Summary: This article highlights China’s achievements in the systematic protection, digitalization, and creative utilization of cultural heritage under the guidance of Xi Jinping’s cultural ideology. It details President Xi’s February 2025 visit to Beijing’s Longfu Temple district, where he emphasized that the revitalization of "time-honored brands" requires retaining their core essence while modernizing their service models. Regarding U.S.-China relations, the report notes that President Xi and U.S. President Donald Trump visited the Temple of Heaven together in May 2025 to appreciate Chinese architectural philosophy and engage in cultural exchange. Furthermore, the article underscores the successful recovery of stolen Chinese artifacts from the United States, citing the repatriation of 537 items during the "14th Five-Year Plan" period as evidence of strong bilateral cooperation in heritage preservation. Ultimately, the piece frames these efforts as essential to strengthening national confidence and enhancing the global influence of Chinese culture.
Summary: This article highlights the ongoing integration of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) into a unified, high-level hub for scientific and technological innovation, citing President Xi Jinping’s directives to strengthen regional cooperation and infrastructure connectivity. By facilitating the cross-border flow of research funding, talent, and materials, the region is successfully bridging the gap between Hong Kong’s laboratory research and the Pearl River Delta’s robust manufacturing supply chains. Major collaboration platforms—specifically Hengqin, Qianhai, Nansha, and the Hetao Cooperation Zone—are serving as vital “test beds” for joint R&D projects involving local firms and Hong Kong-based universities. These efforts are part of a broader strategic initiative to align with the "15th Five-Year Plan" by deepening institutional "soft connectivity" and accelerating the commercialization of homegrown technological breakthroughs.
Summary: NPC Standing Committee Chairman Zhao Leji met with Singaporean Parliament Speaker Seah Kian Peng in Beijing on June 12, with NPC Standing Committee Vice Chairman He Wei in attendance. Zhao emphasized the need to deepen high-level political trust, strengthen strategic communication, and expand cooperation in areas such as AI, the digital economy, and the Belt and Road Initiative. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to multilateralism and the maintenance of stable global supply chains. Speaker Seah reiterated Singapore’s adherence to the one-China policy and expressed a desire to align development strategies with China’s upcoming "15th Five-Year Plan." The discussions underscored a mutual intent to strengthen legislative exchanges between the two countries amid complex geopolitical circumstances.
Summary: Chinese Vice President Han Zheng met with Singaporean Speaker of Parliament Seah Kian Peng in Beijing on June 12 to discuss the advancement of the "all-around high-quality future-oriented partnership" between the two nations. Han emphasized the importance of implementing the consensus reached by President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, calling for enhanced strategic communication and cooperation on multilateral issues, including the promotion of a multipolar world order and inclusive economic globalization. In response, Seah affirmed Singapore's commitment to deepening bilateral relations and reiterated the country's strict adherence to the "one China" policy. The meeting highlights Beijing's focus on consolidating regional ties to foster a global governance system that aligns with its strategic vision.
Summary: To ensure national food security, China has mobilized over 200,000 combine harvesters to accelerate the "three summer" wheat harvest, with 82.01% of the national crop already collected as of June 12. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) is coordinating a cross-departmental mechanism involving the Ministry of Transport, the China Meteorological Administration, and major energy companies to streamline machinery transport, weather forecasting, and fuel supply. Local governments have implemented "green channels" on highways and "oil-to-the-field" delivery services to overcome logistical challenges and inclement weather. This mobilization underscores the central government's focus on maintaining stable grain production through state-led resource allocation and infrastructure support.
Summary: This report highlights the ongoing development of the Giant Panda National Park, which spans Sichuan, Shaanxi, and Gansu provinces as a key initiative for ecological civilization. Officials and experts, including Gansu Management Bureau researcher Yang Wenyun and Shiquan County officials like Yuan Guobo, emphasize that protecting the "flagship" panda species provides a "protective umbrella" for broader biodiversity and ecosystem integrity. The article details how local governments are transitioning from traditional resource extraction to high-value green industries, such as standardized sericulture and eco-tourism, to improve local livelihoods. By implementing "community co-management" models, these regions are successfully integrating ecological conservation with economic revitalization. This strategic focus on sustainable development serves as a tangible example of China's broader commitment to environmental governance and the modernization of its rural economy.
Summary: During the first four months of 2024, China invested 82.1 billion yuan into rural road development, resulting in the construction and renovation of 16,000 kilometers of infrastructure. The Ministry of Transport emphasized a comprehensive management approach, noting that 26,000 kilometers of road maintenance projects have been completed to date. To ensure oversight, the national "road chief" system now involves 664,000 personnel across county, township, and village levels. This initiative reflects the state's ongoing commitment to rural connectivity and infrastructure modernization.
Summary: Ji'an, Jiangxi, is prioritizing the high-quality development of its electronic information industry through comprehensive digital and intelligent manufacturing upgrades, citing President Xi Jinping’s directives for the revitalization of revolutionary base areas. By leveraging "industry brains" and "lead enterprise" models, the city has successfully integrated supply chains and enhanced operational efficiencies for local manufacturers. According to Sun Jing, Deputy Director of the Ji'an Municipal Bureau of Industry and Information Technology, the city intends to further deepen this transformation by focusing on AI integration and full-process industrial digitization. These initiatives reflect broader efforts to modernize regional industrial systems to compete in an increasingly complex global economic environment.
Summary: The 48th WorldSkills Competition is scheduled to be held in Shanghai from September 22 to 27, featuring over 60 competition categories and participants from more than 70 countries and regions. Yan Qinghui, Vice Minister of Human Resources and Social Security and Vice Chairman of the Organizing Committee, stated that the event aims to showcase Chinese characteristics while promoting global skill-based synergy, sustainable development, and the establishment of a global innovation center. Shanghai’s Vice Mayor Chen Jie and Shanghai Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau Director Yang Jiaying accompanied the briefing, detailing preparations for the event’s "one competition, two conferences, one expo" format. The competition’s new categories, such as drone systems and digital interactive media design, are designed to align with emerging industrial trends like intelligent manufacturing and the digital economy. While the announcement focuses on global cooperation and industry standards, the event serves as a platform to project China's influence in global vocational training and skill-based development.
Summary: This article details the successful summer harvest in Henan province, a critical region for Chinese food security that produces roughly one-quarter of the nation's wheat. Guo Tiancai, an advisor to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs' wheat expert group, is highlighted for his hands-on leadership in overcoming severe challenges, including significant late-season planting caused by autumn rainfall. Throughout the growing season, Guo traveled extensively across Henan and surrounding provinces to provide technical guidance to local farmers on mitigating the effects of late planting and ensuring crop health. The report emphasizes the state's mobilization of agricultural technicians and financial support to ensure stability in grain production, noting that the ultimate harvest exceeded expectations. The successful outcome is presented as a testament to the efficacy of local agricultural expertise and technological intervention in ensuring China’s food self-sufficiency.
Summary: The 28th Shanghai International Film Festival opened on June 12, featuring a "Great Rivers and Mountains" showcase to commemorate the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party. The festival continues to hold its status as China’s only FIAPF-accredited "A-list" international film festival, attracting approximately 4,100 submissions from 125 countries and regions. A significant highlight is that 83.67% of the competition films are world premieres, with the main competition and documentary units featuring exclusively world-premiere content. The event emphasizes both international reach and ideological messaging through various "red culture" film exhibitions.
Summary: China's Ministry of Commerce reported that from January to May, the country’s total trade in goods grew by 15.3% to 20.68 trillion yuan, with mechanical and electrical products driving exports. Despite a challenging global political and economic environment, China’s trade remains resilient, characterized by strong growth in high-tech imports and sustained demand for its integrated circuits and "new three" export products. The report highlights that China’s trade layout is becoming increasingly balanced, with significant double-digit growth recorded in trade with ASEAN, the EU, Africa, and Latin America, as well as countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative. While the summary focuses on export growth and market diversification, the overall data reflects China's ongoing efforts to maintain stable global supply chains amidst intensifying external pressures, including those stemming from the complex U.S.-China bilateral landscape.
Summary: The "2026 Global Human Rights Governance High-Level Forum" was held in Beijing on June 11–12, hosted by the State Council Information Office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The event convened over 400 international guests to discuss the "Declaration on the Right to Development" and promote China’s model of prioritizing survival and development as fundamental human rights. Attendees, including former Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid and Gambian Vice President Muhammad Jallow, praised China’s poverty alleviation efforts as a global benchmark for human rights progress. Chinese representatives, including China Human Rights Development Foundation Chair Xie Fuzhan and Fudan University’s Zhang Weiwei, argued that China’s human rights path is rooted in its own national conditions rather than Western models, positioning it as an alternative for the Global South. The forum emphasized the need for an inclusive global environment and criticized disparities between developed and developing nations, implicitly contrasting the Chinese-led development approach with Western-centric human rights paradigms.
Summary: During the "Human Rights Action in China 2026" tour in Tianjin, representatives from over eight countries, including The Gambia, Cuba, and Austria, visited key infrastructure, ecological, and cultural sites to observe China’s development model. Gambian Vice President Muhammad Jallow, accompanied by international delegates, praised the Tianjin Port’s automated, zero-carbon operations as a valuable development paradigm for the Global South. Other officials, including representatives from Côte d'Ivoire, Laos, and Cuba, highlighted China’s progress in environmental protection, vocational training, and the realization of "the right to development" as a foundational human right. The visiting delegation emphasized that these local practices demonstrate how China ensures citizens' well-being, expressing a desire to strengthen cooperation and mutual learning in human rights governance.
Summary: The 14th National People's Congress recently adopted the *Ecological and Environmental Code of the People's Republic of China*, a landmark legislative effort to integrate and systematize environmental regulations. Written by a professor from the University of Bremen who consulted on the drafting process, the article highlights the Code’s emphasis on preventative measures, public participation, and legal liability. The author notes that the Code’s fourth book, focusing on green, low-carbon development, signals a paradigm shift toward sustainable economic transformation. Finally, the article posits that China’s commitment to this comprehensive legislative framework serves as a model for global environmental governance and reflects the country's dedication to multilateralism in addressing ecological challenges.
Summary: The 2026 Harmony Civilization Forum was held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, bringing together representatives from seven nations to discuss the integration of "harmony wisdom" with the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative. International Confucian Association President Sun Chunlan, addressing the forum via video, emphasized that the "China-Central Asia spirit" of mutual respect and shared modernization is currently driving regional cooperation. Uzbekistan’s Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Askarali Daminov, noted that the alignment of bilateral development plans is fostering deeper institutional collaboration between the two countries. The forum featured four thematic sessions focused on historical foundations, educational innovation, youth exchanges, and business development.
Summary: CPPCC Vice Chairperson Zhou Qiang met with international representatives attending the "2026 China-CEEC Young Politicians Forum" in Beijing on June 12. During the meeting, Zhou promoted the spirit of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CCP and outlined the functions of the CPPCC system. The discussion focused on implementing leadership consensus, fostering youth exchanges, and advancing bilateral relations alongside broader China-CEEC cooperation.
Summary: CPPCC Vice Chairperson Xian Hui led a delegation to Thailand from June 10–12, meeting with Princess Sirindhorn, Deputy Prime Minister Anutin, and the leaders of both houses of the Thai parliament. Xian emphasized the commitment to building a "China-Thailand community with a shared future" based on the consensus reached by President Xi Jinping and King Vajiralongkorn last year. Thai officials reaffirmed their adherence to the one-China policy and expressed a desire to deepen bilateral cooperation across various sectors. The discussions centered on strengthening political trust and cultural exchanges in alignment with the directives set by the two heads of state.
Summary: At the invitation of President Xi Jinping, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić recently concluded his first state visit to China, which yielded 33 cooperation documents and the announcement that Serbia is the first nation to issue a joint statement supporting China's "Four Global Initiatives." During the visit, President Xi and President Vučić agreed to align China’s "15th Five-Year Plan" with Serbia’s "2030 Development Strategy" while committing to mutual support on core interests. President Xi awarded President Vučić the "Friendship Medal," marking the first time a Serbian leader has received this honor, to underscore the "ironclad" nature of their bilateral ties. The visit emphasized a shared commitment to independent foreign policies and global governance reform, positioning the partnership as a model for cooperation amidst current international shifts. The delegation’s engagements included tours of advanced manufacturing and technology hubs, signaling a strategic pivot toward "green" and "smart" cooperation.
Summary: From June 11 to 12, Liu Haixing, Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, held separate meetings in Beijing with Singaporean Speaker of Parliament Seah Kian Peng, Mongolian Deputy Prime Minister and National Alliance Chairman Nomin-Erdene, a Turkish multi-party parliamentary delegation, and foreign delegates to the 2026 China-CEEC Young Politicians Forum. The discussions focused on implementing consensus reached by national leaders and strengthening inter-party exchanges.
Summary: On June 8, the "Encounter: A Dialogue Across Time and Space" cultural event launched at the Niasmini Municipal Museum in Athens. Hu Heping, Executive Deputy Head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, attended the ceremony alongside Chinese Ambassador to Greece Fang Qiu and Greek Ministry of Culture Secretary-General Giorgos Didaskalou. The event, guided by the State Council Information Office and co-hosted by the Jiangsu and Shandong provincial information offices, aimed to facilitate cultural exchange between China and Greece. Over 150 representatives from the cultural, sports, and educational sectors participated in the proceedings.
Summary: On June 10, the "Meeting and Referencing: China-Greece Cultural Dialogue" symposium was held at the European Cultural Centre of Delphi during the Second World Congress of Classical Studies. The event focused on deepening bilateral literary and cultural exchanges. Concurrently, an exhibition showcased over 100 collaborative publication projects, including Greek editions of *Xi Jinping: The Governance of China* and classical Chinese philosophical texts, alongside Chinese translations of works by Aristotle and Plato. The report did not mention the United States or bilateral U.S.-China relations.
Summary: This article frames the Yan'an Rectification Movement (1942–1945) as a foundational "great project" of Party building that achieved ideological unity and consolidated the CCP's leadership during the War of Resistance. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that the movement addressed internal factionalism and subjectivism, establishing a robust political foundation for victory in both the Anti-Japanese War and the War of Liberation. The text highlights comments from Yan’an Revolutionary Memorial Hall curator Liu Ni, who underscored the movement’s role in positioning the Party as the "backbone" of the national resistance. By analyzing historical documents and Party resolutions, the article asserts that the movement successfully institutionalized an ideological line of "seeking truth from facts." The retrospective serves to reinforce the necessity of both routine and centralized Party-building efforts in the current political era.
Summary: General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that the 1945 Seventh National Congress of the Communist Party of China was a pivotal milestone that achieved unprecedented unity and established Mao Zedong Thought as the party's guiding ideology. Reflecting on his personal history in the region, Xi visited the Yangjialing revolutionary site accompanied by members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee. He stated that this visit was intended to demonstrate the new central leadership's commitment to upholding the revolutionary traditions and the "Yan'an spirit." Local officials, including Yangjialing site director Hou Zhenlong, have pledged to further promote this history to inspire contemporary party members. The article frames these efforts as a means of consolidating the party's ideological foundation and historical legacy.
Summary: On June 7, Zhang Guimei, principal of the Huaping Girls' High School in Yunnan, oversaw the departure of her students for the annual national college entrance examination (gaokao). Now in its 18th year of operation, the school continues to emphasize Zhang's hands-on approach to student welfare, including medical support and home visits, to ensure the academic success and personal development of students from impoverished backgrounds. Zhang emphasized her commitment to her students by stating, "You don't need to be afraid; the school and we are behind you." She further expressed pride in her graduates' contributions to society, noting that many have become teachers, doctors, and professionals who now carry forward the party’s values. Over 150 students participated in this year's examinations under her continued mentorship.
Summary: On June 12, the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters Office and the Ministry of Emergency Management convened a multi-departmental video conference to coordinate flood control and disaster relief efforts across 11 provinces. Officials activated Level IV emergency flood and geological disaster responses for several southern regions and dispatched two working groups to oversee local operations. Additionally, the Ministry of Emergency Management organized a symposium with representatives from the Ministries of Civil Affairs, Transport, Water Resources, Commerce, and Culture and Tourism to address potential flood risks and safety measures for the 2026 season.
Summary: This article highlights China’s achievements in the systematic protection and innovative development of cultural heritage under the guidance of Xi Jinping’s cultural thought. President Xi emphasized the importance of preserving cultural treasures and revitalizing "time-honored brands" during his February 2026 visit to the Longfu Temple district in Beijing. Regarding international engagement, the report notes that President Xi and U.S. President Trump visited the Temple of Heaven together to appreciate Chinese architectural philosophy. Furthermore, the article underscores the success of bilateral cooperation in cultural heritage, citing the recent repatriation of 537 lost Chinese artifacts from the United States as evidence of strengthening ties in the preservation of shared human history.
Summary: The Ministry of Water Resources has issued a Level IV flood defense emergency response for seven provinces—Zhejiang, Fujian, Jiangxi, Hunan, Guangdong, Guangxi, and Guizhou—following forecasts of severe, widespread rainfall from June 12 to 14. Authorities warn that heavy to torrential rain may cause rivers in these regions, including the Beijiang and Xiangjiang, to exceed warning levels. The Ministry has directed local water departments and basin management agencies to intensify monitoring, improve forecasting, and bolster emergency operations to mitigate risks to life and property.
Summary: Lin Shuilong, former Deputy Director and Party Group member of the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council, passed away in Shenzhen on May 27, 2026, at the age of 94. Following his death, relevant central leadership figures expressed their condolences and extended sympathies to his family. Lin’s career included significant diplomatic service in Indonesia and the Philippines, as well as leadership roles within the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office and the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese. He also served as the Chairman of the China Travel Service (Holdings) Hong Kong Limited and was a member of the Seventh National Committee of the CPPCC.
Summary: Siyang County in Jiangsu Province has implemented a "health record" system for local bridges to facilitate precision maintenance and long-term safety monitoring through a combination of periodic inspections and daily patrols. On June 12, technical personnel were reported conducting a structural assessment of the Chenzihe Highway Bridge. The report focuses on these domestic infrastructure management initiatives and does not mention the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: On June 12, the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) activated a Level IV emergency response for severe rainstorms following widespread heavy precipitation across various provinces, including Yunnan and Guangdong. The CMA, alongside the Ministry of Water Resources and the Ministry of Natural Resources, issued multiple alerts for rainstorms, flash floods, and geological disasters as southern China enters a period of concentrated heavy rainfall. According to the forecast, northern and northeastern regions are expected to face ongoing thunderstorm activity over the next three days.
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Summary: The construction of the Three Gorges new shipping channel, a landmark project under China’s 15th Five-Year Plan, officially commenced on June 8 to address critical capacity limitations on the Yangtze River. In a June 12 Xinhua interview, officials including Zhang Yunchang (Ministry of Water Resources), Wang Hui (Ministry of Transport), academician Niu Xinqiang, and Gao Peng (Three Gorges Group) emphasized that the project will integrate intelligent dispatching and advanced engineering to boost freight capacity, reduce logistics costs, and support green development. Officials highlighted that the expanded capacity will facilitate "river-sea intermodal transport," integrating international cargo arriving via China-Europe Railway Express lines into the Yangtze’s economic belt. By enhancing the efficiency of this "golden waterway," the project is designed to strengthen domestic logistics and foster a dual-circulation development pattern that connects inland regions to global markets. The project is framed as a strategic move to reinforce the Yangtze’s role as a vital artery for both national economic stability and international trade connectivity.
Summary: From June 10 to 12, Ding Zhongli, Vice Chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, led an inspection team to Jiangsu to evaluate the implementation of the Vocational Education Law. Ding emphasized the need to align vocational training with industrial and economic demands by strengthening the integration of education and industry, in accordance with Xi Jinping’s directives. During his visit to Nanjing and Wuxi, he was accompanied by the inspection team as they toured vocational institutions and held symposiums with lawmakers, experts, and educators. The inspection aimed to solidify institutional responsibilities and improve the regulatory framework to bolster the role of enterprises in the vocational education system.
Summary: This article reports on the ongoing development and ecological management of the Giant Panda National Park, which spans Sichuan, Shaanxi, and Gansu provinces. Local officials, including Shiquan County Sericulture Service Center Director Yuan Guobo, Ziyang County Culture and Tourism Bureau Director Xiong Shuwen, and Baihe Nature Reserve Service Center Deputy Director Wang Wen, emphasize that integrating ecological protection with localized "green" industries—such as high-end sericulture, organic agriculture, and eco-tourism—has successfully improved regional livelihoods. The report highlights that these conservation efforts, supported by scientific monitoring and community participation, have facilitated population growth for flagship species like the giant panda and the golden snub-nosed monkey. Through these initiatives, the region is transitioning from resource extraction to a sustainable development model that leverages the "panda" intellectual property to boost local economies. The article frames these achievements as a significant contribution to China’s broader ecological civilization goals.
Summary: The State Taxation Administration has announced the national rollout of a "transaction-linked invoicing" system for refined oil retailers, effective November 1, 2026. This initiative aims to streamline consumer invoicing, reduce corporate operational costs, and strengthen tax oversight within the sector. According to a department spokesperson, the system mandates the issuance of digital invoices at the moment of sale, covering all payment methods including cash, fuel cards, and third-party platforms. The policy is designed to eliminate common invoicing disputes and ensure comprehensive traceability for every refined oil transaction.
Summary: The summer tourism market in China is currently exhibiting significant vitality, driven by local efforts to innovate product offerings and create new experiential scenarios for visitors. A featured example highlights scenic tourism activities at Taochong Lake Park in Hefei, Anhui Province, as of June 11.
Summary: The China Renewable Energy Engineering Institute’s *2025 China Renewable Energy Development Report* indicates that China’s new renewable energy capacity reached a record high in 2025, accounting for over 60% of the global total. The report projects that wind and solar power will add approximately 300 million kilowatts in 2026, solidifying their role as the primary drivers of the nation’s green energy transition. By the end of 2025, renewable energy generation reached 3.99 trillion kilowatt-hours, representing 38.3% of the country’s total power output. Notably, wind and solar generation each surpassed the one-trillion kilowatt-hour threshold for the first time.
Summary: Beijing will host the second World Humanoid Robot Games from August 22 to 26 at the National Speed Skating Oval, featuring an expanded program of 50 competition categories. Announced at a June 12 press conference, the event aims to transition humanoid technology from simple mobility to practical, "embodied intelligence" applications across domestic, industrial, and service sectors. The newly added events emphasize high-precision tasks, such as dexterity-focused assembly and complex "pentathlon" scenarios that integrate movement with real-world problem-solving. These developments reflect China’s strategic push to advance robotics and artificial intelligence, a critical technological frontier in the broader context of global competition, including with the United States.
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Summary: This article highlights the growing role of grassroots volunteers and local supervisors in the systematic preservation of China’s cultural heritage, emphasizing the ongoing Fourth National Cultural Relics Census. It profiles individuals such as Chen He, leader of the Liaoning Cultural Heritage Protection Volunteer Team, who has documented over 1,000 pages of data and identified numerous new relic sites. The report also features Liu Shenghai, a Great Wall protector in Gansu, and Wu Jiabin, a cultural preservation supervisor in Guangdong, both of whom utilize local knowledge and community engagement to safeguard historical sites. While the article notes that Western architectural study inspired some of these preservationists to value their own national heritage, it focuses primarily on internal state-led efforts to mobilize the public in protecting historical identity against modernization.
Summary: This article from the *People’s Daily* introduces a new "Exploring Museums" column, which aims to explain the scientific and historical context behind museum artifacts. It clarifies that the term "before present" (BP) used in archaeological dating refers specifically to the year 1950. The piece explains that this standard was adopted following the development of radiocarbon dating by American chemist Willard Libby, which gained international acceptance in 1950. By fixing the reference point to 1950, scientists established a global standard that facilitates international research cooperation and data consistency. The author, an associate researcher at the Beijing Institute of Archaeology, also notes the technical limitations of radiocarbon dating for samples older than 60,000 years.
Summary: This article details the modernization of cultural relic preservation in China, emphasizing the integration of advanced technologies to improve conservation outcomes. Experts, including Du Shaofei of the Sichuan Museum, Fan Zaixuan of the Dunhuang Academy, and Xu Kai of the Shanxi Museum, report on the development of innovative materials and diagnostic equipment to replace outdated, damaging repair methods. These advancements—ranging from new buffering agents for murals to laser cleaning and X-ray analysis for ceramics—are credited with shifting restoration work toward a more scientific, data-driven framework. The report underscores the state's ongoing commitment to professionalizing the domestic heritage sector.
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Summary: This article features a collection of reports from various regional propaganda and media officials detailing efforts to deepen "media integration" in accordance with directives from the CPC Central Committee. Contributors, including officials from Lanzhou, Ordos, Hefei, Binzhou, Shangrao, Mianyang, Dehong, Qingyunpu, and Nancheng, emphasize transforming traditional media outlets into "governance hubs" that combine news production, government service delivery, and market-oriented cultural operations. Key strategies cited include leveraging AI technology, adopting "flat" management structures, and utilizing "small-entry" narratives to enhance local engagement and social stability. Regarding international communication, the Dehong Prefecture delegation highlighted its "Baobo" media matrix, which focuses on strengthening cross-border outreach and cultural exchange with Myanmar. The reports collectively stress the importance of professionalizing media talent and building sophisticated, data-driven platforms to amplify mainstream discourse and serve grassroots needs.
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Summary: In commemoration of the 2026 Cultural and Natural Heritage Day, this editorial emphasizes that cultural relics and heritage are integral products of the people, requiring collective preservation and ongoing innovation. The piece highlights how these historical artifacts serve as conduits for national memory and identity, connecting the past to contemporary society. By inviting readers to engage with narratives surrounding these sites and objects, the editorial underscores the state’s commitment to integrating cultural heritage into daily life and long-term public consciousness.
Summary: In 2025, the Yungang Grottoes recorded 5.28 million visitors, a surge attributed to both the site's aesthetic appeal and its successful promotion on social media. Writing for the *People's Daily*, Hang Kan, President of the Yungang Research Institute, emphasizes that the Grottoes function as a "living" cultural heritage site that requires multi-layered analysis, ranging from their Northern Wei political origins to their historical evolution through the Liao, Jin, and Qing dynasties. Hang outlines ongoing efforts to preserve the site through systematic academic research, digital documentation, and the integration of artificial intelligence and robotics. By framing the Grottoes as a site of intergenerational and technological dialogue, the institute aims to transform the venue into a sophisticated center for cultural education.
Summary: Yu Zongren, director of the Dunhuang Academy’s Protection Institute, was recently recognized by the Publicity Department of the CCP Central Committee and the China Association for Science and Technology as one of the nation's "Most Beautiful Scientific and Technological Workers." Working under the leadership of former Dunhuang Academy President Su Bomin, Yu has emphasized a methodology of "restraint" and rigorous scientific documentation to minimize invasive intervention in heritage conservation. Yu advocates for multidisciplinary research and the standardization of protection techniques, which his team has successfully applied to major conservation projects across China. His efforts focus on transitioning from reactive repair to proactive risk assessment through advanced data analysis and health monitoring of artifacts. The report highlights these advancements as part of a broader state-led effort to modernize cultural heritage preservation through scientific institutionalization.
Summary: The author, a content creator focused on traditional Chinese culture, outlines her methodology for researching and restoring historical artifacts, emphasizing the importance of aesthetic education and meticulous historical accuracy. By analyzing intricate details in textiles, ceramics, and jewelry—such as the "ice crack" patterns in porcelain and the construction of the Li Jingxun gold hairpin—she argues that these objects reflect the "human touch" and ingenuity of ancient Chinese artisans. The piece frames the preservation and popularization of these artifacts as an effort to integrate traditional aesthetics into the daily lives of the modern public. Ultimately, the author characterizes the study of artifacts as a continuous learning process that connects contemporary citizens with the wisdom and sensibilities of their ancestors.
Summary: This article details the historical and cultural significance of the Chengyang Yongji Bridge in Guangxi’s Sanjiang Dong Autonomous County, highlighting it as a focal point for community identity and intangible cultural heritage. Local figures, including researcher Wu Guizhen and master craftsman Yang Siyu, emphasize that the bridge serves as both a physical connector and a social hub that preserves Dong traditions through communal cooperation. The text underscores how the bridge’s construction and ongoing preservation—sustained by local collective effort and public donations—have fostered a lasting spirit of solidarity. Furthermore, the bridge now functions as a catalyst for local economic development, particularly through tourism and small-scale entrepreneurship. The narrative serves as a case study in how state-supported cultural protection efforts integrate with grassroots social cohesion in rural China.
Summary: The Fengting Water Pavilion, a traditional folk parade originating in the Song Dynasty in Xianyou County, Fujian, has evolved into a vital cultural symbol for the local community and its global diaspora. Recognized as a provincial intangible cultural heritage, the tradition utilizes complex iron-smithing and architectural joinery to create elaborate, stable floating displays. Local authorities are actively supporting the preservation of this practice by professionalizing training systems and encouraging youth participation to ensure its continuity. For the extensive Fengting overseas community in regions including Southeast Asia, Europe, and the United States, the water pavilion serves as a crucial emotional anchor, with many engaging in "cloud" participation via digital media. The article frames the preservation and promotion of this heritage as a means of maintaining cultural identity and strengthening ties with the global diaspora.
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By: 本报记者 郑海鸥
Chinese civilization has a long and continuous history, and Chinese culture is broad and profound. The cultural heritage scattered across our country’s magnificent landscape carries the genes and lifeblood of the Chinese nation, embodying the great creativity, exceptional wisdom, and shared memories of the Chinese people.
"We must protect, inherit, and promote these treasures of Chinese culture well," and "we must organically integrate tradition with modernity"... The important speeches by General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) have pointed out the way forward and provided fundamental guidance for the protection and inheritance of cultural heritage in the new era.
June 13 is the 2026 "Cultural and Natural Heritage Day." On the new journey of the new era, under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture (习近平文化思想), China’s cultural heritage protection and inheritance work has achieved remarkable results. The entire society is working together to safeguard the cultural treasures of the Chinese nation, allowing cultural heritage to radiate the splendor of the times.
**Inheriting the Cultural Lineage, Always Putting Protection First**
On stage, the singing is soft, delicate, and features various schools; off stage, the audience cheers repeatedly, and young people travel across cities to follow the performances... The recently concluded 6th China Yue Opera Art Festival (中国越剧艺术节) was exceptionally lively. This year marks the 120th anniversary of the birth of Yue Opera (越剧), and generations of inheritors have continued the brilliance of Chinese opera with persistence and ingenuity.
General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) emphasized, "Upholding a heart of reverence for history and love for culture, we must adhere to the principles of 'protection first, rational utilization, and minimal intervention,' and promote the systematic protection and unified supervision of cultural heritage." The goal of "promoting systematic protection and unified supervision of cultural heritage" has been written into the Outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan (十五五).
With every stitch and thread, meticulous and precise, Yao Jianping (姚建萍) is a national-level representative inheritor of Su Embroidery (苏绣). "I started picking up the embroidery needle following my mother when I was seven or eight years old, and it has been nearly 50 years since. Now, my two daughters have also devoted themselves to Su Embroidery." In Su Embroidery Town (苏绣小镇) in Suzhou (苏州), Jiangsu (江苏), more than 8,000 embroiderers hold needles and threads, working tirelessly to create exquisite "double-sided embroidery."
Rescue protection, productive protection, holistic protection, digital protection, and lifestyle-integrated protection... China is striving to improve the practical capabilities of intangible cultural heritage inheritance, protecting practice venues, and continuously enhancing the vitality of intangible cultural heritage (ICH) protection and inheritance.
In April of this year, the final evaluation meeting for the 2025 Top Ten New Archaeological Discoveries in China was held. The Paleolithic site group in eastern Jilin (吉林) Changbai Mountain (长白山), the Peiligang Site (裴李岗遗址) in Xinzheng (新郑), Henan (河南)... these new archaeological discoveries are explorations into a more distant, profound, and broad Chinese civilization, providing empirical evidence for the prominent characteristics of Chinese civilization. The story of "What is China" (何以中国) is becoming increasingly vivid and three-dimensional.
As cultural heritage protection work achieves historic milestones, the popularity of archaeology, museums, intangible cultural heritage, and cultural creative products continues to rise. By the end of 2025, there were 7,188 registered museums nationwide, and in 2025, museums across the country received 1.56 billion visitors.
"It feels like being immersed in the 'scene' of history." After visiting the Hall of Mental Cultivation (养心殿) at the Palace Museum (故宫博物院), tourist Wei Bingjie (魏冰洁) from Sichuan (四川) said, "I give a thumbs up to the meticulous care of the cultural relic protection workers." After nearly 10 years of research-based protection and systematic restoration, the Hall of Mental Cultivation reopened last December. The project team also used 3D scanning technology to create digital archives for all cultural relics, clearly recording traces of architectural damage and weathering.
Digitalization gives cultural heritage new vitality. The recording work for national-level representative inheritors of intangible cultural heritage has left digital imprints for 2,290 inheritors, cumulatively collecting over 92,000 hours of raw material and more than 570,000 documents.
