly contain character thinking and life texture. Bringing the aesthetic focus back to the literary and artistic creation itself, and cherishing the actor's artistic polishing and dedication, this change releases an important signal to the current film and television creation - what can truly enter people's hearts is ultimately believable characters, sincere emotions, and weighty performances.

Of course, we must also be wary of simplifying the understanding of "competing in acting skills." If "competing in acting skills" is understood as crying more violently and shouting more intensely, it is likely to push the performance back to superficiality. The key to performance is to let the audience see a real, three-dimensional, and perceptible character image. The more we face increasingly demanding aesthetic requirements, the more the creative end needs to remain sober and avoid falling into the misunderstanding of "innovation for the sake of innovation" and gimmicks outweighing content.

Rather than saying that "competing in acting skills" is a competition between actors, it is better to say that it is a new requirement for film and television creation after the upgrading of audience aesthetics. What the audience welcomes is that the performance is becoming more and more "real," the characters are becoming more and more "alive," and the plot is becoming more and more able to leave a lasting aftertaste. The change in audience aesthetics is also promoting film and television creation from "watchable" to "durable," and from "having traffic" to "having quality." This may be one of the changes worth cherishing in the current literary and artistic ecology.

(Excerpted from *China Culture Daily* (中国文化报), originally titled *"'Competing in Acting Skills' is Heating Up, What Changes are Taking Place in Audience Aesthetics?"*)

Return to Top

Submissions Welcome

Dear readers, this page of "Everyone's Talk," "Warm News and Hot Reviews," "The Chinese Road and the Chinese Dream," "Incoming Arguments," and other columns are open for submissions for a long time. We welcome your contributions. Please do not submit the same article to multiple publications.

This page's email address: rmrblp@peopledaily.cn (Please indicate the column name in your submission)

Return to Top

Editor in charge of this edition: Li Bin, Li Hongxing, Cui Yan

Return to Top

Spreading Love and Strength Through the Joy of Reading (Observation: Reading Lights Up Life)

By: 本报记者 杨颜菲

Xi Jinping (习近平), General Secretary of the Communist Party of China, pointed out: "Reading can keep people's minds active, inspire wisdom, and nourish a sense of righteousness." The fragrance of books can lead to a distant future. Reading is not only an important stepping stone for personal growth and progress, but also cultivates a social cultural atmosphere and national spirit. Recently, our reporter approached several readers and book lovers. Some of them changed their lives through reading, and some used books to light up the dreams of children in rural areas. Let us learn about their stories of immersing their hearts in the fragrance of books and illuminating their lives with reading.
——Editor

Profile

Wu Siyu (吴思宇), 38 years old, born in Nanchang City (南昌市), Jiangxi Province (江西省), is a person with severe visual and physical disabilities. She suffered lifelong cerebral palsy due to premature birth, but she became connected with reading with a tenacious will. She joined the Nanchang City Disabled Persons Reading Association (南昌市残疾人读书会), reciting classics of Chinese culture and red family letters through WeChat every day, inspiring hundreds of people to fall in love with reading. She became a permanent guest of Jiangxi News Radio's "Cicada Wings Appointment" program (江西新闻广播《蝉翼有约》) and contributed her voice to the "Sound of Joyful Children" public welfare activity. She has successively won the 2023 Nanchang City "Three Styles" Model Figure, Nanchang City Disabled Persons Federation Advanced Worker, and "Provincial Self-Improvement Model" honors.

In April, the spring breeze carries the sweet fragrance of camphor trees, and the sun shines into the house. The bookcase in the living room is full of books, with literary classics, classics of Chinese culture, and other books categorized. Many books are yellowed but clean and tidy, showing that they have been repeatedly read and carefully cared for. There are many photos on the table. The girl in the photos is nestled next to her parents with a smile, confidently speaking at the event site, and taking group photos with friends, full of warmth.

The protagonist in the photos is Wu Siyu (吴思宇), and this is her home in the Donghu District (东湖区) of Nanchang (南昌), Jiangxi (江西).

Seeing the reporter coming, Wu Siyu (吴思宇) on the sofa smiled and said in a clear voice: "Hello, I am Wu Siyu (吴思宇), please sit down."

"As soon as I came in, I felt the whole room was full of sunshine," the reporter looked around and sighed softly.

Wu Siyu (吴思宇) raised her face and smiled brightly: "Because there is love, there is light." Her mother, Zhou Pinglan (周萍兰), stood beside her daughter, her eyes filled with love and pride.

"Reading is my painkiller"

In 1988, Wu Siyu (吴思宇), born in Nanchang (南昌), Jiangxi (江西), suffered lifelong cerebral palsy due to premature birth, with severe visual and physical disabilities. From the beginning, fate closed a door for her.

"My hands are often spasmodic and curled up, like chicken claws. I can't walk independently, and I can't see things clearly," Wu Siyu (吴思宇) said with a smile, without any resentment.

"What was the hardest thing when you were a child?" Looking at her slightly deformed hands, the reporter asked.

"It was rehabilitation. The doctor had to forcefully pull open my spasmodic legs and then tightly bind them with bandages for 40 minutes, which was particularly difficult," Wu Siyu (吴思宇) looked at her mother, "Every time I couldn't bear the pain, my mother would sit by the bed and read to me."

Zhou Pinglan's (周萍兰) eyes were slightly moist, and she gently held her hand: "Seeing her so uncomfortable, I couldn't do anything, so I had to find a way to divert her attention. I read magazines, essays, and as I read, she slowly calmed down."

"Books are like magic," Wu Siyu's (吴思宇) eyes lit up, with childlike sincerity, "As soon as the words entered my ears, the pain lessened. At that time, I felt that reading was my painkiller."

At the age of 7, Wu Siyu (吴思宇) entered school. Her deformed hands couldn't hold a pen, and even the simplest writing was as difficult as climbing to the sky.

"Every day, my mother pried open my fingers one by one, helped me hold the pen, and then held my hand tightly, guiding me to write stroke by stroke," Wu Siyu (吴思宇) raised her right hand and gestured gently, "I learned the number '2' for a whole half year."

"No matter how difficult it is, we can't let the child not have books to read and not have culture," Zhou Pinglan (周萍兰) said firmly, "Books can give her strength and make her confident."

With blurred vision, Wu Siyu (吴思宇) put her face close to the book to read. If she couldn't keep up with her studies, she would "gnaw" at it again and again. Her father braved the wind and rain to pick her up and drop her off on his motorcycle, and her mother accompanied her day and night to tutor her. Her family paved the way for her education with love and perseverance.

In elementary school, her math teacher saw that she was troubled by her studies and quietly handed her a copy of *How the Steel Was Tempered*, gently patting her shoulder to encourage her.

"The teacher didn't say a word, but that book changed me," Wu Siyu (吴思宇) said, "Even though Pavel Korchagin was blind and paralyzed, he never bowed his head to fate. What are my difficulties?"

"Is this book still there?" the reporter asked.

"Yes, it's always there," she nodded vigorously, "It is the first spark in my life, reminding me that I must have a strong heart."

With the support of her family, the care of her teachers, and the nourishment of books, Wu Siyu (吴思宇) overcame difficulties that ordinary people could hardly imagine and completed her studies. In 2007, she was admitted to the Chinese language and literature major of Jiangxi Engineering Vocational College (江西工程职业学院), and in 2011, she was admitted to the education management major of the Central Radio and Television University (中央电大). She has no complaints, no depression, only an optimistic and positive attitude towards life.

"Let more people get close to reading and feel the beauty"

After graduating from university, Wu Siyu (吴思宇) confidently looked for a job, but she ran into walls everywhere. Unable to calm down, she returned to *How the Steel Was Tempered* to find answers, "This time, I understood the protagonist's inner stubbornness and persistence."

Later, she cheered up again and opened a small sports lottery shop near her home. "Opening this shop allows me to have something to do." With this idea, Wu Siyu (吴思宇) ran this small shop with full enthusiasm. Gradually, nearby sanitation workers would come to the shop to sit down and chat during their breaks, and the shop became a loving rest stop for sanitation workers. When neighbors were in a hurry to go out, they would bring their children over, and the shop became a temporary nursery. When no one was home to receive express deliveries, the shop was a place for neighbors to store their packages...

Giving roses to others leaves a lingering fragrance on one's own hands. "While passing on luck, happiness, and peace of mind, the sunshine of love also warms me," Wu Siyu (吴思宇) said that she has received a lot of help, so she must also be a practitioner of public welfare. She joined the Nanchang City Disabled Persons Reading Association (南昌市残疾人读书会), the Donghu District Disabled Persons Art Troupe (东湖区残疾人艺术团), and other organizations, reciting articles and sharing her feelings for disabled friends who have difficulty moving around.

Learning that the Fandeng Reading Club (樊登读书会) supports disabled friends in reading, Wu Siyu's (吴思宇) eyes lit up, "With such a good opportunity, I must let more people get close to reading and feel the beauty!"

Invited to share as a "Reading Star" of the reading club, Wu Siyu (吴思宇) said the most simple and powerful words: "Reading can let us out of closure, out of inferiority, and see a broader world. As long as you start reading, there is hope in life."

Wu Siyu (吴思宇) insists on pushing classics of Chinese culture, red family letters, and inspirational articles in the WeChat group every day, opening a window of knowledge for disabled people who cannot read freely. She participates in the "Sound of Joyful Children" public welfare activity, contributing her voice to children in mountainous areas and blind children. She goes into schools, communities, and libraries to share her story, encouraging more people to face difficulties and love reading.

Under the leadership of Wu Siyu (吴思宇), a strong reading atmosphere has been set off in the community, and more and more disabled friends have come out of their homes and fallen in love with reading. More and more community residents have been moved and actively participate in helping the disabled and accompanying reading.

"Immersed in the fragrance of books, the heart has a place to rest," Wu Siyu (吴思宇) looked out the window, the spring sun fell on her face, warm, bright, and shining, "I want to share the warmth of reading with more people in need."

"Continue this warmth through recitation"

Wu Siyu (吴思宇), who loves recitation, once accidentally learned that the city was going to hold a recitation competition. "At that time, I was just a recitation novice, and I didn't even understand 'pause' and 'stress'," she blinked with a smile, with a bit of playfulness, "I just thought, try it, it can't be wrong."

For 4 months, from the audition to the rematch, from the semi-final to the final, Wu Siyu (吴思宇) passed all the way. "When I was awarded the prize, I was completely stunned," she covered her chest, her tone full of incredible excitement, "I won the second place, and I was the only disabled individual player in the final!"

Wu Siyu (吴思宇) still remembers the words of the judges: "Although you don't have professional skills, your expression has sincerity and strength." These words made her burst into tears on the spot. "It was recitation that gave me strength, and it was reading that gave me confidence," Wu Siyu (吴思宇) said.

In order to satisfy her hobby, her family built a simple "recording studio" for Wu Siyu (吴思宇) in the living room - using a wardrobe and storage cabinets spliced together, with curtains as doors, and bedding laid around for sound insulation, with an area of only 1.6 square meters.

Day after day, Wu Siyu (吴思宇) practiced pronunciation and adjusted her breathing in this small space, reading until her voice was hoarse.

Later, staff from the Disabled Persons Federation came to visit. "They encouraged me and said, 'You can use this shed first, and we will get you a professional one!'" Wu Siyu (吴思宇) imitated the tone of the staff at the time, her eyes sparkling.

A few days later, professional microphones, sound cards, sound insulation and other equipment were delivered to her home one after another. "This recording studio is the warmth brought to me by the 'family' of the Disabled Persons Federation," she said seriously, her tone full of emotion, "It's not big, but it's my most precious gift."

Since then, her voice has flown out of Nanchang (南昌) and to the whole country: she has become a model reading anchor for the Shaanxi Splendid Poetry Group (陕西锦绣诗词群), recording *The Song of Everlasting Regret* in segments to help disabled friends memorize it. Jiangxi News Radio's "Cicada Wings Appointment" (江西新闻广播《蝉翼有约》) and many audio reading video accounts echo her warm voice.

"I am very lucky. I am a flower watered with love," Wu Siyu (吴思宇) said sincerely and solemnly, word by word, "I have nothing else to repay society, I can only continue this warmth through recitation, so that every word becomes a light to illuminate others."

When leaving, the mother and daughter waved at the door, smiling brightly. The sun shines on the small house, illuminating the walls full of books and certificates, and illuminating the family's positive, enthusiastic, public-spirited, and rewarding attitude towards society.

Reporter's Notes

Embrace every ray of light in life

A mother used 38 years to build a bridge to a vast world for her daughter, who was almost blind and unable to walk, using books... This is a story about love and reading.

Books opened a window for Wu Siyu (吴思宇), allowing her soul to soar. She learned to think and empathize. Watching Wu Siyu (吴思宇) confidently talk about the history and literature books she has read, her calmness and wisdom are moving. She said, "I am very lucky." This luck is that she has a mother who guides her to read, and she has the resilience to face difficulties with a smile through reading, making her a person with a rich inner world and full of sunshine.

Wu Siyu (吴思宇) has gained warmth and love in reading, and has also learned to share and pass on love. She actively participates in reading public welfare activities, leading more and more disabled friends to fall in love with reading, and using her voice to bring them hope to embrace life. Books illuminate her life, and she uses the courage and strength she draws from reading to illuminate the world of more people.

Wu Siyu's (吴思宇) story tells us that even if the world closes a door to you, you must strive to open a window for yourself and embrace every ray of light in life.

Return to Top

This year's spring plowing "opens" like this.

By: 本报记者 郁静娴 李 纵 申智林

A spring rain nourishes all things, and the "progress bar" of spring plowing across the country continues to advance. The latest agricultural situation dispatch shows that winter wheat is in the booting and heading stage, winter oilseed rape is entering the pod-forming stage, early rice planting has exceeded 80%, and spring corn, spring potatoes, and spring wheat are being sown in an orderly manner.

General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) emphasized: "The stable supply of grain and important agricultural products for more than 1.4 billion people is always a top priority" and "We must unremittingly grasp grain production."

China's grain output has stood firm at the 1.4 trillion jin level for two consecutive years. In the first year of the "15th Five-Year Plan," grain production is starting again from a high base point. Playing the "first move" of spring plowing and spring management is of great significance for safeguarding the bottom line of food security.

Observing this year's "opening mode" of spring plowing and spring management from three perspectives—"new," "resilient," and "practical"—confidence and assurance are written on the fields.

New Ideas Emerge
Agricultural New Quality Productivity Injects New Momentum into Grain Production

In mid-April, wheat in the southwest region began to fill. After a rain, water mist filled a wheat experimental field in Pidu District (郫都区), Chengdu (成都市), Sichuan (四川). Yang Wuyun (杨武云), director of the Academic Committee of the Sichuan Academy of Agricultural Sciences (四川省农科院), was busy selecting seeds. Not far from the experimental field, newly sown wheat seeds in the greenhouse had already emerged. "When it reaches the flowering stage, it can be hybridized with local wheat."

Sharing high-quality germplasm resources helps to revitalize the "chip" of agriculture. During the Two Sessions this year, three wheat breeding experts from Henan (河南), Hebei (河北), and Sichuan (四川) exchanged the wheat seeds they had cultivated. Yang Wuyun (杨武云) obtained two valuable germplasm materials, namely "Bainong K4016" from Henan and "Malan U9" from Hebei.

"Introducing fresh 'blood' from different regions into germplasm resources is a real need," said Yang Wuyun (杨武云). From the perspective of climate change, in recent years, the filling period of wheat in Sichuan has been affected by rising temperatures, and the cycle has become shorter, while wheat in the north fills quickly and is more resistant to hot and dry winds. From the perspective of production performance, Sichuan wheat is mostly sparse-eared and large-grained. Introducing northern germplasm resources is conducive to improving plant type and tillering ability, adapting to mechanized production. For other regions, the stripe rust resistance of Sichuan wheat is more advantageous.

Agriculture takes seeds as the priority. Each grain of fine seed contains the code for food security. In Shaanxi (陕西), high-quality hybrid varieties of spring corn that are medium-late maturing, dense-tolerant, stress-resistant, and stable-yielding are preferred this year. In Hubei (湖北), the red lotus-type hybrid rice variety "Luohong You 1564" cultivated by Professor Zhu Renshan's (朱仁山) team at Wuhan University (武汉大学) is popular in the market. China is implementing the seed industry revitalization action in depth, and from laboratories to fields, the trend of "Chinese grain mainly using Chinese seeds" is becoming more and more solid.

The "15th Five-Year Plan" clearly states "strengthening the supply guarantee of grain and other important agricultural products" and proposes the goal of "reaching a comprehensive grain production capacity of about 1.45 trillion jin." As of now, the National Action Plan for Increasing Yield per Unit Area of Grain and Oil Crops has been formulated and released, focusing on five major crops: corn, rice, wheat, soybeans, and oilseed rape. The number of counties promoting the plan as a whole has increased from 702 to 1,000, and 20 cities promoting the plan as a whole have been launched.

How to increase yield per unit area? Looking closely at the spring plowing site, the key variable of technological innovation is being transformed into a strong increase in grain fields.

New agricultural tools are full of power.

This year, drones, robots, and other technologies were written into the No. 1 Central Document for the first time. Heilongjiang (黑龙江), Jiangsu (江苏), and other places have deployed "artificial intelligence + agriculture," and agricultural new quality productivity is injecting new momentum into grain production.

In the Jifei Super Farm next to Liantang Ancient Village (莲塘古村) in Huangpu District (黄埔区), Guangzhou (广州市), Guangdong (广东), an upgraded drone equipped with an "artificial intelligence brain" flew at a uniform speed over the farmland along a preset route. "The amount of sowing, operating routes, and other parameters are set in advance in the software, and after takeoff, it can realize autonomous path planning and automatic obstacle avoidance," said Ye Yonghui (叶永辉), the farm's operations manager. Relying on artificial intelligence recognition technology and the Beidou navigation system, the drone can perceive complex terrain in real time and operate in accordance with the undulations of the terrain, with an efficiency 50 times that of traditional manual labor.

New services expand capacity and improve quality.

"More than 300 mu of wheat seedlings were sown late last year, and the nutrition must keep up." In mid-March, seeing that it was time to topdress the wheat, Wang Jiankang (王建康), a grain grower in Zhongwangzhuang Village (中王庄村), Liuguang Town (留光镇), Fengqiu County (封丘县), Henan (河南), opened the "Tian Guan Jia" (田管家) mini-program on his mobile phone and submitted a request in the "Agricultural Busy Season Help" module. In less than an hour, two members of the county's Tian Guan Jia service team arrived upon hearing the news, quickly allocated fertilizer, and started efficient fertilizer application machines to carry out operations.

"In addition to a one-click 'call' for professional service teams and advanced agricultural machinery, farmers can also report problems with farmland facilities such as machine wells and ditches on the platform, and track the progress of repairs in real time to ensure the normal development of spring plowing and spring management," said Yan Lina (闫利娜), director of the Fengqiu County Agricultural Comprehensive Development Service Center (封丘县农业综合开发服务中心). In Fengqiu County, the "Tian Guan Jia" digital management and protection platform efficiently connects agricultural needs, and has accumulated more than 130 service orders during the spring management period, serving more than 20,000 mu of farmland.

Full of Resilience
More Confident in Facing Various Risks and Challenges

Food security must rely on self-reliance. Looking at the front line of agricultural production this spring, the vein of strong supply guarantee is becoming clearer.

Looking at the supply chain, it is more calm in responding to market fluctuations.

In Caowei Town (草尾镇), Yuanjiang City (沅江市), Hunan (湖南), Zhou Bo (周波), a large grain grower in Shangmatou Village (上码头村), planted thousands of mu of early rice. "The operating cost of rotary tillage machines has increased by nearly 8 yuan per mu, and all 14 agricultural machines are dispatched, consuming 1,300 yuan of diesel per day." In order to reduce the cost pressure of spring plowing oil, Yuanjiang City actively coordinated with local oil supply enterprises to provide agricultural machinery operators with a "green channel for spring plowing oil," ensuring sufficient diesel supply and transparent prices, and guiding service entities to optimize routes and precise operations.

At the Tianfeng Agricultural Materials Distribution Center in the town, a large trailer truck delivered 40 tons of fertilizer. "This was planned and reserved before the New Year, and now it's all in place. We have signed sales guarantee contracts with agricultural fertilizer manufacturers from other places to protect the interests of farmers," said Tian Hong (田宏), the head of the distribution center. The center can radiate to 4 surrounding towns, serving a spring plowing area of 200,000 mu.

The spillover and diffusion of geopolitical conflicts have put pressure on the global agricultural materials market. China's stable price and supply of agricultural materials are supported by the coordination of various forces. In terms of diesel, the state has taken regulatory measures on refined oil prices, guiding relevant crude oil processing enterprises to organize the production and transportation of refined oil to ensure stable market supply. In terms of fertilizers, multiple departments have introduced a combination of policies based on the entire process of production and circulation. The national fertilizer commercial reserve system's "slack season storage and peak season release" mechanism has been launched to fully guarantee the supply of fertilizers to the front line of the fields. As of now, the on-site placement rates of fertilizers at the provincial, municipal, and county levels are 94.7%, 89.2%, and 88.5%, respectively, which are 1.4, 0.2, and 1.1 percentage points faster than the same period last year.

Looking at the production chain, the disaster prevention and mitigation system is constantly improving.

In Tashan Town (塔山镇), Ganyu District (赣榆区), Lianyungang City (连云港市), Jiangsu (江苏), agricultural machinery manufacturers and production entities are closely linked to ensure that agricultural time is not missed. "Since the beginning of the year, the workshop has been working overtime to assemble and debug new rotary tillers and seeders," said Sun Chuandong (孙传东), head of Dalishi Machinery Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (大力士机械制造有限公司). The company has long been equipped with complete accessories, and technicians are on standby 24 hours a day to respond to agricultural machinery failures in real time and replenish agricultural machinery gaps as soon as possible.

Grasping disaster prevention and mitigation is grasping increased production and income. China places the construction of an agricultural disaster prevention and mitigation system in a more prominent position, and this year's No. 1 Central Document specifically made arrangements for strengthening the construction of an agricultural disaster prevention and mitigation system. Recently, Liaoning (辽宁) issued a disaster prevention and mitigation plan; Henan (河南), relying on the agricultural meteorological observation network and integrating satellite and drone data, makes wheat growth "visible, distinguishable, and predictable"; Heilongjiang (黑龙江), Jiangxi (江西), and other places are accelerating the construction of regional agricultural machinery socialization service centers. From hardware to software, the ability to cope with extreme weather is constantly improving.

Looking at the market chain, the space for increasing grain planting efficiency continues to expand.

In the Simiao Rice Industrial Demonstration Base in Quanan Town (全安镇), Nanxiong City (南雄市), Guangdong (广东), Zhong Mingming (钟明明), a large grain grower, said with certainty, "This year's orders have already been signed. I know what to plant, how to plant, and who to sell to."

The "Nanxiong Simiao Rice" planted by Zhong Mingming (钟明明) is the fourth batch of Guangdong Simiao Rice certified products. Nanxiong City relies on the "leading enterprise + village collective + supply and marketing cooperative" jointly held and operated "community-village" cooperation framework, and innovatively promotes the "order agriculture + multi-link socialization service" model, and implements stable price acquisition for rice that meets the standards. At present, the rice orders of many growers have been implemented, and the revenue of the community-village company is expected to be 150 million yuan.

This year's "Government Work Report" proposed "promoting the prices of grain and other important agricultural products to remain at a reasonable level." Various places are accelerating the cultivation of grain and oil brands and innovating business methods. Complete chains from the field to the workshop make grain planting more profitable.

Implementation in Detail
The Field Progress Table is Advancing Steadily and Orderly

To hold the rice bowl firmly, all regions must shoulder their responsibilities. During the spring plowing season, the intended area is implemented to the field, the guidance service is implemented to the household, and the solid policy combination punches are constantly exploring and releasing the potential for stable production and increased production.

The sown area is the "iron plate" of production. At the beginning of this year, Hunan Province (湖南省) clearly proposed to consolidate the construction goal of the "Dongting Granary" and strive to stabilize the province's grain sown area at about 71.5 million mu and grain output at about 61.5 billion jin. Dongkou County (洞口县) anchored the goal of stabilizing the annual grain sown area at more than 1.103 million mu and the output at more than 503,000 tons, and compacted responsibilities at all levels.

"We have broken down the bottom-line tasks of grain production item by item, refined them to administrative villages, and implemented them to specific fields; at the same time, we have vigorously promoted the 'Party organization + cooperative + farmer' model, effectively mobilizing and stimulating farmers' enthusiasm for growing grain," said Xiang Wang (向旺), Secretary of the Party Group and Director of the Dongkou County Agriculture and Rural Bureau (洞口县农业农村局). As of now, the county's early rice production task has been completed by 70%, and it is expected that the 289,000 mu early rice production task will be fully completed by the end of this month.

The national planting intention survey shows that the intended grain sown area this year is generally stable, of which the rice area is basically the same, and the corn area is stable and increasing. The planting structure and regional layout continue to be optimized.

Training services are in place in a timely manner. In Qi County (淇县), Henan (河南), the jointing stage of wheat this year was delayed by about 5 days compared with previous years. Due to the high temperature after the year, many late-sown seedlings had secondary tillering, resulting in problems such as large field density and easy lodging of plants. "During this period, agricultural technicians guided us to carry out refined management and protection, and sprayed foliar fertilizers and growth regulators according to local conditions and seedling conditions," said Li Wenzhou (李文周), head of the Dazhou Agricultural Cooperative (大周农业合作社). "Looking at the current growth, this year's output will not be bad."

At present, it is the "spring window" when seedling conditions are transformed the fastest and fertilizer and water demand is the most urgent. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (农业农村部) launched the 140-day campaign to strengthen spring management, promote strong seedlings, resist disasters, and win a bumper summer grain harvest, and sent 5 working groups and science and technology teams to 10 key provinces such as Henan (河南) and Shandong (山东) to promote the implementation of key technical measures. Online and offline spring management and spring plowing master classes and mid- and late-stage field management technology training courses were launched, and 14 sets of technical charts were released to promote classified management and precise policies according to local conditions and seedling conditions. From the perspective of various places, the growth and development process of wheat seedlings in the main producing areas have basically caught up with the normal years.

Stable policies and practical measures firmly support farmers' expectations for growing grain. Since the beginning of the year, the central government has made overall arrangements for 1.25 billion yuan, focusing on providing appropriate subsidies for disaster prevention and stable production measures such as increasing the application of seedling-promoting fertilizers to support the transformation of weak winter wheat into strong wheat in 11 main producing provinces. The National Development and Reform Commission (国家发展改革委) and other departments issued a notice that the minimum purchase price of rice will continue to remain stable in 2026. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (农业农村部) released a list of central financial policies to strengthen agriculture, benefit farmers, and enrich farmers, and sent farmers a "big gift package" of 16 policies such as subsidies for arable land fertility protection.

In the warm spring sunshine, all regions and departments work together, hundreds of millions of farmers work hard, and go all out to win the first battle of grain production for the whole year, laying a more solid and stable foundation for a good start and a good start for the "15th Five-Year Plan."

Return to Top

National Disabled Persons' Culture Week 2026 Kicks Off

This newspaper reported from Beijing on April 23rd (Reporter Yi Shuran (易舒冉)) It was learned from the China Disabled Persons' Federation (中国残联): Recently, the China Disabled Persons' Federation (中国残联), the Ministry of Culture and Tourism (文化和旅游部), and the National Press and Publication Administration (国家新闻出版署) jointly deployed the 2026 National Disabled Persons' Culture Week activities, with the theme of "Scholarly Society, Reading with Me," and the event time is from April to November.

According to reports, the National Disabled Persons' Culture Week focuses on the grassroots level. Disabled persons' federations, culture and tourism departments, and press and publication departments at all levels will make full use of their own organizational advantages and give play to the role of grassroots cultural positions to promote cultural activities into villages, communities, and families, so that the Disabled Persons' Culture Week can truly penetrate into the grassroots and be popularized among the masses. At the same time, localities with the conditions are encouraged to organize volunteers to provide various forms of services such as delivering books to the door and accompanying reading for severely disabled people, so as to provide accurate services and better experiences for disabled people's reading.

Return to Top

Photo Story

Return to Top

National Library of China Announces the 21st Wenjin Book Awards

This newspaper reported from Beijing on April 23rd (Reporter Zhang He (张贺)) On April 23rd, the "Library Power of National Reading - The 21st Wenjin Book Release and National Library 4·23 World Book Day Special Event" was held at the National Library of China (国家图书馆).

The results of the 21st Wenjin Book Awards were announced at the event, and annual masterpieces in the categories of social sciences, popular science, and children's books were recommended. 20 Wenjin Books, including "A Brief History of Intelligence: Evolution, AI, and Breakthroughs in the Human Brain" and "Archaeology for Children," and 49 Wenjin nominated books 脱颖而出 (tuō yǐng ér chū - "stand out," to rise above the others; to distinguish oneself) from more than 2,700 participating books.

Return to Top

Xiongan New Area Holds Reading Week Series of Activities

This newspaper's Xiong'an (雄安) April 23rd dispatch (Reporter Shao Yuzi (邵玉姿)): On April 23rd, the first National Reading Activity Week series of activities in Xiong'an New Area (雄安新区) was launched at the Xiong'an Library (雄安图书馆). With the theme of "Xiong'an (雄安) is reading, the future is writing," the event was sponsored by the Xiong'an New Area (雄安新区) Propaganda and Internet Information Bureau (宣传网信局) and organized by the Xiong'an Library (雄安图书馆) and Xiong'an Culture and Sports Industry Development Co., Ltd. (雄安文体产业发展有限公司).

This activity week features a mobile book bus and sets up immersive reading areas and outdoor camping areas. The bus will also go into enterprises, schools, communities, etc., to carry out a variety of reading activities. The Xiong'an Library (雄安图书馆) will launch "Library Wonderful Night" and hold story sharing activities to bring citizens an immersive experience of "reading + popular science." It is understood that since the opening of the Xiong'an Library (雄安图书馆) nearly 7 months ago, it has received more than 730,000 readers. Xiong'an New Area (雄安新区) will take the Activity Week as an opportunity to build a cross-field, full-coverage, and normalized national reading system, and use the fragrance of books to continuously inject momentum into the high-quality development of Xiong'an New Area (雄安新区).

Return to Top

Editor in charge of this edition: Zhang Yanchun, Song Yu, Zhang Ziqi

Layout design of this edition: Shen Yiling (沈亦伶)

Return to Top

Commercial Spaceflight Accelerates "Flying to Space" (Big Data Observation · Special Report for Space Day)

April 24th marks the eleventh "China Space Day," and this year's theme is "Seven Decades of Space Exploration, Working Together to Explore the Nine Heavens."

Throughout history, the Chinese people's exploration of the vast universe has never ceased. Commercial aerospace is an important force in cultivating new quality productive forces and building a strong aerospace nation. In 2015, the "National Medium and Long-Term Development Plan for Civil Space Infrastructure (2015-2025)" was issued, encouraging social capital to enter the aerospace field. In 2025, China's commercial aerospace completed 50 launches, accounting for 54% of China's total annual space launches. In 2026, the National Space Administration (国家航天局) introduced at the "China Space Day" press conference that multiple reusable rockets will carry out flight verification, and commercial aerospace will develop with high-level safety guarantees and high-quality development... Over the past 10 years, China's commercial aerospace has accelerated its growth, with new technologies, new breakthroughs, and new applications constantly emerging, moving from the vast starry sky into thousands of households. What are the current cutting-edge developments in China's commercial aerospace? Which past space fantasies are becoming a reality? In this special report, we will pay close attention together.

-- Editor

Building the Future "Space Gas Station"

By Liu Shiyao (刘诗瑶), reporter of this newspaper

In the vast universe, artificial satellites all face a problem: when their own propellant (fuel) is exhausted, are they destined to fall?

An on-orbit maintenance satellite quickly approaches a satellite that needs propellant refueling, autonomously finds the refueling port through a flexible robotic arm, refills the "oil," and then heads to the next satellite – this is a scene that will happen in space in the future.

Not long ago, the Yuxing-3 06 satellite, developed by Suzhou Sanyuan Aerospace Technology Co., Ltd. (苏州三垣航天科技有限公司), a subsidiary of Beijing Aerospace Yuxing Technology (北京航天驭星科技), was launched from the Jiuquan Launch Center (酒泉发射场) and entered orbit. This satellite has a special nickname – "Space Gas Station." As China's first commercial experimental satellite equipped with a flexible robotic arm, it completed a series of difficult on-orbit operation tasks such as flexible robotic arm simulated fuel refueling at an altitude of several hundred kilometers above the ground, verifying a large number of key technologies, marking a solid step forward for China's commercial aerospace in the field of space on-orbit services.

Cao Meng (曹梦), Vice President of Aerospace Yuxing, introduced that the satellite acting as the "refueling little guard" is aimed at the application scenario in the vast universe, quickly locating the precise position of the target satellite, and then achieving the "threading the needle" like rendezvous and docking of the two satellites through rigorous and careful orbital change operations, and then carrying out the "refueling" steps.

The most critical component of this technology verification satellite is the flexible robotic arm. "We innovatively designed the concept to ensure that the flexible robotic arm is more lightweight, highly flexible, and highly reliable," said Chen Jing (陈京), CTO (Chief Technology Officer) of Sanyuan Aerospace.

In the simulated refueling stage, this technology verification satellite is implemented through three control modes to adapt to different application scenarios. Chen Jing introduced that the first is that the robotic arm autonomously plans the movement path after receiving the task preset instructions; the second requires ground operators to generate control instructions in real-time based on the camera screen and remotely control the robotic arm to complete the docking action; the third is under the guidance of the visual servo system, the ground plans the movement path and generates control instructions based on the visual target information taken by the end of the flexible robotic arm, and guides the robotic arm to complete the docking action.

Experts believe that as the number of space assets increases in the future, a large number of spacecraft, including satellites, will have the need for propellant refueling and on-orbit maintenance. "We hope to build a future 'Space 4S store' to provide a one-stop maintenance and repair solution for space assets," said Cao Meng.

Computing Power "Goes to Heaven" to Achieve "Space Computing"

By Dou Hanyang (窦瀚洋), reporter of this newspaper

In low-Earth orbit, about 500 kilometers from the ground, 12 computing satellites are operating stably. These satellite clusters, equipped with high-performance spaceborne intelligent computing units, build a space computing network through satellite interconnection.

Why should computing power "go to heaven"?

Wang Jian (王坚), Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and Director of the Zhijiang Laboratory (之江实验室), said that building a space computing constellation is to solve the problem of the lack of space computing power and how artificial intelligence can get to space, so that the data in space now can play a role that could not be played before. "We are not moving the ground data center to space, but sending computing power and intelligence to space, so that things in the sky can be done in the sky," said Wang Jian.

There are currently about 800 remote sensing satellites in orbit in space, and the number is still growing rapidly. However, satellites are far away from the ground, and the computing scale of the computers they carry is too small, and the data transmission and processing capabilities are far from enough. Nearly 90% of the data is discarded and wasted before being transmitted back to the ground.

In order to prevent artificial intelligence from being absent from space due to the lack of computing power, Zhijiang Laboratory is working with global partners to build the "Three-Body Computing Constellation." This space computing infrastructure realizes the "going to heaven" of artificial intelligence models through computing power "going to heaven" and satellite interconnection.

At the "Three-Body Computing Constellation" command center of Zhijiang Laboratory in Hangzhou (杭州), Zhejiang (浙江), telemetry data is transmitted back in real-time, and the operating trajectories of 12 computing satellites are clearly visible on the large screen. Wang Jian added that the "Three-Body Computing Constellation" sends artificial intelligence models to space to process space data and ensure the timeliness of the data. "With timeliness, we can imagine a lot of application scenarios, including emergency rescue and disaster relief, urban governance, etc."

As of now, the Zhijiang Laboratory's research team has successfully completed the on-orbit deployment and verification of 10 artificial intelligence models and applications, including an 8 billion-parameter space-based remote sensing model, an 8 billion-parameter space-based astronomical time-domain model, and a 150 million-parameter "Fuxi" meteorological model. Li Chao (李超), Chief Technology Officer of the Laboratory's Computing Constellation General Department, introduced that "Our models can be uploaded and iterated in real-time from the ground, and future intelligent processing will also be completed on-site in orbit."

