Summary: President Xi Jinping emphasized the need to strengthen top-level planning and optimize the layout of basic research, adhering to the "Four Orientations" strategy—targeting the world's scientific frontiers, the main economic battlefield, national major demands, and people's health. He reiterated this in April 2026 at a symposium on basic research, and previously at the 2025 National Science and Technology Awards and other conferences. The article highlights Chinese achievements like the successful maiden flight of the Long March 10B with reusable rocket technology, and breakthroughs in satellite communication, winter cabbage breeding, space station construction, and regenerative medicine, all attributed to basic research. Xi was accompanied by various officials and researchers during related inspections and communications. No mention of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: President Xi Jinping emphasized in April 2026 the need to strengthen the leading role of national research institutions and top-tier universities, encourage new R&D entities, and deepen enterprise-led integration of industry, academia, research, and application to bridge basic research with commercial outcomes. The article highlights the work of Professor Zou Zhuo's team at Fudan University in brain-inspired chips, which achieved a key breakthrough from theory to application. It also covers the Laoshan Laboratory's discovery of a super-large hydrogen-rich hydrothermal zone, "Kunlun," and Southwest Jiaotong University's two-decade effort in atomic-level manufacturing. In Wuhan, the Industry Innovation Research Institute uses a "grant-to-equity" mechanism to de-risk the translation of lab results into market-ready products. The report underscores Xi's repeated calls for enterprises to lead innovation, with companies like Trina Solar collaborating with universities to form a virtuous cycle of research, development, and industrial feedback.
Summary: Xi Jinping's speech at the National Science and Technology Award Conference, the Two Academies' Academicians Conference, and the 11th National Congress of the China Association for Science and Technology has been published as a standalone booklet by the People's Publishing House. The booklet is available at Xinhua bookstores nationwide starting July 14. No accompanying officials or references to the United States were mentioned in the report.
Summary: The article reports on the implementation of President Xi Jinping's May 2024 instructions during his Shandong inspection, where he emphasized protecting and utilizing red resources to promote the Yimeng Spirit. It focuses on Ma Junling, a 35-year-old commentator at the Hongsao hometown tourist site in Yinan County, Linyi City, who practices the spirit through a frugal wedding and now performs as a Red嫂子 actress. The report highlights local achievements in rural governance, including over 3,000 wedding volunteer teams saving more than 58 million yuan for 1,450 couples, and 1,100 virtue积分 stores covering 97.4% of villages. The article describes how the Yimeng region has transformed rural customs through immersive red theatrical performances and a virtue credit system that rewards good deeds. No mention is made of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: Wang Huning, Chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), met with a Vietnamese Communist Party delegation led by Le Minh Tri, head of the Party Central Committee's Internal Affairs Commission. Wang highlighted the strategic guidance provided by the consensus reached between General Secretary Xi Jinping and Vietnamese leader To Lam during Lam's April visit to China. He stated China is willing to work with Vietnam to deepen the China-Vietnam community with a shared future. Le Minh Tri congratulated the CPC on its 105th anniversary and expressed admiration for Xi Jinping's global initiatives and leadership. Wang Dongfeng also attended the meeting.
Summary: On July 14, 2026, the Central Party School (National Academy of Governance) held its spring semester graduation ceremony, with Politburo Standing Committee member and school head Cai Qi attending and presenting diplomas to 1,940 graduates. Eight student representatives spoke, stating that their studies coincided with the 105th anniversary of the CCP and involved deep study of Xi Jinping Thought, the spirit of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee, and Xi Jinping's party-building thought. They reported enhanced commitment to the “two establishments” and “two upholds,” improved theoretical and party spirit training, and increased capacity for modernization. The graduates pledged to continue studying and applying the Party's innovative theories upon returning to work.
Summary: In the first half of the opening year of the "15th Five-Year Plan," China's economy shows resilience and progress under the theme of high-quality development. President Xi Jinping is reported as stressing the need to focus on self-improvement and to develop new quality productive forces according to local conditions, warning against rushing into emerging industries. The article highlights achievements in humanoid robots, AI, supercomputing, and renewable energy capacity, while detailing local efforts in provinces like Guangdong, Chongqing, and Anhui to foster innovation and industrial transformation. Examples from Henan's paulownia industry and Shanxi's valve manufacturing illustrate how traditional sectors can upgrade through targeted policies and persistence. The report concludes by linking high-quality development to improving people's livelihoods, citing grassroots initiatives such as improved irrigation in Shandong and a "people's diary" system in Zhejiang.
Summary: China's total foreign trade in goods reached 25.47 trillion yuan in the first half of 2022, a record high for the period and a 16.9% year-on-year increase. Exports grew 13.4% to 14.73 trillion yuan, while imports rose 22.1% to 10.74 trillion yuan. The second quarter saw an 18.4% growth rate, the highest quarterly increase since Q3 2021, with June marking 17 consecutive months of expansion. The export structure improved, as mechanical and electrical products accounted for 63.5% of total exports, up 3.5 percentage points, and high-tech exports surged 39%. No mention was made of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: As of June 2025, China's total motor vehicle保有量 reached 476 million, including 371 million cars. In the first half of the year, 15.81 million new motor vehicles were registered, with NEVs accounting for 5.195 million, or 49.42% of new car registrations—up 4.45 percentage points year-on-year. The total new energy vehicle (NEV) fleet hit 48.97 million, representing 13.19% of all cars, a 2.92-point increase from last year. Pure electric vehicles dominate, comprising 68.77% of the NEV total. The data was released by the Ministry of Public Security.
Summary: The article reports that Ma Xingrui has been placed under investigation by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission, with the approval of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party. It states that Ma was found to have seriously violated political, organizational, and integrity disciplines, including engaging in family corruption, accepting bribes, and failing to uphold party principles. The report details that Ma's actions constituted duty-related crimes and alleged bribery, and that he did not stop his misconduct after the 18th National Congress of the CPC. As a result, he has been expelled from the party and dismissed from public office, with his suspected criminal activities transferred to judicial authorities. The article does not mention the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The provided text consists only of two headlines: one regarding China's achievements in addressing poverty caused by disability, and another on the global leadership of Chinese ships. No official statements, accompanying figures, or references to the United States or U.S.-China relations are present. The content is insufficient to summarize an article.
Summary: A promotion event for the fifth volume of *Xi Jinping: The Governance of China* was held in Bishkek, attended by approximately 300 representatives from Chinese and Kyrgyz political parties, media, and think tanks. Chinese Ambassador Liu Jiangping emphasized that China and Kyrgyzstan share compatible governing philosophies and expressed China's willingness to share expertise in poverty alleviation and high-quality development. Former Kyrgyz President Roza Otunbayeva noted that the works help explain China's unique development logic, while former Foreign Minister Alikbek Jessenkulov expressed Kyrgyzstan's interest in participating in the Belt and Road Initiative, specifically mentioning the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway. SCO Deputy Secretary-General Pu Yangfan highlighted the book's role in guiding the construction of a China-Central Asia community with a shared future. Overall, the event focused on deepening bilateral strategic alignment and leveraging the SCO framework to enhance regional cooperation.
Summary: Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Bangladeshi Prime Minister Tarique during his official visit, and the two leaders jointly announced the building of a China-Bangladesh community with a shared future. Xi emphasized that China will steadfastly maintain friendly relations with Bangladesh regardless of global changes, while the Bangladeshi side reaffirmed its commitment to the One-China principle. The two sides signed multiple cooperation documents on infrastructure, agriculture, and digital economy, and agreed to deepen Belt and Road cooperation and explore a "2+2" dialogue mechanism. Bangladesh also expressed support for Xi’s vision of a community with a shared future for mankind and the Global Initiatives. The article frames this partnership as a model for Global South cooperation, without any mention of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: At a Zhongguancun AI cooperation dialogue, UN Resident Coordinator Siddharth Chatterjee highlighted China’s rapid AI development and called for inclusive international mechanisms to advance AI for sustainable development. WHO Representative Martin noted China’s key role in integrating AI with healthcare, with collaborations improving community services and expanding to developing nations via capacity-building projects. UN-SPIDER Beijing Office head Hamid cited successful data-sharing with Chinese agencies for disaster response in Venezuela, Myanmar, and Afghanistan. UNICEF’s Dora praised China’s evolving regulatory framework for child-safe AI. Haidian Deputy Mayor Tang Chao stated the district is aligning its full AI industry chain with the needs of Belt and Road and Global South countries.
Summary: The article argues that the Philippines' territorial claims and occupation of Chinese features in the South China Sea, including Huangyan Dao and parts of the Nansha Islands, are illegal under international law. It asserts that the Philippines' legal territorial boundaries were established by a series of international treaties, such as the 1898 Treaty of Paris, which place these features outside Philippine territory. The article criticizes Philippine domestic legislation and military exercises with external forces as attempts to legitimize illegal claims. It also highlights that the Batan Islands are not within the Philippines' treaty-defined territory, calling their current control a historical legacy of colonialism. The piece urges the Philippines to cease actions that create legal confusion and to engage in dialogue with China to manage disputes, implicitly addressing the role of external powers in the region.
Summary: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Solomon Islands Foreign Minister Peter Shanel Agovaka in Beijing on July 14. Wang stated that China-Solomon Islands relations are on the right side of history, emphasizing that China's engagement with Pacific Island nations aims to strengthen South-South cooperation without geopolitical motives or pursuit of a "sphere of influence," and should not be disrupted by third parties. He affirmed that Pacific Island countries have the right to independently choose their development partners. Agovaka reaffirmed Solomon Islands' firm commitment to the One-China principle, praising China's contributions to global peace and development. The meeting did not explicitly mention the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The article reports on the 2026 SCO National Civilizations Dialogue held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, attended by approximately 200 representatives from SCO member states. Participants endorsed Chinese President Xi Jinping's vision of a community with a shared future for mankind and his global initiatives as essential public goods for addressing world challenges. Kyrgyz Deputy Prime Minister Ulan Mamatkanyov emphasized the need for substantive dialogue and respect for cultural diversity amid global technological and geopolitical shifts. SCO Deputy Secretary-General Piao Yangfan called for continued mutual respect and cultural exchange to deepen people-to-people ties. The event featured project launches, media cooperation signings, and cultural exhibitions, including a "Chinese Civilization Origins" digital exhibition.
Summary: On the 50th anniversary of the TAZARA railway's full operation, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian stated at a regular press briefing that China is willing to work with Tanzania and Zambia to revitalize the railway and build a path of development, friendship, and modernization. He noted that China built the railway despite its own economic difficulties at the time, calling it a historical monument of China-Africa friendship. No mention was made of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: A Greek youth fencing delegation arrived in Beijing for a ten-day exchange visit, organized by the Hellenic-Chinese Sports and Culture Exchange Association. The accompanying photo shows Chinese and Greek youths engaged in fencing training. No officials’ statements or U.S.-China relations are discussed in the article.
Summary: The article reports on the "Walk and Read China: Entering Tongliao" event organized by the China Journalists Association. During a press briefing, Zhao Hang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Tongliao Municipal Party Committee and head of its Propaganda Department, discussed enhancing the ecological endowment of the Horqin region to promote comprehensive livelihood revitalization. He noted that Tongliao's vegetation coverage has stabilized above 64% through sustained efforts in desertification control and wetland restoration. The city is positioning itself as a national commodity grain base and livestock hub, while developing an integrated green industry cluster for wind power equipment manufacturing and energy storage. No mention is made of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: Wang Huning, Chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, will lead a Chinese party and government delegation on an official goodwill visit to North Korea from July 15 to 17, at the invitation of the Korean Workers' Party and the DPRK government. The announcement was made by a spokesperson for the International Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee. The visit underscores ongoing high-level exchanges between the two ruling parties. No mention was made of the United States or U.S.-China relations in the report.
Summary: The article reports that China's total foreign trade in goods reached 25.47 trillion yuan in the first half of 2024, a record high for the period, with exports and imports both growing significantly. At a State Council Information Office press conference on July 14, Vice Minister of the General Administration of Customs Wang Jun stated that trade growth was driven by strong demand for AI-related hardware and green energy products. Imports grew faster than exports, contributing more to trade expansion and promoting balanced development. The article also notes that China has implemented zero-tariff policies for 63 countries, including 53 African nations, boosting imports from Africa. No mention is made of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The article reports on the expansion of the Shanghai International Science and Technology Innovation Center to encompass the entire Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region, a policy announced by General Secretary Xi Jinping. It highlights how this shift from a single-city to a regional model, driven by "leadership, propulsion, and synergy," leverages the YRD's integrated industrial and supply chains. The piece features statements from officials like Zhang Zhongwei and Liu Jian of the Shanghai发改委 and YRD Office, emphasizing Shanghai's role in driving regional coordination and innovation. This strategic expansion is portrayed as a response to global tech competition, aiming to create a world-class industrial cluster. While the U.S. is not directly mentioned, the context of global technological competition and the attraction of talent like Su Hao, a former UC San Diego professor, implicitly frames this as a move to enhance China's competitive position against the U.S. and other global powers.
Summary: President Xi Jinping has emphasized the need to strengthen top-level planning and optimize the system layout for basic research, adhering to the "four orientations" strategy (frontiers of science, economic main battlefield, national major needs, and people's health). This directive was reiterated during a symposium on basic research in April 2026 and at the National Science and Technology Awards Conference in July 2023. The article highlights concrete achievements in aerospace, agriculture, and medicine—such as the successful controlled recovery of a Long March 10B rocket and breakthroughs in satellite communications and winter cabbage breeding—as evidence of progress under Xi's guidance. Researchers, including teams at China Electronics Technology Group and Peking University, are accelerating self-reliance in key technologies. No mentions of the United States or U.S.-China relations appear in the text.
Summary: President Xi Jinping emphasized the need to strengthen the leading role of national research institutions and universities, encourage new R&D entities, and deepen enterprise-led产学研 integration to bridge basic research, applied development, and commercialization. He made these remarks at a symposium on strengthening basic research in April 2026 and reiterated similar points at the National Science and Technology Awards Conference in July 2026. The article highlights examples such as Fudan University's邹卓 team achieving breakthroughs in neuromorphic chips, Laoshan Laboratory's deep-sea discovery, and Wuhan's "拨转股" mechanism for funding technology transfer. It also notes increased collaboration between enterprises like Trina Solar and universities. No mention of the United States or U.S.-China relations appears in the article.
Summary: Zhang Wentong, Vice Minister of Natural Resources, announced the release of a landmark document to overhaul China’s natural resource asset management system, aiming for a fully established system by 2035. He outlined key reforms, including comprehensive resource surveys, unified ownership registration, and new asset allocation models, to balance economic and ecological value. Zhang Liming of the National Forestry and Grassland Administration highlighted forest, grassland, and wetland coverage data, pledging continued ecological restoration. The plan emphasizes market-based mechanisms, such as competitive mining rights auctions and water rights trading, alongside stricter oversight of resource asset performance. No mention was made of the United States or bilateral relations.
Summary: The article reports on the commencement of the Three Gorges New Waterway Transport Project, a major national project for the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, in Yichang, Hubei. It highlights the careful relocation of 2,265 trees alongside over 2,300 households, emphasizing the government's "green" approach to preserving ecological assets. The piece contrasts this "tender" treatment of nature and cultural heritage with past coarse development, framing it as a shift in governance philosophy toward balancing development and protection. It discusses how this approach, including avoiding harm to fish and reusing excavated soil, reflects a strategy for high-quality development under multiple constraints. The article concludes by linking this "gentle" governance to the goal of people-centered modernization, echoing Xi Jinping’s vision of free and comprehensive human development.
Summary: The article reports that China's National Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters and the Ministry of Emergency Management jointly convened a meeting to deploy flood and typhoon prevention efforts, focusing on Typhoon Bawit and heavy rainfall. The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Emergency Management allocated 430 million yuan for disaster relief across 10 provinces. The National Disaster Reduction Commission activated a Level IV emergency response for Liaoning, while the National Development and Reform Commission provided 30 million yuan for post-disaster recovery. The Ministry of Water Resources issued warnings and managed reservoir operations for the Songhua River flood. The summary does not involve the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The article reports on Zhejiang Province's use of drones, AI, and digital platforms to modernize flood and typhoon defense, shifting from manual methods to intelligent monitoring and data-driven decision-making. It highlights specific actions, such as a drone patrolling Jiangfeng Village to evacuate all 765 residents safely before a flood peak, and another drone discovering a seawall breach in Cangnan County, as noted by local official Yan Hai. In Yuhang District, official Sun Long stated that drones with infrared cameras now complete a full levee inspection in two hours, compared to three days on foot, eliminating blind spots. The article also describes a cross-provincial digital platform for the Hui-Hang Expressway that integrates real-time weather and traffic data for automated risk alerts. There is no mention of the United States or U.S.-China relations in this report.
Summary: The article reports on children and parents visiting the Xiamen Science and Technology Museum in Fujian during summer break to engage with science exhibits and robotics performances. The image was captured by photographer Zeng Demeng on July 12. The piece focuses on educational family activities and does not mention any official statements or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The State Council General Office has transmitted the "Action Plan for the Protection and Treatment of Water Bodies Around the People," drafted by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment and other departments. The plan sets targets for 2030, including the elimination of black and odorous water bodies in counties and townships and the control of livestock pollution. It shifts the focus of water pollution treatment further into county and rural areas, addressing both surface and groundwater. The plan outlines three key tasks: tackling prominent water pollution issues, strengthening source control, and improving supervision and monitoring efficiency. The article does not mention the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: <b style="color:red">[Summary Error - Empty Input]</b>
Summary: The article highlights Nanjing Steel Group's successful transformation into an industrial tourism destination, with guide Wang Chenxin reporting daily visitor numbers reaching nearly 1,000. It details the company's green ecological upgrades and a digital "smart operations center" where engineer Liu Yonghui now manages production remotely, reflecting a shift from traditional labor to data-driven manufacturing. The piece notes that former electrician Zhang Lian's team has grown from a small automation unit to a 600-person service provider exporting "Nanjing Steel experience" to Southeast Asia and beyond. These changes illustrate how traditional manufacturing can evolve into new growth sectors, aligning with China's 15th Five-Year Plan emphasis on smart, green, and integrated development. The article presents these shifts—from tour guide to digital engineer to cross-industry consultant—as interdependent facets of China’s broader industrial upgrading and high-quality economic growth.
Summary: A doctor specializing in female epilepsy recounts her journey of compiling a book and building a global database to help patients safely become mothers, driven by a sense of compassion and duty. She notes that 40% of epilepsy patients worldwide are women of childbearing age, and highlights her work in creating a urine protein test kit that extends seizure warning time to a day. The article, based on an interview conducted by People's Daily reporter Wang Yongzhan, does not discuss the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: Following recent Politburo signals to implement "AI+" actions and develop new forms of intelligent economy, Robin Li (founder of Baidu) argues for a shift in how AI success is measured. He advocates replacing "Token consumption" metrics, which prioritize resource input, with "Daily Active Agents" (DAA) to measure actual productivity and value creation within the real economy. Li emphasizes that AI must move beyond laboratory benchmarks to integrate with manufacturing, logistics, and public services to avoid wasteful, low-level repetition. By leveraging China’s vast application scenarios and complete industrial chains, he suggests China can establish a new development path focused on practical problem-solving rather than speculative technical competition.
Summary: The article reports that, to mark the 105th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party's founding and the 90th anniversary of the Long March, multiple regions across China have launched themed tourism routes and exhibitions, fueling a surge in "red tourism." It highlights that the rising public enthusiasm reflects deep reverence for revolutionary martyrs and demonstrates the enduring vitality of red culture.
Summary: The article analyzes the development model of Kunshan, Jiangsu, a city that built a booming coffee industry despite lacking local coffee bean or cocoa cultivation. It argues that initial success came from "creating something from nothing," leveraging regional market access and Shanghai’s logistics hub. However, the deeper driver is "attracting something with something," using existing strengths in manufacturing, location, and government services to draw in brands, technology, and talent. The piece contrasts this with other regions that failed to sustain similar projects due to weak supporting ecosystems. It concludes that sustainable growth requires both the courage to break resource constraints and the discipline to cultivate a robust industrial foundation.
Summary: The article discusses the nearly 20-year development of China's "rural bookstores" (农家书屋), which have evolved from simple reading spaces into multifunctional cultural hubs in villages. It notes that while some bookstores successfully integrate reading with activities like agricultural training and cultural events, many still lack sufficient resources and popularity. The Central Propaganda Department, Ministry of Finance, and Ministry of Agriculture jointly issued a reform plan to enhance these bookstores through "bookstore+" and "+bookstore" models. The article emphasizes the need to tailor book selections to villagers' interests and to link bookstores with broader cultural and resource networks, including urban-rural exchanges. No mention is made of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: I don't see any article text in your message. Please provide the article content so I can summarize it.
Summary: The article profiles Gu Xiaoxia, a branch manager at China Construction Bank in Guangzhou’s Zengcheng district, who facilitated the green transformation of a local denim factory. She arranged a 2.75 million yuan loan in 2018 to upgrade production equipment, reducing water usage from 100 tons to 1 ton per 10,000 meters of fabric and cutting electricity use by one-third. A second loan of 3.86 million yuan later enabled the firm to develop ice-feel denim and boost sales. Over her career, Gu has coordinated 450 million yuan in inclusive loans, helped over 180 small businesses, and maintained zero complaints while managing over 1.5 billion yuan in assets. The article highlights her role in advancing financial inclusion and rural revitalization, with no mention of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The article highlights the legacy of Sonam Dargye, a conservation hero killed in 1994 while protecting Tibetan antelopes in Hoh Xil, and his unfulfilled wish for tree growth in Zhiduo County, Qinghai, now realized with tens of thousands of saplings. Over 20,000 ecological rangers, including village party secretary Dongzhou Wenjia and ranger Lhagyal, now patrol the Three-River-Source National Park under a “one household, one post” system, transitioning herders from grassland users to protectors. Rangers conduct daily patrols on foot, motorcycles, and battery vehicles, even wading barefoot into wetlands to rescue birds, with many suffering arthritis but persisting. Wildlife recovery, such as the return of Tibetan wild donkeys and wild yaks, is cited as tangible evidence of conservation success. The article does not mention the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: Fu Youxu, a mural restoration specialist at the Dunhuang Academy, described his work as that of a "craftsman" driven by deep interest rather than technical mastery. He emphasized the precision required in handling tools—such as custom-made syringes and curved repair knives—and the importance of "屏气凝神" (holding one's breath and concentrating) during delicate procedures. For the restoration of Cave 150 at Mogao, Fu and five colleagues spent over two months using an innovative "整体复位" (integral repositioning) method to avoid irreversible damage. He noted that "面壁" (facing the wall) for seven-plus hours daily is routine, and that his career has taken him from the Gobi Desert to the Tibetan Plateau, most recently to a cave in Sichuan’s Aba prefecture. Fu urged more young people to join the field, calling cultural relic preservation a "valuable and promising" endeavor.
Summary: The article reports the completion of the final box girder installation on the Xi'an-Chongqing high-speed railway (西渝高铁) in Dazhou, Sichuan. The 32-meter, 700-ton girder was precisely placed on the bridge crossing the Enguang Expressway. This milestone marks the full completion of the line's box girder erection task, laying a solid foundation for the railway's scheduled opening. No officials are quoted or mentioned as accompanying the event. The article does not discuss the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: In an article reviewing the first half of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030), President Xi Jinping stressed focusing on self-improvement and high-quality development, urging officials to act based on local conditions and scientific laws. The report highlights regional achievements, including Guangdong's service sector expansion, Chongqing's AI infrastructure, and Anhui's quantum industry, while noting Xi's July 2025 inspection of a traditional valve manufacturer in Shanxi to underscore the importance of upgrading legacy industries. No mention is made of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The article reports the opening of the 18th China International Chorus Festival at the National Centre for the Performing Arts on July 13, themed "In Beijing, Hear the World's Songs." It notes the participation of 306 choirs with over 15,000 performers from 31 countries and regions, as well as 28 Chinese provinces, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. The festival is guided by the Zi Jing Culture Group, the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, and the China Musicians Association, among others. Running until July 20, it features over 200 events across seven sections, including performances and educational activities. No mention is made of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: <b style="color:red">[Summary Error - Empty Input]</b>
Summary: The article reports on Guanshanhu District in Guiyang, Guizhou, where local officials have reformed digital government services to reduce bureaucratic burdens. Deputy Section Chief Gu Xiumin and Deputy Bureau Chief Huang Keting noted that while digitization initially increased workloads due to non-standardized materials and fragmented systems, the district has since streamlined processes by unifying platforms and templates. The reforms, which reduced business license approval from five days to four hours, also cut redundant data entry for community officials like Gong Ling by consolidating multiple apps into a single platform. The article highlights the balance between data empowerment and avoiding over-reliance on technology, with Huang stressing that data is a tool, not a cure-all. There is no mention of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The article critiques the over-digitization of Chinese grassroots governance, noting that redundant apps and data collection have increased workloads rather than efficiency. It advocates for streamlining bureaucratic systems, enabling cross-departmental data sharing, and prioritizing problem-solving over data metrics. The piece warns against "digital formalism," urging a balance between online efficiency and offline human interaction. No specific officials or U.S.-China relations are mentioned.