"Inside the museum, the historical atmosphere is fully realized, and it is full of futuristic technology," said Yu Di (于迪), a college student from Jiangxi (江西), who spent a day visiting the China Grand Canal Museum (中国大运河博物馆) in Yangzhou (扬州), Jiangsu (江苏). "My understanding of this longest man-made canal in the world has deepened."
Stepping out of the museum, Yu Di strolled through the Yangzhou section of the Grand Canal National Cultural Park (大运河国家文化公园). "The beautiful ecological environment and profound historical and cultural accumulation gave me a fantastic experience."
Today, the construction of the Great Wall (长城), Grand Canal (大运河), Long March (长征), Yellow River (黄河), and Yangtze River (长江) National Cultural Parks is advancing with high quality, creating historical and cultural landmarks that inherit Chinese civilization.
This year marks the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Red Army's Long March (红军长征). At the beginning of the year, a student pioneer practice team from Renmin University of China (中国人民大学) arrived in the land of Guizhou (黔贵大地), visiting the Zunyi Conference Site (遵义会议会址) and the Guizhou Long March Cultural Digital Art Museum (贵州长征文化数字艺术馆), witnessing the "Red Ribbon" (红飘带) architecture connecting the past, present, and future. Red tourism continues to heat up, and more and more people are visiting revolutionary museums, memorial halls, Party history halls, and martyrs' cemeteries across the country, strengthening their spiritual power while revisiting history and mourning the revolutionary martyrs.
**Innovating with the Past, Empowering Economic and Social Development with Culture**
Longfu Temple Block (隆福寺街区) in Dongcheng District (东城区), Beijing (北京), is a cultural landmark carrying 600 years of history.
"Pull once, for longevity and blessings; match twice, for wealth and prosperity; shake three times, for the arrival of spring and fortune..." In front of a street stall, Li Mei (李梅), an inheritor of the Beijing "Fanlihua" (paper-folding flower) craft, demonstrated the charm of the "transforming with a flip" technique. "One should not abandon the crafts of our ancestors, but one must also innovate," said Li Mei. From "Folding Flower Dragons" and "Great Wall Folding Flowers" to this year's "Folding Flower Horse DIY Kits," she has developed over a hundred new products.
On February 10 this year, General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) visited the Longfu Temple Block (隆福寺街区) and walked into the Daoxiangcun (稻香村) pastry shop, a time-honored Beijing brand.
General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) pointed out: "I have always paid attention to Beijing's time-honored brands. Now, some of these brands are facing challenges in their inheritance and development. How can we stimulate their vitality? This is not simply about changing their appearance; we must retain their true essence while improving services in all aspects."
To revitalize time-honored brands and integrate cultural heritage into modern life, we must work hard on creative transformation and innovative development.
During the Spring Festival of the Year of the Horse (丙午马年), many netizens posted photos of their "Tri-color Glazed Pottery Horse" plush pendants. "This 'dark horse' (a surprise success) comes with the good luck of a dark horse making a comeback; the meaning is really great."
The prototype for this cultural creative product is a tri-color glazed pottery horse in the "Ancient China" exhibition hall of the National Museum of China (中国国家博物馆). "Centered around this 'dark horse,' we have successively launched about 50 cultural creative products, including backpacks, gloves, and refrigerator magnets," said a relevant staff member of the National Museum of China (中国国家博物馆).
3 million pieces—this is the sales volume of the Phoenix Coronet refrigerator magnets launched by the National Museum of China (国家博物馆) in a year and a half; 806.5 billion—this is the total annual playback volume of short videos related to intangible cultural heritage on Douyin (抖音) last year.
The Outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan (十五五) proposes to "empower economic and social development with culture."
Looking across the country, in museums and intangible cultural heritage centers everywhere, cultural creative products are dazzling, and sales are continuously rising. In live-streaming rooms, "cloud" archaeology remains popular, and brilliant craftsmanship attracts countless eyes... Traditional culture is closely connected with modern life, and the beauty of Chinese tradition is blooming with new colors.
"Strolling through ancient towns, tasting local delicacies, and appreciating intangible cultural heritage have become the 'standard configuration' for travel." In Fenghui Ancient Town (丰惠古镇), Shaoxing (绍兴), Zhejiang (浙江), college student Shi Mengyi (石梦依) stepped on the bluestone slabs, drinking tea, listening to opera, and ordering products from time-honored brands. "The experience is very interesting, the products are rich, and the slow-paced life of an ancient town is always worth looking forward to."
In 2025, more than 30,000 activities promoting consumption through intangible cultural heritage were held across the country. Among them, the live-streaming sales of the main event of the "Four Seasons Intangible Cultural Heritage Shopping Month" reached 365 million yuan, and the Intangible Cultural Heritage Brand Promotion Week drove sales of over 1.1 billion yuan... Intangible cultural heritage plays a significant role in boosting consumption and activating the cultural tourism market.
In Rongjiang County (榕江县), Guizhou (贵州), the popularity of the "Village Super League" (村超) is surging wave after wave. Tourists praise: "The intangible cultural heritage performances, such as the Dong Ethnic Grand Song (侗族大歌) and the Miao Ethnic Wood Drum Dance (苗族木鼓舞), are as exciting as the matches."
In the vast countryside, excellent traditional Chinese culture has become a high-quality resource for promoting cultural tourism development and building civilized rural customs. Intangible cultural heritage workshops and village museums, along with old crafts, old repertoires, and old customs, have become new highlights for mass employment and income growth. As of 2025, more than 14,900 intangible cultural heritage workshops have been built nationwide, driving the employment of over 1.3 million people, vividly realizing the goal of "a craft supporting a family, and intangible cultural heritage revitalizing a village."
**Connecting Hearts, Promoting Exchanges and Mutual Learning Among Civilizations**
In Beijing (北京), the Forbidden City (故宫) and the Temple of Heaven (天坛) are included on the "must-visit" lists of many foreign friends.
On May 14 this year, President Xi Jinping (习近平) visited the Temple of Heaven (天坛) with U.S. President Trump (特朗普). The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests (祈年殿) is magnificent, with its double eaves glistening. The two heads of state walked up the stairs, entered the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, and appreciated the architectural features where the mortise and tenon brackets (榫卯斗拱) fit precisely and the astronomical calendar is perfectly integrated with the temple structure, feeling the philosophy of harmony with all things and acting in accordance with the heavens and the times.
"World cultural and natural heritage are important achievements of human civilization development and natural evolution, and are also important carriers for promoting exchanges and mutual learning among different civilizations," emphasized General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平).
David, a British man, is a cultural heritage enthusiast. In his plan for traveling in China, besides the Great Wall (长城) and Dunhuang (敦煌), there is also the Western Xia Imperial Tombs (西夏陵). In July 2025, the "Western Xia Imperial Tombs" (西夏陵) were inscribed on the World Heritage List (世界遗产名录), bringing China's total number of World Heritage sites to 60, ranking among the top in the world.
Good news about successful heritage applications continues to arrive, and cultural heritage has become an important calling card for expanding the international influence of Chinese culture. In December 2025, "Hezhen Yimakan" (赫哲族伊玛堪) was successfully transferred from the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, and at the same time, the "'Hezhen Yimakan' Protection Plan" was selected for the Register of Good Safeguarding Practices. With this, the total number of items China has inscribed on UNESCO's (联合国教科文组织) intangible cultural heritage lists and registers has increased to 45, ranking first in the world.
The return of cultural relics demonstrates the firm determination and strength to protect national treasures. Last October, the Chinese side received the tiger-shaped plaque cultural relic returned by representatives of a U.S. private organization in Washington (华盛顿), USA. This was another successful receipt of important cultural relics returned by the U.S. side, following the receipt of the second and third volumes of the Chu Silk Manuscript (子弹库帛书) last May. During the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, 537 pieces/sets of lost cultural relics and artworks in 35 batches have returned to the motherland, and the work of tracing and recovering lost cultural relics has achieved positive results.
Educating people through culture can better unite hearts; connecting hearts through art makes it easier to communicate with the world.
Drinking tea, listening to the guqin (古琴), appreciating Chinese opera, and tasting traditional food... Foreign friends have developed a strong interest in Chinese intangible cultural heritage and are competing to experience wearing Hanfu (汉服), eating hot pot, dancing with fish lanterns, and practicing Baduanjin (八段锦) and other Chinese-style lifestyles. Data shows that in the first quarter of this year alone, China's tea export value reached 2.7 billion yuan.
Whether it is the Chinese intangible cultural heritage, cultural creative products, and lifestyles that are popular around the world, or the increasingly active "going global" of culture, all highlight the charm of Chinese culture.
The Shaanbei storytelling (陕北说书) and ancient Chinese architecture in the game *Black Myth: Wukong* (黑神话：悟空) have been praised by global players. In 2025, the overseas market revenue of games independently developed by China reached 20.455 billion U.S. dollars; the overseas market revenue of Chinese online literature reached 5.64 billion yuan, covering more than 200 countries and regions... The "new three" cultural items represented by online literature, online dramas, and online games contain excellent traditional Chinese culture and have set off waves of "Chinese style" overseas.
General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) emphasized: "We must attach great importance to the protection and inheritance of historical culture and protect the roots of the Chinese nation's spirit that never cease to flow."
Today, the precious heritage that is passed down without interruption inspires the lofty aspirations of the Chinese nation, and the colorful ancient crafts have entered a broader global market... The historical confidence and cultural confidence of the entire society have become more firm, and the ambition, backbone, and confidence of being Chinese have been greatly enhanced, injecting powerful cultural strength into comprehensively promoting the construction of a strong country and the great cause of national rejuvenation through Chinese-style modernization.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 江 琳 贺林平 姜晓丹
On June 12, at the Songshan Lake International Robot Industrial Base (松山湖国际机器人产业基地) in Dongguan (东莞), Guangdong (广东), the robot D1, moving to a rhythmic beat, completed separation, combination, and switching between bipedal and quadrupedal modes within three seconds.
This robot, which can be assembled like building blocks, was incubated by a team led by Zhang Di (张笛), a student of Professor Li Zexiang (李泽湘) from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (香港科技大学). "We can also equip D1 with 'arms' and 'eyes,' and the team is currently testing it for complex scenarios such as short-distance transportation and fire rescue," Zhang Di (张笛) remarked with emotion. "With research and development upstairs, prototyping downstairs, and the supply chain right outside the door, the well-developed industrial chain of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (粤港澳大湾区) allows the inspiration from Hong Kong (香港) laboratories to rapidly transform from samples to products to commodities, and facilitates technical iteration."
In November 2025, General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) emphasized during his inspection of Guangdong (广东) that "we must strive to deepen cooperation among Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao (粤港澳), and strengthen cooperation in scientific and technological innovation and infrastructure connectivity." The Outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan (十五五规划纲要) proposes supporting Hong Kong (香港) and Macao (澳门) in "deepening innovation synergy with the mainland in terms of industry, academia, and research."
Deeply implementing the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's (习近平) important instructions and the decisions and arrangements of the Party Central Committee (党中央), the three regions of Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao (粤港澳) are deepening innovation synergy, continuously enhancing their ability to transform scientific and technological achievements, and accelerating the construction of a global scientific and technological innovation highland and an important source for emerging industries.
Enhancing the level of facilitation for the cross-border flow of factors—
Nucleic acid extraction, DNA amplification, sequencing analysis... Inside the gene testing laboratory of KingMed Diagnostics Group Co., Ltd. (广州金域医学检验集团股份有限公司) in Guangzhou (广州), sample testing is running at high speed.
"We are working with a large hospital in Hong Kong (香港) to jointly develop a new diagnosis and treatment plan for infectious diseases, which has already entered the stage of post-operative sample verification. The facilitation of customs clearance has significantly improved the efficiency of customs clearance for post-operative samples that have high timeliness requirements," said Li Miaozhi (李妙知), a laboratory technician. The laboratory also serves as an internship and practice base for students from universities such as the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (香港理工大学) and Tung Wah College (东华学院), and a new batch of students from Hong Kong (香港) universities will arrive for internships soon.
The "soft connectivity" of rules and mechanisms has allowed the flow of innovation factors to run at an "accelerated pace." Guangdong (广东) has achieved cross-border allocation of provincial fiscal research funds to Hong Kong (香港) and Macao (澳门), with a cumulative amount exceeding 650 million yuan; the preferential individual income tax policy for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (粤港澳大湾区) and the talent endorsement policy for personnel traveling between the nine mainland cities of the Greater Bay Area (大湾区) and Hong Kong (香港) and Macao (澳门) have been fully implemented, making it more convenient for scientific researchers to travel between the regions; Guangzhou (广州) has piloted a positive list for cross-border scientific research materials... With money crossing borders, people traveling, taxes balanced, and logistics flowing, innovation factors continue to surge in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (粤港澳大湾区).
Building high-level scientific and technological innovation platforms and carriers—
Inside the shared laboratory of the Hengqin (横琴) Digital Zero-Carbon Island, researchers from the Macao-funded enterprise PerceptIn (Zhuhai Hengqin) Information Technology Co., Ltd. (普强时代（珠海横琴）信息技术有限公司) are teaching artificial intelligence to act as a "doctor" for power equipment—using equipment fault soundprint recognition technology to accurately identify potential faults from the subtle sounds of transformers.
"Macao (澳门) lacks diverse testing and application scenarios, making it difficult for technology to land. After joining the laboratory, China Southern Power Grid (南方电网) provided a large amount of actual power measurement data and artificial intelligence technical support, providing valuable 'textbooks' for large model training," introduced He Guotao (何国涛), the company's founder and CEO.
Hengqin (横琴), Qianhai (前海), Nansha (南沙), and Hetao (河套)—today, major cooperation platforms in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (粤港澳大湾区) have become "experimental fields" for collaborative innovation among the three regions, with scientific and technological vitality bursting forth—
Hengqin (横琴) has cultivated 245 national high-tech enterprises, driving the cluster development of industries such as traditional Chinese medicine and integrated circuits; Qianhai (前海) has built a cluster of platforms for the transformation of scientific and technological achievements from Hong Kong (香港) universities, incubating over 100 industrialization projects for cutting-edge technologies from Hong Kong (香港) universities each year; Nansha (南沙) has built 19 youth innovation and entrepreneurship bases for Hong Kong (香港) and Macao (澳门), with a cumulative total of 2,988 enterprises (projects) settled; the Shenzhen Park of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone (河套深港科技创新合作区) has gathered more than 200 high-end scientific research projects and over 15,000 scientific researchers.
Using major cooperation platforms as fulcrums, innovation synergy among Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao (粤港澳) is becoming increasingly close. Thirty-five joint laboratories across Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao (粤港澳) are 星罗棋布 (xīng luó qí bù - "stars scattered, chess pieces spread," spread out like stars in the sky or pieces on a chessboard, describing a large number of things scattered over a wide area). Major scientific and technological infrastructure such as the China Spallation Neutron Source (中国散裂中子源) and the Guangzhou Supercomputing Center (广州超算中心) are open to Hong Kong (香港) and Macao (澳门). The three regions of Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao (粤港澳) have joined hands to host the Greater Bay Area Science Forum (大湾区科学论坛), promoting the cross-regional flow of innovation resources and pushing for more original achievements to be transformed and applied in the Greater Bay Area (大湾区).
Achieving more leaps "from 0 to 1 and then to 100"—
"Range anxiety" is often a pain point for new energy vehicles. Inside the laboratory of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (香港理工大学) Daya Bay Technology Innovation Research Institute (大亚湾技术创新研究院), Zheng Zijian (郑子剑), Vice President (Knowledge Transfer) of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (香港理工大学), is leading a team to tackle battery technology.
Researchers picked up a sample as thin as a cicada's wing and placed it into a charge-discharge test cabinet. "This inconspicuous film is a new type of composite current collector developed by the team. It is 70% lighter and 30% thinner than the copper and aluminum foils in traditional lithium batteries, which can increase battery energy density by more than 10%, and the mass production cost is expected to be significantly reduced," said Zheng Zijian (郑子剑). Currently, the project is advancing toward pilot mass production, relying on the complete industrial chain and policy support of the Greater Bay Area (大湾区) to accelerate the transition from the laboratory to the new energy vehicle production line.
From "0 to 1" and then "from 1 to 100," Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao (粤港澳) are innovating with high efficiency. Entrepreneurial projects from Hong Kong (香港) and Macao (澳门) such as DJI (大疆创新) and SmartMore (思谋科技) have landed, and there are more than 70,000 high-tech enterprises in the Greater Bay Area (大湾区).
Striving for the "15th Five-Year Plan" (十五五), the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (粤港澳大湾区) is closely following national major strategic deployments, optimizing the overall development pattern, promoting the alignment of rules and mechanisms among the three regions of Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao (粤港澳), continuously deepening scientific and technological innovation cooperation in the Greater Bay Area (大湾区), and accelerating the construction of an international scientific and technological innovation center with global influence.
Return to TopXinhua News Agency (新华社), Beijing (北京), June 12 — Zhao Leji (赵乐际), Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (全国人大常委会), held talks with Seah Kian Peng (谢健平), Speaker of the Parliament of Singapore (新加坡国会议长), at the Great Hall of the People (人民大会堂) in Beijing (北京) on the 12th.
Zhao Leji (赵乐际) stated that last year, China (中) and Singapore (新) jointly celebrated the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. President Xi Jinping (习近平) held an important meeting with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong (黄循财), which pointed the way for the development of China-Singapore (中新) relations. The Chinese (中) side is willing to work with the Singaporean (新) side to implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, strengthen strategic communication, enhance unity and cooperation, and promote continuous new progress in the China-Singapore (中新) all-round, high-quality, and forward-looking partnership.
Zhao Leji (赵乐际) pointed out that China (中) is willing to deepen high-level political mutual trust with Singapore (新), firmly support each other's core interests and major concerns, and consolidate the political foundation of China-Singapore (中新) friendship. Both sides should strengthen the alignment of development plans, leverage the overall coordinating role of bilateral cooperation mechanisms, expand cooperation in fields such as artificial intelligence, the digital economy, clean energy, and scientific and technological innovation, and jointly build the "Belt and Road" (一带一路) with high quality. It is important to invigorate people-to-people exchanges, deepen cooperation in culture, education, media, and youth, and enhance mutual understanding and affinity between the two peoples. Both sides should also strengthen multilateral coordination, enhance coordination and cooperation in international affairs, practice true multilateralism, and safeguard the multilateral trading system as well as the stability and smooth flow of industrial and supply chains.
Zhao Leji (赵乐际) emphasized that the National People's Congress (全国人大) of China (中国) is willing to strengthen exchanges and interactions between the high-level officials, special committees, bilateral friendship groups, and members of the National People's Congress (人大代表) and the Parliament of Singapore (新加坡国会), deepen mutual learning of experiences in legislation and supervision, and provide legal guarantees for high-quality China-Singapore (中新) cooperation. He welcomed Singaporean (新加坡) parliamentarians to visit China (中国) to participate in the seminar for parliamentarians from ASEAN (东盟) countries hosted by the National People's Congress (全国人大). Zhao Leji (赵乐际) also introduced the relevant situation regarding China's (中国) "15th Five-Year Plan" (十五五) outline, stating that China (中国) will inject more certainty and new momentum into the world through high-quality development, sharing opportunities and achieving common development with all countries in the world, including Singapore (新加坡).
Seah Kian Peng (谢健平) stated that the friendship between Singapore (新) and China (中) has a 源远流长 (yuán yuǎn liú cháng - "source far flow long," having a long history and deep roots) tradition, and the bilateral relationship is rich in substance and continues to develop with the times. Singapore (新加坡) firmly adheres to the One China (一个中国) policy. China's (中国) "15th Five-Year Plan" (十五五) is ambitious and will provide important opportunities for Singapore (新加坡). The Singaporean (新) side is willing to strengthen cooperation with the Chinese (中) side in various fields such as economy, trade and investment, artificial intelligence, the digital economy, green development, climate change, and the promotion of people's well-being. Both Singapore (新) and China (中) cherish and are committed to upholding multilateralism and free trade. Facing a complex and volatile geopolitical situation, Singapore (新加坡) is willing to actively promote the in-depth development of relations between ASEAN (东盟) and China (中国). The Parliament of Singapore (新加坡国会) hopes to strengthen friendly exchanges with the National People's Congress (全国人大) of China (中国), deepen exchanges in areas such as legislation, and contribute to the development of Singapore-China (新中) relations.
He Wei (何维) participated in the talks.
Return to TopXinhua News Agency (新华社), Beijing (北京), June 12 — Vice President (国家副主席) Han Zheng (韩正) met with Speaker of Parliament (国会议长) Seah Kian Peng (谢健平) of Singapore (新加坡) in Beijing (北京) on the 12th.
Han Zheng (韩正) stated that China (中国) and Singapore (新加坡) are friendly neighbors and important cooperative partners to each other. Last June, President (主席) Xi Jinping (习近平) met with Prime Minister (总理) Lawrence Wong (黄循财), pointing out the direction for the development of China-Singapore (中新) relations in the next stage. The Chinese (中方) side is willing to work with the Singaporean (新方) side to conscientiously implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, further strengthen strategic communication, increase mutual support, expand high-quality cooperation, promote people-to-people bonds, and push for greater development of the China-Singapore (中新) all-round high-quality future-oriented partnership. Both sides should strengthen multilateral coordination, jointly advocate for an equal and orderly multipolar world and inclusive economic globalization, and promote the construction of a more just and reasonable global governance system.
Seah Kian Peng (谢健平) stated that Singapore (新) and China (中) are good friends and good neighbors with broad areas of cooperation and fruitful results. The Singaporean (新方) side highly values the Singapore-China (新中) partnership and is firmly committed to further deepening bilateral cooperation. The Singaporean (新方) side firmly adheres to the One China (一个中国) policy.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 郁静娴 王云杉
"Thanks to the timely arrival of agricultural machinery, we finished harvesting 840 mu of wheat in just three days, taking advantage of a break in the rainfall," said Wang Zhongdong (汪忠东), head of the Zhongdong Family Farm (忠东家庭农场) in Wangjiang County (望江县), Anhui Province (安徽省).
In the adjacent central and southern regions of Jiangsu (江苏) and Anhui (安徽) provinces, there are over 25.5 million mu of summer wheat planted, and the "Three Summers" (三夏) period coincides with the local rainy season. This year, Anhui Province (安徽省) dispatched over 790 emergency agricultural machinery service teams and 33,000 crawler-type combine harvesters to participate in the emergency summer grain harvest, while organizing the movement of machinery from the north to the south within the province and releasing information to attract machinery into Anhui (安徽). This resulted in a single-day harvest of over 8 million mu. In Jiangsu (江苏), targeting cities like Zhenjiang (镇江) and Taizhou (泰州) where wheat lodging is frequent and prone to occur, authorities strengthened the coordination of crawler-type combine harvesters and mobile dryers to improve the efficiency of harvesting lodged wheat.
As of 17:00 on June 12, the national summer wheat harvest had reached 278 million mu, with a progress rate of 82.01%. On that day alone, 14.51 million mu were harvested, with 170,800 combine harvesters in operation. The wheat harvest in Jiangsu (江苏) has basically concluded; in Shandong (山东) it is nearly 80% complete; in Hebei (河北) and Shaanxi (陕西) it has exceeded 55%; in Shanxi (山西) it has exceeded 40%; and in Xinjiang (新疆) and Gansu (甘肃), sporadic harvesting is underway. Recently, large-scale mechanical wheat harvesting in Henan (河南) concluded, lasting only 13 days in total. During this period, 60.41 million mu of wheat were harvested over six consecutive days, with an average daily harvest of over 10 million mu.
It is understood that the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (农业农村部), in conjunction with departments and units such as the Ministry of Transport (交通运输部), the China Meteorological Administration (中国气象局), and petroleum and petrochemical enterprises, has established a collaborative mechanism to jointly ensure services such as agricultural machinery passage, weather warnings and forecasts, and fuel supply for agricultural operations.
Regarding agricultural machinery services, 240,000 cross-regional operation permits were printed and issued in advance this February. In mid-to-late May, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (农业农村部) and the Ministry of Transport (交通运输部) jointly issued a notice to ensure the smooth passage of agricultural machinery for cross-regional "Three Summers" (三夏) operations, opening more than 5,500 "green channels" for agricultural machinery at expressway toll stations. Since the start of the summer harvest, various regions have provided comprehensive services to cross-regional operators to ensure that agricultural machinery can travel on roads and enter fields smoothly and orderly. It is estimated that over 200,000 combine harvesters are participating in cross-regional operations nationwide, which can meet the needs of normal operations.
Regarding meteorological services, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (农业农村部) has maintained close communication with the China Meteorological Administration (中国气象局). Building on last year's cooperation, they have further optimized agricultural machinery weather forecasts and disaster warning services, developing specialized service products tailored to the needs of "Three Summers" (三夏) agricultural operations to help scientifically arrange work.
Diesel supply is vital to the efficiency of frontline agricultural machinery operations. During this year's "Three Summers" (三夏), the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (农业农村部) joined forces with petroleum and petrochemical departments to continuously increase "fuel delivery to the countryside" and "fuel delivery to the fields" services. On the afternoon of June 4, in Chaihudian Town (柴胡店镇), Zaozhuang City (枣庄市), Shandong Province (山东省), a driver named Mr. Li (李师傅) ran low on fuel. After a single phone call, 15 minutes later, the Zaozhuang Branch (枣庄分公司) of PetroChina Shandong Sales Company (中国石油山东销售公司) delivered agricultural fuel directly to the edge of his field.
Looking across the country, mobile fuel supply vehicles for agricultural use have penetrated deep into rural fields, remote plots, and concentrated operation areas to provide "fuel delivery to the countryside" services, bridging the "last mile" of fuel supply for the summer harvest. Currently, various sales units of PetroChina (中国石油) have cumulatively opened 2,643 priority refueling channels for agricultural machinery, established 2,036 exclusive supply stations for agricultural machinery, conducted 2,831 fuel delivery services to rural fields, and supplied a total of 488,000 tons of diesel, with the supply coverage extending to multiple major grain-producing provinces.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 武少民 董丝雨 尹 婕
The Giant Panda National Park (大熊猫国家公园) is situated in the high mountain and canyon regions of the Min Mountains (岷山), Qionglai Mountains (邛lái山), Daxiangling (大相岭), and Xiaoxiangling (小相岭), spanning the three provinces of Sichuan (四川), Shaanxi (陕西), and Gansu (甘肃). It is an essential home for the breeding and survival of wild giant pandas in China (中国) and holds global significance for conservation and research.
Building the Giant Panda National Park (大熊猫国家公园) to a high standard serves as a window to observe how Sichuan (四川), Shaanxi (陕西), and Gansu (甘肃) provinces are advancing ecological civilization, and it represents a **浓墨重彩** (nóng mò zhòng cǎi - "heavy ink, bold color," a significant and striking highlight) stroke on the new scroll of a beautiful China (中国).
Recently, reporters conducted in-depth interviews and research across the three provinces. Everywhere they looked, rolling mountains, lush forests, and countless living creatures formed a harmonious and beautiful natural picture. Throughout the journey, listening to stories and witnessing scenes, each one served as a vivid footnote to the collective effort to protect the green mountains and clear waters.
### Ecological Protection: Guarding the Landscape, Protecting Myriad Creatures
Protecting the authenticity and integrity of the ecosystem is the primary task in the management and construction of national parks. Since its formal establishment in 2021, the Giant Panda National Park (大熊猫国家公园) has planned and constructed seven key ecological corridors, expected to connect the habitats of 13 local giant panda populations and resolve the issue of obstructed gene flow between populations.
In Caoheba Village (草河坝村), Wen County (文县), Longnan (陇南), Gansu (甘肃), villager Cao Dailin (曹代林) recalled an experience from the 1980s: "A large area of bamboo on the mountain blossomed, and a giant panda was so hungry that it ran down the mountain. Dozens of people in the village carried it back to save it." Today, there are 136 forest rangers in the Baishuijiang Area (白水江片区) of the Giant Panda National Park Gansu Administration (大熊猫国家公园甘肃管理局), guarding the giant pandas and their habitats.
Artificial breeding of giant pandas is equally important. The Wolong Shenshuping Base (卧龙神树坪基地) of the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda (中国大熊猫保护研究中心) is one of the key bases for ex-situ conservation of giant pandas in China (中国). Under the relay protection of reproductive physiology experts, breeding experts, keepers, and medical staff, the Shenshuping Base (神树坪基地) has successfully bred 143 litters, totaling 199 giant pandas. As of the end of 2025, the national captive giant panda population reached 808, with genetic diversity steadily increasing.
Reintroduction into the wild is an important means to revitalize small giant panda populations and rebuild wild populations. Since 2003, the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda (中国大熊猫保护研究中心) has pioneered research on wild training and release, successfully creating a technical system for "mother-led wild training" and field monitoring. To date, 11 artificially bred giant pandas have been released, with 9 surviving, marking the first time captive-bred giant pandas have survived and reproduced in their natural habitat.
The Giant Panda National Park (大熊猫国家公园) protects more than just giant pandas. Yang Wenyun (杨文赟), head of the Scientific Research and Education Department at the Scientific Research and Monitoring Center of the Giant Panda National Park Gansu Administration (大熊猫国家公园甘肃管理局), repeatedly mentioned the term "umbrella effect": "The giant panda is a flagship species. Protecting the giant panda is like opening a 'large umbrella,' which can indirectly shelter other wild animals, plants, and ecosystems." For example, in the Baishuijiang Area (白水江片区), the population of the Sichuan takin (中华扭角羚) has increased by 15%, and blue sheep (岩羊) and golden pheasants (红腹锦鸡) are frequently spotted.
Technology is injecting new strength into ecological protection. Kang Yonggang (康永刚), deputy head of the Wildlife Rescue Station at the Scientific Research and Monitoring Center of the Giant Panda National Park Gansu Administration (大熊猫国家公园甘肃管理局), introduced that more than 1,500 infrared cameras have been deployed in the Baishuijiang Area (白水江片区), with over 600 capable of real-time image transmission. In recent years, the variety of wild animals captured by these cameras has increased. This spring, in one area alone, a giant panda "appeared on camera" more than 50 times.
Nature reserves surrounding the Giant Panda National Park (大熊猫国家公园) are also full of vitality. The Sichuan Baihe National Nature Reserve (四川白河国家级自然保护区) is located within Jiuzhaigou County (九寨沟县) of the Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture (阿坝藏族羌族自治州), and is currently the reserve with the largest population, highest density, and most representative group of golden snub-nosed monkeys (川金丝猴) in the country.
58-year-old Tang Yulin (唐玉林) knows the golden snub-nosed monkeys (川金丝猴) living in this reserve like the back of his hand. At 22, he took the baton of patrolling from his father and has been doing it for 36 years. Today, his nephew Tang Xiaogang (唐小刚) has also become a full-time monitor for the golden snub-nosed monkeys (川金丝猴). "Our ancestors relied on the mountains by cutting down trees. Now, my generation relies on protecting the ecology," said Tang Xiaogang (唐小刚).
To date, the population of golden snub-nosed monkeys (川金丝猴) in the reserve has reached over 1,700. "Golden snub-nosed monkeys (川金丝猴) are highly sensitive to environmental quality. The year-on-year growth of the wild population is a testament to the significant ecological improvements in this area," said Wang Wen (汪文), deputy director of the Service Center of the Sichuan Baihe National Nature Reserve (四川白河国家级自然保护区).
### Green Development: Good Ecology Nurtures Good Industry, Good Industry Feeds Back into Good Ecology
Ecological protection is not about separating people from the mountains and waters, but about making the relationship between humans and nature more harmonious. Unique ecological resources have given birth to green industries such as ecological farming and eco-tourism, which continuously feed back into ecological protection and environmental governance, building a new pattern of green development with a virtuous cycle.
From "relying on the mountains to eat" to "nurturing the mountains to generate gold," the Qinba Mountains (秦巴山区) have embarked on a path of ecological priority and green upgrading, where the "high aesthetic value" of the ecology is transformed into the "high economic value" of development.
Ankang (安康), Shaanxi (陕西), has a sericulture history of over 2,000 years, and Shiquan County (石泉县) is the place where the national first-class cultural relic "Gilded Bronze Silkworm" (鎏金铜蚕) was unearthed. In the past, local farmers only planted mulberry, raised silkworms, and sold cocoons, with an annual income of only two to three thousand yuan per mu of mulberry garden.
"Now, we are taking the path of technology-empowered, full-chain development," said Yuan Guobo (袁国波), director of the Sericulture Development Service Center of Shiquan County (石泉县). The county promotes digital-intelligence-empowered "two-stage, multi-batch" sericulture technology, using modern temperature control to achieve multiple batches of sericulture throughout the year, increasing labor efficiency by more than 30%.
"One mulberry tree" has turned into "one industrial chain." From mulberry gardens to workshops, Shiquan County (石泉县) has fully implemented standardized management for the entire process, producing raw silk that consistently meets the 6A high-end standard, and processing products such as silk quilts, mulberry leaf tea, mulberry fruit wine, mulberry branch edible fungi, and silkworm excrement pillows.