Low-Orbit Satellite Networking Makes the Network "Always Online"

By Li Junqiang (李君强), reporter of this newspaper

Taking a video in the depths of the desert and uploading it to Moments immediately; being able to video chat with family members at any time on ocean-going freighters; having full mobile phone signal on airplanes tens of thousands of meters high... These scenarios are gradually becoming a reality.

"For a long time, communication networks have been limited by the coverage of ground base stations. Once entering areas such as deserts and oceans, they often become 'information islands'," said Tian Feng (田丰), Deputy Director of the Technology Research and Development Center of the Innovation Academy for Microsatellites of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (中国科学院微小卫星创新研究院). "Nets" woven in space are solving this problem.

Not long ago, China successfully launched the 21st group of low-orbit satellites for satellite internet, and the networking of low-orbit satellites has obviously accelerated. "Compared with high-orbit satellites, low-orbit satellites have faster communication rates and lower fees, which is the main direction of China's satellite communication development at present," said Tian Feng.

"A constellation composed of low-orbit satellites can achieve the effect of 'moving' the ground network to space, which is equivalent to building a space information highway," said Lin Guangrong (林广荣), Constellation Communication System Architect of GalaxySpace (银河航天). China's first satellite internet experimental constellation "Little Spider Web" has completed low-orbit application demonstrations in multiple scenarios such as air, ground, and ocean. For example, through remote control via satellite internet, drones have successfully completed firefighting work; humanoid robots transmit visual data synchronously through low-orbit satellites to achieve "remote perception."

Lin Guangrong said that the innovation of satellite mass manufacturing and launch technology has accelerated the large-scale networking of low-orbit satellite internet constellations.

Li Xiayu (李侠宇), Chief Engineer of the Technology and Standards Research Institute of the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (中国信息通信研究院), said that satellite communication is accelerating its extension from professional fields such as emergency communication and ocean-going ships to mass consumer fields such as mobile phones, automobiles, and drones, spawning a series of large-scale application scenarios. "New applications such as mobile phone direct connection to satellites and in-vehicle satellite internet can not only meet the needs of the people in various scenarios, but also drive the upgrading of the terminal, chip, and operation industries, opening up new consumer markets," said Li Xiayu.

"The essence of communication is to make information no longer have boundaries," said Tian Feng. In the future, satellite communication will become a new infrastructure integrating space and earth, adding convenience and providing support for all walks of life.

From Technology Verification to Large-Scale Commercial Deployment, China's Commercial Aerospace -

Heading to the Vast Starry Sky and Entering Thousands of Households

By Liu Shiyao (刘诗瑶), reporter of this newspaper

The successful launch of the Lijian-2 Y1 carrier rocket (力箭二号遥一运载火箭); the successful suborbital flight test of the Lihong-1 Y1 aircraft (力鸿一号遥一飞行器); the accelerated construction of the satellite internet, with multiple groups of low-orbit satellites being launched one after another... Since the beginning of the year, China's commercial aerospace has reported frequent good news.

The increasingly fast launch rhythm highlights the obvious changes in the commercial aerospace industry under the guidance of national policies - driven by both policy and market, China's commercial aerospace is accelerating from technology verification to large-scale commercial deployment, building a long-term future for the space economy.

Anchoring independent innovation and accelerating the tackling of key technologies for reusable rockets -

The "Yuanli-110" liquid oxygen kerosene engine (原力—110液氧煤油发动机), as the power heart of the "Gravity-2" carrier rocket ("引力二号"运载火箭), is verifying the reliability of reuse through intensive hot test runs. It is expected that the "Gravity-2" carrier rocket will make its first flight in the second half of the year and carry out recoverable technology verification simultaneously; the "Lanyan" 220-ton liquid oxygen methane full-flow staged combustion cycle engine (蓝焱220吨级液氧甲烷全流量补燃循环发动机) has completed the full-system long-range test run of the entire machine, accelerating the construction of a high-efficiency, reusable heavy-duty launch power system; GalaxySpace (银河航天) has completed the launch and orbit of the world's first large-scale fully flexible solar wing satellite...

From rockets to satellites, from upstream to downstream, various entities in the commercial aerospace track are accelerating the pace of independent innovation, helping China's aerospace to develop at low cost and on a large scale. Among them, the continuous and large-scale demand for rocket launches and the current high cost of disposable rocket launch capacity make the key technology of rocket recovery the focus of the industry. Some experts estimate that once the reusable technology is broken through, the total launch cost of rockets can be reduced by 40%-60%.

Improving production efficiency and turning aerospace equipment into industrial products -

Strong manufacturing capabilities are the cornerstone of supporting high-density launches in commercial aerospace. Mass-producing rockets and satellites like mass-producing cars and mobile phones is becoming a consensus in the commercial aerospace industry.

The core stage and two boosters of the Lijian-2 rocket look almost the same - Lian Jie (廉洁), Deputy Chief Designer of Lijian-2, introduced that this design is called the "common booster core" configuration, and the main components can be mass-produced, building rockets like "building blocks," simplifying the manufacturing process. Also, because the key components are "uniformly sized," if a problem is found with a certain component during launch, it can be quickly replaced and "pieced" back onto the rocket, which is conducive to creating high-frequency launch capabilities. The Lijian-2 large liquid launch vehicle super factory is about to be fully completed and put into use, providing support for the large-scale production and flight-based launch of rockets.

From "hand-rubbing" to assembly line production, from scarce goods to industrial products, commercial aerospace is subverting people's definition of aerospace manufacturing.

The GalaxySpace Intelligent Satellite Factory has built a complete manufacturing chain for 100 to 2000 kg satellites, with an annual production capacity of medium-sized satellites stable at 100 to 150, and the satellite development cycle is shortened by 80% compared with the traditional model.

The launch base is also accelerating its quality and efficiency. At the Hainan Commercial Aerospace Launch Site (海南商业航天发射场), in order to ensure the Long March 8 rocket (长征八号火箭), the No. 1 position can achieve a rapid response capability of "7 days launch, 7 days recovery."

Gathering innovative elements and resources to form a commercial aerospace industry cluster -

Many places across the country are accelerating the layout of commercial aerospace and building a more complete commercial aerospace industrial ecosystem.

In Beijing (北京), a satellite town planned with satellite R&D area, satellite operation area, and satellite application area is under construction, and will be equipped with satellite exhibition centers, satellite exchange centers, and satellite incubation centers. Not far from here, "Rocket Street" gathers a number of commercial rocket companies to build a close-knit industrial ecosystem of "upstairs is downstream."

In Haiyang (海阳), Yantai (烟台), Shandong (山东), the Oriental Aerospace Port (东方航天港) is building a complete commercial aerospace chain. An "Aerospace Avenue" closely connects the rocket assembly and testing plant, the satellite industrial park, the data application center, and the launch terminal. After the rocket is born in the assembly plant, it only takes a ten-minute drive to be directly transported to the exclusive terminal and smoothly moved onto the launch ship.

In recent years, the state has intensively introduced a series of favorable policies to support the development of commercial aerospace. With the deep integration of satellite data with digital economy, smart cities and other fields, commercial application scenarios continue to expand, the market environment is more open and orderly, and commercial aerospace will inject more new impetus into economic and social development.

Layout design: Zhang Fangman (张芳曼)

Return to Top

Tiny Stamps Encourage Tourists to Stay and Locals to Visit (Exploration)

By: 本报记者 曾亦辰

With the fall of the seal, accompanied by the light sound of bells, the cinnabar-colored Apsara pattern was stamped on the plain white paper. In the underground space of the Dunhuang Seal Bureau (敦煌印局) in Gansu (甘肃), hundreds of colored sand bottle installations are scattered around. At a long wooden table, more than a dozen tourists are leaning over to stamp.

It's hard to believe that this seal bureau, which brings together Dunhuang (敦煌) murals and Silk Road cultural elements, was once an abandoned water pool of a water plant with its iron gates tightly locked. In the atrium of the Seal Bureau, the base of a 3.4-meter-high replica mural figure sculpture is the old column that used to support the top cover of the water pool. The transformation of the abandoned water pool into a "cultural living room" reflects Dunhuang's urban renewal concept of "minimal intervention and maximum revitalization."

"In the past, the cultural and tourism formats in Dunhuang's urban area were relatively simple. This idle space was quite large, but there was no clear path to revitalize it," said Liu Xiaoxia (刘霞霞), general manager of Dunhuang Culture and Tourism Group (敦煌文旅集团). The turning point came when the Dunhuang Bookstore (敦煌书局) under the Culture and Tourism Group became a "popular sensation." "The new business format of Dunhuang Bookstore, which integrates books, coffee, and cultural creations, is so popular. Is it possible to use the same idea to create a Dunhuang Seal Bureau?"

Why choose "seal" as a clue to innovate cultural and tourism formats? The answer lies in the excavation of historical culture. Wu Haixi (武海熙), deputy general manager of Dunhuang Gongmei Cultural and Creative Co., Ltd. (敦煌工美文化创意有限责任公司), introduced, "Seals are not only a popular travel experience nowadays, but also in line with the cultural characteristics of Dunhuang. The Diamond Sutra discovered in the Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes (莫高窟) in 1900 is the world's earliest existing woodblock printed item with a clear date. A large number of ancient seal traces are also preserved in Dunhuang documents." Taking "seal" as a bridge, the team found an entry point connecting history and the present.

Holding a handbook full of patterns, Yang Jie (杨婕), a tourist from Jiangsu (江苏), said with a smile: "A seal is a memory of Dunhuang, quiet, healing, and full of ritual." Since its operation in September 2024, the Dunhuang Seal Bureau has received more than 100,000 tourists and generated more than 6 million yuan in revenue.

Such spatial rebirth is not an isolated case in Dunhuang. Dunhuang has established a "expert consultation, joint review and joint discussion" mechanism, introducing market forces in accordance with local conditions, and tailoring renovation plans for idle assets. Adjacent to the Dunhuang Seal Bureau, Dunhuang Wujie (敦煌无界) was transformed from an abandoned factory building of a water plant. Now it is a non-standard commercial complex integrating cultural art, aesthetic experience, and commercial innovation. The *Alhagi sparsifolia*, *Tamarix chinensis*, and *Populus euphratica* leaves that decorate it add more poetry.

"From the 4th century to the 14th century, people from different regions came to the cliffs of Dunhuang, chiseling stones, applying mud, mixing colors, and painting, jointly creating this treasure house of art. This is the source of inspiration for our urban renewal today," said Liu Xiaoxia. "Art has no boundaries. Dunhuang Wujie retains an open central field and separates independent creative spaces, attracting artists to settle in." Today, the art creative space named after the famous artist Chang Shana (常沙娜) has been established in Dunhuang Wujie. It has also introduced more than 10 artist studios and enterprises. Painting exhibitions, concerts, and art salons are held one after another, becoming a display place, co-creation place, and exchange platform for Dunhuang art.

Space renewal and business format updates have also made the daily life of local residents more colorful. In the handmade experience area of Dunhuang Wujie, Zhou Mengting (周梦婷), a citizen of Dunhuang, is taking her 11-year-old daughter to experience mud painting. "In recent years, there have been many spaces in the city where you can experience local culture. We have new places to go for parent-child activities on weekends, and we have a deeper understanding of our hometown culture," said Zhou Mengting.

"For a long time, tourists' understanding of Dunhuang has mostly stayed in scenic spots such as Mogao Grottoes and Mingsha Mountain (鸣沙山), and they don't have a deep impression of the urban area. Citizens live in Dunhuang every day, but they lack a window to touch the living culture at close range," said Zhang Xiaoning (张晓柠), deputy director of the Dunhuang Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism (敦煌市文旅局). Urban renewal, with "revitalization and cultural empowerment" as its core, hopes to bridge this gap, allowing tourists to stay and citizens to come in. "There should be no separation between tourists and citizens, between scenic spots and cities, and between history and life. In the future, we will continue to take revitalizing idle spaces as a starting point, continue to deepen urban renewal, and truly integrate the millennium civilization into modern life."

Return to Top

China's ports handle 4.39 billion tonnes of cargo in Q1

Beijing, April 23 (Reporter Han Xin (韩鑫)) - The reporter learned from the Ministry of Transport (交通运输部) that in the first quarter, China completed a port cargo throughput of 4.39 billion tons, an increase of 4% year-on-year. Among them, domestic and foreign trade throughput increased by 2.4% and 7.6% year-on-year, respectively. Container throughput reached 89.64 million TEUs, an increase of 8% year-on-year.

Freight volume increased steadily. In the first quarter, China completed a commercial freight volume of 13.19 billion tons, an increase of 4.1% year-on-year. Among them, highway freight volume reached 9.88 billion tons, an increase of 4% year-on-year; waterway freight volume reached 2.03 billion tons, an increase of 5.7% year-on-year.

Travel volume increased steadily. In the first quarter, China's cross-regional personnel mobility was 17.77 billion person-times, an increase of 2.2% year-on-year. Among them, highway personnel mobility was 16.38 billion person-times, an increase of 1.9% year-on-year; waterway passenger volume was 58.56 million person-times, an increase of 6.8% year-on-year.

Driven by a series of major projects, in the first quarter, China's transportation fixed asset investment scale remained at a high level, with a completed transportation fixed asset investment of 651.9 billion yuan, of which highway and waterway completed investments of 443.7 billion yuan and 49.3 billion yuan, respectively.

Return to Top

Tianjin Accelerates the Promotion of Intellectual Property Transformation and Utilization

This newspaper Tianjin (天津) April 23rd (Reporter Li Jiading (李家鼎)) The reporter learned from the 2026 Tianjin (天津) Intellectual Property News Conference: By the end of 2025, the industrialization rate of invention patents in Tianjin (天津) universities and research institutes reached 16.7%, ranking among the top in the country; the transaction value of technology contracts involving patents was 45.8 billion yuan, and the ability to transform and utilize intellectual property continued to increase.

The relevant departments in Tianjin (天津) have thoroughly implemented the "Tianjin (天津) Intellectual Property Power City Construction Outline (2021-2035)", cultivated 75 industrial intellectual property operation centers, achieving full coverage of the city's 12 key industrial chains; deployed 15 university centers, achieving full coverage of key science and engineering universities; and built 19 regional centers, achieving full coverage of administrative regions. Promote the physical operation of the Tianjin (天津) Intellectual Property Trading Platform, attracting 83 professional institutions to settle in, with 2,398 new listed projects and 184 transactions in 2025. The Intellectual Property Financial Public Service Platform has gathered 26 kinds of financial products and 35 cooperative institutions.

Combining the city's 12 key industrial chains, the Tianjin (天津) Intellectual Property Department jointly serves key regions, key industries, key enterprises, and key teams, exerting collaborative efforts from the supply side, demand side, service side, and platform side, and standardizing and guiding universities and research institutes to transform patents through transfer, licensing, capital contribution, and independent implementation.

Return to Top

Editor in charge of this page: Guan Xuanyue, Zhai Qinqi, Xian Gan

Return to Top

An Appointment with the Deep Blue (Frontline of a Strong Military)

By: 本报记者 任彤彤

On the morning of April 23, at the Naval Heroes Square of the Naval Museum in Qingdao (青岛), Shandong (山东), naval songs echoed loudly as the Navy held a ceremony to pay tribute to the heroes of the People's Navy. The Qingdao (青岛)-based naval troops and model representatives attending the ceremony, dressed in formal attire, stood in neat formations to pay their respects to the heroes and martyrs.

In recent days, the Navy has held activities such as opening military camps and warships, military music performances, and flag-raising ceremonies in many places across the country. More than 40 active naval vessels were opened to the public. Shanghai (上海), Dalian (大连) in Liaoning (辽宁), Qingdao (青岛), Ningbo (宁波) in Zhejiang (浙江), and other cities simultaneously organized themed light shows, displaying congratulatory slogans and playing a series of promotional videos and posters of the People's Navy on landmark building screens, jointly celebrating the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People's Navy.

At 8 a.m., a long queue had already formed beside the gangway of Pier 3 at Qingdao (青岛) Port, as people spontaneously came to fulfill a deep-sea appointment. "The development of the People's Navy is changing with each passing day. How can one not feel proud looking at these impressive new equipment!" said Wu Dongdong (吴冬冬), a 65-year-old veteran, while visiting the warship open day event.

"The real warships are bigger and more magnificent than I imagined!" On the Navy's Yangcheng Lake (阳澄湖) ship, a girl in a wheelchair solemnly presented her drawing of the Yangcheng Lake (阳澄湖) ship to the officers and soldiers on board. During the warship open day event, the Qingdao (青岛) Social Welfare Institute and Children's Welfare Institute organized service recipients to visit naval vessels and experience naval culture. The children expressed their admiration for the People's Navy with their childish strokes. Xu Chang (许昌), a third-class sergeant of the Navy's Yangcheng Lake (阳澄湖) ship, said, "The care and trust of the people are the source of our strength. We will definitely work hard to improve our ability to fight and win, and live up to the heavy trust and mission."

In addition to boarding the ships for visits, the open day event also set up interactive experience projects such as "Walking into the Navy Blue," including demonstrating flag signals, wearing fire suits, tying knots, and wearing diving gear, presenting the public with a vivid national defense education lesson.

On the pier, He Maotian (何茂田), a soldier from the Navy's Wuhu (芜湖) ship, explained the tying method of naval knots to the public hand-in-hand: "Pull this rope out from here, isn't it very strong?" Two little boys were experiencing it together, saying in unison: "Yes! The more you pull, the tighter it gets." Looking at the children's excited eyes, He Maotian (何茂田) said: "The army and the people have always been like fish and water. The children's 'Thank you for your hard work, Navy Uncle' and 'I want to be a navy when I grow up' are the highest awards for us."

In the southern end of the motherland, a certain unit of the Southern Theater Navy Aviation held a military camp open day event. More than 200 teachers and students from 4 colleges and universities came to the naval camp to watch the People's Navy promotional video, experience gun disassembly and shooting, and enjoy a themed calligraphy and painting exhibition... Increasingly rich military camp open day activities have become a window for the People's Navy to showcase its achievements in strengthening the military and enhance military-civilian friendship.

"Welcome home!" On the afternoon of April 22, the Navy's Taizhou (泰州) ship arrived in Taizhou (泰州), Jiangsu (江苏). Representatives from all walks of life waved the national flag and shouted in unison. The Taizhou (泰州) ship broke through the waves, and the officers and soldiers, dressed in white uniforms, waved to the people of their hometown on the deck. The Taizhou (泰州) ship is named after "Taizhou (泰州)," the birthplace of the People's Navy, expressing the People's Navy's deep feelings for this red land.

The mascot "Wuyouyou (乌佑佑)," based on Przewalski's wild horse, made its debut on the Navy's Urumqi (乌鲁木齐) ship, integrating the regional cultural symbols of Urumqi (乌鲁木齐), Xinjiang (新疆), and becoming a new city-ship cultural business card. Representatives from Zixing (资兴), Hunan (湖南), boarded the Navy's Dongjiang Lake (东江湖) ship, bringing officers and soldiers literary programs with Zixing (资兴) characteristics such as "I'm Waiting for You in Dongjiang Lake (东江湖)" and "Liu Hai Cuts Firewood." Zhangye (张掖), Gansu (甘肃), held a signature event to pay tribute to the officers and soldiers of the Navy's Zhangye (张掖) ship with heartfelt messages and convey good wishes... The city is proud of the ship, and the ship regards the city as its home. The "two-way rush" between the city and the warship writes a moving chapter of the military and the people being of one heart.

(Wang Pei (王沛) and Hu Jiajie (胡佳杰) participated in the writing)

Return to Top

"Cultivating Patriotism and Experiencing a Strong National Defense from a Young Age" (On the Front Lines of a Strong Military)

By: 本报记者 巨云鹏

April 23rd is the founding day of the People's Liberation Army Navy (中国人民解放军海军).

On the bank of the Huangpu River (黄浦江), at the Shanghai Port International Cruise Terminal (上海港国际客运中心码头), the Fuyang (阜阳舰) and Qiandaohu (千岛湖舰) warships stood tall, their decks adorned with colorful flags. A ship open day event themed "Shanghai·Sea" was underway.

Just after 9:30 AM, citizen Sui Wanpeng (隋万鹏) arrived at the pier with his two children, queuing to board the Fuyang warship for a tour.

The Naval Fuyang warship is a Type 054A missile frigate independently developed and built in China, equipped with advanced regional air defense missiles and long-range anti-ship missiles, undertaking tasks such as anti-submarine warfare, air defense, and vigilance. This public opening is another public appearance of the Fuyang warship after accompanying the South African Navy's "Amatola" frigate on a friendly visit to Shanghai in March this year.

"I saw the news in March, and I prepared early to make an appointment to visit," Sui Wanpeng told reporters. He specifically made time to bring his children to experience the warship up close. "This kind of opportunity is rare, and I must bring them to see our great power weapon with their own eyes."

On the deck, various equipment stood majestic and imposing, and the naval soldiers were heroic and spirited. Across the river was Lujiazui (陆家嘴), with Shanghai's skyline soaring into the clouds. Sui Wanpeng took out his mobile phone to take precious photos of the warship with his two children.

"Now we are seeing the torpedo launching device. You can see the launching state through the pictures." Walking into the cabin, the two children listened to the explanation while carefully observing the layout inside the cabin. "Naval soldiers work and live here, defending the country," Sui Wanpeng told them.

Walking out of the cabin and reaching the bow, the neat missile launching device and the high-spirited warship main gun made the two children dazzled. After taking many photos, the family of three reluctantly walked off the Fuyang warship.

"What impressed me the most was the missile launching device, it felt very cool," the 9-year-old sister told reporters back on the pier.

"I specifically took the time to take them to visit, so that the children can establish patriotic aspirations and feel a strong national defense from an early age." Holding his two children close, Sui Wanpeng said that as Chinese people, they should have a sense of national pride. "**到了现场** (dào le xiàn chǎng - "arrived at the scene," upon arriving at the scene), seeing so many people loving the navy, this patriotic feeling becomes even stronger."

In addition to the warship tour, the event site also set up a national defense science popularization exhibition area and a naval culture display area, using graphic exhibition boards, flash mobs, interactive experiences, and other forms to help and support the public to understand and love the navy, and strengthen national defense education for all. The reporter told Sui Wanpeng this information.

"We will experience them one by one later to appreciate the charm of the navy!" After saying that, he waved his hand, and the family of three walked towards the Qiandaohu warship.

Return to Top

"Seeing such advanced equipment fills me with pride" (Frontlines of a Strong Military)

By: 本报记者 姜晓丹

On April 23rd, the Southern Theater Command Navy organized a military camp open day event. At the Zhanjiang (湛江) warship open event, veteran Zhang Shengrong (张生荣) led his 8-year-old son quickly onto the Nanning (南宁) warship. Zhang Shengrong (张生荣), who served on the Navy's South Transport 831 ship for 4 years, had undisguised anticipation in his eyes.

Along the way, Zhang Shengrong (张生荣) explained warship knowledge to his son and recalled his military experiences. "I enlisted in 1991, and more than 30 years have passed in a flash." Stroking the warship's brand-new hull, he said with a smile, "Our transport ships back then can't compare with what we have now. Seeing such advanced equipment, I am proud from the bottom of my heart!"

In addition to visiting the warship, Zhang Shengrong (张生荣) and his son also immersed themselves in interactive areas to experience light weapons operation, gas mask wearing, and other projects. The excited child said to his father, "Dad, I want to be a soldier when I grow up and defend the motherland!" In the child's innocent vow, the common aspirations of two generations quietly converged.

"The Nanning (南宁) ship, which is making its debut this time, is open to the public for the first time in China," the commentator introduced. "The enthusiasm of the audience is particularly high. Everyone wants to feel the hardcore strength of the navy of a major power at close range and record this heroic demeanor of a strong military." In order to ensure the smooth progress of the event, the officers and soldiers of a base of the Southern Theater Command Navy, who were responsible for the support tasks, made preparations early. "We have inspected the wharf and all fire-fighting facilities in advance, and also equipped convenience service points," said Bao Mingshuai (保明帅), a soldier from the base. Mother and baby rooms, medical points, and drinking water points were all available on site, the interactive area was full of fun, and support personnel were on duty throughout the process, providing attentive service to every visitor.

Not far away, the children from the special education school co-built in the garrison area gathered together, carefully watching the sign language teacher translate the commentator's introduction and learning naval knowledge. They touched the facilities on the ship and expressed their gratitude to the officers and soldiers in sign language. The seeds of national defense quietly took root in their hearts.

Over the years, the base has always adhered to its original aspiration of supporting the government and cherishing the people, working hand in hand with the local Party organizations to select key personnel to carry out Party affairs exchanges; donating books and sports equipment to remote schools, and carefully holding special military-civilian joint events to bring the military and civilians closer. In 2020, a certain detachment of the base was awarded the title of "National Model Unit for Supporting the Government and Cherishing the People," and the bond between the military and the people has become even deeper.

A unique warship open day event witnessed memory and inheritance, and also witnessed the heroic sentiment of the military and civilians jointly building a national defense dream. "This open day allows us to witness the ever-changing development of the People's Navy, and also feel the warmth of the military and civilians as one family. As a veteran, I feel excited and proud!" said Zhang Shengrong (张生荣).

(Gu Qiaohong (顾桥红) participated in writing)

Return to Top

Photo Story: On the Front Lines of Strengthening the Military

Return to Top

Reputation is Hidden in Those "Unnoticeable" Efforts (On-the-Ground Observations)

By: 刘 彤

What the masses remember and appreciate about grassroots cadres are often the tangible and accessible small things around them.

In my hometown of Rong County (荣县), Sichuan (四川), the village always puts on a "baba banquet" (坝坝宴) during festivals. The elderly people sit around the table, and when they talk about the commune secretary from decades ago, they immediately start reminiscing: "That secretary, before dawn, would carry a hoe to the ditch." "The trees he planted provide such cool shade in the summer, the children all play under them." "One year there was a severe drought, and he ran to the county several times to ask for water pumps, and his voice was hoarse when he came back."

Also in Rong County (荣县), I recently saw more figures busily working at the grassroots level.

Fu Ruwei (付如伟), the town chief of Shuangshi Town (双石镇), is a Qiang (羌族) person. He grew up eating food provided by many families. After graduating from university, he signed up for the Western Volunteer Program and came to work in my hometown. When I saw him, he was directing traffic at the entrance of the town, and his voice was already hoarse from shouting. I asked him what he was doing all day long doing these anonymous things for, and he said, "It's fine as long as it's convenient for everyone, I don't care who remembers me. When I was a child, the villagers helped me, and now I can help as much as I can."

That evening, he went to the bank, withdrew some cash from his own card, ranging from one hundred to two hundred yuan, and sent it to several families in difficulty. I asked him if he wanted to take a photo to keep a record, but he waved his hand and said, "It's just a small thing, 不值一提 (bù zhí yī tí - "not worth mentioning," insignificant; not worth mentioning)." When he was leaving, a villager chased after him, carrying two chickens in his hand, insisting that he take them. After some back and forth, he insisted on stuffing two hundred yuan into the villager's hand, and said with a smile, "I'll buy these chickens, the local chicken from my hometown is very delicious."

On New Year's Eve, a police officer was still patrolling the streets in the middle of the night. He said with a puff of white air, "We are on duty patrolling to ensure that everyone has a safe and peaceful Spring Festival, this little bit of effort is what we should do."

A local deputy town chief, when talking about his experience working at the grassroots level in those years, was most emotional about the end of the year. Every December, there were always several contractors crowded at the door of the office, eagerly waiting to receive the project payment. He could only bite the bullet and run back and forth, wearing out his tongue and closely monitoring the process, rushing to allocate the money before the New Year. "If the contractors don't get the money, how can they pay the migrant workers? The whole family is waiting for this money to celebrate the New Year, it can't be delayed," he said.

These things put together made me feel emotional. No matter how long it has been, what the masses remember and appreciate about grassroots cadres are often the tangible and accessible small things around them, whether it is the figure carrying a hoe or the footsteps of a late-night patrol.

Serving the masses is not about taking photos and checking in everywhere, thinking about leaving a trace of everything, but about thinking about doing one's job in a solid and practical way. If every thing that grassroots cadres do can be done with the practicality of "it's fine as long as it's convenient for everyone" and the composure of "not worth mentioning," then whether the masses remember it or not is actually no longer important. Those "unremarkable" efforts precisely hide the most authentic appearance of thousands of grassroots cadres, and hide the reputation that everyone will still remember decades later.

(The author is the director of the Party and Government Office of Chengdu University (成都大学).)

Column submission email: rrmrbzzb@peopledaily.cn

Return to Top

Guangxi Deepens Party Conduct and Integrity Building

According to our Nanning (南宁) report on April 23 (Pang Geping (庞革平), Bei Weichao (贝为超)), the Guangxi (广西) Anti-Corruption Education Center has been officially put into use in Nanning (南宁). Party and government leaders from 14 prefecture-level cities in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (广西壮族自治区), the "top leaders" of some regional departments, and the families of newly promoted department-level cadres were the first to receive education. Various cities in Guangxi (广西) and relevant units directly under the region and centrally stationed in Guangxi (广西) have organized party members and cadres to visit and study, and receive education, in conjunction with carrying out study and education to establish and practice correct views on political achievements. The Guangxi (广西) Anti-Corruption Education Center has become an important front for anti-corruption education in the region.

Taking the Anti-Corruption Education Center as the leader, Guangxi (广西) has strengthened the construction of anti-corruption education bases throughout the region. Counties (cities, districts) and industry systems with the conditions have also created characteristic anti-corruption education positions in accordance with local conditions. The Guangxi (广西) Anti-Corruption Education Center uses graphic and text displays, documentary scenes, artistic scenes, video clips and other forms of exhibition, guiding party members and cadres to be deeply awakened by learning from cases, and to inherit a clean and honest new style in the immersion of culture.

In recent years, the Discipline Inspection Commission of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (广西壮族自治区纪委监委) has deployed and guided the entire region to integrate clean governance culture with red culture, Bagui (八桂) culture, and the new ethos of the times, creating a "1+14+N" anti-corruption education matrix. At present, 254 clean governance culture positions have been built in the region, forming a multi-level, three-dimensional distribution pattern of anti-corruption education bases.

Return to Top

Serving and Guaranteeing the Construction of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor in Western China

This newspaper reported from Beijing on April 23rd (Reporter Wei Zhezhe (魏哲哲)) The Supreme People's Court (最高人民法院) released on the 23rd a collection of typical cases (second batch) of People's Courts serving and guaranteeing the construction of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor in the Western Region, focusing on demonstrating the judicial practice achievements of the People's Courts in guaranteeing the construction of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor in the Western Region, creating a first-class business environment, solving the problem of ascertaining foreign laws, and regulating cross-border trade investment and transportation logistics industries.

According to reports, the People's Courts, based on their adjudicative functions, hear various cases involving the construction of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor in the Western Region in accordance with the law, continuously optimize institutional mechanisms, improve the quality and efficiency of trials, and earnestly resolve disputes, giving full play to the role of judicial services in "hard connectivity" of infrastructure and "soft connectivity" of rules and mechanisms.

Focusing on the core needs of the construction of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor in the Western Region, the People's Courts focus on key links such as cross-border transactions and logistics transportation, and adhere to the principle of judicial services resonating with the construction of the corridor. From guaranteeing the construction of major infrastructure to regulating the market order of cross-border finance and cross-border cargo transportation, a comprehensive legal foundation is built for the construction of the corridor, promoting the rational flow and efficient aggregation of various factors.

At the same time, in response to legal application disputes and the difficulty of ascertaining foreign laws in cross-border finance, foreign investment, and other disputes, the People's Courts accurately ascertain and apply foreign laws to resolve disputes in accordance with the law. In a case involving a guarantee contract dispute between a Thai company of a certain bank and Deng (邓) and Jiang (江), the People's Court fully respected the parties' right to choose the applicable law, applied different governing laws to the main contract and the guarantee contract to determine the parties' responsibilities, and neither party appealed after the first instance; in a case involving an investment contract dispute between Qin (覃) and Wei Jia (韦甲) and Wei Yi (韦乙), regarding the rights and obligations of shareholders of the foreign company involved, the People's Court relied on the "13+2" judicial cooperation mechanism and cooperation with universities to accurately ascertain and apply the foreign law, equally protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese and foreign parties, and provide a replicable and scalable practical path for resolving cross-border disputes.

Conflicts sometimes occur between the development of enterprises themselves and the overall planning and development of cities. In a case involving a nuisance elimination dispute between a certain cement company in Chongqing (重庆) and a certain port company in Chongqing (重庆) due to port construction, the People's Court prudently balanced the interests of enterprises and the public interest, strictly defined tort liability and breach of contract liability in accordance with the law, maintained the legitimate rights and interests of business entities, and took into account safety guarantees and the efficiency of infrastructure construction, achieving the organic unity of political, legal, and social effects.

In addition, the People's Courts strengthen rule guidance and optimize the rule of law business environment. Logistics transportation is the core carrier and basic support for the construction of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor in the Western Region. In a case involving a road cargo transportation contract dispute between a certain electrical company in Yunnan (云南) and a certain logistics company in Yunnan (云南), Li (李), and Jing Moumou (靖某某), the People's Court clarified the rules of adjudication regarding the risk boundaries of lump-sum price contracts and the full-process obligations of carriers, guiding various entities to operate in a standardized and honest manner, fulfill their contracts in good faith, stabilize market transaction expectations, and help build a first-class market-oriented, rule-of-law, and internationalized business environment.

According to reports, the next step is that the People's Courts will continue to deepen judicial service guarantee measures, continuously improve the dispute resolution mechanism involving the corridor, and contribute greater judicial strength to serving the construction of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor in the Western Region and building a new development pattern with fair and efficient judicial practice.

Return to Top

Advertisement

Return to Top

Editor in Charge for This Edition: Su Xianlong, Zhao Xiaoxi, Chi Jiarui

Map by: Shen Yiling (沈亦伶)

Return to Top

The Spirit and Mission of Chinese Youth in the New Era (People's Tribune)

By: 廉 思

General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) emphasized, "When the youth are prosperous, the country is prosperous; when the youth are strong, the country is strong." Chinese-style modernization is not only a national project, a development project, and a civilization project, but also includes a youth growth project, a value-leading project, and a spiritual shaping project. While reshaping the economic structure, social landscape, and governance system, it also continuously forges the cognitive methods, ability qualities, spiritual temperament, and sense of mission of Chinese youth in the new era.

Cultural Confidence in Inheriting Cultural Traditions and Respecting Traditions

General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) pointed out: "Cultural confidence is the most fundamental, deepest, and most enduring force in the development of a country and a nation." Modernization is a holistic process that integrates institutional advantages, civilizational traditions, and the spirit of the times. Among them, culture is the spiritual support of modernization, which is related to how a society forms consensus, maintains an upward spirit, and moves forward. Chinese-style modernization has had a profound historical foundation from the very beginning. From the perspective of the history of civilization evolution, Chinese-style modernization is like a long river. The water flow is changing, the river channel is expanding, and new tributaries are constantly merging along the way, but the main line continues to grow, showing the distinct characteristics of continuous growth, in which Chinese culture plays an important link role.

It is precisely at this intersection of history and reality that Chinese youth in the new era show more firm cultural confidence. Compared with the past, they have earlier and more intensive access to the achievements of world civilization. Studying abroad, traveling, the Internet, and the flow of global cultural products have allowed them to live in a "side-by-side comparison" of different cultures since they were young. This high-intensity cross-cultural contact has not diluted cultural identity, but has prompted them to understand "Why China" more soberly and profoundly. In the eyes of Chinese youth in the new era, cultural confidence is no longer just emotional "I am proud," but cultural cognitive dimension of "I understand" - understanding why Chinese culture can continue to this day, and understanding how China can move towards the future.

In recent years, "Guochao" (国潮, domestic brands with Chinese cultural elements), "Guofeng" (国风, Chinese style), and "Non-Heritage Fever" (非遗热) have gone from niche to mass, reflecting from one side the consciousness of Chinese youth in the new era to re-calibrate cultural coordinates in the context of economic globalization. Among them, many young people do not simply move the tradition back to life as it is, but use contemporary language to make new interpretations. For example, embedding ethnic music into electronic beats, and integrating oriental aesthetics into industrial design and brand vision. They make full use of short videos, animations, online games and other carriers to greatly extend the boundaries of cultural expression, making traditional culture no longer "high above," but becomes warm, popular, touchable, participatory, and shareable.