Summary: The China Consumers Association released a report on July 14, 2025, based on a survey of 50 residential communities across 21 cities, assessing property management services. The survey found an overall service quality score of 79.82 out of 100 from consumer perception, though experience-based evaluations scored only 70.29, with entry security and customer service failing to meet passing grades. Key issues included over half of communities lacking proper information boards, more than 70% failing to disclose fee revenues and public earnings, and nearly 60% of residents unaware of public maintenance fund usage. The report recommended enacting a dedicated property management law, enhancing transparency and disclosure by service companies, and promoting multi-stakeholder collaboration to improve service standards. No mention was made of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: Four major Chinese state-owned banks—Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Agricultural Bank of China, Bank of China, and China Construction Bank—issued joint risk warnings against fraudulent ads falsely promising high-yield deposit products, such as "5.25% interest for 1 million yuan deposits." The banks stated they offer no such products and urged consumers to ignore these promotions, which aim to lure victims into purchasing overseas insurance or investing in foreign platforms. They advised the public to use only official bank channels for financial services and to never share personal information with strangers.
Summary: The Ministry of Civil Affairs of China announced nine typical cases of illegal social organizations on July 14, including entities falsely claiming emergency rescue, veteran support, and cultural research roles. The Ministry urged the public to verify organizations via official platforms and report suspicious groups to local civil affairs departments. No mention was made of the United States or U.S.-China relations in the article.
Summary: Shandong province launched various public-interest childcare programs during summer break to assist dual-income and migrant-worker families with child supervision. The initiative aims to provide safe, enriching, and diverse activities for children. A photo caption shows children from the "Red Star Dream-Chasing Youth Group" summer camp in Liaocheng conducting formation drills. No official statements or mentions of the United States or U.S.-China relations appear in the article.
Summary: The National Financial Regulatory Administration and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism jointly issued a risk alert about deceptive travel promotions falsely claiming "insurance customer exclusive subsidies" or "free insurance company tours." A relevant department head from the financial regulator warned consumers to verify the authenticity of such activities through official insurance company channels and to avoid private, unverifiable invitations. They also advised confirming that travel agencies hold legal operating qualifications and signing written package tour contracts with clear dispute-resolution clauses. The alert urged consumers to report any suspected illegal behavior by travel agencies or guides via the local 12345 hotline.
Summary: The article reports on the fifth anniversary of Shanghai’s pioneering regulations on soliciting public suggestions, highlighting how delivery rider Lu Hong saw his proposal for extended community canteen hours adopted. It details the city’s mechanism for processing over 410,000 public suggestions, which have been converted into policies like the "免申即享" elderly subsidy reform. Qian Chenyi, director of the Shanghai信访办's public suggestion collection division, described a "seven-step" closed-loop process to ensure implementation. Deputy director Qi Keping stated that suggestion departments will further expand channels and improve participation mechanisms to build a shared urban governance community. No mention is made of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: <b style="color:red">[Summary Error - Empty Input]</b>
Summary: <b style="color:red">[Summary Error - Empty Input]</b>
Summary: At the July 2025 Central Urban Work Conference, Xi Jinping emphasized building modern people-centered cities that are innovative, livable, beautiful, resilient, civilized, and smart. The article highlights China's urban achievements, including elevator installations in old neighborhoods and new cultural tourism from industrial sites. It calls for innovation-driven growth, responsive public services, green development, strengthened safety, moral governance, and digital efficiency. The piece underscores that urban modernization ultimately aims to improve citizens' quality of life. No mention is made of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: I cannot provide a summary because no article was included in your message. Please share the text you would like summarized.
Summary: Under the leadership of Xi Jinping, China achieved the historic elimination of absolute poverty among over 7.1 million registered disabled individuals by 2020. Xi stressed that disabled persons must not be left behind, and the article highlights a systematic policy framework addressing survival, development, and environmental support. The piece frames these efforts as a distinct Chinese model that goes beyond Western charity-based approaches. It also presents China's success as a global reference for developing countries and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. No accompanying officials are named, and no mention of the United States or U.S.-China relations appears in the text.
Summary: During an inspection in Dezhou, Shandong on June 24, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that the ultimate goal of establishing a correct view on political performance is to benefit the people. The article stresses that officials must prioritize the people's interests over personal position or safety, contrasting the attitudes of "carrying the official hat to serve the people" versus "covering the hat for personal gain." It calls for effective and innovative solutions to address public grievances, such as the "can't-do" windows at government service centers. The piece also warns against good intentions that miss actual needs, citing Xi's caution against solving one problem while creating ten regrets. The commentary ties these principles to broader governance, implicitly reinforcing the Party's people-centered approach without direct reference to the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The article discusses ecological security as a critical component of national security, citing President Xi Jinping's call to strengthen ecological protection for the sake of national security, sustainable development, and future generations. It highlights that the "15th Five-Year Plan" mandates building ecological security barriers, and argues that the newly compiled Ecological Environment Code—set to take effect on August 15, 2025—provides a systematic legal framework to replace fragmented, element-based governance. The code emphasizes "systematic governance" over "comprehensive governance," includes over 20 provisions on ecological security, and establishes mechanisms for ecological space protection, risk prevention, and whole-process risk management. The author, a professor at China University of Political Science and Law, stresses the need for coordinated implementation across pollution control, ecological protection, and green development to achieve comprehensive ecological security.
Summary: The article emphasizes President Xi Jinping’s directive to strengthen manufacturing as foundational to Chinese-style modernization, urging continued focus on the sector. It highlights the need for “intelligent transformation, digitalization, and network connectivity” in manufacturing, aligning with the 15th Five-Year Plan to integrate digital technologies. The author calls for bolstering infrastructure, including industrial data systems and AI models, to support this transformation. It advises tailored strategies for enterprises and regions to avoid a one-size-fits-all approach, leveraging pilot projects and scalable scenarios. The piece also stresses creating a supportive ecosystem through data reforms, financial tools, and talent development, without directly mentioning the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The article reports on overseas promotional events for the fifth volume of "Xi Jinping: The Governance of China" held in Turkey and Sri Lanka. Turkish Deputy Speaker of the Grand National Assembly Celal Adan and Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism Gökhan Yazgı were among those accompanying the event, praising the work as a key reference for understanding China's policies and the logic of its development. Sri Lankan Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne and other officials emphasized the book offers a valuable perspective on China's governance and its path to modernization. The discussions highlighted how exchanges on governance, centered on modernization, can enhance political trust and align development strategies. While the article does not directly discuss the United States or U.S.-China relations, it focuses on China's global initiatives and cooperation with Turkey and Sri Lanka.
Summary: No article text was provided for summarization. Please include the article content so I can generate a concise summary for professional analysts.
Summary: The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security released its "15th Five-Year Plan" for the sector, with a responsible official from the Planning and Finance Department outlining the plan's background, structure, and goals. The plan emphasizes strengthening human resource development, ensuring stable employment, and improving social security, setting targets such as keeping urban surveyed unemployment within 5.5% and achieving 95% basic pension coverage. It introduces new measures including an "AI + Human Resources and Social Security" initiative and large-scale vocational training programs. The official noted that the plan aligns with central leadership directives, featuring dedicated chapters on regional coordination and skills training. No mention was made of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The article discusses how Chinese grassroots officials, such as Zhao Beilei in Zhejiang and Xiang Jinyuan in Hunan, avoid media attention due to fear of being perceived as engaging in "performance" or facing online harassment. It highlights that while the party opposes formalism, an overly critical public and online environment creates "camera phobia" among diligent officials. The piece argues that society should tolerate the "unpolished" appearances of officials in disaster response and that authorities must legally punish malicious online behavior to protect those who work hard. It calls for fostering a healthy, inclusive atmosphere that allows genuine officials to face the media without fear, ensuring their contributions are recognized rather than obscured by fear of criticism. No direct mention is made of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: Yunnan province has introduced new maternity medical support policies, effective July 10, jointly issued by the provincial healthcare security bureau, finance department, health commission, and tax bureau. The policy requires flexible employees, migrant workers, and gig economy workers covered by职工医保 to participate in maternity insurance without separate contributions, with 0.5 percentage points of the medical insurance rate allocated to maternity insurance. Those paying continuously for 12 months can claim both medical expense reimbursement and maternity津贴; those paying 6-12 months can only claim expense reimbursement. Prenatal checkup coverage is expanded: employees' out-of-pocket costs beyond the fixed subsidy are reimbursable under regular outpatient rules, while urban-rural residents' reimbursement rate rises to 50% with an annual outpatient cap of 1,000 yuan. The measures aim to ease the financial burden of childbirth and support a birth-friendly society.
Summary: On July 14, students from Jiangsu Normal University’s College of Life Sciences participated in a “three rural” social practice activity in Fangcun Town, Tongshan District, Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province. They showcased and promoted local specialty agricultural products to online audiences. The photo was taken by Kuai Chuang. No officials were reported as accompanying the students, and the article does not discuss the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: In Gaoshan village, Chengdu, young entrepreneur Dai Chao developed garlic coffee using a sulfur-removal process with Sichuan Agricultural University, selling over 90,000 cups and raising local garlic prices from 3 to 8 yuan per jin. Village Party Secretary Yan Zeju reported that the collective invests idle assets for equity, earning a guaranteed 150,000 yuan annual dividend, with total village income reaching 8.3 million yuan in 2025. He Jie, deputy director of Wenjiang’s urban-rural integration center, stressed that entrepreneurs must fully integrate into the village to mobilize residents. A Chengdu Agriculture Bureau official noted that the city’s three-year rural development plan has built 150 pioneer villages and boosted collective revenue beyond 4.3 billion yuan. The article highlights rural revitalization through grassroots innovation and collective-private partnerships.
Summary: The article reports on a press briefing by Li Xiaoning, deputy chief physician and head of the Disinfection and Vector Control Department at the Guangzhou CDC, who provided guidance on selecting mosquito repellent products. Li categorized mainstream products into physical, chemical synthetic, and natural plant-based types, noting their varying safety and efficacy for different age groups and scenarios. He specifically advised against using chemical space repellents like electric mosquito coils for infants, pregnant women, and those with respiratory conditions, and warned that traditional mosquito coils should only be used by healthy adults in well-ventilated areas. Li emphasized that all repellent products must bear a “WP”-prefixed pesticide registration number, cautioning consumers to avoid agricultural-use products with “PD” numbers and dismissing ultrasonic devices as unscientific. The article does not discuss the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: <b style="color:red">[Summary Error - Empty Input]</b>
Summary: <b style="color:red">[Summary Error - Empty Input]</b>
Summary: The article emphasizes that rural revitalization requires both material development and cultural enrichment, with civilized customs as a key internal driver. It reports that officials have promoted the dissemination of Party theories into villages, alongside training for local cultural talent to preserve farming traditions and folk customs. Efforts to reform outdated practices focus on curbing high bride prices and excessive social competition, while village cultural activities like "village BA" basketball and "village galas" have flourished. Urban-rural partnerships, such as the "Three Delivering" campaign, have facilitated cultural exchanges between city venues and villages. No specific official or accompanying figures were named, and no mention was made of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: I cannot provide a summary because no article content was provided. The text only includes a layout design credit ("版式设计：沈亦伶"). Please paste the article you would like summarized.
Summary: The article reports on efforts to preserve the traditional opera form "Han Diao Guang Guang" in Hanzhong, Shaanxi, highlighting government support through annual subsidies of over 5 million yuan and public performance purchases. Zhao Hong, director of the Han Diao Guang Guang Inheritance and Development Center, emphasized that without government backing, the art form might not have survived, noting that actor salaries now match local public-sector levels. Young performers, including Li Yazhi and Tao Hongru, use mobile stages and digital platforms to reach rural audiences, blending traditional opera with pop songs and modern staging. The initiative has transformed the once-endangered art into a cultural brand, with over 2,000 performances in a decade and partnerships with schools for long-term传承. No mention is made of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The article reports on the "Love Mother Station" initiative in Hubei Province, where local妇联 (Women's Federation) officials, such as 56-year-old Xie Ai'e, serve as volunteer "love mothers" to support disadvantaged children. Xie, a village妇联 chairwoman, has mentored a 13-year-old girl named Xiaoyue since she was nine, helping her become more outgoing and improve academically. The program, launched in 2025, operates through Xinhua Bookstore branches, providing reading spaces, psychological counseling, and parenting classes. Hubei Provincial Women's Federation Vice Chair Zhang Lijun stated the initiative aims to expand to more counties to promote family reading and support services. The article does not mention the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The Ministries of Education, Culture and Tourism, and Finance jointly issued a notice to launch the 2026 Elegant Art on Campus activity. The notice states that 74 performances will be arranged, including opera, drama, symphony, and other stage arts, with an emphasis on educational value and cultural内涵. Art troupes and universities will participate, with 25 performances by professional troupes and 49 by universities. The activities will also include lectures, workshops, and art salons to enhance student engagement and skills. No mention was made of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The article reports that China's "Thousand-Eye Sky Pearl" (DART) and the "China Sky Eye" (FAST) jointly detected a long-period radio transient source, DART J1832–0911, in a supernova remnant, emitting signals every 44.27 minutes. This marks DART's first nighttime astronomical observation since its completion and the first discovery of a long-period variable source within a supernova remnant, providing evidence for ultra-slow cosmic radio pulses. DART, a key component of the Meridian Project Phase II, is the world's largest synthetic aperture radio telescope, located in Sichuan and operated by the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The Meridian Project Phase II was described as the world's first comprehensive ground-based space environment monitoring facility covering the entire Sun-Earth space, signaling China's leading position in this field. No mention was made of the United States or U.S.-China relations in the article.
Summary: Anhui's natural resources, culture, and development departments jointly issued a notice to support cultural tourism projects while safeguarding farmland. The notice prohibits occupying permanent basic farmland for tourism development, including lake-building and artificial ponds. It also bans large amusement facilities and imitation ancient cities from crossing the arable land red line. A seven-department coordination mechanism will provide streamlined services across project approval, planning, and operation. No mention was made of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The article reports on the opening of a special exhibition in Nanchang, Jiangxi, marking the 400th anniversary of the birth of the Ming-Qing dynasty painter Bada Shanren (Zhu Da). It details that 129 pieces of his calligraphy and paintings from over 20 cultural institutions are on display across two venues, the Jiangxi Provincial Museum and the Bada Shanren Memorial Hall, until October 10. The exhibition is divided into two thematic sections, with the museum showing 25 works and the memorial hall showing 104. The report notes Bada Shanren’s background as a native of Nanchang and his artistic focus on painting combined with poetry and seal carving. No mention is made of any official statements, accompanying officials, or references to the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The article credits layout design to Shen Yiling, with no further content or reporting on officials, statements, or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The article reports that six Chinese ministries, including the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, jointly issued the "15th Five-Year Plan for the Prevention and Control of Solid Waste Pollution." An official from the Ministry of Ecology and Environment explained that the plan aims to address solid waste as a weak link in building a "Beautiful China," targeting the over 11 billion tons of annual waste and historical stockpiles. Key goals for 2030 include curbing illegal dumping, achieving full coverage of digital monitoring, and establishing numerous "zero-waste cities." The plan sets a target to reduce the proportion of hazardous waste landfilled to under 10% nationwide by 2030. The official emphasized that the plan focuses on tackling key areas like illegal disposal and will use a two-year trial period to assess provincial performance based on annual reduction rates.
Summary: China's Ministry of Water Resources issued a work plan for 2026–2028 to establish a system for surveying, monitoring, and evaluating springs, aiming to enhance their protection and governance. The plan sets a goal by 2028 to create a national database and map of springs, standardize monitoring, and identify key springs and their recharge areas. Officials accompanying the announcement were not specified in the provided text. The article does not mention the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: China’s first large-scale seawater desalination testing facility, located in Tianjin, has officially commenced operations by completing its initial verification of a domestically produced positive-displacement rotor-type energy recovery device. The device, considered the “heart” of reverse osmosis desalination systems, was tested for efficiency and energy consumption, providing critical data to reduce reliance on overseas validation. The facility, operated under the Ministry of Natural Resources’ Tianjin Institute of Seawater Desalination and Multipurpose Utilization, is the nation’s largest pilot and industrialization platform for the full desalination chain. It can offer multi-scenario, long-cycle validation for various components, filling a gap in China’s public desalination testing capacity. The platform’s launch supports the development of Tianjin Port Free Trade Zone’s marine economy by enabling a tight local R&D-testing-manufacturing cycle.
Summary: The article reports that Hebei province completed over 14 million mu of tasks under the "Three-North" shelterbelt project from June 2023 to the end of May 2026, with sandified land across the province largely treated. It details that Hebei has established a governance framework of "three regions, five major projects," targeting 56.08 million mu of forest and grassland construction by 2030, while integrating sand control into the forest chief evaluation system to shift from scale expansion to quality and efficiency. The provincial forestry bureau introduced a "reveal the list and take command" mechanism to tackle key vegetation restoration techniques, achieving survival rates of 92% for drought-tolerant species and over 95% with the "Hao's afforestation method." Additionally, Hebei is exploring an "integrated forestry-pastoral model" to develop ecological livestock and underforest economies, allowing local communities to benefit. Sandified land in Hebei has shrunk for four consecutive monitoring periods, and the province plans to advance a quality improvement year in 2026 with 3.843 million mu of construction tasks.
Summary: The article reports that the giant panda cub of "Liangyue" at Chongqing Zoo, nicknamed "Little Moon," celebrated its first birthday, having grown from 188 grams at birth to 36.5 kilograms. On its birthday, the cub's official name was announced as "Wangshu."
Summary: Beijing's Xiangshan Park established a new ancient tree conservation zone in 2025, covering 323 trees. Deputy director Song Lizhou explained that systemic repairs—including drainage, light improvement, and soil aeration—were implemented to address issues like root waterlogging and decay, emphasizing that the work focuses on habitat rather than aesthetics. A bamboo-steel boardwalk was added for visitor access without harming tree roots. The park plans to expand these conservation practices and introduce "ancient tree observer" activities.
Summary: A 2025 water and soil conservation report for the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region shows total erosion area fell to 14,515.76 square kilometers, a 1.88% decrease from 2024, with both hydraulic and wind erosion declining. High-intensity erosion dropped by 50.38%. The region’s conservation rate reached 78.14%. National key projects, including small watershed management and check-dam construction, treated 313.33 square kilometers. Additionally, 12 ecological product transactions across seven counties generated 12.4 million yuan.
Summary: The article highlights the Zhengzhou University ultra-short ultra-strong laser platform as Henan Province’s first major scientific infrastructure, emphasizing party-building-led cooperation between the university and local government. The university’s party secretary and president head the platform’s leadership group, while Xingyang city established a joint work team with regular meetings to resolve cross-level issues. The university and local authorities are integrating party branches with the platform’s operations, conducting joint training, and using public outreach to enhance scientific education. The platform has attracted 13 national-level talents, produced publications in *Nature*, and achieved technology transfers, including a novel ultra-high-energy electron radiotherapy system. No reference to the United States or U.S.-China relations appears in the article.
Summary: <b style="color:red">[Summary Error - Empty Input]</b>
Summary: The article reports that "comfort women" statues in the Philippines were removed shortly after installation, while a Japanese shrine honoring kamikaze pilots—criticized as glorifying militarism—was erected. Survivors, now aged 93–97, continue to demand Japan's apology and compensation, with lawyer Suarez noting Japan’s refusal has caused secondary trauma. Philippine officials, including former President Aquino III, have dismissed the issue as resolved, and the government facilitated the removal of memorials under Japanese pressure. Local analysts warn that forgetting history and aligning with Japan risks repeating past atrocities.
Summary: German authors Volker Hellrung and Christian Schmidt recently held a book launch in Germany detailing their 7,000-kilometer cycling journey along the historical Long March route to present an authentic view of the event and contemporary China to European readers. During the event, Hellrung emphasized that the Long March's success stemmed from steadfast determination and a deep connection with the people rather than mere coincidence. The article notes that while contemporary European discourse regarding China's rise is often characterized by competition and anxiety, these authors' work reflects a broader European search for resilience amidst domestic strategic and economic uncertainties. The piece also references American journalist Edgar Snow, noting that his seminal work *Red Star Over China* originally introduced the Long March to the global stage.
Summary: Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian expressed deep concern over renewed military conflict in the Gulf region, urging all parties to exercise restraint. He emphasized that restoring safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz is a shared international goal. Lin was responding to a question about U.S. maritime sanctions on Iran and whether China would take measures to mitigate their impact. He called on relevant parties to respect the lawful rights of littoral states and avoid escalation. Lin reaffirmed China’s commitment to promoting stability in the Gulf, citing President Xi Jinping’s four-point proposal.
Summary: The Cuban government condemned the U.S. expansion of sanctions to include the Ministry of Tourism and other entities. Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel stated via social media that the new sanctions list constitutes an economic war aimed at crippling Cuba’s economy. He added that Washington’s escalating pressure seeks to harm the Cuban people. The U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control added the tourism ministry and other state bodies to its sanctions list. Cuba has also denounced the U.S. measures as “genocidal” at the United Nations.
Summary: A UNHCR report warns of a severe security and humanitarian crisis in the Lake Chad Basin, with recorded security incidents surging 80% from January 2024 to April 2026 and over 3.5 million people displaced. Violence from extremist groups like Boko Haram has spread across Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, and Niger, exacerbated by resource competition and a shrinking lake. The Lake Chad Basin Commission adopted a new stabilization strategy in January 2025, and the African Union extended the mandate of the Multinational Joint Task Force through January 2027. China's deputy permanent representative to the UN, Sun Lei, urged international support for regional counter-terrorism efforts and increased resources for the task force. Despite EU aid pledges, the UNHCR urgently needs $29 million by end of 2026 to maintain critical operations.
Summary: EU countries imported a record 9.89 million tons of LNG from Russia's Yamal project in the first half of 2026, a 18% increase year-on-year, costing approximately €6 billion. France, Belgium, and Spain were the primary importers, with volumes of 3.6 million, 2.9 million, and 2.7 million tons respectively. The surge was driven by pre-ban stockpiling ahead of the EU's April ban on short-term Russian LNG imports, though long-term contracts remain permitted until January 2027.
Summary: <b style="color:red">[Summary Error - Empty Input]</b>
Summary: The article reports that Baixiang Food Company is integrating green and low-carbon principles into its product design, manufacturing, and consumer communication to support high-quality development. It highlights the company’s receipt of the "Double Easy" certification for its noodle packaging, which improves recyclability, and its deployment of energy-saving measures across factories. The piece details efforts such as installing digital energy management platforms, photovoltaic power generation, and biomass boilers to reduce emissions. It also notes the company’s use of packaging labels to promote green consumption to the public. No mention is made of any official, accompanying persons, or the United States.
Summary: A Chinese media article reports that a European heatwave has caused a surge in demand for Chinese air conditioners, which are now seen as an essential "summer survival" item. It attributes this success not to low prices but to the adaptability, stability, and innovation of Chinese manufacturing, highlighting portable split units that solve European installation issues. The report notes that companies like Midea rapidly developed prototypes and leveraged complete supply chains for efficient delivery. It argues this phenomenon demonstrates China's shift from a low-cost "world factory" to a global "innovation engine." The article references the *Wall Street Journal* to support its claim that China's advantages now include supply chain completeness, scale, and continuous innovation.
Summary: Chinese shipbuilding is experiencing a boom, with first-quarter 2025 metrics showing global leadership in completion, new orders, and backlog, driven by rising demand, green shipping transitions, and geopolitical factors. Industry officials like Li Yong (deputy general manager of Nantong COSCO KHI) and Li Yanqing (deputy secretary general of the China Association of the National Shipbuilding Industry) highlighted full production capacity, orders extending to 2030, and breakthroughs in high-end vessels such as LNG carriers, large cruise ships, and methanol dual-fuel containers. Manufacturers have expanded capabilities across the full spectrum of ship types, while smart manufacturing and localized supply chains (including domestic engines and ultra-low-temperature valves) have boosted efficiency and cost control. The article notes that firms are focusing on stable delivery, AI integration, and international service expansion to sustain growth through the industry’s cyclical nature. No mention of the United States or U.S.-China relations appears in the text.
Summary: The article highlights Qufu, Confucius’s birthplace, which leverages its Confucian cultural heritage to drive economic openness and high-quality development despite being an inland city. By hosting events like the International Confucius Cultural Festival and Nishan World Civilization Forum, Qufu fosters global cultural exchanges and attracts foreign trade and investment. The city uses digital technologies such as VR and AR to bring Confucian sites to life, boosting cultural exports and tourism, with Jinan’s overseas social media campaigns reaching billions of views. Its business environment, rooted in Confucian values of trust and integrity, appeals to high-end manufacturing and green energy firms. This blend of culture and economy positions Qufu as a model for inland cities pursuing open development.
Summary: No article content was provided for summarization. The user's message only contains the credit line "版式设计：沈亦伶" (Layout design: Shen Yiling), which is not a substantive article. Please supply the article text for analysis.
Summary: In June, China’s National Bureau of Statistics released a new indicator, “total retail sales of social consumer goods and services,” which for January–May showed a 2.8% year-on-year increase. The shift in statistical scope reflects a profound change in China’s consumption structure, with service consumption emerging as a key growth driver—service retail sales grew 5.4% versus 1.2% for goods. Per capita service consumption spending reached 46.1% of total spending in 2025, nearly half of household consumption. The article emphasizes the deep integration of goods and services in modern consumer scenarios, creating new growth points through innovation and cross-sector fusion. It concludes that expanding high-quality service supply alongside goods consumption will unlock the potential of China’s超大 market and support high-quality development.