"Domestic demand for the high-end home textile market is strong," said Sun Haoyong (孙浩勇), head of Shaanxi Tiancheng Silk Industry Co., Ltd. (陕西天成丝业有限公司). Relying on high-quality local silkworm cocoons, the company has signed guaranteed purchase agreements with thousands of silkworm farmers and provides full-process services, achieving increased efficiency for the company and increased income for the farmers.
Traveling south along the Han River (汉江), tea mountains roll on both sides. In the Muyubao Tea Garden (木鱼包茶园) of Yingliang Village (营梁村), Yangyang Town (向阳镇), Ziyang County (紫阳县), Ankang (安康), tea songs are melodious, and over 300 mu of selenium-rich tea gardens are terraced along the mountains.
Over 90% of the soil in Ziyang County (紫阳县) is rich in selenium. By renovating low-yield tea gardens and cultivating leading enterprises, the county now has 260,000 mu of tea gardens, with an annual output of over 13,300 tons of tea, a comprehensive output value of 7.2 billion yuan, and has helped 120,000 tea farmers increase their income.
"Relying on the ecological tea gardens, Ziyang County (紫阳县) has successfully created the 4A-level scenic spot of the Shaanxi-Gansu Tea Horse Ancient Road (陕甘茶马古道), systematically creating multiple in-depth experience projects such as tea picking, tea making, tea tasting, tea art, and tea songs, realizing a transformation from 'selling tea' to 'selling culture' and 'selling experiences'," said Xiong Shuwen (熊书文), director of the Ziyang County Bureau of Culture, Tourism, Radio and Television (紫阳县文旅广电局).
With the melodious and resonant "Hao Yang Ge" (薅秧歌 - Rice-Transplanting Song) and the passionate "Da Tie Hua" (打铁花 - Molten Iron Fireworks) performance... as night falls, in Wangjiawan Village (王家湾村), Foping County (佛坪县), Hanzhong (汉中), Shaanxi (陕西), a grounded, high-quality "Village Gala" attracts villagers and tourists alike. "I am an old fan of the 'Village Gala.' The programs are getting richer, and the village has introduced some intangible cultural heritage performance projects. The surrounding homestays are hard to book during holidays," said a villager from Wangjiawan Village (王家湾村).
Through the "Culture and Tourism + Hundreds of Industries" model, Foping County (佛坪县) uses the giant panda IP as a "binder" to connect ecological protection with economic development, transforming idle farmhouses into "Panda Homestays," selling agricultural specialties on live-streaming platforms, and transitioning from a single resource protection area to a high-value ecological product supply area. Local people spontaneously participate in the "Panda Protection Plan," forming a virtuous cycle of "protection—development—feedback."
### Livelihood Improvement: Letting Green Mountains and Clear Waters Continue to Benefit Local People
In the Caochiwan Crested Ibis Village (草池湾朱鹮小村), Siyinba Village (丝银坝村), Chengguan Town (城关镇), Shiquan County (石泉县), at 6:30 in the morning, before the mist has dispersed, villager Xie Yuqing (谢玉清) has already set up her phone to start live-streaming. Not far away, several crested ibises (朱鹮) are walking in the shallow water with their slender legs, their red crests particularly eye-catching.
"I never thought this 'national treasure' would make a home at our doorstep," Xie Yuqing (谢玉清) said with a smile, pointing to the crested ibises (朱鹮) in the lens. From the initial few to the current 70-plus, Caochiwan Crested Ibis Village (草池湾朱鹮小村) has become the largest habitat for crested ibises (朱鹮) in Shiquan County (石泉县).
The birds have come, but what about the people? "We set a rule at the time: no pesticides, no chemical fertilizers, no herbicides," said Zhang Tao (张涛), Party branch secretary of Siyinba Village (丝银坝村). To protect the crested ibises (朱鹮), all land in Caochiwan (草池湾) is farmed organically. "The crested ibis (朱鹮) is a nationally protected animal. Their arrival shows that our local ecology is good, and this is the greatest confidence for development."
Xie Yuqing (谢玉清) converted her house into a bird-watching tea room and a popular internet check-in spot, and also sells local rice, morel mushrooms, and other specialties online. "I am thinking about moving my crested ibis (朱鹮) observation diary and the planting process of organic rice fields to the internet, so that more people will know about Caochiwan (草池湾) and come to Caochiwan (草池湾)."
Transforming ecological advantages into development advantages, letting green mountains and clear waters continue to benefit local people, and achieving a win-win situation of ecological improvement and livelihood enhancement.
Baoxing County (宝兴县), Sichuan (四川), is known as the "Hometown of the Panda" (熊猫老家). In Yanjing Village (盐井村), Fengtongzhai Township (蜂桶寨乡), Liao Longxin (廖龙鑫), who returned home to start a business, runs a homestay that brings in about 250,000 yuan a year. "People here used to say they were 'worried about the mountains,' but now they are 'getting rich by relying on the mountains'." Liao Longxin (廖龙鑫) takes the initiative to introduce the local natural environment and giant panda stories to guests, hoping that more people will learn about giant pandas and the "Hometown of the Panda" (熊猫老家).
The Sichuan Baihe National Nature Reserve (四川白河国家级自然保护区) has established a community co-construction and co-management committee with neighboring townships and villages (communities), cultivating local people to participate in environmental protection, nature education, and eco-tourism. "In recent years, more and more college students have returned home. They are not only beneficiaries of green development but also the backbone of future ecological protection," said Huang Wei (黄卫), head of Baihe Township (白河乡), Jiuzhaigou County (九寨沟县). Many villagers have also started homestays and sell local specialties, with the township's total annual tourism revenue exceeding 20 million yuan.
Cangxi County (苍溪县), Guangyuan (广元), Sichuan (Sichuan), has innovated the "Large Park + Cooperative + Small Courtyard" three-park linkage model, promoting the vigorous growth of the courtyard economy.
Wen Duyi (文笃毅), a villager in Shuangpai Village (双牌村), Yunshan Town (运山镇), Cangxi County (苍溪县), has utilized over 70 mu of idle and transferred land to plant specialty fruits such as Cangxi pears (苍溪梨), crisp red plums, and kiwifruit, and also raises over 200 free-range chickens under the fruit trees. The "Forest Fruit + Livestock/Poultry + Biogas" ecological cycle model promoted by the village achieves pollution-free breeding and fertilizer-free planting. Today, his courtyard is clean and tidy, fragrant with flowers and fruits, producing about 90 tons of fruit annually, with a net income of over 170,000 yuan.
"After tasting the sweetness myself, I led more than 30 neighboring households to work together, with an average annual income increase of 30,000 to 50,000 yuan per household," said Wen Duyi (文笃毅).
To date, the courtyard economy in Cangxi County (苍溪县) has covered 360 villages, with a cumulative total of 117,000 mu of various small orchards and small industrial parks built, and the annual comprehensive output value of the courtyard economy has exceeded 1.8 billion yuan.
...
From the depths of the Qinling Mountains (秦岭) to the hinterland of the Min Mountains (岷山), from the banks of the Jialing River (嘉陵江) to the shores of the Han River (汉水), the new scroll of a beautiful China (中国) with beautiful ecology, prosperous industries, and wealthy people is slowly unfolding, telling the story of the harmonious coexistence between man and nature.
The ecological transformation of the Giant Panda National Park (大熊猫国家公园) and its surrounding areas is a vivid sample of practicing the "Two Mountains" concept (两山理念 - "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets"). By using ecology to protect development and development to benefit people's livelihoods, the color of green mountains and clear waters has become more vibrant, and the foundation of Chinese-style modernization has become more brilliant.
Return to TopBeijing (北京), June 12 (Reporter Han Xin (韩鑫)) — Since the beginning of this year, China (我国) has been deeply implementing a new round of initiatives to upgrade rural roads, continuously optimizing and improving the rural road network. The latest data from the Ministry of Transport (交通运输部) shows that in the first four months of this year, fixed asset investment in rural roads reached 82.11 billion yuan, with 16,000 kilometers of rural roads newly built or renovated nationwide.
Rural roads must not only be built well but also managed, maintained, and operated effectively. In the first four months, a total of 26,000 kilometers of rural road maintenance projects were implemented nationwide. As of the end of April, the total number of road chiefs (路长) nationwide reached 664,000, including 21,000 at the county level, 77,000 at the township level, and 566,000 at the village level. While the scale of these projects is vast, the government is not 按部就班 (àn bù jiù bān - "follow steps follow class," to follow a prescribed routine or stick to convention) in its approach, but is instead actively innovating to ensure long-term sustainability.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 周 欢 李佩阳
Inside the intelligent workshops of Ji'an (吉安), Jiangxi (江西), industrial robotic arms swing with precision while intelligent transport robots shuttle flexibly. Following a digital and intelligent transformation, Jiangxi Jingwang Precision Circuit Co., Ltd. (江西景旺精密电路有限公司) has integrated over 40 digital and intelligent application scenarios, boosting operational management efficiency by more than 15%. The company's per capita output value now exceeds the industry average by more than double, with an average of 15 square meters of circuit boards rolling off the production line every minute.
The Jinggangshan Spirit (井冈山精神) is defined most importantly by firm conviction, arduous struggle, seeking truth from facts, daring to blaze new trails, relying on the masses, and having the courage to win. General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) attaches great importance to the revitalization and development of old revolutionary base areas, urging Jiangxi (江西) to "strive to take the lead in accelerating the high-quality development of old revolutionary base areas" and "strive to build a modern industrial system that reflects the characteristics and advantages of Jiangxi (江西)."
Focusing on the electronic information industry as its pillar, Ji'an City (吉安市) is committed to building a digital and intelligent transformation pattern characterized by region-wide linkage and full-chain synergy. Currently, 66.9% of the city's enterprises above designated size have completed their digital and intelligent transformation, with the average cost per 100 yuan of revenue decreasing by 4.7% and the average output value increasing by 12% for these transformed enterprises.
"The company's business is doing well; spending several million yuan to promote digital and intelligent transformation is not cost-effective." Initially, Lei Tongbao (雷桐宝), Chairman of Jiangxi Shanxu Precision Circuit Co., Ltd. (江西山旭精密电路有限公司), was indifferent. In October 2025, the local government organized a "learning by observing" (看样学样) activity, where 12 enterprises visited the benchmark enterprise, Jingwang Precision Circuit Co., Ltd. (景旺精密电路有限公司).
"Production efficiency increased by 15%, and the quality inspection accuracy rate reached 99.5%." After returning from the observation, Lei Tongbao (雷桐宝) was moved. He began the transformation, launching intelligent production, quality inspection, and energy consumption control systems in batches. After more than half a year of iterative upgrades, comprehensive operating costs fell by 12%, and per capita output value grew by 26%.
Ji'an City (吉安市) has cultivated 139 benchmark enterprises for digital and intelligent transformation at or above the provincial level, selected 535 "small, fast, light, and precise" products and 75 replicable scenarios, and held 72 "learning by observing" activities, covering over 1,800 enterprises and unleashing a significant demonstration effect.
With leading enterprises taking the lead, the city is breaking away from stagnant development patterns.
Walking into the foil production workshop of Jiangxi Province Zhongxuan New Material Co., Ltd. (江西省中旋新材料有限公司), industrial sensors capture key data such as current density, tension, and liquid temperature in real-time. "The on-time delivery rate for orders has increased to 98%, and the product qualification rate is stable at over 92.5%," said General Manager Tu Bigen (涂毕根).
"When the chain leader takes the lead in transforming, those who cannot keep up will fall behind." Tu Bigen (涂毕根) explained that in 2024, the chain-leading enterprise Jiangxi Hongruixing Technology Co., Ltd. (江西省宏瑞兴科技股份有限公司) completed its digital and intelligent transformation, building a full-value-chain digital ecosystem and driving the chain-style transformation of more than 10 small and medium-sized enterprises. Multiple leading enterprises have built provincial-level industrial internet platforms, driving data interoperability for over 60 supporting enterprises, shortening the overall industrial chain delivery cycle by 35%, and increasing R&D efficiency by 25%.
In the deep mountain revolutionary base area where **千峰竞秀** (qiān fēng jìng xiù - "thousand peaks compete in beauty," describing a scene of many mountains rising together, metaphorically representing a flourishing landscape of competitive development), digital and intelligent transformation is being upgraded.
At the Industrial Internet Industrial Park of the Jinggangshan Economic and Technological Development Zone (井冈山经开区), the data screen of the provincial electronic circuit "Industry Brain" displays the industrial chain map, with data on enterprise information, production status, and procurement needs updating in real-time. "In the past, companies had to 'run errands' and 'take detours' to find partners. Now, relying on data, it is clear at a glance who has goods and who needs them," said Yi Mingrui (衣铭锐), Executive Secretary-General of the Ji'an Electronic Information Industry Alliance (吉安市电子信息产业联盟). The electronic circuit "Industry Brain" has collected information on 210,000 enterprises and gathered 250 million pieces of industrial data. The provincial luggage and leather goods "Industry Brain" is currently under accelerated construction; once completed, processes such as design dispatch, 3D prototyping, and material cutting and mold opening will be compressed from two months to 7 days.
From the intelligent pulse of enterprise workshops to the coordinated dance of industrial chains, and finally to the ecological empowerment of the "Industry Brain," Ji'an (吉安) is systematically promoting industrial transformation and upgrading from points, lines, and planes. "In the future, the digital and intelligent transformation of Ji'an's (吉安) manufacturing industry will move from upgrading to deep cultivation, closely focusing on chain-group transformation and artificial intelligence empowerment, pushing enterprises to leap from single-point transformation to full-process integration," said Sun Jing (孙菁), Deputy Director of the Ji'an Municipal Bureau of Industry and Information Technology (吉安市工业和信息化局).
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 邱超奕
The 48th WorldSkills Competition (第四十八届世界技能大赛) will be held in Shanghai (上海) from September 22 to 27. The State Council Information Office (国务院新闻办) held a press conference on June 12, inviting relevant officials to introduce the preparations for the event.
Simultaneous Hosting of the World Skills Conference and World Skills Expo
Yan Qinghui (颜清辉), Deputy Director of the Organizing Committee for the 48th WorldSkills Competition (第四十八届世界技能大赛组委会) and Vice Minister of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (人力资源社会保障部), stated that the WorldSkills Competition (世界技能大赛) is the highest-level vocational skills competition in the world, organized by WorldSkills International (世界技能组织). "With the support of WorldSkills International (世界技能组织), we are joining forces with the Shanghai Municipal Government (上海市) and 25 relevant departments, focusing on the theme of 'Skills Change the World, Skills Light Up the Future,' striving to present a skills gala that highlights Chinese characteristics and reflects world-class standards," said Yan Qinghui (颜清辉). He added that while ensuring the success of the competition, the World Skills Conference (世界技能大会) and the World Skills Expo (世界技能博览会) will be held concurrently, contributing Chinese wisdom and Chinese strength to the collaborative development of global skills.
Compared to previous editions, this competition features the following characteristics:
Larger scale of competition. The number of competition categories exceeds 60 for the first time. It is expected that over 1,400 contestants from more than 70 countries and regions, along with over 6,000 registered personnel, will participate, likely setting "four records" in the number of competition categories, newly added categories, participating countries and regions, and number of contestants.
More pragmatic expected outcomes. During the competition, a high-level World Skills Conference (世界技能大会) will be held, with attendees including policymakers, experts, scholars, industry leaders, and youth representatives. Delegates will focus on six topics, such as artificial intelligence and skills development, as well as green skills and sustainable development, to jointly discuss global skill development trends and explore paths for cultivating skilled talent. Yan Qinghui (颜清辉) expressed his hope that through the joint efforts of all parties, a declaration reflecting consensus will be issued, a global skills innovation center leading skill development will be built, and a global school-enterprise cooperation network promoting mutual learning in skills will be constructed.
Broader social participation. During the event, the World Skills Expo (世界技能博览会) will be innovatively held, featuring diverse thematic exhibitions, "One Province, One Skill" (一省一技) demonstrations, and master dialogues, allowing the public to interact face-to-face with master craftsmen. "We will set up interactive experience stations, youth workshops, and intangible cultural heritage experience halls to enhance fun and interactivity. We will also carry out 'WorldSkills into Campuses, Enterprises, and Communities' activities, utilizing online and offline integrated communication to encourage workers, especially the vast number of young people, to pay attention to, love, and commit themselves to skills," said Yan Qinghui (颜清辉).
More prominent cultural integration. This competition actively promotes the deep integration of excellent traditional Chinese culture with global modern skill development achievements in visual design, venue atmosphere, and the design of medals and mascots, allowing the culture of valuing skills to take root and bloom with new brilliance.
Competition Categories Follow Industrial Development
China will send 71 contestants to participate in all competition categories, reflecting the country's advantages in having a complete range of industries and abundant human resources. Currently, preparations and the formation of the delegation are proceeding in an orderly manner. According to the plan, the Chinese delegation (中国代表团) will be officially formed in August.
This competition has added 7 new categories, the highest number of additions ever. What are the main considerations for these new categories?
Wu Liduo (吴礼舵), Director of the Vocational Capacity Building Department of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (人力资源社会保障部职业能力建设司), introduced that the 7 new categories include Drone Systems, Digital Interactive Media Design, Rail Vehicle Technology, Smart Security Technology, Software Testing, Dental Prosthetic Technology, and Retail. These new categories were determined through collective research by WorldSkills International (世界技能组织), with three main considerations:
Competition categories follow industrial development. The new categories align with fields such as the digital economy, intelligent manufacturing, urban operations, and public livelihood services. For example, in Rail Vehicle Technology, given the rapid development of rail transit in recent years, there is a significant shortage of operation, maintenance, and repair talent. Adding these categories allows everyone to learn from each other and improve technical content.
Project standards are established alongside technological progress. Adding a new category is not just a simple addition; it also involves setting new standards as technical rules for the competition. For instance, the Digital Interactive Media Design category focuses on assessing contestants' capabilities in immersive interaction, intelligent digital innovation, and virtual scene design, effectively integrating digital technology with manufacturing and other sectors.
Talent cultivation is oriented toward job demands. "By leveraging the competition platform, we continuously translate competition results into standards and models for cultivating skilled talent, guiding more people to engage in new industries, new trades, and new occupations. This also provides more young people with broader employment paths and better prospects, injecting talent support into industrial development," said Wu Liduo (吴礼舵).
Enriching the Viewing Experience with "Try Your Hand" (一试身手) Skill Experience Stations
Currently, Shanghai (上海) is advancing the preparations for the competition. Chen Jie (陈杰), Deputy Director of the Organizing Committee for the 48th WorldSkills Competition (第四十八届世界技能大赛组委会) and member of the Standing Committee of the Shanghai Municipal Committee (上海市委常委) and Vice Mayor (副市长), stated that the venue setup emphasizes scientific layout and smart empowerment. The "One Competition, Two Conferences" (一赛两会) will all be held at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai) (国家会展中心（上海）), covering an area of 360,000 square meters. All venue planning and workshop layouts have been approved by WorldSkills International (世界技能组织). A smart navigation system for the venue is being developed, which will allow for inquiries or navigation via a mobile mini-program.
Regarding material preparation, the emphasis is on multi-channel sourcing and strict frugality. The competition requires 1.25 million items across 12,500 categories. "We have coordinated with 26 global partners, 21 long-term sponsors, and 71 event sponsors, and have confirmed over 7,200 types of sponsored items. The remaining items will be sourced from technical support units or fulfilled through leasing or procurement, ensuring that the event is held with thriftiness and without ambiguity," said Chen Jie (陈杰).
Regarding technical support, the focus is on professional escort and dual guarantees. Nearly 150 venue managers have been selected, with over 60% having previously studied on-site at the WorldSkills Competitions in Kazan (喀山) and Lyon (里昂). They will be responsible for venue setup, infrastructure preparation, and equipment installation and debugging.
Regarding logistics support, the aim is for refined management and heartwarming service. The competition will launch over 180 service packages to provide comprehensive support for food, accommodation, and transportation. In addition, more than 3,600 volunteers across 72 types of positions will provide enthusiastic, professional, multilingual, and internationalized services.
To attract more attention to the competition, relevant departments will go all out to create a "Skills Carnival" (技能嘉年华) that is watchable, playable, and experiential. Yang Jiaying (杨佳瑛), Director of the Shanghai Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau (上海市人力资源社会保障局), introduced that international organizations, event partners, and domestic and foreign associations will all set up special booths at the World Skills Expo (世界技能博览会). China and various provinces will also have thematic booths, allowing everyone to more intuitively understand the practical applications of new skills in emerging industrial fields. Next to each competition category, there will be a "Try Your Hand" (一试身手) skill experience station, allowing everyone to personally experience the joy of skills. The World Skills Expo (世界技能博览会) has planned several unique visiting routes for professional visitors and young people, and has innovatively launched modes such as "Cyber Exhibition Tours" (赛博逛展) to enrich the viewing experience.
Yang Jiaying (杨佳瑛) stated that all visits and experience activities for the competition are free of charge. The registration system will be launched in August, at which time the public can register and make appointments through the competition's official website, WeChat mini-program, and mobile application.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 常 钦
On June 10, the wheat harvest across the Central Plains (中原) entered its final stage. In the high-standard farmland of Baimapo (白马坡), Huaxian County (滑县), Henan Province (河南), several combine harvesters were roaring as they operated.
As the cutter bars passed over, the wheat stalks fell in neat rows; the grain unloading augers opened, and golden wheat grains poured into the transport trucks like a waterfall. No sooner had the mechanical harvesting passed than summer corn seeders equipped with BeiDou Navigation (北斗导航) entered the fields—summer harvesting and summer sowing were pushed forward in close succession, seamlessly integrated.
An elderly man with silver hair bent down and picked up a stray ear of wheat from the stubble field that had just been harvested. He rubbed open the husks, blew away the chaff, placed a few plump grains into his mouth, and gave a gentle bite. The crisp sound was clear and bright; the wheat was thoroughly dried.
"Zhong!" (Good/Perfect!) The wrinkles on the old man's face smoothed out.
His name is Guo Tiancai (郭天财), a professor at Henan Agricultural University (河南农业大学) and an advisor to the Wheat Expert Guidance Group of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (农业农村部). In the fields, the local villagers prefer to call him "Guo Wheat" (郭小麦). For decades, this name has accompanied him as he has walked through one wheat field after another.
This utterance of "Zhong" was not a casual judgment, but the most critical final inspection of a wheat season.
Henan (河南), with a perennial wheat planting area of over 85 million mu, produces about one-quarter of the nation's total, and its "grain production plays a pivotal role for the entire country."
Behind this "Zhong" lies a battle in the fields that lasted for more than 240 days.
The clock turns back to last autumn.
Over 50 consecutive days of rainfall led to excessive soil moisture and severe waterlogging in some fields, making it difficult for agricultural machinery to enter. Mature autumn crops could not be harvested in time to clear the land, forcing the preparation and sowing of wheat to be delayed by 15 to 20 days across the board, with some plots even sown more than 30 days later than in normal years. The large area of late sowing, the high proportion of weak seedlings before winter, and the extremely complex types of seedling conditions once became uncertain variables for this year's wheat yield.
Delayed sowing meant insufficient accumulated temperature before winter. Seeds sown in soil that had been rushed to be prepared sprouted late and grew slowly, resulting in small, weak seedlings with few tillers and insufficient population density. Before winter, wheat fields filled with "buried in the soil" and "single-needle" seedlings could be seen everywhere. Having engaged in wheat cultivation research for over 50 years, Guo Tiancai (郭天财) had seen all kinds of disasters, but this was the first time he had encountered such a widespread, large-scale emergence of late-sown, weak seedlings.
Since the autumn sowing, in the wheat fields across the east, west, north, and south of Henan (河南)—including Xunxian County (浚县), Huaxian County (滑县), Huaibin (淮滨), Tanghe (唐河), Xiping (西平), Xiayi (夏邑), and Mianchi (渑池)—the figure of "Guo Wheat" (郭小麦) could be seen everywhere.
In March of this year, in the wheat fields of northern Henan (豫北), every time he arrived at a location, Guo Tiancai (郭天财) would skillfully squat down, take out a small shovel he carried with him to dig up a wheat seedling by the roots, check the root system, inspect the soil moisture, and then use a steel tape measure to measure the plant height and leaf length to examine the tillering and growth status of the seedlings... A series of movements were agile, reflecting years of accumulated experience.
He stayed longest in the wheat field of Dong Benbo (董本波), a large-scale grain grower in Xunxian County (浚县).
At that time, Dong Benbo (董本波) was full of worry, pointing to the wheat field that had not yet formed a closed canopy, and after a long time, he managed to squeeze out a sentence: "Professor Guo (郭教授), what should I do with this land? Can this year's yield catch up to last year's..."
Guo Tiancai (郭天财) did not answer immediately. He squatted down again, repeatedly observing the root system, tillering, and soil moisture. After a long while, he stood up, brushed the mud off his hands, and said: "Zhong! Although it was planted late last autumn, you listened to the experts. By using the 'four supplements'—supplementing for the late sowing with planting density, seeding density, fertilizer, and quality—the contingency technology for wet and late sowing was applied effectively. The wheat seedlings emerged evenly, fully, and uniformly. Wheat has a long growth period, strong self-regulation ability, and significant room for management adjustment. 'If there are seedlings, don't worry about growth.' As long as measures to promote the transition from weak to strong in spring are followed and implemented, and field management is strengthened in the later stages, the yield will not be bad."
"Heaven delays the harvest, but man must not lose the yield" and "Inherent deficiencies can be compensated for later" are phrases Guo Tiancai (郭天财) often keeps on his lips.
Spring management is the real test. Risks such as late spring frost, drought, pests and diseases, dry hot winds, and lodging from strong winds can occur at any time. As long as the wheat is not in the granary, management cannot be relaxed for a single day.
The central and provincial governments promptly allocated disaster prevention and relief funds, and Henan (河南) organized tens of thousands of agricultural technicians to take responsibility for cities and counties, sinking to the front line. From top-dressing during the greening and jointing stages to the full coverage of "one spray, three preventions" in the middle and late stages, every measure was implemented in the fields.
Wheat cannot speak, but it "remembers" every bit of effort. After the start of spring, the once-weak wheat fields quietly accelerated their catch-up: the root systems gradually deepened, tillering increased continuously, and weak seedlings rapidly turned strong. By the time they entered the booting stage, the growth of the more than 85 million mu of wheat in Henan (河南) had caught up to the same period in normal years and showed a trend of continuous improvement. Guo Tiancai's (郭天财) judgment was verified step by step in the fields.
Since the beginning of summer, the battle to protect the wheat fields entered its most strenuous stage. Guo Tiancai (郭天财) traveled all over Henan (河南) and even crossed provinces to major producing regions like Shandong (山东) and Anhui (安徽), working with grassroots agricultural technicians to investigate seedling conditions, soil moisture, and pest and disease situations, examine variety performance, analyze yield trends, and guide late-stage management and emergency harvesting.
On June 5, the "Mangzhong" (Grain in Ear) solar term arrived, and the agricultural proverb goes, "Mangzhong, Mangzhong, busy harvesting and busy sowing." At this time, wheat in Henan (河南) began to be harvested from south to north; this is the busiest time of the year. These days, Guo Tiancai (郭天财) was either in the wheat fields or on the way to them. He followed the footsteps of the ripening wheat all the way north, observing mechanical harvesting, yields, and quality.
At the edge of the field in Xunxian County (浚县), Dong Benbo (董本波) came to greet him from afar, gripped Guo Tiancai's (郭天财) dust-covered hand tightly, and smiled so broadly he could not close his mouth: "'Guo Wheat' (郭小麦) is truly worthy of the name. Under your guidance, the actual yield of this wheat field exceeded 1,600 jin per mu!"
In the Smart Agriculture Demonstration Zone in Baimapo (白马坡), Huaxian County (滑县), BeiDou (北斗) navigation seeders, plant protection drones, and intelligent monitoring screens were operating in real-time. The iteration of technology has injected brand-new productivity into this ancient land.
"You can see trends through data, but it cannot replace going into the field yourself to take a look." Guo Tiancai (郭天财) still keeps the habit of bending and squatting in the fields—to look at the seedling growth, soil moisture, and pest and disease conditions.
Someone asked, what was the biggest feeling after fighting this hard battle? Standing on the ridge of the field, holding the wheat that had just been harvested, Guo Tiancai (郭天财) said: "This year's bumper wheat harvest did not come easily. It was managed, fought for, protected from disasters, and reclaimed through everyone's joint efforts."
With one season's harvest in the bag and the hope for the next season sown, we ensure that the rice bowls of the Chinese people are firmly held in their own hands. For "Guo Wheat" (郭小麦), the cultivation for the next season has already quietly begun on this land.
Return to TopShanghai, June 12 (Reporters Wu Yan (吴焰), Cao Lingjuan (曹玲娟)) — The 28th Shanghai International Film Festival (上海国际电影节) opened on the 12th.
This year marks the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (中国共产党). The film festival has curated a "Great Rivers and Mountains" (大好河山) screening unit, featuring a selection of 15 classic Chinese films and outstanding works by new directors to document this magnificent journey. More red classic film screening events will be held in Shanghai (上海) this month, and exhibitions such as "Light and Shadow 105: Red Film Poster Exhibition Celebrating the 105th Anniversary of the Founding of the Communist Party of China" (光影105：庆祝中国共产党成立105周年红色电影海报展) will interpret the red spirit from multiple dimensions.
This year's film festival received approximately 4,100 film submissions from 125 countries and regions, marking the first time submissions have been received from countries such as Ghana (加纳) and Mozambique (莫桑比克). Among the competition films in the five Golden Goblet Award (金爵奖) categories, 41 are world premieres, accounting for 83.67%, an increase of 6.12 percentage points compared to last year. For the first time, all films in the main competition and documentary units are world premieres.
In March, the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (国际电影制片人协会) announced its new list of "Class A Film Festivals" (A类电影节), with the Shanghai International Film Festival (上海国际电影节) retaining its status as the only international Class A film festival in China (中国). The festival organizers have truly 精益求精 (jīng yì qiú jīng - "refine and refine," to constantly strive for perfection) in their preparations, ensuring that the event remains a world-class platform for cinematic excellence.
Return to TopBeijing (北京), June 12 (Reporter Luo Shanshan (罗珊珊)) — The reporter learned from the Ministry of Commerce (商务部) that from January to May, China's (中国) exports of mechanical and electrical products grew by 18.4%, accounting for more than 60% of total exports. Benefiting from a complete and efficient production and supply chain system, Chinese (中国) goods offer stable supply, reliable quality, and advanced technology, with their global recognition continuously rising. Exports of integrated circuits have performed strongly, and the "New Three" (新三样) products continue to lead globally.
Since the beginning of this year, facing a complex and severe international political and economic situation, China's (中国) foreign trade has withstood the pressure and continued its positive trend of 稳中有进 (wěn zhōng yǒu jìn - "steady amid progress," maintaining stability while achieving growth). The total value of imports and exports of goods reached 20.68 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 15.3%. Among this, imports grew by 20.5% and exports by 11.8%.
From January to May, the scale of imports hit a record high for the same period. Specifically, imports of high-tech products grew by 31.2%, while bulk commodities and consumer goods also maintained rapid growth. The advantages of China's (中国) super-large-scale market continue to burst forth, providing broad development space for trade partners. With the deepening of diversified markets, China (中国) continues to cultivate the global market, making its trade layout more balanced and robust. From January to May, imports and exports with countries participating in the "Belt and Road" Initiative (一带一路) grew by 13.6%, accounting for over 51% of the total. Double-digit growth was maintained with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (东盟), the European Union (欧盟), Africa (非洲), and Latin America (拉美), as the "circle of friends" for win-win cooperation continues to expand.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 李 潇 李 琰 万 宇 宋豪新
From June 11 to 12, the "2026 Global Human Rights Governance High-level Forum" (2026·全球人权治理高端论坛) was held in Beijing (北京). The forum was co-hosted by the State Council Information Office (国务院新闻办公室) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (外交部). Under the theme "Working Together for Development, Sharing Human Rights: The 40th Anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development and New Visions for Global Human Rights Governance," more than 400 Chinese and foreign guests from over 100 countries and international organizations, including United Nations (联合国) agencies, participated in discussions to offer suggestions for promoting the development of the global human rights cause.
The participating guests reached a consensus that the right to development is an inalienable human right. All countries should take practical, effective, and united actions to ensure that the fruits of development benefit the people of all nations more extensively and equitably, and to truly implement the vision of human rights. China (中国) has embarked on a path of human rights development that conforms to the trends of the times and suits its own national conditions, working together with other countries to promote the healthy development of the human rights cause and contributing Chinese solutions and Chinese strength to global human rights governance.
"The Right to Development Embodies a Profound View of Human Progress"
"Every policy, program, and international agreement must place people at the core of development." Vice President of The Gambia (冈比亚), Muhammad Jallow (穆罕默德·贾洛), stated that the Declaration on the Right to Development (《发展权利宣言》) is a significant milestone that has changed the global perception of human dignity. Currently, human society is facing unprecedented challenges; commemorating the 40th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration on the Right to Development should urge all countries to fulfill their commitments and build a grand cause that allows development to benefit everyone.