The cultural confidence of Chinese youth in the new era is not reflected in the static protection of tradition, but in the spiritual growth force facing modernization. In a contemporary society with accelerated pace and increased choices, young people need not only skills and opportunities, but also a spiritual coordinate system that can place their own values. The continuous narrative and community characteristics provided by Chinese civilization provide young people with internal support to resist the scarcity of meaning and value drift, enabling young people to stabilize the value base in the collision of diverse cultures, maintain the main consciousness in open comparison, and form spiritual resilience in the face of real pressure. When generations of young people can confirm their origins in the continuation of cultural traditions and generate new ideas in the practice of the times, culture is not just memory and symbols, but becomes the endogenous power for Chinese-style modernization to cross the wind and waves and move forward steadily.

Global Vision of Looking at the World Equally and Learning from Others' Strengths

General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) pointed out: "China's development cannot be separated from the world, and the world's prosperity also needs China." Chinese-style modernization is a modernization that resonates with the world at a higher level of opening up and achieves each other. Chinese youth in the new era live in an environment where "the world is around them." Studying abroad, international volunteer service, international organization internships, overseas open classes, etc., give young people more opportunities to directly face different cultural phenomena. Therefore, young people's understanding of the world no longer mainly comes from retelling and imagination, but more from personal experience and interaction.

In the past, young people often talked about the world with a sense of distance of looking up, but now they show a calm attitude of looking at it equally. They no longer blindly believe in the "standard answer" of a certain country, but scientifically analyze and compare the modernization paths and governance models of different countries, thinking about which practices are worth learning, which experiences are not suitable, and which problems China has also encountered but the solutions are different. It is this process that makes the understanding of Chinese youth in the new era of the path of Chinese-style modernization more solid and deeper.

Chinese youth in the new era enter the international context, understand the logic of others, and can maintain cultural subjectivity, so that a closer and more active interactive network is formed between China and the world. This network not only connects economy and technology, but also connects emotions and cognition. When young engineers turn Chinese solutions into "deliverable" products at overseas project sites, young scholars turn Chinese answers into "commensurable" topics at international conferences, and young creators turn Chinese stories into "empathetic" expressions... These together constitute a vivid narrative of Chinese-style modernization.

The global vision of Chinese youth in the new era is not only reflected in the modernization capabilities generated in the open system - establishing judgment through rational comparison, forming dialogue with a sense of rules, and completing joint actions through cross-cultural collaboration, but also reflects a broader world awareness and a firmer humanistic feeling - recognizing the diversity of civilization forms and modernization paths, participating in competition, but not regarding confrontation as the answer; adhering to the position, while adhering to peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy, and freedom as basic values. Against the background of rising uncertainties in global development and intensified great power game, Chinese youth in the new era can not only translate Chinese experience into a public language that the world can understand, but also promote the formation of a more constructive cooperation framework in international issue interaction, so that Chinese-style modernization can generate more powerful explanatory power on the world stage and obtain a more solid consensus foundation.

Patriotism and Enthusiasm for Public Welfare

General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) pointed out: "Patriotism is deeply rooted in the hearts of the Chinese nation. It is the spiritual gene of the Chinese nation, maintaining the unity of all ethnic groups on the land of China, and inspiring generations of Chinese sons and daughters to work tirelessly for the development and prosperity of the motherland." The modernization process is often accompanied by the enhancement of individual awareness and the reorganization of social relations. How to make people willing to take responsibility for public affairs and devote their efforts to the community while continuously strengthening individual awareness is a common topic of modernization. In this regard, Chinese-style modernization presents the distinct characteristics of mutual promotion and synchronous advancement of individual growth and community construction. In the process of Chinese-style modernization, the patriotic feelings of Chinese youth in the new era not only originate from identity recognition based on geographical and kinship ties, but also transcend the contractual relationship centered on individual rights in Western modernization, but are constantly stimulated and strengthened in modern systems and public practices.

Entering the new era, young people take the initiative to link personal development with the destiny of the country. Under the joint action of the institutional arrangements and value guidance of Chinese-style modernization, the patriotic feelings of young people are gaining more stable institutional support and more sustainable practical paths. Whether it is on the front line of poverty alleviation and comprehensive rural revitalization, or at the scene of combating major natural disasters and public health emergencies, or in community governance, basic public services, ecological protection and guarding the border, there are young people and youth forces.

The key to the fact that patriotism can be carried forward in Chinese youth in the new era lies in the success of Chinese-style modernization in transforming "willing to take responsibility" into a realistic mechanism of "being able to participate." On the one hand, national development continues to expand participation space and provide growth channels, so that individual struggle and national progress form a relationship of shared destiny; on the other hand, the responsibility ethics and collective consciousness that have lasted for a long time in Chinese civilization have achieved new development in Chinese-style modernization, which makes "integrating the small self into the big self" no longer just a moral requirement, but a way of life that can be specifically practiced. When more and more young people stand up, top up, and do things first at critical moments, Chinese-style modernization will have a reliable, lasting, and most vigorous source of power.

Thinking Characteristics of Benchmarking the Frontier and Being Determined to Innovate

General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) pointed out: "Innovation is the primary driving force for leading development." Chinese-style modernization is not a simple catch-up along the existing technological track, but a process of actively shaping the development path and reconstructing competitive advantages against the background of the accelerated evolution of the global technological revolution and industrial transformation.

Historically, every modernization leap has been accompanied by profound changes in knowledge structure, technological system, and social organization. Today, the international environment and technical conditions faced by Chinese-style modernization are more complex and changeable. Innovation is no longer a single-point breakthrough in a certain field, but an overall linkage that affects the education system, scientific research system, industrial upgrading, and governance methods. Among them, the innovation ability of Chinese youth in the new era largely reflects the vitality of the national innovation system and the ability of institutional supply. From artificial intelligence, big data, biotechnology to intelligent manufacturing and emerging service industries, young people are not only users of new technologies, but also designers and promoters of new models, new formats and new scenarios. Many designs that originally stayed in the laboratory have been transformed into real productive forces through the exploration of young researchers and entrepreneurs.

Since the new era, China's increasingly sound higher education system and scientific research innovation platform have provided solid support for young people to devote themselves to scientific and technological innovation. Scientific research institutes, high-tech enterprises, national laboratories, and various innovation parks and entrepreneurial incubation platforms allow more young people to join innovation practices. This large-scale, open innovation ecology not only accelerates technology diffusion and achievement transformation, but also creates favorable conditions for cultivating innovative talents, demonstrating the significant advantages of Chinese-style modernization.

The breadth and depth of innovation of Chinese youth in the new era are marking the speed and height of Chinese-style modernization. From the detection and tackling teams such as "Chang'e" lunar exploration and "Tianwen" Mars exploration, to the innovative forces represented by emerging technology companies such as Hangzhou "Six Little Dragons" (杭州“六小龙”), young people combine cutting-edge technology, industrial development, and mass needs with faster learning research and stronger cross-border collaboration. When more and more young people become pioneers in tackling key and core technologies and pioneers in the development of emerging industries, innovation is not just a conceptual deduction on paper, but a real force to promote the overall leap in national strength.

The Mission Consciousness of Being Responsible and Working Hard

General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) pointed out: "When the youth are prosperous, the country is prosperous, and China's development depends on the responsibility of the vast number of young people." In the world's modernization process, every profound social transformation is inseparable from the youth forces at the forefront of the times. In the process of Chinese-style modernization, high-quality development, high-level self-reliance in science and technology, and other tasks are advancing on multiple fronts, which puts higher demands on social governance capabilities.

Chinese-style modernization is a historical process that requires continuous and in-depth practice. Many problems do not have ready-made answers and need to be explored in long-term practice. Chinese youth in the new era are participants and promoters of reform and development practices. When young people repeatedly try and make mistakes on the front line of scientific and technological research, conduct in-depth research on the site of comprehensive rural revitalization, and work hard in grassroots governance, what they accumulate is not only personal experience, but also exploring feasible institutional and practical solutions for national development.

General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) emphasized: "Only when young people have ideals, dare to take responsibility, can endure hardship, and are willing to struggle, will Chinese youth have strength, and the cause of the Party and the country will be full of hope." This is not only an expectation for the personal growth of young people, but also a deep entrustment to the future vision of Chinese-style modernization. In the new era, the vast number of young people strive to be pioneers and brave to be the main force in various fields such as scientific and technological innovation, key projects, emergency rescue, volunteer service, public governance, and ecological protection. In a rapidly changing social environment, Chinese youth in the new era do not simply understand success as winning personal competition, but consciously link personal value with social contribution, reflecting a mature practical rationality.

Chinese-style modernization is a great cause unprecedented in history, and it is also a historical process that spans generations and is passed down from generation to generation. The more Chinese-style modernization moves forward, the more it needs young people who have both professional capabilities and a sense of mission. When generations of Chinese youth cultivate deeply in ordinary positions for a long time, stand up at critical nodes, and turn ideals into day-to-day hard work, the road of Chinese-style modernization will surely become more stable and wider, and the historical process of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation will surely write a new era chapter in the continuous gathering of youth power.

(The author is the Executive Vice President (President) of the Central Communist Youth League School (China Youth University of Political Studies))

Return to Top

Correctly Understand "It's Not Easy to Be an Official" and Firmly Establish a Correct View of Political Achievements (Ideological Perspective)

By: 魏 强

It is a leader's duty to take responsibility and act. Regarding the misconception of "it's not easy to be an official," General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) pointed out: "If the organization manages a little stricter and the masses supervise a little more and you feel you can't stand it, and you say 'it's not easy to be an official,' that shows a low level of awareness and a lack of responsibility." He also emphasized: "The idea of 'it's not easy to be an official' should be understood correctly. It should be understood as it's not easy to use well the power given by the Party and the people, it's not easy to strictly demand oneself according to the requirements of the Party and the people, it's not easy to consciously accept the supervision of the Party and the people, and it's not easy to make achievements that can withstand the test of practice, the people, and history." This important exposition dispelled the ideological fog and cognitive misunderstandings of "it's not easy to be an official" and pointed out the direction for establishing and practicing a correct view of performance.

Since the new era, our Party has raised the requirements for leading cadres and strengthened management, creating a good political ecology of cleanliness and boldness in work. However, some leading cadres regard strict management as a shackle, have formed a wrong understanding of "it's not easy to be an official," are unwilling to take responsibility, and do not want to work, and also attribute the reason for not working to strict management. The root of this wrong idea lies in the weakening of the sense of purpose, only wanting to be an official and enjoy happiness, and not wanting to seek benefits for the people. It should be noted that strict management is not a shackle, but a "safety barrier" for starting a business. "Not easy" is not an excuse for "not doing." Faced with arduous tasks of reform, development, and stability, leading cadres can only carry the heavy burdens they should carry through hard work.

When serving as an official, what is truly not easy is using public power well and creating benefits for the people. The power of leading cadres is a public tool given by the Party and the people, not a tool for seeking personal gain. They must always remember that power is given by the people and used for the people, and always use power fairly, legally, for the people, and with integrity. When using power, it is even more important to know one's responsibilities. Some leading cadres take detours when faced with contradictions, avoid problems when they encounter them, and "kick the ball" when they encounter troubles. This is a manifestation of not seeking political affairs while in office and not taking responsibility when in power. The ultimate goal of using power as an official is to share the worries of the Party and create benefits for the people. Faced with problems and contradictions in areas such as rural revitalization, social governance, and risk prevention, we must face difficulties and overcome them. Faced with the urgent needs and expectations of the masses, we must listen patiently and actively resolve them, so that power can demonstrate its value in serving development and benefiting the people.

When serving as an official and upholding integrity, what is truly not easy is always being able to maintain integrity in small matters and resist temptations, and strictly cultivate oneself according to the requirements of the Party and the people. To discipline oneself, one must first rectify one's heart. We must often compare ourselves with the Party Constitution, Party regulations, the original aspiration and mission, and the expectations of the masses to examine ourselves, remove ideological dust, abandon privileged thinking and a fluke mentality, and build a dam against corruption and degeneration from the depths of our hearts. Strictly abide by discipline and rules, manage the people and things around us, resolutely resist various "enclosures," and achieve self-cleanliness and self-discipline. Strict self-discipline is valuable in perseverance. It is easy to be strict for a while, but difficult to adhere to it for a long time; it is easy to keep the bottom line in the open, but difficult not to cross the line in the dark. We must transform strict self-discipline into behavioral habits and sublimate it into political consciousness, always demand ourselves with strict standards, without slackening, without懈怠, and without going off track, and maintain the integrity of Communists.

When serving as an official and engaging in politics, what is equally not easy is resolutely treating and consciously accepting the supervision of the Party and the people, and possessing the political qualities that leading cadres should possess. Accepting supervision is not easy, and the value lies in putting oneself in the right position and getting used to using power under supervision. Some leading cadres are resistant to supervision, and in the final analysis, it is because their mentality is not correct and they lack confidence. As public servants of the people, leading cadres must abandon the wrong understanding that "supervision is distrust," regard supervision as a "talisman," and take the initiative to work under supervision and use power under restraint. Accepting supervision is not a passive response. For the problems found in supervision, we must immediately rectify them, draw inferences from one instance, and continuously improve the system and plug loopholes, and transform the pressure of supervision into practical results in improving work style and doing good work.

The way to be an official is to think about how hard-won political achievements are, and how to truly achieve seeking truth from facts, benefiting the people, and focusing on the long term. Whether political achievements are good or not depends on whether they conform to objective laws, whether they promote actual development, and whether they benefit the people's livelihood and well-being. Pragmatism is an essential quality of Communists. We must resolutely oppose formalism and bureaucracy, not do superficial articles, not engage in fancy airs, and implement them with the spirit of nailing nails to ensure that the effectiveness of the work can withstand practical tests. The people are the ultimate judges of political achievements. We must always take the satisfaction, happiness, and agreement of the masses as the fundamental standard, and solve the problems of the masses in employment, education, social security, housing, medical care, and elderly care with our hearts and feelings. Maintain historical patience, correctly handle the relationship between the present and the long term, the part and the whole, do not be greedy for temporary success, do not seek temporary fame, do more things that are conducive to sustainable development and beneficial to future generations, and write political achievements in the long river of history.

Return to Top

Further Advance the Building of a Reading-Promoting Society (In-depth Thinking on a Specific Topic)

By: 张久珍

Reading is an important way for human beings to acquire knowledge, develop intelligence, and cultivate morality. General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) pointed out: "We must advocate reading more, build a book-loving society, and continuously improve the people's ideological realm and enhance the people's spiritual strength." The "15th Five-Year Plan" outline proposes: "Deepen national reading activities and promote the construction of a book-loving society." To further promote the construction of a book-loving society, we must create a good atmosphere of loving reading and respecting knowledge in the whole society, cultivate people with culture, educate people with culture, improve the national cultural literacy, promote social civilization and progress, and inject strong spiritual power into promoting cultural prosperity and building a strong cultural country.
Building a book-loving society is a systematic project, covering many aspects such as improving institutional guarantees, improving the material foundation, and cultivating social customs. The "Regulations on Promoting National Reading" (全民阅读促进条例), which came into effect on February 1 this year, promotes national reading in the form of legislation, providing a solid legal guarantee for comprehensively promoting the construction of a book-loving society. Improving the construction of reading places such as libraries, rural bookstores, and bookstores, and promoting the prosperity and development of the publishing industry are the material foundation for promoting national reading and building a book-loving society. Ensuring that everyone enjoys the right to read and acquire knowledge, and better meeting the spiritual and cultural needs of the people, is an important goal of building a book-loving society. We should take meeting the spiritual and cultural needs of the people and protecting the people's cultural rights as the starting point and foothold, promote reading from passive advocacy to active pursuit, from individual behavior to social consensus, and inject lasting impetus into the construction of a book-loving society. Coordinate the construction of reading space, the supply of high-quality content, and the cultivation of readers, systematically optimize the national reading ecology, and promote the formation of a lasting and profound reading atmosphere in the whole society.
Optimize service levels and promote the common participation of all people. Building a book-loving society requires the joint efforts of all members of society. Only by achieving national co-reading can we consolidate the foundation of a book-loving society. Expand the coverage of reading to cover all age groups, all groups of people, and all industries. Continue to deepen the construction of national brand projects and create benchmark projects with demonstration effects. Establish a more complete rural reading ecology, strengthen the construction of grass-roots cultural service centers such as rural bookstores and cultural auditoriums, and promote the downward flow of resources and the downward shift of services. Optimize reading spaces such as libraries, bookstores, rural bookstores, and community reading rooms, build new public cultural spaces, and promote the transformation of reading services from traditional borrowing to life scenes that take into account activities, exchanges, and experiences. Improve the level of service precision and meet the needs of different groups. Subdivide reader types, provide a variety of reading forms and diversified content choices to meet the reading needs of readers of different ages, genders, and occupations. For example, the implementation of the book-loving campus construction project and the improvement of the construction of barrier-free reading environment will help eliminate reading barriers and allow left-behind children, the elderly, people with disabilities, etc. to easily access books and acquire knowledge.
Strengthen digital empowerment and create a full-media reading ecology. Changes in media forms affect the way information is disseminated and knowledge is acquired. With the rapid development of digital technology, digital reading and traditional reading are deeply integrated, giving rise to a variety of new reading methods and reading forms. We should follow the trend of technology, strengthen digital empowerment, promote the innovation of full-media reading products, tools, channels and methods, expand reading scenarios, and optimize the reading experience. Publishing institutions can develop reading products suitable for different media according to the content of the books and the needs of target readers, and provide readers with personalized choices. Public cultural institutions such as libraries can strengthen digital construction, build digital platforms, develop intelligent reservation systems, "book ordering" services, provide digital content such as e-books, audio books, and cloud lectures, and promote the universal sharing of public cultural resources. Strengthen the construction of reading promotion positions on online platforms, develop and apply new technologies, new carriers, and new facilities to help national reading, encourage netizens and grass-roots people to participate in reading promotion and cultural expression, make good use of short videos, live broadcasts, and other methods to enhance reading influence, and promote national cultural communication and knowledge sharing.
Improve reading guidance and promote the professionalization, standardization and systematization of national reading. Improving the scientific reading guidance system will help promote the professionalization, standardization and systematization of national reading. It is necessary to accelerate the construction of a reading guidance system that can help readers quickly clarify reading goals, accurately select appropriate content, and effectively improve reading effects, so as to improve reading service work and cultivate excellent reading culture. Strengthen the recommendation of books for different reader groups. Conduct a comprehensive assessment from multiple dimensions such as reader age, occupation, reading interest, and reading ability to provide readers with accurate recommendation services to meet differentiated reading needs. Strengthen close contact with readers. Build and maintain online reader communities to promote cultural sharing and dissemination. Book recommendations, reading check-in and other activities can be held by using book clubs, offline reading clubs, reading salons, etc., to provide readers with a variety of participation channels and enhance user stickiness. Enhance the brand influence of national reading. Through multi-scene and multi-channel publicity, enhance the brand recognition of national reading, transform reading promotion activities from scattered and fragmented to systematic and branded, continue to stimulate the willingness of national reading, and guide the whole society to form a strong atmosphere of loving reading, reading good books, and being good at reading.
(The author is the Dean of the Publishing Research Institute of Peking University (北京大学))

Return to Top

Investing in things and investing in people cannot be separated (Targeted)

By: 苟护生

Investing in things and investing in people are important means to promote economic and social development. General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) emphasized adhering to the close integration of investing in things and investing in people. The "15th Five-Year Plan" outline proposes adhering to the "close integration of investing in things and investing in people." To comprehensively promote Chinese-style modernization with high-quality development, it is necessary to deeply understand the rich connotation and practical requirements of the close integration of investing in things and investing in people, break the mindset of separating and opposing the two, and consolidate the solid support for Chinese-style modernization by coordinating the accumulation of "things" and the comprehensive development of "people."

Adhering to the close integration of investing in things and investing in people reflects the organic unity of economic and social development and the comprehensive development of people. Looking back at the history of economic development, the input of material capital plays a major role in the early stage of a country's development, which can lay a solid material and technical foundation for development. As development continues to deepen, the development mode relying on the accumulation of large-scale material capital elements often faces the challenge of diminishing marginal benefits. Promoting the deep integration and coordinated efforts of investing in things and investing in people can not only help improve total factor productivity with the accumulation of human capital, break the factor bottleneck of productivity development, and form a lasting driving force for economic growth, but also better promote the comprehensive development of people and the comprehensive progress of society, and achieve the fundamental goal of development. This shows that investing in things and investing in people is a synergistic, mutually reinforcing, and dialectically unified organic whole, which fully reflects the Marxist theory of the comprehensive development of people. The accumulation of things provides a material prerequisite for the development of people, and the development of people is the fundamental purpose of the accumulation of things.

From a practical point of view, China has long invested in things, and through the effective accumulation of physical capital, it has strongly supported the synchronous development of new industrialization, informatization, urbanization, and agricultural modernization, and liberated and developed social productivity. At the same time, it is necessary to see that the rate of return on China's investment in things has declined in recent years, but the improvement of the national education level and health level, and the rapid accumulation of human capital, have steadily increased the contribution to economic growth. With geopolitical turbulence and the rise of anti-globalization sentiments, and the transformation of global industrial competition from "capital-intensive" to "talent-intensive," China's economic transformation and upgrading, and the conversion of growth power mechanisms, adhering to the close integration of investing in things and investing in people, and increasing investment in people, is not only a necessary measure to ensure and improve people's livelihood and create a high-quality life in development, but also can systematically improve the ability level of people as the main body of knowledge creation, effectively release innovation vitality, and promote China's "demographic dividend" into a "talent dividend," and then win the initiative in fierce international competition.

At present, China still has great space and potential for investment in things. Compared with developed countries, China's per capita capital stock level is relatively low, and there are still a large number of investment needs in areas such as industrial upgrading, infrastructure quality improvement, security capacity building, and urban renewal; at the same time, a new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation is accelerating, providing historical opportunities for China to achieve "overtaking on a curve" in areas such as technological innovation, digital economy, and green transformation, which contains broad investment space. During the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, with the in-depth promotion of China's high-quality development, investment in things will also enter an important period of profound structural changes and the realization of gear shifting and efficiency enhancement.

Focusing on the comprehensive development of people and increasing investment is not only the inherent meaning of promoting economic and social development during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, but also a strategic measure to promote high-quality population development and the comprehensive development of people. First, invest in stabilizing employment and expanding consumption, support the development of modern service industries, the digital economy, small and medium-sized micro enterprises, and the private economy with strong employment absorption capacity, and carry out vocational training adapted to industrial upgrading; stabilize expectations by increasing income distribution adjustment efforts, improving the social security system, and implementing the employee paid vacation system, and promote the integration of culture and tourism and the innovation of consumption scenarios to create new experiential consumption scenarios. Second, invest in protecting health and stabilizing the population, promote the expansion and sinking of high-quality medical resources and the balanced regional layout, implement the basic medical and health strengthening project, and strengthen the comprehensive prevention and control of chronic diseases. Third, invest in promoting coordination and optimizing the environment, steadily promote the equalization of basic public services, and improve the scope and content of basic public services; promote the protection and restoration of ecosystems, and build safe, comfortable, green, and intelligent "good houses," etc. Fourth, invest in the integrated promotion of education, science and technology, and talent development, strengthen human resource development and investment in the comprehensive development of people, and increase investment in the training of various talents.

Adhering to the close integration of investing in things and investing in people, providing support for the comprehensive development of people through high-quality accumulation of material capital, and injecting power for the iterative upgrading of material capital through the steady improvement of human capital, can jointly promote the continuous growth of total factor productivity and the improvement of people's quality of life. Adhering to the close integration of the two is not simply looking at the proportional relationship of "how much to invest in each," but to form a virtuous circle of mutual empowerment in dynamic evolution. Whether it is "emphasizing things and neglecting people," leading to insufficient investment in people's livelihood fields such as education, medical care, and elderly care, or overemphasizing investment in people, leading to weakening material investment in infrastructure construction, industrial upgrading, etc., it is a misreading and misunderstanding of the original intention of the policy, and it also deviates from the requirements of high-quality development. It is necessary to fully, accurately, and comprehensively implement the new development concept, adhere to expanding domestic demand as a strategic base point, accelerate the construction of an endogenous growth mechanism for effective investment, maintain reasonable investment growth, improve the comprehensive benefits of investment, promote the construction of major projects with high quality, and promote the virtuous interaction between consumption and investment, supply and demand, to provide strong support for enhancing the endogenous power and reliability of the domestic major cycle.

(The author is a member of the Economic Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference)

Return to Top

One-stop Service Helps More Quality Domestic Products Get Seen (Livelihood Frontline: Focus on Productive Service Industries)

By: 本报记者 董泽扬

"Hello guys! Good offer today!（大家好！今日优惠！）"
In the cross-border e-commerce bases located in Haikou (海口市) and Chengmai County (澄迈县), Hainan (海南), passionate foreign language "hawking" has almost become background noise. Pushing open the door of a live broadcast room, in front of the ring fill light and mobile phone stand, anchors from all over the world are tasting tea and selling goods to the camera... With the help of the Free Trade Port policy, more "foreigners" are helping domestic brands sell goods, and more high-quality products are starting from here and being sold to the world.

The "15th Five-Year Plan" (十五五规划纲要) proposes to promote the extension of producer services towards specialization and the high end of the value chain. Under the promotion of the Haikou Cross-border E-commerce Association (海口市跨境电商协会), the "government-guided, enterprise-led" Free Trade Port cross-border e-commerce one-stop service platform was established in December last year, solving problems and increasing efficiency for many enterprises, creating new scenarios for talent incubation, and building new channels to reach overseas markets.

Building Frameworks, Reducing Costs
"Cross-border" Enterprises Go Cross-border Faster

In Xiuying District (秀英区), Haikou (海口市), taking advantage of the opportunity to participate in the 6th China International Consumer Products Expo, many companies came to visit the Free Trade Port cross-border e-commerce one-stop service platform.

"We came from Chengdu (成都), Sichuan (四川), and want to develop cross-border e-commerce business in Hainan (海南). What are the requirements for enterprise qualifications on the platform? Is the certificate processing process fast?" The question from the head of a materials-based startup expresses the aspirations of many "cross-border" novices.

"Open this mini-program and follow the process, and there will be no problems." Ruan Ning (阮宁), president of the Haikou Cross-border E-commerce Association (海口市跨境电商协会), demonstrated on his mobile phone that the processes and requirements for company registration, customs declaration, and park entry are clear at a glance. "From consultation to business landing, it can be completed in as little as a month. If you need to consult us, you can contact us at any time."

Similar dialogues happen every day on the one-stop service platform. From front-end operation and mid-stage fulfillment to back-end supply chain, the platform builds a full-chain service system, making it easier and more worry-free for companies targeting the new opportunities of the Free Trade Port's island-wide customs clearance operation.

"In the past, I felt that cross-border e-commerce had high barriers to entry and complex processes. Now, with the help of the platform, it's like having a navigation device, and every step is clear." Wang Zhanfei (王展飞), operations director of Hainan Haichen Xingmai Cross-border E-commerce Co., Ltd. (海南海辰星迈跨境电商有限公司), said that from product selection and traffic acquisition to order processing and cross-border logistics, the platform not only helps companies build frameworks, but also helps solve many practical problems.

Once, the company's home cushion package sent to Malaysia (马来西亚) was lost, and they not only did not receive the payment, but also had to pay extra logistics costs. "We consulted the platform for solutions, and the platform gave us many suggestions, helped us reduce losses, and taught us how to prevent lost items. It can be said to be detailed and timely." Wang Zhanfei (王展飞) said. The company's headquarters is in Tianjin (天津), mainly engaged in import business. After the establishment of the Hainan (海南) branch, it started doing cross-border e-commerce, and the platform service made the company's transformation road "avoid a lot of pitfalls."

For cross-border e-commerce, warehousing and logistics have always been a "big expense" in operating costs, especially the mailing costs of single or small batches of goods are high. "By building a logistics agglomeration area, we allow small and medium-sized cross-border e-commerce merchants to ship goods centrally and mail them in batches, and further integrate warehousing, transportation, and customs clearance, reducing overall costs by nearly 30%." Ruan Ning (阮宁) introduced that the platform is equipped with complete warehousing, logistics, and after-sales services, forming a complete closed loop from product selection and sales to distribution, realizing one-stop service operation.

Since its establishment, the Xiuying District (秀英区) Operation Center of the Free Trade Port cross-border e-commerce one-stop service platform has served more than 4,000 companies online, attracting 50 related companies to join the Haikou Cross-border E-commerce Association (海口市跨境电商协会), driving more than 1,000 people to engage in cross-border e-commerce services.

Experienced, Helping with Product Selection
Foreign Anchors Have New Tricks for Selling Goods

"Today we are going to introduce products from Hainan (海南), look at this coconut cake..." In the live broadcast room located in the Haikou Fuxing City Internet Information Industry Park (海口复兴城互联网信息产业园), Jim (吉姆), a foreign anchor from Pakistan (巴基斯坦), is introducing to overseas audiences in English. From coconut cakes and coconut water to Li (黎族) and Miao (苗族) traditional costumes and various intangible cultural heritage creative products, Jim (吉姆) can always find the interests of overseas consumers.

"Hainan's (海南) coconut cakes are very popular, and buyers in Southeast Asia (东南亚) are more interested in intangible cultural heritage creative products." Jim (吉姆) said that he has lived in Hainan (海南) for 13 years, running a trading company and also engaging in cross-border e-commerce business. At the invitation of the one-stop service platform, he is both a boss and an anchor. Because he has an in-depth understanding of Chinese culture and Hainan (海南) products, and also has insights into the consumption habits of overseas audiences, Jim's (吉姆) live broadcast sales are remarkable.

On the one-stop service platform, newly arrived cross-border e-commerce companies can find experienced foreign anchors like Jim (吉姆) to help sell goods, and can also send newcomers to participate in training to further master the live broadcast process of overseas e-commerce platforms. As a main member of the one-stop service platform, Hainan Nihao Media Technology Group Co., Ltd. (海南您好传媒科技集团有限公司) has signed contracts with more than 1,200 foreign cross-border e-commerce anchors and shares "foreign" anchor resources with other platform members.

"In Hainan (海南), we have realized 'selling globally,' and foreign anchors have played a unique value." Ruan Ningfu (阮宁夫), general manager of Nihao Media (您好传媒), introduced that the number of viewers for each of the company's live broadcasts is between 10,000 and 30,000, and the highest single-day sales record is more than 800 orders, with a live broadcast conversion rate of 1% to 2%, and the data is still in a stage of growth.

How to get more foreign anchors to help sell goods? Nihao Media (您好传媒) recruits and trains international students in Hainan (海南) and cooperates with overseas MCN (multi-channel network) organizations to explore and cultivate e-commerce anchors. Relying on the Free Trade Port's talent policy and the visa-free policy for facilitating personnel exchanges, the team of international student anchors is more stable, and it is more convenient for overseas anchors to visit and exchange ideas in Hainan (海南). "If the amount of goods prepared for live broadcast reaches more than 5,000 yuan, you can enjoy the support of overseas internet celebrity anchor resources for free through the one-stop service platform." Ruan Ningfu (阮宁夫) said.

Coincidentally, in the Hainan Laocheng Science and Technology New City Cross-border E-commerce Live Broadcast Base (海南老城科技新城跨境电商直播基地) located in Chengmai County (澄迈县), several foreign anchors are taking turns to "hawk" online. "For overseas customers, live broadcasts by foreign anchors are more friendly and the effect is better." Xu Jie (徐杰), head of Hainan Chuangchen Overseas Enterprise Service Co., Ltd. (海南创宸出海企业服务有限公司), introduced that as the operator of the base, the company solves problems for cross-border e-commerce companies through the "full托管服务+人才孵化+资源引入" (quán tuō guǎn fú wù + rén cái fū huà + zī yuán yǐn rù - "full托管服务+talent incubation+resource introduction") model, allowing entrepreneurs to focus more on new product development and technological innovation.

Localization, Gathering Resources
"Front Store, Back Warehouse" Opens Up New Channels

To allow more high-quality domestic products to be seen by overseas consumers, in addition to cloud promotion, offline "meetings" are also needed.

"We have already established 'front store, back warehouse' Hainan Pavilions (海南馆) in Malaysia (马来西亚) and Indonesia (印度尼西亚)." Ruan Ning (阮宁) introduced that using the one-stop service platform, the association is exploring the establishment of offline stores in Southeast Asian (东南亚) countries, providing companies with commodity display and sales windows in the form of leases, and establishing an intelligent warehousing center integrating warehousing, logistics, distribution, and delivery in nearby transportation hub locations to provide stable supply chain guarantees.

The "front store" is not only a sales window, but also a forward post for market research. Through feedback from offline stores, companies can accurately capture changes in the preferences of overseas consumers. The "back warehouse" monitors inventory in real time and dynamically adjusts replenishment plans. Relevant data is transmitted back to China in real time through the one-stop service platform, helping manufacturers quickly adjust product formulas, packaging designs, and even production plans, promoting flexible supply based on sales.

In the Zhejiang-Qiong Cooperation Industrial Park (浙琼合作产业园) located in Chengmai County (澄迈县), Hangzhou Qimeng Technology Co., Ltd. (杭州起梦科技有限公司), which has been deeply involved in cross-border e-commerce for many years, has new plans. "In order to allow companies to take fewer detours when going overseas, we have integrated the entire chain of services required for cross-border trade, such as international logistics, overseas warehouses, and cross-border payments, into the park, forming a full-chain closed loop of 'Hangzhou digital operation back office - Hainan Chengmai (海南澄迈) mid office - Australian market front office.'" The relevant person in charge of Qimeng Technology (起梦科技) said.

The "Implementation Plan of China (Hainan) Cross-border E-commerce Comprehensive Pilot Zone" (《中国（海南）跨境电子商务综合试验区实施方案》) issued in September 2025 proposes to build a one-stop service system covering logistics warehousing, marketing promotion, financing services, cross-border settlement, customs clearance services, and talent cultivation. Relying on policy support and the increasingly complete construction of cross-border data infrastructure, the Hainan Free Trade Port (海南自贸港) is cultivating fertile ground for the development of cross-border e-commerce. "We look forward to more small and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises and traditional foreign trade enterprises that hope to transform into cross-border retail coming to Hainan (海南) and using the one-stop service platform to jointly cultivate a new ecosystem," said Ruan Ning (阮宁).

Return to Top

The housing market is showing increasing signs of stability (People's Livelihood Perspective)

By: 关 澜

Recently, the real estate market's "small spring" has been eye-catching, showing positive signals.

From the perspective of housing prices, the prices of new and second-hand houses in first-tier cities have rebounded month-on-month. Data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (国家统计局) shows that in March, the month-on-month sales prices of newly built commercial residential buildings in first-tier cities changed from being flat in the previous month to an increase of 0.2%; the month-on-month sales prices of second-hand residential buildings changed from a decrease of 0.1% in the previous month to an increase of 0.4%, of which Beijing (北京), Shanghai (上海), Guangzhou (广州) and Shenzhen (深圳) increased by 0.6%, 0.4%, 0.2% and 0.4% respectively.

Not only that, among the 70 large and medium-sized cities, the month-on-month decline in housing prices in second- and third-tier cities has narrowed or remained flat; the number of cities with month-on-month increases in the prices of new and second-hand houses has increased compared with the previous month, indicating that the scope of market recovery has expanded.

From the perspective of transaction volume, market sales have shown marginal improvement. In March, nearly 20,000 second-hand houses were sold in Beijing (北京), a new high in nearly 15 months; more than 31,000 second-hand houses were sold in Shanghai (上海), a new high in nearly 5 years. Since April, the recovery of the real estate market in key cities has continued. From January to March, the sales area of newly built commercial housing nationwide was 195.25 million square meters, and the year-on-year decline narrowed by 3.1 percentage points compared with January to February.

From the perspective of inventory, initial results have been achieved in destocking. According to Yu Xiaofen (虞晓芬), Dean of the China Housing and Real Estate Research Institute of Zhejiang University of Technology (浙江工业大学), as of the end of March, the national commercial housing area for sale decreased year-on-year for the first time in 52 consecutive months, of which the year-on-year decline in the area of newly built commercial housing for sale for less than 3 years was 1.8%, indicating that the accumulated new market inventory since 2022 is being gradually digested.

Looking at these indicators together, it fully shows that the momentum of recovery in the real estate market is continuing to accumulate, market expectations have improved, and the stable trend is constantly strengthening.