Summary: The article reports on Nanping City in Fujian Province, where the bamboo industry’s full-chain output value exceeded 500 billion yuan in 2025, an 8% year-on-year increase, driven by a comprehensive "whole-bamboo utilization" strategy. Company representatives, including Lin Jingfu of Lianhua Qigong and Duan Zhenguang of Furen Group, highlighted innovations such as rapid freezing technology for fresh bamboo shoots and the conversion of bamboo waste into high-end panels. The city is expanding applications into bamboo-based drones, golf tees, and biodegradable packaging, with firms like Longzhu Technology and Yangzhu New Materials emphasizing cost and environmental advantages over plastics and carbon fiber. Nanping aims to achieve a total industrial chain value of 100 billion yuan by 2030 under its "Bamboo Industry Thousand Billion Action Plan." No U.S. or U.S.-China relations are mentioned.
Summary: A consumer survey by consumer associations in Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei found that over 70% of passengers lack sufficient knowledge of their rights regarding flight overbooking, a common industry practice to manage seat inventory. The survey identified key issues: poor awareness of overbooking rules, inadequate disclosure of risks during ticket purchase, and a lack of transparent industry communication. While nearly 85% of passengers have heard of overbooking, only about a quarter clearly understand their entitlements to refunds, accommodations, and compensation. The associations have clarified passengers' legal rights, including the right to information, priority for vulnerable groups, and cash compensation, and urged airlines to improve transparency. This consumer advocacy effort occurs as China’s civil aviation sector prepares for a peak summer travel season, with implications for domestic service standards and consumer protection.
Summary: The article text was not provided. Please include the article content so I can generate a concise summary according to your guidelines.
Summary: <b style="color:red">[Summary Error - Empty Input]</b>
Summary: In a remote border village in Xinjiang's Pamir高原, the article profiles Buyi Yusupu Tuka Lake, an exemplary border guard who, alongside other guards, was arranged by the local government to visit Beijing and witness the flag-raising at Tiananmen Square, describing the experience as like returning to a mother's embrace. He and his family have served as border guards for generations, with his children learning to accompany him on patrols from a young age. The article highlights the pride of these guards, who endure harsh conditions and view their work as essential for national security and their children's future. Buyi Yusupu expressed gratitude to volunteer teachers from other regions, noting that the villagers wrote to President Xi Jinping, who acknowledged their small village near the China-Kyrgyzstan border. The story also features a multi-generational border guard family where the grandmother and her sons, all Communist Party members, emphasize a family motto linking border security to national stability and the well-being of herders.
Summary: The article is a speech by Ji Guang, President of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, who argued that ancient medical pioneers like Zhang Zhongjing and Li Shizhen would embrace modern tools such as clinical big data and AI to advance Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). He emphasized that TCM’s history is one of continuous innovation, from acupuncture needles evolving from stone to stainless steel and now to laser and nano-tech. Ji stressed the importance of "shouzheng chuangxin" (upholding fundamentals while innovating), citing historical integration of Western medicine by figures like Zhang Xichun and Shi Jinmo. The speech did not mention the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The article describes "bazi rou" (braised pork belly) as Jinan’s iconic local dish, tracing its origins to a legend about the Three Brothers of the Peach Garden and its cooking method dating back to the Northern Wei period. It highlights the dish's standardization by a major local chain that expanded to Beijing, as well as the emergence of novel products like bazi rou pizza and ice cream. The author notes that bazi rou, with its bold appearance but delicate flavor, embodies Jinan’s character—a northern city with a Jiangnan-like elegance, where locals say life is “just right” when complemented by this affordable, satisfying comfort food.
Summary: The provided text is not an article but merely the title and provenance of a painting ("A Thunderbolt out of the Clear Sky") by Chang Shuhong, housed in the National Art Museum of China. It contains no political analysis, official statements, or discussion of U.S.-China relations. No summary is possible.
Summary: The article is a descriptive piece about a lakeside wetland, detailing its diverse plant life, including wildflowers like fleabane and lobelia, and aquatic plants such as lotus, reeds, and cattails. It highlights the ecological importance of reeds and cattails, noting their practical uses in traditional crafts and medicine, and references the ancient Chinese classic *Book of Songs*. The author reflects on the historical significance of wild rice, once a staple grain that transformed into a vegetable due to fungal infection. The text does not mention any Chinese officials, political statements, or U.S.-China relations, focusing solely on natural observation and cultural nostalgia.
Summary: The provided article is a descriptive account of Yunnan's wild mushroom season, detailing varieties like qingtoujun and jianshouqing, their culinary uses, and the local culture of foraging. It does not report on any political official's statements or actions, nor does it discuss the United States or U.S.-China relations. The text focuses solely on natural phenomena, market practices, and personal experiences related to mushroom gathering in Yunnan.
Summary: The provided text is a poem describing the natural beauty and tranquility of the Inner Mongolian grasslands, evoking imagery of dawn, dew, snowmelt, and the birth of a “first poem” from pastoral life. It emphasizes themes of stillness, grace, and the connection between humans and the landscape. No officials, political statements, or references to the United States or U.S.-China relations appear in the content. The poem stands as a lyrical, apolitical depiction of grassland life.
Summary: The article is a personal memoir about the author’s mother, a rural Chinese woman with little formal education but great resilience. It describes her hard labor, emotional strength, and pivotal role in saving the author’s life during childhood illness. The mother later supported her sons’ education, enabling them to move to Beijing and eventually to Shenzhen. The narrative highlights her tears as expressions of hardship, joy, and enduring familial love. No mention is made of U.S. relations or political figures.
Summary: No article was provided for summarization. Please include the article text so I can produce the requested summary.
By: 本报记者 刘诗瑶 喻思南
"We must strengthen overall planning and top-level design, and optimize the systematic layout of basic research. Adhere to the strategic orientation of the 'Four Orientations' (四个面向), and further clarify the main attack direction and key areas of basic research."
——Emphasized by General Secretary Xi Jinping at the Symposium on Strengthening Basic Research in April 2026
On July 10, at the Hainan Commercial Space Launch Site, the Long March 10B carrier rocket successfully completed its maiden flight, achieving the first controlled recovery of a Chinese carrier rocket. China's aerospace industry repeatedly makes history, and this is inseparable from breakthroughs in basic research in materials preparation, fluid dynamics, space physics, and other areas.
On July 8, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized at the National Science and Technology Awards Conference, the Conference of Academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Academy of Engineering, and the 11th National Congress of the China Association for Science and Technology: "We must adhere to the strategic orientation of the 'Four Orientations' (四个面向), further strengthen coordination in science and technology strategic planning, policy measures, major tasks, research forces, resource platforms, regional innovation, and other aspects, raise the organizational level of scientific and technological breakthroughs, and enhance the overall effectiveness of the national innovation system."
In September 2020, General Secretary Xi Jinping proposed the "Four Orientations" at the Symposium of Scientists: "Adhere to facing the world's scientific and technological frontiers, facing the main economic battlefield, facing the nation's major needs, and facing the people's life and health." In April 2026, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized at the Symposium on Strengthening Basic Research: "We must strengthen overall planning and top-level design, optimize the systematic layout of basic research. Adhere to the strategic orientation of the 'Four Orientations' and further clarify the main attack direction and key areas of basic research."
Thoroughly implementing the important directives of General Secretary Xi Jinping, the vast number of scientific researchers accelerate the realization of high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and self-strengthening.
Facing the world's scientific and technological frontiers, strengthening basic research is key to achieving scientific and technological leadership and overtaking on curves.
"Combine the world's scientific and technological frontiers with the nation's major strategic needs and economic and social development goals," General Secretary Xi Jinping's thinking is far-reaching.
At the China Electronics Technology Group Corporation Industrial Basic Research Institute (中国电科产业基础研究院) in Shijiazhuang, Hebei, Zhang Lei (张磊), leader of the Low-Earth-Orbit Satellite Internet Communication Commando Team, led his team to overcome key technologies such as silicon-based radio-frequency high-density integration technology, achieving independent research and development and rapid delivery of low-orbit satellite communication devices.
In May 2023, when General Secretary Xi Jinping inspected and researched at the China Electronics Technology Group Corporation Industrial Basic Research Institute, he emphasized: "We must aim at national strategic needs, systematically arrange key innovation resources, leverage the advantages of deep integration of industry, academia, and research, and continuously achieve new breakthroughs in key core technologies."
"Keep the entrustment in mind, we must strive to produce more original results," Zhang Lei said. The eight-beam phased array developed by the team, compared with traditional devices, reduces volume and weight by 50% and receiver power consumption by 50%, better meeting the needs of low-cost and rapid networking for satellite internet.
Facing the main economic battlefield, basic research is an important force driving economic development and improving people's livelihoods.
At the Overwintering Cabbage Research and Development Center in Panjiawan Town, Jiayu County (嘉鱼县潘家湾镇), Hubei, a team led by Zhang Yangyong (张扬勇), a researcher at the Institute of Vegetables and Flowers of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (中国农业科学院蔬菜花卉研究所), is accelerating breeding research.
On November 5, 2024, when General Secretary Xi Jinping inspected the Ten-Li Vegetable Corridor in Panjiawan Town, he pointed out: "To develop modern agriculture and build an agricultural power, we must rely on scientific and technological progress, and let science and technology add wings of flight to agricultural modernization."
Overwintering cabbage is mainly distributed in the Yangtze River basin and needs to withstand low temperatures of around minus 6 degrees Celsius. Previously, domestic varieties had weak cold resistance, and 90% of overwintering cabbage seeds on the market relied on imports.
To make the people's "vegetable basket" more stable to carry and fuller to pack, independent control of germplasm resources is crucial. Zhang Yangyong's team transformed sterile cold-resistant and disease-resistant cabbage materials into fertile materials, breaking the bottleneck of scarce available resources.
"Strive to increase the localization rate of overwintering cabbage varieties to over 90% within five years!" Zhang Yangyong said confidently.
Facing the nation's major needs, the Chang'e lunar exploration, the BeiDou navigation system, and the Zhurong Mars exploration — the roots of the dream of a strong nation are deeply planted in the fertile soil of basic research.
In 2022, the Youth Team for Space Station Construction of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation wrote to General Secretary Xi Jinping, reporting on their situation of bravely shouldering heavy burdens to promote the development of aerospace science and technology.
The General Secretary replied, encouraging everyone to "dare to innovate and break through, shine the dazzling light of youth on the journey of chasing dreams in space, and make new contributions to achieving high-level self-reliance and self-strengthening in China's aerospace science and technology."
Now, the China Space Station has completed autonomous construction and independent operation. This team has always remained on the front line, contributing to the safe and stable operation of the space home.
"We are fully building a digital space station, using virtual simulation technology to simulate and rehearse the docking, assembly, and operation of expansion modules in advance, reducing the risks of actual space missions," said Wang Wei (王为), a member of the Youth Team for Space Station Construction, and his colleagues are racing against time to tackle new topics.
Facing the people's life and health, basic research in the pharmaceutical field provides strong support for advancing the construction of a Healthy China.
On May 2, 2018, when General Secretary Xi Jinping inspected Peking University, he pointed out: "Higher education institutions are an important part of the scientific and technological innovation system, and university researchers are an important team for China's scientific and technological innovation."
Over the past eight years, the team of Deng Hongkui (邓宏魁) at Peking University, guided by solving real clinical problems, has pioneered a new technology of "chemical small molecule-induced reprogramming of human cells," opening a path for regenerative medicine to treat major diseases.
"This new technology has better safety and controllability in clinical application," Deng Hongkui introduced. Relevant clinical trials are progressing smoothly, and it is expected to aid in the treatment of diabetes.
Scientists broke through the biosynthesis challenge of the anticancer natural drug from Cephalotaxus fortunei (三尖杉) for the first time, and Qingfeng Pharmaceutical's (青峰医药) Bulixitan (布立西坦) injection and oral solution were approved for market... Medical research results are born in laboratories and transformed into more accessible drugs and more inclusive technologies.
Adhering to the "Four Orientations," building strong capabilities in basic research and original innovation, supporting the vast number of scientific researchers to continuously produce major original and disruptive scientific and technological achievements, the foundation of high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and self-strengthening will surely be continuously consolidated.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 李君强 黄晓慧
“Strengthen the leading role of national scientific research institutions and high-level research-oriented universities, encourage and regulate the development of new-type research and development institutions, promote enterprise-led deep integration of industry, academia, research, and application, and open up the innovation chain covering basic research, application development, and achievement transformation.”
——Emphasized by General Secretary Xi Jinping at the symposium on strengthening basic research in April 2026
On July 13, in Shanghai’s Yangpu District, at the Zuquan Research Institute (祖泉研究院) Brain-like Intelligence Future Innovation Center, a brain-like computing board that had just completed testing was inserted into a server.
For many years, the team of Professor Zou Zhuo (邹卓) from Fudan University’s School of Future Information Innovation has been persistently tackling brain-like chips, starting from theoretical research on spiking neural networks and finally achieving a key breakthrough.
Basic research is the source of the entire scientific system and the master switch of all technical problems. After taking the step “from 0 to 1,” how can the leap “from 1 to 100” be realized?
On July 8, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out at the National Science and Technology Award Conference, the Conference of Academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Academy of Engineering, and the 11th National Congress of the China Association for Science and Technology: “We must support national strategic scientific and technological forces in cooperating with other scientific and technological forces to tackle key problems, coordinate the allocation of research tasks, platforms and bases, and key talents, and form a systematic tackling pattern covering basic research, application development, and achievement transformation.”
In April 2026, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized at the symposium on strengthening basic research: “Strengthen the leading role of national scientific research institutions and high-level research-oriented universities, encourage and regulate the development of new-type research and development institutions, promote enterprise-led deep integration of industry, academia, research, and application, and open up the innovation chain covering basic research, application development, and achievement transformation.”
From basic research to industrial application, the Zou Zhuo team has continuously explored. District-university co-built platforms carry out concept verification, project manager officers provide precise services, patient capital makes sustained investments, and future industry clusters provide application scenarios… One innovative measure after another is interlinked, allowing basic research achievements to move to the industrial front line.
Different innovation subjects each have their own strengths. Only by fully leveraging their respective advantages, smoothing the channels for achievement transformation, promoting efficient allocation of innovation elements, and deepening the integration of industry, academia, research, and application can the “key variable” of scientific and technological innovation truly be transformed into the “maximum increment” of high-quality development.
Strengthen the leading role; national scientific research institutions and high-level research-oriented universities continue to tackle key problems and exert effort.
General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “To strengthen basic research, we must highlight forward-looking and strategic demand orientation, optimize resource allocation and layout structure, and provide basic theoretical support and technical source supply for innovation-driven development.”
Regarding basic research in marine observation and detection, the Laoshan Laboratory (崂山实验室) in Qingdao, Shandong, has carried out deep-sea in-situ geological scientific and technological detection. Using self-developed in-situ spectral detection technology, it discovered the world’s first super-large hydrogen-bearing hydrothermal area “Kunlun.”
This year, relying on a self-developed unmanned submersible, the laboratory’s research team revisited the “Kunlun” hydrothermal area to conduct in-situ detection, forming an independent innovation chain of “original core theory – independent technical equipment – deep-sea in-situ verification.”
Focusing on the strategic needs of frontier manufacturing technology, Southwest Jiaotong University has continuously carried out organized research. Starting from atomic layer removal technology, it took 20 years to break through key technologies in atomic-level manufacturing, breaking through the constraints of traditional manufacturing technology on ultimate precision control and ultra-precision machining.
Expand the strength of basic research; new-type research and development institutions help the transformation of scientific and technological achievements to “accelerate.”
At the Wuhan Industrial Innovation and Development Research Institute (武汉产业创新发展研究院) in Hubei, the institute’s philosophy displayed at the exhibition hall entrance — “Gathering brings change; only innovation creates the new” — attracts attention.
The transformation of basic research achievements often requires crossing the “Darwinian sea” from laboratory to market. The Wuhan Industrial Innovation and Development Research Institute innovatively launched a “grant-to-equity” mechanism, using fiscal funds to support scientific and technological achievements through stages such as concept verification, pilot-scale testing and pilot-scale production, and mass production amplification. After the enterprise enters the market-oriented development stage, the funds are converted into equity, which not only reduces the risk of achievement transformation but also improves the efficiency of fiscal fund utilization.
Today, a batch of projects from universities and research institutes across the country are being incubated faster, and the channels for transforming scientific and technological achievements are becoming smoother.
Build a source of original innovation, and promote enterprise-led deep integration of industry, academia, research, and application.
General Secretary Xi Jinping has repeatedly emphasized the innovation subject status of enterprises: “Strengthen the innovation subject status of enterprises, support enterprises to jointly build platforms and tackle common difficulties with universities and research institutes,” “The key to integrating the innovation chain and industrial chain is to establish the innovation subject status of enterprises”…
In recent years, Trina Solar Co., Ltd. (天合光能股份有限公司) has jointly built university-enterprise joint laboratories with Fudan University, Nanjing University, and other universities, collaboratively carrying out basic research and tackling key core technologies, forming a collaborative innovation mechanism where enterprises pose the problems, laboratories tackle them, and achievements feed back into the industry.
More and more enterprises are growing into the problem-setters of basic research, the organizers of innovation resources, and the promoters of scientific and technological achievement transformation; industry, academia, research, and application are becoming increasingly deeply integrated.
The innovation chain is becoming smoother, and the results of transforming basic research achievements are continuously emerging. The proportion of basic research investment in total social R&D investment has reached a record high; the industrialization rate of invention patents from universities and research institutes is constantly rising; the number of platforms jointly built by universities, research institutes, and enterprises continues to increase.
Enhance China’s capacity for original innovation, and further consolidate the foundation for building a strong nation in science and technology. Following the direction pointed out by General Secretary Xi Jinping, various innovation subjects are making fingers into a fist (cuō zhǐ chéng quán - “gather fingers into a fist,” to unite forces), and the innovation chain, industrial chain, capital chain, and talent chain of basic research are interwoven and mutually supporting, continuously injecting strong momentum into building a strong nation in science and technology.
(Our reporters You Yi (游仪), Fan Haotian (范昊天), and Li Rui (李蕊) participated in writing this article.)
Return to TopBeijing, July 14 (Xinhua) — A pamphlet of the Speech at the National Conference on Science and Technology Awards, the Conference of Academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering, and the 11th National Congress of the China Association for Science and Technology by Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, President of the People's Republic of China, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, has been published by the People's Publishing House and will be distributed nationwide at Xinhua Bookstores from today.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 李 波 侯琳良 王 者
In July, the land of Yimeng saw red heritage sites attracting many tourists, and performances in red theaters drew rounds of applause.
The Yimeng spirit (沂蒙精神) of 党群同心、军民情深、水乳交融、生死与共 (dǎng qún tóng xīn, jūn mín qíng shēn, shuǐ rǔ jiāo róng, shēng sǐ yǔ gòng - "Party and masses share one heart, army and people share deep feeling, water and milk blend together, share life and death together") was nurtured in the revolutionary years and illuminates the path of development.
In May 2024, during his inspection tour in Shandong, General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed: "We must protect and utilize red resources well, vigorously promote the Yimeng spirit, and ensure that red genes are passed down from generation to generation. We must widely practice core socialist values, continue to deepen urban and rural spiritual civilization construction, do a good job of transforming outdated customs in rural areas, and let the concepts of modern civilization take deep root in the countryside."
Bearing in mind the General Secretary's earnest instructions, the old Yimeng revolutionary base area has vigorously promoted the Yimeng spirit, continuously raised the level of rural governance and civilized rural custom construction, advanced the building of beautiful and harmonious villages suitable for living and working, and radiated a new atmosphere of rural civilization.
In the Red Sister-in-Law's Hometown Tourist Area (红嫂家乡旅游区) of Changshanzhuang Village (常山庄村), Manuchi Township (马牧池乡), Yinan County (沂南县), Linyi City, Shandong, 35-year-old Ma Junling (马均玲) has worked as a docent for six years.
Six years ago, when she first came to Changshanzhuang Village to work as a docent, Ma Junling, in order to tell the stories of the Red Sisters-in-Law well, pored over historical materials and visited the descendants of the Red Sisters-in-Law to learn more details of their lives.
"The Red Sisters-in-Law saved the fabric and grain from their own weddings to give to the troops, selflessly dedicating themselves, and using concrete actions to interpret what it means for the army and people to share deep feeling, for water and milk to blend together..." Each red story, like a trickling stream, moistens the hearts of the visitors; each vivid explanation planted the seed of civilized rural customs in Ma Junling's heart.
In December 2020, Ma Junling held her wedding. The couple agreed: to hold a frugal wedding. The wedding ceremony was "lightweight," and the wedding banquet was held at a village restaurant. They refused a high bride price, using the funds to build their small family...
Simple and warm, valuing feeling over material gifts. Ma Junling's wedding won the acclaim of the villagers. Changshanzhuang Village gradually established village rules and civil agreements, advocating new practices for happy events and simplified funerals.
To promote new trends in marriage and love, Linyi City has formed more than 3,000 wedding volunteer service teams, held more than 3,500 matchmaking events, and organized 160 collective weddings, benefiting 1,450 couples and saving more than 58 million yuan in costs.
Since this year, Ma Junling has taken on a new identity — a performer playing a Red Sister-in-Law.
On her first stage performance, Ma Junling played a Red Sister-in-Law, hurriedly making army shoes in a small courtyard. When she acted out the emotional parts, her voice choked and her eyes turned red.
Villagers becoming actors are not limited to Ma Junling. In recent years, the Red Sister-in-Law's Hometown Tourist Area established the Yimeng Four Seasons Art Troupe (沂蒙四季艺术团), attracting villagers to participate in performances, and authentically created more than ten red immersive situational skits such as Follow the Communist Party (跟着共产党走), Women's Rescue Association (妇救会), and Literacy Class (识字班).
Towering Yimeng, a red hot land. As of now, Linyi City has established 15 skit and play creation and performance studios, cumulatively created and launched more than 300 excellent plays, and organized more than 30,000 skit and play performances.
The creative content of the small red theaters has expanded from red stories to family virtues and new rural customs, and the performance venues have moved from scenic spots to the fields.
The new look and new atmosphere are also reflected in the changes around Ma Junling.
The village has changed greatly. Streetlights are bright, cement roads lead to every household's doorstep, the cultural square has new fitness equipment, garbage now has centralized collection points, and the village's appearance has taken on an entirely new look.
Recently, the village announced the list for virtue point redemption. Ma Junling's family usually takes the initiative to clean the village residences, so their score was high. Using their points, the young couple exchanged for two bottles of laundry detergent and a jug of cooking oil from the village's "Virtue Supermarket." "Do good deeds and get points, and you can also exchange for things. This method is good!"
Let those who have virtue gain. Whoever's house front and backyard are clean and tidy, whoever actively participates in the village's voluntary labor, whoever helps neighbors in difficulty... The village incorporates good deeds and kind acts such as environmental remediation, volunteer service, and neighborhood assistance into the point incentive system, with monthly announcements and quarterly exchanges.
From "I am told to do it" to "I want to do it," the villagers' vigor and spirit are even higher. At present, Linyi City has established more than 1,100 point supermarkets, improved 7 categories of exchange application scenarios including cultural tourism and shopping consumption, achieving a coverage rate of 97.4% in village and community areas.
"Marriage is a major event in life. Who doesn't want to hold a grand and glorious ceremony once?" Ma Junling's father initially opposed a simplified wedding. Now, his thinking has made a big turn, and he often advises those around him that simplicity is beauty.
The change in one person's mindset is a vivid footnote to the promotion of new customs in the old Yimeng area. Viewing the land of Qilu from the old Yimeng area, the practices of 节俭养德、崇德向善 (jié jiǎn yǎng dé, chóng dé xiàng shàn - "frugality nurtures virtue, uphold virtue and incline toward goodness") have become common practice (蔚然成风, wèi rán chéng fēng - "lush and become a wind," to become a widespread social trend), powerfully advancing the construction of a beautiful and harmonious countryside.
Return to TopXinhua News Agency, Beijing, July 14 – Wang Huning, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, met in Beijing on the 14th with a delegation of the Communist Party of Vietnam led by Le Minh Tri, member of the Political Bureau of the CPV Central Committee and head of the Central Internal Affairs Department.
Wang Huning said that General Secretary Xi Jinping and General Secretary To Lam maintain close strategic communication. In April this year, General Secretary To Lam successfully visited China and reached new important consensus with General Secretary Xi Jinping, providing strategic guidance for the development of relations between the two parties and two countries and the cause of world socialism. China is willing to work with Vietnam to implement the important consensus of the top leaders of the two parties and two countries, and to continuously deepen and solidify the building of the China-Vietnam community with a shared future. The National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference is willing to make positive contributions to this.
Le Minh Tri congratulated the Communist Party of China on its 105th anniversary, said that the Vietnamese side admires General Secretary Xi Jinping's series of global initiatives and his leadership in continuously advancing China, and expressed willingness to jointly implement the consensus of the top leaders of the two parties and two countries, draw on the theory of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and build a Vietnam-China community with a shared future.