Former President of Iraq (伊拉克), Abdullatif Rashid (阿卜杜勒·拉蒂夫·拉希德), pointed out that development is indispensable to the human rights cause. "When the right to development is truly valued, it is like water returning to parched land." Rashid said that everyone has the right to participate in, contribute to, and enjoy economic, social, cultural, and political development.
"The right to development embodies a profound view of human progress; it integrates economic growth, social inclusion, technological innovation, and people's well-being, ultimately serving individuals and society together," said former Prime Minister of Peru (秘鲁), Eduardo Melchor Arana Ysa (爱德华多·梅尔乔·阿拉纳·伊萨).
Grigory Lukyantsev (卢基扬采夫), Director of the Department for Humanitarian Cooperation and Human Rights of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation (俄罗斯) and Plenipotentiary Representative for Human Rights, Democracy, and the Rule of Law, said: "China places the rights to subsistence and development at the priority position of its human rights development strategy. It has achieved brilliant success in the field of human rights, and the rich experience it has accumulated is of great reference value for global progress and the cause of human rights protection."
"China insists on promoting human rights through development, continuously enhancing people's sense of gain and happiness, and has set a model for promoting the progress of the human rights cause." French trade union activist and editor-in-chief of *La Pensée Libre* (《自由思想》) magazine, Jean-Pierre Pagès (让—皮埃尔·帕奇), has visited China many times and witnessed the tremendous changes in areas such as poverty alleviation and the improvement of people's livelihoods. In his view, China always puts the interests of the people first, attaches great importance to the right to development, and leverages its institutional advantage of **集中力量办大事** (jí zhōng lì liàng bàn dà shì - "concentrating strength to accomplish big things," the ability to mobilize national resources to achieve major goals) to win the battle against poverty, allowing the general public to truly enjoy the dividends of development.
Nathalie Benelli (娜塔莉·贝纳利), co-founder of the Swiss (瑞士) "New Media" organization and editor-in-chief of *New North* (《新北方》) magazine, told reporters that during her travels in China, she felt the consistent goals of governments at all levels in safeguarding the right to development, such as sending personnel to remote areas to assess development conditions with local residents and formulating development plans that are practical and tailored to local conditions.
"Striving to Build an Inclusive, Fair, and Just Global Environment"
"We advocate for building more robust partnerships based on mutual respect, solidarity, cooperation, and shared responsibility," said João Bernardo Vieira (若昂·贝尔纳多·维埃拉), Minister of Justice and Human Rights of Guinea-Bissau (几内亚比绍), in his speech. He stated that future human rights governance must adhere to inclusivity and a development-oriented approach, and must acknowledge that every country has the right to explore a development path suited to its own national conditions based on upholding the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations (联合国宪章). Developing countries, in particular, need more equitable participation in global affairs.
"All governments should create favorable development environments for themselves, and we also call on the international community to strive to build an inclusive, fair, and just global environment." Marcella Favretto (马塞拉·法弗雷托), Acting Chief of the Development and Economic and Social Issues Branch at the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (联合国人权高专办), emphasized that advocating for global solidarity is one of the important connotations of safeguarding the right to development, and all countries share a common responsibility to share the fruits of development.
Crispin Kaheru (克里斯潘·卡赫卢), a commissioner of the Uganda Human Rights Commission (乌干达人权委员会), believes that global human rights governance should be built on solidarity, mutual respect, and mutual learning. The Global Development Initiative (全球发展倡议) proposed by China is effectively promoting the realization of the right to development and contributing Chinese wisdom to global human rights governance.
"We must advocate for inclusive economic globalization, allow more developing countries to share the dividends of technological revolution and industrial transformation, gradually narrow the gap between developed and developing countries, and build a continuously rising ladder for improving the level of global human rights development." Xie Fuzhan (谢伏瞻), Chairman of the China Foundation for Human Rights Development (中国人权发展基金会), believes that exchanges and mutual learning between countries help form a basic consensus on human rights development and promote international human rights dialogue and cooperation to a new level.
"Taking Firm Steps Toward Improving Global Human Rights Governance Together with All Parties"
Li Honglei (李洪雷), Secretary of the Joint Party Committee of the Institute of International Law at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (中国社会科学院), stated that China has always insisted on taking the rights to subsistence and development as the primary basic human rights, achieving world-renowned accomplishments in eliminating absolute poverty, improving education and medical levels, and perfecting the social security system. A path of human rights development that is based on national realities, conforms to the trends of the times, and is supported by the people not only benefits the Chinese people but also provides a useful reference for the vast number of developing countries to explore human rights protection models that suit their own national conditions.
Zhang Weiwei (张维为), Dean of the China Institute at Fudan University (复旦大学), stated in his speech that China's practice provides a valuable solution for the Global South and even the world. He noted that the Chinese view of human rights is not an imitation of the Western model, but is rooted in the creative transformation and innovative development of excellent traditional Chinese culture, effectively promoting the development of global human rights governance in a more fair, just, reasonable, and inclusive direction.
Moraga (莫拉加), president of the Chile (智利)-based organization Human Rights Without Borders (无国界人权组织), told reporters that on the basis of focusing on its own affairs, China also cares for the world, benefits others, and is willing to extend a helping hand in times of distress. "It is precisely because of this that we are willing to come from all over the world to this great country to interact and communicate."
Nathalie Benelli believes that in all international affairs, including human rights, China has played an important role and demonstrated the responsibility of a major power. "China has effectively helped other countries achieve development, and the joint construction of the 'Belt and Road' Initiative (一带一路) is an excellent example, fully demonstrating that international cooperation can bring win-win results."
"China's hosting of this forum has contributed valuable strength to revitalizing multilateralism, upholding the sovereign equality of all countries, and promoting mutually beneficial cooperation." Esmeralda Mendonça (埃斯梅拉达·门东萨), Secretary of State of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Angola (安哥拉), expressed the hope that all parties will take more inclusive actions and more united measures to jointly address the multiple challenges facing the international community. "China advocates for exchange and dialogue, actively builds platforms, and takes firm steps toward improving global human rights governance together with all parties."
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 靳 博
Stepping into the world's first "smart zero-carbon" container terminal—Tianjin Port Section II Container Terminal (天津港第二集装箱码头), three 200,000-ton berths are lined up in a row, with driverless container trucks shuttling freely and automated quay cranes operating with precision, achieving zero carbon emissions throughout the entire terminal operation process. "The intelligent operations are truly breathtaking!" said Muhammad Jallow (穆罕默德·贾洛), Vice President of The Gambia (冈比亚). He noted that China's development experience holds enlightening significance for vast developing countries, including The Gambia (冈比亚).
Recently, the "Human Rights Action in China 2026" (人权行动看中国·2026) themed visit, hosted by the State Council Information Office (国务院新闻办公室), arrived in Tianjin (天津). More than 60 guests from countries including The Gambia (冈比亚), Côte d'Ivoire (科特迪瓦), Cape Verde (佛得角), Guinea (几内亚), Comoros (科摩罗), Cuba (古巴), Laos (老挝), and Austria (奥地利) participated in the visit and exchange, experiencing up close the sense of gain and happiness brought to the public by China's development achievements.
As China's first national green development demonstration zone, the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City (中新天津生态城) began construction on saline-alkali wasteland in 2008. It currently boasts a greening area of 12 million square meters and features 40 urban parks. "Protecting the ecological environment means safeguarding the comfortable and healthy lives of residents, and even more so, protecting the people's right to enjoy a healthy environment," said Christian Adjérou (克里斯蒂安·阿杰鲁), President of the Human Rights Council of Côte d'Ivoire (科特迪瓦人权理事会). Austrian writer Robert Fitzthum (罗伯特·菲茨图姆) remarked with emotion: "I have seen the efforts people have made to improve the environment and create a higher quality of life."
At the Luban Workshop (鲁班工坊) construction experience hall of the Tianjin Light Industry Vocational Technical College (天津轻工职业技术学院), Vanhkeo Khauphasy (文乔·考帕苏), Deputy Director-General of the Department of Treaties and Law at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Laos (老挝外交部条法司), stated: "I hope more Lao students will come to China to study." Dailen Escalona (戴伦·埃斯卡洛纳), a senior human rights expert at the General Directorate of Multilateral Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cuba (古巴外交部), said: "The right to development is one of the important components of human rights, and China has achieved remarkable success in relevant fields."
The Dazhigu Market (大直沽菜市场) in Hedong District (河东区) currently has over 100 merchants, providing more than 500 jobs. "It is bright, clean, and 井然有序 (jǐng rán yǒu xù - "well-ordered and neat," describing something that is organized and systematic). Everyone is very polite and friendly, and the supply of goods is abundant, greatly satisfying the daily needs of the public," said Youssouf M'madi (优素福·姆马迪), a human rights representative from the Human Rights Bureau of the Ministry of Justice of Comoros (科摩罗司法部人权局). "This is what a happy life looks like." At The Juilliard School Tianjin (天津茱莉亚学院), the National Maritime Museum of China (国家海洋博物馆), the Tianjin Cultural Center (天津文化中心), and the Ancient Culture Street (古文化街), modern art, historical relics, and traditional culture complement each other perfectly. "Cultural life is related to the quality of people's lives. Tianjin has a large number of public cultural spaces open for free, and the cultural rights and interests of the public are fully guaranteed," said Jorge Borges (若热·博尔热斯), former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cape Verde (佛得角).
The guests expressed that this visit allowed them to perceive the practical results of "a happy life for the people is the greatest human right" in Tianjin. China promotes human rights through development and guarantees the rights of the public in an all-around way. They hope to further strengthen cooperation with China in the future to promote equal exchange, cooperation, and mutual learning in human rights governance.
Return to TopBy: 格尔德·温特
The 4th Session of the 14th National People's Congress (全国人大) of China (中国) this year voted to adopt the "Ecological and Environmental Code of the People's Republic of China" (中华人民共和国生态环境法典). This is the world's first code to systematically integrate a nation's ecological and environmental legislation, carrying significant epochal significance. In many countries, laws concerning the ecological environment and nature conservation are scattered across various legal documents, often lacking coordination between professional terminology and institutional tools. The Ecological and Environmental Code of China (中国生态环境法典) represents a systematic integration, compilation, revision, and sublimation of existing ecological and environmental legal systems, mechanisms, and regulatory norms, further elevating the status of ecological environment and nature conservation within the legal system.
For many years, I have been engaged in the teaching and research of European environmental law and have participated in the drafting of relevant laws in Germany (德国). I have accumulated a certain amount of experience in the field of environmental law. Under the arrangement of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (德国国际合作机构), I have met multiple times in Berlin (柏林) and Beijing (北京) with experts from the working group responsible for drafting the Ecological and Environmental Code of China (中国生态环境法典), attended the International Symposium on Environmental Code Codification held in Beijing (北京), and delivered a lecture on related topics at Wuhan University (武汉大学). Through exchanges with Chinese (中国) colleagues, I have had the honor of learning about the drafting process of the Ecological and Environmental Code of China (中国生态环境法典), offered suggestions from a European perspective, and authored an expert opinion on the codification of this code.
The first book of the code, "General Provisions," establishes the principle of prevention first, meaning that ecological and environmental damage should be prevented rather than allowing pollution after paying fees. The code further stipulates the obligations of citizens and enterprises to protect the ecological environment and natural resources, and clarifies that governments at all levels should take protective measures in accordance with the law and regulate the exercise of power. Specifically, the following institutional means are particularly critical: ensuring the compatibility of land use methods through territorial spatial planning; reducing pollution by formulating pollutant discharge standards and ecological and environmental quality standards; monitoring the status of the ecological environment and making the collected information public; conducting prior research and assessments for construction projects and plans with ecological and environmental risks; and promoting the tilt of public finance toward the field of ecological and environmental protection.
This code further advances the construction of the rule of law. For example, it changes the tradition of relying mainly on administrative means, granting citizens and enterprises a series of rights, including the public's right to know about the environment and the right to participate in decision-making, with specific details to be stipulated in secondary regulations. Victims of ecological and environmental damage can sue polluters and demand compensation. In cases where the ecological environment or nature itself is damaged without directly infringing upon individual interests, social organizations can also file ecological and environmental civil public interest litigation against polluters. If individuals and social organizations can also promote competent authorities to take preventive measures when necessary, the effect will be further enhanced.
These provisions are refined in the second book, "Pollution Prevention and Control," and the third book, "Ecological Protection." "Pollution Prevention and Control" targets major sources such as industry, agriculture, transportation, mining, radiation, waste, and chemical substances, detailing measures for preventing and controlling pollution in the atmosphere, water, oceans, and soil. "Ecological Protection" focuses on different ecosystems such as forests, grasslands, wetlands, rivers, and deserts, with a focus on the protection and sustainable use of natural resources in agriculture, minerals, water, and fisheries. Establishing nature reserves and implementing species protection are typical protective means therein.
The fourth book of the code, "Green and Low-Carbon Development," is the most pioneering, with its core goal aimed directly at the circular economy and green, low-carbon transformation. Although in terms of expression style, this book is more programmatic than regulatory, it still breaks new ground, providing a legal paradigm for promoting fundamental changes in social and economic development through a series of legally binding institutional combinations. It is worth noting that the code incorporates the impact of consumption on environmental and natural degradation into its regulatory scope, demonstrating a distinct value orientation.
The fifth book, "Legal Liability and Supplementary Provisions," pushes the code from "paper rules" to "real-world execution." This book not only enhances the implementation effectiveness of the code through institutional arrangements such as accountability but also further improves administrative law enforcement and supervision mechanisms, and systematically stipulates various illegal acts and their corresponding legal liabilities and penalty measures.
By codifying a wide variety of complex environmental protection laws, the Ecological and Environmental Code of China (中国生态环境法典) has set a good example for global ecological and environmental governance. It not only helps to improve the level of ecological and environmental protection within its own country but also encourages more countries to start the process of ecological and environmental codification. The code sends an important signal: ecological and environmental protection is of paramount importance and must never be sacrificed for short-term interests such as economic growth. China's (中国) adherence to multilateralism and its efforts to promote global ecological and environmental governance are highly commendable, injecting new momentum into global ecological protection.
(The author is a Professor Emeritus at the Faculty of Law, University of Bremen (不来梅大学), Germany (德国), and the founder and professor of the European Environmental Law Research Center.)
Return to TopXinhua News Agency, Tashkent (塔什干), June 12 (Reporter Bao Nuomin (包诺敏)) — The 2026 Harmony Civilization Forum was held on June 12 in Tashkent (塔什干), the capital of Uzbekistan (乌兹别克斯坦). More than 200 representatives from academia, culture, politics, and the business community from seven countries—China (中国), Uzbekistan (乌兹别克斯坦), Kazakhstan (哈萨克斯坦), Kyrgyzstan (吉尔吉斯斯坦), Tajikistan (塔吉克斯坦), Turkmenistan (土库曼斯坦), and Russia (俄罗斯)—attended the event for exchanges.
The forum was co-hosted by the International Confucian Association (国际儒学联合会) and Tashkent State University of Oriental Studies (塔什干国立东方大学), with the theme of "'Harmony Wisdom' and the High-Quality Development of the 'Belt and Road' (一带一路)."
Sun Chunlan (孙春兰), President of the International Confucian Association (国际儒学联合会), pointed out in a video address that Confucian sages recognized very early on that one must acknowledge and respect the objective existence of differences, and seek harmonious coexistence on that basis. The cultures of Central Asian (中亚) countries are likewise imbued with ideas of loving peace, cherishing unity, and advocating inclusivity. For over two thousand years, the people of China (中国) and Central Asia (中亚) have upheld the "wisdom of harmony" (和合智慧 (hé hé zhì huì - "harmony and union wisdom," the philosophy of seeking common ground while respecting differences to achieve peaceful coexistence)), working together to promote the rise and prosperity of the Silk Road (丝绸之路). Today, the "China-Central Asia Spirit" (中国—中亚精神) of "mutual respect, mutual trust, mutual benefit, and mutual assistance, advancing common modernization through high-quality development" is leading regional cooperation to constantly break new ground.
Daminov Askarali (达米诺夫·阿斯卡拉利), Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation of Uzbekistan (乌兹别克斯坦高等教育、科学和创新部), stated that education, science, and innovation have become important engines driving the continuous deepening of Uzbekistan-China (乌中) relations. The high degree of alignment in the development plans of the two countries is generating unique synergistic effects, opening up broad space for cooperation between universities and research institutions of both nations.
This forum featured four parallel sub-forums: the Scholars' Forum on "Historical Foundations and World Significance of the China-Central Asia Spirit (中国—中亚精神)," the Presidents' Roundtable Forum on "New Paths for International Talent Cultivation in the Digital Intelligence Era," the Youth Forum on "Humanistic Exchanges and Youth Missions," and the Entrepreneurs' Forum on "Contemporary Inheritance of Silk Road (丝绸之路) Business Civilization."
Return to TopXinhua News Agency (新华社), Beijing (北京), June 12—Zhou Qiang (周强), Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (全国政协), met in Beijing (北京) on the 12th with foreign representatives attending the "2026 China-CEEC Young Political Leaders Forum" (2026中国与中东欧青年政治家论坛). During the meeting, he promoted the spirit of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (中共二十届四中全会) and the system of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (人民政协), and exchanged views on implementing the consensus reached by leaders, strengthening youth exchanges, promoting the development of bilateral relations, and fostering cooperation between China (中国) and Central and Eastern European Countries (中东欧国家).
Return to TopXinhua News Agency, Bangkok, June 12 (Reporter Chang Tiantong (常天童)) — From June 10 to 12, Xian Hui (咸辉), Vice Chairperson of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) (全国政协), led a delegation to visit Thailand (泰国). During the visit, she met separately with Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn (诗琳通公主), Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul (阿努廷), President of the National Assembly and Speaker of the House of Representatives Wan Muhamad Noor Matha (索蓬), and First Deputy President of the National Assembly and President of the Senate Mongkol Surasajja (蒙坤).
Xian Hui (咸辉) stated that last year, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China (中国) and Thailand (泰国), President Xi Jinping (习近平) and King Maha Vajiralongkorn (哇集拉隆功), who was on his first state visit to China (中国), reached an important consensus on advancing the construction of a China-Thailand (中泰) community with a shared future, mapping out a blueprint for the development of bilateral relations. The Chinese (中方) side is willing to work with the Thai (泰方) side, guided by the important consensus of the two heads of state, to enhance mutual trust and cooperation, strengthen people-to-people exchanges, and promote the construction of a community with a shared future. The CPPCC (全国政协) of China (中国) is willing to contribute to this effort.
The Thai (泰方) side stated that the friendship between Thailand (泰中) and China (泰中) is 源远流长 (yuán yuǎn liú cháng - "source far flow long," having a long-standing history), and currently, practical cooperation in various fields between the two countries is steadily advancing with fruitful results. The Thai (泰方) side appreciates the significant achievements made in China's (中国) economic and social development, firmly adheres to the one-China policy, and is willing to work with the Chinese (中方) side to implement the important consensus of the two heads of state, promote deeper and more substantive cooperation in various fields, and better benefit the people of both countries.
Return to TopBy: 李 明
At the invitation of President Xi Jinping (习近平), Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić (武契奇) recently paid a state visit to China (中国). This was President Vučić (武契奇)'s first state visit to China (中国), marking a significant milestone. It successfully wrote a new chapter for the China-Serbia (中塞) community with a shared future in the new era, demonstrating the uniqueness, exemplary nature, and high level of the "ironclad" friendship between China (中国) and Serbia (塞尔维亚) amidst the profound changes of the world unseen in a century.
Head-of-state diplomacy has steered the steady and long-term development of China-Serbia (中塞) relations. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the China-Serbia (中塞) comprehensive strategic partnership. During the visit, President Xi Jinping (习近平) held in-depth strategic exchanges with President Vučić (武契奇), reaching broad and important consensus. Both sides agreed to promote the alignment of China (中国)'s "14th Five-Year Plan" ("十五五"规划) with the "Serbia 2030" (塞尔维亚2030) development strategy, firmly support each other's core interests and major concerns, and jointly uphold international fairness and justice. The two sides issued a joint statement on continuously advancing the building of a China-Serbia (中塞) community with a shared future in the new era, as well as a joint statement on jointly promoting the implementation of the four global initiatives. Serbia (塞尔维亚) became the first country to issue a joint statement with China (中国) in support of the four global initiatives. Working hand in hand, China (中国) and Serbia (塞尔维亚) adhere to the principles of independence, mutual respect and trust, win-win cooperation, and mutual achievement, contributing wisdom and strength to solving global development problems, addressing international security challenges, promoting exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, and reforming and improving global governance.
Pragmatic cooperation has injected strong momentum into the high-level operation of China-Serbia (中塞) relations. The two heads of state witnessed the signing of 23 cooperation documents and announced the conclusion of 10 additional cooperation documents on-site. These have drawn a new blueprint for the high-quality joint construction of the "Belt and Road" (一带一路) between China (中国) and Serbia (塞尔维亚), and injected new momentum into cooperation in fields such as economy, trade, agriculture, environmental protection, education, and culture and tourism. Much of this content involves emerging frontier fields such as scientific and technological innovation, artificial intelligence, the digital economy, and green development, leading the pragmatic cooperation between the two countries to accelerate toward a new stage of high-quality development. President Vučić (武契奇) also visited Beijing (北京), Shanghai (上海), and Zhejiang (浙江). From the majestic Great Wall (万里长城) to the bustling and modern banks of the Huangpu River (黄浦江), and from electric vehicle factories to robotics enterprises, President Vučić (武契奇) praised China (中国)'s brilliant culture and new-era development achievements while expressing full expectations and confidence in the "new," "green," and "smart" orientation of Serbia-China (塞中) cooperation.
"Ironclad" friendship has tied the hearts of the people of China (中国) and Serbia (塞尔维亚) together in a shared destiny. President Vučić (武契奇)'s state visit was characterized by a dense schedule, fruitful results, and numerous highlights. The moment President Xi Jinping (习近平) awarded the "Friendship Medal" (友谊勋章) to President Vučić (武契奇) was the highlight of the visit. This is the first time a Serbian (塞尔维亚) national leader has been awarded China (中国)'s highest honor for foreign nationals. As President Xi Jinping (习近平) placed the medal around President Vučić (武契奇)'s neck, the President's eyes welled with tears, and his excitement was evident. This weighty medal is engraved with the enduring mark of China-Serbia (中塞) relations and shines with the brilliance of a friendship where the two peoples have stood together through thick and thin—风雨同舟 (fēng yǔ tóng zhōu - "wind rain same boat," to stand together through thick and thin; to share weal and woe) and treated each other with absolute sincerity—肝胆相照 (gān dǎn xiāng zhào - "liver gall mutually reflect," to treat each other with absolute sincerity; to be completely open and honest). It is not only a high affirmation of President Vučić (武契奇)'s contribution to China-Serbia (中塞) friendship but also embodies the expectations of the two peoples for the construction of a China-Serbia (中塞) community with a shared future in the new era. The broad masses of the Serbian (塞尔维亚) people feel deeply proud and have expressed their praise for the "ironclad" friendship between China (中国) and Serbia (塞尔维亚).
No matter how the international situation changes, China (中国) and Serbia (塞尔维亚) will always be true friends and good partners. China (中国) is willing to work with Serbia (塞尔维亚) to earnestly implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, continuously forge a stronger "ironclad" friendship, expand mutually beneficial cooperation, enrich people-to-people exchanges, strengthen multilateral coordination, and join hands to firmly stand on the right side of history and the side of human civilization's progress, together walking a bright path of seeking development and sharing prosperity.
(The author is the Chinese Ambassador to Serbia (中国驻塞尔维亚大使))
Return to TopXinhua News Agency (新华社), Beijing (北京), June 12 — From June 11 to 12, Liu Haixing (刘海星), Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee (中共中央对外联络部), met separately in Beijing (北京) with Seah Kian Peng (谢健平), Speaker of the Parliament of Singapore (新加坡国会); Nominchin Nomtoibayar (诺木泰巴亚尔), Deputy Prime Minister of Mongolia (蒙古国) and Chairman of the National Alliance (民族联盟); a multi-party parliamentary delegation from Turkey (土耳其); and foreign representatives attending the "2026 China-CEEC Young Politicians Forum" (2026中国与中东欧青年政治家论坛). They exchanged views on implementing the consensus reached by the leaders of both sides and strengthening inter-party exchanges, among other topics.
Return to TopAthens, June 12 (Reporter Ren Yan (任彦), Han Bingchen (韩秉宸)) — On June 8, the "Encounter: A Dialogue Across Time and Space" (遇·鉴：跨越时空的对话) event, guided by the State Council Information Office (国务院新闻办公室) of China and the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the Hellenic Republic (中国驻希腊大使馆), and hosted by the Information Office of the People's Government of Jiangsu Province (江苏省政府新闻办公室) and the Information Office of the People's Government of Shandong Province (山东省政府新闻办公室), was launched at the Museum of the City of Athens-Vouros-Eutaxias Foundation (雅典尼亚斯米尼市政博物馆). Hu Heping (胡和平), Executive Deputy Head of the Publicity Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (中共中央宣传部), Fang Qiou (方遒), Ambassador of China to Greece (希腊), and Georgios Didaskalou (乔治斯·季扎斯卡卢), Secretary General of the Ministry of Culture of Greece (希腊文化部), attended the launch ceremony and delivered speeches. More than 150 guests and media reporters from the cultural, sports, and educational sectors of China (中国) and Greece (希腊) participated in the event.
Return to TopAthens (雅典), June 12 (Reporter Xie Yahong (谢亚宏)) — During the Second World Conference of Classics (第二届世界古典学大会) held in Greece (希腊), the "Encounter and Appreciation: Symposium of Chinese and Greek Cultural Figures" (遇·鉴：中希文化界人士座谈会) took place on the 10th at the European Cultural Centre of Delphi (德尔斐欧洲文化中心). Cultural figures from China (中国) and Greece (希腊) engaged in in-depth exchanges regarding literary exchanges and cultural dialogue between the two nations.
The symposium featured the concurrent "Encounter and Appreciation: Achievements in China-Greece Publishing Cooperation" (遇·鉴：中国—希腊出版合作成果) exhibition, which showcased over 100 high-quality books translated between Chinese and Greek. These included the Greek editions of *Xi Jinping: The Governance of China* (《习近平谈治国理政》), *The Analects* (《论语》), and *Mencius* (《孟子》), as well as Chinese translations of works such as *The Complete Works of Aristotle* (《亚里士多德全集》) and *The Complete Works of Plato* (《柏拉图全集》).
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 高 炳
The rolling waters of the Yan River (延河) and the towering Pagoda Hill (宝塔山) bear witness to that unforgettable process of ideological tempering. From 1942 to 1945, while leading the resistance against the Japanese invaders behind enemy lines, the Party launched an in-depth Marxist educational movement across the entire Party, centered in Yan'an (延安). This is the famous Yan'an Rectification Movement (延安整风运动).
General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) emphasized: "During the Yan'an (延安) period, in order to resolve ideological differences and sectarianism within the Party, our Party launched a large-scale rectification movement, which brought the entire Party to an unprecedented level of unity and cohesion, laying a powerful ideological and political foundation for winning the War of Resistance and the liberation of the whole country."
Inside the Yan'an Revolutionary Memorial Hall (延安革命纪念馆), piece after piece of documentation and historical artifacts turn the hands of time back to those revolutionary years.
With the formation of the Kuomintang-Communist cooperation (国共合作) and the widespread launch of the all-out national resistance, the scope of the Party's activities further expanded. On March 15, 1938, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (中共中央) issued the "Resolution on Vigorously Developing Party Membership." By the end of 1938, the number of Party members nationwide had increased from over 40,000 at the outbreak of the all-out national resistance to more than 500,000.
New Party members possessed great revolutionary enthusiasm, but the vast majority came from peasant and petty-bourgeois backgrounds. Having fought for a long time in dispersed guerrilla warfare environments, they had not received systematic education in the Party's basic theories and knowledge. In August 1939, the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (中共中央政治局) adopted the "Decision on Consolidating the Party."
Strengthening the training and education of Party members and improving their quality was the central link in consolidating the Party. While consolidating the Party, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (中共中央) officially adopted the decision to "Vigorously Absorb Intellectuals" in December 1939. Thereafter, the proportion of Party members with intellectual backgrounds gradually increased.
In October 1939, Mao Zedong (毛泽东) published "Introducing The Communist," in which he referred to the Party building that had been "in progress" as a "great project."
Liu Ni (刘妮), curator of the Yan'an Revolutionary Memorial Hall (延安革命纪念馆), explained: "The implementation of the great project of Party building provided a powerful political guarantee for the Party to play the role of a mainstay during the War of Resistance Against Japan (抗日战争)."
Since the outbreak of the all-out national resistance, the organization of the Communist Party of China (中国共产党) had developed significantly. However, various non-proletarian ideologies existed among the vast number of new Party members. Old Party members also needed to further improve themselves to adapt to the new situation. After the Zunyi Conference (遵义会议), the Party's line had moved onto the correct track of Marxism, but the subjectivism and dogmatism that had caused serious harm to the Party's cause had not yet been earnestly cleared away ideologically. It was therefore necessary to concentrate on launching a universal Marxist ideological education movement.
In May 1941, Mao Zedong (毛泽东) delivered the report "Reform Our Study" at a meeting of senior cadres in Yan'an (延安). In February 1942, Mao Zedong (毛泽东) successively delivered the speeches "Rectify the Party's Style of Work" and "Oppose Stereotyped Party Writing." The rectification movement was launched universally throughout the Party. The content of the universal rectification was to oppose subjectivism, sectarianism, and stereotyped Party writing, in order to establish a Marxist style of work. The rectification movement implemented the policy of "learning from past mistakes to avoid future ones" and "curing the sickness to save the patient," with the goal of both clarifying ideology and uniting comrades.
On the basis of deeply summarizing historical experience, from May 21, 1944, to April 20, 1945, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (中共中央) held the Enlarged Seventh Plenary Session of the Sixth Central Committee in Yan'an (延安). The main content and most important achievement of this meeting was the adoption in principle of the "Resolution on Certain Questions in the History of Our Party." With this, the rectification movement concluded victoriously.
The rectification movement was a profound Marxist ideological education movement that achieved tremendous results. It adhered to the correct direction of combining Marxism with China's reality, making the Marxist ideological line of seeking truth from facts deeply rooted in the hearts of the entire Party. This was a major innovation in advancing the great project of Party building.
General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) pointed out profoundly: "Strengthening Party building involves both routine, regular work and concentrated actions. The Yan'an (延安) rectification was a concentrated action that enabled the entire Party to rectify its ideological and political lines, eradicate subjectivism, sectarianism, and stereotyped Party writing, and clarify the direction for future efforts, which had a huge driving effect on winning the War of Resistance Against Japan (抗日战争) and the War of Liberation (解放战争)."
"In my dreams, I return to Yan'an (延安) time and again, my hands embracing Pagoda Hill (宝塔山)." Today, on Pagoda Hill (宝塔山), historical relics and modern revolutionary artifacts are 星罗棋布 (xīng luó qí bù - "stars scattered, chessboard spread," scattered like stars in the sky or pieces on a chessboard, describing a large number of things spread out in a wide area). The pagoda and the nearby Yan'an Revolutionary Memorial Hall (延安革命纪念馆) complement each other. People beneath Pagoda Hill (宝塔山) and inside the Yan'an Revolutionary Memorial Hall (延安革命纪念馆) revisit the historical significance of the Yan'an (延安) rectification, reflecting on how time flies while the original aspiration remains as firm as a rock.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 贾丰丰
In Yan'an (延安), Shaanxi (陕西), the Central Auditorium (中央大礼堂) at the Yangjialing Revolutionary Site (杨家岭革命旧址) stands tall and imposing. On April 23, 1945, the Seventh National Congress of the Communist Party of China (中国共产党第七次全国代表大会) was grandly convened here.
General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) pointed out: "The Seventh National Congress of the Party holds a significant milestone in the history of the Party, marking the maturation of our Party in terms of politics, ideology, and organization." "The Seventh National Congress of the Party occupies an extremely important position in the history of the Party, pointing out the correct direction and opening up the correct path for the Party to continuously move from victory to victory."
With long tables, wooden chairs, and red flags... stepping into the Central Auditorium (中央大礼堂), the furnishings are simple yet solemn. A line of red slogans hanging high above the rostrum is particularly striking: "March Forward to Victory Under the Banner of Mao Zedong (毛泽东)."
Amidst the gunfire and smoke of war, 755 delegates arrived from revolutionary base areas, Kuomintang-controlled areas (国统区), and occupied areas, breaking through layers of blockades and traveling over mountains and rivers.
At the meeting, Mao Zedong (毛泽东) delivered the opening address, submitted the political report "On Coalition Government" (论联合政府) to the congress, and gave an oral report. Zhu De (朱德) delivered a military report titled "On the Battlefields of the Liberated Areas" (论解放区战场), Liu Shaoqi (刘少奇) delivered the "Report on the Revision of the Party Constitution" (关于修改党章的报告), and Zhou Enlai (周恩来) gave a speech on "On the United Front" (论统一战线).
The meeting continued until June 11 of that year. It was a "congress of unity, a congress of victory," recorded in the annals of the Party.