This round of market recovery is not accidental. First, every year after the Spring Festival is often a peak season for transactions, with factors such as the release of seasonal backlog demand; second, the "combination punch" of policies has boosted market confidence. Since the end of last year, various localities have intensively introduced a series of policies to stabilize the real estate market, involving adjusting and reducing purchase restrictions, optimizing credit, and increasing provident fund support, etc., lowering the threshold and cost of reasonable home purchases, and leveraging rigid and improved housing demand; the supply side focuses on the guidance of "controlling increments, destocking, and optimizing supply," optimizing the land supply structure, and promoting the construction of "good houses," etc.

Data from the China Index Academy (中指研究院) shows that in the first quarter of this year, more than 100 cities (counties) across the country issued approximately 160 real estate-related policies. The increased intensity and accuracy of policy implementation in various localities have played an important role in restoring market confidence.

The trend of stabilization in the real estate industry is emerging, but the foundation still needs to be consolidated, and market differentiation is still a significant feature. For example, key cities such as Beijing (京) and Shanghai (沪) have seen recovery, but many third- and fourth-tier cities still face pressure; even in key cities with better performance, there are also gaps in sales performance between second-hand and new houses, main urban areas and remote suburbs, and different projects, showing the complexity and diversity of the market.

How to view the subsequent trend? According to Beike (贝壳) data, from the perspective of forward-looking indicators, the current viewing volume in Beijing (京) and Shanghai (沪) is relatively active, the number of new customers is higher than the same period last year, and the efficiency of viewing to transaction is also relatively normal. In March, the viewing volume in Shanghai (上海) increased by nearly 30% compared with January, providing strong support for subsequent transactions. As the replacement chain is gradually activated, market liquidity will be further restored.

Real estate has strong relevance and a wide range of involvement, and it is also a topic of particular concern to the people. From a medium- to long-term perspective, it is worthwhile to have more patience. With efforts on both the supply and demand sides, the steady advancement of "good house" construction, and the smooth transition of new and old models, the high-quality development of the real estate market is still worth looking forward to.

Return to Top

Heilongjiang Promotes Standardized Construction of Pneumoconiosis Rehabilitation Stations

This newspaper reported from Harbin (哈尔滨) on April 23rd (Reporter Guo Xiaolong (郭晓龙)). The Heilongjiang (黑龙江) Provincial Health and Wellness Commission recently released the progress of occupational disease prevention and control in Heilongjiang (黑龙江) Province.

Heilongjiang (黑龙江) Province issued and implemented the group standard "Construction and Service Specifications for Pneumoconiosis Rehabilitation Stations," promoting the standardized construction of pneumoconiosis rehabilitation stations and significantly improving the quality of rehabilitation services. In 2025, 2,803 employers and 209,600 workers completed occupational health examinations, and free occupational disease active monitoring was carried out for 12,000 workers in small and micro enterprises, safeguarding the health of workers. All 23 pneumoconiosis rehabilitation stations in the province have signed assistance agreements with traditional Chinese medicine hospitals in their jurisdictions, leveraging the advantages of traditional Chinese medicine to help patients recover. The Heilongjiang (黑龙江) Provincial Occupational Disease Specialist Alliance was established, with 36 member units covering 13 cities (prefecture-level) in the province, optimizing the distribution of diagnosis and treatment resources and helping to equalize occupational disease diagnosis and treatment services.

Return to Top

Chongqing explores a new path of modern governance for mega-cities with artificial intelligence as the key.

Mountains as bones, water as veins, bridges as chains, Chongqing (重庆), as a mega-city with characteristics of large mountainous areas, large reservoir areas, and large rural areas, has prominent three-dimensional landforms, complex water conditions, and integrated urban and rural forms, making urban governance complex and challenging. Chongqing (重庆) is addressing these challenges with a four-dimensional approach: strategic leadership, smooth mountain city travel, intelligent protection of the river city, and intelligent bridge management. This approach transforms AI technology from innovative applications into governance effectiveness, safety barriers, and people's well-being, forging a distinctive new path for intelligent governance in a western mountainous mega-city.

Strategic Leadership
Building the "Four Beams and Eight Pillars" of AI-Enabled Mega-City Governance

In recent years, Chongqing (重庆) has thoroughly implemented the "AI+" initiative, setting its sights on becoming a national AI application highland. It has issued the "Chongqing Municipality AI-Enabled Modern Governance Action Plan for Mega-Cities (2025-2027)" and the "Chongqing Municipality Promoting 'AI+' Action Plan." Relying on the construction of Digital Chongqing (数字重庆), it has built a solid digital foundation, constructed the "AI + Mega-City Governance" four beams and eight pillars, and supported it with policy guidance, data empowerment, scenario traction, and innovation-driven forces. It is building a national integrated computing power network Chengdu-Chongqing (成渝) national hub node at a high level, accelerating the promotion of the "Two Institutes and One Bay" innovation platform, and building a collaborative system of "government, industry, academia, research, application, and finance." Based on the "1361" system of Digital Chongqing (数字重庆), Chongqing (重庆) gives full play to its unique advantages, such as rich data in the whole region, abundant governance scenarios, and strong computing power support, deeply embedding AI into the entire chain of urban operation, providing solid support for solving the governance problems of mega-cities.

Smooth Mountain City Travel
Solving Three-Dimensional Urban Problems, Making City Operations More Efficient

The mountain is the city, and the city is the mountain. High-rise buildings, crisscrossing road networks, dense tunnels, and intertwined underground pipe networks not only create Chongqing's (重庆) unique style but also bring governance pain points such as poor traffic operation, safety hazards in three-dimensional spaces, high risks of dense underground pipelines, and insufficient patrol coverage. Chongqing (重庆) uses AI as the key to open up new spaces for refined governance of mountainous mega-cities.

Targeting traffic congestion relief and promotion of smooth flow, it has built a nationally leading AI+ urban traffic intelligent governance system. Integrating more than 70 types of traffic data, 1,857 road monitoring videos, 12,417 parking lot data, as well as multi-modal information such as bus and rail passenger flow and "people's calls, I act" traffic problems, it has created an intelligent matrix of abnormal congestion identification, intersection monitoring, traffic consultation, and problem intelligence convergence. The accuracy rate of abnormal event identification exceeds 95%. It has achieved full-domain monitoring of 37,500 road sections and 3,425 intersections in the central urban area, accurately locking 280 frequently congested and disordered points, and will complete closed-loop governance of 95 congested and disordered points in 2025. Peak hour vehicle speeds and bus sharing rates are steadily increasing, making citizens' travel smoother.

Intelligent Protection of the River City
Building a Bottom Line of Safety and Security, Making the City More Resilient

Chongqing (重庆) is surrounded by the Two Rivers (两江), has a long reservoir bank, and faces great flood season pressure. The water supply network is huge, and safety points are scattered, so it is necessary to firmly guard the foundation of safety. Chongqing (重庆) uses AI to build a full-cycle, full-element, and full-coverage resilient governance system, guarding the three lines of defense: underground, above ground, and water surface.

Ensuring the safety of the entire region's water supply and unblocking the "bloodline" of people's livelihood services. Based on the characteristics of complex water supply pipe networks and difficult scheduling in mountainous mega-cities, Chongqing (重庆) has built the country's first hydraulic model for water supply in mountainous mega-cities, innovatively creating two intelligent entities: intelligent burst pipe early warning and intelligent hydraulic scheduling. It has completed the full data entry of 16,160 kilometers of water supply pipe networks, 451 water plant facilities, and 137 key projects in the city, and has real-time access to 2,879 online sensing devices for metering, water quality, and water pressure, realizing online monitoring, intelligent scheduling, and rapid disposal of the entire process of urban water supply "extraction-production-transmission-distribution-use." At the same time, it launched the "Yu City Water Excellence" (渝城水优) and "Yu Water Pass" (渝水通) handheld service platforms, opening up convenient channels for government services and public affairs, allowing safe water, reliable water, and high-quality water to reach thousands of households.

Intelligent Bridge Management
Activating the Intelligent Efficiency of Roads, Bridges, Tunnels, and Rails, Making Collaborative Governance More Powerful

With ten thousand bridges flying across and roads, bridges, tunnels, and rails crisscrossing, the "City of Bridges" (桥都) is a bright calling card of Chongqing (重庆), but it also puts forward higher requirements for facility management, regional collaboration, and three-dimensional operation. Chongqing (重庆) uses artificial intelligence as a link to strengthen intelligent bridge and tunnel management and maintenance and carry out low-altitude intelligent patrols, making the "City of Bridges" more "intelligently governed."

Protecting the safety of bridge and tunnel facilities and building a "backbone" for urban operation. A basic information database of 2,823 bridges and 242 tunnels with full elements has been built, and 8,058 IoT sensing devices have been connected to achieve online supervision and full coverage of 30 districts and counties. The rate of regular inspection of structural facilities that should be inspected is over 98%, and 110 safety incidents have been handled in a closed loop. The "Bridge and Tunnel Intelligent Management" application allows AI to become a "digital housekeeper," guarding the safe operation of bridges and tunnels 24 hours a day, making every bridge across the river and every mountain tunnel feelable, knowable, and controllable.

Strengthening low-altitude intelligent patrols and weaving a "defense line" for three-dimensional management and maintenance. Creating an "AI + low-altitude intelligent inspection" scenario, building a "machine-tower linkage, air-ground integrated" urban full-domain three-dimensional perception system, providing aerial intelligent protection for the safe operation of road, bridge, tunnel, and rail facilities. Jiangjin District (江津区) and other districts and counties use drone inspections to accurately identify safety hazards in bridges, tunnels, and municipal roads, effectively eliminating blind spots in manual inspections; Iron Tower drones achieve "one flight, multiple tasks shared," comprehensively empowering bridge and tunnel management and maintenance, municipal facilities, traffic control, and other fields, weaving a safety protection network for urban infrastructure with three-dimensional intelligent inspections.

Data source: Chongqing Municipal Urban Management Bureau (重庆市城市管理局)

Return to Top

Editor in charge of this edition: Tang Tianyi, Liu Mengdan, Liu Zihe

Return to Top

Let More Financial "Black Mouth Big Vs" Have Nowhere to Hide (Economic Focus)

By: 本报记者 赵展慧

Illegal stock recommendations, rumor-mongering, market manipulation... Pseudo-financial "Big V" chaos is a "disaster area" in the capital market, not only directly infringing on the rights and interests of investors, but also seriously disrupting market operation order and endangering the network information environment. Recently, several cases of rectifying financial "black-mouth Big Vs" have been announced, with regulatory authorities acting quickly, verifying accurately, and handling harshly, which is both a warning and a "pit avoidance guide" for investors. What are the "routines" behind layers of packaging? What new approaches do regulatory authorities have? The reporter interviewed relevant departments and experts.

Packaging personas to illegally recommend stocks, joint investigations to hit lawbreakers "hard."

First, show off luxury cars and mansions on platforms such as Douyin and Weibo to establish a persona; then, show screenshots of investment returns and chat records with "big brothers," claiming "insider information, guaranteed profit"... Internet celebrity Wang (王某) gained a lot of "investment fans" through a series of operations. Victim Mr. Wang (王先生) first spent several thousand yuan on gifts to enter Wang's fan group, and in order to obtain more so-called "insider information," eventually transferred another 150,000 yuan to enter the so-called "core group."

Mr. Wang (王先生) is not an isolated case. Since August 2024, the Beijing Securities Regulatory Bureau (北京证监局) has successively received more than 40 reports regarding Wang's (王某) illegal stock recommendations. "The cumulative payment amount of more than 40 informants is about 5 million yuan, and the fees paid by other investors and the losses incurred from buying stocks may be far higher than this number." According to regulatory personnel from the Beijing Securities Regulatory Bureau (北京证监局), the investigation found that Wang (王某) did not have the qualifications for securities investment business at all, and his behavior constituted illegal securities investment consulting.

Subsequently, the Beijing Securities Regulatory Bureau (北京证监局) transferred the relevant clues and evidence to the public security organs, and the public security organs investigated and clarified Wang's (王某) criminal facts and transferred them to the procuratorial organs for processing. At the end of 2025, the court found Wang (王某) guilty of illegal business operations, illegally profiting more than 10 million yuan, and sentenced him to two years and six months in prison and fined him 15 million yuan in accordance with the law.

Zheng Naiquan (郑乃全), director of Beijing Zhongyan Law Firm (北京中衍律师事务所), said that Wang's (王某) modus operandi is a typical routine for illegal stock recommendations. Engaging in securities investment consulting business must obtain corresponding qualifications. Investors should be vigilant about the remarks of unqualified Big Vs, and if they suffer property losses, they should promptly report to the relevant departments.

Relying on the high traffic of online platforms, illegal securities investment consulting activities spread quickly, across regions, and have obvious non-real-name characteristics, which greatly increases the management difficulty of regulatory authorities. In response to the new regulatory challenges under the new media communication landscape, it is crucial to establish a cooperation mechanism between regulatory authorities.

In recent years, the Central Cyberspace Administration of China (中央网信办) has carried out multiple batches of "Qinglang" (清朗) actions, working with the China Securities Regulatory Commission (证监会) to thoroughly rectify online false and untrue information involving the capital market, and legally dispose of a number of accounts that fabricate rumors and illegally recommend stocks. At the same time, the China Securities Regulatory Commission (证监会) has joined forces with public security and judicial organs to increase the punishment of illegal and irregular behaviors such as information-based market manipulation.

In addition, online platforms have further strengthened their main responsibility. Douyin (抖音) released the "Douyin Community Financial Industry Convention (Trial Implementation)" (《抖音社区财经行业公约（试行）》), and WeChat (微信) released the "Video Account Financial Industry Convention" (《视频号金融行业公约》)... From strengthening identity qualification review at the source, to strengthening content review, timely disposal of illegal information, and severely cracking down on illegal and irregular behaviors, the entire chain regulatory system continues to improve, more effectively cutting off the chain of interests behind the illegal and irregular behaviors of pseudo-financial Big Vs.

True "insiders" spread false information, rapid investigation and handling to cut off the transmission chain.

A piece of false information, which should have been filtered out by professional practitioners, was instead used as a tool to attract traffic. Xu (徐某), an investment consultant from a securities investment consulting institution in Shenzhen (深圳), Guangdong (广东), was a true "insider" and also an online Big V. Without the company's review, he arbitrarily released false information through the company's business platform, disseminating it to 618 paid contracted customers; at the same time, he continued to compile the false information into a "small composition" and publish it on his WeChat (微信) public account, which has more than 87,000 subscribers.

Fortunately, this news was discovered by the regulatory authorities shortly after it was released. The Shenzhen Securities Regulatory Bureau (深圳证监局) quickly investigated and handled the case, and the false information was deleted within about 40 minutes. In response to the characteristics of rapid online information dissemination and easy changes in evidence, the Shenzhen Securities Regulatory Bureau (深圳证监局) quickly locked in data, solidified the evidence chain, and promptly carried out interviews. Xu (徐某) eventually made a statement of repentance and paid the fine on time.

"Professional identity and traffic-driven motives are new characteristics of online false information dissemination in recent years." According to relevant case handlers from the Shenzhen Securities Regulatory Bureau (深圳证监局), some violating Big Vs are themselves professional practitioners, and have a stronger endorsement effect than ordinary self-media accounts, making it easier for investors to blindly believe them. In Xu's (徐某) case, in just 40 minutes, his self-media article involved in the case had been read more than 2,000 times and forwarded 41 times.

"One minute faster can block a chain of false information dissemination." According to the relevant person in charge of the Shenzhen Securities Regulatory Bureau (深圳证监局), in the face of the exponential growth of online dissemination speed, "responding quickly" is the key. In recent years, the Shenzhen Securities Regulatory Bureau (深圳证监局) has explored the construction of a "system monitoring + regulatory attention" diversified dynamic monitoring mechanism, moving the risk disposal port forward, realizing the transformation from passive response to active early warning. In Xu's (徐某) case, the monitoring system locked in the abnormality in a short time after the rumor was released, and immediately activated the emergency disposal mechanism, effectively blocking further dissemination.

Deepening technological empowerment to achieve the transition from "human defense" to "technical defense" is increasingly becoming an important means to accurately combat the spread of false information in recent years. In addition to strengthening their own monitoring capabilities, regulatory authorities are also promoting platforms to improve intelligent monitoring models, strengthen the review of financial content released by self-media accounts, especially strengthening the review of financial short videos and live broadcast information content, and blocking the spread of false information faster and more accurately from the source.

"Investors should also keep their eyes open, invest rationally, not believe rumors, not spread rumors, and not easily believe so-called internal information. They should also recognize official channels for obtaining policy and market information, and protect their own wallets." Tian LiHui (田利辉), Dean of the Financial Development Research Institute of Nankai University (南开大学), said.

"Scalping" manipulation is more concealed, and penetration-style screening accurately cracks down on it in accordance with the law.

Without pulling groups or charging fees, how to harvest fans? Jin (金某), a network Big V in the Xueqiu (雪球) community, has long been exchanging and discussing stocks on the platform. First, he selects small-cap, low-circulation stocks with speculative value in advance based on market hotspots, and then centrally publishes stock recommendation articles implying that there are significant positive expectations for the relevant stocks, attracting fans to follow suit and trade, realizing the rise in stock prices, but he takes the opportunity to sell a large amount of stock. Most of the positions are cleared and sold on the same day and the next day after the stock recommendation information is released. Even during the shipment process, Jin (金某) continued to recommend stocks multiple times in order to stabilize the stock price, expressing strong optimism about the stock.

"This operation method of 'building positions in advance - posting stock recommendations - reverse selling' is consistent with the behavioral characteristics of 'scalping' manipulation." According to regulatory personnel from the Zhejiang Securities Regulatory Bureau (浙江证监局), Jin (金某) manipulated a total of 32 stocks through this method, with a transaction amount of 635 million yuan.

The operation method is very typical, but accurately identifying "bad apples" is not easy. "Judging from Jin's (金某) case, the means by which financial 'black-mouth Big Vs' spread and evade supervision are more diversified." According to the relevant person in charge of the Zhejiang Securities Regulatory Bureau (浙江证监局), on the one hand, the channels for releasing stock recommendation information have increased, and online information dissemination presents a cross-platform trend, bringing massive verification clues; on the other hand, the perpetrators have shifted from simple "paid stock recommendations" and "group stock recommendations" to more concealed forms to evade supervision. For example, using obscure code names to replace stock names, and implying optimism about stocks in the form of so-called sharing of trading feelings and position records.

The Zhejiang Securities Regulatory Bureau (浙江证监局) formed a special case team, and constructed a "penetration-style" clue screening system through multi-dimensional technical means such as all-round monitoring and intelligent analysis, verified a large number of transaction records and online information, accurately identified abnormal indicators, and quickly locked in the person involved, Jin (金某). Finally, the Zhejiang Securities Regulatory Bureau (浙江证监局) confiscated Jin's (金某) illegal income of more than 40 million yuan in accordance with the law, imposed a fine of more than 40 million yuan, and took a 3-year securities market ban measure.

The accurate crackdown on "scalping" manipulation not only benefits from the upgrading of technical means, but also relies on the continuously improving rule of law. "In Jin's (金某) case, the party concerned once argued that he was not a professional institution practitioner, but the professional qualifications or background of the actor is not a necessary element for the constitution of 'scalping' manipulation, and does not affect the determination." According to relevant case handlers.

Judging from the rectification cases announced in recent years, the determination of illegal behaviors such as illegally carrying out securities business and manipulating the market has solid legal basis such as the Securities Law. At the same time, relevant institutional norms are also accelerating their improvement. In 2022, the "Code of Conduct for Online Anchors" (《网络主播行为规范》) was released, which put forward requirements for the professional qualifications of anchors in the fields of finance and finance. The China Securities Regulatory Commission (证监会) also clarified the qualification requirements for personnel engaged in securities investment consulting business through computer networks by revising the "Interim Provisions on Securities Investment Advisory Business" (《证券投资顾问业务暂行规定》) and the "Interim Provisions on Strengthening Supervision of Securities Investment Consulting Business Using 'Stock Recommendation Software'" (《关于加强对利用“荐股软件”从事证券投资咨询业务监管的暂行规定》) and other rules and regulations. At the end of last year, the Central Cyberspace Administration of China (中央网信办) issued the "Notice on Regulating the Behavior Management of Online Celebrity Accounts" (《关于规范网络名人账号行为管理的通知》), which delineated the red line of behavior for online celebrity accounts with 13 negative lists of behaviors, effectively curbing the bad orientation of "traffic supremacy."

The continuous improvement of laws and regulations, technological means, and regulatory systems is constantly compressing the living space of "black-mouth Big Vs" and weaving a tight security network for investors. "While increasing supervision and crackdown efforts, we must also adhere to the equal emphasis on standardization and guidance. Regulatory authorities, financial institutions, and news media should further enhance their ability to guide public opinion, guide financial Big Vs to give play to their advantages of having a large number of fans and being close to the people, and jointly produce and disseminate high-quality financial science content." Ye Lin (叶林), professor at the Law School of Renmin University of China (中国人民大学), said that it is necessary to fundamentally compress the living space of financial "small compositions" by disseminating more legal and compliant, vivid and easy-to-understand financial "big compositions," and jointly create a clear and orderly network environment and protect the stable operation of the market.

Return to Top

Accelerate the Construction of a Standardization System for Trade in Services

This newspaper's Beijing (北京) April 23rd dispatch (Reporter Luo Shanshan (罗珊珊)) The Ministry of Commerce (商务部) and the State Administration for Market Regulation (市场监管总局) jointly formulated the "Service Trade Standardization Work Action Plan (2026-2030)", proposing that by 2030, a standard system covering multiple fields and the entire chain of service trade, and adapting to the needs of high-quality development of service trade, will be basically established. The supply of standards will be expanded, international influence will be enhanced, China's ability to participate in international standardization governance of service trade will be strengthened, and the role of standards in leading the high-quality development of service trade, promoting institutional opening-up in the service sector, and supporting high-quality development will be further highlighted.

The action plan puts forward a series of policy measures from four aspects: accelerating the construction of a service trade standardization work system, strengthening the supply of standards in key areas, promoting the internationalization of service trade standards, and consolidating the foundation for standardization development. It strives to improve the national service trade standardization work capacity, cultivate a number of service trade standardization technical institutions and leading groups, promote the formulation of a number of service trade standards in key areas, take the lead or participate in the formulation of a number of service trade international standards, and significantly improve the level of service trade standardization in five years.

Return to Top

5G Mobile Phone Users Reach 1.254 Billion

This newspaper's Beijing (北京) April 23rd dispatch (Reporter Wang Zheng (王政)): The latest data released by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (工业和信息化部) shows that as of the end of March, China's (中国) 5G mobile phone users reached 1.254 billion, a net increase of 49.53 million compared with the end of last year, accounting for 68.3% of mobile phone users.

The construction of 5G networks continues to deepen. As of the end of March, the total number of 5G base stations reached 4.958 million, a net increase of 120,000 compared with the end of last year, accounting for 38.2% of the total number of mobile base stations, an increase of 0.6 percentage points compared with the end of last year. The scale of fixed broadband access users has steadily expanded, and the number of gigabit users continues to grow. As of the end of March, the total number of fixed Internet broadband access users of the three basic telecommunications companies reached 697 million, a net increase of 5.841 million compared with the end of last year. The number of mobile Internet of Things terminal users has grown rapidly, and Internet TV (IPTV, OTT) has steadily increased. As of the end of March, the three basic telecommunications companies developed 2.948 billion mobile Internet of Things terminal users, a net increase of 59.54 million compared with the end of last year. The number of Internet TV (IPTV, OTT) users reached 410 million, a net increase of 1.887 million compared with the end of last year.

Return to Top

The 139th Canton Fair Phase 2 Opens

This newspaper Guangzhou (广州) April 23rd (Reporters Li Gang (李刚) and Hong Qiuting (洪秋婷)) The second phase of the 139th Canton Fair opened on the 23rd in Guangzhou (广州), Guangdong (广东). Reporters learned from the China Foreign Trade Center (中国对外贸易中心) that the second phase of this Canton Fair focuses on the theme of "Quality Home," with an exhibition area of 515,000 square meters and 25,000 booths, including three major sections: household products, gifts and decorations, and building materials and furniture. Four new sections have been set up: fashion accessories, bamboo and wood tableware, bamboo and wood household products, and integrated housing and courtyard facilities.

The second phase of this Canton Fair builds a global and efficient docking platform, attracting Fortune 500 companies such as Walmart (沃尔玛) of the United States, Tesco (乐购) of the United Kingdom, and Carrefour (家乐福) of France, as well as the world's top 250 retailers, to attend the fair for procurement again. Innovative products drive the upgrading of foreign trade. The new products released in the second phase of the Canton Fair combine practicality and technology, enhance the momentum of foreign trade through innovative manufacturing, and lead the new trend of home furnishing. New products such as intelligent grillers and new-style standing lid kitchenware have attracted many merchants to consult and learn about them.

Return to Top

Advertisement

Return to Top

Editor in Charge for This Edition: Lü Zhongzheng, Wu Kai, Han Wenrong

Return to Top

Upholding the Contract, Building Good Cars for Users: Great Wall Motor's Full-Scenario Product Matrix Debuts at Auto China 2026

Return to Top

Honing Real Skills, Bidding Farewell to "Inability to Act" (People's Perspective: Comprehensively Enhancing the Modernization Capacity of the Cadre Team)

By: 本报记者 范昊天 徐驭尧 焦思雨

Introduction

Li Hongxing (李红星), a post-95s cadre in Shigatse (日喀则市), Tibet (西藏), was a "three-door cadre" when he first started working: leaving home, going to school, and entering the government office, lacking practical experience at the grassroots level. More than two years ago, he was assigned by the organization to "hang down" as the deputy township chief of Tinggye Township (定结乡), Tinggye County (定结县) for a year, living and eating in the township. He shed his immaturity and grew into a "three-capable cadre" who can "write when sitting down, speak when standing up, and work when going out."

"Currently, technological innovation is advancing by leaps and bounds, social changes are widespread and profound, and new things are emerging one after another. The quality and ability of some cadres cannot keep up, and there is a 'competency panic,' especially when they are at a loss and fearful when encountering complex situations."

Facing the "competency panic" of cadres head-on, since 2023, Shigatse (日喀则市) has selected and dispatched two batches of 265 cadres to carry out one-year inter-departmental, inter-level, and inter-field mutual exchanges and training. In addition, three batches of 153 cadres from municipal units have gone to counterpart support provinces for temporary positions.

Soft shoulders cannot carry heavy burdens. On the new journey, leading cadres must not only have broad shoulders to take responsibility, but also have the real skills to accomplish things. How to enable cadres who are not good at doing things to be able to do good things? Recently, reporters visited Hubei (湖北), Tibet (西藏), Ningxia (宁夏) and other places.

Temporary Job Record

Inter-departmental, inter-level, and inter-field mutual dispatch of cadres for temporary positions to make up for shortcomings, strengthen weaknesses, and promote performance in practice.

In 2015, Li Hongxing (李红星) graduated from the School of Public Health of Lanzhou University (兰州大学) with a bachelor's degree and was admitted to the Shigatse (日喀则市) Municipal Health Commission (卫生健康委), where he was assigned to work in the Medical Administration and Drug Administration and Occupational Health Section. At first, his major being relevant gave him a lot of confidence. Unexpectedly, an unsuccessful medical dispute mediation made him realize his own shortcomings.

At that time, a medical dispute occurred in the Shigatse People's Hospital (日喀则市人民医院), and the section chief took Li Hongxing (李红星) to the scene to deal with it. Although similar mediation scenarios had been simulated many times in university classes, Li Hongxing (李红星) was a little timid when he really faced the disputing parties, and stammered for a long time before squeezing out a sentence: "Let's not argue, according to the policy..." The draft he had prepared in advance did not hit the point, but only listed the policies dryly. How could the disputing parties listen?

The section chief quickly took over the conversation, not mentioning the policy in every sentence, but not leaving the policy in every sentence, slowly calming the emotions of both parties and resolving the conflict.

"You can't copy the experience and practices from books, and you can't just sit in the office and read materials. Medical administration work must go down to the grassroots level to be grounded, so that you have the confidence to deal with problems." After this incident, Li Hongxing (李红星) felt deeply.

He wanted to seriously make up for "this lesson" at the grassroots level, but the municipal organs had limited manpower, and they were busy with handling documents, holding meetings, and handling affairs, and there were few opportunities to go out on their own.

Li Hongxing's (李红星) troubles reflect a common problem: home-school-office, is the growth route of many young cadres. They are not short of professional knowledge, but lack practical experience.

Looking at the townships again. The Organization Department of the Shigatse (日喀则市) Municipal Party Committee found in its research that some township cadres are often buried in busy and complicated daily trivial matters, lacking systematic planning in their work and failing to accurately grasp macro policies. Many cadres suggested that they hope to have the opportunity to study in higher-level organs.

There are problems with cadres in both the organs and the grassroots level who are not good at doing things. Can they be solved together?

In October 2023, Shigatse (日喀则市) launched the "Two-way Temporary Position" training and growth plan, and the first batch selected 140 outstanding young cadres to carry out one-year inter-departmental, inter-level, and inter-field mutual exchanges and training - including 70 cadres from municipal units, including Li Hongxing (李红星), "hanging down" as deputy secretaries of township party committees and deputy township chiefs, and 70 township cadres "hanging up" as deputy positions in internal sections of municipal units. In addition, 65 local cadres were "hanging out" in counterpart support provinces to exchange and study in municipal units.

Cadres taking temporary positions is "refining gold" not "gilding." At the beginning of selecting cadres for temporary positions, Shigatse (日喀则市) established a list of knowledge needs, professional needs, and job task lists for the selected target units (townships), and clarified the temporary position fields such as high-quality development of the plateau economy and comprehensive revitalization of the countryside. According to the comprehensive quality, growth experience, and professional expertise of cadres, temporary positions are assigned in a planned manner.

More than 200 kilometers away from the urban area, with an average altitude of more than 4,000 meters, Tinggye Township (定结乡), Tinggye County (定结县), where Li Hongxing (李红星) "hangs down," has a permanent population of more than 1,500 people and is a typical agricultural and pastoral township. He lives and eats in the township, and goes to the villages to investigate whenever he has time, chatting with the people and asking about their needs.

"The masses are the best teachers, and the grassroots level is the best classroom. Only by finding out the real situation can we do practical things for the people." After carefully sorting out the needs fed back by the villagers, Li Hongxing (李红星) successively organized more than 300 people in the township to participate in the free clinic activities of the municipal hospital going to the countryside, and carried out business training for 12 village doctors in the township...

Cadres taking temporary positions should "hang their hearts, hang their affairs, and hang their responsibilities." The Organization Department of the Shigatse (日喀则市) Municipal Party Committee requires improving the daily work assessment mechanism for cadres taking temporary positions, combining attendance and on-the-job performance to establish a growth file for cadres taking temporary positions. After the expiration of the temporary position, the organization department will, together with the sending unit and the temporary position unit, assess and evaluate the cadres taking temporary positions, and the evaluation results will be used as an important basis for evaluation, commendation, and promotion.

Because of his excellent performance during the temporary position, Li Hongxing (李红星) was promoted to the chief of the Grassroots Health and Maternal and Child Health Section of the Shigatse (日喀则市) Municipal Health Commission (卫生健康委) in May last year. He said that the one-year grassroots temporary position experience made him more confident when participating in the formulation of relevant policies, and he could better consider problems from the perspective of the grassroots level.

In the same batch of temporary positions as Li Hongxing (李红星), Fu Zekun (付泽坤) and Dunzhu (顿珠) also had their own transformations: Fu Zekun (付泽坤), the organization member of the Jima Township (吉玛乡) Party Committee in Zhongba County (仲巴县), who has been rooted in the township for many years, made up for his shortcomings in policy theory and jumped out of the limitations of "one-third of an acre" after "hanging up" in the Organization Department of the Shigatse (日喀则市) Municipal Party Committee for a year; Dunzhu (顿珠), the chief of the Farmland Construction Section of the Shigatse (日喀则市) Municipal Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau, brought back many good experiences and practices from Qingdao (青岛), Shandong (山东) to the plateau after "hanging out" in the Qingdao (青岛) Municipal Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau for one month.

"Organ cadres 'sink down' to be grounded, and grassroots cadres 'rise up' to broaden their horizons, making up for their ability shortcomings in two-way efforts." Song Xiaowei (宋晓威), deputy section chief of the Cadre Management Section of the Organization Department of the Shigatse (日喀则市) Municipal Party Committee, introduced that Shigatse (日喀则市) will continue to implement the "Two-way Temporary Position" training and growth plan to promote cadres who are not good at doing things to be able to do, be good at, and be good at doing things.

Job Transfer Record

Putting the right people in the right positions, promoting the adaptation of people to positions, and letting professional people do professional things.

Li Yaxin (李亚新), a post-90s cadre in Yinchuan (银川市), Ningxia (宁夏), took the initiative to apply to transfer from the Municipal Party Committee Organization Department to the Municipal Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau.

In June 2022, the Organization Department of the Yinchuan (银川市) Municipal Party Committee issued a work plan for the professional exchange of young section-level cadres. Staring at the document on the computer screen, Li Yaxin (李亚新), who had just been promoted to a third-level staff member, became more and more determined with each reading - "Why don't I give it a try?"

Li Yaxin (李亚新) studied animal science as an undergraduate and animal husbandry as a graduate student, studying agronomy at Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University (西北农林科技大学) for six years. After graduating in 2018, he was admitted to the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region (宁夏回族自治区) selection of students, and after three years of training in grassroots positions in Helan County (贺兰县), Yinchuan (银川市), he was selected and sent to work in the Organization Department of the Yinchuan (银川市) Municipal Party Committee.

The atmosphere in the Organization Department is good, and the leaders also value him, but Li Yaxin (李亚新) often feels inadequate, especially when he is a little daunted by official document writing.

To this end, he has put in a lot of "stupid effort." For a period of time, he wrote materials all night long, but he never got the hang of it, and the manuscript was changed into a "big painted face."

"The leader's original intention was to train me into a compound talent who is both literary and scientific, but after my efforts, I found that I am more suitable for deep cultivation in the field I am good at." After hesitating again and again, Li Yaxin (李亚新) found Gao Yuze (高瑜泽), the then head of the section and now the deputy minister of the Organization Department of the Yinchuan (银川市) Municipal Party Committee, and confided his feelings, "I was born in the countryside, grew up in the countryside, and studied agronomy for six years, so I have feelings for agriculture."

"To tell you the truth, I am reluctant to let you go. You are a high-achieving student from a famous school, and now you are undertaking a lot of work. Once you leave, we have to re-select people and re-train..." Gao Yuze (高瑜泽) was silent for a moment and said, "But from the perspective of personal development, going to the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau may be able to give better play to your professional advantages. If you have thought about it, we respect your decision."

Having been engaged in organizational and personnel work for many years, Gao Yuze (高瑜泽) fully understands Li Yaxin's (李亚新) troubles. In 2021, the Organization Department of the Yinchuan (银川市) Municipal Party Committee found in its survey that the problem of learning is not used in the professional cadre team is more prominent -

On the one hand, there is a shortage of professional talents in various departments and units that are needed for high-quality development, and to a certain extent, they are facing problems such as a lack of successors. On the other hand, limited by the civil servant recruitment policy and the current situation of mixed staffing in grassroots units, a group of talents with high academic qualifications and outstanding professional skills have not been arranged to suitable professional positions after being recruited as civil servants, and their professional advantages have not been fully utilized.

If you can't use your strength and can't use your energy, it is inevitable that you will not be good at doing things in your work.

"To put the right people in the right positions, the organization department must play a coordinating role, promote the adaptation of people to positions, and solve the problem from the system level." Liu Jinliang (刘晋良), chief of the Second Cadre Section of the Organization Department of the Yinchuan (银川市) Municipal Party Committee, introduced that the Organization Department of the Yinchuan (银川市) Municipal Party Committee spent several months conducting a systematic survey on the problem of cadres not being good at doing things and the mismatch between people and positions.

According to the needs of major projects, key industries, and important work in the city, the survey team of the Organization Department of the Yinchuan (银川市) Municipal Party Committee went deep into the front line for discussions, screened 93 municipal departments and units and more than 2,300 section-level cadres one by one, forming a "city-wide urgently needed and short-supplied section-level cadre database" and a "deployable professional cadre database" to find out the city's cadre resources.