Wang Dongfeng (王东峰) and others attended the meeting.
Return to TopBeijing, July 14 (Reporter Kuang Xixi) — On July 14, the Central Party School (National Academy of Governance) (中共中央党校（国家行政学院）) held its graduation ceremony for the 2026 spring semester. Cai Qi, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and President of the Central Party School (National Academy of Governance), attended the graduation ceremony and issued graduation certificates to the students.
The Central Party School (National Academy of Governance) had 1,940 students graduating in this session. At the graduation ceremony, eight student representatives delivered speeches. They unanimously reflected that this period of study happily coincided with the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China. Through deeply studying and carefully comprehending Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, intensively studying the spirit of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, deeply studying and comprehending Xi Jinping Thought on Party Building (习近平党建思想), solidly carrying out the study and education on establishing and practicing a correct view of performance, and systematically receiving Party theoretical education, Party spirit education, and training in ability to perform duties, they further enhanced their high consciousness of firmly supporting the “two establishments” (两个确立) and resolutely achieving the “two upholds” (两个维护), further improved their theoretical literacy, elevated their Party spirit cultivation, and strengthened their ability for modernization. They expressed that after returning to their work posts, they will persist in using the Party’s innovative theories to solidify the soul and gather the spirit, seriously study and implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important speech on July 1, strengthen confidence, continue to strive, and continuously create new achievements worthy of the times and the people.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者
The opening year of the 15th Five-Year Plan (十五五) is half over, with the theme of high-quality development (高质量发展) being distinct.
General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly pointed out: "We must persist in placing the focus of work on strengthening our internal capabilities and making ourselves stronger." This earnest admonition contains important methods of thinking and working.
The annual output of humanoid robots is expected to exceed 100,000 units this year; large models and intelligent agents are accelerating iteration; the supercomputer Lingsheng (灵晟) has topped the global rankings, returning China's supercomputing to the world's first place after nine years; as of the end of May, the national cumulative installed power generation capacity exceeded 4 billion kilowatts, ranking first globally; the daily token call volume reaches hundreds of trillions, empowering thousands of industries... Each piece of data reflects the resilient and vigorous start of China's economy moving forward.
Striving forward step by step, cultivating one stretch after another. Since the beginning of this year, all regions and departments have anchored their objectives, acted earnestly, unswervingly handled their own affairs well, and worked hard to promote sustained economic improvement. In the first half of the year, China's economy was generally stable, new drivers of growth accelerated their expansion, and the momentum of high-quality development continued to strengthen.
"Proceed from reality and act according to laws"
Hard work is the most simple methodology and the "golden key" to promoting high-quality development.
General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly pointed out: "Adhere to proceeding from reality and acting according to laws, through scientific decision-making and hard work, create achievements that can withstand the test of practice and history, truly benefit the people, and gain public recognition" and "Insisting on high-quality development must become an important part of the performance outlook of leading cadres."
Guangdong deeply implements the action to expand capacity and improve quality in the service industry, highlighting demand-driven, reform breakthroughs, technology empowerment, and opening up and cooperation, so that "Guangdong Manufacturing" and "Guangdong Services" develop in coordination.
Chongqing, based on its mountain city characteristics and industrial foundation, relies on computing cost reduction and scenario empowerment to continuously consolidate the foundation for building a highland of artificial intelligence applications.
Anhui advances quantum research, application, and industrial development as a whole, gradually growing into a world-class highland for quantum industry development.
Xiong'an New Area in Hebei promotes the deep integration of technological innovation and industrial innovation, currently gathering more than 200 key enterprises in fields such as aerospace information, satellite internet, and artificial intelligence...
In the opening year of the 15th Five-Year Plan, all regions and departments seek truth and be pragmatic, face difficulties and rise to the challenge, create solid achievements in high-quality development with the hard work of "success does not necessarily depend on me, but success must include me," and solidly promote the 15th Five-Year Plan to make a good start and take a good first step.
"Success does not necessarily depend on me" contains the steadiness of "stability," and "walk firmly step by step."
In Lankao, Henan (兰考) , paulownia trees have formed forests for over sixty years, and the national musical instrument industry has been carefully cultivated for more than 30 years. The paulownia trees planted by Jiao Yulu and the masses have now become a "green bank."
"Paulownia wood is loose in texture and high in resonance, making it a good material for making musical instruments. We strive to develop national musical instruments precisely to turn good materials into good products," said Yuan Yuze (袁玉则) , general manager of Lankao Tongyun National Musical Instrument Co., Ltd.
Breaking into the market inevitably involves overcoming difficulties. The company's custom-made zithers sell well overseas. However, the logistics cost for a single instrument once accounted for more than 30% of the cargo value, and the delivery cycle for European routes was at least 40 days, affecting the repurchase rate.
High cross-border logistics costs and long cycles are a common "headache" for enterprises. The county led 12 instrument export enterprises and staff from Zhengzhou International Land Port (郑州国际陆港) and COSCO Shipping (中远海运) to think of countermeasures. The "consolidated container shipping + dedicated line space guarantee" model reduced the single-item freight cost for European routes by 28% and stabilized the delivery cycle to within 20 days.
"Nurturing an industry is like planting paulownia trees. Be patient and carefully water them, and only then will they become 枝繁叶茂 (zhī fán yè mào - "branches lush, leaves dense," thriving and prosperous)," said Wu Sijin (吴思瑾) , head of the Lankao County National Musical Instrument Development Service Center. Through more than 30 years of unremitting efforts, Lankao has built a complete industrial chain including paulownia planting, soundboard and accessory supply, R&D, and performance, with an annual output value of over 2 billion yuan.
General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "A good blueprint, as long as it is scientific, practical, and in line with the people's wishes, must be carried forward like a relay race, one baton after another."
Plan from the overall situation, for the long term. In the opening year, the 31 provinces have all released their "15th Five-Year Plan" outlines, and special plans for various fields are being released successively, combining "good planning and execution power," making the pace of development more steadfast.
"Success must include me" demonstrates determination to forge ahead, and "once you see it clearly, seize the moment to act."
Not along a river, not by the sea, not on the border, yet able to develop into a "hundred-billion automobile county." Changfeng County, Anhui (长丰) 's "advancement" relies on "seizing the position."
In the workshop of CALB (中创新航) 's Wushan Integration Factory, intelligent equipment cooperates efficiently, with a battery pack coming off the line every 4 minutes on average. Wang Xiaoguo (王晓国) , head of CALB Technology (Hefei) Co., Ltd., introduced that the factory took only 87 days from the start of construction on March 25 to the first pack coming off the line on June 20.
On the desk of Yang Ran (杨冉) , office director of the Changfeng County Investment Promotion Center, are piled project plans and coordination letters, and his notebook is filled with records of work such as power capacity expansion and fire safety acceptance. Yang Ran closely monitors construction milestones, saying, "Elements follow projects, services revolve around enterprises, and attract 'fine birds' to fill the key link in the industrial chain."
"High-quality development cannot be separated from the work style of cadres who dare to act and explore, and who are good at doing and achieving. The 'red light reporting' breaks through choke points, and 'leading goose handling' solves difficulties. The county helps enterprises solve over 100 problems annually on average," said Yang Ran.
Clenching the goal and 笃行不怠 (dǔ xíng bù dài - "earnestly practice without slackening," to persevere diligently), seizing opportunities and actively forging ahead, China's economy continuously shows new features and radiates new vitality. In the first five months of this year, investment in emerging fields such as high-end equipment, intelligent manufacturing, and green energy continued to be deployed, the artificial intelligence industrial chain grew strongly, and the quality of economic development became more substantial.
"We must place the development of new quality productive forces (新质生产力) according to 因地制宜 (yīn dì zhì yí - "adapt to local conditions," act according to circumstances) in a more prominent strategic position."
Developing new quality productive forces is an inherent requirement of high-quality development. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, we must place the development of new quality productive forces according to local conditions in a more prominent strategic position." Adhering to local conditions is both a working method and a thinking method.
"Does new quality productive forces equal emerging industries?" Adhering to local conditions, based on resource endowments and leveraging comparative advantages, every place has broad space in developing new quality productive forces.
"Transformation and upgrading of traditional industries can also develop new quality productive forces," cultivating advantages to seek new opportunities.
In July 2025, General Secretary Xi Jinping came to Yangquan Valve Co., Ltd. in Shanxi (阳泉) and instructed, "The traditional industries within the real economy must not be abandoned; they must achieve transformation and upgrading through technological innovation."
"This year, we have taken a big step on the hydrogen energy track." Jin Liming (靳利铭) , head of the Technical Department of Yangquan Valve, shared new achievements. Transporting hydrogen faces challenges such as high pressure, easy leakage, and hydrogen embrittlement. With the core technology of welding dissimilar materials for ductile iron valves being conquered, product performance has been greatly improved. Currently, Yangquan Valve has realized the transformation from traditional general-purpose valve manufacturing to intelligent manufacturing of new energy special high-end valves.
"Adhering to local conditions, traditional industries can also have 各有千秋 (gè yǒu qiān qiū - "each has its own thousand autumns," each has its own strengths)." Wang Shaofeng (王少锋) , deputy director of the Yangquan Municipal Bureau of Industry and Information Technology, introduced that relying on the Quan Hao Ban (泉好办) platform, cadres enter enterprises to provide services, identify technical bottlenecks such as deep processing of aluminum, coal machine equipment, and calcium-based new materials, build pilot platforms, and establish industry-university-research collaborative innovation consortia to 保驾护航 (bǎo jià hù háng - "protect the carriage and escort the voyage," to safeguard and support) the transformation and upgrading of traditional industries.
In Keqiao District, Shaoxing City, Zhejiang (柯桥区) , AI color matching and intelligent scheduling, with smart equipment for textile printing and dyeing accounting for over 80%. In Foshan City, Guangdong (佛山) , targeting AI and green low-carbon, the home appliance industry is moving from "manufacturing" to "intelligent manufacturing." The development quality and appearance of traditional industries continue to transform towards the new and the excellent.
The resilient and solid foundation of China's economy comes from the support of building a modern industrial system. In the first five months of this year, driven by increased demand for emerging industries such as new energy and artificial intelligence, prices of products like copper and aluminum remained at relatively high levels, pushing the profits of the non-ferrous metals industry up by 117.1%, pulling up the profits of all industrial enterprises above designated size by 5.3 percentage points.
Cultivating emerging industries "cannot make a big fuss, 一哄而起 (yī hōng ér qǐ - "rush into action with a hubbub," to start a mass movement hastily), 一哄而散 (yī hōng ér sàn - "disperse with a hubbub," to break up in disorder)," and develop with differentiation to consolidate advantages.
In Qingyang City, Gansu (庆阳) , a "token factory" has risen on the loess plateau. Why can this "granary of eastern Gansu" reap a "digital harvest"?
There is opportunity: in 2021, the construction of the national hub nodes for the integrated national computing power network was initiated, Gansu was included in the national hub node layout, and Qingyang undertook the specific construction tasks.
There is advantage: stable geology, suitable climate, and abundant green electricity. Qingyang has built the country's first 100-megawatt green electricity aggregation and direct supply data center pilot project, using green electricity to drip-irrigate "green computing."
There is drive: all staff deeply participate in attracting investment and "numbers," creating "nanny-style" full-element services. An Yang (安洋) , vice president of Enflame Technology Co., Ltd. (燧原科技) in Shanghai, said, "A good business environment has made us decide to deeply cultivate our layout here."
As of the end of June, Qingyang's intelligent computing scale exceeded 168,000 PFLOPS (petaflops per second). "Identify advantages, create conditions, and you can walk the path of 无中生有 (wú zhōng shēng yǒu - "create something out of nothing," to emerge from nothing) and 'from having to being excellent.'"
A relevant official from the Qingyang Municipal Data Bureau stated that they will focus on key areas such as computing power, data, applications, and industry, accelerating the construction of a modern digital economy industrial system.
Making the first move and setting direction based on characteristics is the only way to seize the commanding heights in a fiercely competitive landscape. Each leverages its strengths, 百舸争流 (bǎi gě zhēng liú - "a hundred boats racing," fierce competition). In the first half of the year, multiple types of commercial space rockets were successfully launched; technologies such as quantum information, integrated circuits, and nuclear fusion accelerated; the artificial intelligence field experienced explosive growth, with multiple large models achieving new performance breakthroughs. China's new technologies, new products, and new business forms are emerging in competition.
"Closely combine high-quality development with meeting the people's needs for a better life"
General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "Closely combine high-quality development with meeting the people's needs for a better life."
To benefit the people is to devote more energy to work that lays a foundation, benefits the long term, and manages the fundamentals — work that yields hidden achievements.
In Dezhou City, Shandong (德州) , summer grain is stored, and summer management is carried out intensively. Huo Yuhe (霍玉河) , a grain farmer of Jiwei Village, Guangyun Subdistrict, Wucheng County (棘围村, 广运街道, 武城县) , gets busy. "It used to take more than ten days to irrigate the fields, but now it only takes three days."
A 2,200-meter field "capillary" benefits more than 2,000 mu of farmland. Huo Yuhe said that previously, the farmland was separated from the Liuliuh River (六六河) water source by just a road, but the riverbed was low, requiring water pipes and pumps to draw water into the fields.
Dezhou promotes the governance of the entire regional terminal canal system, opening up the "last kilometer" of farmland irrigation and drainage. "Small-scale water conservancy investments are not large, but they affect the vital interests of farmers. We strive to achieve 'fields connect to ditches, ditches connect to canals, canals connect to rivers,' so that the water network truly benefits the people," said Li Shouxue (李守学) , director of the Dezhou Municipal Water Resources Bureau.
From farmland terminal canal systems to urban underground pipeline networks, "invisible" projects that benefit the people are often connected to the urgent needs and concerns of the masses. Currently, the national water network covers over 80% of the national land area. During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, approximately 770,000 kilometers of pipelines for gas, water supply and drainage, heating, etc., will be constructed and renovated.
From the masses, to the masses, do the work of benefiting people's livelihoods, warming people's hearts, and aligning with people's will, reaching the hearts of the masses.
A "livelihood diary" (民情日记) has been continued for more than 20 years, solving the difficulties of hundreds of households and connecting the hearts of hundreds of families.
Entering the 119 residential area of Daojiupan Community, Lushan Subdistrict, Shengzhou City, Zhejiang (捣臼爿社区, 鹿山街道, 嵊州市) , the greenery is lush and the roads are clean.
Five months ago, community grid worker Xu Gege (许格格) discovered that the staircase handrails were aging and cracking, and immediately recorded it in the online "livelihood diary." Community staff conducted a comprehensive inspection and listed the replacement of handrails as a key livelihood matter for that month. Shengzhou makes good use of the "livelihood diary" and implements the "Shanlin Tongxin" (剡邻同心) community co-construction and co-governance action. Since the beginning of this year, it has resolved over 1,400 livelihood matters such as meal delivery and elevator installation.
"The affairs of the common people are 千头万绪 (qiān tóu wàn xù - "a thousand heads and ten thousand threads," extremely complex and numerous), and every single matter is concrete. Seek advice from the people, listen to their voices, and produce more practical and warm measures," said Jiang Jintao (姜金涛) , member of the Party committee meeting of the Organization Department of the Shengzhou Municipal Party Committee and head of the First Organization Section. He stated that they will carry forward the "livelihood diary," innovate the "enterprise diary," continuously transform the masses' "problem list" into a "results list" for people's livelihoods, and properly follow the Party's mass line in the new era.
The new journey is a new Long March. Looking from mid-year to the whole year, challenges and opportunities coexist. Fearless of wind and rain, firm in confidence, in the continuous struggle we establish ourselves through hard work, build our careers through solid achievements, and benefit the people through tangible results. We have the confidence and ability to maintain a good momentum, shape new advantages, and continuously write new chapters of China's high-quality development.
(Reported by our staff reporters Wang Hao (王浩) , Deng Jianyang (邓剑洋) , Zhang Wenhao (张文豪) , Li Junjie (李俊杰) , Zheng Yangyang (郑洋洋) , and Song Chaojun (宋朝军) )
Return to TopOur newspaper Beijing, July 14 (Reporter Ouyang Jie (欧阳洁)). According to customs statistics, in the first half of this year, China’s goods trade import and export totaled 25.47 trillion yuan, with the scale historically surpassing 25 trillion yuan for the first time in the same period, up 16.9% year-on-year. Among them, exports were 14.73 trillion yuan, up 13.4%; imports were 10.74 trillion yuan, up 22.1%.
Import and export growth accelerated. In the second quarter, imports and exports totaled 13.61 trillion yuan, up 18.4% year-on-year, the highest quarterly year-on-year growth rate since the third quarter of 2021. Among them, June imports and exports were 4.78 trillion yuan, up 24.2% year-on-year, maintaining growth for 17 consecutive months.
The export product structure was further optimized. In the first half of the year, China exported 9.36 trillion yuan of mechanical and electrical products, up 20.1%, accounting for 63.5% of total export value, an increase of 3.5 percentage points compared with the same period last year. Exports of high-tech products were 3.26 trillion yuan, up 39%. Exports of independent brands increased by 25.4%, with their share rising by 2.4 percentage points.
(Related report on page three)
Beijing, July 14 (Xinhua) — (Reporter Zhang Tianpei) The reporter learned from the Ministry of Public Security (公安部) on the 14th: As of the end of June this year, the total number of motor vehicles nationwide reached 476 million, of which 371 million were automobiles. In the first half of the year, 15.81 million new motor vehicles were registered nationwide, of which 10.51 million were newly registered automobiles and 5.11 million were newly registered motorcycles.
The proportion of new-energy vehicles in total vehicle ownership continues to rise, and newly registered new-energy vehicles account for nearly half. As of the end of June, the total number of new-energy vehicles nationwide reached 48.97 million, accounting for 13.19% of the total number of automobiles, an increase of 2.92 percentage points compared with the same period last year. Among them, the total number of pure electric vehicles reached 33.675 million, accounting for 68.77% of the total number of new-energy vehicles. In the first half of the year, 5.195 million new-energy vehicles were newly registered, accounting for 49.42% of the newly registered automobiles, an increase of 4.45 percentage points compared with the same period last year.
Return to TopXinhua News Agency, Beijing, July 14 -- Upon approval of the CPC Central Committee, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Commission of Supervision (中央纪委国家监委) have initiated an investigation into Ma Xingrui's serious violations of discipline and law. On June 30, a meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee reviewed and approved the "Report on the Results of the Investigation and Handling Suggestions Concerning Ma Xingrui's Issues" submitted by the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.
The investigation found that Ma Xingrui lost his ideals, convictions, and political stance, betrayed the Party's purpose and original aspiration and founding mission, severely violated political discipline and political rules, failed to fulfill his main responsibility for comprehensively and strictly governing the Party, and connived at, failed to oversee, and failed to manage serious violations of discipline and law and suspected crimes by staff around him, causing adverse effects; he severely violated organizational discipline, failed to truthfully explain issues when the organization inquired by letter, sought benefits for others in the selection and appointment of cadres, and personally and through relatives and friends improperly arranged jobs for others; he severely violated integrity discipline, illegally accepted gifts and money, helped relatives purchase housing at low prices, engaged in power-sex and money-sex transactions, connived at and allowed relatives to use his position influence to seek huge benefits, and engaged in large-scale family corruption; he alienated public power into a tool for personal gain, used his position to seek benefits for others in enterprise operation, project contracting, and position promotion, and illegally accepted huge amounts of property personally or together with relatives and specific persons with a relationship of common interest.
Ma Xingrui completely deviated from the principles of Party spirit, seriously violated the political requirements put forward by the Party Central Committee for senior cadres, and his behavior seriously violated Party discipline, constituted duty-related illegality, and was suspected of the crime of bribery. Moreover, after the 18th National Congress of the CPC, he did not restrain himself or stop his misconduct. The nature is extremely serious, and the impact is extremely bad. In accordance with the "Regulations on Disciplinary Punishments of the Communist Party of China" (中国共产党纪律处分条例), the "Supervision Law of the People's Republic of China" (中华人民共和国监察法), and the "Law on Governmental Affairs Disciplinary Punishments for Public Officials of the People's Republic of China" (中华人民共和国公职人员政务处分法) and other relevant provisions, after study by the Standing Committee meeting of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and review by a meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, it was decided to expel Ma Xingrui from the CPC, to have the National Commission of Supervision expel him from public office, to terminate his qualification as a delegate to the 20th National Congress of the CPC, to confiscate his disciplinary and illegal gains, and to transfer his suspected criminal issues to the procuratorial authorities for legally-prescribed review and prosecution. The decision to expel him from the CPC is subject to confirmation at a plenary meeting of the CPC Central Committee.
Return to TopTheory
Deeply understand the practical achievements and contemporary value of China’s solving the problem of poverty caused by disability
Ninth Edition
Industry and Economy Perspective
Chinese ships, how do they continue to lead the world
By: 本报记者 曲 颂
On July 13, the Kyrgyzstan launch of the fifth volume of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China was held in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan. Approximately 300 representatives from political parties, media, think tanks, and other sectors of China and Kyrgyzstan gathered to exchange and discuss topics such as Chinese-style modernization, building a community with a shared future for mankind, global governance initiatives, jointly building the Belt and Road, and mutual learning among civilizations.
The participating guests believed that this important work systematically elaborates the theory and practice of Chinese-style modernization, vividly presents China's vision and plan for promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, and is not only an authoritative work for understanding Chinese-style modernization and reading contemporary China, but also provides an important guide for China and Kyrgyzstan to deepen exchanges on governance experience and strengthen the alignment of development strategies.
A more comprehensive and profound understanding of China
The fifth volume of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China contains 91 pieces by General Secretary Xi Jinping, including reports, speeches, talks, addresses, remarks, articles, and instructions from May 27, 2022, to December 20, 2024. It intensively showcases General Secretary Xi Jinping's adherence to 守正创新 (shǒu zhèng chuàng xīn - "uphold the fundamentals and pursue innovation," to maintain fundamental principles while constantly innovating), profoundly answering the questions of China, the world, the people, and the times, and advancing the latest achievements in the sinicization and modernization of Marxism.
The Roza Otunbayeva Initiative International Public Foundation in Kyrgyzstan, in cooperation with the Foreign Languages Press of the China International Publishing Group (中国外文局外文出版社), translated and published the Kyrgyz-language editions of the first through third volumes of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China. The translation of the fourth volume has also been completed and is being prepared for publication. The foundation's founder, former President of Kyrgyzstan Roza Otunbayeva, believes that the Chinese experience is worth paying attention to because China did not copy other countries' models but explored a correct path suited to its own national conditions. The series of works Xi Jinping: The Governance of China can help people understand China's development logic, goals, and direction. "I believe these works will deeply enter the hearts of Kyrgyz readers," she said.
Kyrgyzstan social activist Emilbek Kaptagaev participated in the translation of the Kyrgyz-language edition of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China. He said that the process of participating in translation, editing, and publication gave him the opportunity to delve deeper into China's development course in the new era and gain a more comprehensive and profound understanding of China. He believes that China correctly treats history, organically integrating the general laws of modernization with specific national conditions, which has played an important role in rallying the people's consensus and ensuring that reform and opening up and Chinese-style modernization construction always advance along the correct direction. This is worthy of further study and learning by the Kyrgyz side.
Kyrgyzstan Kum Communications Agency reporter Karaman Siyagul visited several Chinese provinces in 2025 and also reported on China's National Two Sessions (全国两会) in March this year. She specifically read the content on China's relations with Central Asian countries in the fifth volume of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China. "This work not only contains the governance philosophy of the Chinese leader but also outlines a roadmap for deepening cooperation between China and Central Asian countries, guiding us to join hands in the spirit of mutual respect, good-neighborliness and friendship, and win-win cooperation to walk the path of common future development together," Siyagul said.
Kyrgyzstan State Secretary Arslan Koichiev noted the topic of the sinicization and modernization of Marxism in the book. He believes that China has accumulated rich experience in this field and is the most successful country in localizing Marxism. The works of President Xi Jinping are worthy of intensive reading.
Realizing the modernization dream together
China and Kyrgyzstan are friendly neighbors and a comprehensive strategic partnership for a new era. China has maintained its status as Kyrgyzstan's largest trading partner, source of investment, and source of imports for many years. In 2025, bilateral trade volume between the two countries reached 27.2 billion US dollars. The participating parties expected China and Kyrgyzstan to deepen cooperation in various fields, promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and jointly realize the modernization dream.
Chinese Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan Liu Jiangping (刘江平) introduced that currently, China is implementing the 15th Five-Year Plan (十五五规划) to comprehensively advance the building of a strong country and the great cause of national rejuvenation through Chinese-style modernization. Kyrgyzstan is implementing its National Development Program until 2030, steadily advancing toward a "New Kyrgyzstan." China and Kyrgyzstan share a common modernization pursuit and highly compatible governance philosophies. The time is ripe for the two countries to strengthen exchanges on governance experience. China is willing to take this event as an opportunity to share its useful experiences in poverty reduction, rural revitalization, high-quality development, green transition, and ecological civilization construction, injecting more impetus into the development of China-Kyrgyzstan relations.