The Seventh National Congress of the Party summarized the fine work styles formed by the Party during its long-term struggle into three major styles: the style of integrating theory with practice, the style of maintaining close ties with the people, and the style of self-criticism. Based on reality, it determined the political line of "boldly mobilizing the masses, expanding the people's forces, and under the leadership of our Party, defeating the Japanese aggressors, liberating the whole nation, and building a New Democratic China." It formulated the program for a New Democratic state in terms of politics, economy, and culture, and proposed the grand task of realizing China's industrialization.
Politically, through the Yan'an Rectification Movement (延安整风), the Party united the entire membership under the banner of Mao Zedong (毛泽东), achieving unprecedented unity and solidarity. Ideologically, the Party established the guiding position of Mao Zedong Thought (毛泽东思想) throughout the Party and incorporated it into the Party Constitution. Organizationally, the Party formed a battle-tested group of statesmen who held high the banner of Mao Zedong (毛泽东).
The clarion call of the era issued from Yangjialing (杨家岭) spread rapidly across all anti-Japanese battlefields behind enemy lines. The vast number of soldiers and civilians unified their thinking and gathered their strength, becoming a powerful spiritual driving force for winning the final victory of the War of Resistance.
As time passes and the flames of war fade, the red flags and red characters in the Central Auditorium (中央大礼堂) have become even more dazzling after being washed by the years.
Less than a week after the conclusion of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (党的二十大), General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) visited the Yan'an Revolutionary Memorial Hall (延安革命纪念馆) and said with deep emotion: "I lived and worked in the Yan'an (延安) region for seven years, and my father's generation also went out from here; I am very familiar with this place. When I was 'sent down' to northern Shaanxi (陕北) back then, every time I passed through Yan'an (延安), I would visit the site of the Seventh National Congress, Yangjialing (杨家岭), Zaoyuan (枣园), Fenghuangshan (凤凰山), and other revolutionary sites." "Coming here with my colleagues from the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee (中央政治局常委) this time is to declare that the new central leadership collective will inherit and carry forward the fine revolutionary traditions and work styles formed by the Party during the Yan'an (延安) period, and promote the Yan'an Spirit (延安精神)."
In recent years, normalized "red study tours" have allowed more people to walk into historical scenes and feel the pulse of the spirit. Personnel from Party and government organs, primary and secondary schools, universities, and enterprises from all over the country have traveled to Yangjialing (杨家岭) to conduct on-site Party lectures. Many veteran Party members and Party history experts serve as volunteer lecturers, combining historical research to tell the story of the great significance of the successful convening of the Seventh National Congress of the Party. Study groups visit and listen attentively, revisiting the 峥嵘岁月 (zhēng róng suì yuè - "extraordinary years," referring to difficult and glorious times of struggle) and reflecting on their sincere original aspirations.
In December 2025, the high-speed railway from Xi'an (西安) to Yan'an (延安) was officially opened, and the old revolutionary base area of northern Shaanxi (陕北) has since entered the "high-speed rail era." More and more people are visiting the Yan'an (延安) revolutionary memorial sites and the Yangjialing (杨家岭) Central Auditorium (中央大礼堂).
"We will further tell the story of the Seventh National Congress of the Party well, promote the Yan'an Spirit (延安精神) to the vast number of cadres and the masses, and transform the spiritual wealth accumulated by history into actual actions of working and starting businesses," said Hou Zhenlong (侯振龙), director of the Yangjialing Revolutionary Site Management Office (杨家岭革命旧址管理处).
The Yan'an Spirit (延安精神) is passed down from generation to generation.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 李茂颖
On June 7, the first day of the National College Entrance Examination (Gaokao 高考), a brief pre-exam pep rally was held in front of the teaching building of the Huaping High School for Girls (华坪女子高级中学) in Lijiang (丽江), Yunnan (云南). Principal Zhang Guimei (张桂梅) held her signature small megaphone, offering final words of encouragement to the children about to head to the examination hall.
This year marks the eighteenth anniversary of the founding of Huaping High School for Girls (华坪女子高级中学), and the sixteenth time Zhang Guimei (张桂梅) has sent students off to the Gaokao (高考).
On the playground, second-year students cheered for their seniors, their voices rising in waves. Xiaoyu (小雨) (a pseudonym), a third-year student about to enter the exam hall, had once stood in that same spot cheering for her own seniors; now, she had become the one being sent off. To Xiaoyu (小雨), "Mother Zhang" (张妈妈) is not just a principal, but a lifesaver.
Zhang Guimei (张桂梅) insists that all students undergo physical examinations. During one such check-up, Xiaoyu (小雨) was diagnosed with congenital heart disease. Zhang Guimei (张桂梅) traveled everywhere to raise funds for her treatment, eventually sending Xiaoyu (小雨) to the hospital for surgery.
Home visits are another task Zhang Guimei (张桂梅) has persisted in for years. Trips to the students' homes often require several hours on the road. After the surgery, Zhang Guimei (张桂梅) made a special trip to Xiaoyu (小雨)’s home to inquire about her recovery and academic progress, offering her care and support.
"You don't need to be afraid; the school is behind you, and we are here!" Zhang Guimei (张桂梅) often reassures the children, yet she herself is 寝食难安 (qǐn shí nán ān - "sleep eat difficult peace," to be so worried that one cannot eat or sleep properly).
During the Gaokao (高考), Zhang Guimei (张桂梅) still insisted on conducting evening rounds. She held onto the railing, moving up the stairs step by step, stopping to catch her breath every few moments before taking another step forward. Seeing that the carpet in the cafeteria was uneven, she silently smoothed it out; upon arriving at the serving window, she instructed the staff to provide generous portions so the children could eat well and be full.
Physical exams, home visits, sending students to exams, overseeing studies, daily life, and growth—Zhang Guimei (张桂梅)’s companionship runs through the youth of every girl. "Before they leave the campus, I will accompany them wherever they go." Zhang Guimei (张桂梅) has used time to turn this promise into reality.
In 2021, Zhang Guimei (张桂梅) was awarded the "July 1st Medal" (七一勋章). What makes Zhang Guimei (张桂梅) proud is that the girls she has sent out are now shining and making contributions across the country and in various industries—becoming teachers, doctors, or working in border regions—becoming individuals who are "useful to society."
Some graduates, after joining the Communist Party of China (中国共产党), made special trips back to their alma mater to share the good news with Zhang Guimei (张桂梅), who personally pinned the Party member badge on them. "The children have learned gratitude and dedication, passing on the Party's care to even more distant places. As a Party member, I am deeply gratified," said Zhang Guimei (张桂梅).
On the evening of June 8, the last night for the third-year graduates at the school, the girls rushed toward Zhang Guimei (张桂梅) as soon as evening self-study ended, some with tears streaming down their faces. They crowded tightly around Zhang Guimei (张桂梅), saying one after another, "Teacher Zhang (张老师), we love you!" Zhang Guimei (张桂梅)’s eyes turned red as she replied, "In the past, I told you not to come back once you graduated. Now, that is void. The gates of the Girls' High School (女高) will always be open to you."
It is another Gaokao (高考) season. As the more than 150 third-year girls walked into the examination hall, Zhang Guimei (张桂梅) stood outside, just as she has every summer for the past 16 years, watching them head toward the next stage of their lives.
She remains that inextinguishable lamp, lighting the way forward for the daughters of the mountains.
Return to TopBeijing (北京), June 12 (Reporter Liu Wenxin (刘温馨)) — On the morning of June 12, the Office of the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters (国家防总办公室) and the Ministry of Emergency Management (应急管理部) organized a joint consultation with departments including the Ministry of Natural Resources (自然资源部), the Ministry of Water Resources (水利部), and the China Meteorological Administration (气象局). Through video scheduling, they coordinated with 11 provinces and regions, including Zhejiang (浙江), Fujian (福建), Jiangxi (江西), Guangdong (广东), and Guangxi (广西), to analyze the development trends of the new round of heavy rainfall and to study and deploy flood control and disaster relief work in key areas. On the 12th at 10:00, the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters (国家防总) activated a Level IV emergency response for flood control in 7 provinces, including Guangdong (广东), Guangxi (广西), Jiangxi (江西), Fujian (福建), Zhejiang (浙江), Guizhou (贵州), and Hunan (湖南), and dispatched two working groups to local areas to assist and guide flood control efforts. The Ministry of Emergency Management (应急管理部) also activated a national Level IV emergency response for geological disasters in Jiangxi (江西), Guangdong (广东), and Guangxi (广西) on the 12th.
On the 12th, the Office of the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters (国家防总办公室) and the Ministry of Emergency Management (应急管理部), in conjunction with the Ministry of Civil Affairs (民政部), the Ministry of Transport (交通运输部), the Ministry of Water Resources (水利部), the Ministry of Commerce (商务部), and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism (文化和旅游部), held a symposium on the 2026 special action for investigating hidden dangers in flood-prone key areas, further deploying work for hazard investigation and safe flood passage. While officials remain 兢兢业业 (jīng jīng yè yè - "cautious and conscientious," describing someone who is diligent and careful in their work), they are working to ensure that the situation does not become 不可收拾 (bù kě shōu shí - "uncapable of being collected," describing a situation that has deteriorated to the point where it is beyond control).
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 郑海鸥
The Chinese civilization has a long and continuous history, and Chinese culture is profound and extensive. The cultural heritage scattered across our country's magnificent mountains and rivers carries the genes and bloodline of the Chinese nation, embodying the great creativity, exceptional wisdom, and shared memories of the Chinese people.
"We must protect, inherit, and promote these treasures of Chinese culture well," "We must organically integrate the traditional with the modern"... The important speeches by General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) have pointed out the direction and provided fundamental guidance for protecting and inheriting cultural heritage in the new era.
June 13 is the 2026 "Cultural and Natural Heritage Day." On the new journey of the new era, under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture (习近平文化思想), China's work in protecting and inheriting cultural heritage has achieved remarkable results. The entire society is working together to safeguard the cultural treasures of the Chinese nation, allowing cultural heritage to radiate the splendor of the times.
Inheriting the Cultural Pulse, Always Prioritizing Protection
On stage, the singing is soft, delicate, and features various schools of style; off stage, the audience cheers repeatedly, with young people traveling across cities to follow the performances... The recently concluded 6th China Yue Opera Art Festival (中国越剧艺术节) was exceptionally lively. This year marks the 120th anniversary of the birth of Yue Opera (越剧), and generations of inheritors have continued the brilliance of Chinese opera with persistence and craftsmanship.
General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) emphasized, "Upholding a heart of reverence for history and love for culture, we must adhere to the principles of prioritizing protection, rational utilization, and minimal intervention, and promote the systematic protection and unified supervision of cultural heritage." "Promoting systematic protection and unified supervision of cultural heritage" has been written into the Outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan (十五五规划纲要).
Stitch by stitch, with meticulous care, Yao Jianping (姚建萍) is a national-level representative inheritor of Su Embroidery (苏绣). "I started picking up the embroidery needle following my mother when I was seven or eight years old, and it has been nearly 50 years since. Now, my two daughters have also devoted themselves to Su Embroidery." In Su Embroidery Town (苏绣小镇) in Suzhou (苏州), Jiangsu (江苏), more than 8,000 embroiderers hold needles and threads, working tirelessly to create exquisite "double-sided embroidery."
Rescue protection, productive protection, holistic protection, digital protection, and living protection... China is striving to enhance the practical capabilities of intangible cultural heritage inheritance, protect practice venues, and continuously strengthen the vitality of intangible cultural heritage (ICH) protection and inheritance.
In April this year, the final evaluation meeting for the 2025 Top Ten New Archaeological Discoveries in China was held. The Paleolithic site group in eastern Changbai Mountain (长白山), Jilin (吉林), and the Peiligang Site (裴李岗遗址) in Xinzheng (新郑), Henan (河南)... these new archaeological discoveries are explorations of Chinese civilization that are more distant, profound, and broad, providing empirical evidence for the prominent characteristics of Chinese civilization. The story of "What is China" (何以中国) is becoming increasingly vivid and three-dimensional.
As historical achievements have been made in cultural heritage protection, the popularity of archaeology, museums, intangible cultural heritage, and cultural creative products has continued to rise. By the end of 2025, the number of registered museums nationwide reached 7,188, and in 2025, museums across the country received 1.56 billion visitors.
"It feels like being immersed in the 'scene' of history." After visiting the Hall of Mental Cultivation (养心殿) at the Palace Museum (故宫博物院), tourist Wei Bingjie (魏冰洁) from Sichuan (四川) said, "I give a thumbs up to the meticulous care of the cultural relic protection workers." After nearly 10 years of research-based protection and systematic restoration, the Hall of Mental Cultivation reopened last December. The project team also used 3D scanning technology to create digital archives for all cultural relics, clearly recording the traces of architectural damage and weathering.
Digitalization gives cultural heritage new vitality. The recording work for national-level representative inheritors of intangible cultural heritage has left digital imprints for 2,290 inheritors, accumulating over 92,000 hours of raw material and collecting more than 570,000 documents.
"Inside the museum, the historical atmosphere is fully realized, and it is full of futuristic technology." University student Yu Di (于迪) from Jiangxi (江西) spent a day visiting the China Grand Canal Museum (中国大运河博物馆) in Yangzhou (扬州), Jiangsu (江苏), "My understanding of this longest artificial canal in the world has deepened."
Stepping out of the museum, Yu Di strolled through the Yangzhou section of the Grand Canal National Cultural Park (大运河国家文化公园), "The beautiful ecological environment and profound historical and cultural accumulation gave me a fantastic experience."
Today, the construction of the Great Wall (长城), Grand Canal (大运河), Long March (长征), Yellow River (黄河), and Yangtze River (长江) National Cultural Parks is advancing with high quality, creating historical and cultural landmarks that inherit Chinese civilization.
This year marks the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Red Army's Long March (红军长征). At the beginning of the year, the student pioneer practice team of Renmin University of China (中国人民大学) came to the land of Qian-Gui (黔贵), visiting the Zunyi Meeting Site (遵义会议会址) and the Guizhou Long March Culture Digital Art Museum (贵州长征文化数字艺术馆), witnessing the "Red Ribbon" (红飘带) architecture connecting the past, present, and future. Red tourism continues to heat up, and more and more people are entering revolutionary museums, memorial halls, Party history halls, and martyrs' cemeteries across the country, strengthening their spiritual power while revisiting history and mourning the revolutionary martyrs.
Innovating with the Ancient, Empowering Economic and Social Development with Culture
Liufu Street (隆福寺街区) in Dongcheng District (东城区), Beijing (北京), is a cultural landmark carrying 600 years of history.
"Pull once, for longevity and blessings; match twice, for wealth and prosperity; shake three times, for the arrival of spring and fortune"... In front of the street stall, Li Mei (李梅), an inheritor of the Beijing Fanlihua (paper-folding) craft (北京翻里花制作技艺), demonstrated the charm of the "transforming at a flip" technique. "We shouldn't abandon the crafts of our ancestors, but we must also innovate," said Li Mei. From the "Folding Flower Dragon" and "Great Wall Folding Flower" to this year's "Folding Flower Horse DIY Kit," she has developed over a hundred new products.
On February 10 this year, General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) visited the Liufu Street (隆福寺街区) and walked into the Beijing time-honored brand Daoxiangcun (稻香村) pastry shop along the street.
General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) pointed out: "I have always paid attention to Beijing's time-honored brands. Now some of these brands are facing challenges in inheritance and development. How can we stimulate vitality? This is not just a simple makeover; we must retain the true essence while improving services in all aspects."
To revitalize time-honored brands and integrate cultural heritage into modern life, we must work hard on creative transformation and innovative development.
During the Spring Festival of the Year of the Horse (丙午马年), many netizens posted photos of their tricolor glazed pottery horse plush pendants, "A 'dark horse' comes with the good luck of a dark horse's comeback, the meaning is really great."
The prototype of this cultural creative product is a tricolor glazed pottery horse in the "Ancient China" exhibition hall of the National Museum of China (中国国家博物馆). "Around this 'dark horse,' we have successively launched about 50 cultural creative products such as backpacks, gloves, and refrigerator magnets," introduced a relevant staff member of the National Museum of China (中国国家博物馆).
3 million pieces—this is the sales volume of the phoenix crown refrigerator magnets launched by the National Museum (国家博物馆) in a year and a half; 806.5 billion times—this is the total annual playback volume of short videos related to intangible cultural heritage on Douyin (抖音) last year.
The Outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan (十五五规划纲要) proposes to "empower economic and social development with culture."
Looking across the country, in museums and intangible cultural heritage centers everywhere, cultural creative products are dazzling, and sales are continuing to climb; in live-streaming rooms, "cloud" archaeology remains popular, and brilliant techniques attract countless eyes... Traditional culture is closely connected with modern life, and the beauty of Chinese tradition is blooming with new colors.
"Strolling through ancient towns, tasting delicacies, and appreciating intangible cultural heritage has become a 'standard' for travel." In Fenghui Ancient Town (丰惠古镇), Shaoxing (绍兴), Zhejiang (浙江), university student Shi Mengyi (石梦依) walked on the bluestone slabs, drinking tea, listening to operas, and ordering products from time-honored brands, "The experience is very interesting, the products are rich, and the slow-paced ancient town tour is always worth looking forward to."
In 2025, more than 30,000 activities to promote consumption through intangible cultural heritage were held across the country. Among them, the live-streaming sales of the main event of the Four Seasons Intangible Cultural Heritage Shopping Month reached 365 million yuan, and the Intangible Cultural Heritage Brand Promotion Week drove sales of over 1.1 billion yuan... Intangible cultural heritage plays a significant role in boosting consumption and activating the cultural and tourism market.
In Rongjiang County (榕江县), Guizhou (贵州), the popularity of the "Village Super League" (村超) is rising wave after wave. Tourists praise: "Intangible cultural heritage performances such as the Dong Grand Song (侗族大歌) and the Miao Wooden Drum Dance (苗族木鼓舞) are as exciting as the matches."
In the vast rural areas, excellent traditional Chinese culture has become a high-quality resource for promoting cultural and tourism development and building civilized rural customs. Intangible cultural heritage workshops and rural museums, as well as old crafts, old repertoires, and old customs, have become new highlights for the masses to find employment and increase income. As of 2025, more than 14,900 intangible cultural heritage workshops have been built nationwide, driving the employment of more than 1.3 million people, vividly realizing the goal of "a craft supporting a family, and intangible cultural heritage revitalizing a village."
Communicating Hearts, Promoting Exchanges and Mutual Learning Among Different Civilizations
In Beijing (北京), the Forbidden City (故宫) and the Temple of Heaven (天坛) are listed on the "must-visit" lists of many foreign friends.
On May 14 this year, President Xi Jinping (习近平) visited the Temple of Heaven (天坛) with U.S. President Trump (特朗普). The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests (祈年殿) is magnificent, with its double-eaved roofs shimmering with light. The two heads of state walked up the stairs into the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, appreciating the architectural features where the mortise and tenon brackets fit precisely and the astronomical calendar is perfectly integrated with the temple structure, feeling the philosophy of harmony among all things and acting in accordance with the laws of nature.
"World cultural and natural heritage is an important achievement of human civilization development and natural evolution, and it is also an important carrier for promoting exchanges and mutual learning among different civilizations," emphasized General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平).
David, a British man, is a cultural heritage enthusiast. In his plan to visit China, besides the Great Wall (长城) and Dunhuang (敦煌), there is also the Western Xia Imperial Tombs (西夏陵). In July 2025, the "Western Xia Imperial Tombs" (西夏陵) were inscribed on the World Heritage List (世界遗产名录), bringing China's total number of World Heritage sites to 60, ranking among the top in the world.
Good news about successful heritage applications keeps coming, and cultural heritage has become an important calling card for expanding the international influence of Chinese culture. In December 2025, the "Hezhen Yimakan" (赫哲族伊玛堪) was successfully transferred from the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, and at the same time, the "'Hezhen Yimakan' Protection Plan" was selected for the Register of Good Safeguarding Practices. With this, the total number of China's items inscribed on UNESCO's (联合国教科文组织) intangible cultural heritage lists and registers has increased to 45, ranking first in the world.
The return of cultural relics demonstrates the firm determination and strength to guard national treasures. Last October, the Chinese side received the tiger-shaped plaque cultural relic returned by representatives of a private U.S. organization in Washington (华盛顿), U.S. (美国). This was another successful receipt of important cultural relics returned by the U.S. side, following the receipt of the second and third volumes of the Chu Silk Manuscript from the Zidanku tomb (子弹库帛书) last May. During the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, 537 pieces/sets of lost cultural relics and artworks in 35 batches have returned to the motherland, and the work of tracing and returning lost cultural relics has achieved positive results.
Educating people through culture can better unite hearts; connecting hearts through art makes it easier to communicate with the world.
Drinking tea, listening to the guqin (古琴), appreciating Chinese opera, and tasting traditional food... Foreign friends have developed a strong interest in Chinese intangible cultural heritage and are scrambling to experience wearing Hanfu (汉服), eating hot pot, dancing with fish lanterns, and practicing Baduanjin (八段锦) and other Chinese-style lifestyles. Data shows that in the first quarter of this year alone, China's tea export value reached 2.7 billion yuan.
Whether it is the Chinese intangible cultural heritage, cultural creative products, and lifestyles that are popular around the world, or the increasingly active "going global" of culture, all highlight the charm of Chinese culture.
The Shaanbei storytelling (陕北说书) and ancient Chinese architecture in the game *Black Myth: Wukong* (黑神话：悟空) have been praised by global players. In 2025, the overseas market revenue of games independently developed by China reached 20.455 billion U.S. dollars; the overseas market revenue of China's online literature reached 5.64 billion yuan, covering more than 200 countries and regions... The "new three" of culture, represented by online literature, online dramas, and online games, contain excellent traditional Chinese culture and have set off waves of "China Chic" (中国风) overseas.
General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) emphasized: "We must attach great importance to the protection and inheritance of historical culture and protect the roots of the Chinese nation's spirit that never cease to flow."
Today, the precious heritage that has been passed down without interruption inspires the lofty aspirations of the Chinese nation, and colorful ancient techniques are entering a broader global market... The historical confidence and cultural confidence of the entire society are more firm, and the ambition, backbone, and confidence of being Chinese are greatly enhanced, injecting powerful cultural strength into comprehensively advancing the building of a strong country and the great cause of national rejuvenation through Chinese-style modernization.
Return to TopBeijing (北京), June 12 (Reporter Deng Jianyang (邓剑洋)) — The reporter learned from the Ministry of Water Resources (水利部) that, according to forecasts, from June 12 to 14, influenced by the interaction of cold and warm air masses, a mobile heavy rainfall process will occur across the eastern and southern parts of Southwest China (西南), most of the Jiangnan (江南) region, and most of South China (华南). The rainfall will primarily consist of moderate to heavy downpours. Specifically, parts of central Guizhou (贵州), southern Hunan (湖南), eastern and southern Jiangxi (江西), southern Zhejiang (浙江), western Fujian (福建), northern Guangdong (广东), and eastern and northern Guangxi (广西) will experience heavy to torrential rain, accompanied by short-term intense precipitation. Within these heavy rainfall zones, sections of the Beijiang River (北江) in Yingde (英德), Guangdong (广东), the Futun River (富屯溪) and Jianxi River (建溪) in Fujian (福建), the Nanchuan River (南川水)—a tributary of the Xiangjiang River (湘江) in Hunan (湖南), and the Yejie River (野纪河)—a tributary of the Wujiang River (乌江) in Guizhou (贵州), may experience floods exceeding warning levels.
At 20:00 on June 12, the Ministry of Water Resources (水利部) activated a Level IV emergency response for flood defense in seven provinces and regions, including Zhejiang (浙江), Fujian (福建), Jiangxi (江西), Hunan (湖南), Guangdong (广东), Guangxi (广西), and Guizhou (贵州). It required local water conservancy departments and river basin management agencies to strengthen monitoring, forecasting, and early warning systems, intensify consultation and analysis, and maintain emergency duty, so as to 全力以赴 (quán lì yǐ fù - "all strength take go," to make every effort or spare no effort) to ensure the safety of people's lives and property.
Return to TopXinhua News Agency (新华社), Shenzhen (深圳), June 12 — Comrade Lin Shuilong (林水龙), former Deputy Director and member of the Party Leadership Group of the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council (国务院侨务办公室), passed away due to illness in Shenzhen (深圳) on May 27, 2026, at the age of 94.
After the passing of Comrade Lin Shuilong (林水龙), relevant central leading comrades expressed their condolences and extended sympathy to his family in various ways.
Lin Shuilong (林水龙), formerly known as Lin Shuilong (林水隆), was born in October 1931 in Longxi (龙溪), Fujian (福建). He began his career in March 1950 and joined the Communist Party of China (中国共产党) in January 1951. From March 1953 to September 1973, he served successively as an interpreter at the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Indonesia (中国驻印度尼西亚使馆), and as a staff member and deputy division chief in the Department of Consular Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (外交部). From September 1973 to January 1975, he was sent to perform manual labor at the "May 7" Cadre School (五七干校) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (外交部). From January 1975 to February 1983, he served successively as a second secretary and first secretary at the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the Philippines (中国驻菲律宾使馆), and as a division chief at the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council (国务院侨务办公室). From February 1983 to February 1984, he served in a temporary position as Deputy Commissioner of the Administrative Office of Jinjiang Prefecture (晋江地区行署) and Deputy Secretary of the Jinjiang County Party Committee (晋江县委) in Fujian Province (福建省). From February 1984 to December 1989, he served successively as Deputy Secretary-General and member of the Party Leadership Group, and as Deputy Director and member of the Party Leadership Group of the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council (国务院侨务办公室). From December 1989 to July 1991, he served as Deputy Director and member of the Party Leadership Group of the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council (国务院侨务办公室), and as a part-time Vice Chairman of the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese (中华全国归国华侨联合会). From July 1991 to June 1994, he served as Chairman of the China Travel Service (HK) Group Corporation (香港中旅集团公司) and as a part-time Vice Chairman of the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese (中华全国归国华侨联合会).
Lin Shuilong (林水龙) was a member of the 7th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (政协).
Return to TopIn recent years, Siyang County (泗阳县) in Jiangsu Province (江苏) has established "health records" for its bridges, implemented precision maintenance, and promoted a long-term mechanism that combines regular inspections with daily patrols, effectively ensuring bridge safety. The photo shows technical personnel conducting an inspection of the Chengzi River Highway Bridge (成子河公路大桥) on June 12.
Photographed by Pei Cheng (裴成) (Vision China (影像中国))
Return to TopBeijing (北京), June 12 (Reporter Jiang Xuehong (蒋雪鸿)) — Meteorological monitoring indicates that during the daytime on June 12, heavy to torrential rain occurred in regions including Yunnan (云南), Guangdong (广东), and Taiwan Island (台湾岛), with localized downpours. Moderate to heavy rain, with localized torrential rain, was also recorded in Heilongjiang (黑龙江), Hebei (河北), and Shanxi (山西).
The National Meteorological Center (中央气象台) forecasts that starting from the night of the 12th, the southern regions will enter a period of concentrated heavy rainfall. Over the next three days, thunderstorms are expected frequently in areas such as Northeast China (东北) and North China (华北). Following comprehensive analysis and emergency consultations, the China Meteorological Administration (中国气象局) activated a Level IV emergency response for major meteorological disasters (rainstorms) on the 12th. At 18:00 on the 12th, the National Meteorological Center (中央气象台) continued to issue a blue alert for rainstorms; the Ministry of Water Resources (水利部) and the China Meteorological Administration (中国气象局) jointly issued a yellow meteorological alert for mountain torrent disasters; and the Ministry of Natural Resources (自然资源部) and the China Meteorological Administration (中国气象局) jointly issued a yellow meteorological risk alert for geological disasters.
Return to TopBetween layers of mountains and the surging river, the Three Gorges New Waterway (三峡水运新通道), the first major national landmark project to commence construction during China’s "15th Five-Year Plan" (十五五), officially began construction on the 8th.
"The Yangtze River Basin (长江流域) must strengthen cooperation, fully leverage the role of inland river shipping, develop river-sea intermodal transport, and build the entire basin into a golden waterway." "We must persist in joint efforts to protect the river and refrain from large-scale development"... The protection and development of the Yangtze River (长江) have long been a concern for General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平).
Constructing the Three Gorges New Waterway (三峡水运新通道) is a major measure to deeply implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s (习近平) important instructions on promoting the high-quality development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt (长江经济带). Following the Three Gorges Project (三峡工程), this is the largest comprehensive project on the main line of the Yangtze River (长江) that integrates water conservancy, shipping, and ecological functions. In the opening year of the "15th Five-Year Plan" (十五五), what signals does the start of this project send? What challenges will the construction face? What functions and roles will it play in the future?
On June 12, Xinhua News Agency (新华社) launched the 33rd episode of the "China Economic Roundtable" (中国经济圆桌会), a large-scale multimedia interview program. Guests included Zhang Yunchang (张云昌), First-Class Inspector of the Three Gorges Project Management Department (三峡工程管理司) under the Ministry of Water Resources (水利部); Wang Hui (王辉), Deputy Director of the Water Transport Bureau (水运局) under the Ministry of Transport (交通运输部); Niu Xinqiang (钮新强), Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (中国工程院) and Chief Scientist of the Changjiang Institute of Survey, Planning, Design and Research (长江设计集团); and Gao Peng (高鹏), Deputy Chief Engineer of the China Three Gorges Corporation (三峡集团) and Executive Director of the Three Gorges New Waterway Company (三峡水运新通道公司), to discuss the Three Gorges New Waterway (三峡水运新通道).
**Connecting Rivers and Seas, Providing Solid Support for Building a New Development Pattern**
The great river surges, and hundreds of boats compete. In the Three Gorges (三峡) section of the Yangtze River (长江), the Three Gorges ship locks (三峡船闸) open and close frequently, while the Three Gorges ship lift (三峡升船机) moves up and down, vividly staging the scene of "large ships climbing stairs, small ships taking elevators." Since its operation began in 2003, the Three Gorges Hub (三峡枢纽) has powerfully supported the Yangtze River (长江) in becoming the world's busiest inland golden waterway for many consecutive years.
Why build the Three Gorges New Waterway (三峡水运新通道) on the basis of the Three Gorges Project (三峡工程)? The guests participating in this "China Economic Roundtable" (中国经济圆桌会) used sets of data to explain the era value and significance of this major national asset.
This is a key measure to further enhance the passage capacity of the Yangtze River (长江) golden waterway—
"In 2011, the annual throughput of the Three Gorges ship locks (三峡船闸) exceeded 100 million tons for the first time, reaching its designed capacity 19 years ahead of schedule. By 2025, the comprehensive transport volume through the Three Gorges Hub (三峡枢纽) reached 173 million tons. The ship locks have been operating at full capacity for a long time, and the potential for capacity expansion has reached its limit," Wang Hui (王辉) stated during the interview. With the in-depth implementation of major strategies such as the development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt (长江经济带), the freight volume of the Yangtze River (长江) is expected to continue growing. Improving the navigation smoothness of the Yangtze River (长江) main line urgently requires promoting the construction of the Three Gorges New Waterway (三峡水运新通道).
The Three Gorges New Waterway (三峡水运新通道) project includes two parts: the new channel for the Three Gorges Hub (三峡枢纽) and the capacity expansion of the Gezhouba (葛洲坝) shipping facilities.
Gao Peng (高鹏) introduced in the interview that the construction of the Three Gorges New Waterway (三峡水运新通道) will create a new pattern for Yangtze River (长江) navigation: the Three Gorges Hub (三峡枢纽) will form a "four-line continuous five-stage ship lock + ship lift" system with an annual capacity of 336 million tons, while the Gezhouba Hub (葛洲坝枢纽) will form a "four-line single-stage ship lock" system with an annual capacity of 360 million tons, allowing 10,000-ton ships to reach ports in Chongqing (重庆) and other places directly.
"This is not just about adding two new channels, but building a resilient system that is mutually backup, jointly dispatched, and classified for passage, which will significantly improve the efficiency and service level of Yangtze River (长江) shipping, make the transport of goods in the middle and upper reaches of the Yangtze River (长江) smoother and more efficient, and strengthen the guarantee of the comprehensive transportation system along the river," said Gao Peng (高鹏).
This is a strategic move to smooth the domestic and international dual circulation and accelerate the construction of a new development pattern—
The Yangtze River (长江) golden waterway is an important support for the development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt (长江经济带). As the throat of the entire waterway, the Three Gorges-Gezhouba Hub (三峡—葛洲坝枢纽) concerns the lifeblood of material circulation, industrial linkage, and economic circulation along the route.
Zhang Yunchang (张云昌) stated that building the Three Gorges New Waterway (三峡水运新通道) is conducive to fully leveraging the regional advantages of the Yangtze River Economic Belt (长江经济带) in connecting the east and west, linking the north and south, and reaching rivers and seas. It will effectively promote the economic and social development and industrial transformation and upgrading of the upper reaches of the Yangtze River (长江); at the same time, it will provide convenient shipping support for the free flow of economic factors and the deepening of internal and external opening-up and cooperation for provinces along the Yangtze River Economic Belt (长江经济带), better serving the construction of a new development pattern where domestic circulation is the mainstay and domestic and international dual circulation promote each other.