In June 2022, Yinchuan (银川市) officially launched the professional exchange work for young section-level cadres, and for young section-level cadres whose positions do not match their majors, whose adaptation between people and positions is low, and whose roles are not fully utilized, but who have the potential for development, the Municipal Party Committee Organization Department will coordinate and arrange them to be accurately transferred across departments and levels to positions with strong professionalism and urgent needs for career development to play a greater value.

"Letting professional people do professional things sounds simple, but it is not easy to do." Liu Jinliang (刘晋良) admitted frankly that it is inevitable that the leaders of the departments will be reluctant to exchange the "good seedlings" of each department. However, for the long-term development of talents and careers, the leaders of the Organization Department of the Yinchuan (银川市) Municipal Party Committee came forward to coordinate and do work one by one to ensure that "the original unit is willing to let people go" and "the new unit is willing to accept them."

Li Yaxin's (李亚新) transfer application was quickly approved, and his original position was also determined to be replaced by Hai Rui (海睿), a selected student who graduated from Zhejiang University (浙江大学) in 2019 and previously served as the organization member of the Liangtian Town (良田镇) Party Committee in Jinfeng District (金凤区), Yinchuan (银川市), familiar with grassroots party building work. The Organization Department exchanged a young man and welcomed another young man. Gao Yuze (高瑜泽) solved the problem of the lack of successors that he was originally worried about.

In September 2022, Li Yaxin (李亚新) reported to the Yinchuan (银川市) Municipal Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau as one of the first batch of professional exchange cadres. Meng Fangying (孟仿英), the then director of the Yinchuan (银川市) Municipal Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau, served as his mentor.

Do a good job in the "second half" of the professional exchange of cadres. The Organization Department of the Yinchuan (银川市) Municipal Party Committee issued implementation opinions on strengthening the selection, education, management, use, and guidance of cadres, arranging a comrade with good political quality, rich experience, and strong professional ability to serve as a mentor for each professional exchange cadre, formulating a training plan, conducting dynamic return visits, and promptly grasping the growth of cadres, and providing targeted guidance for their ideological confusion and work difficulties.

"Putting professional cadres in professional positions does not permanently label them with the 'organizational training'." Liu Jinliang (刘晋良) said that if cadres do not play their due role after being exchanged to new positions, the organization will adjust them in due course according to the assessment results.

With his excellent professional ability, Li Yaxin (李亚新) was soon able to stand alone, and since June 2024, he has served as the chief of the Rural Industry and Market Section of the Municipal Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau. As the executive head of the Yinchuan (银川市) Milk Industry Special Class, Li Yaxin (李亚新) went deep into the front line of the industry to conduct research, took the lead in drafting the implementation plan to promote the high-quality development of the dairy processing industry, and helped dairy processing enterprises increase their production capacity by 75%.

In September 2025, Li Yaxin (李亚新) applied to his alma mater to pursue a doctoral degree in animal husbandry while working. "I fully support you in taking care of both work and study." Cao Yunpeng (曹云鹏), director of the Yinchuan (银川市) Municipal Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau, readily signed his approval.

Aren't you worried that he will seek a better job after graduation? Someone asked Cao Yunpeng (曹云鹏). "I'm not worried at all. If he can play a greater role on a higher platform in the future, I will be the first to agree to let him go. Talents should be placed in the most suitable positions." Cao Yunpeng (曹云鹏) said.

To date, Yinchuan (银川市) has carried out five batches of professional cadre adaptation exchanges, and 128 section-level and below cadres have been exchanged to professional counterpart positions. The organization is good at using them, and encourages cadres to be good at doing things. More than 30% of the professional exchange cadres in Yinchuan (银川市) have been promoted due to their outstanding performance.

Growth Record

Forging hard backbones and iron shoulders to shoulder heavy responsibilities, and putting young cadres in difficult positions to strengthen their muscles and bones.

In the past, she was "afraid of receiving visitors," but now she is "good at mediation." Wu Shuangshuang (吴双双), a cadre in Wangchang Town (汪场镇), Tianmen (天门市), Hubei (湖北), has been working in the town's Comprehensive Management Center for five years after transferring from the town's Party Committee Organization Office, and is no longer afraid of handling complex issues such as petitions.

"If you don't solve it for me, I'll come every day!" Xu (徐) from Wangchang Town (汪场镇) was full of grievances and indignation. She came to petition early in the morning because of a land dispute with her neighbor.

"Please sit down first, have a sip of water and speak slowly, we will verify it carefully." Wu Shuangshuang (吴双双) listened attentively, occasionally interjecting to comfort her. After Xu (徐) calmed down, she combined the relevant provisions of the Civil Code, analyzed them clearly, and gave a solution. In the end, Xu (徐) adopted Wu Shuangshuang's (吴双双) suggestion.

This calmness comes from the experience and growth in difficult positions.

Wu Shuangshuang (吴双双) is a post-90s, graduated from the Three Gorges University (三峡大学) with a major in public administration. In the early years, she mainly engaged in clerical work in the Town Party Committee Organization Office - sending and receiving documents, uploading and distributing, and the content was relatively simple. Once, a petitioner came to the office to seek an explanation, and it happened that only Wu Shuangshuang (吴双双) was present. The other party was emotional, and Wu Shuangshuang (吴双双) took out the documents to explain, but failed to persuade her. She was so anxious that her face turned red and she almost shed tears.

The knife is sharpened on the stone, and people are trained on things. In 2019, Hubei (湖北) issued ten opinions to encourage and care for grassroots cadres, which proposed that outstanding young grassroots cadres with potential and development prospects should be selected and sent to key positions for a complete term of office training.

In 2021, according to the overall arrangements of higher-level departments, the town party committee decided to select and send Wu Shuangshuang (吴双双) to work in the Town Comprehensive Management Center. At first, she was a little daunted.

"Only by taking more 'hot potatoes' can you become an expert." Yang Dongbin (杨冬彬), the then deputy secretary of the Wangchang Town (汪场镇) Party Committee, enlightened her, saying that although petition work is thorny, it is related to the urgent needs and expectations of the masses. "Only by facing difficulties can you be tempered into steel and turn 'hot' into 'smooth'."

After Wu Shuangshuang (吴双双) transferred to work in the Comprehensive Management Center, the town party committee arranged a member of the leadership team to "pass on, help, and lead," teaching her how to appease the emotions of the masses and find a breakthrough in the conflict. Once, when dealing with a village dispute, Wu Shuangshuang (吴双双) tried to use the "back-to-back" mediation method she had learned, listening to the demands and explaining the laws and regulations separately, and finally促成双方和解 (cù chéng shuāng fāng hé jiě - "promote both sides reconcile," to bring about reconciliation between two parties). This greatly increased her confidence.

"Only by daring to take 'hot potatoes' and being more of a 'hot pot ant' can you develop a 'big heart'." Wu Shuangshuang (吴双双) is now able to handle petition events independently, and has participated in resolving more than 40 disputes and handling more than 30 petition cases, with a satisfaction rate of more than 95% among the masses.

2025 is the "Cadre Quality Improvement Year" determined by the Hubei (湖北) Provincial Party Committee. In this year, relying on the main position of the Party School, Hubei (湖北) opened 938 various thematic classes and trained 61,000 people; each city and county selected and sent 4,582 cadres to key positions such as major projects, petition and stability maintenance, and optimization of the business environment for exchange and appointment.

Learning while doing, doing while learning. Last September, Wu Shuangshuang (吴双双) participated in the Tianmen (天门市) cadre training class on "Strict Discipline and Work Style to Improve Ability and Quality." From the practice of the "Fengqiao Experience" in the new era to the interpretation of the People's Mediation Law, the 17 special lectures in 4 working days were in-depth and easy to understand, and full of dry goods. The training department also arranged Wu Shuangshuang (吴双双) and other rotating cadres to share their experiences in connection with actual business.

This year, Hubei (湖北) is deepening and expanding the "Cadre Quality Improvement Year," anchoring the continuous improvement of cadres' ability to promote high-quality development, and conducting inspections and identifying cadres in key and difficult positions, urgent and dangerous tasks, and major project front lines.
This year, Hubei is deepening and expanding the "Year of Improving Cadre Quality," focusing on continuously enhancing the ability of cadres to promote high-quality development, and conducting in-depth inspections and identification of cadres in key and challenging positions, urgent, difficult, and dangerous tasks, and major project frontlines.

"Putting young cadres in challenging positions to strengthen their bones and muscles is the only way to forge a hard backbone and iron shoulders capable of shouldering heavy responsibilities." Cong Jinjun (从进军), member of the Standing Committee of the Tianmen (天门) Municipal Party Committee and Minister of the Organization Department, said that urgent, difficult, and dangerous positions are the "training ground" and "touchstone" for young cadres to temper their skills and test their responsibilities. They will continue to select and send young cadres to key positions for exchanges and appointments to solve the problems of a single work experience and insufficient experience.

(This series of reports concludes here)

Return to Top

Enabling "unwilling" cadres to become capable and willing (Some Thoughts)

By: 范昊天

Some cadres are not good at their jobs and experience a "competency panic," which is both a matter of ability and, to some extent, reflects deficiencies in the training and use of cadres. Some face new situations and challenges where old methods don't work and they don't know how to use new ones; some have been in the office for too long and are "unaccustomed to the new environment" (水土不服 (shuǐ tǔ bù fú - "unaccustomed to the water and soil," to be unaccustomed to a new environment)); some have the wrong specialty and can't use their enthusiasm.

The primary way to help cadres who are not good at their jobs overcome "competency panic" is to encourage them to study the Party's innovative theories, thoroughly understand the Party Central Committee's (党中央) major policies and decisions, and improve their political and strategic thinking abilities. On this basis, identify the root cause and enhance cadres' ability to do well and achieve success through precise empowerment, practical training, and institutional guarantees, and stimulate their potential for entrepreneurship.

Giving cadres the "skills" is a prerequisite for solving the problem of being unskilled. Today, with the acceleration of technological iteration and the continuous improvement of refined governance requirements, many cadres' "knowledge base" is facing the risk of being overdrawn. Carry out targeted training for cadres' knowledge gaps and experience blind spots, change "extensive irrigation" to "precision drip irrigation," and change "passive listening" to "first-line practical operation," in order to help cadres master the "few tricks" to solve complex problems.

Letting cadres get "mud" on their feet is the key to solving the problem of being unskilled. Cadres' abilities and qualities are never "sat" out in the office. Encourage cadres to go out of the office, go to the grassroots, go down to the front line, understand the real situation in face-to-face communication with the masses, accumulate experience in solving practical problems such as industrial development and people's livelihood services, and struggle in the "hotbeds of contradictions," so that cadres can fade away from the bookishness, get the fragrance of the soil, and develop iron shoulders that can carry things and achieve success.

Letting cadres be in their "position" is a long-term solution to the problem of being unskilled. Selecting the right people and using them in the right way is the most effective and direct incentive. Knowing people and being good at their jobs is the key to matching people to jobs and making personnel arrangements appropriate. It is necessary to establish and improve a selection and appointment system that prioritizes morality, appoints people on their merits, and makes personnel arrangements appropriate, accurately identifies cadres' professional expertise and potential abilities, improves the dynamic allocation mechanism of cadres, promotes cross-regional, cross-departmental, and cross-industry exchanges and appointments, and realizes that everyone can do their best and make the best use of their talents.

Solving the problem of cadres being unskilled requires not only cadres to practice diligently, study diligently, and practice hard, but also organizations to build platforms to empower them and implement precise policies. Strengthening the foundation with professional training, honing skills with grassroots practice, and improving efficiency with matching people to jobs, working together in the same direction and making long-term efforts, can forge a team of outstanding cadres who are good at doing things and achieving success, and write a wonderful answer sheet for the start of the "Fifteenth Five-Year Plan."

Return to Top

Editors of this page: Yang Yan, Sun Zhen, Dai Linfeng, Liu Yurui

Layout Design: Shen Yiling (沈亦伶)

Return to Top

When Robots Fall for Street Dance (Sports Tech Style: Athlete Robots)

The integration of technology with sports and art deepens as robots take to the street dance arena. The robot's journey through several iterations to become a "dance king" reflects China's exploration of technological innovation and embodies the relentless pursuit of excellence and self-challenge. This is not only a cross-border "collision" but also a unique expression of the sporting spirit in the intelligent era.
—Editor

To Become a "Dance King," I Worked Very Hard

—"Self-narration" of a Steel Dancer

Hello everyone, I am a humanoid robot from the Robo-Style Knight team (see Figure 1, photo by Ye Zirong (叶子榕)), and I won the "Mecha Dance King Award" at the inaugural International Humanoid Robot Street Dance Invitational Tournament.

Many people are curious: How can a robot transform from a hunk of iron into a "dance king"? My story is not simple.

I was born in Unitree Robotics. I am 127 centimeters tall, weigh 35 kilograms, and have 29 joint motors all over my body. When I first joined the Knight team, I didn't know how to dance. Professor Zhu Xiaoshu (朱晓姝) of the Guangxi Artificial Intelligence Academy, who leads the VitaRobot team, and Guilin CEC Guangxin Technology Co., Ltd. (桂林中电广信科技有限公司) constantly trained me and helped me overcome many difficulties.

How do robots learn to dance? The first step is to complete action capture. The team invited professional dancers to wear motion capture equipment to collect various data. They broke down the dance into action samples that I could easily understand and train directly with, laying a good foundation for my dance journey.

After that, the data was continuously iterated in the simulation training software. I constantly engaged in deep learning and reinforcement learning, repeatedly refining my dance skills, training in rounds of one or two seconds each. Over three months, I completed millions of rounds of learning. Finally, the team created a neural network strategy model that could directly control my dancing.

After installing the model, I could dance, but the completion of the movements was not high, and I would fall if I wasn't careful. To protect me from being damaged by falls, team members stayed by my side every time I practiced, repeatedly reaching out to catch me when I lost my balance and fell. Every time I fell, everyone carefully recorded the problem, repeatedly adjusted the motor parameters, optimized gait control, and corrected action details, and calibrated any lags one by one.

Once the movements were stable and the balance was accurate, I needed to work harder to dance well. The team refined the dancer's rhythm of exertion several times, transforming twists, pauses, and movements into precise parameters. Through countless iterations and optimizations, I was finally able to keep up with the drumbeats and hit the rhythm accurately. I fell in love with street dance.

Just like humans can encounter unexpected situations in competitions, we robots also need to improvise during competitions. At the inaugural International Humanoid Robot Street Dance Invitational Tournament, I partnered with another robot. The team originally wanted to use group control to make us dance in sync, but the signal at the venue was chaotic, and we couldn't align no matter what. With less than two hours before the start of the competition, team leader Ding Feng (丁峰) led the team to decisively switch to collaborative control. Humans precisely controlled the field, and we took advantage of the situation to present a wonderful performance, competing with more than 10 teams from countries and regions such as Italy, Malaysia, and Vietnam, and ultimately winning the championship.

People often say, "A scholar who has been away for three days must be looked at with new eyes" (士别三日，当刮目相看 - shì bié sān rì, dāng guā mù xiāng kàn - "scholar departs three days, should scrape eyes look," people must be viewed with new respect after even a short separation due to their progress). This sentence is also very suitable for us robots. At the end of last year, I only knew how to dance street dance. Now I have more sports skills, and I am proficient in Yingge dance, Taijiquan, and more. In the recent Guangxi "March 3rd" (三月三) related activities, I also learned the bamboo dance and performed with human dancers by the Minge Lake (民歌湖), attracting many tourists to shuttle and experience with me between the bamboo poles. Now, I have become a veritable all-around mecha dancer.

I am a small humanoid robot and also a vivid example of the integration of industry, academia, and research in Guangxi. In the future, I will continue to upgrade, unlock more exciting dance moves, and bring more people closer to interesting and useful cutting-edge technologies.

(Our reporter Zhang Yunhe (张云河) interviewed and compiled)

Expanding the Boundaries of Sports Dance with Technology
Our reporter Wang Jue (王珏)

In recent years, as breaking in street dance has become a project in comprehensive sports events such as the Olympic Games and the Asian Games, and as humanoid robots have also taken to the stage and are increasingly improving their dance moves, this sport has attracted more and more attention and love in more diverse forms and with a more enthusiastic state.

In the view of Xia Rui (夏锐), Executive Deputy Director and Secretary-General of the Street Dance Committee of the China Dancers Association, street dance originated from street culture and has developed into an art form deeply loved by young people. It emphasizes emotional expression, individual experience, and cultural identity, and constructs a unique artistic language based on physical perception and on-site interaction. Robot dance, on the other hand, is more based on technology and is the result of the synergistic effect of algorithms, engineering control, and visual design, reflecting the continuous extension of technology to artistic presentation.

The high-precision movements and stability presented by robot dance provide new dimensions for dance performance and, to some extent, extend the boundaries of stage art. Especially in large-scale performances, cultural tourism projects, and international communication scenarios, this type of technological form can create impactful visual symbols and attract a wider audience to pay attention to dance art.

This change has also brought new communication opportunities for street dance. Xia Rui introduced that street dance is gradually entering the public cultural system from youth cultural expression. Taking the National Street Dance League as an example, after years of development, it has built an organizational network covering more than 30 provincial street dance leagues and more than 100 municipal leagues, driving nearly 3 million people to employment and radiating a learning population of over 10 million.

The popularity of robot dance has enabled some groups who originally focused on technology or visual content to start contacting dance art, thereby expanding the industry's influence. At the same time, this trend is constantly reshaping the public's understanding of "dance." Xia Rui said: "Dance is no longer limited to physical movements themselves but is gradually turning to a multi-dimensional expression of technology, creativity, and culture. Street dance is also continuously developing in this process, shifting from a single display of skills to a more narrative and culturally connotative creative form."

Looking to the future, Xia Rui believes that promoting integrated innovation has become a trend. "On the one hand, we should continue to strengthen the people-oriented artistic attributes of street dance and consolidate its foundation of emotional expression and cultural connotation; on the other hand, we can explore human-machine collaborative creation models to achieve complementary advantages in stage presentation, visual design, and interactive experience, so that technology becomes an important support for artistic expression."

In recent years, Chinese street dance has been continuously exploring and integrating cultural and sports elements such as martial arts and opera into its creations, gradually forming an expression with Eastern aesthetic characteristics. It is worth looking forward to that the future stage will be more diverse and open, and different forms of expression will play their value in their respective fields of expertise, jointly building a richly layered artistic ecology.

From technology conferences to the Spring Festival Gala (春晚) stage, and then to widespread dissemination on short video platforms, robot dance, a performance form that integrates technology, art, and sports, will continue to inject new possibilities into the development of sports dance.

This issue coordinated by: Gao Ji (高佶)
Layout design: Zhang Fangman (张芳曼)

Return to Top

Deeply touched, looking forward to new surprises.

By: 郭 朴

Every time I see robots dancing, I feel not only a sense of wonder but also an indescribable shock. At the China Central Television (总台) Spring Festival Gala of the Year of the Horse (马年春晚) venue, when the robot dancers moved to the rhythm, a sense of the future rushed towards me, and I sincerely felt proud and honored for the progress of science and technology in our country.

As a breakdancer, I know how much practice and sweat it takes to learn and master a set of movements. Therefore, seeing robots dance to music, whether it's the smooth and fluid body movements, the precise connection of movements, or the precise control of rhythm that fits the melody, I can imagine the efforts and hardships of the team behind the robot dancers. From the imagination in science fiction works to the real and visible performance today, it demonstrates the innovative power of Chinese technology.

In my opinion, robot dance is a fusion of technology, art, and sports, which opens up a new form of performance and competition. With its precise movements and tireless expressiveness, robots can complete many difficult movements that humans cannot master, injecting new creativity and vitality into stage performances.

Of course, robot dance and human dance each have their own charm. Technology gives robots precise execution capabilities, while human dance contains the warmth of emotion and the expression of the soul. The two are not opposed to each other, but complement each other, and I am full of expectations for the deep integration of future technology and art. I believe that more surprises will emerge in the near future.

(The author is a breakdancer, interviewed and compiled by Wang Liang (王亮), a reporter from this newspaper.)

Return to Top

Fan Junjie Claims First Gold at Sanya Asian Beach Games (Focus on Asian Beach Games)

By: 本报记者 刘硕阳 陶相安

Against the backdrop of azure seas and skies, Chinese team athlete Fan Junjie (范俊杰) was the first to emerge from the waters of Sanya Bay (三亚湾), cross the beach, and embark on the final 2.5 kilometers of the road running segment. On the morning of April 23rd, the men's individual aquathlon event of the 6th Asian Beach Games was held. Despite continuously consolidating his lead, Fan Junjie felt that the final stretch was "incredibly stressful," with old injuries such as bone marrow edema making each step difficult. "I must persevere!" he kept encouraging himself.

This marks the first time that aquathlon has been included as a competition event in the Asian Beach Games, and according to the schedule, the first gold medal of this Asian Beach Games will also be born from this event.

"Our team has a slogan: 'Iron men are forged through a hundred refinements, the first event brings glory to the country!'" Fan Junjie (范俊杰) persevered through gritted teeth. 28 minutes and 20 seconds! He was the first to cross the finish line, winning the first gold medal for the Chinese team at this Asian Beach Games, and also becoming the first aquathlon champion in the history of the Asian Beach Games. "I prepared with all my might before the competition, which is why I achieved such a good result today," said Fan Junjie (范俊杰). Teammate Teng Yunfeng (滕云峰) crossed the finish line after Fan Junjie (范俊杰), winning the silver medal.

To better prepare for the competition, the Chinese team went to Wenchang (文昌), Hainan (海南) before the Spring Festival for training, to familiarize themselves with the beach and sea environment. "We trained very hard and put a lot of effort into swimming." This effort paid off in the competition, as Fan Junjie (范俊杰) widened the gap with his opponents in the swimming competition, laying the foundation for his eventual victory.

In the women's individual aquathlon event held on the same day, Chinese team athletes Lin Xinyu (林鑫瑜) and Lu Meiyi (陆美伊) won the gold and bronze medals respectively, adding two more medals to the Chinese team's tally.

At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Lin Xinyu (林鑫瑜) finished twenty-eighth in the women's individual triathlon event, creating the best result for Chinese team athletes in that event at the Olympics. This time, she and Fan Junjie (范俊杰) became the gold medal couple at this Asian Beach Games. "This is the first time that both of us have won gold medals in the same event, and we are very happy," said Lin Xinyu (林鑫瑜). "It is our wish to win glory for the country together, and we have achieved it this time."

On April 25th, the mixed relay aquathlon competition will take place.

Return to Top

What's the Connection Between Aquathlon, Duathlon and Triathlon? (Understanding the Asian Beach Games in a Flash)

Aquathlon, as the name suggests, is one discipline less than triathlon (swimming, cycling, and running), requiring only swimming and running.

The distance requirements and order of specific events in aquathlon differ from those in triathlon. Taking individual competitions as an example, in the Olympic Games, triathletes need to complete a 1.5 km swim, a 40 km cycle, and a 10 km run, in the order of swimming-cycling-running. In the aquathlon competition of this Asian Beach Games, athletes need to run 2.5 km, swim 1 km, and run 2.5 km, in the order of running-swimming-running.

Teng Yunfeng (滕云峰), the Chinese athlete who won the silver medal in the men's individual aquathlon at this Asian Beach Games, introduced that compared with triathlon, aquathlon puts forward new requirements for athletes' transition ability. "Switching from running to swimming, lactic acid accumulates quickly in the body when just entering the water, which requires us to adapt quickly to ensure swimming speed. And switching from swimming back to running, from a prone position to a standing position, how to quickly return blood flow to the legs also requires athletes to adjust in time," said Teng Yunfeng (滕云峰).

(Reported and compiled by Tao Xiang'an (陶相安), reporter of this newspaper)

Return to Top

"It's an honor, but even more so a responsibility."

By: 本报记者 王 亮 人民网记者 胡雪蓉

On the evening of April 22nd, the 6th Asian Beach Games opened. The Chinese sports delegation entered the arena with their heads held high. Female beach handball player Shen Ping (沈萍) and male 3x3 basketball player Yan Peng (颜鹏) carried the flag side by side, standing tall and striding powerfully.

Shen Ping (沈萍), 42 years old, is the main player in China's women's beach handball program and a veteran on the Asian Beach Games field. She has participated in the Asian Beach Games four times, helping the team win the championship three times. Now, she has come to the Sanya (三亚) arena as a coach and athlete, setting off again for her dream. "At the opening ceremony, my heart was surging, and I felt very proud," said Shen Ping (沈萍).

Born in 1996, Yan Peng (颜鹏) is the main player in China's men's 3x3 basketball team. From the National Games champion to the Asian Cup runner-up, through the experience of domestic and foreign competitions, he has become more mature and steady. Serving as the flag bearer for a large-scale intercontinental event for the first time, Yan Peng (颜鹏) feels that this is a highlight moment in his sports career, full of pride and a sense of mission. "It is an honor, but also a responsibility," said Yan Peng (颜鹏). "I will work hard, hoping to lead the team to the podium and repay the expectations of the motherland and the audience with wonderful performances."

Amidst the coconut breeze and the charm of the sea, Chinese athletes use hard work as a pen and love as ink to write a new chapter in China's beach sports, and also show the high-spirited demeanor of Chinese sports in the new era.

Return to Top

Wang Zhizhi inducted into FIBA Hall of Fame

This newspaper's Beijing (北京) dispatch on April 23rd (Reporter Fan Jiayuan (范佳元)): The 2026 FIBA Hall of Fame induction ceremony was recently held in Berlin (柏林), Germany (德国), and Chinese basketball player Wang Zhizhi (王治郅) was inducted. Following Mu Zuoyun (牟作云), Zheng Haixia (郑海霞), Yao Ming (姚明), and Miao Lijie (苗立杰), Wang Zhizhi (王治郅) is the fifth Chinese basketball figure to be inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame.

"Every time I wore the national team jersey and fought on the field, the sense of mission to win glory for the country inspired me to keep moving forward," Wang Zhizhi (王治郅) said, "This honor belongs not only to the individual, but also to Chinese basketball, and to all those who have worked hard for the cause of Chinese basketball."

Wang Zhizhi (王治郅) helped the Chinese men's basketball team achieve many excellent results in international competitions, including two eighth-place finishes at the 1996 Atlanta (亚特兰大) Olympic Games and the 2008 Beijing (北京) Olympic Games, as well as four Asian Championship titles and three Asian Games titles. In 2001, Wang Zhizhi (王治郅) became the first Chinese player to enter the NBA (National Basketball Association). In the NBA, Wang Zhizhi (王治郅) demonstrated the basketball skills and player qualities of Asian players, paving the way for later Chinese players such as Yao Ming (姚明) and Yi Jianlian (易建联) to enter the NBA.

Return to Top

"Want to genuinely do something for the children in the mountains"

By: 本报记者 宋朝军

In the late spring season, a warm breeze caresses the face. At the No. 2 Middle School of Dangchang County (宕昌县) in Longnan City (陇南市), Gansu Province (甘肃省), senior high school students are gathered in a circle doing physical activities on the plastic playground. "Relax, stretch your muscles, and learn to enjoy physical education class!" Yang Li (杨莉) said while guiding them.

Yang Li (杨莉) was originally a physical education teacher at Qingdao No. 1 Middle School (青岛第一中学) in Shandong Province (山东省). In the pairing assistance program between Qingdao City (青岛市) and Longnan City (陇南市), Qingdao No. 1 Middle School (青岛第一中学) and Dangchang County No. 2 Middle School (宕昌县第二中学) formed a partnership. As a new school formed by the merger of township middle schools, Dangchang County No. 2 Middle School (宕昌县第二中学) was officially established in August 2023. Qingdao (青岛) has successively sent three batches of teachers and two principals to the school to provide assistance. Yang Li (杨莉) is one of them. In March 2024, Yang Li (杨莉) came to Dangchang County No. 2 Middle School (宕昌县第二中学) and took over the physical education teaching work for the second half of the first year of high school. From Qingdao (青岛) to Dangchang (宕昌), it is thousands of kilometers away, and it takes several kinds of transportation to get there. Originally, she was supposed to teach for a year and a half, but Yang Li (杨莉) resolutely stayed after the term expired, "I had never been to Longnan (陇南) before, but now I want to do something practical for the children in the mountains." Her wish is sincere and firm. Now, eight teachers from Qingdao (青岛) have taken root here, covering multiple disciplines such as physical education, chemistry, and Chinese.

Most of the students here come from the surrounding villages, and many are left-behind children. They are naturally simple and strong, but lack systematic and scientific physical training. Yang Li (杨莉) started with rope ladder training, starting from basic movements such as high leg lifts, double jumps, and side runs, allowing the children to gradually master sports skills. Under Yang Li's (杨莉) careful guidance, the children are becoming more and more active in physical education class, and their athletic performance is becoming increasingly proficient.

In addition to physical education class, Yang Li (杨莉) also leads the students in doing exercises during breaks. The "E'man (娥嫚)" ethnic dance exercise was adapted by the school teachers by combining local traditional culture and characteristic music. "The arms are stretched high, open and close, the steps are light and agile, and closely fit the rhythm of the music, which not only shows the magnificent beauty of Dangchang's (宕昌) mountains and rivers, but also highlights the profound heritage of ethnic culture," Yang Li (杨莉) introduced. All 11 physical education teachers in the school learned and practiced, taught and revised, and spent several months completing the popularization teaching of all 56 classes and more than 3,000 people in the school. The school also formed a representative team to participate in competitions and won good results.

Yang Li (杨莉) majored in martial arts and is proficient in Tai Chi and traditional boxing. In the first year of teaching, she repeatedly studied and extracted movements suitable for teenagers from traditional Changquan (长拳), compiling them into a 12-style bare-handed routine for teaching. At first, the students with zero foundation had loose postures and lacked energy. Yang Li (杨莉) taught step by step and gradually - from the basic steps of bow stance and horse stance to techniques such as fist, hook, punch, and bright, and then to the coordinated cooperation of the upper and lower limbs, dismantling and practicing one by one. "Practicing boxing first establishes character, and you must practice a dignified and upward spirit," Yang Li (杨莉) often told her students.

Now, the unique "E'man (娥嫚)" ethnic dance exercise and the vigorous and stretched Changquan (长拳) have become popular exercises among students. "We must deeply integrate ethnic traditional sports projects with the new physical education curriculum standards, so that excellent traditional culture can take root in the campus." Yang Li (杨莉) hopes that every move and style will not only strengthen students' physique, but also promote the integrity and cultural confidence of Chinese martial arts.

As time goes by, the first-year high school students that Yang Li (杨莉) took over have now entered their senior year. In August 2025, Xiao Yajun (肖亚军), a supporting principal also from Qingdao (青岛), came to the school to take office and organized physical education teachers to carry out special teaching and research, and accurately planned the physical education curriculum arrangement around the situation of different academic stages. "Physical exercise is helpful to students' physical and mental health, so be sure to have a good physical education class," Xiao Yajun (肖亚军) said. Combining the brain use patterns and physical and mental state of senior high school students, Yang Li (杨莉) and her colleagues formulated a teaching plan: using aerobic fitness exercises to activate students' physical state, and then using fun activities such as rope skipping, kicking shuttlecocks, throwing sandbags, and jumping rubber bands to relax their body and mind. The sun is just right, the breeze is caressing, and the laughter from the playground of Dangchang County No. 2 Middle School (宕昌县第二中学) is heard far away.

Return to Top

Advocacy Cup China Professional Weiqi Championship Produces Top Four

Beijing, April 23rd (Reporter Zheng Yi (郑轶)) The 20th Changqi Cup China Professional Weiqi Championship recently determined its top four players at the China Weiqi Academy (中国棋院) in Beijing (北京). Li Qincheng (李钦诚), Gu Zihao (辜梓豪), Mi Yuting (芈昱廷), and Dang Yifei (党毅飞) advanced to the semi-finals. The semi-finals will be held in Shanghai (上海) from July 7th to 12th.

The main round of this year's Changqi Cup opened on April 18th, with 30 players participating, including Ding Hao (丁浩), the champion of the previous event, and Mi Yuting (芈昱廷), the runner-up. The first three rounds of the main competition adopt a single-elimination system, while the semi-finals and finals adopt a best-of-three format. In the semi-finals, Li Qincheng (李钦诚) will face Dang Yifei (党毅飞), and Gu Zihao (辜梓豪) will face Mi Yuting (芈昱廷). The champion of this year's event will be eligible to participate in the 11th Ing Cup World Professional Weiqi Championship in 2028.

Return to Top

Editors of this page: Gong Yuhua, Shi Zhe, Gao Ji

Return to Top

Hannover Messe Showcases New Industrial AI Scenarios (International Perspective)

By: 本报记者 刘仲华 郭梓云

Diverse humanoid robots run, jump, sit, stand, and move with agility; visitors don industrial exoskeletons and instantly experience the feeling of lightness; digital interactive technology brings immersive experiences, making people feel as if they are in a vast universe... The 2026 Hannover Messe (汉诺威工博会), themed "Technology Insights into the Future of Industry," was held from April 20th to 24th, focusing on the deep integration trend of industrial AI (Artificial Intelligence), intelligent robots, and green energy. As a global trendsetter for industrial technology, this year's exhibition attracted nearly 3,000 exhibitors from more than 50 countries and regions. Among them, there were approximately 700 Chinese exhibitors, second only to the host country, Germany.

AI Technology Empowers Thousands of Industries

"AI is becoming a productivity tool in factories, especially the application of industrial robots and humanoid robots in factories," said Jochen Köckler, Chairman of the Board of Deutsche Messe AG (德意志会展公司), the organizer of Hannover Messe.

At the booth of Siemens (西门子公司) in Germany, robots freely shuttle and transport products, easily handling even chaotic scenes. "This industrial robot is no longer limited to performing fixed operations, but is able to complete work tasks autonomously. AI gives it a 'brain,' enabling it to independently perform product picking, transportation, and placement. This was unimaginable just two or three years ago," said Patrick Lenz, Press Officer of Siemens Digital Industries Group. "We connect all links and build a unified data architecture to ensure seamless data flow between engineering, operations, and service, making production processes more intelligent, faster, and more efficient," said Cedrik Neike, Member of the Managing Board of Siemens AG (西门子股份公司) and CEO of Digital Industries.

The Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering (弗劳恩霍夫工业工程研究所) in Germany brought the digital twin of its founder, Joseph von Fraunhofer (约瑟夫·冯·弗劳恩霍夫), to the exhibition, allowing visitors to engage in a cross-temporal dialogue with this figure who lived 200 years ago. The booth also showcased value-added avatars, which are digital twins of real people. They combine large language models and local knowledge systems to answer questions in real time. "By integrating value-added avatars into the metaverse, expert knowledge can be integrated into the decision-making process without time or space constraints, and innovative solutions can be developed collaboratively," said Stephan Wilhelm, Head of Avatar Development at the institute.

Stepping into the booth of Schneider Electric (施耐德电气) in France, the surrounding green light creates an intuitive impression of energy saving and low carbon. Many visitors stopped in front of the EAE display screen of its open automation platform. "Our products can achieve effective deployment and scaled application of AI in different industries," said Gwennel Hute, Executive Vice President of Schneider Electric and Head of Industrial Automation Business, to reporters. The EAE platform builds an open ecosystem where customers can freely choose hardware from different manufacturers and achieve efficient collaboration on a unified software platform, improving the system's flexibility, agility, and overall performance.

Chinese Enterprises' Innovative Achievements Attract Wide Attention

Humanoid robots practice Tai Chi, and wheeled robots carry out handling operations... The new robot H2 at the Unitree Robotics (宇树科技) booth is tall and mighty, becoming a "celebrity" for visitors to check in. At the Hannover Messe, Chinese companies showcased a variety of the latest achievements, from core components and industrial software to complete machine equipment and system integration. The innovative vitality of Chinese intelligent manufacturing has attracted wide attention.

Zoomlion (中联重科) globally launched the RobotOps embodied intelligent operating system, a new humanoid robot, and an AI-native intelligent manufacturing overall solution. "The new humanoid robot can not only engage in commercial services and performances, but more importantly, it has the characteristics of accessing the industrial system, realizing the deep integration of artificial intelligence, robots, and industrial software," said Zeng Guang, General Manager of Zhongke Cloud Valley (中科云谷), a subsidiary of Zoomlion. Compared with ordinary robots, the intelligent body-driven robot system can standardize actions and can be widely adapted to humanoid robots, industrial robots, construction machinery, autonomous driving, and other multi-field scenarios, realizing the application value of "one platform empowering multiple industries." "China's manufacturing scale has remained the world's largest for more than 10 consecutive years and has rich manufacturing scenarios. Chinese artificial intelligence companies not only serve domestic enterprises but also provide high-quality and top-notch services to global enterprises."