"The fifth volume of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China clearly shows China's development logic — achieving development through efficient national governance," said former Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Alikbek Jekshenkulov. Over the past decade or more, the Belt and Road Initiative (共建“一带一路”) has grown from a concept into one of the world's largest infrastructure construction and economic cooperation initiatives. Kyrgyzstan is willing to actively participate in high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, focusing on building projects such as the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway, improving logistics infrastructure, and attracting investment in high-value-added industries.
Chairman of the Kyrgyzstan Chamber of Commerce and Industry and former Prime Minister Temir Sariyev recalled the scenes of camel bells and merchant caravans on the ancient Silk Road, and remarked, "Choosing a path is not because it is easy, but because the destination ahead is worth reaching." He hopes that Kyrgyzstan and China will strengthen exchanges in governance, learn from each other's excellent governance practices, and continuously expand new areas of cooperation.
Helping to build a community with a shared future for mankind
This year marks the 25th anniversary of the founding of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). Kyrgyzstan holds the rotating presidency of the SCO from 2025 to 2026, and this year's SCO summit will be held in Bishkek. SCO Deputy Secretary-General Pu Yangfan (朴扬帆) stated in his address that against this backdrop, this launch event is of great significance. The fifth volume of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China includes important speeches by President Xi Jinping on building a China-Central Asia community with a shared future and an SCO community with a shared future, pointing the way for deepening solidarity and cooperation among regional countries, consolidating a secure and stable environment, strengthening alignment of development strategies, and promoting people-to-people bonds.
At the 2022 SCO Samarkand summit, China pledged to provide 2,000 free cataract surgeries to people of SCO member states within three years. Since 2023, China has completed over 1,000 surgeries in Kyrgyzstan, bringing light and hope to local people. Director of the Kyrgyzstan National Hospital Urukbek Kurukyev said that these numbers are not simple statistics; behind each surgery lies the happiness of the patient's family and the dedication of medical staff. This launch event discusses not just a book, but how to improve the quality of life of people in various countries. In May this year, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine (上海交通大学医学院附属瑞金医院) officially invited the Kyrgyzstan National Hospital to participate in relevant academic conferences within the SCO framework. The SCO platform has effectively promoted medical cooperation among member states.
"We do not pursue a modernization where China alone enjoys its own benefits, but rather look forward to jointly realizing modernization together with all countries, including the vast number of developing countries." This sentence from the fifth volume of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China deeply impressed Sheradil Baktygulov, director of the Kyrgyzstan Institute of World Politics. He said that the building of a Kyrgyzstan-China community with a shared future is the main line of cooperation and development between the two countries. This year's SCO summit will be held in Bishkek, and Kyrgyzstan will mark the 35th anniversary of its independence. This will be a good opportunity to showcase the fruitful results of Kyrgyzstan-China cooperation to the world.
President of Bishkek State University in Kyrgyzstan Mirlan Dildayev stated that President Xi Jinping consistently advocates for dialogue among civilizations, which is of great significance to the Central Asian region, which is at the intersection of civilizations. On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the SCO, Bishkek State University is jointly building a new historical research center with the Chinese side. It is hoped that the young people of the two countries can 以史为鉴 (yǐ shǐ wéi jiàn - "take history as a mirror," to learn from the past for the future), continue the friendship between the two peoples, inherit cultural heritage, safeguard world peace, and contribute to building a community with a shared future for mankind.
(People's Daily Bishkek, July 14)
Return to TopBy: 姚 文
Not long ago, President Xi Jinping met with Bangladeshi Prime Minister Tarique, who was on an official visit to China. The two leaders jointly announced the building of a China-Bangladesh community with a shared future in the new era, promoting bilateral relations to a higher level of development. This new positioning is not only a profound summary of the friendly sentiments spanning half a century between the two countries, but also heralds a historic leap in bilateral relations, entering a higher level of intertwined interests and 休戚与共 (xiū qī yǔ gòng - “share joys and sorrows,” sharing weal and woe), opening a new chapter of win-win cooperation.
Building the China-Bangladesh community with a shared future injects deeper connotations into bilateral relations. This concept is not only an expression of friendship but also embodied in concrete actions of strategic trust and mutual support. President Xi Jinping stated when meeting Prime Minister Tarique that no matter how the international situation changes, China will adhere to the general direction of China-Bangladesh friendship without wavering, and will always be a trustworthy good friend, good neighbor, and good partner for the Bangladeshi side. Prime Minister Tarique stated that China has always occupied an important position in Bangladesh’s foreign policy and is a partner that the Bangladeshi side values and trusts. During this visit, both sides reaffirmed their firm support for safeguarding each other’s core interests and major concerns. The Bangladeshi side firmly adheres to the One-China principle and has given strong support to the Chinese side on issues related to Taiwan. The Chinese side supports the smooth governance of the new Bangladeshi government, supports the Bangladeshi side in safeguarding national independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, and in taking an independent development path suited to its national conditions. The two countries agreed to establish a mechanism for strategic dialogue between foreign ministers and to explore a “2+2” dialogue mechanism for diplomacy and defense. This means that China-Bangladesh strategic communication is moving from ad hoc coordination to institutionalized arrangements, and from a single domain to all-round alignment.
Building the China-Bangladesh community with a shared future paints a broader blueprint for practical cooperation. During this visit, the two sides signed multiple cooperation documents covering infrastructure, agriculture, education, and other fields, agreed to promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, deeply align development strategies, tap the cooperation potential in emerging fields such as green and low-carbon, digital economy, information technology, artificial intelligence, strengthen cooperation in trade, industrial and supply chains, finance, and other domains, enhance medical, cultural, and sub-national exchanges, and steadily advance the implementation and effectiveness of projects such as ports, industrial parks, and water conservancy. The Bangladeshi side announced the establishment of its first investment promotion office in China, providing a more convenient platform for investment cooperation. The two sides agreed to explore direct connectivity routes between China and Bangladesh, and advance the construction of the China-Myanmar-Bangladesh Economic Corridor, which will open a completely new strategic channel for regional connectivity. As the development blueprints of the two countries are deeply aligned, China-Bangladesh practical cooperation is moving from “big and comprehensive” toward “deep and precise,” accelerating the increase of incremental volume while maintaining existing stock, which will create strong momentum for each other’s development and revitalization.
Building the China-Bangladesh community with a shared future not only benefits the people of the two countries but also helps create a better future for the Global South. The Bangladeshi side praises and supports the concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind and the four global initiatives proposed by President Xi Jinping. The Chinese side supports the Bangladeshi side in playing a greater role in the United Nations and other multilateral institutions, supports the Bangladeshi side in participating in BRICS activities, and supports the Bangladeshi side in applying to become a partner of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Both sides firmly defend the international system centered on the United Nations, and jointly commit to promoting an equal and orderly multipolar world and universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization. Both sides concur that it is necessary to firmly safeguard the victorious outcomes of World War II and oppose any attempt by fascism or militarism to 卷土重来 (juǎn tǔ chóng lái - “roll the earth and come again,” to stage a comeback). Against the backdrop of the current resurgence of 沉渣泛起 (chén zhā fàn qǐ - “dregs rise again,” the re-emergence of undesirable elements) of unilateralism and power politics, and the accelerated evolution of the world’s once-in-a-century transformation, China and Bangladesh choose to respond to the epochal proposition with a higher level of mutual trust and coordination, the significance of which transcends the bilateral scope. The coordination between the two sides under regional multilateral frameworks is increasingly close, and they will join hands to set a model for win-win cooperation in the Global South, and play an important role in maintaining regional peace, stability, and development, and promoting fairness and justice in the world.
Standing at a new historical starting point, the two countries will continue to deepen traditional friendship, deepen strategic alignment, expand practical cooperation, transform the important consensus of the heads of state into tangible development dividends, let the fruits of cooperation benefit the people of both countries, and join hands to create a bright tomorrow of shared prosperity for China and Bangladesh.
(The author is the Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh.)
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 谢佳宁
Recently, the Zhongguancun AI Cooperation Dialogue was held at the Zhongguancun National Independent Innovation Demonstration Zone Exhibition Center (中关村国家自主创新示范区展示中心) in Beijing. Representatives from United Nations agencies in China, as well as from the domestic artificial intelligence industry and universities and research institutes, participated in the event, engaging in in-depth exchanges on inclusive AI development and practical international cooperation.
“From three-dimensional holographic images displaying ancient Chinese cultural relics to robots capable of performing complex orthopedic surgeries, these application scenarios reflect the rapid development of China’s artificial intelligence technology,” said Siddharth Chatterjee, UN Resident Coordinator in China. He stated that leveraging China’s technological capabilities and the UN’s coordinating strengths in multilateral cooperation, all parties can establish a pragmatic and inclusive international cooperation mechanism for AI, promoting the development of AI under safe and controllable conditions, so that related technologies can better serve sustainable development goals such as poverty reduction, food security, medical health, and educational equity.
“China plays an important role in the global integration of medicine and artificial intelligence,” said Dr. Martin Taylor, WHO Representative in China. He noted that WHO has cooperated with China and made positive progress in improving community healthcare service levels, digital health management, and optimized resource allocation, and has explored application scenarios such as AI-assisted diagnosis and treatment. These experiences have been promoted through capacity-building projects with African countries and ASEAN countries, helping more developing countries improve their primary healthcare service capabilities and public health levels, and advancing the construction of a more inclusive and efficient global health system.
“We have carried out highly effective collaboration with Chinese institutions and research teams in disaster monitoring and emergency response,” said Hamid, Director of the UN-SPIDER Beijing Office (联合国灾害管理与应急反应天基信息平台北京办公室). “Recently, after the earthquake in Venezuela, we rapidly shared data with Chinese institutions, produced a disaster assessment report, and provided it to the Venezuelan side for emergency decision-making. This working model has also been applied in earthquake disasters in Myanmar, Afghanistan, and other countries, reflecting the important role of China’s remote sensing technology and international cooperation mechanisms in rapid disaster response, and also providing a referable technical pathway for global disaster governance.”
Dora, Chief of the Child Protection Section at the UNICEF Office in China (联合国儿童基金会驻华办事处), believes that in the field of AI governance related to children, China is continuously improving its relevant policies and institutional frameworks, particularly by putting forward normative requirements for digital safety and risk protection oriented toward children, so as to reduce the risks children may face when using AI.
This dialogue was hosted by the Zhongguancun Science City Management Committee (中关村科学城管委会), and co-organized by the Beijing Zhongguancun Science City Innovation Development Co., Ltd. (北京中关村科学城创新发展有限公司) and the Beijing Zhihui Artificial Intelligence Application Cooperation Center (北京智惠人工智能应用合作中心). Tang Chao, Deputy Director of the Zhongguancun Science City Management Committee and Vice Mayor of Haidian District (海淀区), stated that Haidian District has gathered a number of national-level top universities and research institutes, possesses a large number of AI experts and AI-related enterprises, and has built a full-chain industrial system covering basic models, computing power, open-source ecosystems, and industry applications. Currently, Haidian District is vigorously promoting the alignment of AI technology, industry, and talent resources with the needs of Belt and Road countries and Global South countries.
Return to TopBy: 张海文
A Period of Time Since
The Philippines' disregard of treaty provisions and its acts of encroachment upon and occupation of China's islands and reefs in the South China Sea completely contravene the basic principles of the UN Charter and international law, and produce no effect whatsoever under international law.
Over a period of time, the Philippines has repeatedly hyped up its territorial claims over China's Huangyan Island and the so-called "Kalayaan Island Group," and has attempted to entrench its illegal claims through domestic legislation, unilateral maritime侵权行为 (tortious acts), and joint military exercises with external forces. The Philippines' legally defined territorial scope has long been clearly delimited by a series of international treaties that have entered into force. China's Huangyan Island and the Nansha Islands all lie outside the Philippines' territorial boundaries. Furthermore, the Batan Islands likewise do not fall within the Philippines' legally defined territorial scope as delimited by the series of international treaties; the current state of their control is a historical legacy left over from the colonial expansion of modern great powers. The Philippines' acts of disregarding treaty provisions and encroaching upon and occupying China's islands and reefs in the South China Sea completely contravene the basic principles of the UN Charter and international law; all of its expansionist territorial claims and acts of encroachment and occupation are illegal and produce no effect whatsoever under international law.
The territorial scope of the Philippines is defined by a series of international treaties, including the 1898 Treaty of Peace between the United States and Spain (Treaty of Paris) (《美西和平条约》/《巴黎条约》), the 1900 Treaty between the United States and Spain for Cession of Outlying Islands of the Philippines (Treaty of Washington) (《美西关于菲律宾外围岛屿割让的条约》/《华盛顿条约》), and the 1930 Convention between the United States and Great Britain Delimiting the Boundary between the Philippine Archipelago and the State of North Borneo (《关于划定英属北婆罗洲与美属菲律宾之间的边界条约》). These treaties clearly delimit the western boundary of the Philippines' territory at 118 degrees east longitude. China's Nansha Islands and Huangyan Island of the Zhongsha Islands all lie outside the scope delimited by the treaties. Thereafter, documents including the 1935 Constitution of the Philippines, the 1946 Treaty of General Relations between the United States and the Republic of the Philippines, the 1961 Republic Act No. 3046 (An Act to Define the Baselines of the Territorial Sea of the Philippines) (《确定菲律宾领海基线的第3046号法令》), and the 1968 Republic Act No. 5446 (An Act to Amend Republic Act No. 3046) (《关于领海基线的修正令》) successively reaffirmed the legal effect of the three treaties, repeatedly confirming the Philippines' legally defined territorial boundaries. The territorial scope of the Philippines is clear and definite in terms of latitude and longitude, possessing the effect of international law that cannot be unilaterally altered.
Since the 1970s, the Philippines has gradually revealed its intention to expand its territory, putting forward illegal territorial claims over some of the islands and reefs of the Nansha Islands and Huangyan Island by means of amending its constitution, enacting unilateral decrees, and issuing official statements, thereby brazenly breaking through the legally defined boundaries delimited by international treaties.
The Philippines' acts of infringing upon China's sovereignty over islands and reefs through domestic legislation are purely illegal and invalid. On June 11, 1978, then-Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos issued Presidential Decree No. 1596, unilaterally designating the main body of China's Nansha Islands as the Philippine "Kalayaan Island Group," while simultaneously claiming rights over 65,000 square kilometers of sea areas surrounding the islands and reefs. This act inversely proves that Huangyan Island and the Nansha Islands had never originally been Philippine territory. In 2009, the Philippines passed Republic Act No. 9522 to adjust its baselines for the territorial sea, again forcibly bringing China's islands and reefs in the South China Sea under its jurisdiction through domestic legislation. Pursuant to Article 27 of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, a party may not invoke the provisions of its internal law as justification for its failure to perform a treaty. The Philippines' attempts, through unilateral legislation, to tamper with the territorial boundaries delimited by century-old treaties and to encroach upon and occupy China's islands and reefs are baseless in law and produce no effect of territorial change whatsoever under international law.
There is sufficient legal basis for the fact that the Batan Islands are not within the Philippines' legally defined territorial scope. The core island of the Batan Islands, Batan Island, is located between 20 degrees 25 minutes and 21 degrees north latitude, and lies entirely north of the 20 degrees north latitude line; none of the aforementioned three international treaties delimiting the Philippines' territorial boundaries placed it under Philippine jurisdiction. After World War II, the Philippines exploited the post-war power vacuum to illegally exercise actual control over the Batan Islands. This state of affairs is a historical legacy problem engendered by the period of Spanish and Japanese colonial expansion, compounded by the vacuum left in the handover of the post-war order. The Philippines' acts of control lack a lawful basis for acquiring territory.
China has always insisted on properly resolving the relevant disputes with the Philippines in the South China Sea through negotiations and consultation. The Philippines should cease its erroneous practices of creating confusion in legal reasoning and roping in external forces to destabilize the South China Sea. On the basis of respecting historical facts and international law, it should work in the same direction as China, manage maritime differences through pragmatic dialogue, and jointly safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea.
(The author is the Executive Vice President of the Chinese Society of the Law of the Sea (中国海洋法学会常务副会长) and Deputy Director of the Institute of Marine Development Strategy, Ministry of Natural Resources (自然资源部海洋发展战略研究所副所长).)
Return to TopXinhua News Agency, Beijing, July 14 (Reporter Dong Xue (董雪)) — Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks in Beijing on the 14th with Minister of Foreign Affairs and External Trade of Solomon Islands, Honi Pwira (霍尼普维拉).
Wang Yi stated that facts have proven that the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Solomon Islands stands on the right side of history. China is willing to work together with the new government of Solomon Islands to continuously bring bilateral relations to new heights. China's development of relations with Pacific island countries is aimed at strengthening South-South cooperation and promoting common development. It has no geopolitical intentions, does not seek any so-called "sphere of influence," and should not be interfered with by third parties. Pacific island countries have the right to independently choose their development partners.
Honi Pwira stated that the Solomon Islands firmly adheres to the One-China principle. China's contributions to world peace and development should be remembered, and China's experience is worth learning from for Solomon Islands and Pacific island countries.
Return to TopThis newspaper, Bishkek, July 14 (Reporter Qu Song (曲颂)) The 2026 SCO Countries Civilizations Dialogue was held on the 14th at the National Historical Museum in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan. Approximately 200 representatives from the governments, media, culture and academia of SCO member states attended the event.
The attending guests believed that in today’s world, the destinies of all countries are closely intertwined, and the inclusive coexistence, exchange and mutual learning of different civilizations play an irreplaceable role in advancing the modernization process of human society. In recent years, Chinese President Xi Jinping has successively put forward the concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind (人类命运共同体) and the Global Development Initiative (全球发展倡议), Global Security Initiative (全球安全倡议), Global Civilization Initiative (全球文明倡议), and Global Governance Initiative (全球治理倡议), providing important international public goods for the international community to respond to world changes and solve urgent difficulties. The SCO has always regarded people-to-people and cultural exchanges as an important support for 行稳致远 (xíng wěn zhì yuǎn - “act steadily to reach far,” to proceed steadily and achieve long-term success). Each member state has carried out a series of practical cooperation. The civilizational tradition of “each bringing out its own beauty, and beauty being shared by all” has been deeply integrated into the cultural genes of the people of the region’s countries, becoming the deepest historical foundation of the SCO civilizations dialogue.
Kyrgyzstan Deputy Prime Minister Ulan Mamatkhanov stated that currently, the world is undergoing rapid technological changes and profound transformation of international relations. Against this backdrop, it is particularly important for countries to conduct substantive dialogue, respect cultural diversity, and jointly find answers to the challenges of the times. Kyrgyzstan has always supported the principles of mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diversity of civilizations, and pursuit of common development. These principles are precisely the core connotation of the Shanghai Spirit (上海精神).
Shanghai Cooperation Organization Deputy Secretary-General Piao Yangfan (朴扬帆) stated in his address that in the 25 years since its establishment, the SCO member states have carried out good practices of civilizational integration and achieved fruitful results. It is hoped that all countries will demonstrate responsibility and commitment, continuously uphold equality and respect, mutual appreciation, and mutual tolerance, actively promote mutual understanding and affinity among the people of all countries, exchange experiences and practices in civilizational inheritance and innovation, and set an example and lead the way in promoting civilizational dialogue and integration.
During the event, a series of cooperation project launching ceremonies and the joint signing ceremony for media cooperation among SCO countries were held, along with multiple roundtable dialogues. The attending guests watched a performance of the epic Manas rap singing at the event venue, and visited the “Exploring the Origins of Chinese Civilization — Liangzhu Digital Cultural and Museum Exhibition” (中华文明探源——良渚数字文博展) and the “Beautiful SCO” visual image art exhibition.
This event was co-hosted by the State Council Information Office of China, the Secretariat of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the Ministry of Culture, Information and Youth Policy of Kyrgyzstan, the China Foreign Languages Publishing Administration, and the Chinese Embassy in Kyrgyzstan.
Return to TopBEIJING, July 14 (Xinhua) — (Reporter Chu Jun (褚君)) July 14 marks the 50th anniversary of the full opening to traffic of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway (坦赞铁路). Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian (林剑) said at a regular press conference on the same day in response to a question that, standing at a new historical starting point, China is willing to work with both Tanzania and Zambia to jointly advance the revitalization of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway and the building of a prosperity belt, jointly forge a road of freedom, development, friendship, happiness, greenness, and harmony, and help the three countries and regional countries jointly build modernization.
Lin Jian said that the Tanzania-Zambia Railway is a historical monument of China-Africa friendship. More than 50 years ago, when China’s own economy was very difficult, it resolutely decided to aid in the construction of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway, vigorously supporting the national liberation and development and construction undertakings of regional countries. The people of China, Tanzania, and Zambia, hand in hand and shoulder to shoulder during the construction of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway, jointly forged the great Tanzania-Zambia Railway spirit, leaving a precious spiritual legacy for future generations.
Return to TopA youth delegation from the Greek fencing team recently arrived in Beijing to begin a ten-day exchange trip. The event was hosted by the Greece-China Sports and Cultural Exchange Association. The photo shows Chinese and Greek young people engaging in fencing training. Photo by Liu Dong.
Return to TopTongliao, July 14 (People's Daily) — (reporter Zhang Cheng (张枨)) From the 13th to the 16th, the China Journalists Association held the "Walk and Read China: Into Tongliao" (走读中国 走进通辽) event in Tongliao City, Inner Mongolia. At a news tea gathering held on the 13th, Zhao Hang (赵航), member of the Standing Committee of the Tongliao Municipal Committee of the CPC and head of the Propaganda Department, exchanged views with domestic and foreign journalists on the theme of "deeply cultivating Horqin's ecological endowments to boost the comprehensive revitalization of people's livelihoods."
According to the briefing, Tongliao City is located in eastern Inner Mongolia, situated in the heart of the Horqin Grassland, where people of all ethnic groups live together in shared joy and unite in pursuing their dreams. After years of sustained desertification control, grassland protection, and wetland restoration, the city's forest and grass vegetation coverage has steadily exceeded 64%. Tongliao is an important national commodity grain production area and a national-level livestock breeding base. It is currently building an onshore wind turbine equipment manufacturing base, creating a "wind and solar resource development — equipment manufacturing — energy storage supporting" integrated industrial chain.
Return to TopXinhua News Agency, Beijing, July 14 - The spokesperson of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee (中共中央对外联络部) announced on the 14th: At the invitation of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (朝鲜劳动党中央委员会) and the Government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (朝鲜民主主义人民共和国政府), Wang Huning, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, will lead a Chinese Party and Government delegation to pay an official goodwill visit to North Korea from July 15 to 17.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 欧阳洁
In the first half of this year, China's total import and export of goods reached 25.47 trillion yuan, surpassing 25 trillion yuan for the first time in the same period in history, with a year-on-year increase of 16.9%. Among this, exports were 14.73 trillion yuan, up 13.4%; imports were 10.74 trillion yuan, up 22.1%.
"Since the beginning of this year, China's foreign trade has shown strong momentum and stable performance," said Wang Jun (王军), Deputy Director of the General Administration of Customs (海关总署), at a press conference held by the State Council Information Office (国务院新闻办) on July 14. In the second quarter, imports and exports totaled 13.61 trillion yuan, up 18.4% year-on-year, the highest quarterly growth rate since the third quarter of 2021.
Computing hardware imports and exports reached 5.13 trillion yuan, up 56.6%
Scale is "stable." China remains firmly in the position of the world's largest trading nation in goods. In the first half of the year, the scale of imports and exports increased by 3.68 trillion yuan year-on-year. On a monthly basis, the scale of imports and exports exceeded 4 trillion yuan for four consecutive months.
Momentum is "new." The rapid development of artificial intelligence has driven strong momentum in the import and export of related products. In the first half of the year, imports and exports of computing hardware such as electronic components and computer parts reached 5.13 trillion yuan, up 56.6%. Smart products such as AI glasses and AI translators are iterating rapidly, and various innovative products continue to emerge.
Entities are "active." Compared with the same period last year, in the first half of the year, 267,000 foreign trade enterprises expanded their business to new countries and regions. The total import and export value of these enterprises increased by 22.6%, accounting for nearly 70% of the total foreign trade value.
Internal and external are "integrated." China persists in actively expanding opening up, and has implemented zero-tariff policies for 63 countries. In the first half of the year, China's imports and exports to 31 free trade agreement partners increased by 28.1%, accounting for 46.5% of total foreign trade, up from the previous period. Comprehensive bonded zones (综合保税区) saw imports and exports of 4.34 trillion yuan in the first half of the year, up 28.2%.
"The foreign trade performance in the first half of the year was impressive, but the current external environment remains complex and volatile, and foreign trade will face certain pressures in the second half of the year. China has strong innovation momentum, vibrant entities, and a high level of openness, and the fundamentals of foreign trade remain solid," Wang Jun said.
Imports contribute more to foreign trade growth than exports, promoting balanced trade development
Since the beginning of this year, China's export growth rate has exceeded 10%; on a quarterly basis, it has maintained growth for 11 consecutive quarters. Wang Jun explained that the reason for export growth lies in the precise adaptation of "Made in China" to various global demands.
Taking artificial intelligence-related products as an example, in the first half of the year, China's exports of products such as electronic components and computer parts all achieved double-digit growth, together contributing 6.9 percentage points to export growth. Smart bionic robots deeply integrated with AI technology were exported in volumes exceeding 10,000 units, reaching more than 90 countries and regions.