This is an important practice to accelerate the comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development—
Water transport has comparative advantages such as large volume, low cost, low energy consumption, and low pollution. "According to academic research, the carbon emissions per ton-kilometer of water transport are about 50% of rail transport and 20% of road transport, with a significant carbon reduction function," introduced Niu Xinqiang (钮新强).
Niu Xinqiang (钮新强) stated that the construction of the new channel is conducive to fully leveraging the energy-saving and carbon-reduction advantages of the Yangtze River (长江) high-capacity water transport channel, creating better basic conditions for the shift from road and rail to water transport, strengthening the "road-rail-water" multimodal transport capability, and effectively reducing the logistics costs for the whole society.
**Facing Difficulties Head-On, Striving to Solve Construction Problems with Technological Innovation**
Zhang Yunchang (张云昌) said that the Three Gorges New Waterway (三峡水运新通道) project will renovate and expand high-head giant ship locks with a chamber width of 40 meters within the existing Three Gorges (三峡) and Gezhouba (葛洲坝) water conservancy hubs. The environmental conditions are complex, there are many limiting factors, and the technical difficulty is high.
A 113-meter water head, 40-meter wide chamber, 200-meter-class high ship lock slopes, 10,000-ton ships, 1,440-ton miter gates... Gao Peng (高鹏) listed the technical challenges faced by the project with a set of data.
"Behind these numbers are the exponential growth of engineering problems brought about by the breaking of engineering records," said Gao Peng (高鹏). As the project organization and implementation unit, they will use technological innovation, adopt new materials such as low-heat cement, new processes such as friction braking for anti-collision, and new technologies such as digital twins and smart fire protection to face difficulties head-on, strive to make breakthroughs, and work hard to build the Three Gorges New Waterway (三峡水运新通道) into a world-class project.
After personally experiencing the design and construction of the Three Gorges Project (三峡工程) ship locks, Niu Xinqiang (钮新强) fully participated in the preliminary feasibility study of the Three Gorges New Waterway (三峡水运新通道) project. According to him, the design team has collaborated with many domestic research institutions for over 10 years to tackle technical problems, achieving multiple original and leading technological innovations—
Aiming at the hydraulic problems of large flow and high head for 10,000-ton ship locks, they developed a new type of ship lock water delivery system, fundamentally ensuring the safety and stability of ship lock operations; they developed a 1,440-ton "super miter gate," a hydraulic hoist with a lifting force of 4,200 kilonewtons, and a miter gate anti-collision device that adapts to ships with a displacement of up to 15,000 tons, supporting the safe and long-term service of equipment through multidisciplinary technological innovation in materials, structures, and machinery...
"The earthwork excavation volume of the Three Gorges Project (三峡工程) was about 100 million cubic meters, while the excavation volume of the entire Three Gorges New Waterway (三峡水运新通道) project is expected to reach about 160 million cubic meters," said Gao Peng (高鹏). During construction, the industry's most advanced engineering blasting technology will be used to precisely control the excavation profile, ensure the safety of the construction process, and minimize the impact on surrounding residents, the environment, and the water ecology.
Technological innovation helps improve the quality of project construction and will also promote the efficiency of project operation.
"After the project is completed, it will rely on three major systems—smart scheduling, smart waterways, and smart ship locks—to build a new generation of smart navigation operation system," said Wang Hui (王辉).
Wang Hui (王辉) introduced that in terms of smart scheduling, it will rely on big data to automatically calculate ship tonnage, arrival sequences, and waterway navigation conditions to intelligently generate the optimal lock-passing plan; in terms of smart waterways, it will realize integrated intelligent navigation for ships, shores, and locks based on high-precision waterway Geographic Information System (GIS) maps and real-time monitoring data; in terms of smart ship locks, it will be supported by digital twin, BeiDou (北斗) positioning, and Internet of Things sensing technologies to realize early fault judgment and preventive maintenance.
After the new channel is completed, coordinating the scheduling of old and new navigation facilities and balancing efficiency and safety is an important part of the project's smooth operation.
Niu Xinqiang (钮新强) stated that the new and old ship locks should be viewed as an integrated navigation system, with unified arrangements for the lock-passing process; for ships passing through the dam, a full-chain, cross-hub continuous scheduling from anchoring to exiting the lock should be implemented to reduce waiting time and mid-way delays. At the same time, with the help of the intelligent scheduling system, collaborative scheduling will shift from empirical decision-making to data-driven intelligence, comprehensively improving operational efficiency and essential safety levels.
"The new and old facilities will realize a comprehensive navigation efficiency of 'one plus one is greater than two' through a collaborative model of 'overall planning, full-process connection, and digital-intelligent empowerment,'" said Niu Xinqiang (钮新强).
**Unleashing Potential to Better Promote Economic and Social Development Along the River**
In the view of the guests, as the first major national landmark project to start construction during China's "15th Five-Year Plan" (十五五), the Three Gorges New Waterway (三峡水运新通道) project adheres to the close combination of investment in physical assets and investment in people, highlighting the people-oriented approach to development.
"The construction cycle of the Three Gorges New Waterway (三峡水运新通道) project is long, the investment scale is large, and it involves a large amount of earthwork excavation and concrete pouring, requiring the use of a large amount of bulk raw materials, machinery, and electromechanical equipment, which has a driving effect on the related upstream, midstream, and downstream industrial chains and will create a large number of jobs," said Zhang Yunchang (张云昌). He stated that after the project is completed, it will fully unleash the potential for high-quality economic and social development in the regions along the river.
"After the project is completed and put into use, goods from the China-Europe Railway Express (中欧班列) arriving from Europe and Central Asia can be seamlessly connected through Yangtze River (长江) water transport after arriving in Chongqing (重庆); similarly, international goods from Southeast Asia and coastal areas can also penetrate deep into the western hinterland through river-sea intermodal transport, building inland cities into open highlands that radiate across the country and link the world," said Wang Hui (王辉). He stated that the Three Gorges New Waterway (三峡水运新通道) will comprehensively reshape the opening-up capability of inland river shipping in three dimensions: smoothing logistics channels, strengthening port distribution functions, and expanding the opening-up pattern.
A good ecological environment is the most inclusive benefit for people's livelihood; guarding the clear water of the river is the inherent meaning of building a good project.
Actively carrying out ecological restoration and protection of rare fish; strictly controlling the construction scope, striving to reduce the occupation of surface vegetation and wildlife habitats, and transplanting or protecting in-situ rare protected plants and ancient trees affected; stripping topsoil before construction, concentrating storage, and doing a good job of protection and maintenance...
Gao Peng (高鹏) stated that during construction, the China Three Gorges Corporation (三峡集团) will strictly follow the requirements that environmental protection facilities and the main project must be designed, constructed, and put into operation at the same time, and implement various ecological and environmental protection measures.
Facing the strong demand for freight, how to alleviate the passage pressure during the construction period of the Three Gorges New Waterway (三峡水运新通道) project is a matter of general concern to all sectors.
Wang Hui (王辉) introduced that in 2024, the Ministry of Transport (交通运输部) organized and carried out relevant research work and proposed 14 policy and management measures in 7 categories, including improving the management mechanism for the construction of the new channel and ensuring the passage of key materials through the dam. Currently, these measures are being steadily promoted.
"Subsequently, on the basis of implementing conventional management measures, we will also take enhanced navigation guarantee measures from 10 aspects, including waiting-for-lock services, emergency response, and transshipment over the dam, to ensure the safety, stability, smoothness, and order of Yangtze River (长江) shipping during the entire construction period," said Wang Hui (王辉).
Major project construction cannot be separated from the support of the masses. Niu Xinqiang (钮新强) stated that whether it is the planning and design department, the construction unit, or the local government, everyone will use their heart and feelings, make good use of policies, and persist in transforming the project construction into a project that benefits the people.
百舸争流千帆竞 (bǎi gě zhēng liú qiān fān jìng - "hundreds of boats compete, thousands of sails race," describing a scene of intense competition and vigorous development), the long wind travels ten thousand miles to start a new journey.
Looking to the future, the Yangtze River (长江), this "great artery" of the national economy that is surging with green kinetic energy, open vitality, and development potential, will further help high-quality economic and social development and inject more powerful momentum into comprehensively promoting Chinese-style modernization (中国式现代化).
(Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, June 12)
Return to TopNanjing (南京), June 12 (Reporter Qi Yukun (亓玉昆)) — From June 10 to 12, Ding Zhongli (丁仲礼), Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (全国人大常委会), led a law enforcement inspection team for the Vocational Education Law (职业教育法) to conduct inspections in Jiangsu (江苏). He emphasized the need to thoroughly implement the important expositions of General Secretary Xi Jinping (习近平) regarding vocational education and the decision-making arrangements of the Party Central Committee (党中央), to promote the comprehensive and effective implementation of the Vocational Education Law (职业教育法), and to build a modern vocational education system characterized by the integration of vocational and general education as well as the integration of industry and education. This is to ensure that talent cultivation is of higher quality and more effectively adapted to and coordinated with the development of industry, the economy, and society.
Ding Zhongli (丁仲礼) affirmed the achievements made by Jiangsu (江苏) in implementing the Vocational Education Law (职业教育法). He pointed out that through this law enforcement inspection, it is necessary to further solidify the responsibilities of all parties and promote the coordinated implementation of statutory duties by all regions and departments, such as resource allocation, condition guarantees, and policy supply. At the same time, it is essential to improve supporting regulations and systems, promote the more effective exercise of the guiding role of industries and the important role of enterprises as main providers of education, and form a work pattern in which the whole society pays attention to, actively supports, and voluntarily participates in vocational education.
The inspection team conducted field research at vocational colleges, enterprises, and other relevant units in Nanjing (南京) and Wuxi (无锡), and held discussions with deputies to the people's congresses at five levels, as well as representatives of experts, principals, and teachers. The team worked 兢兢业业 (jīng jīng yè yè - "cautious cautious industry industry," to work with great care and diligence) to ensure that the inspection was comprehensive and thorough.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 武少民 董丝雨 尹 婕
The Giant Panda National Park (大熊猫国家公园) is located in the high mountain and canyon regions of the Min Mountains (岷山), Qionglai Mountains (邛崃山), Daxiangling (大相岭), and Xiaoxiangling (小相岭). Spanning the three provinces of Sichuan (四川), Shaanxi (陕西), and Gansu (甘肃), it is an essential home for the reproduction and survival of wild giant pandas in China (中国), holding global significance for conservation and research value.
Building the Giant Panda National Park (大熊猫国家公园) to a high standard serves as a window to observe how Sichuan (四川), Shaanxi (陕西), and Gansu (甘肃) are advancing ecological civilization, and it represents a vibrant and significant stroke on the new scroll of a Beautiful China (美丽中国).
Recently, reporters conducted in-depth interviews and research across these three provinces. Everywhere they looked, rolling mountains, lush forests, and countless living creatures formed a harmonious and beautiful natural tapestry. Throughout the journey, listening to stories and witnessing scenes, each one served as a vivid footnote to the collective effort to protect the lush mountains and clear waters.
Ecological Protection: Guarding the Landscape, Protecting Countless Lives
The protection of the authenticity and integrity of the ecosystem is the primary task in the management and construction of the national park. Since its formal establishment in 2021, the Giant Panda National Park (大熊猫国家公园) has planned and constructed seven key ecological corridors, expected to connect the habitats of 13 local giant panda populations and resolve the difficulty of restricted gene flow between populations.
In Caoheba Village (草河坝村), Wen County (文县), Longnan (陇南), Gansu (甘肃), villager Cao Dailin (曹代林) recalled an experience from the 1980s: "Large areas of bamboo on the mountain were flowering, and a giant panda was so hungry that it ran down the mountain. Dozens of people in the village worked together to carry it back for rescue." Today, there are 136 forest rangers in the Baishuijiang Area (白水江片区) of the Gansu Administration of the Giant Panda National Park (大熊猫国家公园甘肃管理局), guarding the giant pandas and their habitats.
Artificial breeding of giant pandas is equally important. The Wolong Shenshuping Base (卧龙神树坪基地) of the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda (中国大熊猫保护研究中心) is one of the key bases for ex-situ conservation of giant pandas in China (中国). Through the relay protection of reproductive physiology experts, breeding experts, keepers, and medical staff, the Shenshuping Base (神树坪基地) has cumulatively bred 143 litters and 199 giant pandas. As of the end of 2025, the national captive giant panda population reached 808, with genetic diversity continuously increasing.
Reintroduction into the wild is an important means to revitalize small giant panda populations and rebuild wild populations. Since 2003, the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda (中国大熊猫保护研究中心) has taken the lead in launching research on wild training and reintroduction, successfully creating a technical system for "mother-led wild training" and a field monitoring technical system. To date, 11 artificially bred giant pandas have been released, with 9 surviving, marking the first time captive-bred giant pandas have successfully survived and reproduced in their natural habitat.
The Giant Panda National Park (大熊猫国家公园) protects more than just giant pandas. Yang Wenyun (杨文赟), Minister of the Scientific Research and Education Department at the Scientific Research and Monitoring Center of the Gansu Administration of the Giant Panda National Park (大熊猫国家公园甘肃管理局科研监测中心), repeatedly mentioned the term "umbrella effect": "The giant panda is a flagship species. Protecting the giant panda is like opening a 'large umbrella' that can indirectly shelter other wild flora, fauna, and ecosystems." For instance, in the Baishuijiang Area (白水江片区), the population of the Sichuan takin (中华扭角羚) has increased by 15%, and blue sheep (岩羊) and golden pheasants (红腹锦鸡) are frequently spotted.
Technology is injecting new strength into ecological protection. Kang Yonggang (康永刚), deputy head of the Wildlife Rescue Station at the Scientific Research and Monitoring Center of the Gansu Administration of the Giant Panda National Park (大熊猫国家公园甘肃管理局科研监测中心), introduced that more than 1,500 infrared cameras have been set up in the Baishuijiang Area (白水江片区), with over 600 capable of real-time image transmission. In recent years, the variety of wildlife captured by these cameras has grown. This spring, in one specific area, a giant panda "appeared on screen" more than 50 times.
The nature reserves surrounding the Giant Panda National Park (大熊猫国家公园) are also full of vitality. The Sichuan Baihe National Nature Reserve (四川白河国家级自然保护区) is located within Jiuzhaigou County (九寨沟县), Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture (阿坝藏族羌族自治州), and is currently the reserve with the largest population, highest density, and most representative habitat of the Sichuan golden snub-nosed monkey (川金丝猴) in the country.
58-year-old Tang Yulin (唐玉林) knows the Sichuan golden snub-nosed monkeys (川金丝猴) living in this reserve like the back of his hand. At 22, he took the baton of patrolling from his father and has been at it for 36 years. Today, his nephew Tang Xiaogang (唐小刚) has also become a full-time monitor for the monkeys. "Our ancestors relied on the mountains by cutting down trees. Now, my generation relies on protecting the ecology," said Tang Xiaogang (唐小刚).
To date, the population of Sichuan golden snub-nosed monkeys (川金丝猴) in the reserve has reached over 1,700. "The Sichuan golden snub-nosed monkey (川金丝猴) is highly sensitive to environmental quality. The year-on-year growth of the wild population is a testament to the significant results of ecological improvement in this area," said Wang Wen (汪文), deputy director of the Service Center of the Sichuan Baihe National Nature Reserve (四川白河国家级自然保护区).
Green Development: Good Ecology Nurtures Good Industry, Good Industry Feeds Back into Good Ecology
Ecological protection is not about separating people from the landscape, but about allowing people and nature to coexist more harmoniously. Unique ecological resources have fostered green industries such as ecological planting, breeding, and tourism, which continuously feed back into ecological protection and environmental governance, building a new pattern of green development with a virtuous cycle.
From "relying on the mountains for a living" to "nurturing the mountains to generate wealth," the Qinba Mountains (秦巴山区) have embarked on a path of ecological priority and green upgrading, where the "high aesthetic value" of the ecology is transformed into the "high economic value" of development.
Ankang (安康), Shaanxi (陕西), has a sericulture history of over 2,000 years, and Shiquan County (石泉县) is the place where the national first-class cultural relic, the "Gilded Bronze Silkworm" (鎏金铜蚕), was unearthed. In the past, local farmers only planted mulberry, raised silkworms, and sold cocoons, with an annual income of no more than 2,000 to 3,000 yuan per mu of mulberry garden.
"Now, we are following a path of technology-empowered, full-chain development," said Yuan Guobo (袁国波), director of the Sericulture Development Service Center of Shiquan County (石泉县). The county promotes digital-intelligence-empowered "two-stage, multi-batch" silkworm rearing technology, using modern temperature control to achieve multiple batches of rearing throughout the year, increasing labor efficiency by over 30%.
"A single mulberry tree" has turned into "a complete chain." From mulberry gardens to workshops, Shiquan County (石泉县) has fully implemented standardized management for the entire process. The raw silk produced consistently meets the 6A high-end standard, and refined products such as silk quilts, mulberry leaf tea, mulberry fruit wine, mulberry branch edible fungi, and silkworm excrement pillows are produced.
"The domestic high-end home textile market has strong demand," said Sun Haoyong (孙浩勇), head of Shaanxi Tiancheng Silk Industry Co., Ltd. (陕西天成丝业有限公司). Relying on high-quality local silkworm cocoons, the company has signed guaranteed purchase agreements with thousands of silkworm farmers and provides full-process services, achieving increased efficiency for the enterprise and increased income for the farmers.
Traveling south along the Han River (汉江), tea mountains roll continuously on both banks. In the Muyubao Tea Garden (木鱼包茶园) of Yingliang Village (营梁村), Yangyang Town (向阳镇), Ziyang County (紫阳县), Ankang (安康), tea songs are melodious. More than 300 mu of selenium-rich tea gardens are terraced along the slopes.
Over 90% of the soil in Ziyang County (紫阳县) is rich in selenium. By renovating low-yield tea gardens and cultivating leading enterprises, the county now has 260,000 mu of tea gardens, with an annual output of over 13,300 tons of tea, a comprehensive output value of 7.2 billion yuan, and has helped 120,000 tea farmers increase their income.
"Relying on the ecological tea gardens, Ziyang County (紫阳县) has successfully created the 4A-level Shaan-Gan Tea Horse Ancient Road (陕甘茶马古道) scenic spot, systematically developing multiple in-depth experience projects such as tea picking, tea making, tea tasting, tea art, and tea songs, realizing a transformation from 'selling tea' to 'selling culture' and 'selling experiences'," said Xiong Shuwen (熊书文), director of the Culture, Tourism, and Radio and Television Bureau of Ziyang County (紫阳县).
The melodious and resonant "Hao Yang Ge" (薅秧歌) and the passionate "Da Tie Hua" (打铁花) performance... As night falls in Wangjiawan Village (王家湾村), Foping County (佛坪县), Hanzhong (汉中), Shaanxi (陕西), a down-to-earth, high-quality "Village Gala" (村晚) attracts villagers and tourists alike. "I am an old fan of the 'Village Gala' (村晚). The programs are getting richer, and the village has introduced some intangible cultural heritage performances. The surrounding homestays are hard to book during holidays," said a villager from Wangjiawan Village (王家湾村).
Through the "Culture and Tourism + Multiple Industries" model, Foping County (佛坪县) uses the giant panda IP as a "binder" connecting ecological protection and economic development, transforming idle farmhouses into "Panda Homestays" and selling local agricultural products on live-streaming platforms, transitioning from a single resource reserve to a provider of high-value ecological products. Local people spontaneously participate in the "Panda Protection Plan" (熊猫守护计划), forming a virtuous cycle of "protection—development—feedback."
Improving Livelihoods: Letting Lush Mountains and Clear Waters Continue to Benefit Local People
In the Caochiwan Crested Ibis Village (草池湾朱鹮小村), Siyinba Village (丝银坝村), Chengguan Town (城关镇), Shiquan County (石泉县), at 6:30 in the morning, while the mist has not yet dissipated, villager Xie Yuqing (谢玉清) has already set up her phone to start live-streaming. Not far away, several crested ibises (朱鹮) are walking in the shallow water with their slender legs, their red crests particularly striking.
"I never thought this 'national treasure' would settle down at our doorstep," Xie Yuqing (谢玉清) said with a smile, pointing to the crested ibises (朱鹮) on camera. From the initial few to the current 70-plus, Caochiwan Crested Ibis Village (草池湾朱鹮小村) has become the largest habitat for crested ibises (朱鹮) in Shiquan County (石泉县).
The birds have arrived, so what about the people? "We set a rule at the time: no pesticides, no chemical fertilizers, no herbicides," said Zhang Tao (张涛), Party branch secretary of Siyinba Village (丝银坝村). To protect the crested ibises (朱鹮), all land in Caochiwan (草池湾) implements organic farming. "The crested ibis (朱鹮) is a nationally protected animal. The fact that they can come here shows that our local ecology is good; this is the greatest foundation for our development."
Xie Yuqing (谢玉清) converted her house into a bird-watching tea room and an internet-famous check-in spot, and also sells local specialties like rice and morel mushrooms online. "I am thinking about moving my crested ibis (朱鹮) observation diary and the planting process of organic rice paddies online, so that more people know about Caochiwan (草池湾) and come to visit."
Transforming ecological advantages into development advantages, letting lush mountains and clear waters continue to benefit local people, and achieving a win-win situation of ecological improvement and livelihood enhancement.
Baoxing County (宝兴县), Sichuan (四川), is known as the "Hometown of the Panda" (熊猫老家). In Yanjing Village (盐井村), Fengtongzhai Township (蜂桶寨乡), Liao Longxin (廖龙鑫), who returned home to start a business, runs a homestay that brings in about 250,000 yuan annually. "People here used to say 'worrying about the mountains,' but now it's 'getting rich by relying on the mountains'." Liao Longxin (廖龙鑫) proactively introduces the local natural environment and giant panda stories to guests, hoping more people will learn about giant pandas and the "Hometown of the Panda" (熊猫老家).
The Sichuan Baihe National Nature Reserve (四川白河国家级自然保护区) has established a community co-construction and co-management committee with neighboring townships and villages (communities), cultivating local people to participate in environmental protection, nature education, and ecological tourism. "In recent years, more and more college students have returned home. They are not only beneficiaries of green development but also the backbone of future ecological protection," said Huang Wei (黄卫), head of Baihe Township (白河乡), Jiuzhaigou County (九寨沟县). Many villagers have also opened homestays and sold local specialties, with the township's annual comprehensive tourism income exceeding 20 million yuan.
Cangxi County (苍溪县), Guangyuan (广元), Sichuan (四川), has innovated a "Large Park + Cooperative + Small Courtyard" three-park linkage model, promoting the robust growth of courtyard economy.
Wen Duyi (文笃毅), a villager in Shuangpai Village (双牌村), Yunshan Town (运山镇), Cangxi County (苍溪县), utilized more than 70 mu of idle and transferred land to plant characteristic fruits such as Cangxi pears (苍溪梨), crisp red plums, and kiwifruit, while raising more than 200 free-range chickens under the fruit trees. The "forest fruit + livestock/poultry + biogas" ecological cycle model promoted by the village ensures that breeding does not pollute and planting does not use chemical fertilizers. Today, his courtyard is clean and refreshing, filled with the fragrance of flowers and fruits, producing about 90 tons of fruit annually, with a net income of over 170,000 yuan.
"After tasting the sweetness myself, I led more than 30 neighboring households to work together, with an average annual income increase of 30,000 to 50,000 yuan per household," said Wen Duyi (文笃毅).
To date, the courtyard economy in Cangxi County (苍溪县) has covered 360 villages, cumulatively building 117,000 mu of various small orchards and small industrial parks, with the annual comprehensive output value of the courtyard economy exceeding 1.8 billion yuan.
...
From the depths of the Qinling Mountains (秦岭) to the hinterland of the Min Mountains (岷山), from the banks of the Jialing River (嘉陵江) to the shores of the Han River (汉水), the new scroll of a Beautiful China (美丽中国)—with its beautiful ecology, thriving industries, and prosperous people—is slowly unfolding, telling the story of the harmonious coexistence between man and nature.
The ecological transformation of the Giant Panda National Park (大熊猫国家公园) and its surrounding areas is a vivid sample of practicing the "Two Mountains" philosophy (两山理念 - "Two Mountains" theory, referring to the concept that 'lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets'). By protecting development through ecology and benefiting people's livelihoods through development, the colors of lush mountains and clear waters have become richer, and the foundation of Chinese-style modernization (中国式现代化) has become even more brilliant.
Return to TopBeijing (北京), June 12 (Reporter Wang Guan (王观)) — Recently, in order to enhance the convenience for consumers to obtain invoices for refined oil, reduce corporate operational and management costs, and strengthen tax supervision in the retail refined oil sector, the State Taxation Administration (国家税务总局) has issued the "Announcement on Matters Concerning the Comprehensive Promotion of 'Invoicing Upon Transaction' in the Retail Refined Oil Sector" based on preliminary pilot programs. The announcement specifies that starting November 1, 2026, the "Invoicing Upon Transaction" model will be fully promoted in refined oil retail gas stations nationwide, achieving a seamless connection between refueling transactions and invoice issuance.
The announcement points out that "Invoicing Upon Transaction" refers to the immediate issuance of fully digital electronic invoices to the purchaser via the tax department's Leqi Platform (乐企平台) based on transaction data after a refined oil retail gas station completes a sale. "Invoicing Upon Transaction" covers various transaction scenarios in the refined oil retail sector, including payments made by purchasers through third-party payment platforms, internet platforms, as well as payments made via fuel cards, cash, and other methods.
For a long time, consumers have generally faced issues such as the need to provide information every time they refuel and the difficulty of obtaining invoices after the fact. A relevant official from the Department of Tax Collection and Technology Development (征管和科技发展司) of the State Taxation Administration (国家税务总局) stated that promoting the "Invoicing Upon Transaction" model can effectively put an end to behaviors such as gas stations refusing to issue invoices, missing invoices, or issuing incorrect invoices. This not only facilitates invoice acquisition for consumers but also ensures that every refined oil retail transaction is 有据可查 (yǒu jù kě chá - "have evidence can check," meaning there is verifiable proof for every record) and 有票可依 (yǒu piào kě yī - "have invoice can rely," meaning there is a valid invoice to serve as a basis for accounting or reimbursement).
Return to TopThe summer cultural and tourism market is full of vitality, with various regions innovating product offerings to bring new scenes and experiences to tourists.
The picture shows tourists riding a sightseeing train to enjoy the lotus flowers and fully soak in the summer scenery at Taochong Lake Park (陶冲湖公园) in the Hefei Xinzhan High-tech Industrial Development Zone (合肥新站高新区), Anhui Province (安徽省), on June 11.
Photographed by Zhang Min (张敏) (Vision China (影像中国))
The market is currently 蒸蒸日上 (zhēng zhēng rì shàng - "steaming steaming day up," flourishing and becoming more prosperous every day), as local authorities strive to provide high-quality services for all visitors.
Return to TopBeijing (北京), June 12 (Reporter Wang Yunshan (王云杉), Xue Ziyi (薛子怡)) — According to the "2025 Annual Report on China's Renewable Energy Development" (中国可再生能源发展报告2025年度) recently released by the China Renewable Energy Engineering Institute (水电水利规划设计总院), China's newly installed renewable energy capacity in 2025 hit a new historical high, accounting for over 60% of the global total. It is estimated that in 2026, China's newly installed wind and photovoltaic capacity will reach approximately 300 million kilowatts, and renewable energy will continue to serve as the primary force in the green and low-carbon transformation of the energy sector.
In 2025, the clean supply capacity of renewable energy was significantly enhanced. The national renewable energy power generation reached 3.99 trillion kilowatt-hours, accounting for 38.3% of the total power generation from all sources. Notably, both wind and solar power generation exceeded one trillion kilowatt-hours for the first time. The combined wind and solar power generation reached 2.3 trillion kilowatt-hours, accounting for 22.1% of the total power generation, which surpassed the combined electricity consumption of the primary and tertiary industries during the same period, marking a 突飞猛进 (tū fēi měng jìn - "leap forward," describing rapid and significant progress) in the capacity to ensure clean power supply.
Return to TopBeijing (北京), June 12 (Reporter Wang Haonan (王昊男)) — The 2nd World Humanoid Robot Games (世界人形机器人运动会) will be held at the National Speed Skating Oval (国家速滑馆) in Beijing (北京) from August 22 to 26. As learned from a press conference held by the Beijing Municipal Government (北京市) on June 12, the number of events for this year's games has increased to 50, aiming to fully showcase the technological level of embodied intelligence and ensure that robots can not only "move," but also be "put to practical use."
In April of this year, the event organizing committee released the first batch of 26 competitive events, including the 100-meter dash, obstacle courses, and soccer. This press conference introduced the second batch of events, adding 3 new competitive events and 21 scenario-based events closely tied to daily life.
The second batch of events focuses on practical application and innovative competition formats. Based on real-world needs in nine major scenarios such as home cleaning, hotel services, and industrial production, these events are designed with long-process task arrangements that feature complete business logic. They comprehensively test the coordination of a humanoid robot's "eyes, brain, and hands" in the complex environments of the real world. The games also debut a specialized competition for dexterous hands, featuring 8 high-precision tasks such as power tool assembly, powder weighing, and bottle opening. Furthermore, an innovative "Comprehensive Pentathlon" has been designed, which for the first time deeply integrates sprinting with scenario-based tasks. Robots must perform tasks while running on a 100-meter track, overcoming five major challenges including dexterous manipulation, stable transfer, and heavy object transport. This comprehensively examines the robot's ability to understand the physical world, as well as its full-body movement and coordination capabilities.
The second batch of events also expands the competitive landscape by adding 3 new events, including table tennis and freestyle kickboxing. Table tennis involves high ball speeds, requiring robots to possess millisecond-level dynamic response capabilities. The freestyle kickboxing event requires robots to maintain dynamic balance during interaction, placing a strong emphasis on examining the robot's motion control and anti-interference capabilities. The organizers are 精益求精 (jīng yì qiú jīng - "refine and refine," to constantly strive for perfection) in their efforts to ensure the event pushes the boundaries of current robotics technology.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 胡婧怡 宋朝军 姜晓丹
Cultural relics carry splendid civilizations and inherit historical culture; they are precious, non-renewable, and irreplaceable legacies.
The protection of cultural heritage requires not only professional institutions but also the courageous involvement of ordinary people. Today, an increasing number of ordinary people are actively dedicating themselves to the cause of cultural relic preservation: Great Wall protectors patrolling the Gobi Desert, cultural relic supervisors rooted in the countryside, and spontaneously assembled teams of civilian volunteers... They measure history with their footsteps and safeguard the cultural lineage with their passion. Time and again, they ensure that cultural heritage scattered across urban and rural areas is seen and cherished. Through their actions, they prove: "My guardianship is important."
The theme of this year's Cultural and Natural Heritage Day is "Cultural Relics Belong to the People and Serve the People." This edition launches a series of reports on grassroots cultural relic protection figures, paying tribute to those ordinary individuals who guard in silence—it is these countless determined "I"s that converge into a majestic force for continuing the historical lineage.
—Editor
### Liaoning Cultural Heritage Protection Volunteer Team (辽宁文化遗产保护志愿者团队)
**Taking the Lead**
On a weekend afternoon, the Sanhuang Academy (三皇书院) in Dadong District (大东区), Shenyang City (沈阳市), Liaoning Province (辽宁省), gradually becomes lively. Relying on the Sanhuang Temple Ruins (三皇庙遗址)—a municipal-level cultural relic protection unit in Shenyang—the academy features blue-brick walls and painted beam frames, complemented by book-scented tea tables and calligraphy-themed creative products, attracting many citizens and *Hanfu* (汉服) enthusiasts to visit and take photos.
Xu Yunhua (徐云华), the person in charge of the academy's operations, began the revitalization and utilization of the building in 2024, establishing the Sanhuang Academy. Today, she holds another identity: a member of the Liaoning Cultural Heritage Protection Volunteer Team (辽宁文化遗产保护志愿者团队).
Established in 2009, the Liaoning Cultural Heritage Protection Volunteer Team (辽宁文化遗产保护志愿者团队) has conducted various lectures, cultural relic inspections, and other volunteer activities, reaching over 100,000 people in total.
"Initially, it was just because I liked traditional architecture. After getting to know the Liaoning Cultural Heritage Protection Volunteer Team (辽宁文化遗产保护志愿者团队), I learned more about the cultural and historical context of the Guandong (关东) region, and now I have joined the ranks of cultural relic protection myself," said Xu Yunhua (徐云华).
Xu Yunhua (徐云华)’s connection with the Liaoning Cultural Heritage Protection Volunteer Team (辽宁文化遗产保护志愿者团队) began in early 2025. Under the guidance and commission of the Dadong District Bureau of Culture, Tourism, Radio and Television (大东区文化旅游和广播电视局), the team carried out the Fourth National Cultural Relic Census (第四次全国文物普查) in Dadong District (大东区), and team leader Chen He (陈赫) arrived at the Sanhuang Academy (三皇书院). "The Fourth Cultural Relic Census requires on-site re-examination of cultural relics registered during the Third Cultural Relic Census. Whether the relics are still there and whether they have been damaged—every detail must be registered one by one," Chen He (陈赫) explained.