Simulation software that understands "heat dissipation," transformers for AI, and digital twins that can predict... 20 Beijing Haidian (北京海淀) technology companies collectively appeared in the Zhongguancun Science City (中关村科学城) theme exhibition area. Zhao Wuyang, the person in charge of international business of Zhongguancun Science City Company (中关村科学城公司), introduced that this year, the Zhongguancun exhibition group showcased full-dimensional solutions such as industrial simulation software, collaborative robots, and energy infrastructure construction through the "combination of software and hardware, full-dimensional coverage" method. This connection from virtual simulation to physical manufacturing demonstrates the achievements of China's industry from single-point research and development to system integration. "Our enterprises not only display technical parameters but also present a complete industrial evolution narrative—defining the future direction of the new generation of industrial revolution through the integration of AI and cutting-edge technologies, providing overseas merchants with accessible practical application scenarios," said Zhao Wuyang.

On the side of the exhibition area, on the demonstration table of Pasini Sensing Technology (帕西尼感知科技公司), a bionic dexterous hand responded synchronously to the audience's hand movements. "The key to its dexterity is that each finger has an embedded miniature sensor," introduced Qin Ximing, Overseas Sales Manager of Pasini. "The key to the current industry development is to let robots understand how to act. Our breakthrough is to give robots' hands the same sense of touch as humans. By restoring and learning human operation paths, robots gradually establish a complete capability chain from identifying objects to performing operations. Currently, related technologies have been implemented in automotive manufacturing and logistics scenarios."

With the intensive implementation of large model applications, the demand for computing power has increased exponentially, and "where does the electricity come from" has become a frequently discussed topic on site. At the China Shipbuilding Group (中国船舶集团) booth, a set of gas turbine mobile power station models attracted visitors to stop. Three modular trucks—a gas turbine vehicle, a generator vehicle, and an electrical control vehicle—were "ready to go." The staff introduced that the system can be quickly deployed in the field or in emergency scenarios, and the overall cycle from transportation to on-site assembly to grid connection can be compressed to within 3 days. Not far away, hydrogen production equipment, dual-fuel diesel engines, and smart factory models were running simultaneously. "This mobile power station is completely independently developed and has the characteristics of high power density, short delivery cycle, and high cost performance." Green electricity and flexible deployment capabilities are becoming new competitive points for infrastructure in the AI era.

Investing in China is Investing in the Future

During the Hannover Messe, the "Invest in China" brand event carried out special events such as the main guest province exhibition, special promotion, and enterprise roadshow. Chinese and German people conducted in-depth exchanges and expressed their common desire to strengthen pragmatic cooperation.

Yu Guangsheng, Deputy Director of the Investment Promotion Agency of the Ministry of Commerce of China (中国商务部投资促进事务局), said that China is continuing to expand high-level opening up to the outside world and is willing to continue to deepen industrial docking, promote the quality and upgrading of manufacturing cooperation, expand two-way investment, promote the two-way flow of innovation resources, and build a more pragmatic and efficient cooperation network.

Marc Wucherer, CEO of Lenze Group (德国伦茨集团) and a member of the Advisory Board of the German-Chinese Business Association, said that Germany and China have built a long-term and diverse economic partnership. "In the current era of profound adjustments in the global industrial landscape, it is particularly important for German and Chinese business circles to strengthen cooperation and exchanges."

Neike said that China has a strong industrial ecosystem, a vibrant market, and highly skilled talents. It is not only an important market for Siemens' global strategy but also a manufacturing base and R&D center. "We will continue to increase investment and innovation in China and grow together with Chinese partners." Hute said that China's technological innovation speed is impressive. Schneider Electric has deep synergy with China's development goals of promoting new industrialization and new quality productive forces, whether in electrification, new energy, smart grids, or in automation, digitalization, and embedded artificial intelligence.

"China is one of our most important markets. China is accelerating the construction of an innovation ecosystem, and we look forward to strengthening R&D cooperation with Chinese partners. Investing in China is investing in the future," said Robert Zanetta, the relevant person in charge of Industrial Quality Solutions at Zeiss Group (蔡司集团). Christina Otte, Deputy Director of East Asia at Germany Trade & Invest (德国联邦外贸与投资署), believes that the door to the Chinese market is opening wider and wider, bringing many possibilities and broad business opportunities to foreign companies in China. "Germany and China should give full play to their respective advantages, explore more cooperation opportunities, and promote win-win cooperation."

(Reported from Hannover, Germany, April 23)

Return to Top

When Poetry Sprouts in the Desert (Global Perspective)

By: 黄培昭

The April wind carries the warmth of the Nile River, sweeping over the Cairo Old City skyline and gently brushing across open book pages. Every April 23rd, on World Book Day, people solemnly discuss reading again. In this land of Arabia, steeped in poetry, books never need to wait for a festival to be crowned. They lie quietly in book stalls, bookstores, and cafes, like water veins deep in the desert, gurgling every day, nourishing hearts that yearn for abundance.

Deep in the Khan el-Khalili market in Old Cairo, there is a cafe called Fishawi's. Nobel laureate Naguib Mahfouz (纳吉布·马哈福兹) was once a regular here. He would arrive promptly every morning, order a cup of rich cardamom coffee, and gently stir the coffee with a silver spoon, also stirring the surrounding tranquility. He frankly said, "Fishawi's Cafe is my real study. The noise here is more suitable for writing than the quiet of a library." In his eyes, this cafe, where noise and tranquility blend together, is itself an open book, hiding the most vivid chapters of Cairo (开罗). It was here that Mahfouz wove the everyday life and vicissitudes of Cairo into the lines of his epic novel "The Cairo Trilogy." Here, literature and reading are not window displays, but the pulse of the streets and alleys, the underlying color in the blood of ordinary people.

If the bookstores of Cairo are the breath of history, then the fragrance of books in the Gulf countries blooms passionately in the light and shadow of modernity. In Abu Dhabi (阿布扎比), United Arab Emirates (阿联酋), poetry has long broken free from the shackles of book pages and taken to the stage of the "Million Poet" competition. This "cultural talent show" live television program, which has been running for many years, is more popular than the most popular fashion talent shows in the area. Whether ordinary workers, young students, or elderly people in white robes, they can all take the stage to recite poetry, and the expert judges vote to determine the winner, who can receive a high bonus of several million dirhams (1 UAE dirham is approximately 1.86 yuan). When the original beautiful verses are recited from the lips and teeth, the cheers from the audience sweep the entire venue. At that moment, "poetry is no longer a star hanging high in the clouds, but a light falling among the people, illuminating every ordinary love," commented the UAE's *Gulf News*.

At the Tunis (突尼斯) International Book Fair, a young man said shyly to me, "If I could memorize a few lines of Mutanabbi's (穆太奈比) poems, perhaps I could knock on the door of her heart." He was talking about the girl he loved. In Arab countries, classical poetry is never a dusty antique; it is transformed into the transmission of burning emotions. Reciting a few ancient poems is hotter than a desert rose, more sincere and lasting than ordinary words.

Impromptu recitations in cafes, poetry competitions on television, electronic screens at book fairs—poetry and reading in this land of Arabia retain a "public glory." Even in the face of the impact of the digital wave, bookstores remain irreplaceable spiritual landmarks. "What we sell is not a pile of paper and ink, but the memory and identity of the nation, the spiritual foundation that transcends the wind and sand," the Arab bookseller's declaration is quite confident.

When verses sprout in the desert, when the fragrance of books swirls in the city, World Book Day becomes a poetic flow in everyday life. The light in the eyes of young people when they recite, the warmth in the hearts of the elderly when they wipe books, are all imprints of the continuation of civilization. After all, reading is never to show off profundity, but to give the soul a source of water and life a depth. When books are present, the oasis of thought is present; when reading is present, the spark of civilization will not be extinguished.

Return to Top

Global Scan

China Retains Top Spot in Global Automotive Brand Value Ranking by Number of Brands Listed

Xinhua News Agency, London, April 23 (Reporter Gao Wencheng) The "2026 Global Automotive Brand Value 100" report released on the 23rd by Brand Finance Group, a brand valuation agency headquartered in London, UK, shows that 24 Chinese automotive brands are included, once again occupying the top spot in terms of the number of brands listed.

The report points out that the global automotive industry is accelerating its transformation towards new energy and intelligence. Cost control capabilities, pragmatic electrification layout, and competitiveness in price-sensitive markets have become the core elements determining brand value. Chinese automakers such as BYD (比亚迪), Geely (吉利), and SAIC (上汽) are continuously expanding their market share in Asia, Europe, and other markets through full industry chain collaboration, technological breakthroughs, and globalization strategies, and their international influence continues to rise. In 2025, China's new energy vehicles led the world in five dimensions: production, sales, export volume, global market share, and number of brands.

The report shows that in terms of the global market landscape, the market share of traditional European automakers in China continues to decline, while the revenue of Chinese brands in the European market is steadily increasing. Brand Finance Group's research found that Chinese brands have surpassed many established European automakers in core consumer decision-making dimensions such as technology, innovation, sustainability, and cost-effectiveness. Among them, the UK market has the highest acceptance of Chinese brands. Although the German market has barriers due to high loyalty to local brands, Chinese brands have accurately met the core needs of local consumers in terms of technology and innovation, and are steadily breaking through with product strength, user reputation, and long-term layout.

"The global automotive industry is at a critical turning point. Relying on its leading advantages in the field of electric vehicles, Chinese automotive brands have successfully seized a considerable global market share," said Chen Yideng (陈忆登), President of Brand Finance Group China, in an interview with reporters. "Looking to the future, if Chinese automakers want to continue to lead in the fierce competition, they must further focus on technological innovation, create differentiated brand advantages, and comprehensively improve the consumer experience, thereby increasing brand value, strengthening brand strength, and ultimately achieving profit margin improvement and long-term sustainable development."

Japanese House of Representatives Passes Bill to Establish "National Intelligence Agency," Raising Widespread Concerns

Xinhua News Agency, Tokyo, April 23 (Reporters Li Ziyue (李子越) and Chen Zean (陈泽安)) The bill related to the establishment of a "National Intelligence Agency" promoted by the cabinet of Sanae Takaichi (高市早苗) in Japan was passed by a vote at the plenary session of the House of Representatives on the 23rd and will be transferred to the House of Councillors for a vote. The relevant bill has aroused widespread concern in Japanese society.

According to the bill, Japan plans to build an intelligence system with the "National Intelligence Conference" as the core and the "National Intelligence Agency" as the implementing agency, responsible for coordinating intelligence activities in the fields of security, counter-terrorism, and "foreign intelligence activities" involving foreign spies. The "National Intelligence Agency" is also empowered to request government ministries and agencies to provide it with comprehensive coordination rights for intelligence.

Japanese media generally believe that although the ruling coalition composed of the Liberal Democratic Party (自民党) and the Japan Innovation Party (日本维新会) does not have a majority of seats in the House of Councillors, because some opposition parties also support the bill, it is expected to be passed in the House of Councillors as well, and therefore may complete the legislative process within the current Diet session.

According to Kyodo News (共同社), Sanae Takaichi has always intended to strengthen Japan's intelligence functions. The report stated that after the bill to establish the "National Intelligence Agency" officially takes effect, Takaichi will also fully launch the legislative work of the "Anti-Espionage Law" and the special research work on establishing an independent foreign intelligence agency.

Currently in Japan, concerns about the bill potentially infringing on privacy rights and freedom of speech continue to ferment. Masaru Kaneko (金子胜), Professor Emeritus at Keio University (庆应义塾大学), posted on social media on the 23rd, saying: "The Takaichi government is trying to cover up Japan's impending economic collapse through constitutional amendments and militarization, and is now restricting people's freedom of speech and suppressing social voices. All of this is **重蹈覆辙** (chóng dǎo fù zhé - "repeat the same mistake," to follow the same disastrous road; to repeat a historical error)."

Mizuho Fukushima (福岛瑞穗), leader of the Social Democratic Party of Japan (日本社民党), said in an interview with the media on the 22nd that although the government claims that it will not arbitrarily investigate "ordinary citizens," the boundary between "ordinary citizens" and "non-ordinary citizens" is still unclear, which is very worrying, and the bill itself has defects.

Japanese media have also generally pointed out in recent days that the government needs to fully explain the necessity of strengthening intelligence functions and face up to the serious impact it may bring.

European Commission Unveils "REPowerEU" Plan to Address Energy Crisis

Xinhua News Agency, Brussels, April 22 (Reporter Kang Yi (康逸)) The European Commission announced a package of actions called "REPowerEU" on the 22nd, aimed at mitigating the impact of recent soaring energy prices on European households and businesses and promoting the EU's move towards "energy independence."

According to the plan, the European Commission will strengthen coordination with member states to ensure the smooth implementation of measures such as replenishing underground natural gas reserves and releasing emergency oil reserves. The EU will also track the production, import and export, and inventory of transportation fuels, quickly identify potential shortage risks, and make fuel allocation measures more targeted. The European Commission proposed that income support and energy subsidy measures can be taken to protect consumers and related industries from the impact of soaring prices. To accelerate the energy transition, the European Commission stated that it will propose an electrification action plan before this summer and strengthen grid system construction and promote investment and other measures.

Return to Top

Thailand Promotes Resilient Tourism Recovery

By: 本报记者 孙广勇

According to the latest statistics from the Tourism and Sports Ministry of Thailand, as of April 12, Thailand has received more than 10.3 million foreign tourists this year. Among them, China is the largest source country, with approximately 1.66 million tourists. The Tourism Authority of Thailand revealed that the total revenue of the tourism industry during the Songkran Festival from April 11 to 15 is estimated to exceed 30 billion Thai Baht (approximately 4.7 Thai Baht to 1 RMB), breaking the record for economic benefits during previous Songkran Festivals. The Tourism Authority of Thailand has set a full-year target for 2026 of attracting 30 million to 34 million international tourists.

Since the beginning of this year, Thailand has introduced 22 related measures, implemented the "New Thailand" vision plan, and plans to allocate 4.5 billion Thai Baht to promote the upgrading of tourism infrastructure and the protection of cultural heritage. The Thai government has strengthened the hub function of U-Tapao Airport around the famous tourist city of Pattaya (芭堤雅) to attract more tourists with convenient transportation. At the same time, it focuses on developing walking experience projects in old city cultural blocks, revitalizing old city block tourism in Bangkok (曼谷), Songkhla (宋卡), Phitsanulok (彭世洛) and other places. The Tourism and Sports Ministry of Thailand plans to invest 1 billion Thai Baht to focus on promoting tourism resources in 55 second-tier cities, launch preferential packages, and strive to attract international tourists from popular areas such as Bangkok (曼谷) and Phuket (普吉岛) to newly developed scenic spots.

In February, the Tourism and Sports Ministry of Thailand and the Tourism Authority of Thailand, together with a number of institutions, began to widely promote the "Trusted Thailand" certification program. Tourism organizations participating in the certification need to be evaluated in four aspects, including comprehensive safety measures, safe and transparent electronic payment systems, multilingual services, and professional tourist reception capabilities. Approximately 5,000 hotels, restaurants, scenic spots, shopping centers, and leisure and entertainment venues across Thailand have participated in the evaluation. Relevant负责人 of the Tourism and Sports Ministry of Thailand told reporters that the "Trusted Thailand" logo is a direct reflection of Thailand's tourism safety and reliability, which helps to improve the service level of the tourism industry with standardized standards and enhance tourists' willingness to travel to Thailand at different times. For Chinese tourists, Thailand has launched the "Thailand 安心游" certification system and signed an artificial intelligence tourism promotion agreement with Baidu (百度). Huawei (华为) Thailand also builds a smart tourism ecosystem and continuously optimizes the Chinese payment system.

The Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Thapanee Kiatphaibool (塔佩妮), told reporters that the government will continue to take measures to improve travel convenience, optimize the tourism experience, and promote the resilient recovery of the tourism industry, striving to achieve the goal of a 7% increase in tourism revenue in 2026.

Return to Top

Kazakhstan's Economic Restructuring Shows Positive Results

By: 本报记者 李 强

Kazakhstan's Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov (Олжас Бектенов) stated at a government meeting recently that Kazakhstan's GDP will increase by 3% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026. The government will continue to take measures such as inflation control in the next stage to promote stable economic operation.
The latest data show that in the first quarter of this year, Kazakhstan's total fixed asset investment reached 3.5 trillion tenge (1 yuan is about 68 tenge), a year-on-year increase of 6.4%; the construction industry increased by 14.8% year-on-year, the transportation service industry increased by 12.8% year-on-year, and the processing and manufacturing industry increased by 8.5% year-on-year. Construction and transportation and other fields have formed a strong support for the country's economic growth. At present, the proportion of processing and manufacturing in the country's economy has exceeded the mining industry for two consecutive years, and the proportion of the oil industry has dropped from 16.5% in 2010 to 8.1% in 2024, indicating that the economy's dependence on resources has decreased and the economic structure is continuously optimized.
In 2025, Kazakhstan produced more than 170,000 vehicles of various types, a year-on-year increase of 17.8%, setting a record high for the industry. Large-scale machinery manufacturing and metallurgical enterprises have been successively launched in Almaty Region (阿拉木图州), Kostanay Region (科斯塔奈州) and other places. In Almaty (阿拉木图), the "Astana Motors Multi-Brand Factory" entered the key construction and operation stage in November last year, with an annual production capacity of 90,000 to 120,000 vehicles.
In terms of foreign trade, in the first two months of this year, Kazakhstan's total commodity trade was 21.7 billion US dollars, a year-on-year increase of 11.3%, achieving a trade surplus of 2.4 billion US dollars. The country's export commodities are mainly raw materials. In 2025, Kazakhstan's crude oil exports were 78.7 million tons, and crude oil and petroleum products accounted for about half of the total exports. Unprocessed metals such as copper and ferroalloys are also major export commodities. The country is accelerating the diversification of export commodities, planning to support enterprises to develop the production of key materials such as rare earths, and develop oil and gas and coal chemical projects, while expanding strategic investment in non-oil fields such as manufacturing, transportation and construction.
In terms of transportation, Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (哈萨克斯坦国家铁路公司) is promoting five major railway infrastructure projects, with the goal of repairing 11,000 kilometers and building 5,000 kilometers of new railways by 2029. Not long ago, the joint venture established by the railway companies of Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Georgia signed a landmark cooperation agreement with China Railway Container Transport Co., Ltd. (中国铁路集装箱运输公司), which further accelerated the realization of data mutual recognition among countries along the Middle Corridor. The first phase of the Aktau Port (阿克套港) container hub has been put into operation, with the goal of increasing container throughput from 40,000 TEUs to 240,000 TEUs.
At present, Kazakhstan's e-commerce is showing an accelerating development trend. In 2025, e-commerce transaction volume reached 3.9 trillion tenge, accounting for 15% of the total retail commodity circulation. At present, 10 logistics centers have been built across the country, and large-scale warehousing and distribution centers are being built in the capital Astana (阿斯塔纳) and the largest city Almaty (阿拉木图) to improve commodity warehousing and distribution efficiency. At the same time, the country is promoting the construction of trade digitization-related systems, expanding the scope of commodity identification by improving the commodity classification system and the national commodity catalog, so as to improve market transparency and strengthen consumer rights protection.
In order to promote the deep transformation of the economic structure, the Kazakh government continues to promote fiscal and tax system reforms with fiscal consolidation, tax system optimization and strengthening non-oil income as the core, and uses tax levers to guide capital flow to the real economy and high-tech industries to increase productive investment. According to the government's plan, the budget deficit will decrease from 2.5% in 2026 to 1.7% in 2027, and further decrease to 0.9% in 2028. According to the Asian Development Bank (亚洲开发银行), Kazakhstan's economic growth rate is expected to reach 4.8% in 2026.
China is Kazakhstan's main trading partner and source of investment. In 2025, the total import and export volume of goods between China and Kazakhstan reached 48.7 billion US dollars, a year-on-year increase of 11%. Under the framework of high-quality joint construction of the "Belt and Road" (一带一路), China and Kazakhstan have opened up broader cooperation space in the fields of green energy, digital economy, etc., and will further help Kazakhstan's economic development transformation.
(Reported by the newspaper from Astana (阿斯塔纳) on April 23)

Return to Top

This edition's editors: Zou Zhipeng, Zhang Huizhong, Chu Jun

Layout Design: Zhang Fangman (张芳曼)

Return to Top

Leapmotor D19: A Luxurious, Tech-Forward Flagship SUV

The vehicle model shown in the advertisement (appearance, color, configuration, etc.) may differ from the final production model. Please refer to the actual sales and final delivery model at Leapmotor (零跑汽车) offline stores.

Return to Top

The painting proves the writing, the traces reveal the heart.

By: 包慧怡

Regarding the organic dialectical relationship between literature and painting, the most famous saying is perhaps that of the ancient Roman poet Horace in "Ars Poetica": "Ut pictura poesis." This Latin phrase has been translated as "painting and calligraphy share the same origin," "poetry and painting are of the same essence," and "poetry and painting are one." It has sparked countless debates in later generations, with Lessing's "Laocoön" proposing the "heterogeneity of poetry and painting" as a classic example.

What kind of creative process does a manuscript carry behind it for a writer? What kind of personality does a portrait reveal about a writer? Are words and visual arts in competition or mutual verification? Stepping into the "From Shakespeare to J.K. Rowling: British Literary Portrait and Relics Exhibition," co-organized by the Shanghai Museum and the National Portrait Gallery in March this year, with the participation of the British Library, 135 portraits and manuscripts use the logic of "poetry and painting annotating each other" to tell visitors the literary stories of Britain over the past five centuries.

The Tension Between Writer Portraits and Writer's Works

The tension between a writer's portrait and their works is evident as early as the Shakespeare "Chandos Portrait" (钱多斯肖像) (i.e., "William Shakespeare," see Figure ②), the first collection of the National Portrait Gallery. This oil painting is named after its early collector, the Duke of Chandos, and is said to have been painted by John Taylor in 1610. It is considered to be Shakespeare's only portrait made during his lifetime. In the special exhibition, it is placed above the glass cabinet displaying the "First Folio." The title page of the "First Folio" (see Figure ①) has an engraving portrait by Martin Droeshout, emphasizing that the book's content comes from Shakespeare's hand—this is a collection of works published by Shakespeare's friends seven years after his death, containing 36 plays, half of which had never been published before.

Shakespeare's iconic features, such as his broad forehead, swollen eyelids, and high hairline, are clearly visible in both portraits. In less than 15 years, the bohemian artist portrait in the "Chandos Portrait," wearing a single earring, with an open drooping collar and a natural expression, has been transformed into a classic writer image on the folio, with a meticulous hairstyle, a square ruff collar, and a restrained face. The highly symbolic fashion item of earrings has also been abandoned. The folio aims to establish Shakespeare's status as an authoritative playwright, and the portrait portrays him as an immortal literary giant and an upper-class gentleman—the ruff collar was considered a privilege of the nobility at that time. The facing page of the folio portrait also includes a short poem "To the Reader" from Shakespeare's friend and rival Ben Jonson:

"This Figure, that thou here seest put,
It was for gentle Shakespeare cut;
Wherein the Graver had a strife
With Nature, to out-doo the life:
O, could he but have drawne his wit
As well in brasse, as he hath hit
His face; the Print would then surpasse
All, that was ever writ in brasse.
But, since he cannot, Reader, looke
Not on his Picture, but his Booke."

This poem is also known as "On Shakespeare's Portrait" in later generations. While affirming the realism of the portrait itself, Jonson denied the possibility of "carving wisdom" with visual art. He urged readers to turn their attention from the Shakespeare portrait they had already seen to the Shakespeare text they had not yet read. The early modern writer's thinking on the relationship between portrait (painting) and work (poetry), appearance and substance, is cleverly unfolded in these short 10 lines of "poem on painting."

Highlighting "Individuality" with "Imprint"

In addition to Shakespeare, the exhibition also presents oil paintings or engraving portraits of many early modern authors. Such as Thomas Wyatt, an early Tudor poet who "Anglicized" the Italian sonnet, John Milton, who dictated the epic "Paradise Lost" after becoming blind, and John Dryden, who was awarded the title of the first "Poet Laureate" in England by virtue of his lofty reputation. These writers were mainly active in the 16th and 17th centuries, highlighting the vitality of modern English as a young literary language with epoch-making creations.

In 1476, William Caxton followed in Gutenberg's footsteps and established the first printing house in England in London. In the following two centuries, we increasingly saw the author's personality become part of the book's personality. The etymology of the word "character" is precisely the Greek verb "kharassein" ("印刻") (yìn kè - "imprint," to mark a surface by pressure). At the same time, after printed books gradually replaced the medieval universally anonymous handwritten copies, the author's portrait played an important role in establishing the author's authority and the originality of the work. Compared with the occasional illuminated miniatures in illuminated manuscripts with the theme of "the author in the writing room" or "the author presenting the work to the patron," reproducible engraved author images have appeared in batches on the title pages of works. Taking the "Miscellaneous Poems" by the metaphysical poet Andrew Marvell as an example, the author's image at the beginning of the volume is copied by an engraver from an early oil painting portrait, highlighting some of the author's personal characteristics.

Thanks to engraved portraits, some writers who also engaged in translation formed a "community" with their translation objects on facing pages. In the 1760 edition of "The Iliad" translated by Alexander Pope, the left page is a bust of Homer with a full forehead and ravines, in a state of poetic ecstasy, and the right page is Pope, who is looking at Homer with his cheeks in his hands, suggesting that the two have been regarded as co-authors of Homer's epic in the English world. This actually continues a medieval tradition: translators are regarded as a certain type of author. Middle English writers represented by Geoffrey Chaucer, the "father of English poetry," often listed translations and works together as their own works. Pope himself repeatedly lamented that the commercial success of the Homer translation enabled him to write full-time.

Since the 19th century, writer portraits have been more inclined to highlight the "sense of living," such as Shelley holding a quill, Keats flipping through notes, Dickens holding down a newly completed manuscript with his left hand, Rudyard Kipling absentmindedly writing in his study, Beatrix Potter holding notes in front of a flock of sheep in the Lake District, and J.K. Rowling (see Figure ③) writing intently with her head down. Compared with the classic writer images of the early modern period, these "workplace photos"—even if they are loafing on the job—more vividly reflect the living environment, work habits, and temperament of modern writers, as well as the basic fact that "writing is not always smooth."

Female Writers Move From the Margins to the Center

"Tracing Literary Hearts," "The Road to Fame," "Breaking Through Shackles," "Illustrious Reputation," "Rewriting the World"—among the five thematic units of the special exhibition, the portraits and manuscripts of female writers are particularly eye-catching.

The Brontë sisters, who lived in the 19th century, chose to write under male pen names to ensure that their works were published smoothly and thus won a wider readership. In the "Breaking Through Shackles" unit, the Brontë sisters' "Pillar Portrait" (see Figure ④) is one of the famous exhibits. This oil painting is titled "Anne, Emily and Charlotte Brontë," and was painted by their brother Branwell at the age of about 17. The original self-portrait of him in a pillar of light between Charlotte (right one) and Emily (right two) was later covered by the painter with a rough pillar, hence the name of the painting. In their home in West Yorkshire, the four Brontë teenagers sat around a round table in the living room, playing games, writing, painting, and running handmade newspapers together, spending many long nights in the bleak moors.

I once visited their former residence and was surprised that such an inconspicuous small table witnessed the germination of famous works such as "Jane Eyre," "Wuthering Heights," and "Agnes Grey," and deeply envied the sibling friendship of "the Brontë children" using creation to jointly resist the desolation of the world. Perhaps because of years of companionship and understanding, Charlotte in Branwell's pen has a peaceful and pragmatic face, Anne is lively and unrestrained, and the eyes of the "hermit" Emily are like her transcendent poems calling for heather and stars, transcending this time and place, condensing and dissipating into emptiness.

In the "Tracing Literary Hearts" unit, Fanny Burney's oil painting is eye-catching with its gorgeous "Lunardi" hat. She created one of the earliest British female novels, "Evelina," which was highly praised by writers such as Jane Austen. However, her portrait does not show this side of the novelist, but instead portrays a fashionable girl. In the "Rewriting the World" unit, the oil painting of the 19th-century poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning has bright eyes, calm and firm. Her love poems are moving, and the writer herself is also famous in literary history for actively participating in the abolitionist movement and exposing social injustice in her works.

From being able to publish works only hidden behind male pen names in the early days, or only leaving behind individual portraits painted by relatives and friends, to reluctantly allowing portraits to be shaped by painters and publishers into "beautiful female writers" that are conducive to the marketing of works, and then to being able to master the discourse power of their own portraits and participate in the reshaping of their own professional image... Over the past five centuries, the writing and publishing path of female writers has been tortuous and bumpy, and has increasingly received the attention it deserves, and has gradually shined. In the late 1980s, a single mother living in poverty looked out the train window and seemed to see a thin, black-haired boy smiling at her—this was the moment when Harry Potter was born from J.K. Rowling's pen. Today, tourists from all over the world stop in front of the "Nine and Three-Quarters" platform at King's Cross Station in London. Generations of readers who grew up with Harry Potter believe that there is still magic, courage, wisdom, loyalty, and love in life.

"When works, portraits, and biographies intersect, it constitutes a rare opportunity for us to approach the most talented literary masters of the past 500 years," curators Katherine MacLeod and Alexandra Ortolja-Baird said in the introduction. Today, people still celebrate World Book Day on Shakespeare's death anniversary and presumed birthday—April 23. Ben Jonson's poem may be slightly biased: we can well go to the museum to see the writer's portrait, and then, with a more three-dimensional perspective, open the book and read it deeply.

(The author is a professor in the Department of English Language and Literature at Fudan University (复旦大学))

Return to Top

Reflections on South Sacred Lake (Traveler's Musings)

By: 沈小晓

In January of this year, the Sino-Egyptian Luxor Montu Temple Joint Archaeological Team announced the discovery of a previously unknown sacred lake relic, named "South Sacred Lake" because it stands parallel to the known sacred lake of the Montu Temple north of Luxor (卢克索), an ancient city in southern Egypt. This is the first time in the history of Egyptian archaeology that two sacred lakes have been discovered in the same temple area, and it is also the only sacred lake in the history of Egyptian archaeology that has been systematically and scientifically excavated.

The South Sacred Lake is located within the Montu Temple complex. The Montu Temple site area (see picture, data picture) covers a total area of approximately 106,000 square meters, of which the temple area within the square enclosure is approximately 24,000 square meters. It contains many important relics such as the Montu Temple, the Ma'at Temple, the Harpra Temple, the Sacred Lake, the elevated building, the North Gate, and six Osiris shrines. Standing in the site area, before my eyes are the weathered pillars, foundations, and scattered gravel that have endured thousands of years of wind and rain. The sound of the wind whispers in my ears, like a distant echo of history. I can't help but lament how prosperous this place was in the past, and how silent it is now.

Approaching the South Sacred Lake, it is not the "lake" as imagined, but more like a rectangular stone pool, covering an area of more than 50 square meters. Looking down, the walls of the sacred lake are built of sandstone blocks, and a stone staircase leading to the bottom of the lake is built on the east wall, from which ancient priests drew water for temple rituals. Looking closely at the surroundings of the sacred lake, one can still find traces of mud bricks and red bricks repaired, like "archives" left by time, showing the construction process of the sacred lake over thousands of years.

The Montu Temple is dedicated to Montu, the god of war, with the head of a hawk and the body of a human. He is one of the oldest and most important gods in ancient Egypt, and also the main god of the Thebes (底比斯) (now Luxor) region, the ancient capital of Egypt. The rise and fall of the temple reflects the changes in the belief of Montu and the power struggles of the ancient Egyptians. Exploring this site is of great significance for interpreting ancient Egypt and early human civilization. In the 1940s, French scholars conducted small-scale excavations, but no formal work was carried out in the following decades. Eight years ago, the first Chinese archaeological team arrived here. China and Egypt joined hands to slowly unveil the mysterious veil of this ancient temple and reproduce its past glory.

At this moment, standing on one side of the South Sacred Lake ruins, the rough wind mixed with sand blows on my face. I saw Chinese and Egyptian archaeologists squatting together in a test pit, brushing away thousands of years of dust with small brushes while exchanging their views from time to time. This scene particularly moved me.

Over the past eight years, such scenes have become commonplace. Members of the Chinese and Egyptian archaeological teams jointly exchange technical methods and ideological inheritance. Many archaeological achievements have attracted considerable attention in the academic community, and deep friendships have been established between them. Their figures working side by side are the appearance of civilizational dialogue, without distinction of superiority or inferiority, equally illuminating each other. The significance of joint archaeology lies not in whose technology is more advanced or whose academic tradition is more ancient, but in the common belief of both parties: this is the creation of human civilization, a common heritage belonging to all mankind.

The discovery of the South Sacred Lake reveals another level of civilizational dialogue. Both Chinese and Egyptian civilizations regard water as a symbol of life. In ancient Egyptian mythology, the world originated from an infinite primordial chaotic water called "Nun," from which all things and order were born. The sacred lakes in ancient Egyptian temples were considered sacred water sources, not only providing water for religious rituals, but also symbolizing and reproducing the initial water at the time of the world's birth. In Chinese civilization, water is endowed with more philosophical meaning. The philosophy of "the highest excellence is like water" (上善若水 (shàng shàn ruò shuǐ - "supreme good is like water," the highest good is like water, benefiting all things without contention)) and the Eastern wisdom of "harmony between man and nature" (天人合一 (tiān rén hé yī - "heaven and man as one," the belief that humans and nature are interconnected and should live in harmony)) still shine brightly today. The two major civilizations have developed their own unique philosophies and wisdom due to geographical environmental differences, but the important understanding of water's importance to life and order has formed a civilizational dialogue that transcends time and space.

"Joint archaeology is not only about excavating the past and protecting civilization, but also about building bridges for the future." The words of Henti, a member of the Egyptian archaeological team, lingered in my mind for a long time. Henti has been engaged in archaeological work for nearly 30 years. In order to better understand China, she began to systematically study ancient Chinese history. At the Montu Temple site, she looked at the land under her feet and then looked at the distance that had not yet been excavated, and said, "We are jointly facing the heritage of human civilization and jointly undertaking the responsibility of protection and inheritance." Looking around, tourists from all over the world come in an endless stream. Some focus on taking pictures and recording, while others linger in front of the obelisk for a long time. They come with curiosity about ancient civilizations and go to all parts of the world with the echoes of history. Everyone is an envoy of civilization inheritance and dissemination.

Walking through the towering giant stone pillars of the temple, I can't help but think of distant Iran. That land, which also gave birth to ancient civilizations, is now suffering from炮火侵袭. This makes me more deeply realize that every site is a common historical memory of mankind, and every civilization is a valuable component of human civilization. The cherishing and protection of civilization is not only the responsibility of archaeologists or museum workers, but also the responsibility of everyone. This is also what the Global Civilization Initiative shows: only by eliminating conflicts with civilizational dialogue, replacing estrangement with communication, and replacing confrontation with cooperation, can we truly safeguard the common memory of mankind and inject lasting and stable power into world peace by embracing and learning from each other on an equal footing.

Return to Top

Exploring the Malaysian Rainforest (Overseas Observations)

By: 陈培栋

Traveling 50 kilometers northeast from Kuala Lumpur (吉隆坡), the capital of Malaysia (马来西亚), you enter the embrace of the Titiwangsa Mountains (蒂迪旺沙山脉). The fishtail palms, reaching for the blue sky, stand out from the crowd, their leaves resembling tropical fishtails swaying in the air. This is the heart of one of the world's oldest rainforests – the Southeast Asian rainforest, comparable to the Amazon and Congo Basin as one of the world's three major rainforest regions. Occasionally, you can see local indigenous rangers in the mountains: they carry backpacks and travel through the dense forest, skillfully removing iron traps set by poachers, using GPS (全球定位系统) to record the tracks of wild animals, and guarding the tranquility of the rainforest.