In addition, the global push for green and low-carbon transformation is deepening. The demand for new energy construction and consumption aligns well with China's green products. In the first half of the year, exports of lithium batteries and wind power generators increased by 37.6% and 35.6%, respectively; electric vehicles, railway electric locomotives, and electric motorcycles and bicycles increased by 68.7%, 45.1%, and 31.5%, respectively.
"China's stable supply chain is becoming a key hub connecting all parties for win-win cooperation worldwide, injecting more certainty and releasing stronger new momentum into global economic and trade cooperation," Wang Jun said.
In the first half of the year, China's imports reached 10.74 trillion yuan, breaking through 10 trillion yuan for the first time in the same period in history, up 22.1%, with the growth rate 8.7 percentage points higher than that of exports. Wang Jun stated that imports contributed more to foreign trade growth than exports, promoting balanced trade development.
Regarding the reasons for the rapid growth of imports, Wang Jun noted that as the world's largest manufacturing country and the second-largest consumer market, China has a vast market with huge potential, and its share of global imports has risen to about 10%. Furthermore, China's economic operation is generally stable, industrial production is steadily improving, market demand is showing some improvement, providing support for the expansion of imports of raw materials, parts, and consumer goods. In the first half of the year, China's imports of metal ores and electronic components increased by 22.6% and 45.6%, respectively; edible oils and edible aquatic products increased by 19.2% and 24.1%, respectively. In the first half of the year, China's imports from more than 150 countries and regions achieved growth.
Two months after the implementation of zero-tariff measures, total imports from Africa increased by 23.5% year-on-year
In May this year, China fully implemented zero-tariff measures for 53 African countries that have diplomatic relations with China. In May and June, China's total imports from Africa reached 193.8 billion yuan, up 23.5% year-on-year. More high-quality products from Africa entered the large Chinese market. Imports of aquatic products and textile raw materials from Africa both achieved double-digit year-on-year growth; imports of avocados, apples, oranges, and grapefruit increased by 1.3 times, 89.6%, 27.9%, and 11.9%, respectively.
In the first half of the year, China's exports of electromechanical products to Africa reached 534.11 billion yuan, up 28.8%. Exports of photovoltaic products, power transmission and transformation equipment, general mechanical equipment, and auto parts to Africa all maintained good growth momentum.
"China will continue to expand high-level opening up, continuously optimize cooperation measures with Africa, steadily improve the level of trade facilitation between China and Africa, and let the fruits of China-Africa cooperation benefit enterprises and people on both sides more," Wang Jun said.
China and ASEAN have been each other's largest trading partners for many consecutive years. In the first half of the year, China's imports and exports with ASEAN were 4.34 trillion yuan, up 18.2%. In the second quarter, imports and exports were 2.37 trillion yuan, up 20.2% year-on-year, achieving growth for 10 consecutive quarters.
Lü Daliang (吕大良), spokesperson for the General Administration of Customs and Director of the Department of Statistics and Analysis, introduced that China and ASEAN continue to deepen the integration and interweaving of industrial and value chains, driving steady development of intermediate goods trade. In the first half of the year, China's imports and exports of intermediate goods to ASEAN reached 2.86 trillion yuan, up 24.5%, accounting for two-thirds of the total bilateral trade value. China and ASEAN continue to strengthen infrastructure connectivity and accelerate the construction of a dense cross-border logistics network, providing strong support for bilateral trade. In the first half of the year, China's imports and exports to ASEAN via the New Western Land-Sea Corridor (西部陆海新通道) increased by 18.2%, among which railway transport and road transport increased by 24.7% and 17.5%, respectively.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者
“We are sprinting toward 20,000 units!” On the robot production line of Zhiyuan Innovation (Shanghai) Technology Co., Ltd., the 15,000th intelligent robot was recently produced. Senior Vice President Yao Maoqing (姚卯青) of the company has already set his sights on the next target.
The R&D headquarters is in Shanghai, servo motors come from Zhejiang, reducers are produced in Jiangsu, shells come from Anhui… A single robot has more than 20,000 components in total, and almost all suppliers can be found within the Yangtze River Delta region.
This is Zhiyuan’s speed, and even more, it is the scale of the Yangtze River Delta.
In the first year of the “15th Five-Year Plan,” the Yangtze River Delta sounds the charge for scientific and technological innovation.
Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping has visited and guided Shanghai and the Yangtze River Delta region multiple times, delivering a series of important speeches on building a strong nation in science and technology, the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta, and the construction of international science and technology innovation centers. At the end of 2025, at the Central Economic Work Conference, General Secretary Xi Jinping announced the expansion of the Beijing International Science and Technology Innovation Center to cover the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, and the expansion of the Shanghai International Science and Technology Innovation Center to cover the Yangtze River Delta, and made major deployments for the construction of the three major international science and technology innovation centers.
Shifting from the past “point-like breakthroughs” led by core cities to regional collaborative integrated development relying on city clusters, the “expansion” of international science and technology innovation centers is seen as a deep coupling of the science and technology innovation strategy and the regional coordinated development strategy.
Previously, at the special press conference on “Starting the ‘15th Five-Year Plan’ Well,” Shanghai, Jiangsu, and Anhui without exception discussed building the Shanghai (Yangtze River Delta) International Science and Technology Innovation Center. At the recently held 8th High-Level Forum on the Integrated Development of the Yangtze River Delta, the main responsible comrades of Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui gathered in Shanghai, making the joint construction of the international science and technology innovation center and the creation of world-class industrial clusters an important topic of regional cooperation.
From “Shanghai” to “Shanghai (Yangtze River Delta),” why the expansion? What deep relationship exists between the construction of the international science and technology innovation center and the Yangtze River Delta regional integration development strategy?
From three words with “动” (action), the answer can be seen.
Driving (带动) means both leading and radiating
The first word is “driving.”
In June 2007, Comrade Xi Jinping, then Secretary of the Shanghai Municipal Committee, said this at a meeting of the Standing Committee of the Municipal Committee: “The Yangtze River Delta is the most important engine of China’s economy. Shanghai should take the initiative to do the work, not be overly modest, and promote the coordinated development of the Yangtze River Delta with a more proactive posture.”
In December 2023, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized during his inspection of Shanghai: “We must strengthen linkage with the Yangtze River Delta region and better play a radiating and driving role.”
Driving and initiative — these are both the overall situation and the framework.
In planning its development, Shanghai has always adhered to the “four placements”: placed within the central government’s strategic positioning for Shanghai’s development, placed within the general trend of economic globalization, placed within the overall framework of national development, and placed within the state’s overall deployment for the development of the Yangtze River Delta region.
“For the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta, Shanghai has an unshirkable responsibility and must take the lead as an example,” said Zhang Zhongwei (张忠伟), Deputy Director of the Shanghai Municipal Development and Reform Commission and Executive Deputy Director of the Yangtze River Delta Regional Cooperation Office.
Pioneering the nationwide establishment of a “basic research pilot zone,” implementing a mechanism of “long-cycle support + international peer review + failure tolerance,” and launching the “Explorer Plan” for the three leading industries and future industries… In 2025, Shanghai’s intensity of R&D investment in society rose from 4.17% in 2020 to about 4.5%, and fiscal basic research investment reached 9.253 billion yuan, an increase of 3.2 times compared with 2020.
Driving means both leading and radiating.
Biomedicine is one of Shanghai’s three leading industries, with innovation resources ranking among the top in the country. Some enterprises are expanding to the surrounding areas. The head of a pharmaceutical company that moved its headquarters to Zhejiang remarked: “Shanghai not only did not set up ‘regional protection,’ but actually gave the green light to outward expansion.”
Thus the biomedical layout of “R&D in Shanghai, production capacity in the Yangtze River Delta” has been formed. Shanghai’s Zhangjiang Biomedical Cluster and Suzhou’s Biomedical and High-End Medical Device Cluster have both been included in the national advanced manufacturing clusters.
In 2025, the output value of Shanghai’s biomedical manufacturing industry approached 210 billion yuan, the output value of Suzhou’s biomedical and health industrial cluster above designated size exceeded 250 billion yuan, and the share of the Yangtze River Delta biomedical industry in the national total accounted for about one-third.
In promoting the construction of the Shanghai (Yangtze River Delta) International Science and Technology Innovation Center, Shanghai must charge ahead and be the vanguard, making greater contributions to building a strong nation in science and technology — this is Shanghai’s determination and action.
Driving (驱动) — from a “single city” to “regional synergy”
The second word is “driving.”
Su Hao (苏昊), a former associate professor at the University of California, San Diego, whose paper citations rank among the top in the field of embodied intelligence, announced three months ago that he would join Fudan University as Dean of the Institute of General Physical Intelligence.
What is the “driving force” behind this decision?
“Innovation in embodied intelligence is highly dependent on the synergistic linkage of hardware bodies, data, computing power, talent, application scenarios, and the industrial chain,” said Su Hao. “The Yangtze River Delta is one of the few regions in the world that possesses these elements and can form a combined force.”
Su Hao’s choice reflects the evolving trend of the global competition pattern in science and technology.
Looking globally, regional synergy is becoming the basic form of participating in global competition in science and technology. Focusing on the present, the new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation is characterized by a “cluster-network” pattern. With multiple technology routes advancing in parallel, multiple industrial fields being penetrated, multiple application scenarios exploding, and multiple innovation elements flowing, a single city cannot rely on its own strength to build a complete innovation chain and industrial chain.
“Expanding the Shanghai International Science and Technology Innovation Center to the Yangtze River Delta is a precise response to this trend.” Just as Wu Zhaohui (吴朝晖), Vice President of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said, the expanded Shanghai (Yangtze River Delta), together with the Beijing (Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei) and Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area International Science and Technology Innovation Centers, aims to become a strong magnetic field attracting global innovation elements and an important strategic fulcrum for building a strong nation in science and technology.
The industrial chain and innovation chain of the Yangtze River Delta have long been deeply integrated.
Looking at the innovation end, Zhangjiang and Hefei were among the first in the country to be approved as comprehensive national science centers; 28 national large-scale science and technology infrastructure facilities and 37 “Double First-Class” universities form a scientific research highland.
Looking at the industrial end, the biomedical and artificial intelligence industries each account for about one-third of the national total, the integrated circuit industry accounts for three-fifths of the national total, and 26 national-level advanced manufacturing clusters have risen here, covering almost all tracks and chains of the modern industrial system.
The regional GDP exceeds one-fourth of China’s total GDP, with one-third of the country’s high-tech enterprises, one-third of R&D expenditure, and one-third of invention patent grants… High-density scientific research, capital, and industrial resources overlap heavily in the Yangtze River Delta.
A number of overseas leading talents, such as scientist Luo Jianlan (罗剑岚) and mathematician Lin Huaxin (林华新), have come to Shanghai to deeply cultivate frontier fields such as artificial intelligence, integrated circuits, and basic science. In 2025, Shanghai gathered nearly 150,000 new talents from home and abroad, introduced 1,630 high-level talents at the national and municipal levels, and the innovative vitality of talents has burst forth.
The returns came faster than Su Hao expected: Shanghai Sudu Technology Co., Ltd. (苏度科技), where he serves as chief technical advisor, completed a $500 million financing within one year of its establishment.
At the 8th High-Level Forum on the Integrated Development of the Yangtze River Delta, the path for jointly building the Shanghai (Yangtze River Delta) International Science and Technology Innovation Center became increasingly clear: from a “single city” to “regional synergy,” from “point-like breakthroughs” to “system integration.”
As Director of the Shanghai Municipal Development and Reform Commission and Director of the Yangtze River Delta Regional Cooperation Office, Liu Jian (刘健) focuses on the three-tier responsibility of “driving”: for the region, how to promote the coordinated flow and efficient synergy of innovation elements within the region through integration; for the country, how to create a demonstration benchmark for science and technology to support and lead Chinese-style modernization by upgrading the regional innovation level; and globally, whether the Yangtze River Delta can represent the country in participating in the new round of competition in science, technology, and industry.
Linking (联动) — not only the unimpeded flow of elements, but also a visible “merger”
The third word is “linking.”
At the 8th High-Level Forum on the Integrated Development of the Yangtze River Delta, Wang Jingbo (王静波), Managing Partner of IDG Capital, displayed a map of equity investment. On the map, the Yangtze River Delta’s share of national equity investment remained stable at over 40%.
“This is the market’s vote of confidence in technological innovation with real money,” said Wang Jingbo. “The growth of science and technology enterprises requires multi-dimensional support of all factors, including policy soil, talent concentration, financial liquidity, supply chain supporting facilities, and application scenarios.”
Chen Weiliang (陈维良), founder of Muxi Integrated Circuit (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., recalled the moment when he rang the listing gong at the Shanghai Stock Exchange half a year ago, with much emotion.
A few years ago, at a critical period of development for this domestic graphics processor enterprise, the state-owned venture capital platform Shanghai Pudong Innovation Investment Development (Group) Co., Ltd. made a strategic investment of 500 million yuan. Subsequently, state-owned capital from Shanghai, Nanjing, Hangzhou and other places successively entered and continued to increase investment.
Since the founding of the Science and Technology Innovation Board (STAR Market) in Shanghai seven years ago, enterprises from the Yangtze River Delta account for nearly half of the listed companies, and it is specially designed for high-quality science and technology companies.
On the “Shanghai finance—Yangtze River Delta S&T innovation” fast track, the restructuring of Advanced Micro-Fabrication Equipment Inc. (AMEC) became the first case of the simplified review for restructuring and acquisition on the STAR Market; the IPO (initial public offering) review of Hangzhou Yunshenchu Technology Co., Ltd. on the Shanghai Stock Exchange STAR Market was accepted…
Linking is not only the unimpeded flow of elements, but also a visible “merger.”
Forming regional innovation consortia to continuously make breakthroughs in key fields such as quantum computing, biomedicine, and artificial intelligence; promoting the cross-regional redemption of Yangtze River Delta science and technology innovation vouchers, making enterprises the main body of innovation… This is the linkage of government, industry, academia, research, finance, and application.
A domestically produced large passenger aircraft — R&D in Shanghai, power from Jiangsu, wings from Zhejiang, oxygen and safety systems from Anhui; a new energy vehicle — without leaving the Yangtze River Delta, all parts can be assembled within four hours… This is the linkage of the innovation chain, industrial chain, and supply chain.
In 2025, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui formulated the “Decision on Promoting the Synergistic Development of Science and Technology Innovation in the Yangtze River Delta” in the form of regional coordinated legislation. “The synergistic development of science and technology innovation in the Yangtze River Delta has entered a new stage of rule of law,” said Cui Kai (崔凯), Deputy Director of the Legal Affairs Committee of the Shanghai Municipal People’s Congress Standing Committee.
Driving (带动), driving (驱动), linking (联动) — these are the actions of the high-quality integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta. From “Shanghai” to “Shanghai (Yangtze River Delta),” it carries not only the ambition of the Yangtze River Delta to move toward higher-quality integration, but also represents the determination of China’s science and technology innovation to surpass globally on top-tier tracks by constructing regional matrix advantages. (Our reporters Wu Yan (吴焰), Ju Yunpeng (巨云鹏), Huang Xiaohui (黄晓慧), Wang Yinxin (王崟欣))
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 刘诗瑶 喻思南
"We must strengthen overall planning and top-level design, and optimize the systemic layout of basic research. Adhere to the strategic orientation of the 'Four Orientations' (四个面向), and further clarify the main attack directions and key areas of basic research."
——Emphasized by General Secretary Xi Jinping at the Symposium on Strengthening Basic Research, April 2026
On July 10, at the Hainan Commercial Space Launch Site (海南商业航天发射场), the Long March 10B carrier rocket made its maiden flight successfully, marking the first time a Chinese carrier rocket achieved controllable recovery. China's aerospace industry creates history time and again, inseparable from basic research breakthroughs in areas such as materials preparation, fluid dynamics, and space physics.
On July 8, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized at the National Science and Technology Awards Conference, the Conference of Academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Academy of Engineering, and the 11th National Congress of the China Association for Science and Technology: "We must adhere to the strategic orientation of the Four Orientations, further strengthen coordination in aspects such as science and technology strategic planning, policies and measures, major tasks, scientific research forces, resource platforms, and regional innovation, raise the level of organization of scientific and technological breakthroughs, and enhance the overall effectiveness of the national innovation system."
In September 2020, General Secretary Xi Jinping proposed the "Four Orientations" at a symposium with scientists: "Adhere to facing the world's scientific and technological frontiers, facing the main battlefield of the economy, facing the nation's major needs, and facing the people's life and health." In April 2026, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized at the Symposium on Strengthening Basic Research: "We must strengthen overall planning and top-level design, and optimize the systemic layout of basic research. Adhere to the strategic orientation of the Four Orientations, and further clarify the main attack directions and key areas of basic research."
Deeply implementing the important directives of General Secretary Xi Jinping, the vast number of scientific researchers are accelerating the realization of high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and self-strengthening.
Facing the world's scientific and technological frontiers, strengthening basic research is a key move to achieve scientific and technological leadership and overtaking on the curve.
"Combine the world's scientific and technological frontiers with the nation's major strategic needs and economic and social development goals," General Secretary Xi Jinping's thoughts are far-reaching.
At the CETC Industrial Basic Research Institute (中国电科产业基础研究院) in Shijiazhuang, Hebei, Zhang Lei (张磊), captain of the Low-Orbit Satellite Internet Communication Commando Team, led his team to overcome key technologies such as silicon-based radio frequency high-density integration, achieving independent research and development and rapid delivery of low-orbit satellite communication devices.
In May 2023, when General Secretary Xi Jinping inspected and investigated at the CETC Industrial Basic Research Institute, he emphasized: "We must aim at national strategic needs, systematically lay out key innovation resources, give full play to the advantages of deep integration of industry, academia, and research, and continuously achieve new breakthroughs in key core technologies."
"Keeping the instructions in mind, we must strive to produce more original results." Zhang Lei said that the eight-beam phased array developed by the team, compared to traditional devices, reduces volume and weight by 50% and reception power consumption by 50%, making it more suitable for the needs of low-cost, rapid networking of satellite internet.
Facing the main battlefield of the economy, basic research is an important force driving economic development and improving people's livelihood.
At the Overwintering Cabbage Research and Development Center in Panjiawan Town, Jiayu County (嘉鱼县潘家湾镇), Hubei, researcher Zhang Yangyong (张扬勇) of the Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (中国农业科学院蔬菜花卉研究所) is accelerating breeding research.
On November 5, 2024, when General Secretary Xi Jinping inspected the Ten-li Vegetable Corridor (十里蔬菜长廊) in Panjiawan Town, he pointed out: "To develop modern agriculture and build a strong agricultural nation, we must rely on scientific and technological progress, letting science and technology add wings of flight to agricultural modernization."
Overwintering cabbage is mainly distributed in the Yangtze River basin and needs to withstand low temperatures of around minus 6 degrees Celsius. Previously, domestic varieties had poor cold resistance, and 90% of overwintering cabbage seeds on the market relied on imports.
To make the people's "vegetable basket" more stable and fuller, independent control of germplasm resources is key. Zhang Yangyong's team turned sterile cold-resistant, disease-resistant cabbage materials into fertile materials, breaking the bottleneck of scarce available resources.
"Strive to raise the domestic production rate of overwintering cabbage varieties to over 90% within five years!" Zhang Yangyong said with full confidence.
Facing the nation's major needs, "Chang'e" flies to the moon, "Beidou" points the way, "Zhurong" explores Mars – the roots of the dream of a strong nation are deeply planted in the fertile soil of basic research.
In 2022, the youth team of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation Space Station Construction wrote a letter to General Secretary Xi Jinping, reporting on their situation of bravely shouldering heavy responsibilities to promote the development of aerospace science and technology.
The General Secretary replied to encourage everyone to "boldly innovate and break through, shine with youthful brilliance on the journey of chasing dreams in space, and make new contributions to achieving high-level self-reliance and self-strengthening in China's aerospace science and technology."
Today, the China Space Station has completed independent construction and independent operation. This team has always held the front line, contributing to the safe and stable operation of the space home.
"We are fully building a digital space station, using virtual simulation technology to simulate and rehearse the docking, assembly, and operation of expansion modules in advance, reducing the risk of actual spaceflight." Wang Wei (王为), a member of the Space Station Construction Youth Team, and his colleagues are 争分夺秒 (zhēng fēn duó miǎo - "fight for minutes, snatch seconds," to race against time) to tackle new topics.
Facing the people's life and health, basic research in the medical field provides strong support for advancing the construction of a Healthy China (健康中国).
On May 2, 2018, when General Secretary Xi Jinping inspected Peking University, he pointed out: "Universities are an important part of the science and technology innovation system, and university researchers are an important force in our country's scientific and technological innovation."
Over the past eight years, the team of Deng Hongkui (邓宏魁) at Peking University, guided by solving real clinical problems, has originally created a new technology of "chemical small molecule induction of human cell reprogramming," opening a path for regenerative medicine to treat major diseases.
"This new technology has better safety and controllability in clinical application." Deng Hongkui introduced that related clinical trials are progressing smoothly, and it is expected to assist in the treatment of diabetes.
Scientists have broken through the biosynthesis problem of the anticancer natural drug cephalotaxine for the first time; Qingfeng Pharmaceutical (青峰医药)'s brivaracetam injection and oral solution have been approved for marketing... Medical research results are born in the laboratory and transformed into more accessible drugs and more inclusive technologies.
Adhering to the Four Orientations, building a strong capability in basic research and original innovation, supporting the vast number of scientific researchers to continuously produce major original and disruptive scientific and technological achievements, the foundation of high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and self-strengthening will surely be continuously consolidated.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 李君强 黄晓慧
“Strengthen the leading role of national scientific research institutions, high-level research universities, etc., encourage and regulate the development of new-type R&D institutions, promote enterprise-led deep integration of industry, academia, research, and application, and unblock the innovation chain of basic research, applied development, and achievement transformation.”
——Comrade Xi Jinping emphasized this at the Symposium on Strengthening Basic Research in April 2026
On July 13, at the Zuquan Research Institute (祖泉研究院) Brain-Inspired Intelligence Future Innovation Center in Yangpu District, Shanghai, a brain-like computing board that had just completed testing was inserted into a server.
For many years, the team led by Professor Zou Zhuo (邹卓) of the Fudan University Future Information Innovation School (复旦大学未来信息创新学院) has been persistently tackling brain-like chips, starting from theoretical research on spiking neural networks and finally achieving a key breakthrough.
Basic research is the source of the entire scientific system and the master switch for all technical problems. After taking the “from 0 to 1” step, how can the leap “from 1 to 100” be realized?
On July 8, at the National Science and Technology Awards Conference, the Conference of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Academy of Engineering, and the 11th National Congress of the China Association for Science and Technology, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “We must support national strategic scientific and technological forces in cooperating with other scientific and technological forces to tackle key problems, coordinate the allocation of research tasks, platforms and bases, and key talent, and form a systematic tackling pattern covering basic research, applied development, and achievement transformation.”
In April 2026, at the Symposium on Strengthening Basic Research, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: “Strengthen the leading role of national scientific research institutions, high-level research universities, etc., encourage and regulate the development of new-type R&D institutions, promote enterprise-led deep integration of industry, academia, research, and application, and unblock the innovation chain of basic research, applied development, and achievement transformation.”
From basic research to industrial application, Zou Zhuo’s team has continuously explored. District-university co-built platforms carry out concept validation, project manager precision services, patient capital continuous investment, future industry cluster zones provide application scenarios… Each innovative measure is interlinked, bringing basic research achievements to the industrial front line.
Different innovation entities each have their strengths. Only by fully leveraging their respective advantages, smoothing the channels for achievement transformation, promoting efficient allocation of innovation factors, and driving deep integration of industry, academia, research, and application can the “key variable” of scientific and technological innovation truly be transformed into the “maximum increment” of high-quality development.
Strengthening the leading role, national scientific research institutions and high-level research universities continue to concentrate their efforts on tackling key problems.
General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “To strengthen basic research, we must highlight forward-looking and strategic demand orientation, optimize resource allocation and layout structure, and provide basic theoretical support and technical source supply for innovative development.”
For basic research in ocean observation and detection, the Laoshan Laboratory (崂山 Laboratory) in Qingdao, Shandong, has implemented deep-sea in-situ geological science and technology detection. Using its self-developed in-situ spectrum detection technology, it discovered for the first time in the world the super-large hydrogen-bearing hydrothermal area “Kunlun (昆仑).”
This year, relying on its self-developed unmanned submersible, the laboratory’s research team revisited the “Kunlun” hydrothermal area to carry out in-situ detection, forming an independent innovation chain of “original core theory — independent technical equipment — deep-sea in-situ verification.”
Focusing on the strategic demand for frontier manufacturing technology, Southwest Jiaotong University has continuously carried out organized research. Starting from atomic layer removal technology, it took 20 years to achieve a key breakthrough in atomic-scale manufacturing technology, breaking through the constraints of traditional manufacturing technology in ultimate precision control and ultra-precision machining.
Strengthening the force of basic research, new-type R&D institutions help scientific and technological achievement transformation “accelerate.”