"The Sanhuang Temple (三皇庙) was originally a two-courtyard complex facing south, built with a mountain gate, gatehouses, a main hall, and east and west side rooms, covering an area of over 3,000 square meters. The ruins now only retain the east and west gable walls and the beam structure of the main hall, which shows that the building is of the hard-gable style. The building where the academy is located was rebuilt according to the original main hall, which not only protects the relic but also provides a space for display," Chen He (陈赫) explained while checking and recording the cultural relics.
Chen He (陈赫) is a cultural relic enthusiast. During the Third National Cultural Relic Census (第三次全国文物普查), he actively provided clues about cultural relics for the census work. "Urban development is getting faster and faster, and one person's strength is not enough, so I organized the Liaoning cultural relic enthusiasts who were active on online forums at the time. Currently, the team has grown from the initial 20-plus people to over 200," Chen He (陈赫) introduced.
During the Third National Census (第三次全国普查), Chen He (陈赫) and the volunteers discovered a large compound near the Huanggutun Railway Police Station (皇姑屯铁路派出所). The European-style blue bricks of the building and the engraved English initials of the "Jingfeng Line" (京奉线) attracted everyone's attention. After the clue was reported to the Shenyang Municipal Cultural Relics Bureau (沈阳市文物局) and verified by experts, the building was identified as the former residence of the British engineer who built the Jingfeng Railway (京奉铁路) in 1900. It was listed as a historical building in Shenyang and later became the Huanggutun Incident Exhibition Hall (皇姑屯事件陈列馆).
"In this census, we have confirmed more than 10 newly discovered cultural relics," Chen He (陈赫) said. In the summer of 2025, by consulting materials and visiting local long-term residents, he found the Guandi Temple Ruins (关帝庙遗址) on a slope cliff in Fuan Community (福安社区), Ertaizi Subdistrict (二台子街道), Dadong District (大东区). This matches the description in the *Shenyang County Annals* (沈阳县志): "The ancient Guandi Temple in North Ertaizi, Shenyang, was built during the Tang Dynasty, eight *li* away from the city."
"The above-ground buildings of the ruins have all been destroyed, leaving only a stele head and a few stones, tiles, and bricks used in the temple at that time. You can still see the foundation several meters deep from the cross-section of the hillside." Chen He (陈赫) took photos and asked municipal guidance experts to verify whether it could be registered as a cultural relic. "The day after the demonstration was completed, the National Cultural Heritage Administration (国家文物局) also discovered this clue online and specifically affirmed our work."
Lasting nearly two years, in April this year, Chen He (陈赫) led the team under the guidance of competent departments and experts to complete the survey of 39 registered cultural relics and more than 10 newly discovered cultural relics in Dadong District (大东区), organizing more than 1,000 pages of graphic materials. "The faster the city develops, the more we need to guard these historical imprints. The state's emphasis on cultural relic protection has not relaxed for a moment, which is what we cultural relic protection volunteers are most gratified by," Chen He (陈赫) said.
### Gansu Wuwei Great Wall Protector Liu Shenghai (刘生海)
**Poetic Guardianship**
As summer arrives, on the Gobi Desert in Liangzhou District (凉州区), Wuwei City (武威市), Gansu Province (甘肃省), the leaves of the oleaster trees are deep green and covered with "silver scales" on the back; they are very common near the Great Wall ruins in Huangyanghe Subdistrict (黄羊河街道).
Also frequently seen is Liu Shenghai (刘生海), carrying a shovel and a screwdriver by the Great Wall. Born and raised in the Huangyanghe Farm (黄羊河农场), the 56-year-old has witnessed the blooming and falling of the oleaster trees for more than half a century. Today, in addition to his status as a farm employee, Liu Shenghai (刘生海) is also a Great Wall protector hired by the Liangzhou District (凉州区) culture and tourism department.
"The small poplars on the side are tall and green, dressing up the Great Wall to be exceptionally enchanting";
"In the windbreak forest, a faint floral fragrance drifts over, just like the perfume sprayed by the Great Wall";
"The Dragon Boat Festival is coming, and the endless potato flowers by the Great Wall are like a flowery dress for the Great Wall"...
Every time he finishes his patrol, Liu Shenghai (刘生海) often writes down many poetic words based on different seasons, weather, and vegetation. "This is the joy and shock that the Great Wall brings to me, and it is also my love for the Great Wall," Liu Shenghai (刘生海) said.
There are 63.2 kilometers of Han and Ming Dynasty Great Wall walls existing in Liangzhou District (凉州区), and the rammed earth walls meander and undulate on the Gobi Desert. "During a primary school spring outing, the teacher took us to the side of the Great Wall. At that time, I only knew it was called the 'Border Wall' (边墙), but I didn't know its origin and significance," Liu Shenghai (刘生海) recalled. As he grew up, with the successive introduction of laws and regulations on cultural relic protection, there were more legal popularization activities on the farm, and the knowledge about the Great Wall he learned while working outside became more and more abundant. He gradually realized that the Great Wall was no longer a "playmate" from childhood, but a precious heritage that needed to be guarded with heart.
In the past, some villagers and tourists had weak awareness of cultural relic protection, and behaviors such as grazing and trampling on earthworks around the Great Wall occurred from time to time. Coupled with the large changes in climate conditions in the Gobi wilderness, the Great Wall often faced dangers such as collapse and adobe shedding. In 2020, Liangzhou District (凉州区) established the Great Wall Cultural Protection Station (长城文化保护站) and recruited protectors from towns and villages along the Great Wall. Hearing the news, Liu Shenghai (刘生海) signed up with the Huangyanghe Subdistrict Office (黄羊河街道办事处) immediately: "Guarding the Great Wall is guarding our home. Of course, we need to protect our own home ourselves." Relying on his familiarity with the surrounding environment and his love for the Great Wall, he successfully passed the assessment and became a Great Wall protector for Huangyanghe Subdistrict (黄羊河街道) along with 7 other residents.
Among the 590 Great Wall coded points and sections in Wuwei City (武威市) announced by the Gansu Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau (甘肃省文物局), Liangzhou District (凉州区) covers 159, and Liu Shenghai (刘生海) is responsible for the patrol of about 5 kilometers of the Great Wall loop.
According to the requirements, Liu Shenghai (刘生海) must patrol on foot at least 4 times a month, and must set out at any time in case of bad weather such as strong winds and heavy rain—have any herders' cattle or sheep entered the fence, threatening the safety of the Great Wall itself? Is the protective wire mesh damaged? ... During the patrol, weeding, reinforcing the wire mesh, and picking up garbage are the norm. He not only has to record the log in detail but also take photos at any time and send them to the staff of the Liangzhou District Great Wall Cultural Protection Station (凉州区长城文化保护站).
In Huangyanghe Subdistrict (黄羊河街道), located in the Gobi, it is not easy for Liu Shenghai (刘生海) to patrol the Great Wall completely once. In spring, the sandstorms are raging, and the sand grains rustle against his hat by his ears; in winter, it is covered with ice and snow, and the road is wet and muddy; in summer and autumn, it may be sunny when he sets out, but when he reaches the depths of the Gobi, he will encounter heavy rain and hail. Despite the poor natural conditions, Liu Shenghai (刘生海) has persisted for seven years: "I will do as much as I can. This is everyone's 'treasure'!"
As of now, Liangzhou District (凉州区) has hired 36 Great Wall protectors, effectively fulfilling their duties as "first responders" for Great Wall protection. The local area also invites protectors to share patrol stories through activities such as "Great Wall Culture Entering Campuses and Communities" to enhance the public's awareness of cultural relic protection. A good protection situation has been formed with government leadership, departmental linkage, combination of professionals and the masses, and joint management. In addition to daily patrols, the local area also increases the frequency of publicity and education during key periods such as the busy farming season, and carries out key inspections and special supervision of public interest litigation for Great Wall protection. In recent years, there have been no human-caused damage to the Great Wall in the 10 towns (subdistricts) where the Great Wall is distributed in Liangzhou District (凉州区).
### Guangzhou, Guangdong Cultural Relic Supervisor Wu Jiabin (吴嘉彬)
**Walking Forward**
The off-road vehicle stopped at the entrance of the village. Further ahead, the dirt road meandered, covered by grass and trees, and the car could not drive in. Wu Jiabin (吴嘉彬), a cultural relic protection supervisor in Panyu District (番禺区), Guangzhou (广州), Guangdong (广东), took his record book, pushed the door, got out of the car, and plunged into the alleys and mountains, familiar with the road. "Our work relies entirely on walking the 'last kilometer'."
This is his daily routine, nine years as one day.
With dark skin, a brisk pace, and the crisp and neat speech of a frontline worker, it is hard for others to imagine that this captain of cultural relic protection, who shuttles between ancestral halls, cliff carvings, and old alleys all day long, was a construction practitioner running between building materials markets and renovation sites 9 years ago. A trip to Europe completely awakened the cultural attachment in his heart: "Only after seeing classic Western architecture did I feel that the beauty of ancient Chinese architecture is most in line with the aesthetics and cultural roots of the Chinese people." In 2017, Wu Jiabin (吴嘉彬), who has a background in architecture, became a cultural relic protection supervisor in Panyu District (番禺区) through an examination, turning his life path to the protection of the cultural lineage deep in the countryside.
"It is the calling of culture, the guidance of predecessors, and the joint efforts of peers that support me to this day." After entering the industry, under the influence of his guides, he devoted himself to studying classics, fully mastered the laws, regulations, and professional knowledge of cultural relic protection, and plunged into the field, exploring a "both internal and external" working method: having professional knowledge of cultural relic protection in his heart, and being able to walk into the alleys and fields.
In his hands, historical materials are not just paper pages, but "treasure maps." The descendants of the Xie family in Shiqiao (市桥谢氏) originally had no ancestral hall or genealogy, and they had to go to Baiyun District (白云区) to worship their ancestors, so they found Wu Jiabin (吴嘉彬). Wu Jiabin (吴嘉彬) soaked in the Sun Yat-sen Library of Guangdong Province (省中山图书馆), flipped through the Qing Dynasty manuscript *Genealogy of the Xie Family in Shiqiao* (石桥谢氏谱) from the vast ancient books, and found the tomb of the Xie family's ancestor in the dense forest of Daifu Mountain (大夫山). When the text on the tombstone matched the records in the genealogy he found, he sighed: "The roots of the Xie family, which had been broken for a hundred years, have finally been connected." This tomb was also successfully listed as a newly discovered cultural relic in the "Fourth Census" (四普).
In 9 years, he has discovered a total of 28 cultural relic clues, from nameless ancient ancestral halls to Republic of China boundary stones, letting the sleeping history speak again. Today, Wu Jiabin (吴嘉彬) leads a young team with an average age of 30, patrolling outside three or four days a week, walking an average of 10,000 to 20,000 steps a day. When recruiting people, he has three "hard bars": love for cultural relic protection, ability to walk outdoors, and family support.
"We often have to visit ancient tombs and walk in the wilderness. If you are not passionate and brave, you simply cannot persist." Wu Jiabin (吴嘉彬) bluntly stated that Panyu's cultural relic protection currently presents a characteristic of "large in the middle and small at both ends"—the proportion of intact and endangered cultural relics is low, and a large number of unrated rural ancient buildings seem to be intact, but are quietly consumed by "chronic diseases" such as termites and leakage. For this reason, he and his team members act as "probes" and links for cultural relic protection, discovering, reporting, and coordinating early, promoting the shift of cultural relic protection from "rescue protection" to equal emphasis on "rescue + preventive protection."
In Wu Jiabin (吴嘉彬)'s heart, the key to cultural relic protection has never been to worship cultural relics, but to activate the power of people. Cold bricks and tiles can only be truly guarded if they are connected to human popularity. "When repairing, we actively invite homeowners and clan elders to participate, rely on oral stories passed down from generation to generation, and clan genealogies to fill in the omissions of historical materials and correct the errors in the literature; try to revitalize and utilize ancient buildings such as ancestral halls, and hold ancestral worship ceremonies, banquets for the elderly, and opening-pen ceremonies for children one after another." He firmly believes that "compared to guarding the cultural relics themselves, it is more important to let the awareness of protection take root in people's hearts and let history truly live in the present."
In order to narrow the distance between the public and cultural relics, he explored a path of social participation: carrying out local science popularization based on ancient building stories, spreading the concept of cultural relic protection through family activities, and encouraging villagers to look after the old buildings at their doorsteps as masters. Many villagers have changed from bystanders to guardians, actively reporting clues about relics around them, and villages have learned from each other's experience in managing and protecting ancient buildings, spontaneously forming a contiguous civilian protection circle.
Parking at the entrance of the village and walking forward, step by step, Wu Jiabin (吴嘉彬) has walked the "last kilometer" of countless cultural relics and also walked out a path of cultural lineage inheritance belonging to the Lingnan (岭南) countryside. He said: "What we are guarding is not just old buildings, but nostalgia, the roots."
Return to TopBy: 金和天
Editor's Note
Museums are halls of civilization where time stands still; every displayed artifact serves as a vivid link that traverses mountains and seas, connecting the ancient with the modern. What unknown stories lie behind these treasured collections? How do museum professionals use their ingenuity to safeguard millennia-old legacies? What easily overlooked details are hidden within exhibition descriptions? Starting today, this page launches the "Exploring Museums" (探秘博物馆) column to decode the scientific principles, historical context, and humanistic warmth behind artifacts, unlocking more ways to experience museums.
1950
When walking into a museum, one often sees descriptive text like "This fossil dates back 2,000 years" or "This specimen dates back approximately 4,000 years." Observant visitors might notice that even after many years, the "dates back" figure for the same artifact remains unchanged. Why is this?
It is not an oversight by the staff. In fact, the "present" in "dates back to the present" does not refer to the current year, but specifically to the year 1950.
Why is the "present" 1950? This must be explained through carbon-14 dating.
In the 1940s, scientists discovered the existence of carbon-14, a radioactive isotope of carbon, in laboratories. Carbon-14 is ubiquitous in carbon-containing living organisms and is replenished through life activities such as breathing and eating; its proportion within a living body is equivalent to its proportion in the surrounding atmosphere.
After an organism dies, the carbon-14 in its body is no longer replenished and continues to decay slowly until it disappears entirely. The half-life of carbon-14 is approximately 5,730 years, meaning that every 5,730 years, the amount of carbon-14 in biological remains is reduced by half. This means we can determine the time of an organism's death by measuring how long the carbon-14 has been decaying.
In 1949, American (美国) chemist Willard Libby (威拉德·利比) proposed the theory of carbon-14 dating and successfully applied it to archaeological samples. In 1950, carbon-14 dating began to be promoted in Egyptian (埃及) archaeology, and the test results matched historical records, leading to the widespread acceptance of the method. The year 1950 is also considered the inaugural year for the formal application of carbon-14 dating.
After 1950, intensive nuclear testing caused fluctuations in the amount of radioactive carbon-14 in the atmosphere. To prevent interference with test results and to commemorate the successful transition of nuclear technology to civilian use for the benefit of human society, scientists set the reference point for carbon-14 radioactive decay testing to 1950, using this year as the endpoint for test results.
Beyond artifacts in museums, we often see ancient trees marked as being hundreds or thousands of years old. Their ages are also typically determined through carbon-14 dating, and the "present" in these cases also refers to 1950. Trees form a new ring on the outermost layer each year, and older rings are encased within the new ones, no longer absorbing new atmospheric nutrients. Therefore, ancient trees can also be dated by measuring the remaining amount of carbon-14 in the inner, older rings to determine how many years they have grown.
Setting the reference point for "the present" to 1950 provides a unified international standard for similar tests globally. Test data can be compared, which facilitates the international sharing of scientific research data, avoids confusion in timelines, and makes chronological descriptions clearer and more precise. In practical work, museums and other venues also do not need to update their descriptions every year.
Of course, carbon-14 dating is not a panacea; not all carbon-containing ancient objects can be dated this way. Typically, after about 10 half-lives—that is, 50,000 to 60,000 years—the carbon-14 in a sample has decayed to such a negligible amount that it is almost impossible to detect. Therefore, carbon-14 dating is generally suitable for samples within 50,000 years. For samples beyond this range, such as dinosaur fossils dating back tens of millions of years, other radioactive dating techniques like uranium-series dating must be used. As for ancient samples that do not contain carbon, other dating methods are required. For example, pottery shards can be dated using thermoluminescence dating, river sedimentary strata can be dated using optically stimulated luminescence dating, and volcanic rocks and other minerals can be dated using potassium-argon dating.
(The author is an associate researcher at the Beijing Institute of Archaeology (北京市考古研究院); interviewed and compiled by our reporter Shi Fang (施芳))
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 王 珏
How to revitalize dormant cultural treasures has increasingly become a focal point of concern for the entire society. With the development of the era, cultural relic protection work in China (中国) has continuously kept pace with the times, integrating various technological means to promote the scientific, standardized, and refined nature of protection efforts. On the foundation of inheriting traditional techniques, a vast number of cultural relic restorers have grounded themselves in practice and boldly innovated, using original technologies to break through protection bottlenecks and allowing cultural relics to be preserved more safely and for longer periods.
Since entering the Sichuan Museum (四川博物院) in 2009, Du Shaofei (杜少飞) has deeply cultivated the field of paper and calligraphy/painting relic restoration. While inheriting traditional restoration techniques, he has continuously explored new materials and developed new technologies.
Glue-alum water (胶矾水), made by mixing gelatin and alum in specific proportions, possesses functions such as color fixing, water resistance, and anti-smudging, making it an indispensable auxiliary material in traditional calligraphy and painting restoration. However, excessive use of glue-alum water can lead to the acidification of paper, affecting the lifespan of calligraphy and paintings. Is it possible to develop a new material that can achieve the color-fixing and water-resistant effects of glue-alum water without causing damage to the paper?
The Sichuan Museum (四川博物院) assembled an R&D team, with Du Shaofei (杜少飞) serving as the technical lead. Together with team members, he conducted repeated experiments over several years and successfully developed a substitute material for glue-alum water. "Judging from the experimental data, it will not cause secondary damage or discoloration to calligraphy and paintings," said Du Shaofei (杜少飞). Now, the museum is also equipped with constant temperature and humidity studios, which can precisely regulate temperature and humidity, effectively reducing risks caused by environmental factors during the restoration process.
Murals are one of the most fragile types of cultural relics. Many ancient murals, after being excavated, are separated from their original sites to become museum collection items. Having lost their natural supports such as rock walls, they must rely on artificial supports for stabilization. Fan Zaixuan (樊再轩), a mural protection and restoration expert at the Dunhuang Academy (敦煌研究院), explained that in the past, artificial supports mainly used materials such as plaster and wooden frames, which were bulky, aesthetically unpleasing, prone to deformation and insect damage, and easily caused mural cracking, all of which were detrimental to the preservation and display of the murals.
To this end, the protection team at the Dunhuang Academy (敦煌研究院) devoted themselves to experimental research, compared various materials, and repeatedly adjusted the structure, eventually innovating and developing a new type of lightweight buffer material support for museum-collected murals. This support is equipped with a buffer layer and an isolation layer, which can not only steadily hold the murals but also avoid damage from rigid compression, while also facilitating later protection adjustments.
The renewal and iteration of restoration equipment is an intuitive manifestation of cultural relic protection keeping pace with the times. Cultural relic restorers are actively introducing modern instruments and equipment, making restoration work more efficient.
In his 27 years in the industry, Xu Kai (续凯), a ceramic relic restorer at the Shanxi Museum (山西博物院), has tangibly felt the changes brought to relic restoration by modern technological equipment. Taking cleaning as an example, as the first step in the practical restoration process, the quality of the cleaning effect directly affects subsequent restoration steps such as bonding, sealing, and coloring.
In the past, the cleaning of unearthed ceramics mostly adopted methods such as chemical liquid application, wiping, and soaking, using tools like brushes and wooden sticks to tap the ceramics, combined with chemical liquids to clean the "dirt" on the ceramic surface bit by bit.
On one accidental occasion, Xu Kai (续凯) heard that the cleaning effect of an ultrasonic cleaner was quite good, so he and his colleagues tried using it for ceramic cleaning, and the results were excellent.
The improvements brought by technology continue. Xu Kai (续凯) introduced that steam cleaners and laser cleaners have been successively applied to restoration work. Steam cleaners spray high-temperature and high-pressure steam to treat stains in the cracks and fissures of porcelain point-by-point. With low water content, they have effectively solved the problem of some ancient porcelain with loose textures being afraid of water and soaking. Laser cleaners do not require liquid assistance, nor do they directly touch the surface of the relic. At appropriate power levels, they can effectively remove dirt, reducing the impact that chemical residues or thermal expansion and contraction might have on the relics.
Vacuum water absorption testers precisely analyze the density of the body, X-ray flaw detectors peer through dark cracks invisible to the naked eye, and scanning electron microscopes meticulously observe the bonding state of the body and glaze... Advanced scientific equipment provides scientific evidence for the restoration work of Xu Kai (续凯). Every piece of data and every test has moved cultural relic restoration from a state of only being able to "look with eyes and touch with hands" toward a scientific track that is 有据可查 (yǒu jù kě chá - "have evidence can check," having a verifiable basis or being supported by evidence).
(Wang Lele (王乐乐) participated in the reporting and writing)
Return to TopDeepen Content Advantages, Enhance Communication Effectiveness
Huang Chuxin (黄楚新), Professor and Deputy Dean of the School of Journalism and Communication, University of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (中国社会科学院大学)
Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (党的十八大), the Party Central Committee (党中央) with Comrade Xi Jinping (习近平) at its core has attached great importance to the integrated development of media. Today, the rapid development of new media technology provides a boost for profound industry transformation. Media outlets need to shift their thinking, deeply explore content advantages, and fully utilize digital industrialization and industrial digitalization to enhance communication effectiveness.
Currently, mainstream media have achieved certain results in integrated reforms regarding channels, content, technology, and talent cultivation, while also facing some challenges. In terms of systems, mechanisms, and organizational structures, it is necessary to continuously deepen internet thinking and implement deep integration. In terms of creation, it is necessary to use internet thinking and emerging technologies to produce better content products.
In the future, deepening the systematic transformation of mainstream media should seize opportunities and meet challenges.
It is necessary to clarify goals and promote the systematic transformation of mainstream media by strengthening the construction of an all-media communication system; to adhere to effect-orientation and use scientific and reasonable evaluation systems; to have principled guidance and deepen media integration according to the principles of resource intensification, reasonable structure, differentiated development, and collaborative efficiency; to do a good job in deep integration, deepening integration in content production, content dissemination, and technology application; and to strengthen institutional and mechanism innovation to stimulate the vitality of talent development.
(Compiled by our reporter Ye Zi (叶子))
Build Collaborative Mechanisms, Achieve Integrated Development
Wang Shuzheng (王曙峥), Deputy Minister of the Party-Masses, Political and Legal Affairs, and Social Work Department of Lanzhou New Area (兰州新区)
Promoting the integrated development of media is an important path to enhance urban influence and attract youth to participate in development. Lanzhou New Area (兰州新区) continues to enhance communication power through content innovation and shape new advantages through ecological reconstruction, constantly strengthening the guidance of mainstream public opinion.
Shape new forms of mainstream narrative through content innovation. Explore telling stories about industrial development, ecological construction, and improvement of people's livelihood from small entry points. "From One Tree to a Thousand Acres of Forest" (从一棵树到千亩林) recounts the 60-year relay of tree planting and sand control by successive village cadres in Shimengou Village (石门沟村); the "Lanzhou New Area" (兰州新区) video account launched "Good Morning" short videos, conveying warmth and vitality through urban style, ecological landscapes, and life scenes.
Stimulate new momentum for integrated development through mechanism reform. Explore the formation of a collaborative mechanism of "overall planning and guidance by propaganda departments, editorial support from Lanzhou New Area Daily (兰州新区报), market operation by Yunshang Rongmei Company (云上融媒公司), and cooperative linkage of mainstream media," concentrating resources on content production and platform construction, and stimulating market vitality on the basis of adhering to the correct orientation.
Expand new boundaries of the communication ecosystem through open co-creation. Relying on the Gansu International Communication Center (甘肃国际传播中心) liaison station, joint media, universities, and other institutions carry out series of activities such as "Dreaming in the New Area" (筑梦新区) and "International Communication Students Look at the New Area" (国际传播学子看新区), allowing young creators at home and abroad to become participants and storytellers of the New Area's stories.
(Compiled by our reporter Hu Xiaoyuan (胡笑源))
Tell City Stories Well, Showcase City Image
Zhang Bin (张斌), Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Director of the Ordos Media Convergence Center (鄂尔多斯市融媒体中心), Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (内蒙古自治区)
The Ordos Media Convergence Center (鄂尔多斯市融媒体中心) in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (内蒙古自治区) focuses on promoting public opinion supervision to integrate into urban governance. The all-media public opinion supervision column "Warm City Focus" (暖城聚焦) relies on the 12345 hotline and other sources to build a clue library, helping to solve livelihood problems; it created the "Ordos Smart All-Media Platform" (鄂尔多斯智慧全媒体平台) to solve problems such as parallel multi-systems, cumbersome operations, disconnected data, and low efficiency.
In the next step, the Media Convergence Center will continue to tell city stories well and showcase the city image.
First, strengthen news content production and amplify mainstream voices. Give play to the role of municipal media and do a good job in reporting on the transmission of information from top to bottom and implementation at the grassroots level. Deepen the linkage between public opinion supervision and government services to help improve people's livelihood.
Second, use the "Warm News" (暖新闻) client as a unified portal to actively connect with smart city data interfaces. Systematically integrate government processing, convenience inquiries, community services, recruitment, medical treatment, and other functions, making the media platform a service node for city operation, serving the people wholeheartedly.
Third, build a UGC (User Generated Content) ecosystem and encourage citizens to record changes around them and reflect livelihood demands. Achieve normalized interaction through topic solicitation, let users become content producers and city co-builders, and make "Warm News" (暖新闻) an important interactive community for locals.
(Compiled by our reporter Xia Kangjian (夏康健))
Based on Duties and Positioning, Serving Grassroots Livelihood
Wang Cong (王丛), Deputy Director of the Cyberspace Administration of Hefei (合肥市委网信办), Anhui Province (安徽省)
The Cyberspace Administration of Hefei (合肥市委网信办) in Anhui Province (安徽省), based on its duties and positioning and the reality of Hefei (合肥), has explored a new path to serve the development of mainstream media.
Do a good job in news communication quality assessment. Taking the construction of a modern communication system as the lead, it pioneered the launch of "Government List" (政务榜), "Media List" (媒体榜), and "Information List" (资讯榜) in the province. Strengthen the management of positive energy article dissemination and improve the effect of precise communication.
Build a bridge for the dissemination of Party theory. The Cyberspace Administration of Hefei (合肥市委网信办) and Hefei Daily Media Group (合肥日报传媒集团) jointly created the first municipal-level original online commentary column in the province—"Wanzhong Ping" (皖中评), which has published more than 3,000 articles with nearly 200 million views. Many works have won the "Good Comments on China" (好评中国) excellent work award and have been pushed across the entire network. This column has grown into an important position for the Party's theoretical propaganda and a bridge and link connecting the masses.
Topic selection always takes the warmth of people's livelihood, value guidance, and solving practical problems as the entry point. "'Small Matters' Should Not be 'Viewed Lightly'" (「小事」不「小视」) reported on the "small matter" of there being no waiting area for parents at the school gate; subsequently, relevant departments proposed to consider building waiting areas when building new campuses in the future. After "Why Did This 5-Yuan Barber Shop in Hefei Suddenly Become Popular?" (合肥这家5元理发店为啥突然火了？) was launched, the hardware facilities of the barber shop were improved, and the local street office also linked more enterprises to launch community volunteer service projects, allowing love to be passed on.
(Compiled by our reporter Li Hongmei (李红梅))
Build Service Platforms, Develop Cultural Industries
Zhao Jingyuan (赵敬源), Director of the Binzhou News Media Center (滨州市新闻传媒中心), and Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of Binzhou Media Group (滨州传媒集团), Shandong Province (山东省)
The Binzhou News Media Center (滨州市新闻传媒中心) in Shandong Province (山东省) has deeply explored the "News + Government Services + Business" model, transforming from a traditional "information intermediary" to a "governance hub."
In April this year, the "Quality Binzhou" (品质滨州) client was iterated and upgraded, committed to building a smart city comprehensive service platform. The client aggregates local information, connects with city operation data, and accesses services such as livelihood policing and traffic travel; it opened "People's Voice Express" (民声直通车) and "Direct to 12345" (直通12345), realizing one-click reporting of public demands and linkage response between media and relevant departments; it launched columns such as "Our 'Peace of Mind City' Roundtable" (我们的「心安城市」圆桌会), building a bridge of communication. Currently, the client has accessed more than 600 types of services, and its communication power and activity are at the forefront of similar clients in Shandong Province (山东省).
Vigorously develop media-based cultural industries. Deeply cultivate fields such as film and television production, exhibitions and celebrations, education and training, tourism industry, sports events, literary performances, outdoor media, and e-commerce live streaming.
This year, the Binzhou competition area of the Shandong Qilu Football Super League (山东省齐鲁足球超级联赛), which the News Media Center participated in hosting, received strong repercussions and brought considerable traffic and economic benefits. This event, along with brand activities such as "Music Ideological and Political Class" (音乐思政课) and the Entrepreneurs' Conference, has become a beautiful business card for showcasing the city's cultural industry.
(Compiled by our reporter Kong Qingyuan (孔庆元))
Promote Industry Integration, Shape Development Momentum
Gao Ling (高凌), Member of the Party Committee and Deputy General Manager of Shangrao Media Group (上饶市传媒集团), Jiangxi Province (江西省)
The Shangrao Media Convergence Center (上饶市融媒体中心) in Jiangxi Province (江西省) has initially formed an all-media matrix of "two newspapers, two stations, one network, two WeChat accounts, and one client," realizing integrated production and dissemination of newspapers, stations, networks, clients, and screens.
The center launched a media convergence studio mechanism, which plays an important role in building an all-media high-quality content pool; launched virtual digital human anchors, applying the high-definition digital human avatars of real anchors to news broadcasting and brand promotion; focused on promoting the "News + Government Services + Business" full-chain operation, strengthened cooperation with relevant units, and optimized business structure. At the same time, it promoted AI (Artificial Intelligence) technology to empower the entire process of the media industry.
Looking to the future, the center will continue to exert efforts in promoting the integration of media formats. Relying on high-quality content to take root locally and connect with the masses, it will build a solid position for mainstream public opinion; use digital intelligence technology to reconstruct production processes and enhance communication effectiveness. In terms of content production, it will closely follow "Content is King" (内容为王), optimize the media convergence studio mechanism, and build a content production system with "boutique creation + differentiated expression"; in terms of technological empowerment, it will give full play to the role of the "Media + AI Industry Research Institute" (传媒+AI产业研究院) to spawn new forms of content creation; in terms of industrial development, it will adhere to the concept of "relying on media for development, and seeking breakthroughs by jumping out of media," cultivate new development momentum, and boost high-quality development.
(Compiled by our reporter Jin Zhengbo (金正波))
Strengthen Technological Empowerment, Promote Diversified Transformation
Liu Chao (刘超), Deputy Minister of the Publicity Department of the Mianyang Municipal Party Committee (绵阳市委宣传部) and Director of the Mianyang News Media Center (绵阳市新闻传媒中心), Sichuan Province (四川省)
The wave of systematic transformation of mainstream media is constantly deepening, and the important thing is to find a path that suits oneself. Mianyang (绵阳), Sichuan (四川), promotes the integration of media and the city, deepens trust, and speaks with value.
Strengthen the service hub function. Promote the deep integration of "News + Hundreds of Industries," realizing the transformation from a single news reporter to a public service provider and a promoter of urban development. Launched the "Ask Mianyang" (问政绵阳) handheld platform, launched a number of service brands, initiated the "City Partner" (城市合伙人) public welfare activity, and relied on constructive public opinion supervision to promote the rectification of more than 700 problems.
Improve production and communication effectiveness. Build a system of "Theme Planning + All-Media Presentation + Matrix Communication," build a digital intelligence integrated technology platform, and realize content leadership and technology drive. Cultivate a number of personal IPs such as "News Fatty Brother" (新闻胖哥) and "I am Yufei" (我是雨霏), and the communication power continues to increase.
Activate innovation and creation momentum. Simplify internal institutions and editorial departments, and implement flat management. Build a four-level chief talent system and establish a stepped special support and reward mechanism for excellent works.
Enhance self-hematopoietic function. Reconstruct business segments according to service scenarios and transform into "operators," "service providers," and "project partners." Build a "Competition + Communication + Industry" ecological chain, with social benefits and economic benefits advancing together.