Stepping into Taman Negara (马来西亚大汉山国家公园), located in the heart of the rainforest, you are surrounded by lush greenery. As the flagship species of the Southeast Asian rainforest, dipterocarp trees are undoubtedly the protagonists of this forest. They stand straight and tall, piercing the sky, often reaching heights of sixty or seventy meters, supporting the framework of the forest. The trunks of dipterocarp trees are smooth and straight, with branches only at the top, like towering pillars in the rainforest. Their buttress roots are particularly spectacular, extending from the base of the trunk into wing-like structures several meters high, like thick stone walls, firmly rooted in the earth. Every few years, during the collective flowering and fruiting season, tens of thousands of winged dipterocarp seeds rotate and fall from the canopy, covering the entire forest floor. Malaysia (马来西亚) has thus become one of the regions with the highest concentration of endemic dipterocarp species in the world, with approximately 340 species of dipterocarp plants nationwide.

Beneath this green dome supported by giant trees, the mysterious Rafflesia (大王花) occasionally blooms quietly in the forest. This flower has no stem or roots, parasitizing the roots or stems of plants in the *Tetrastigma* genus of the grape family, never directly contacting the soil throughout its life. Its flower bud needs to be nurtured for eight or nine months to mature, and when it blooms, it can reach a diameter of 1 meter, making it one of the largest flowers in the world. However, this flower, which takes months of accumulation to bloom, has a flowering period of only a few days, after which it quickly turns black and withers, like a brief and grand life ritual.

The primeval rainforest of Taman Negara (大汉山国家公园) dates back 130 million years, about 60 million years earlier than the Amazon rainforest. The local indigenous Batek (巴泰克族) people, who live deep in the rainforest, are direct descendants of the earliest inhabitants of the Malay Peninsula and belong to a branch of the "Orang Asli" – a name that means "original people" in Malay. The Batek (巴泰克族) people call themselves "children of the forest." They do not believe that land can be privately owned and consider themselves only guardians of the forest. Therefore, they do not build fixed residences but migrate with the rhythm of the rainforest, gathering wild fruits from the forest, drinking clear springs from the mountains, and coexisting with the rainforest for thousands of years without ever disrupting the balance of nature. Today, indigenous youths who still uphold this philosophy join the ranger teams or become national park guides, traversing the forest paths that their ancestors have walked thousands of times, using the wisdom of their ancestors combined with modern technology to continue to protect this home of generations.

In this rainforest, time is not a solo performance but an ensemble. Dipterocarps take a hundred years to grow from seeds into giant trees, not rushing for immediate results; the Rafflesia (大王花) brews in nine months of silence, only for a few days of blooming; the Batek (巴泰克族) people measure by seasons, migrating in the rainy season and stationing in the dry season, never urging the land to give more. They each have their own rhythm, sharing ease. I think every life has its own time, fast or slow, but equally solemn. Perhaps, we can also put ourselves into the harmony of life, be an instrument willing to wait, rather than an anxious conductor.

Return to Top

"The Book Thief": Inside and Outside the Book (Reading the World)

By: 徐 馨

Starting from the Museum Island (博物馆岛) in Berlin (柏林), Germany (德国) in the east, to the Brandenburg Gate (勃兰登堡门) in the west, Unter den Linden (菩提树大街) is known as the "German spiritual space" and is a must-see for many visitors to Berlin (柏林). On May 10, 1933, in Bebelplatz (倍倍尔广场), adjacent to Unter den Linden (菩提树大街), more than 20,000 books were burned under the instigation of the German Nazis. Among them were the works of Karl Marx (卡尔·马克思), Thomas Mann (托马斯·曼), Bertolt Brecht (布莱希特), Sigmund Freud (弗洛伊德), and others.

Today, strolling through Bebelplatz (倍倍尔广场), visitors may notice a 4-square-meter glass plate on the ground. Looking down, there is a set of empty white bookshelves. Not far from this memorial installation, the ground is engraved with a poem written by the German poet Heinrich Heine (海涅) in 1821: "This is just a prelude—people will eventually burn people where they burn books."

Liesel (莉赛尔), a German girl living in the suburbs of Munich (慕尼黑), once "stole" a book from a Nazi-ignited book burning pile. She hid the book in her coat, and it almost burned her skin. Liesel (莉赛尔) is a character in the novel "The Book Thief" (偷书贼) (see picture, data picture) by Australian writer Markus Zusak (马库斯·祖萨克). This book was written in 2005 and has been translated into more than 60 languages ​​in the past 20 years and has remained a bestseller. The novel uses "books" as a clue, while also showing the devastation of the war on Jews and Germans.

Zusak (祖萨克) said: "A book contains the world and reflects the world." Reading "The Book Thief" (偷书贼), I thought of Anne Frank (安妮·弗兰克), a Jewish girl who died at the dawn of her life; I thought of the parents of Dutch Sinologist Schipper (施舟人) who suffered imprisonment for hiding Jews; I thought of my colleague Shen Xiaoxiao (沈小晓) who went to great lengths to interview the brothers who set up a book stall in a refugee camp in Gaza (加沙). The name of the small book stall is "Read Your Book." "The Book Thief" (偷书贼) is set against the background of World War II, and it does not feel distant when read more than 80 years later. Commemorating history is to avoid repeating the same mistakes.

Zusak (祖萨克) not only writes about war, but what touches me most in the book is the observation of human nature. "Michael Holtzapfel (迈克·霍尔茨阿普费尔) knew what he was doing. He killed himself because he wanted to live." Michael (迈克) is the son of Liesel's (莉赛尔) neighbor. He could not face the fact that his younger brother died in his arms, while he, as a soldier, survived. "It was the snowflakes of Stalingrad (斯大林格勒) that killed Michael (迈克)," the writer wrote.

"What did he do to me, that boy. It's like this every time. This is his only flaw. He steps on my heart. He makes me cry," the writer said from the perspective of the narrator "Death" in the novel. "He" here is Rudy (鲁迪), Liesel's (莉赛尔) best friend in the story. This boy has candle-like hair. He would steal food because he was hungry, and he would risk delivering bread to Jews. He was a child who gently placed a teddy bear on the cheek of a dying "enemy," a teenager who longed for a kiss from the girl next door but could not get it. The writer's praise of the beauty of the world is like a stream hidden by branches and leaves in the forest, inadvertently flowing into people's eyes and hearts.

At the end of the book, the author once again writes from the perspective of "Death": "I always either overestimate human beings or underestimate human beings, and rarely can objectively evaluate them... How can human nature be so ugly and so radiant." Reading this, I thought of a sentence from Nobel Prize winner Svetlana Alexievich (阿列克谢耶维奇): Human nature can defeat human nature only because it is human nature.

Zusak (祖萨克) not only writes about human nature. "The Book Thief" (偷书贼) is also a love letter from this writer to "words." "She ran the back of her hand over the bookshelf, listening to the sound of her fingernails brushing against each spine, like listening to the playing of an instrument or the sound of running. Liesel (莉赛尔) smiled." This is the scene when Liesel (莉赛尔) first entered the mayor's wife's study. At that time, she was still illiterate. "But, believe me, the words are on their way, and when they arrive, Liesel (莉赛尔) will hold them like holding clouds, and then squeeze out the words like squeezing rain from the clouds."

In the writer's pen, "words" have saved many people. In World War I, Liesel's (莉赛尔) adoptive father became the only survivor in the combat squad because he "wrote beautifully"; the Jew Max (麦克斯) painted "Mein Kampf" (《我的奋斗》) into blank paper and then wrote stories on it to make a book; Max (麦克斯), who was hidden in the basement, could not see the outside world. Among the 13 gifts Liesel (莉赛尔) gave to Max (麦克斯), one was her description of the sky; the adoptive father read the hard-won books to Liesel (莉赛尔) one by one, teaching her to read, and Liesel (莉赛尔) stumbled and read books to the neighbors who were hiding from the air raids together.

In the end, Liesel (莉赛尔) became the only survivor in the bombing because she was writing a book in the basement. The last sentence she wrote in the book was: "I used to hate words, and I used to love them. I hope to use them correctly."

This must also be the writer's own voice. When Zusak (祖萨克) was writing "The Book Thief" (偷书贼), the first 200 pages were overturned many times. In the end, he determined that no one would want to read it, so he simply wrote it in the way he wanted to write the most. "In the middle of this were 1,000 failures. In every failed sentence or idea, there was a small advantage, and that's how the whole book was written." I thought of another sentence from the writer Svetlana Alexievich (阿列克谢耶维奇): Sometimes I interview for tens of thousands of hours, and not a single sentence is left, but a character is left.

Immersed in life, and at the same time able to be accompanied by words, "squeeze out words like squeezing rain from the clouds," this is the charm of writing work.

Return to Top

Editors of this page: Wang Jiake, Zhuang Xueya, Li Xinyi

Electronic Mailbox: rmrbgjfk@peopledaily.cn
Layout Design: Zhang Fangman (张芳曼)

Return to Top

New Drivers of Domestic Demand Seen in 84.7% Contribution Rate (Weekly Economic Review)

By: 常 钦

The first quarter's national economic operation "report card" this year has a set of data that is particularly eye-catching: the gross domestic product increased by 5.0% year-on-year, while domestic demand contributed as high as 84.7% to economic growth, an increase of nearly 30 percentage points year-on-year.

In the first quarter of the "15th Five-Year Plan," amid complex and volatile external situations and the spillover effects of geopolitical conflicts, a contribution rate of over 80% clearly marks the driving force behind China's stable economic start. Consumption, as the ultimate demand, is demonstrating the strong resilience of the "basic force" of economic growth. Looking through this 84.7% contribution rate, we see vivid scenes leaping across urban and rural areas, converging into surging new momentum towards innovation, green development, and intelligence.

New momentum is embedded in the people-benefiting policies of "towards green and intelligent." Domestic demand is constantly being activated along with industrial upgrading. As of April 12, 2026, the sales volume of consumer goods trade-in reached 502.94 billion yuan, benefiting 69.777 million people. Behind the books is the tangible reality of everyday life: in Zhejiang (浙江), the "Zhejiang Vehicle Scrapping" digital application allows people to enjoy one-stop door-to-door towing services; in Chongqing (重庆), 1,456 trade-in service stations are rooted in villages and communities, allowing smart home appliances to reach remote mountain villages within two days. "Trade-in" is by no means a simple elimination of old items, but a comprehensive upgrade of lifestyle. In the first two months, the sales of smart glasses on key e-commerce platforms increased by 1.8 times year-on-year, and new products such as embodied intelligent robots became popular. This proves that high-quality new supply is accurately matching and stimulating the new needs of the people.

New momentum is released in the "breaking circle and crossing borders" digital scenarios. At present, service consumption and new types of consumption are becoming active factors driving the economy. In the first quarter, service retail sales increased by 5.5% year-on-year, and online retail sales of goods and services increased by 8.0% year-on-year. In the sky above Jinjiang District (锦江区) in Chengdu (成都), Sichuan (四川), an electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft completed its first manned verification flight in the main urban area. "Air taxis" are moving from science fiction to reality, outlining a new consumption map driven by the low-altitude economy. In the intangible "cloud," China's daily call volume of artificial intelligence word tokens exceeded 140 trillion, an increase of more than 40% compared with the end of last year. When immersive cultural tourism allows people to "**穿越千年**" (chuān yuè qiān nián - "cross over a thousand years," to travel through time), when digital applications drive the growth rate of retail sales of communication and information services to exceed 10%, cutting-edge "computing power" is truly transformed into the "purchasing power" of the whole society, constantly expanding the boundaries of the large domestic demand market.

New momentum is nurtured in the "reborn" investment vitality. Another major pillar of domestic demand is investment. In the first quarter, national fixed asset investment (excluding rural households) increased by 1.7% year-on-year, achieving a rebound from the decline, among which investment in the purchase of equipment and appliances increased significantly by 13.9%. What does this 13.9% mean? It is not only the vigorous development of high-tech industries, but also the "**老树发新芽**" (lǎo shù fā xīn yá - "old tree sprouts new buds," old things taking on a new lease of life) of traditional industries. Walking into the workshop of Yueda Textile (悦达纺织) in Yancheng (盐城), Jiangsu (江苏), more than 500,000 data collection points constitute an "industrial brain," allowing unit energy consumption to be reduced by 15% and processing costs to be reduced by 26%. Strolling through the Fangda Special Steel (方大特钢) plant area in Nanchang (南昌), Jiangxi (江西), the once high-energy-consuming steel plant is now surrounded by water systems and transformed into a 4A-level industrial research and study scenic spot for receiving tourists. These "intangible assets" and hardware equipment invested in digitalization and green transformation have become engines for activating effective investment.

The fundamentals of China's long-term economic improvement have not changed. Relying on the rapid growth of new momentum brought about by technological progress and industrial upgrading is sustainable. As long as we adhere to "**稳中求进**" (wěn zhōng qiú jìn - "seek progress while maintaining stability," to make steady progress) and improve quality and efficiency, and allow policy dividends to directly reach enterprises and thousands of households, this new momentum surging in the large domestic demand market will surely provide inexhaustible power for the high-quality development of China's economy during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period.

Return to Top

A Chronicle of Overcoming Challenges in White-Feathered Broiler Breeding (Three Meals, Four Seasons)

By: 本报记者 李晓晴 姜晓丹 刘晓宇

Golden chicken nuggets under the heat lamps of fast-food restaurants, high-protein ready-to-eat chicken breasts in fitness meal boxes, rich chicken soup on the dining table... Chicken is the second most consumed meat product in China.

As the dominant breed in global chicken production, white-feathered broilers contribute about 70% of the world's chicken meat and account for more than 70% of China's chicken production. More than a decade ago, China's white-feathered broiler breeding stock was entirely dependent on imports. After continuous breeding efforts by Chinese enterprises and research institutions, in 2021, three domestic white-feathered broiler breeds, "Shengze 901" (圣泽901), "Guangming No. 2" (广明2号), and "Wode 188" (沃德188), passed national approval, achieving a breakthrough "from 0 to 1" and ending the passive situation in which China's white-feathered broiler breeding stock was entirely dependent on imports. By 2025, the market share of domestic breeding stock in the domestic market had reached 31%.

Over the past five years, what iterative breakthroughs have domestic broilers, which have undergone numerous trials, achieved? The reporter conducted an investigation.

Breeding Breakthrough—

"Shengze 901" Breed Continues to Iterate

In a deep mountain laboratory in Guangze County (光泽县), Nanping City (南平市), Fujian Province (福建省), researchers are bending over rows of precision incubators, recording the physical data of each hatching egg. This is the "heart" of China's white-feathered broiler breeding—"Here, we solved the problem of dependence on white-feathered broiler breeding stock," said Fu Guangming (傅光明), Chairman of Fujian Shengnong Development Co., Ltd. (福建圣农发展股份有限公司), with pride.

"White-feathered broiler breeding is about selecting breeds that eat less, grow meat faster, and are larger in size." Luo Pingtao (罗平涛), a manager at Fujian Shengnong Development Co., Ltd. (福建圣农发展股份有限公司), used an analogy, saying that it is necessary to continuously select "athletes" in each generation, and excellent original breeding chickens are called "chicken chips."

How to keep the "chicken chips" in our own hands?

Breeding is high-risk, requires large investment, and has a long cycle. "Our independent breeding requires an annual investment of at least 100 million yuan, and there is still the possibility of failure, which is a great challenge," said Fu Guangming (傅光明).

Breeding requires the establishment of core breeding farms, and the conditions are very strict: within a 5-kilometer radius, there must be no people, poultry, or other animals, and no factors that may interfere with breeding.

Lin Rui (林锐), Party Secretary and Director of the Guangze County Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau (光泽县农业农村局), introduced that at that time, the county "circled" 3,000 mu of land that met biosafety standards for the construction of core breeding farms, and strictly controlled the 60,000 mu area on the outer edge to prevent the risk of epidemics. In this way, a fully enclosed core breeding farm was built in the deep trenches at the foot of the Wuyi Mountains (武夷山脉).

In 2019, Shengnong (圣农) successfully broke the technological monopoly and built China's first four-line matching system—"Shengze 901" (圣泽901). In 2021, "Shengze 901" (圣泽901) passed the new variety approval of the National Livestock and Poultry Genetic Resources Committee and obtained the National Livestock and Poultry New Variety Certificate. So far, China has ended the passive situation in which all white-feathered broiler grandparent chickens relied on imports. On June 10, 2022, the first batch of "Shengze 901" (圣泽901) parent generation breeding chickens was supplied to the domestic market in batches. "The breed is still continuously iterating, and the cumulative investment in breeding has exceeded 1.4 billion yuan," said Fu Guangming (傅光明).

This spring, good news came—Fujian Shengze Biotechnology Development Co., Ltd. (福建圣泽生物科技发展有限公司), a subsidiary of Shengnong Group (圣农集团), and Uzbekistan Agricultural Cluster Co., Ltd. (乌兹别克斯坦农业集群有限责任公司) held a strategic cooperation signing ceremony for the introduction of grandparent breeding chickens at Shengnong headquarters. After years of hard work, China's white-feathered broiler breeding is moving towards the international "table."

"Sixteen years ago, Shengnong (圣农) introduced grandparent breeding chickens to organize production; 16 years later, we began to export grandparent breeding chickens overseas." Luo Pingtao (罗平涛) said that as of the end of February 2026, "Shengze 901" (圣泽901) parent generation breeding chickens of Fujian Shengze Biotechnology Development Co., Ltd. (福建圣泽生物科技发展有限公司) have been scaled and continuously moving towards the international market.

Strengthening the Chain and Casting the Core—

"Guangming No. 2" Carries the "China Chip" to the World

In March, at the breeding base of Xinguang Animal Husbandry Co., Ltd. (新广农牧有限公司) in Gaoming District (高明区), Foshan City (佛山市), Guangdong Province (广东省), a batch of "Guangming No. 2" (广明2号) grandparent breeding chickens that had undergone strict quarantine were successfully packed, cleared customs, and set off for countries jointly building the "Belt and Road."

This is another key breakthrough in domestic white-feathered broiler breeding stock after the export of parent generation hatching eggs to Pakistan in 2024 and the entry of parent generation breeding chickens into the Middle East market in 2025—from hatching eggs to breeding chickens, from parent generation to grandparent generation, achieving a three-level jump from product going overseas to core breeding stock going overseas, marking China's white-feathered broiler officially entering the first echelon of the global seed industry.

"Three times going overseas, three times advancing, the difficulty is increasing level by level, and the gold content is also getting higher and higher." Luo Haisheng (罗海生), general manager of Xinguang Animal Husbandry (新广农牧), introduced that with its characteristics of high survival rate, low feed ratio, excellent meat quality, and strong adaptability, the safe, stable, and efficient "Guangming No. 2" (广明2号) has become the preferred choice in the market. "In the past, European and American companies only exported grandparent breeding chickens and firmly controlled the top of the value chain. Now, 'Guangming No. 2' (广明2号) has successfully entered this track and is competing with international varieties on the same stage," said Luo Haisheng (罗海生).

From "crossing the river by feeling the stones" to "precision breeding," scientific and technological cooperation has become the key to breaking the situation.

Since 2014, Xinguang Animal Husbandry (新广农牧) has cooperated deeply with the Beijing Institute of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (中国农业科学院北京畜牧兽医研究所), introducing the "Jingxin No. 1" (京芯一号) genome breeding chip, upgrading the phenotype and pedigree data that traditional breeding relies on to precise screening that "predicts the future," and greatly improving breeding efficiency.

In the genomic breeding laboratory of Xinguang Animal Husbandry (新广农牧), researchers are carefully analyzing breeding chip data on the computer screen. Key indicators such as the growth rate, feed intake, disease resistance, egg production performance, and muscle quality of each breeding chicken are accurately "portrayed" by data. "With the help of genomic selection technology, we no longer rely on experience to 'look at chickens and select seeds,' but directly lock in advantageous genes and accurately select individuals that grow fast, save feed, have high survival rates, and have good meat quality." Luo Haisheng (罗海生) introduced that this precise breeding system makes breeding more efficient and performance more stable. Today, "Guangming No. 2" (广明2号) has been iterated to the fifth generation, with a fast slaughter age of 42 days, a survival rate of over 97%, and a significant reduction in the incidence of woody breast meat, and its comprehensive performance is comparable to that of international first-class varieties.

Xinguang Animal Husbandry (新广农牧) has jointly carried out epidemic purification and biosafety research with South China Agricultural University (华南农业大学) and Foshan University (佛山大学), and built the first batch of national epidemic purification demonstration farms to ensure the health of breeding chickens from the source.

"The company relies on the natural biological isolation barrier of the mountainous area to build a high-standard, fully enclosed breeding park, and strengthens biosafety and epidemic prevention and control throughout the entire process from site selection, construction to operation, laying a solid foundation for 'Guangming No. 2' (广明2号) to achieve zero deaths in cross-border transportation," said Huang Xuezhai (黄学钊), chief animal husbandry veterinarian of the Gaoming District Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau (高明区农业农村局).

Good breeds can be bred, promoted, and go far, which is inseparable from the full-chain escort of the provincial, municipal, and district governments.

Foshan City (佛山市) and Gaoming District (高明区) regard "Guangming No. 2" (广明2号) as a benchmark project for seed industry revitalization and the "Yueqiang Seed Core" (粤强种芯) project, and take multiple measures to help enterprises overcome difficulties and empower them. "From land and funds to customs clearance and supporting facilities, the government has been escorting us all the way." Luo Haisheng (罗海生) said that the province and city coordinated to solve the land use for the core breeding farm and opened a green channel for approval; the provincial and municipal finance supported funds of about 30 million yuan to help build the Guangdong White-feathered Broiler Seed Industry Innovation Park (广东省白羽肉鸡种业创新园); the Gaoming District Government (高明区政府) specially invested 3 million yuan to build park bridges and roads, unblocking key logistics nodes and consolidating the biosafety closed loop. Foshan Customs (佛山海关) has set up an export green channel, providing 7×24-hour one-stop service for quarantine, inspection, and certification, allowing "life seeds" to pass customs quickly and go overseas efficiently.

Flavorful and Palatable—

"Wode 188" is Customized for the "Chinese Stomach"

"We have done market research, chicken wings, chicken feet, and chicken gizzards are 'sweet pastries' in braised food stores and family tables. After the output is increased, it can not only meet consumer demand, but also help farmers increase income," said Wu Guiqin (吴桂琴), Dean of the Wode Poultry Research Institute (沃德家禽研究院).

At the Beijing Wode Poultry Shunyi Xiaocaozhuang Breeding Base (北京沃德禽业顺义小曹庄养殖基地), white-feathered broilers with uniform body shapes grow healthily in intelligent chicken coops. Each original breeding chicken is equipped with an exclusive QR code ID card, which records growth, health, and offspring performance data in real time. The "Wode 188" (沃德188) white-feathered broiler bred here has been upgraded with a unique body shape of "four big and one small," that is, large claws, large wings, large legs, large gizzards, and small breasts, which is suitable for diversified processing scenarios such as domestic braising, barbecue, and leisure food, and has become a domestic fine breed specially created for Chinese dietary preferences.

In the past, foreign breeding aimed at "large body shape and high breast meat rate," while Chinese consumers prefer chicken parts with rich taste. Cao Hongliang (曹洪亮), general manager of Beijing Wode Poultry (北京沃德禽业), introduced that the price of chicken feet in China is 1.9-2.3 times that of North America, and the price of chicken breast is only about 20% of that in the United States. In the past, the proportion of breast meat in imported varieties was too high, and the output of high-value products was insufficient, and consumer demand and corporate benefits could not be met.

In the Key Laboratory of Egg and Meat Chicken Breeding and Reproduction of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (农业农村部蛋肉鸡育种与繁殖重点实验室), the clean and bright experimental area and the data analysis center full of precision instruments are operating in an orderly manner, and researchers wearing white work clothes are walking through it. Wu Guiqin (吴桂琴) pointed to the breeding data and introduced, "Breeding is not only a contest of biotechnology, but also a deep understanding of the consumer market. We must use Chinese breeding stock to satisfy Chinese taste and adapt to the 'Chinese stomach.'"

"Compared with imported varieties, on the same breeding area, 'Wode 188' (沃德188) increases the production of chicken wings by 8%, chicken feet by 20%, chicken gizzards by 20%, and chicken legs by 10%, and the output of high-value parts is greatly increased." Wu Guiqin (吴桂琴) said that the team first spent 10 years cultivating "Wode 188" (沃德188), and then used 4 years to iterate and upgrade, building a multi-dimensional balance model of variety, age, nutrition, and feed ratio. Calculated according to the national annual output of 9 billion white-feathered broilers, each chicken can create 2 yuan more value for the industrial chain, and the annual increase in industrial value exceeds 10 billion yuan, truly opening up the value closed loop from the breeding end to the consumer end, and realizing efficient value-added for the entire industrial chain.

In addition to being sought after by consumers, "Wode 188" (沃德188) is also the first choice for many large-scale farms.

Fan Chuangchuang (范创创), head of the Smart Modernized Farm (思玛特现代化养殖场) in Chengwu County (成武县), Shandong Province (山东省), calculated such a "benefit account" for reporters: the price of each chick is 1.3 yuan lower, the disease resistance is stronger, and the survival rate is 1-2 percentage points higher. In addition, the "four big and one small" chicken products have high value. Comprehensively calculated, each chicken has an additional profit of 2.3 yuan. "And consumers feedback that 'Wode 188' (沃德188) basically has no problems with hard meat and firewood taste. Of course, we welcome such varieties," said Fan Chuangchuang (范创创).

"In the next step, we will comprehensively benchmark the consumption needs of Chinese people, continue to optimize and iterate 'Wode 188' (沃德188), strengthen the characteristic traits of 'four big and one small,' improve the comprehensive quality of chicken parts that terminal consumers like, and let high-quality, efficient, and 'Chinese stomach'-adapted domestic fine breeds benefit more consumers and farmers," said Wu Guiqin (吴桂琴).

Return to Top

Peach Blossom Charm in Riverside Village (Beautiful Countryside, My Home)

By: 本报记者 刘佳华

Arriving at Hekou Village (河口村), Changdian Town (长甸镇), Kuandian Manchu Autonomous County (宽甸满族自治县), Dandong City (丹东市), Liaoning Province (辽宁省), one immediately enters a picturesque landscape: the Yalu River (鸭绿江) waters surround it, nestled against green hills, with peach orchards stretching endlessly. Turning onto the "Music Highway," the melody of "In That Place Where Peach Blossoms Bloom" resonates leisurely in the ears.

"Come and taste the dried peaches, they're really sweet!" By the roadside, under the sign of "Affection for Peach Blossom Slope," in front of a restaurant, Ji Hongzhou (吉洪洲), a 48-year-old villager, is selling his home-baked dried peaches, and tourists gather around to choose.

A piece of dried peach enters the mouth, clear and sweet without being greasy, and the more you chew, the more fragrant it becomes. "Our family was among the first in the village to plant peaches, and also the first to build a cold storage." Following Ji Hongzhou up the peach blossom slope behind his house, you can see that each peach tree stands tall and upright, and many have already sprouted tender green buds. "My family has planted more than 1,000 peach trees, and last year's peach sales exceeded 100,000 yuan."

Why did a small village by the river grow peach orchards? Lang Xiankun (郎显琨), Secretary of the General Party Branch of Hekou Village, recalled that more than 40 years ago, fruit tree technician Li Jingye (李景野) brought back a few peach branches from Beijing (北京) and mobilized several villagers to try planting them. At first, the villagers thought that the foreign peach trees would not survive. Villager Liu Jingqing (柳景清) refused to admit defeat. After 4 years of cultivation, the peaches were large, sweet, and sold for a good price, so everyone followed suit and planted peach trees.

Sufficient sunshine, large temperature differences, and fertile soil have created the good quality of the Hekou Village Yan Hong Peach, and have also allowed tens of thousands of acres of peach orchards to gradually spread along the Yalu River. Why is it called Yan Hong Peach? Lang Xiankun smiled and replied that it is because the peaches are as red as a swallow's cheeks, and because the interlaced branches stretch out like a swallow's tail wings.

In the early years, individual households planted peaches, and the sales channels were not smooth. Fresh peaches could only be sold at low prices. How to break the situation? In 2005, the village established the Yan Hong Peach Association, and in 2008, a professional cooperative was established to plant on a large scale and find sales channels in a unified manner. Now, the average selling price of high-quality fresh fruit exceeds 5 yuan per kilogram.

After years of development, the planting area of ​​Hekou Village Yan Hong Peach has reached 12,000 acres, with an annual output of more than 40 million kilograms and an annual output value of more than 120 million yuan. Under the demonstration and leadership of Hekou Village, surrounding villages have joined in, and the total planting area of ​​Yan Hong Peach along the Yalu River has expanded to 40,000 acres, with an output value exceeding 400 million yuan, and is also sold overseas.

Ji Hongzhou expanded his cold storage to 400 square meters and transformed into a fresh fruit broker, opening up foreign sales channels. "During the peak sales season, courier companies directly set up delivery points in my yard, and two full trucks of fresh fruit are sent to all parts of the country every day."

Villager Lin Hailiang (林海亮) simply became an agent for a courier company in Hekou Village. "With strong logistics, online peach sales have wider channels and higher profits." Clicking on his WeChat Moments, one dynamic after another of "Yan Hong Peaches are ripe, welcome to order," paired with full and tempting photos of fresh peaches, attracts many orders. "I can sell more than 70,000 kilograms of fresh fruit a year, and 60% of sales rely on online channels."

10 years ago, Lin Hailiang took over his family's peach orchard from his father and carefully managed it. Now the planting scale has expanded to 40 acres. "Last year, the county invited peach tree planting experts from other places to teach us techniques. The branch pruning skills I learned have already been used this year, and the peach output is expected to increase again!" Lin Hailiang is full of confidence.

Yan Hong Peach has become a fruit for getting rich, with green hills and clear waters reflecting the peach orchards, Hekou Village has been transformed into a "Shangri-La" that tourists yearn for.

Lang Xiankun's family opened the first agritainment in the village more than 30 years ago, starting from one table of meals, to 82 rooms today, and the business is booming. His 29-year-old son, Lang Xuchen (郎旭晨), resolutely returned to his hometown to start a business, assembled a young team, and engaged in online marketing and brand promotion, so that Hekou Yan Hong Peach and rural tourism are known to more people.

Ji Hongzhou has also built homestays and restaurants, and can now accommodate 60 tables of guests at the same time. Every year when the peach blossoms are in full bloom, the village is crowded with tourists, and his family is busy from morning to night. Last year, tourism revenue exceeded 200,000 yuan.

More and more villagers are selling peaches and "selling" scenery. Today, there are 185 registered agritainments in Hekou Village, with an annual output value of more than 70 million yuan for the tourism industry. Agritainment signs line both sides of the village road, and the aroma of dishes such as iron pot stewed river fish is overflowing. Lang Xiankun said that when the peach blossoms bloom, Hekou Village hosts the county's Peach Blossom Festival, receiving more than 100,000 tourists every year during the flower season; when the fresh fruit is ripe, Hekou Village also connects with travel agencies to launch fresh fruit picking tours, receiving more than 20,000 tourists during the picking season last year.

With the prosperity of the industry, the countryside is beautiful. The village has formed a volunteer team to carry out cleaning on a regular basis, and domestic waste is cleared once a day, making the rural paths clean and tidy.

From a few foreign peach branches to tens of thousands of acres of peach orchards all over the mountains and plains, Hekou Village's road to prosperity is getting wider and wider.

Return to Top

Editor in Charge for This Section: Wang Yunshan

Layout Design: Shen Yiling (沈亦伶)

Return to Top

Together, let's journey to a wider sea of stars.

The starry sky is vast and boundless, and the exploration is endless.

April 24, 2026, marks the eleventh "China Space Day," and this year also marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of China's aerospace industry. From the "Dongfanghong-1" (东方红一号) sounding in the universe, to "Chang'e" (嫦娥) embracing the moon, "Tianhe" (天和) stationed in space, and "Tianwen" (天问) exploring Mars, China's aerospace industry has gone through 70 years of magnificent journey. Generations of astronauts have relied on their own efforts and continued to struggle, engraving the footprints belonging to the Chinese people in the vast universe, not only realizing the historic leap from following to running alongside and leading, but also forging monuments such as the "Two Bombs, One Satellite" (两弹一星) spirit, the manned spaceflight spirit, the lunar exploration spirit, and the BeiDou (北斗) spirit of the new era.

On the occasion of "China Space Day," this edition launches a full-page plan to review the brilliant achievements of the aerospace industry, showcase the firm belief of generations of astronauts in dedicating themselves to the country and daring to innovate, as well as the profound impact of the aerospace spirit on society.

--Editor

Return to Top

Looking up at the stars, keeping our feet on the ground ("Ka" Talks Tech)

By: 戚发轫

April 24 this year marks the 11th "China Space Day," and this year also marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of China's aerospace industry. Looking back, from starting from scratch to gradually moving towards becoming a strong aerospace nation today, our generation of aerospace workers are both participants and witnesses.

Many people began to understand China's aerospace industry from "Dongfanghong-1" (东方红一号), but before that, we started by building missiles. At that time, the international relations were complex. After the Soviet experts withdrew in 1960, we could only rely on ourselves and gritted our teeth to successfully complete the missile test. Looking back, this experience was very valuable. It made us understand a principle: key core technologies cannot be obtained, bought, or begged for; they can only be created bit by bit by ourselves.

As early as 1958, Chairman Mao (毛主席) proposed to develop artificial satellites. However, at that time, the country's foundation was weak and its strength was limited. What should we do? The Party Central Committee made a very important judgment—to do something and not do something, to concentrate efforts to first develop the "two bombs" (nuclear bomb and hydrogen bomb), and then develop satellites on this basis. It was this decision that allowed us to avoid detours. In 1965, the artificial satellite project was restarted. After another five years of hard work, on April 24, 1970, China's first artificial satellite, "Dongfanghong-1" (东方红一号), was successfully launched. At that moment, I felt very excited and honored.

I often use the "third steamed bun" to describe myself. When people are hungry, eating the first steamed bun is not enough, and the second is not enough either. Only the third one fills them up, so people often remember the third steamed bun. The success of "Dongfanghong-1" (东方红一号) is the result of generations of aerospace workers advancing one after another and continuing to struggle. So many people before us put in a lot of effort, and finally it was completed with me. I will never forget the efforts of our predecessors. This achievement belongs to generations of silently dedicated aerospace workers.

Over the past 70 years, China's aerospace industry has grown from nothing to something, from weak to strong, and has achieved remarkable achievements. To sum it up, I think there are three reasons.

First is the leadership of the Party. Whether it was the "two bombs first, then satellites" in those years, or the establishment of the manned space program, at every critical moment, the Party Central Committee made correct strategic decisions, guiding the correct development direction of China's aerospace industry.

The second is the advantage of the national system. Whether it is satellites, spacecraft, or space stations, they are all system engineering projects that cannot be completed by one unit or one department alone. The success of the Shenzhou spacecraft (神舟飞船) is backed by thousands of units working together to provide us with materials, components, etc. It is this institutional advantage of concentrating resources to accomplish major tasks that allows us to achieve leapfrog development in a relatively short period of time.

Finally, there is an aerospace team with ideals and beliefs. The aerospace industry, in the final analysis, is done by people. We have a large number of young people who are not only technically proficient, but also have a strong sense of national identity and are willing to integrate their personal ideals into the country's development, accumulating strength for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Our establishment of "China Space Day" can better remember history, inherit the spirit, and stimulate the enthusiasm of all people, especially young people, to admire science, explore the unknown, and dare to innovate, and pass on the spirit of aerospace from generation to generation.

Today, China has become a major aerospace power. Manned spaceflight has achieved "going up" and "coming back"; we have more than a thousand satellites in orbit, making good use of orbital resources and environmental resources; deep space exploration continues to make breakthroughs, and our understanding of the moon is becoming more and more in-depth; at the same time, our aerospace technology also has the ability to defend national sovereignty, security, and development interests.

In the past, we didn't have what others had, but now we basically have what others have, and in some aspects we are even ahead. But to become a strong aerospace nation and a strong science and technology nation, we must do things that others have not done, or do better on the basis of what already exists. This arduous and glorious task falls on the shoulders of the younger generation. I often tell young people that this is a mission given by history and cannot be shirked. To undertake this mission, I think four points are very important.

First, be prepared, be always prepared to strive for the mission of building a strong science and technology nation; second, have love, great and noble love, is the love for the Party, for the motherland, and for the cause, aerospace people must love aerospace; third, have dreams, great undertakings always start with dreams, based on innovation, and succeed in hard work, no matter what field of work you choose, you must have your own pursuits and goals; fourth, have skills, with enthusiasm and ideals, without skills is empty talk, you must become an expert in your position to truly do things well.