At the Hubei Wuhan Industrial Innovation and Development Research Institute (湖北武汉产业创新发展研究院), the institute’s philosophy displayed at the entrance of the exhibition hall — “Transformation through gathering, innovation through creation” (因聚而变、惟创则新) — attracts attention.
The transformation of basic research achievements often requires crossing the “Darwinian Sea” from the laboratory to the market. The Wuhan Industrial Innovation and Development Research Institute has innovatively introduced a “grant-to-equity” (拨转股) mechanism, using fiscal funds to support scientific and technological achievements through stages such as concept validation, pilot trials, intermediate trials, and mass production scaling. Once the enterprise enters the market development stage, the funds are converted into equity, which both reduces the risk of achievement transformation and improves the efficiency of fiscal fund utilization.
Now, a number of projects from universities and research institutes across the country are being accelerated in incubation, and the channels for transforming scientific and technological achievements are becoming smoother.
Building a source of original innovation and promoting enterprise-led deep integration of industry, academia, research, and application.
General Secretary Xi Jinping has repeatedly emphasized the principal position of enterprises in innovation: “Strengthen the principal position of enterprises in innovation, support enterprises in building platforms and tackling difficulties together with universities and research institutes”; “The integration of the innovation chain and the industrial chain requires establishing the principal position of enterprises in innovation”…
In recent years, Trina Solar Co., Ltd. has established joint university-enterprise laboratories with Fudan University, Nanjing University, and other universities, collaboratively carrying out basic research and tackling key core technologies, building a collaborative innovation mechanism in which enterprises pose the questions, laboratories tackle the problems, and the results feed back into the industry.
More and more enterprises are growing into the question-setters for basic research, the organizers of innovation resources, and the promoters of scientific and technological achievement transformation. The deep integration of industry, academia, research, and application is becoming ever stronger.
The innovation chain is becoming smoother, and the results of transforming basic research achievements are continuously emerging. The proportion of basic research investment in total social R&D investment has reached a historic high; the industrialization rate of invention patents from universities and research institutions is steadily rising; and the number of platforms jointly built by universities, research institutes, and enterprises is continuously increasing.
Enhance China’s original innovation capability, and further consolidate the foundation for building a strong science and technology nation. Following the direction charted by General Secretary Xi Jinping, various innovation entities 攥指成拳 (zuàn zhǐ chéng quán - “clench fingers into a fist,” meaning to unite forces), and the innovation chain, industrial chain, capital chain, and talent chain of basic research interweave and support each other, continuously injecting strong momentum into building a powerful science and technology nation.
(Reporters You Yi (游仪), Fan Haotian (范昊天), and Li Rui (李蕊) contributed to the reporting)
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 常 钦
On July 14, the State Council Information Office held a press conference. Vice Minister of Natural Resources Zhang Wentong (张文彤), Vice Director of the National Forestry and Grassland Administration (National Park Administration) Zhang Liming (张利明), and other relevant department heads introduced the situation concerning the "Opinions of the General Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council on Improving the Management System of Natural Resource Assets" (中共中央办公厅、国务院办公厅关于完善自然资源资产管理制度体系的意见) (hereinafter referred to as the "Opinions").
Zhang Wentong stated that the Opinions are a programmatic document in the field of natural resource asset management, establishing the "four beams and eight pillars" (sì liáng bā zhù - "four beams and eight pillars," the main framework or supporting structure) for uniformly fulfilling the responsibilities of the owner of natural resource assets owned by the whole people. By 2030, the management system for natural resource assets will be more robust, the entities performing duties will be clearer, the asset base will be more distinct, overall protection will be stronger, asset allocation will be more efficient, and oversight and assessment will be more complete; by 2035, a comprehensive and well-established management system for natural resource assets will be fully established.
Take stock of the asset base, clarify ownership, to achieve "a clear count of resources and assets, a clear understanding of the situation, and solid accounts"
The Opinions, centering on the complete management chain of natural resource assets — "what exists — how much it is worth — who manages it — how to manage and protect it — how to allocate it — how to realize revenue — how to supervise it — how to assess it" — deploy key reform tasks from five aspects.
Taking stock of the asset base and clarifying ownership is the first step. Wang Huabin (王华斌), Director of the Department of Natural Resource Survey and Monitoring of the Ministry of Natural Resources, introduced that in recent years, the Ministry of Natural Resources has continuously carried out unified survey and monitoring of natural resources, covering various resources such as land, minerals, forests, grasslands, wetlands, water, oceans, and deserts, as well as national parks. Based on pilots of spatial digital collaborative governance in places like Zhejiang and Chongqing, a "one map" (一张图) for natural resource management and territorial space planning has been constructed.
"To protect and utilize natural resource assets well and present 'clear accounts' to the people, the first step must be to achieve a clear count of the base, a clear understanding of the situation, and solid accounts," Wang Huabin said. Comprehensively ascertain the quantity, distribution, and development and utilization status of the 164 types of minerals for which resource reserves are identified; the national forest coverage rate has reached 25.09 percent, and the forest growing stock has reached 209.88 billion cubic meters, making China the country with the largest and fastest increase in greening globally; China's sea area under jurisdiction is approximately 3 million square kilometers, and the preservation rate of the mainland natural coastline remains above 35 percent; the natural resource asset base has become more substantial.
The Opinions propose improving the system for inventory, statistics, and accounting of natural resource assets, calculating both economic accounts and ecological accounts. Beijing, Hubei, Guangdong and other places have taken the lead in exploration; Beijing has grasped the spatial location, value, and usage status of 12,500 parcels of land belonging to 192 state-owned enterprises at the municipal and district levels. At the same time, it proposes improving the system for compiling natural resource balance sheets and promoting their regular compilation. In 2021, the Ministry of Natural Resources, for the first time, specially reported to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on the management of state-owned natural resource assets, and this year it will again make a special report and publicly release it in accordance with the law.
The property rights system is a foundational system of the socialist market economy. Hu Shanshun (胡善顺), Director of the Bureau of Natural Resource Rights Registration of the Ministry of Natural Resources, stated that the Opinions, starting from two key measures — improving the rights system and unified rights registration — give all sectors of society a "heart-calming pill" (dìngxīn wán - "heart-calming pill," something that reassures or stabilizes). On the one hand, it promotes the establishment of the right to use state-owned agricultural land, explores the separate establishment of the right to use construction land for deep underground space, and improves the connection mechanism for the conversion of sea area use rights to land use rights after sea reclamation. On the other hand, it comprehensively promotes the unified registration of natural resources and real estate. Currently, registration has been completed for over 3,800 key areas, including the first batch of five established national parks, the main stream of the Yangtze River (Sichuan section), and Taihu Lake, with a registered area of 377,000 square kilometers; the lucid waters and lush mountains have their own "household registration booklet" (hùkǒu běn - "household registration booklet," a formal identifier). At the same time, reforms convenient for the people and beneficial to enterprises, such as "cross-provincial processing" and "transfer with mortgage," for real estate registration have been implemented.
Constructing a new model of asset allocation to break development bottlenecks, activate resource value, and serve high-quality development
Wang Wei (王薇), Director of the Department of Owner's Equity in Natural Resources of the Ministry of Natural Resources, introduced that in recent years, the Ministry of Natural Resources has summarized and formed 64 typical cases in six batches, and introduced policies on planning guidance, protection and restoration, property rights incentives, market trading, and revenue sharing, allowing more reform achievements to benefit the broad masses of the people.
In terms of overall protection, an indicator system for natural resource asset management is established and plays a guiding role, strictly adhering to the "three control lines" (三条控制线) of the red line for farmland and permanent basic farmland protection, the red line for ecological protection, and the boundary for urban development. In terms of ecological restoration, integrated protection and systematic governance of mountains, waters, forests, farmlands, grasslands, deserts, and swamps are promoted. The Shibalianwei Wetland Restoration Project in Hefei, Anhui, has pioneered a new path of wetland protection and development with mutual benefits through "protection — value addition — feedback." In terms of the mechanism for realizing the value of ecological products, exploration is made to establish a market-based trading mechanism for resource rights indicators and a trading incentive mechanism for indicators of the relocation of construction land within the ecological protection red line. Shenzhen, Guangdong, utilizing the mangrove resources of the Neilingding Island-Futian National Nature Reserve, completed the country's first auction of carbon credits from mangrove protection.
"Constructing a new model for the allocation of natural resource assets is a major measure to break development bottlenecks, activate resource value, and serve high-quality development," Wang Wei introduced. Natural resource assets are various natural resources and related rights and interests that possess scarcity, usefulness, and clear ownership. The Opinions propose adhering to public ownership of resources and the statutory nature of property rights, emphasizing the main line of improving the property rights system for natural resource assets.
The Opinions adhere to combining an effective market with a competent government, proposing to improve the system and rules for the natural resource asset market, deepen the reform of the paid-use system for natural resource assets, comprehensively promote the competitive transfer of mining rights, increase the proportion of market-based allocation of sea area use rights, cultivate and regulate the water use rights trading market, and improve the pricing system for natural resource assets. At the same time, it constructs new models and new pathways for the allocation of natural resource assets. Through the pooling of property rights and empowerment of rights for various types of natural resource assets, it encourages business entities to conduct comprehensive operations, promoting a shift from allocation primarily focused on single natural resource assets to giving equal importance to the allocation of both single and combined types of natural resource assets.
Improving supervision and assessment to safeguard natural resource wealth
Land reserve is an important guarantee for the high-quality supply of land elements. Zhang Wentong introduced that land reserve is an important lever for optimizing urban layout and manifesting value, and an important means of proactively implementing urban planning. Reviewing the history of land reserve, we can clearly see that its institutional system, organizational system, and operational system are complete.
While the land reserve system continues to play its role, it also requires continuous innovation and reform. These aspects are fully reflected in the Opinions. Zhang Wentong introduced that the types of resources are shifting from a past focus on land resource reserves to a diverse range including land, forests, and minerals; from relatively single land parcels in the past to the effective combination of various types of resources at the area level; from the construction of individual projects and the continuous improvement of the quality level of single projects themselves to the systemic nature of projects; from a past relative pursuit of economic value to a systemic pursuit of economic, social, and ecological value.
Improving supervision and assessment is an important guarantee for safeguarding the common natural resource wealth of the whole people. The Opinions propose establishing a unified revenue management system for natural resource assets owned by the whole people, with all related revenues fully incorporated into the government budget. Zhang Wentong stated that exploration is being made to establish a resource list management system for the ownership of natural resource assets owned by the whole people. Through the establishment of the list system, the responsible entities, responsible content, rights, and obligations are further clarified. The Opinions propose coordinating the conduct of responsibility assessments for natural resource asset management and exploring assessment and evaluation of the entities performing their duties. It aims to create a "precise portrait" (jīngzhǔn huàxiàng - "precise portrait," a detailed and accurate evaluation) of leading cadres' responsibility fulfillment and management effectiveness, answering questions such as "whether the natural resource asset base has become thicker or thinner, whether the effect of ecological restoration is better or worse, and whether asset value is higher or lower." It plays a "baton" (zhǐhuībàng - "baton," a guiding or steering role) role, further guiding leading cadres to establish and practice a correct view of performance.
Zhang Liming introduced that according to the latest survey, the country currently has 3.614 billion mu of forests, 3.912 billion mu of grasslands, and 834 million mu of wetlands. Efforts will be made to fight the tough battle of the "Three-North" Project (三北工程), implement projects for the precise improvement of forest quality, and vigorously promote grassland protection and restoration; deepen the reform of the collective forest rights system, and accelerate the promotion of the "three rights separation" (三权分置) of collective forestland; strengthen the protection and management of national parks, focusing efforts on three key aspects: spatial control, habitat restoration, and improvement of people's livelihoods.
"One part deployment, nine parts implementation" (一分部署、九分落实). Zhang Wentong stated that currently and for a period to come, the Ministry of Natural Resources will coordinate with various regions and departments to improve working mechanisms, consolidate work responsibilities, do a good job in risk prevention and control, strengthen scientific and technological support and talent team building, and enhance incentive mechanisms. By strengthening deployment, strengthening implementation, and strengthening supervision, all reform measures in the Opinions will be truly implemented.
By: 盛玉雷
Not long ago, the first major national landmark project of the 15th Five-Year Plan — the Three Gorges Water Transport New Channel Project — broke ground in Yichang, Hubei. Serving the Gezhouba navigation expansion construction, alongside the relocation of more than 2,300 households, there were also 2,265 trees that moved.
A major national project, every branch and leaf is touched with care. “Cutting down the trees directly would have saved time, effort, and money,” but the local authorities chose relocation without hesitation. Each tree was numbered individually, its roots carefully wrapped, its branches pruned, and a dedicated transport route planned… The place where trees land matters just as much as where people settle. This meticulously carried-out “green relocation” preserved for the city the “ecological assets accumulated over decades.”
Gentle details are everywhere. To reduce the disturbance to fish from underwater blasting, mechanical excavation was adopted instead; the 1.48 million cubic meters of topsoil excavated were collected and will be used for project greening… Grand narratives are filled with tangible, human annotations. One scholar exclaimed, “Even a giant concrete-and-steel project can be green, warm, and full of feeling.”
The new era is a panorama of myriad scenes — it possesses both the immense power to move mountains and fill seas, and the gentleness to care for every blade of grass and tree. From this, we witness not only the nurturing of economic value and ecological value, but also the leap in development philosophy and governance precision.
Treating with gentleness is a governance wisdom that balances development and protection, and takes into account both the present and the long term, embodying a confident and capable approach to development.
How should we treat historical and cultural heritage in urban construction? “Toward the Chinese civilization that has endured for more than 5,000 years, we should show a little more respect and a little more reflection.”
Caring for every blade of grass and every tree, and also treasuring every brick and tile. From the ancient city of Zhengding in Hebei, to the Three Lanes and Seven Alleys in Fujian, and then to Pingjiang Road in Suzhou, Jiangsu — protecting the roots and continuing the cultural lineage, the “warm chapter” of a humanistic economy where material civilization and spiritual civilization are coordinated is being written faster.
How to synergistically advance high-quality development and high-level protection? “In the green transition, drive development to achieve an effective improvement in quality and a reasonable increase in quantity.”
In Ningdong, Ningxia, “black gold” is refined into “real gold.” Traditional energy industries are upgrading in value and adding new elements; the wind-solar-hydrogen-storage industrial cluster is rapidly taking shape, and the conversion channel between lucid waters and lush mountains and mountains of gold and silver is constantly widening.
Pushing forward development from a higher starting point is a systematic project. Dilemmas involving two or more difficult trade-offs will only increase. We cannot rely on the extensive mindset of “sliding on a watermelon rind, going wherever it slides”; we must have goals and strategies.
At the same time, high-quality development requires finding the optimal solution under multiple constraints. This demands that we consciously apply the new development philosophy throughout the entire process of economic and social development, comprehensively consider factors such as development quality, speed, scale, and efficiency, solve the “multi-variable equation” with strategic thinking and a systemic perspective, and better serve the overall development agenda.
Treating with gentleness is also a way and method to respond to people’s expectations and meet people’s needs, manifesting the development purpose of benefiting the people.
In urban spatial planning, we insist on leaving blank spaces and increasing greenery, inserting green wherever possible, so that more people can feel the beauty of ecology right at their doorstep; in the management of mobile vendors, we have shifted from “playing hide-and-seek” to “following the tides,” changing from “wherever there is chaos, that’s where we manage” to “wherever there is need, that’s where we help”; in the settlement of migrant populations, from inflow to integration, the new urbanization adheres to a people-centered approach…
Centering on people, serving people, developing people — using gentleness to generate warmth, exchanging sincerity for the people’s hearts. “Our Party is a party that stands for public interest and exercises power for the people” — this has gained an intuitive and concrete portrayal.
General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “The ultimate goal of modernization is the free and comprehensive development of the individual.” Anchoring the people’s aspiration for a better life, vigorously improving development quality and efficiency, and in the course of “reaching the broad and great while exhausting the subtle and minute,” doing solid work and doing it well, so that modernization better responds to the people’s various demands and multi-level needs — this will better promote the comprehensive development of the individual and the overall progress of society.
In today’s China, investment in things and investment in people are closely integrated. People’s value is being elevated, people’s needs are expanding, people’s vitality is being released. “When the strength and wisdom of hundreds of millions of people are added together, who can compare?”
Return to TopBy: 本报记者
In recent days, various regions and departments have continuously deployed flood prevention and typhoon response work, carried out post-disaster emergency recovery from rainstorm and flood disasters, and promoted the restoration of normal production and living order as soon as possible.
Meteorological monitoring shows that during the day on July 14, some areas of Jilin, Liaoning, Guangdong and other places experienced heavy to torrential rain. The Central Meteorological Observatory (中央气象台) predicts that there will be heavy precipitation in Northwest China, North China, the Huanghuai region, and other areas. Specifically, over the next three days, scattered heavy to torrential rain, with local extremely heavy rain, will occur in eastern Heilongjiang, eastern Jilin, Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia, Qinghai, Sichuan, Shandong, Shanxi, Henan, Hebei, and other areas. Some areas of western and southern Shandong, western and northern Henan, and northern Jiangsu will experience thunderstorm gales above Force 10, with maximum wind force possibly reaching above Force 11. In addition, Guangxi and Guangdong will have heavy precipitation.
At 18:00 on the 14th, the Central Meteorological Observatory issued a yellow rainstorm warning, a meteorological risk warning for small and medium river floods, and continued to issue a blue severe convective weather warning, a blue typhoon warning, and a yellow high temperature warning; the Ministry of Water Resources (水利部) and the China Meteorological Administration (中国气象局) jointly issued a yellow mountain torrent disaster meteorological warning; the Ministry of Natural Resources (自然资源部) and the China Meteorological Administration jointly issued a yellow geological disaster meteorological risk warning.
On the morning of the 14th, the Office of the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters (国家防办) and the Ministry of Emergency Management (应急管理部) continued to organize multi-department joint consultations, assessed the development trends of Typhoon Bavi and heavy rainfall, and deployed flood prevention and typhoon response work in key areas. The consultations pointed out that Typhoon Bavi moved into the northern Yellow Sea waters of China at noon on the 14th, but its wind and rain effects have not yet ended, and the heavy rainfall process in Liaoning, Jilin, Shandong and other provinces will continue. The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters (国家防总) raised the Level IV flood prevention emergency response for Jilin to Level III, and maintained the Level III flood prevention emergency response for Liaoning and the Level IV flood prevention emergency response for Heilongjiang and Shandong.
On the 14th, the Ministry of Finance (财政部) and the Ministry of Emergency Management urgently allocated an advance of 430 million yuan from central natural disaster relief funds to support 10 provinces including Guangxi, Zhejiang, Hebei, Liaoning, Tianjin, Heilongjiang, Jiangsu, Anhui, Jiangxi, and Sichuan in carrying out flood prevention and typhoon response emergency rescue and disaster relief work. Among them: first, on the basis of the earlier advance allocation of 190 million yuan, an additional advance of 150 million yuan was allocated to support Guangxi in continuing to focus on the resettlement of affected people, transitional living assistance, and the repair of collapsed and damaged houses; second, an advance of 280 million yuan was allocated to support the other nine provinces in coordinating and carrying out search, rescue, transfer, and resettlement of affected personnel, hazard removal and danger elimination and other emergency response actions, and conducting secondary disaster hazard investigation and emergency remediation, etc.
On the 14th, the National Commission for Disaster Prevention, Reduction and Relief (国家防灾减灾救灾委员会) activated a national Level IV disaster relief emergency response for the rainstorm and flood disaster in Liaoning. The National Development and Reform Commission (国家发展改革委) urgently arranged 30 million yuan from central budgetary investment to support Liaoning in carrying out post-disaster emergency recovery from the rainstorm and flood disaster.
A reporter learned from the Ministry of Water Resources: Affected by rainfall, the first flood of 2026 occurred on the Jilin section of the Songhua River. The Ministry of Water Resources closely monitored the development of the flood situation, conducted rolling consultations and assessments, strengthened monitoring, forecasting, and warning of rain and water conditions, preemptively activated a Level III emergency response for flood defense in Jilin, and scientifically dispatched the Fengman (丰满) and Baishan (白山) reservoirs to retain floodwaters and reduce peak flows.
According to forecasts, from the 14th to the 17th, under the combined influence of cold and warm air masses, eastern Northwest China will experience a relatively strong rainfall process, mainly moderate to heavy rain. The intensity of this round of rainfall is relatively high, and the risks to the safe operation of reservoirs and check dams during the flood season, as well as the risks of small and medium river floods and mountain torrent disasters, are relatively high in the rainfall area. The Ministry of Water Resources made targeted arrangements and deployments for the defense against rainstorm and flood in the Northwest region during this round, and directed and urged the water resources departments of Shanxi and Shaanxi and relevant river basin management agencies to anchor the goal of "no casualties, no dam breaches of reservoirs, no breaches of important levees, and no impact on important infrastructure," and to strengthen the implementation of various prevention measures.
The impact of Typhoon Bavi on the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River has basically ended. The Yangtze River Maritime Safety Administration (长江海事局) lifted the typhoon prevention emergency response from 08:00 on the 14th, and simultaneously lifted the temporary traffic control on the Yangtze River main line from Ezhou, Hubei (湖北鄂州) to Ma'anshan, Anhui (安徽马鞍山). The middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River fully resumed two-way navigation.
After consultation and assessment, the Hebei Provincial Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters (河北省防汛抗旱指挥部) decided that from 18:00 on the 14th, the flood prevention emergency response for Chengde City (承德市) will be adjusted to Level IV, and the flood prevention emergency responses for Qinhuangdao City (秦皇岛市), Tangshan City (唐山市), and Langfang City (廊坊市) will be terminated.
(Compiled from reports by our reporters Jiang Xuehong (蒋雪鸿), Deng Jianyang (邓剑洋), Qu Zhehan (曲哲涵), Liu Zhiqiang (刘志强), Liu Wenxin (刘温馨), Han Xin (韩鑫), and Shi Ziqiang (史自强))
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 叶 琦 刘军国
“Dear villagers, please proceed immediately to the village center resettlement point…” In Jiangfeng Village (江枫村), Fenglin Town, Yongjia County, Wenzhou City, Zhejiang Province, starting from 22:00 on July 10, a meteorological drone patrolled along the riverbank tidal flats, village lanes, and residential houses, circling to inspect shoreline safety hazards and remind villagers to evacuate to safety.
Command center staff closely monitored the real-time footage and coordinated with the village’s two committee cadres to assist in transferring villagers. By 10:00 on July 11, Jiangfeng Village had successfully completed the transfer of all 765 villagers within 12 hours. Because the evacuation was timely, Jiangfeng Village, where the flood crest reached over two meters, suffered no casualties.
Drones, AI (artificial intelligence) applications, digital platforms… various departments and localities across Zhejiang are actively exploring and employing new technologies, transforming the traditional “people run, eyes watch, phone shout” model of flood prevention and typhoon defense into a modernized defense system featuring intelligent monitoring, data-driven decision-making, and region-wide coordinated action.
At the fishing port of Daishan County in Zhoushan City, drones equipped with high-definition cameras and remote loudspeaker systems patrol in circles, transmitting real-time information on stranded personnel and vessel mooring conditions, conducting dual sea-and-air inspections of over 400 vessels berthed at the port’s docks.
In Cangnan County (苍南县), Wenzhou City, drones acted as “aerial sentinels,” precisely detecting a gap in a seawall. “The seawall is so long that relying solely on human patrols would take until dark to finish checking. Fortunately, the drones helped us complete the blocking work in time,” said Yan Hai (颜海), head of the Mazhan Water Conservancy Management Office of the Cangnan County Water Resources Bureau.
Along the coast, in mountainous areas, on highways, and on levees, intelligent prevention and control forces coordinated and linked together, forming a modernized typhoon defense pattern that integrates pre-positioned early warning, rapid response, and full coverage, pushing flood prevention from passive emergency rescue to active advance prediction, and raising the level of precision control.
As the typhoon moved deeper inland, in Yuhang District, Hangzhou, the Xixian Grand Embankment (西险大塘), which protects the Hangzhou-Jiaxing-Huzhou Plain, activated a full “air-ground integrated” intelligent patrol. Drones equipped with infrared thermal imaging cameras skimmed low over the embankment, using AI algorithms to automatically identify potential hazards such as seepage and slope sliding, with risk points simultaneously pushed to handheld terminals held by ground patrol personnel.
“In the past, a full line patrol on foot took three days, with a lot of time spent on travel. Now drones can complete a full-area inspection in two hours. All blind spots for manual patrols, such as dense forests and steep slopes, have been eliminated. We can devote more energy to analysis and response,” explained Sun Long (孙龙), a staff member of the Yuhang District Forestry and Water Resources Bureau.
The Huizhou-Hangzhou Expressway (徽杭高速) relies on an integrated digital-intelligence management and control platform, breaking cross-regional data barriers and accessing real-time meteorological, water conservancy, and traffic information along the route. Rainfall, road conditions, and water levels across the entire area are displayed on a single screen. The platform automatically pushes control alerts based on risk levels, dispatches nearby rescue forces to quickly handle road hazards, and achieves cross-provincial coordination for efficient traffic flow; on sections of the Lin’an-Jiande Expressway (临建高速) such as the Tianmu Creek Bridge and Fenshui River Bridge, an intelligent weather guidance system has been deployed, which collects real-time data on visibility, wind speed, and road surface conditions, and switches between six operating modes as needed.