(Compiled by our reporter Sun Longfei (孙龙飞))
Based on Regional Reality, Tell China's Stories Well
Li Zongming (李宗明), Deputy Minister of the Publicity Department of the Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture Party Committee (德宏傣族景颇族自治州委宣传部) and Director of the Prefecture Government Information Office, Yunnan Province (云南省)
Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture (德宏傣族景颇族自治州) is based on the reality of border ethnic areas, innovates technology application, and relies on a multi-language, multi-platform three-dimensional media convergence communication matrix to tell China's stories in the new era well.
The Dehong Prefecture Media Convergence Center (德宏州融媒体中心) and others adhere to mobile-first and technological empowerment, established an AI laboratory, explored the production of a series of AI works, and promoted the multi-language, visual, and cross-circle dissemination of ethnic culture and historical memory. The AI short video "Nanyang Mulan Li Yuemei: Cutting Hair to Go to National Disaster!" (南侨花木兰李月美：断发赴国难！) has more than 100 million views across the entire network; the Dehong traditional dance music "Munao Zongge Welcoming Guest Song" (目瑙纵歌迎宾曲), with lyrics and singing filled by AI, has more than 3.7 billion views on the Douyin (抖音) platform.
In order to enhance international communication capabilities, Dehong Prefecture (德宏州) founded the Burmese newspaper "Bao Bo" (胞波) in 2015, building a "one newspaper, six platforms" media convergence matrix. In 2025, the overseas social media account "Bao Bo" (胞波) was commended by the Central Propaganda Department (中宣部), becoming the only prefecture-level international communication platform to Myanmar (缅甸) in the country to receive this honor.
Striving for the "15th Five-Year Plan" (十五五), Dehong Prefecture (德宏州) will continue to build the "Bao Bo" (胞波) media convergence matrix and strengthen exchanges and cooperation with Myanmar (缅甸) media. Host a series of brand activities for China-Myanmar exchanges with Dehong (德宏) characteristics, such as the China-Myanmar Bao Bo Carnival (中缅胞波狂欢节), build a solid foundation for the connection between the hearts of the people of China and Myanmar (缅甸), and help Chinese culture go global.
(Compiled by our reporter Chen Jingwen (陈静文))
Deepen Mechanism Reform, Cultivate All-Media Talent
Xu Jing (徐静), Deputy Minister of the Publicity Department of the Qingyunpu District Party Committee (青云谱区委宣传部), Nanchang (南昌), Jiangxi Province (江西省)
County and district-level media integration has tentacles close to the masses, vivid grassroots stories, and direct service scenarios. Our innovative idea is: to pry "deep change" with "small entry points."
Deepen mechanism reform and break identity barriers. The Qingyunpu District Media Convergence Center (青云谱区融媒体中心) in Nanchang (南昌), Jiangxi Province (江西省), implements a "Project System + Flat" (项目制+扁平化) model and establishes an assessment mechanism oriented by communication effects, so that people who want to do things have a stage, and people who succeed have rewards.
Cultivate local all-media talent. Through "all-staff rotation training + practical training," the Media Convergence Center cultivates all-around talent who know how to plan, understand technology, and are good at operation. Many of the center's backbones have grown up learning while working.
Strengthen collaborative linkage and "borrow ships to go to sea." The center continues to strengthen the construction of the "Central Kitchen" (中央厨房) media convergence matrix and promote multi-party linkage. Multiple media convergence products planned and launched around themes such as the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War (中国人民抗日战争暨世界反法西斯战争胜利八十周年) have been adopted by multiple platforms, and the cumulative reading volume across the entire network has exceeded 10 million.
Without a significant increase in investment, our content production capacity has increased by nearly 40%, and the communication power and guidance power of grassroots mainstream public opinion have been effectively enhanced.
(Compiled by our reporter Yan Yiqiao (闫伊乔))
Aggregate Strength with Innovation, Promote Development with Integration
Pan Zhiwen (潘志文), Editor-in-Chief of the Nancheng County Media Convergence Center (南城县融媒体中心), Fuzhou (抚州), Jiangxi Province (江西省)
The Nancheng County Media Convergence Center (南城县融媒体中心) in Fuzhou (抚州), Jiangxi Province (江西省), is based on the reality of the county, deeply explores innovation potential, and focuses on breaking communication barriers to promote grassroots media convergence development.
Adhere to integrity as the foundation and build a solid main position for public opinion. Integrate the resources of television and new media platforms, improve the production mode of "one-time collection, multi-platform release, and full-area coverage," closely follow the county's key work and key industries such as electronic information, educational equipment, low-altitude economy, and traditional Chinese medicine industry, polish localized and grounded high-quality works, and tell the story of Nancheng (南城) development well.
Adhere to innovation as the key and activate new momentum for development. Use digital and intelligent technology to apply artificial intelligence to content editing, public opinion research, and other links to improve the efficiency of editing, reporting, and dissemination. At the same time, focus on livelihood needs, integrate functions such as government inquiries and convenience services, open up the "last mile" (最后一公里 - zuì hòu yī gōng lǐ - "last one kilometer," the final stage of a process, often referring to the difficulty of delivering services directly to the end user) of serving the masses, and realize the transformation from "news dissemination" to "comprehensive service."
The Nancheng County Media Convergence Center (南城县融媒体中心) will continue to deepen media integration, improve content creation, strengthen technological empowerment, and optimize livelihood services. Aggregate strength with innovation, promote development with integration, and strive to write a new chapter for the high-quality development of county-level media convergence.
(Compiled by our reporter Hu Xiaoyuan (胡笑源))
Layout Design: Cai Huawei (蔡华伟)
Return to TopThe cultural relics now housed in museums and the heritage sites displayed across the vast land were all once immersed in the daily lives of the ancients: a grotto, an arched bridge, a piece of clothing... Cultural relics belong to the people, are protected by the people together, and serve the people in return. Within this, there is day-after-day protection and inheritance, as well as 生生不息 (shēng shēng bù xī - "life life not cease," the continuous cycle of life and endless creation) innovation and creation. Precious cultural memories and national sentiments are engraved upon cultural heritage, passed down to you and me today along with the rings of time.
On the occasion of the 2026 Cultural and Natural Heritage Day (文化和自然遗产日), we invite our readers to join us in listening to these moving stories related to cultural heritage.
— Editor (编者)
Return to TopBy: 杭 侃
In 2025, the number of visitors to the Yungang Grottoes (云冈石窟) reached 5.28 million. Why are the Yungang Grottoes (云冈石窟) so popular? Fundamentally, it is inseparable from their charm. The magnificence of their "true appearance and grandeur" (真容巨壮 - zhēn róng jù zhuàng - "true appearance huge magnificent," describing the imposing and majestic scale of the statues) and the elegance of their "exhausting all ingenuity and beauty" (穷诸巧丽 - qióng zhū qiǎo lì - "exhaust all clever beautiful," describing the extreme intricacy and aesthetic perfection of the craftsmanship) provide tourists with a unique visiting experience. In recent years, young tourists have discovered "viral photo spots" at the Yungang Grottoes (云冈石窟), capturing many interesting and aesthetically pleasing photos, which have achieved excellent dissemination effects. They have discovered and fallen in love with the beauty of the Yungang Grottoes (云冈石窟), allowing the beauty of Yungang (云冈) to integrate into their lives.
Beyond "checking in" for viral photos, how else can one view the Yungang Grottoes (云冈石窟)?
We can view Yungang (云冈) within its historical context.
The beauty of the Yungang Grottoes (云冈石窟) is closely linked to their excavation background and the characteristics of the era. The Yungang Grottoes (云冈石窟) were the largest national project in Pingcheng (平城) (modern-day Datong, Shanxi (山西大同)) at the time. This nature established the "magnificent" tone of the Yungang Grottoes (云冈石窟), which is concentrated in the "Five Caves of Tanyao" (昙曜五窟) (Caves 16 to 20) excavated during the first phase. This group of caves was excavated for the five emperors of the Northern Wei (北魏) dynasty; the main Buddhas are tall and imposing, standing majestically with a powerful aura. The vigor and majesty of the Northern Wei (北魏) dynasty are permanently frozen in the rock.
Starting from the second phase, the style of the Yungang Grottoes (云冈石窟) underwent significant changes. Beginning with Emperor Xiaowen of Northern Wei (北魏孝文帝), the Buddha statues began wearing "baoyi bodi" (褒衣博带 - bāo yī bó dài - "praise clothes wide belt," referring to the loose, flowing robes and wide sashes characteristic of traditional Chinese scholarly attire) style robes, and their temperament gradually shifted from vigorous and rustic to elegant and subtle. This change was not merely a formal transformation but reflected the deep integration of Buddhist art and the aesthetic concepts of the Central Plains (中原) literati. Understanding this history helps us more clearly grasp the cultural shifts behind the grotto art.
We can observe and appreciate Yungang (云冈) from three levels: macro, meso, and micro.
At the macro level, we observe the natural environment and site selection characteristics of the Yungang Grottoes (云冈石窟). The Yungang Grottoes (云冈石窟) were excavated along a river; the Shili River (十里河) in front of the cliff was anciently known as the Wuzhou River (武州川). The valley along the river was a major transportation artery from Pingcheng (平城) to the west, not only connecting Pingcheng (平城) to the old Northern Wei (北魏) capital of Shengle City (盛乐城) (located in modern-day Horinger County, Inner Mongolia (内蒙古和林格尔县)), but also serving as a shortcut from the Datong Basin (大同盆地) to the Hetao Plain (河套平原).
At the meso level, we observe the distribution of the grottoes on the cliff face. The "Five Caves of Tanyao" (昙曜五窟) from the first phase are located in the western part of the cave group, occupying the section with the best cliff conditions, thus allowing for the continuous excavation of five large caves over 10 meters high. Caves 1 to 13 of the second phase were excavated in the middle and eastern parts of the group, where the mountain conditions were also generally good. The small and medium-sized caves of the third phase often had to be excavated using small-scale natural cliffs.
At the micro level, we appreciate the chamber structure and sculptural art of each grotto. The structural design and sculptural themes of the Yungang Grottoes (云冈石窟) complement each other. The Five Caves of Tanyao (昙曜五窟) were built for the five emperors of the Northern Wei (北魏), requiring one to look from outside the cave and gaze at the Buddha's face through a huge window. The twin cave combination of Caves 7 and 8 requires entering the cave to view the niche statues on the four walls; the themes of the niches in the two caves echo each other, emphasizing the future Buddha Maitreya and the theme of the two Buddhas sitting together, reflecting the political situation of the "Dual Sage" reign of Emperor Xiaowen (孝文帝) and Empress Dowager Feng (冯太后). Cave 6 requires walking around the central pillar, which is set with comic-strip-style images of the Buddha's life; one must circle at least three times to fully view the Buddha's life from birth to enlightenment. In addition, the exquisite imitation-wood architectural carvings and vivid images of musicians and dancers in the grottoes are interesting details worth savoring.
We can also understand Yungang (云冈) through its dynamic evolutionary process.
Cultural heritage is a "living entity" that interacts and connects with people of different eras throughout the long river of time. To fully understand the connotations of the Yungang Grottoes (云冈石窟), we also need to possess such a perspective.
Over 1,500 years of natural evolution have shaped the form of the grottoes. Natural forces such as wind erosion, sun exposure, and rain have continuously acted upon the cliff, slowly changing its appearance and structure. The open-air Great Buddha of Cave 20 that we see today is a landscape that was unexpectedly formed after the front wall collapsed. Human repairs and modifications have added new cultural layers to the grottoes in different periods. During the Tang (唐) dynasty, based on the aesthetics of the time, the three large statues in Cave 3 were supplemented and carved. During the Liao (辽) and Jin (金) periods, the grottoes were still used as religious sites, leaving traces of temple construction. The Qing (清) dynasty carried out large-scale protective repairs and added a stage in front of the caves, turning it into a folk space for performing plays to thank the gods.
To this day, the Yungang Grottoes (云冈石窟), as a World Cultural Heritage site, still radiate vitality. Through systematic protection research and digital projects, the historical information of the Yungang Grottoes (云冈石窟) can be preserved for longer. A team of teachers and students from Peking University (北京大学) drew inspiration from the flying apsaras and vajrapani in the grottoes to create the "Yungang Dance" (云冈舞). During this year's "May Day" holiday, "Vajrapani: Awakening" (力士·觉醒) was presented in front of the caves in the form of a robot flash mob, where 10 humanoid robots reproduced the classic postures of the children in Cave 9, engaging in a dialogue at the intersection of technology and humanities.
Yungang (云冈) is a monumental work that can be read repeatedly and always offers something new. "Opening" it from different perspectives will always yield new gains. My colleagues and I are also continuing our efforts to systematically promote academic research, introduce cutting-edge digital and artificial intelligence technologies, and carry out segmented research and interpretation, striving to make this "book" increasingly readable.
I hope that the Yungang Grottoes (云冈石窟) will not only become a destination for everyone but also a cultural site that inspires thought and connects the past with the present. Everyone is welcome to deeply "check in" at the Yungang Grottoes (云冈石窟), take wonderful photos, and carry away profound memories and lasting emotions.
(The author is the Dean of the Yungang Academy (云冈研究院), interviewed and compiled by our reporter Ruan Kexin (阮可欣))
Return to TopBy: 李 瑞
Not long ago, the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee (中央宣传部) and the China Association for Science and Technology (中国科协) jointly announced the ten "Most Beautiful Science and Technology Workers," among whom is Yu Zongren (于宗仁), Director of the Protection Institute at the Dunhuang Academy (敦煌研究院). Facing this honor, Yu Zongren (于宗仁), who has taken root in the vast desert for over twenty years, appears very calm. In his view, the honor is more like a reminder, prompting him to continuously ask: Can we identify the deterioration of cultural relics even earlier?
Through Yu Zongren (于宗仁), we see not only the persistent figure of a scientific and technological worker, but also a vivid collective portrait of generations of cultural relic protection teams at the Dunhuang Academy (敦煌研究院) who "guard civilization with science and technology."
In 2000, Yu Zongren (于宗仁), a university graduate, faced a life choice: to develop in a city with comfortable conditions or to plunge into the harsh Dunhuang (敦煌) desert. "If a person's aspirations can merge with the needs of the country, the path taken will be more solid." This was Yu Zongren's (于宗仁) answer. From then on, the flickering light in the caves, the wind and sand of the Gobi Desert (戈壁滩), and the colors on the cliff walls have constituted his daily life for over 20 years.
In the eyes of many, the most difficult part of cultural relic protection is "repair," but on the scaffolding of the Mogao Caves (莫高窟), Yu Zongren (于宗仁) deeply realized that what is harder than "taking action" is "seeing" and "restraint."
The murals and painted sculptures of Dunhuang (敦煌) have endured for a thousand years. Influenced by environmental and human factors, diseases such as flaking, crisp alkali, hollow drums, and pulverization are inevitable. The same mural might look slightly different today compared to three years from now. To capture these minute changes, Yu Zongren (于宗仁) and his team members often bend over and look up to observe carefully, repeatedly comparing under the same angle, light, and distance, using a near-stubborn perseverance to find and grasp the laws of disease development.
"The cave is like a silent old man; the more anxious you are, the less you can understand what he is saying." Yu Zongren (于宗仁) says that the protection of murals and painted sculptures is often a case where "slow is fast," and the hardest part is deciding whether to act, where to act, and to what extent. "'Restraint' is a responsibility. The lighter we touch them today, the more possibilities we leave for future generations."
This "slow work" of implementing caution and patience into every survey record has resulted in earlier discovery and more accurate judgment of risks to cultural relics. "Experience makes you sensitive, but science makes you secure." This is the true knowledge Yu Zongren (于宗仁) has gained through long-term practice.
Over the years, he has delved deep into the field of non-destructive analysis and key protection technology for ancient murals, presiding over more than 10 major projects such as the National Key Research and Development Program (国家重点研发计划) "Construction of Health Assessment Method System for Cultural Relics." He has set three practical "simple rules" for himself and his team: see clearly, understand thoroughly, and manage effectively.
"See clearly" means collecting on-site information as completely as possible; "understand thoroughly" means explaining materials, craftsmanship, and deterioration mechanisms clearly to form a rigorous chain of evidence; "manage effectively" means converting evidence into executable decisions, quantifiable standards, and traceable processes.
Under the leadership of Su Bomin (苏伯民), former President of the Dunhuang Academy (敦煌研究院), Yu Zongren (于宗仁) and his team have built a multi-dimensional cultural relic protection system covering in-situ detection, small-sample analysis, and data mining. They have established health records, disease atlases, and spectral databases for murals and painted sculptures, striving to move risk identification forward and intervene early, thereby minimizing the impact on the cultural relics themselves.
"Scientific research results should not just stay in the laboratory; they must solve the actual problems of cultural relics." Yu Zongren (于宗仁) often keeps this sentence on his lips.
Dunhuang (敦煌) has given Yu Zongren (于宗仁) complete and rigorous training, and this cultural relic protection team that emerged from the desert is now promoting advanced technology nationwide. In recent years, Yu Zongren (于宗仁) has presided over and completed more than 10 important protection projects, such as the Guanyin Temple (观音寺) in Xinjin, Sichuan (四川新津), the Yongle Palace (永乐宫) in Shanxi (山西), and the Wusutu Monastery (乌素图召) in Inner Mongolia (内蒙古). It is worth mentioning that in the Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture (阿坝藏族羌族自治州) of Sichuan (四川), at an altitude of over 2,800 meters, he was responsible for the "Jiaza'erjia Mountain Cave Mural Relocation and Off-site Protection Project" (甲扎尔甲山洞窟壁画迁移异地保护工程). He overcame a series of world-class challenges, such as the removal, relocation, and restoration of thin-layer murals in high-cold and high-altitude areas, achieving the first case of cliff mural relocation and off-site restoration in China. This proved with practice that the "Dunhuang Experience" (敦煌经验) remains a solid scientific method even at sites with different materials, environments, and diseases.
Cultural relic protection is a systematic cause that requires the relay of generations. Today, the cultural relic protection team at the Dunhuang Academy (敦煌研究院) has developed into a professional team covering multiple disciplines including chemistry, materials, mechanics, geology, and artificial intelligence. In the past five years, the academy has introduced a group of high-level talents and trained more than 20 young key members.
In the eyes of Yu Zongren (于宗仁), teaching methods, establishing standards, and passing on a sense of awe are more important than temporary achievements. He often tells young colleagues: "Every decision you make may become the starting or ending point for some future restoration; you must have a sense of awe."
The wind and sand of the desert are still blowing. From his prime to having frost on his temples, Yu Zongren (于宗仁) is a persistent guardian and a keen explorer. At the Dunhuang Academy (敦煌研究院), there are many more cultural relic protection workers like Yu Zongren (于宗仁). They use "restraint" and awe to guard the ancient Dunhuang (敦煌) as it calmly moves toward the next millennium.
Return to TopBy: 江寻千
When I was learning Peking Opera (京剧), my teacher often took me to museums to look at costumes. On days when we weren't performing, she taught me how to observe the patterns on the costumes, the texture of the fabrics, the depth of the weaving and dyeing, the arrangement of the designs, and the density of the embroidery threads. Different characters have different personalities, and this is "spoken" through their attire.
At the time, I didn't understand why we were looking at these things. Later, I realized she was teaching me aesthetics. Aesthetics are invisible and intangible, yet they concern our daily lives and the very flavor of our existence.
The first category of cultural relics I restored was clothing. The costume designs in many period dramas often resemble those from online games and do not represent traditional ancient Chinese clothing—the true answers are found in the clothing exhibits from different dynasties in museums across the country. Observing the minute details of those museum-housed artifacts is the key to sharpening one's eye.
Research, restoration, reflection, and discussion are the basic qualifications for enthusiasts of traditional attire. I have used *Isatis tinctoria* (板蓝根) to dye the clothing of early Tang (唐) dynasty women, as depicted in the incised carvings on the stone sarcophagus of Li Shou (李寿), the Prince of Huai'an (淮安靖王), dating back to the fifth year of the Zhenguan (贞观) era. I have also used red fabric to recreate the *beizi* (褙子) from the Southern Song (南宋) dynasty painting *Xi Guan Nong Hua Tu* (仙馆秾花图).
The more I come into contact with traditional clothing, the more I discover that many elements in cultural relics are interconnected. For example, we find the "ice-crack" pattern on clothing, and it also appears on porcelain. Ice-crack celadon is shattered yet unbroken, like cold ice meeting water, about to melt. The first time I saw a finished piece at the workshop of Master Ye Xiaochun (叶小春), I was stunned; I never knew porcelain could grow like that! Master said that the formation of the ice-crack pattern cannot be fully controlled by human effort. Each line is unrestrained and natural, with a harmonious density. The beauty of the ice-crack pattern is gentle and subtle; it allows us to see a deeper beauty of order within irregularity.
Later, when working with *linglong* (玲珑) porcelain, I discovered another kind of beauty. It was originally a "flaw" in Song (宋) dynasty kiln firing, where the glaze seeped into the thin parts of the body, forming holes. By common logic, it should have been smashed, but the ancients did not do so. They carved along these holes and filled them with glaze, ultimately achieving the masterful technique of "a body full of holes, yet not a drop leaks." Isn't this exactly **化腐朽为神奇** (huà fǔ xiǔ wéi shén qí - "turn decay into magic," to transform something useless or rotten into something extraordinary)? It was aesthetics that allowed the craftsman of that time to discover the possibilities within the flaw, turning a piece of waste into a treasure. What cultural relics teach us is a way of looking at the world: seeing wholeness in imperfection and discovering vitality in the unexpected.
What moved me most was replicating the "Moth Gold Hairpin" (闹蛾金钗) of Li Jingxun (李静训). This artifact is so famous that many artisans have replicated it. However, when we worked on it, we discovered that the structure circulating online seemed incorrect; it was not just a single hairpin stem with scattered, dense decorations. Archaeological reports show that its structure should be more complex. The wings and abdomen of the moth used different techniques, and the "banner" (幡), which is often overlooked, was damaged, and no one noticed. We referred to the components of adult ceremonial crowns from the same period and attempted to restore its form. Just this year, this artifact was exhibited to the public for the first time, and seeing that our hypothesized restoration was so close to the real object made me truly happy.
This process is like copying calligraphy models. Every carved mark and every structural detail is the ancients telling you: Why did they design it this way? Where does the beauty lie? When you understand, your hands follow, your eyes follow, and your heart follows.
Many people marvel at its magnificence. But I think beauty is not just in magnificence. Those trembling little flowers, each only about 1 centimeter in diameter, required every petal to be carved with different patterns; the moth's abdomen was woven from extremely fine silver wire, with spices hidden inside. This "lovable" thoughtfulness of the ancients is the true beauty. It is healthy, simple, humble, and full of human warmth. It is not out of reach; it is rooted in a grandmother's love for her granddaughter, rooted in the warmth of daily life.
Mr. Cai Yuanpei (蔡元培) said: "Pure aesthetic education is used to cultivate our emotions, enabling us to have noble and pure habits." Cultural relics are quiet teachers; they solidify the aesthetic judgment of the ancients from hundreds or thousands of years ago into an object and place it before you. Looking at the ice-crack pattern, you understand what is meant by "naturally formed" (自然天成); looking at *linglong* porcelain, you understand what is meant by **化腐朽为神奇** (huà fǔ xiǔ wéi shén qí - "turn decay into magic," to transform something useless or rotten into something extraordinary); looking at Li Jingxun's (李静训) "Moth Gold Hairpin" (闹蛾金钗), you understand what is meant by **金枝玉叶** (jīn zhī yù yè - "gold branches and jade leaves," originally referring to royalty, here implying preciousness and favor); that is not showing off, it is partiality.
Once, these artifacts belonged to a few; today, they belong to the people. We replicate them and inherit them because we want ordinary people to be able to drink tea from an ice-crack cup, letting beauty return to daily life. Cultural relics serve the people; they serve our day-to-day lives. They allow us to discover the delicate in ordinary life and understand the craftsmanship in mundane objects.
I often feel that the process of restoring cultural relics is also like attending a series of vivid classes. On the desk are celadon, flower crowns, and *yunjin* (云锦) brocade; the teachers include craftsmen from hundreds of years ago as well as today's enthusiasts of traditional culture. The textbooks are those objects that seem silent but can speak. And the homework is for me to pass them on to more people.
Facing this class, I want to remain a student and keep learning forever.
(The author is a post-95s generation traditional culture self-media creator.)
Return to TopBy: 李维俊
In Chengyang Eight Villages (程阳八寨), located in Linxi Town (林溪镇), Sanjiang Dong Autonomous County (三江侗族自治县), Guangxi (广西), many villagers share a common habit: whenever they return from afar, they always take a look at the Chengyang Yongji Bridge (程阳永济桥) or walk across it. "Seeing the bridge means I'm home; it puts my heart at ease," says Wu Guizhen (吴桂贞), a local who has long studied the history and culture of the Dong (侗族) wind and rain bridges.
Spanning the Linxi River (林溪河), the Chengyang Yongji Bridge (程阳永济桥) has a history of over a hundred years. To tourists, it is a famous bridge featuring mortise-and-tenon construction; to the locals, it is more like an old friend who has accompanied them for generations.
In Dong (侗族) culture, bridges hold special significance. "The Dong (侗族) people often say that people 'come across the bridge' into this life," Wu Guizhen (吴桂贞) explains. "The bridge not only connects the two banks of the river but also connects a person's entire life." This emotional identification, rooted in daily life, has made building and protecting bridges a shared responsibility for the people of the Dong (侗族) villages.
Yang Siyu (杨似玉), a national-level representative inheritor of Dong (侗族) timber construction techniques and a resident of Pingyan Village (平岩村), still remembers the history of the bridge's construction as told by his ancestors: more than 100 years ago, there was no bridge over the Linxi River (林溪河) that ran through the village. Whenever floods rose, transportation became extremely inconvenient. Once, two elderly people were blocked by the river and had to risk swimming across. Upon hearing this, several local carpenters and stonemasons decided that very night to build a bridge. As the news spread, people from all directions responded, and the banks of the Linxi River (林溪河) became a hive of activity.
On the bridge construction donation monument, donation amounts ranged from a few cents to several hundred yuan; regardless of the amount, names were solemnly engraved. "The older generation often said that every cent represents a sincere heart," says Yang Siyu (杨似玉). The stone monument bears the names of locals as well as outsiders. Someone donated 10 silver dollars from Guilin (桂林), and 12 households even sold their farmland to raise funds for the bridge.
In the eyes of the locals, these stone monuments record more than just donation figures; they record the friendship of building a homeland together. During the construction, craftsmen not available locally were hired from places like Hunan (湖南) and Guizhou (贵州); fundraising teams went outside the village gates to collect money and materials from surrounding villages. Some contributed money, some contributed labor, some provided timber, and some provided craftsmanship. From the very beginning, this bridge was built by everyone together.
For over a hundred years, this spirit of unity and mutual assistance has remained unchanged. In the era before television and mobile phones, the bridge was the liveliest place in the area. In the memories of local villagers, on summer nights, people would always come to the bridge to cool off and chat. The elderly would tell children Dong (侗族) legends and historical stories, young people would learn to play the pipa, and fellow villagers would exchange farming experiences and news of daily life...
Thus, the bridge became a platform for information exchange and a classroom for cultural inheritance. Many traditional customs, folk tales, and intangible cultural heritage skills of the Dong (侗族) people have been passed down from generation to generation through such daily interactions.
Today, the Chengyang Yongji Bridge (程阳永济桥) still plays a part in the important moments of the locals' lives. Newlyweds walk across this bridge, symbolizing a harmonious union for a hundred years (百年好合 - bǎi nián hǎo hé - "hundred years good union," a wish for a long and happy marriage); children celebrate their full-month milestone by crossing the bridge, praying for health and peace; and guests from afar arriving at the Dong (侗族) village are greeted with a "blocking the road" welcoming ceremony at the bridgehead. "Walking across this bridge means bringing blessings home," says Wu Canyue (吴灿月), a resident of Pingyan Village (平岩村).
The bridge has also brought tangible development opportunities.
Nowadays, industries such as homestays, catering, and the sale of ethnic handicrafts have developed around the Chengyang Eight Villages (程阳八寨), and many young people are choosing to return home to develop their careers. In the eyes of the locals, the bridge has brought them good fortune.
This bridge has also awakened people's consciousness to protect their cultural heritage. When he was young, Yang Siyu (杨似玉) would notice damaged tiles on the bridge roof and take the initiative to climb up and repair them; during stormy weather, he would always get up in the middle of the night to ensure the bridge was safe. In his view, the bridge needs to be looked after just like one's own child. Such guardianship is not an isolated case. Today, the Chengyang Yongji Bridge (程阳永济桥) has been incorporated into a professional protection system. Local people spontaneously maintain the environment around the bridge and monitor the condition of the bridge structure; tourists participate in protection through donations in merit boxes and by sponsoring timber or tiles; and experts and scholars continue to carry out research and provide repair guidance.
From the initial fundraising for construction to the current collective protection, more and more people have joined the ranks of protecting the ancient bridge.
A bridge can be preserved for a hundred years not only because the materials are sturdy, but because everyone treats it as their own. The most precious value of the Chengyang Yongji Bridge (程阳永济桥) lies not only in its perfectly preserved mortise-and-tenon timber architectural form, but also in the fact that it has always connected people's hearts.
Return to TopBy: 李 丹
Whenever the intercalary sixth month of the lunar calendar arrives, the water pavilions (水阁) appear on Fengxi River (枫溪) in Xianyou County (仙游县), Putian City (莆田市), Fujian Province (福建), and the entire street becomes bustling with excitement. This is the nostalgia that we people of Fengting (枫亭) have **刻在骨子里** (kè zài gǔ zi lǐ - "carved into the bones," deeply ingrained in one's heart and soul).
As a folk art rooted in the water town, the Fengting Water Pavilion (枫亭水阁) is a water-based folk parade performance that originated in the Song Dynasty (宋代). Having been passed down for a thousand years, this folk custom has long been deeply integrated into the lives of the people of Fengting (枫亭), becoming an important cultural vessel for praying for blessings and expressing wishes.
The Fengting Water Pavilion (枫亭水阁) uses Fengxi River (枫溪) as its stage and fishing boats as its base. The pavilion structure is layered and staggered with clear primary and secondary sections: the bottom layer serves as a stable base, the middle layer acts as the core performance space, and the top layer provides the finishing touch to the design. The overall structure is "light, agile, and stable without being clumsy," conforming to the balanced beauty of traditional architecture while adapting to the dynamic requirements of a water parade.
In terms of craftsmanship, the water pavilion highlights the exquisite standards of traditional ironwork and the wisdom of artisans. Its support structure employs a composite technique of "mortise and tenon joints reinforced with ironwork." By relying solely on the precise load-bearing of the mortise-and-tenon interlocking and iron supports, the pavilion can achieve stability at a height of several meters. The decorative design of the pavilion integrates traditional lantern craftsmanship and embroidery techniques, adopting a decorative logic of "combining points, lines, and surfaces." The lines use curves to outline the eaves of the pavilion, making them soft and fluid; the color palette is dominated by traditional Chinese auspicious colors, with vermilion, bright yellow, and cyan-green complementing each other; and the details are embellished with Puxian Opera (莆仙戏) patterns, auspicious totems, and landscape motifs, blending regional cultural elements into the design.
During folk festivals, especially the grand celebrations in intercalary months, the ten-mile Fengxi River (枫溪) transforms into a flowing cultural theater: dozens of colorful boats sail in formation, with dragon boats leading the way and fishing boats following, while the layered pavilion structures shimmer on the blue waves. Children dressed in the magnificent costumes of Puxian Opera (莆仙戏) stand upon the pavilion platforms, creating a beautiful scene that complements the pavilion's design and the shimmering light on the water.
The "Shiyin Bale" (十音八乐 - traditional local ensemble music) plays in a gentle and lingering manner, while the melodies of Puxian Opera (莆仙戏) are sung melodiously. In 2019, the "Fengting Water Pavilion Parade" (枫亭水阁巡游) was included in the sixth batch of the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Fujian Province (福建省). The local government has increased its support, improved the training system for inheritors, encouraged veteran artists to engage in "mentorship and guidance," and established experience workshops, allowing young people to get closer to water pavilion culture and learn how to build pavilion frames and craft lanterns.
Fengting (枫亭) is a famous hometown of overseas Chinese. For hundreds of years, generations of Fengting (枫亭) people have set off from the banks of Fengxi River (枫溪) to develop their lives in Southeast Asia (东南亚), Europe, America, and other regions. For these overseas wanderers, the Fengting Water Pavilion (枫亭水阁) is the anchor of their nostalgia and a spiritual bond connecting them to their homeland—no matter how far they travel, as long as they see images of the water pavilion or hear the familiar local dialect, it feels as if they have returned to the banks of Fengxi River (枫溪) right at their doorstep. Every year during the water pavilion parade, many overseas compatriots watch the ceremony via live streams and short videos, sharing the magnificent scenery of their hometown across mountains and seas.
Today, the Fengting Water Pavilion (枫亭水阁) is stepping out of Fengxi River (枫溪) and moving toward the world with a more vibrant posture. It bears witness to the thousand-year transformation of the ancient town, carries the nostalgia of wanderers, and sails toward the distance with an inclusive and open spirit.
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