Aerospace people often say a sentence: "Look up at the stars, and be down-to-earth." Looking up at the stars is to have ideals and beliefs; being down-to-earth is to do things one by one in a down-to-earth manner. I believe that as long as we have these points, the younger generation of China will definitely be able to push the aerospace industry to a new height under the leadership of the Party.

不忘初心、牢记使命 (bù wàng chū xīn, láo jì shǐ mìng - "never forget the original intention, keep the mission firmly in mind," to stay true to one's original aspiration and always bear one's mission in mind). Aerospace serving the country, aerospace strengthening the country. This is the belief of our generation, and it should also become the driving force for those who come after us to continue moving forward.

(The author is an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (中国工程院) and the first chief designer of the Shenzhou spacecraft (神舟飞船). This article was compiled and edited from interviews by reporters Li Junqiang (李君强) and An Bowen (安博文) of this newspaper.)

Return to Top

Contributing one's own strength to the pursuit of dreams in aerospace.

By: 本报记者 李君强 吴 月 刘诗瑶

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of China's aerospace industry. Over seven decades of hard work and progress, China's aerospace industry has achieved remarkable accomplishments that have attracted worldwide attention. The vast expanse of stars and seas is becoming increasingly accessible, and even deeper changes are taking place in the hearts of more and more ordinary people.

In museums, children follow their parents, constantly asking questions around rocket models. In classrooms, students intently watch astronauts giving lessons from space on television screens. In laboratories, researchers are trying every possible means to overcome difficulties. In-depth lectures and heart-stirring speeches connect these moments across time and space through the same aerospace dream.

From looking up at the stars to loving aerospace, let us follow the narratives of several participants to see how the seeds of stars and seas are sown, take root, and sprout.

The Moment Starlight Entered Their Lives

In 2008, in a junior high school classroom in a county in Shandong (山东), a Chinese language teacher assigned a special homework assignment: to watch the live broadcast of the Shenzhou-7 (神舟七号) launch at home in the evening.

Wang Gong (王工) remembers very clearly that it was the first time she had sat in front of the television, waiting for a rocket to take off. As the rocket ignited and ascended, the scene of three astronauts "going to space for the country" brought tears to the eyes of this girl who was still in the first year of junior high school. "At that moment, I felt particularly shocked."

A few months later, Wang Gong (王工) saw another news item, which was that during the astronauts' extravehicular activity, the orbital module mistakenly reported a fire alarm. The three astronauts thought that even if the fire alarm was real, even if they could not return to Earth, they would still let the five-star red flag fly in space. She felt that these people were particularly great.

From then on, she never missed a live broadcast of any manned spacecraft launch. And the seed of this aerospace dream truly sprouted during the space lesson live broadcast in 2013. As the physics class representative in her class at the time, she and her teacher took the initiative to suggest that the whole class watch the live broadcast together.

On the screen, astronaut Wang Yaping (王亚平) performed a water ball experiment in front of the camera. In a weightless environment, the water film slowly turned into a crystal-clear water ball. Newton's second law, liquid surface tension... These knowledge points that Wang Gong (王工) had learned in her physics textbook became "alive" in space. For the first time, she felt that aerospace was not out of reach, and the formulas in the textbook could also lead to the stars. "It seemed like a wonderful connection was made with the aerospace industry. If I studied the knowledge in the textbook well, I could get closer to it," Wang Gong (王工) recalled.

When filling out her college application, Wang Gong (王工) filled all six of her major preferences with aerospace-related fields. Many years later, she stood in the laboratory of the Second Academy of China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (中国航天科工集团二院) and became a control system designer. "The beam of light that first illuminated me gave me the courage to realize my dream."

A similar light also shone in another pair of younger eyes.

Ye Zizai (叶自在), a high school student from Hangzhou (杭州), first became impressed with aerospace when he was in the fourth grade of elementary school. He saw in the news that Chang'e-4 (嫦娥四号) had landed on the far side of the moon. "I heard the adults say that this was a feat completed by humans for the first time, and we did something that other countries had not done," said Ye Zizai (叶自在).

The shock at the time made him start to actively pay attention to aerospace news. From the Tianwen-1 (天问一号) Mars exploration, the completion of the China Space Station (中国空间站), to the "Xihe (羲和) " and "Kuafu-1 (夸父一号)" twin satellites chasing the sun, he followed in the footsteps of China's aerospace industry, looking further afield.

Ye Zizai (叶自在) thought rockets were cool, so he made them himself. At the school's science and technology festival, he and his classmates assembled and debugged water rockets together. "Seeing the rocket I made take off, flying very high and very far, I felt very accomplished," said Ye Zizai (叶自在).

Ye Zizai (叶自在) also subscribed to the magazine "Sky & Telescope," and often spent half a day in the astronomy club at the Youth Palace. He and his classmates assembled a space station model and hung it in the classroom. "The goal of mankind is the stars and seas. I also want to add my own strength to such a grand thing," he said.

Two beams of light from space fell into the hearts of different people, but they planted the same seed.

There is a Long Way to Go to Turn Interest into Ambition

Planting the seed is just the beginning, and the process of rooting down is even more challenging.

In the view of Yuan Ding (袁丁), a professor at Beihang University (北京航空航天大学), there is still a considerable distance from liking aerospace to actually engaging in aerospace work.

"Aerospace is a huge system engineering, behind which is the interdisciplinary integration of mechanics, information science, materials science and other disciplines." Yuan Ding (袁丁) explained that the first threshold is to deeply understand basic subjects such as mathematics and physics, and to have a solid foundation in mathematics and physics.

What's even harder is yet to come. "There are almost no standard answers in aerospace engineering. It is often necessary to seek the optimal solution under extremely harsh restrictions, and to constantly explore and innovate," said Yuan Ding (袁丁). Rocket launches are spectacular, and the space scenes in science fiction movies are also very fascinating, but when you really enter this major, you are faced with a large number of basic courses and a large number of experiments and other boring processes. "You need to have patience, perseverance and carefulness, and calm down to hone yourself bit by bit," said Yuan Ding (袁丁).

Wang Gong (王工) has a deep understanding of this. In her first year of work, she went on her first independent business trip. As a subsystem representative, she needed to make decisions and judgments in front of experts from various systems, "The pressure was really great," Wang Gong (王工) recalled.

From student to control system designer, it is not just a change of identity, but also a sudden increase in responsibility. "In the past, as an aerospace enthusiast, it was enough to cheer for the rocket launch, but after truly participating in it, every design detail must be repeatedly verified, and I must be responsible for my own results," said Wang Gong (王工). What supported her through the difficulties was the encouragement and companionship of her colleagues. She clearly remembers a sentence that Wang Yaping (王亚平) sent to her: "Since you have chosen aerospace, just focus on the wind and rain. No matter what difficulties you encounter, you must persevere, don't give up, and cheer up!"

During her postgraduate studies at Beihang University (北京航空航天大学), Wang Gong (王工) once wrote a letter to Wang Yaping (王亚平), in which she wrote, "Perhaps you have never known who I am, but you have long become the light I yearn for on my dream-chasing road."

Many years later, the two met in the aerospace city. To Wang Gong's (王工) surprise, Wang Yaping (王亚平) actually remembered her and gave her a big hug. "Teacher Yaping (亚平) said, 'I hope you will become my comrade-in-arms on the aerospace front as soon as possible.'" At that moment, Wang Gong (王工) was filled with emotion. The light she yearned for on her dream-chasing road had become a tangible force.

"The difficulties faced by astronauts are much greater than mine. I have no reason to give up," said Wang Gong (王工).

Ye Zizai (叶自在) is also on the road to rooting his seed. After entering high school, he participated in astronomy-related competitions. The pressure of his studies increased, but he would still chat with his classmates about the new developments in aerospace after class. Once, a professor from Northwestern Polytechnical University (西北工业大学) came to give a lecture, and he listened with particular attention.

"My interest in aerospace has also cultivated my curiosity and patriotism. I want to prepare my knowledge and contribute to the aerospace industry," said Ye Zizai (叶自在).

From "thinking it's cool" to "being able to withstand it," it is necessary to cross a threshold that is not easy. But Yuan Ding (袁丁) has clearly felt that more and more young people are willing to cross this threshold in recent years. This is due to the rapid development of China's aerospace industry and the enthusiasm and attention of the whole society to the aerospace industry.

In the School of Astronautics of Beihang University (北京航空航天大学宇航学院), students are participating in more and more aerospace-related scientific research and competitions. In the classroom, teachers directly use the real data of the lunar surface images publicly released by the state to allow students to do algorithm modeling. "Using real data to do projects, students will feel particularly accomplished," said Yuan Ding (袁丁).

As more and more young people turn their interest in aerospace into ambition, the power of the aerospace industry is also constantly growing and expanding.

Tell More People About the Aerospace Dream

When a seed grows into a big tree, it will also sow new seeds.

Wang Gong (王工) has been working for a full 5 years. In addition to doing her job well, she also often goes to primary and secondary schools, communities, and museums to give popular science lectures. During one popular science lecture, she designed a link to allow students to simulate the "Zero Commander" and broadcast the commands when the rocket was launched. "There are actually a lot of professional terms in it. I was worried that it would be 'beyond the syllabus' for junior high school students, but I didn't expect the children to answer fluently." Wang Gong (王工) was a little surprised. She then realized that this must be due to the students' usual attention to aerospace.

On another occasion, Wang Gong (王工) served as an explainer in an exhibition organized by her unit. At the scene, she heard a mother say to her child: "You can also be like the explainer sister, have your own dreams and work hard to realize them."

Wang Gong (王工) seemed to see herself back then, "Just like Teacher Yaping (亚平) once planted a dream in my heart, I also want to plant this dream in more people's hearts."

Kong Yifan (孔一凡), a student at the School of Astronautics of Beihang University (北京航空航天大学宇航学院), is also doing the same thing. The opportunity for him to choose aerospace major was very special - before the college entrance examination, he happened to read in a news report that Gui Haichao (桂海潮) was admitted to Beihang University (北航) and transformed from a scientific researcher into an astronaut. "It seemed like I suddenly found the direction of my life, so I did not hesitate to apply for Beihang University (北航) and came to the college where Teacher Gui (桂) is located," said Kong Yifan (孔一凡).

After studying at university, he joined the school's public welfare science popularization society and went to primary and secondary schools and science and technology museums in Anhui (安徽), Sichuan (四川) and other places to do aerospace science popularization. After finishing an activity at the Huaiyuan Science and Technology Museum (怀远科技馆) in Anhui (安徽) last summer vacation, a parent contacted him specifically and said that after the child participated in the summer camp, he decided to apply for the aerospace major.

"This kind of positive feedback from the children makes me more determined to do science popularization," said Kong Yifan (孔一凡). "The children's thinking is very divergent, and their questions will force you to constantly learn."

One generation takes over the baton from another. In the China Aerospace Museum (中国航天博物馆), Chen Qing (陈青), the deputy curator, has been doing aerospace science popularization for 12 years. Over the years, she has personally felt many changes. "When the first Aerospace Day was held in 2016, the museum was still in the scientific research area. After moving to its new location in 2023 and officially opening to the public, the flow of people has increased by at least 5 times." In Chen Qing's (陈青) view, the establishment of "China Aerospace Day" can make the society pay more attention to China's aerospace industry, pay attention to aerospace people, and also allow more young people to look up at the stars and sow the seeds of science and dreams.

In the past, many parents were concerned about "whether it is useful for exams," but now they are more concerned about "how to cultivate children's interests." "In one exhibition, the children who came to visit were able to talk about every part of the second-stage engine of the Long March rocket in a clear and logical manner. They would take the initiative to learn about aerospace," said Chen Qing (陈青).

In Wenchang (文昌), Hainan (海南), Chen Qing (陈青) once gave a popular science lecture to the audience at the scene before the rocket launch. Under the high temperature of more than 30 degrees Celsius, the audience was very interested in the lecture that lasted for more than an hour. "When the rocket was launched, everyone waved the national flag under the stage, so enthusiastic!" said Chen Qing (陈青).

The times are changing, and the way of aerospace science popularization is also advancing with the times. At the 2026 "China Aerospace Day" science popularization exhibition, the aerospace large-space virtual reality science popularization science fiction drama "Footprints of the Stars - A Date on the Back of the Moon" is being staged. The audience at the scene wears virtual reality glasses and experiences the feat of aerospace expanding human knowledge from the first perspective of scientific researchers.

Remembering history is to go further; inheriting the spirit is to continue to move forward; inspiring enthusiasm is to allow more people to participate in it. From the country to the local, from the classroom to the society, more and more scenes are telling people's pursuit of the aerospace dream and the Chinese dream.

Tourists Ping Yue (平岳) and Ping Haoran (平昊冉), who had just started elementary school, walked into the China Aerospace Museum (中国航天博物馆). They came from Baoding (保定), Hebei (河北), and left the first stop of their trip to Beijing (北京) here. "The child took the initiative to come," Ping Yue (平岳) said with a smile.

In the exhibition hall, the rocket model stands quietly. Ping Haoran (平昊冉) watched it intently. After a while, he turned around and said in a low voice: "I want to be a rocket engineer in the future." The childish voice was not loud, but it was full of expectations and yearning for the future.

(Wang Gong (王工) in the text is a pseudonym)

Return to Top

Editor in charge of this page: Gu Yekai

Layout design: Wang Zheping (汪哲平)

Return to Top

Earthly Fragrance of Books: "Good Books of China" for 2025

High-quality book creation and publication are the solid cornerstone of building a book-loving society. The annual "China Good Books" selection arrives as scheduled, like a spiritual feast in the spring. Here, we select some of the books selected for the "China Good Books" of 2025 to share with readers, hoping to use good books as seeds to promote a lush and vibrant national reading scene, make people's spiritual and cultural life more fulfilling and abundant, and make the social atmosphere of loving reading, reading good books, and being good at reading more intense and lasting.

--Editor

Return to Top

Ink Nourishes the Original Intention, Books Reflect the Era

By: 郭义强

The fragrance of books leads to distant horizons, and the spring breeze accompanies good reading. As the nation launches its first "National Reading Promotion Week," the China Book Review Society has organized the selection of 42 titles for the "China Good Books" of 2025. These books are a vivid reflection and exquisite display of the publishing industry's commitment to the goal of building a strong cultural nation and unswervingly promoting high-quality development over the past year, and they are worth savoring.

The "Annual Honorary Books" are representative works of important writings and study materials on Xi Jinping (习近平)'s Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era published in 2025. The fifth volume of *Xi Jinping: The Governance of China* (《习近平谈治国理政》) in both Chinese and English vividly records the dynamic practice of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) at its core in promoting solid steps towards building a modern socialist country in all respects. It centrally demonstrates the latest achievements in adhering to the "two integrations" and advancing the Sinicization of Marxism in the new era, and fully reflects the wise solutions our Party has contributed to promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. *Xi Jinping and Frontline Workers* (《习近平与一线职工朋友们》) affectionately tells the touching stories of Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平)'s sincere interactions with frontline workers, his care and concern for their production and lives, and his encouragement for them to continuously innovate and create.

Themed publications closely adhere to the main theme and main line, consolidating and expanding the mainstream ideology and public opinion of striving forward in the new era, with the distinct characteristics of highlighting the main theme and being full of positive energy. *Revelations from the "Six Dialogues on Party History"* (《“党史六对”启示录》) profoundly reveals the historical wisdom and spiritual character of Chinese Communists through six classic dialogues. *Creating a New Culture Belonging to Our Era* (《创造属于我们这个时代的新文化》) adheres to the "two integrations" and summarizes the rich experience accumulated by the Communist Party of China in cultural construction practices in the new era. *Newly Compiled History of the Second World War* (《新编第二次世界大战史》) upholds a correct view of the history of World War II and constructs a narrative of the history of World War II with distinct Chinese characteristics and characteristics of the times. *History of the Anti-Japanese Struggle of the Taiwanese People During the Japanese Occupation Period* (《日据时期台湾人民抗日斗争史》) and *Family Letters Across the Strait* (《两岸家书》), from the dual dimensions of history and reality, interpret the profound friendship of Taiwanese compatriots adhering to national righteousness and the blood ties of compatriots on both sides of the strait, providing historical and emotional annotations for safeguarding national unity and opposing division. *So This Is What China Looks Like* (《原来中国长这样》) showcases the true face of China from the perspective of foreign students studying in China. *Breaking the Urban-Rural Dual Structure* (《破除城乡二元结构》) rationally observes the reality of the national conditions and decodes the development context of China.

Humanities and social science works are based on Chinese civilization, face contemporary China, break disciplinary boundaries, and present a three-dimensional vision of the unity of diverse civilizations, connecting the past and the present. *Sociology Views China: A General Course in Chinese Sociology* (《社会学看中国：中国社会学通识课》) guides readers to observe and understand Chinese social changes using localized sociological theories. *A Century of Guardianship: From the Forbidden City to the Palace Museum* (《百年守护：从紫禁城到故宫博物院》) showcases the century-long journey of the Palace Museum in carrying the guardianship and inheritance of Chinese civilization. *Building Dreams in the Sky: Gu Songfen* (《筑梦苍穹：顾诵芬》) tells the story of Gu Songfen (顾诵芬)'s life dedicated to serving the country through aviation with realistic strokes. *Eighteen Lectures on Marine Culture* (《海洋文化十八讲》) and *Ancient Egyptian Civilization* (《古埃及文明》) expand the horizons of mutual learning among civilizations. *Mending Books* (《补书》) and *China Through Chinese Characters: Civilization and Life Between the Lines* (《汉字看中国：字里行间的文明与生活》) use classics to mend the cultural context and use Chinese characters to view civilization, demonstrating the close connection between traditional culture and contemporary life. *The Amazing Grottoes: A Panoramic Interpretation of China's Top Ten Grottoes* (《了不起的石窟：全景式解读中国十大石窟》) and *Mount Tai Is Towering: Mount Tai and Chinese Culture* (《泰山岩岩：泰山与中华文化》) deeply analyze the iconic carriers of Chinese culture and their spiritual connotations. *Worshipping Gods in Time: A Pictorial Record of Chinese Gods* (《岁时请神：中国诸神图志》) vividly presents folk beliefs and cultural memories.

Literary and artistic books closely follow the pulse of the times, focus on contemporary life, industry development, and social changes with realistic brushstrokes, fully demonstrating the spiritual height and aesthetic pursuit of literary and artistic creation in the new era. *Human Dwelling* (《人间广厦》) shows the tragicomedy of spiritual dwelling and material pursuit through housing allocation. *Kunlun Agreement* (《昆仑约定》) writes about the lofty dedication of soldiers guarding the border on the plateau who measure their faith with their lives. *The Ladder to Success* (《青云梯》) reflects the century-long history of transportation development in Yunnan (云南) through family history. *Landscape* (《山水》) and *The Source of the Great River* (《大河源》) write about national sentiments and ecological philosophy with individual destiny and natural exploration, respectively. *My Love for Rice and Grain* (《我恋禾谷》), as a representative of new mass literature and art, affectionately looks back on the past years with essay strokes. *Biography of Tang Poetry* (《唐诗传》) outlines a vivid history of Tang Dynasty (唐代) poets. *Vertical Takeoff* (《垂直起飞》) focuses on the entrepreneurial stories in the low-altitude economy field, demonstrating the innovative passion of strivers in the new era. *The Beauty of Chinese Calligraphy: The Journey of the Beauty of Chinese Characters* (《中国书法之美：汉字美的历程》) and *Peddler's Picture: Small Vendors Carry Big History* (《货郎图：小商贩肩挑大历史》) reveal the cultural value and historical significance of traditional art in a simple and easy-to-understand way.

Popular science and life books revolve around the development of cutting-edge technology and promote the spirit of science and scientists, using plain and vivid language to convey scientific knowledge and bring science closer to the public. *The Boundaries of Artificial Intelligence* (《人工智能的边界》) rationally discusses the application ethics and development prospects of AI technology. *Forty Years of Building Dreams in the Arctic and Antarctic* (《筑梦极地四十年》) affectionately reviews the glorious course of China's polar scientific expedition. *May Your Eyes Be Bright and Your Heart Be Clear: An Eye Care Guide for the Whole Family* (《愿你眼明心亮：全家人都需要的护眼指南》) is close to life needs and provides practical family health guidance.

Children's books closely revolve around the fundamental task of fostering virtue through education, using infectious stories and pictures to care for childlike innocence, inspire scientific thinking, and cultivate patriotic feelings. *Bugle Call* (《号角》), *General's Order* (《将军令》), and *February Ballad* (《二月谣》) tell stories of the red revolution, inherit the spirit of heroes, and show the faith and responsibility in the revolutionary years. *Deep Blue* (《深蓝》) presents the journey of Xisha (西沙) teenagers exploring the ocean and tempering their will. *The Beautiful Camel and Steed of Lhasa* (《拉萨的美驼与骏马》) and *The Wilderness on the Clouds* (《云朵上的旷野》) show the unique natural culture and guardianship stories of the snowy plateau. Fairy tales and fantasy worlds are equally wonderful: *Fox, Half Squatting and Half Walking* (《狐狸，半蹲半走》) constructs a fairy tale world full of whimsy. *Groundhog Writes Letters to Lightning* (《土拨鼠给闪电写信》), *Snow Deer* (《雪鹿》), and *Peach Blossom Creek* (《桃花溪》) paint the beauty of nature with poetic childlike innocence, showing Eastern childlike fun and philosophy.

It is hoped that the "China Good Books" of 2025, carefully selected by us, can find their soulmates, and that readers can also meet spiritual friends between the lines.

(The author is the President of the China Book Review Society (中国图书评论学会).)

Return to Top

Break down barriers with reform, promote common prosperity through integration.

By: 魏后凯

In China's modernization process, the relationship between urban and rural areas has always been a key issue. Cai Fang's (蔡昉) book, "Breaking Down the Urban-Rural Dual Structure (破除城乡二元结构)," transcends the single perspective of traditional "San Nong (三农)" (agriculture, rural areas, and farmers) research, examining agricultural and rural modernization within the context of national modernization, the new technological revolution, and globalization. It deeply elucidates the formation mechanism and practical challenges of the urban-rural dual structure, focuses on institutional construction to propose solutions, and provides academic support and policy recommendations for accelerating agricultural and rural modernization and promoting common prosperity.

In December 2020, General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) emphasized in his important speech at the Central Rural Work Conference: "The next 15 years will be a window period for breaking down the urban-rural dual structure and improving the system and mechanism for integrated urban-rural development." Cai Fang's (蔡昉) research is based on this major judgment and important requirement. The book reveals two key turning points: around 2004, the surplus of rural labor shifted from surplus to shortage, and the characteristic of unlimited labor supply disappeared; in 2021, the total population peaked, changing the logic of economic growth from both the supply and demand sides. In this context, breaking down the urban-rural dual structure is not only a value appeal for fairness and justice, but also an inevitable choice for tapping into reform dividends and maintaining sustained economic growth. The book mentions that if 2035 is the completion node for the important task of breaking down the urban-rural dual structure, the "15th Five-Year Plan (十五五)" period will be a critical period for achieving the task goals.

The long-term stagnation of agricultural labor productivity is a major problem facing China's agricultural modernization. This book directly addresses the key point, pointing out that the small scale of agricultural operations is a bottleneck for improving productivity. The author captures the historical opportunity brought about by the new technological revolution—the deep integration of artificial intelligence, digital technology, and agriculture, which is rewriting the traditional economic law of diminishing returns. The introduction of data elements and the application of intelligent equipment have greatly alleviated the scarcity constraints of traditional factors such as land and labor, allowing agricultural labor productivity to break through the "ceiling" and obtain unprecedented technological possibilities. The book's discussion on the transformation "from demographic dividend to talent dividend" reveals the necessity and path of rural human capital accumulation, while also pointing out that against the background of negative growth in the working-age population, the urgency of improving the quality of rural laborers and cultivating a new generation of rural entrepreneurs is becoming increasingly prominent.

An outstanding task in China's urbanization process is to eliminate the difference between the urbanization rate of the resident population and the urbanization rate of the registered population. A large number of migrant workers migrate from rural areas to cities for employment and residence, but fail to settle down and become citizens, so the function of urbanization cannot be fully utilized. The author believes that promoting the reform of the household registration system requires strengthening top-level design. This is also a major feature of the book—placing the focus of solving the "San Nong (三农)" problem at the level of institutional construction, and always emphasizing the role of institutional innovation. Under a vibrant institutional framework, hundreds of millions of migrant workers can truly settle down and take root.

Breaking down the urban-rural dual structure is a systematic project that requires both historical patience and the courage to reform. This book provides a path for thinking about this important issue with the calmness and pragmatism of a scholar. Only by breaking down institutional barriers through reform and stimulating urban-rural development vitality through integration can we continuously narrow the urban-rural gap and build common prosperity on a more solid foundation.

(The author is a member of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (中国社会科学院) Academic Divisions)

Return to Top

Unlocking the Secrets of the Nile's Gift

By: 张新刚

In the ancient civilizations of the world, ancient Egypt, with its 3,000-year-long tradition of pharaohs, the eternal symbol of the pyramids, and the mysterious charm of hieroglyphs, has become a model of a "lost civilization." However, as Egyptologist Jan Assmann stated, before hieroglyphs were deciphered, ancient Egypt was repeatedly reconstructed and appropriated as an "argument" in the Western discourse system for a long time. "Ancient Egyptian Civilization" (《古埃及文明》), written by Jin Shoufu (金寿福), a professor in the History Department of Fudan University (复旦大学) and a student of Jan Assmann, is based on more than 40 years of deep cultivation in Egyptology, combined with the latest archaeological discoveries and interdisciplinary research. It systematically combs through the panoramic history of ancient Egypt, not only restoring a more authentic ancient Egypt but also demonstrating the complex mechanisms of early state formation, social order construction, and cross-cultural exchange from the height of civilization comparison and global history.
The author is proficient in hieroglyphs and has translated and annotated "The Book of the Dead" (《亡灵书》), the most important classic document in Egypt. His research consistently emphasizes the combination of first-hand historical materials and theoretical reflection. The book "Ancient Egyptian Civilization" (《古埃及文明》) embodies this academic character from the very beginning. The author examines in detail Napoleon's expedition, the compilation of "Description de l'Égypte" (《埃及志》), the discovery of the Rosetta Stone, and the deciphering process of French scholar Champollion, while critically analyzing the Western Orientalist narrative. The analysis in the book delves into the levels of cultural memory and discourse power, allowing ordinary readers to appreciate the subjectivity and power attributes of Egypt's "historical writing."
The most impressive part of the whole book is the analysis of the construction of the unified royal power state of ancient Egypt. The author outlines the evolutionary path of ancient Egypt with archaeological evidence and mutual verification of documents. The book emphasizes that the unique hydrological characteristics of the Nile River's flooding were not a passive "gift" but a key variable that gave rise to surplus products, social division of labor, urbanization, and elite classes. The multi-faceted integration of ancient Egyptian civilization provides a paradigm of "endogenous and hybrid" for the study of the origin of early civilizations. This perspective forms a potential dialogue with the pluralistic and integrated pattern of the origin of Chinese civilization, highlighting the author's awareness of comparative civilization history.
"Ancient Egyptian Civilization" (《古埃及文明》) is not only an Egyptological monograph that systematically introduces ancient Egyptian civilization but also a vivid textbook on the diversity of human civilization. In the context of globalization and mutual learning among civilizations, this work responds to the profound proposition that "civilizations are enriched by exchange." It reminds us that reconstructing "lost civilizations" is not only an academic mission but also a path to understanding ourselves and respecting others with cultural confidence. Whether you are a professional researcher or an ordinary reader with curiosity about human history, you can gain intellectual enlightenment and aesthetic pleasure from it.
(The author is a professor at the School of History, Shandong University (山东大学).)

Return to Top

The Music Still Echoes

By: 何 南

To write about Nie Er (聂耳), his meteor-like life, and his dazzling achievements, I can't help but feel apprehensive. Therefore, I first immersed myself in stacks of books and tireless feet. The old house of the Nie family in Yuxi (玉溪), Yunnan (云南), the former site of Chenchun Hall (成春堂) in the old streets of Kunming (昆明), the Pathé Records (百代小红楼) in Xuhui (徐汇), Shanghai (上海)... Nie Er's footprints have never disappeared, and each place inspires me. Time flies like water, the waves crash on the shore, emotions rise into clouds and then pour down as rain. Gradually, I accumulated enough confidence and told myself, you are already very close to Nie Er!
　　"A song to serve the country that startles the world, a bridge between two places that benefits the people." At the Nie Er Memorial Square on the beach of Fujisawa (藤泽市), Japan (日本), I stood for a long time facing the stone tablet engraved with this verse. On July 17, 1935, Nie Er unfortunately drowned while swimming off Kugenuma Coast (鹄沼海岸) near here. I thought, if the wind was as strong as it is today, the waves as high as they are today, and the weather as cold as it is today, then Nie Er would not have gone swimming. However, the giant ship of life only cares about plowing forward, and has no patience to let "if" float to the surface. After reading the memoirs of Nie Er's friends, I knew that the wind and waves were indeed very strong that day, but because it was still summer, people ignored the warnings of nature and rushed into the embrace of the sea. Nie Er was a workaholic. The final version of "March of the Volunteers" (义勇军进行曲) was completed, and his mind needed to relax. He was also a warm-hearted person and could not refuse the enthusiasm of his friends – and so the tragedy happened!
　　During the National Day holiday in 2024, I was at a loss in the face of the huge amount of information provided by the Yuxi Nie Er Music Square (玉溪聂耳音乐广场). The center of the square is shaped like a violin, with a bronze statue of Nie Er at the head of the violin. The statue is designed in the pose of Nie Er playing the violin. The sound of the violin echoes in the sky and on earth day and night, flowing from the bottom of the heart and gushing from the blood vessels. What impressed me most was that when I took a photo with Li Yanchi (李彦池), the responsible editor of the book "The Bugle" (《号角》), in front of the bronze statue of Nie Er, it suddenly started to rain. The raindrops were hurried and violently hit my body. This rain gave me not only coolness, but also an epiphany. When Nie Er's 23-year-old life came to an abrupt end like a musical note, God must have shed such tears of regret.
　　"The Bugle" is a hymn to life. I pursue it with my feet and write it with a pious heart. That talented teenager had a strong sense of family responsibility at a young age; that excellent primary school student, with a simple sense of resistance, joined forces with teachers and classmates to fight against injustice; that willful middle school student, with a 一腔报国之志 (yī qiāng bào guó zhī zhì - "a bellyful of ambition to serve the country," possessing a strong desire to serve one's country), joined the army and traveled to the ends of the earth, but returned to school after failing; that accomplished composer, at the age of 23, could only give the world a thin back forever... Through the writing of these thousands of lines of narrative poetry, I was able to get close to that short but brilliant life, and get close to the vigorous power contained in Nie Er's music. "The Bugle" is honored to be selected as one of the "Good Books of China" in 2025, which is not a recognition of my personal writing, but a tribute to our national anthem and the noble spirit of Nie Er.

Return to Top

Looking to the Future of Humanity in the Age of AI

By: 王耀南

Since computer scientist Alan Turing (图灵) proposed the concept of automata in 1936, the boundaries of artificial intelligence have been continuously expanding. In recent years, large language models, multi-modal large language models, and other applications have emerged endlessly, and the research and development of fully automated intelligent agents has sparked heated discussions. There have also been new breakthroughs in embodied intelligence and autonomous driving.

　　Faced with the sweeping wave of artificial intelligence, people cannot help but wonder, in addition to marveling: What can artificial intelligence actually do, and what can't it do? How should humans interact with artificial intelligence in this profound transformation? Will super artificial intelligence appear?

　　Professor Zhang Junping's (张军平) book, "The Boundaries of Artificial Intelligence" (人工智能的边界), responds to these questions. As a scholar with more than 20 years of experience in artificial intelligence research, the author did not write it as an abstruse treatise. Instead, from the perspective of popular science, he transformed complex artificial intelligence theories and technologies into topics that are easy for ordinary readers to understand, convenient to think about, and can also resonate. The book contains practical cases close to daily life and work, vivid and interesting stories, and in-depth reflections on the shortcomings of artificial intelligence. It is an enlightening book that helps readers establish a rational and comprehensive understanding and identify the boundaries of artificial intelligence technology.

　　Artificial intelligence seems to be ubiquitous, but the author pushes the thinking deeper: Does being able to write mean truly understanding creation? Does being able to have a conversation mean truly understanding human emotions? Does being able to recognize images, make recommendations, and play chess mean that it can understand the real world?

　　Through layers of questioning, the author reminds us that the current stage of artificial intelligence still highly relies on high-quality massive data, powerful computing power, and deep models, and has obvious limitations in causal inference, common sense understanding, emotional experience, self-awareness, and independent innovation. It can imitate human behavior, but it still does not possess human consciousness; it seems to express itself fluently, but it fails to understand the common sense and meaning behind it; it can perform well in closed environments and rules, but it cannot cope with the uncertainty of open environments as freely as humans.

　　The book is named "Boundaries" (边界) in the hope that readers will have a dual understanding of the capabilities and risks of artificial intelligence, and think about what humans can dominate in this transformation, and give play to their advantages in value judgment, ethical awareness, emotional resonance, and the courage to take responsibility. Valuable independent thinking, critical thinking, and proactive judgment are the wealth that needs to be adhered to most and can best help us adapt to change in the era of human-machine coexistence.

　　"The Boundaries of Artificial Intelligence" (人工智能的边界) tells us in a rational and gentle, interesting and vivid way: technology can run, but civilization must be oriented; artificial intelligence can become smarter and smarter, but people cannot give up thinking because of this. In the era of artificial intelligence, what we really need to guard is not only the boundary of intelligence, but also the boundary of people, the boundary of responsibility, and the boundary of ethics.

　　(The author is an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (中国工程院院士) and a professor at Hunan University (湖南大学))

Return to Top

Netizen Comments

During the first "National Reading Activity Week," the People's Daily "Land Book List" appeared on the Beijing (北京) subway screens. The "Subway Answer Book: Searching for Stunning Beginnings" collection activity, jointly launched by the Literature and Art Department and the New Media Center of the People's Daily (人民日报社), and Beijing (北京) Subway, has also received active participation from a wide range of netizens. Collected short videos and collection results are displayed on the Beijing (北京) subway's electronic screens, creating a strong atmosphere of literary fragrance.

Netizen 岁月静好 (Suìyuè Jìnghǎo): It must be the opening of the *Tao Te Ching* (道德经): "The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao; The name that can be named is not the eternal name."

Netizen 高逢源 (Gāo Féngyuán): Lu Yao's (路遥) novel *Ordinary World* (平凡的世界) opens with: "In February and March of 1975, on an ordinary day, fine misty rain mixed with a few snowflakes was falling on the earth." The early spring scene on the Loess Plateau (黄土高原) is a metaphor for the silence and expectation before social change.

Netizen 我来读新闻啦 (Wǒ lái dú xīnwén la): The most stunning opening for me is the first sentence of *Records of the Grand Historian* (史记): "The Yellow Emperor (黄帝), son of Shaodian (少典), surname Gongsun (公孙), given name Xuanyuan (轩辕)." In just a few words, it establishes the roots of Chinese civilization and lays the foundation for the Twenty-Four Histories. From the Yellow Emperor Xuanyuan (轩辕黄帝), the first ancestor of Chinese culture, to the millennial inheritance of the Twenty-Four Histories, this opening is not only the prologue to a historical book but also a spiritual tracing of the Chinese nation.

Netizen charon: "Many years later, as he faced the firing squad, Colonel Aureliano Buendía would remember that distant afternoon when his father took him to discover ice." This opening of Gabriel García Márquez's *One Hundred Years of Solitude* is often imitated but never surpassed. In one sentence, it integrates life and death, memory and the present, civilization and miracles, which is extremely grand!

Netizen 天才小二猫 (Tiāncái xiǎo èr māo): "The mighty Yangtze River flows eastward, its waves sweeping away heroes. Success and failure are but a fleeting dream. The green hills remain, and the setting sun shines red many times." It must be the poem at the beginning of *Romance of the Three Kingdoms* (三国演义), which fully captures the grandeur of history and the impermanence of life. 是非成败转头空 (shì fēi chéng bài zhuǎn tóu kōng - "right and wrong, success and failure, turn head empty," all achievements and failures ultimately amount to nothing).

Return to Top

This edition's editors: Dong Yang, Hu Yanyan, Zhang Mingse

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

Return to Top