When the typhoon arrived, the sea off Dongtou (洞头), Wenzhou, was churning with heavy waves, yet the 500,000-plus kilograms of farmed large yellow croaker at the mother-and-child net-cage base on Luyi Island successfully withstood the impact.
“In recent years, under government guidance, we have invested in building a large mother-and-child net-cage base. It can both provide high-quality natural ecological conditions in the open sea and effectively mitigate the impact of huge waves, reducing the adverse effects of sudden surges on fry and adult fish, and significantly improving the facility’s resistance to currents and waves,” said Zheng Xiangwu (郑祥武), head of Dongtou Huangyu Island Marine Fishery Group Co., Ltd. “Increasingly advanced technology is steadily lowering the risks of aquaculture.”
Return to TopDuring the summer vacation, many children, accompanied by their parents, came to the Xiamen Science and Technology Museum in Fujian to experience science popularization devices, learn scientific knowledge, and enrich their holiday life. The picture shows that on July 12, children and parents watched a robot performance in the Xiamen Science and Technology Museum.
Photo by Zeng Demeng (曾德猛) (Image China (影像中国))
Return to TopBeijing, July 14 (Reporter Kou Jiangze (寇江泽)). The State Council General Office (国务院办公厅) recently forwarded the "Action Plan for the Protection and Governance of Water Bodies Close to the People" (群众身边水体保护治理行动方案) formulated by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (生态环境部) and other departments. The Action Plan proposes that by 2030, the task of investigation and remediation of water pollution in provincial-level and above industrial parks will be basically completed, black and odorous water bodies in counties and townships will be basically eliminated, the direct impact of livestock and poultry farming pollution on water bodies in key areas will be basically controlled, and water bodies close to the people will basically achieve no abnormal color, no abnormal odor, and no foreign objects, thereby promoting comprehensive improvement of the water ecological environment.
In recent years, various regions and departments have continued to deeply fight the Blue Water Defense Battle (碧水保卫战). While the water quality of the country's major rivers has continued to improve, pollution problems in secondary and lower-level tributaries of rivers and in pits, ponds, ditches, and channels close to the people have become increasingly prominent, affecting the production and life of the people.
The Action Plan extends the focus of governance further to county towns and villages, taking into account both surface water and groundwater, deeply fighting the Blue Water Defense Battle, and solidly advancing the construction of beautiful water cells (美丽水细胞).
The Action Plan proposes three aspects of key tasks: First, carry out a campaign to tackle prominent water pollution problems, deploying five tackling campaigns: remediation of water pollution in industrial parks, governance of black and odorous water bodies in counties and townships, comprehensive governance of livestock and poultry manure pollution, management and protection of rural rivers, lakes, and reservoirs, and investigation and remediation of small and micro water bodies. Second, strengthen source control of water pollution, including four task measures: strengthening pollution prevention and control in industrial enterprises, enhancing collection and treatment of urban domestic sewage, promoting cleaner production in the breeding industry, and strengthening control of pollutants entering rivers. Third, improve the effectiveness of water pollution supervision and management, including three task measures: optimizing and expanding the monitoring network, improving the level of inspection and law enforcement, and enhancing foundational support capacity.
Return to TopBy: 姚雪青
“Ding ling ling——” The phone of Wang Chenxin (王晨馨), a post-2000s tour guide at the Jinle Cultural Tourism Co., Ltd. of the Nanjing Iron and Steel Group (hereinafter referred to as "Nangang"), keeps ringing. "We receive an average of 500 visitors per day, and on the busiest day, there were 16 study tour groups, nearly a thousand tourists." As her fingertips glide over the jumping messages, her words hint at the "bustle" within the steel plant.
Why has industrial tourism become a "new favorite"?
The green ecological science popularization line offers pleasant scenery. In the "Concentric Circles" area, renovated from an abandoned pumping station, the lake surface ripples with clear waves, and fish occasionally leap out of the water; in the natural valley by the lake, blue peacocks and sika deer stroll leisurely. Tourists wander in the ecological wetland park where the water is clear, the trees are green, and egrets dance gracefully. The "air corridor" where "coal is used but not seen, materials are transported but not seen" has become a visible landscape overhead.
Implementing the new development concept, environmental protection is not a "stumbling block" for enterprise development but a "golden key" to sustainable development. Through the visit, what tourists remember is the new look of "a steel plant can be so clean"; what the enterprise gains is green wealth and intangible assets. Prioritizing ecology and green development is a "pass" for enterprises to enhance competitiveness and for high-quality development of the manufacturing industry.
The blue digital experience line broadens horizons. As a real-scene visit point, the Nangang Smart Operations Center is like a "factory of the future": in front of a 42-meter-long, 6-meter-wide giant screen, multiple departments collaborate. From raw material entry, to ironmaking, steelmaking, rolling, and then to downstream processing and shipment, the entire process is presented in real time through digital twin technology, achieving unified management via a single network and remote production.
The switching screens and jumping data allow staff to orchestrate operations at the ironmaking plant 4 kilometers away with ease. Liu Yonghui (刘永辉), director of the Digital Application Office of the Ironmaking Division, is deeply moved: A few years ago, when he was sweating profusely in front of the blazing furnace, how could he have imagined that now he would manage with composure in front of a screen?
The change in Liu Yonghui's position is a footnote to the manufacturing industry's leap from "extensive production" to "refined management and control." What has changed is not only the working environment but also the underlying logic of traditional steel production, which relied on "experience and physical strength," highlighting the disruptive reshaping of the industry by technological innovation. Behind this is also the inevitable choice for manufacturing to move toward high-end development. Faced with the high-end demands of industries such as new energy vehicles, rockets, and satellites, the "bulky, crude, and heavy" production model has long been unsustainable. Only by accelerating digital and intelligent upgrades can one seize the industrial high ground and gain the initiative in development.
In the wave of proactive change, there is also the continuous expansion of industrial boundaries, which is a vivid manifestation of the "chain upgrade" of Chinese manufacturing. The institution that led Nangang's digital and intelligent upgrade has grown from an initial automation section of just over 10 people into an enterprise with over 600 employees. Zhang Lian (张连), once an electrician, has also become an expert in the producer services sector. He has successively built industrial brains and planned digital factories for other enterprises. In three years, the service targets of his company have extended to more than ten industries, including energy, shipbuilding, and environmental protection, and even reached Southeast Asia, transforming the "Nangang experience" into a replicable "Chinese service." This fully demonstrates that the transformation of traditional manufacturing can not only achieve its own upgrade but also nurture new growth poles, forming a virtuous development pattern of "endogenous empowerment and outward spillover."
Wang Chenxin's new tour route bears witness to the rise of industrial tourism and is a result of the green transformation; Liu Yonghui's new job position carries the imprint of digital and intelligent change and is a manifestation of technological innovation; Zhang Lian's new career map highlights the extension of the producer services sector and is a product of industrial upgrading. Three positions, three paths — they do not exist in isolation but are intertwined and mutually empowering, jointly showcasing the vigorous momentum of high-quality development in manufacturing and serving as a microcosm of China's industrial transformation.
Looking further, from selling products to selling services and selling scenery, the manufacturing industry's industrial chain, value chain, and ecological chain are continuously lengthening and climbing. Thus, a virtuous cycle of "production empowers services, services feed back into production, and ecology enhances the brand" is formed, allowing new drivers of economic development to accumulate and be released. This also aligns with the direction of "adhering to the path of intelligent, green, and integrated development" proposed in the outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan (十五五规划).
The new changes and new positions in the steel plant are vivid footnotes to the growth of the modern industrial system and a lively portrayal of high-quality economic development. When steel embraces green, and tradition coexists with intelligence, the new positions, new industries, and new models emerging from transformation are not isolated "bright spots" but converge into a vigorous vitality for innovation and quality improvement.
(The author is a reporter from the Jiangsu branch of this newspaper)
Return to TopBy: 陈 蕾
What is a healer’s benevolent heart? It is probably the “cannot bear” that cannot stand to see human suffering, the “fearlessness” of knowing there are tigers in the mountains yet still choosing to go there.
Many years ago, a Tibetan grandmother carrying a child less than two years old walked into my office, her face unable to conceal her joy. She told me that her daughter, who suffered from epilepsy, had realized her long-cherished wish to successfully conceive and safely give birth to a baby. That scene I remembered for many years, filled with the myriad emotions of being a doctor, and the deep empathy of being a mother as well. The worth of a medical worker is crystallized in moments like these.
My focus on the subfield of female epilepsy is related to a change in my own identity. More than ten years ago, when I was pregnant and undergoing prenatal check-ups, I encountered female epilepsy patients several times. “Can I get pregnant?” “Will taking medication affect the child?” “Will epilepsy be passed on to the child?” In their words were unconcealable hope and anxiety, which sounded particularly heavy. However, at that time, even obstetricians could not give clear answers and could only cautiously advise them to consult a neurologist. But as a neurologist, I went back and searched through existing textbooks, monographs, and clinical guidelines, and similarly found no complete and clear explanation.
Epilepsy is one of the most intractable and difficult diseases in neurology. Among tens of millions of patients worldwide, women of childbearing age account for 40%. Whether or not they can become mothers — they face a choice full of uncertainty and 进退两难 (jìn tuì liǎng nán – “advance and retreat both difficult,” in a dilemma), behind which are the joys and sorrows of countless families. What is a healer’s benevolent heart? It is probably the “cannot bear” that cannot stand to see human suffering, the “fearlessness” of knowing there are tigers in the mountains yet still choosing to go there.
I settled my mind to sort through Chinese and foreign literature, sought advice from senior colleagues, and combined clinical diagnosis and treatment experience to compile and publish the book Female Epilepsy, responding one by one to the basic diagnostic and treatment needs of female epilepsy patients during special periods such as pregnancy and lactation. I believe that female epilepsy patients can safely and courageously become mothers under scientific evaluation, standardized treatment, and whole-process management. Unexpectedly, this reference book intended for clinical physicians left the hospital and was treasured by many patient families. Holding the book as if grasping a lifeline, they came from all over the country. The more intense their emotions, the heavier my responsibility.
Epilepsy patients have a long disease course and many influencing factors. One outpatient clinic can only care for one person, for one moment. We drew on international methods of registry studies and cohort studies, taking the lead at West China Hospital of Sichuan University in launching a registry for women of childbearing age with epilepsy, building a specialized disease database, and establishing a standardized management system for pre-pregnancy, pregnancy, and postpartum periods — both helping patients control epileptic seizures and minimizing fetal risks as much as possible. We conducted training and patient management for nearly 300 medical institutions nationwide, allowing more patients to receive standardized diagnosis and treatment locally... Now, we have built the world’s first ontology database for the diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy in women of childbearing age, as well as Asia’s first epilepsy registry follow-up case database. The rates of disability, mortality, infertility, and stillbirths and fetal malformations in offspring of epilepsy patients have all significantly decreased. Relevant research results and clinical diagnosis and treatment experience have also gone abroad, benefiting the world.
Medical research must ask both “why” and “how to do it,” and even more must answer “how to do it better.” One major difficulty of epilepsy is that its onset is sudden and unpredictable. In the past, relying on inpatient EEG monitoring, the warning window was only a few tens of minutes. We captured specific protein markers in patients’ urine and developed a urine protein test kit, advancing the warning window to one day, allowing more patients to avoid the fear of the “unpredictable.”
In nearly 20 years of medical practice, I have increasingly realized that being a doctor cannot be satisfied with merely “curing the current illness”; one must be good at 刨根问底 (páo gēn wèn dǐ – “dig to the root and ask to the bottom,” to get to the bottom of things) and 追本溯源 (zhuī běn sù yuán – “trace the root and seek the source,” to trace back to the origin), and propose systematic solutions. Oriented toward the people’s life and health, transforming clinical problems into scientific questions, and then feeding scientific achievements back into clinical diagnosis and treatment — such mutual promotion and progress is the process of medical advancement and also the process of benefiting the people.
Medicine, in essence, is a response to the suffering of disease. The weaker the link, the more unknown the field, the more it carries hope and expectations, and the more it is the battlefield and mission direction of healers. Today, the diagnosis and treatment of neurological diseases are benefiting from the rapid progress of technologies such as big data, artificial intelligence, and brain-computer interfaces. The faster and farther we run, the more guarantees there will be for the people’s health.
(The author is the 2026 National Most Beautiful Science and Technology Worker (全国最美科技工作者), president of Chengdu Second People’s Hospital affiliated with Sichuan University (四川大学附属成都市第二人民医院); the article was compiled from an interview by our reporter Wang Yongzhan (王永战).)
Return to TopBy: 李彦宏
Say out the requirement, and code will be automatically generated; input text, and various programs and tools in the computer can be called to complete complex tasks... At present, AI (artificial intelligence) is undergoing a profound transition, moving from the model stage to the application stage. Among them, intelligent agents are one of the most mainstream application forms. This means that AI is transforming from a chat tool into a "digital employee" or "agent," and is rapidly penetrating into fields such as production and manufacturing, logistics and distribution, medical diagnosis, and government services.
The meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee held on April 28 proposed "comprehensively implementing the 'AI+' action and developing new forms of the intelligent economy." This year's Government Work Report for the first time proposed "creating new forms of the intelligent economy." These have released a clear signal: AI is being aligned with productive forces, moving toward myriad scenarios and entering tens of thousands of households.
In this process, some issues also deserve attention and vigilance. In the past few years, the parameter scale of large models has continuously broken records, computing power investment has continued to grow, and token consumption has risen rapidly. Relevant quantitative indicators can reflect technical capability and resource investment, and are very necessary. However, if the value yardstick of AI only stays at "how much has been invested" and "how much has been consumed," it is easy to form a tendency of "emphasizing input, downplaying output," such as blindly chasing trends, developing large models without regard to actual application, or rushing headlong into "token rankings" and "token burning competitions."
Under this model, it is easy to overlook whether the real economy has been empowered, whether production efficiency has been improved, and whether the people have truly benefited. If things go on like this, resources may flow more toward the self-circulation of technology rather than toward the front lines of industry, which is not conducive to the healthy development of the intelligent economy.
How to respond? One effective way is to establish a scientific evaluation system for the intelligent economy, using scientific indicators to measure its actual application and actual output. At present, "Daily Active Agents" (DAA) can serve as an important indicator. If tokens measure intelligence consumption, then DAA measures intelligence productivity, i.e., how many intelligent agents complete delivery tasks each day. Tokens are the "electricity bill" consumed by the intelligent economy; DAA is the "report card" of intelligent economic growth. The former calculates how many resources have been used, and the latter calculates how much value has been created. For example, one medical-assisted diagnosis, one production schedule, one logistics dispatch, one automatically processed work order, one intelligent matchmaking service that facilitates a transaction, and so on. With scientific indicators, we can more clearly see the actual changes and benefits that AI brings to production and life.
In fact, low-level redundant construction can also occur in high-end industries, and new tracks especially require the implementation of a new development philosophy. Only with a scientific evaluation system can we promote high-quality development of the intelligent economy. DAA becoming an important indicator helps guide various resources to flow more toward the intelligentization of industries primarily centered on the real economy, and toward innovative directions that solve industrial problems, increase productivity, serve society, and improve people's livelihoods. In developing AI and activating the intelligent economy, we must ultimately serve the real economy and empower innovation and creation across the entire society; we must never take the path of shifting from real to virtual.
Why do we dare to take the lead internationally in proposing DAA to measure the intelligent economy? It lies in unique Chinese advantages. China has the world's richest application scenarios, the most complete industrial chain, and the largest digital consumer market. Every day, massive real needs are generated: booking air tickets, booking hotels, scheduling medical checkups, writing research reports, investing and managing finances, and so on — all of which will become fertile soil for the growth of intelligent agents. By making full use of such advantages and conditions, and paying more attention to combining AI technology with the real economy, with real scenarios, and with the demands of the masses, we will surely be able to blaze a new path for the development of the intelligent economy that is oriented toward solving practical problems and aimed at meeting real needs.
AI cannot merely "brush up the rankings" in the laboratory; it must "work" on the factory floor and in the workshop. Using AI to serve humanity — this is the original intention of the scientific and industrial communities. Anchoring this goal and moving forward steadily and solidly, turning technological advantages truly into the winning momentum of industrial upgrading, high-quality development will have a more powerful engine.
(The author is the founder of Baidu and the author of Intelligent Economy)
Return to TopThis year marks the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China and the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army's Long March. Over the past period, many places have launched themed tourism routes and created themed exhibitions, and red tourism has continued to heat up. From the surging enthusiasm for visits, one can see the people's profound remembrance and high respect for the revolutionary martyrs, demonstrating the enduring vitality of red culture.
This is exactly:
The rugged road traveled in the past,
The original aspiration vowed never to forget.
Forging ahead on the new journey,
Continuing the endeavor to renew glory.
Xu Zhiwen
Return to TopBy: 魏晓敏
Though it does not produce coffee beans, it possesses 60 percent of the nation's coffee green bean roasting capacity; though it does not grow cacao trees, it has attracted a number of well-known brands to establish roots... Many people summarize the code of Kunshan, Jiangsu, in developing its coffee industry as "creating something from nothing" (无中生有). But a deeper look at the logic of development reveals that "creating something from nothing" is only the first step in industrial breakthrough; the code that truly sustains the industry's continuous progress lies in a deeper layer: "using what exists to attract what does not" (以有引无).
The so-called "creating something from nothing" is an innovative breakthrough that breaks the path dependency of resources. For a long time, the food processing industry has generally followed the traditional logic of "setting up factories where raw materials are produced." Kunshan has neither the resources to grow cash crops such as coffee trees or cacao trees, nor does it possess the endowment of large-scale supply of fresh raw materials — it can be said to be "congenitally deficient." But Kunshan was not constrained by traditional thinking; instead, it keenly captured the consumption market dividends of the Yangtze River Delta and the logistics hub advantages of Shanghai as an international gateway, proactively entered emerging consumer tracks such as coffee, baking, and high-end cold beverages, and ultimately achieved industrial breakthrough.
However, relying solely on "creating something from nothing" can only build the initial framework of industrial development; it cannot support the industry's stable and long-term progress. Many places have also introduced new projects out of thin air, only to ultimately fall into the predicament of scattered enterprises, broken supply chains, and weak supporting facilities. The root cause lies in neglecting the underlying support needed for the long-term growth of an industry.
How to "use what exists to attract what does not"? The "existing stock" of the original manufacturing foundation, locational advantages, transportation, and government services continuously attracts "increments" such as brands, technology, capital, and talent to take root — this is the essence of "using what exists to attract what does not."
For example, the unique locational and logistics advantages. Adjacent to Shanghai, possessing multiple hubs of high-speed rail and expressways, global coffee green beans can be directly delivered to distribution and warehousing, giving Kunshan efficient global circulation capabilities. Another example: the full-chain industrial supporting capacity precipitated by precision manufacturing has greatly increased the local supporting rate for packaging, intelligent baking equipment, cold chain equipment, etc., needed for food production. At the same time, a standardized and refined business service system provides enterprises with a stable operating environment and broad development space.
"Creating something from nothing" tests the courage to break new ground; it solves the breakthrough problem of an industry going from nothing to something. "Using what exists to attract what does not" tempers the determination to deeply cultivate; it solves the advanced problem of an industry going from weak to strong. Without the pioneering courage of "creating something from nothing," no matter how abundant the existing stock resources, one can easily miss new opportunities. Without the solid foundation of "using what exists to attract what does not," relying solely on enthusiasm, the industry's foundation will also be unstable.
One must both dare to break resource constraints and proactively open up new tracks, and also be adept at deeply cultivating one's own advantages and enriching the industrial ecology. Only then can endogenous momentum be continuously activated, and a path of high-quality, sustainable development be forged.
(Excerpted from Xinhua Daily)
Return to TopBy: 张 贺
Without one noticing, the farmhouse bookroom has traversed nearly 20 years of development. This small bookroom not only covers all administrative villages, but its role has also transcended that of a mere reading space.
This patch of space holds both the tranquility of reading and the exuberance of participation. At the Kaiyuan Academy in Deqing County, Zhejiang, the first floor gathers over ten thousand books, the second floor serves as a venue for art training and cultural exchange, and the open space in front of the door has introduced a local tea brand. On holidays, this farmhouse bookroom can see an average daily visitor flow of 800 people, and on weekends, there is often a wait for seats.
Learning agricultural techniques, reading policies, accompanying children to read, gathering with friends... Some farmhouse bookrooms, by reasonably stacking functions and extending scenarios, have "grown" into the lives of villagers, gaining vigorous vitality.
However, overall, farmhouse bookrooms with complete functions, excellent environments, high efficiency, and bustling popularity are still not numerous enough. To further enhance the service efficiency of rural reading, it is necessary to master the "chain" formula and make greater efforts to revitalize and make good use of resources.
Not long ago, the Central Propaganda Department, the Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs jointly issued the "Action Plan for Promoting Farmhouse Bookroom Reform and Enhancing Rural Reading," focusing on promoting "bookroom+" empowerment and flexibly advancing "+bookroom" integration. This unique cultural stronghold will undertake the important tasks of gathering popularity, activating local sentiment, and connecting with the outside world.
The countryside needs reading, but the prerequisite is to stimulate the reading interest of the villagers. What kind of books a farmhouse bookroom is stocked with must first depend on what the villagers need and like. When the books are right, people are willing to come, sit down, and read.
In recent years, some places have explored "people placing orders," handing the choice to the masses, which is undoubtedly a down-to-earth and popular attempt. For example, Tianjin specifically held a farmhouse bookroom book selection activity, where staff from the propaganda departments and libraries of various districts, along with farmhouse bookroom administrators and villager representatives, jointly formed a "book selection group," making the books in the village bookcases more to the villagers' taste.
To keep people for the long term, it is also necessary to find several "companions" for the fragrance of books, integrating it with various lively cultural activities to create a new type of cultural space in the countryside.
In Zhejiang, farmhouse bookrooms have been upgraded into multifunctional cultural complexes. Besides functions such as book lending, civilized practice, and red-themed lectures, they also host activities like agricultural technology lectures, study tours, and intangible cultural heritage inheritance. Activities are carried out according to local characteristics, and services are added following the wishes of the masses. Every farmhouse bookroom can find its own "way of living" in rural China.
Cultural activities naturally have the function of "setting the stage." The soul of the farmhouse bookroom lies in the local countryside, but its tentacles must reach outward—today's books, today's people, today's information, today's resources can all come from very far away.
In recent years, innovative practices such as "exchanging books for vegetables," "exchanging books for blessings," and "exchanging books for coffee" have emerged in many places, reflecting the vitality of this connection. Do not underestimate this exchange; resources flow between urban and rural areas, channels for interaction increase, and mutual understanding deepens.
Creativity opens new paths, and mechanisms achieve long-term results. In Wujiang District, Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province, over 200 farmhouse bookrooms are networked on three levels with a main library and 29 town (community) branch libraries. Two mobile book carts regularly rotate books among the farmhouse bookrooms each month. Relying on such a cultural network, more farmhouse bookrooms have a source of fresh water, enabling them to provide villagers with newer and more enduring spiritual nourishment.
The fragrance of books can travel the farthest. As a grassroots cultural stronghold, the farmhouse bookroom is not only an important cultural project benefiting the people but also undertakes the important role of introducing more high-quality culture and resources deep into the countryside. Based on changes in the rural population structure, following the trends of information technology development, continuously improving the quality of "books," enriching the functions of the "room," and cultivating the atmosphere of "reading," allowing farmers to see a larger world through reading, and also allowing the outside world to discover the charm of the countryside through interaction, will surely provide deep and lasting cultural strength for the comprehensive revitalization of the countryside.
Return to TopEmail for this section: rmrbpl@peopledaily.cn (Please indicate the column name when submitting)
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 王云娜
Just after daybreak, the Xintang Denim Town in Zengcheng District, Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province, became bustling. A large truck was parked at the gate of a company's factory premises, and boxes of ice-feel fiber jeans were neatly stacked, about to be shipped overseas.
Speaking of the company's transformation and development, the person in charge of the company, Mr. Liang, mentioned one person—Gu Xiaoxia (顾笑霞), a customer manager at the Fenghuangcheng Sub-branch of China Construction Bank, Zengcheng District, Guangzhou City.
The story begins in 2018. At that time, Xintang Denim Town was famous far and wide, with booming production and sales. However, problems such as high water consumption, high energy consumption, and high pollution could not be avoided, and green transformation was 迫在眉睫 (pò zài méi jié - "pressing on the eyelashes," extremely urgent). The enterprises were tied in knots: if they didn't transform, they would lose orders; if they did transform, they couldn't afford the funds. Mr. Liang's company was no exception.
It was also in this year that China Construction Bank fully rolled out inclusive finance. Gu Xiaoxia took the lead in forming a dedicated team for denim industry services, and with her team, she plunged into the town, striving to build a financial bridge for the transformation of real enterprises.
She visited companies one by one, explaining the green subsidy interest policy item by item in the workshops. Facing the companies' account books, she customized financing plans for each household with a tailored strategy. During her daily running around, she and Mr. Liang became familiar.
At that time, Mr. Liang's factory faced three major difficulties: outdated production equipment, continuously shrinking orders, and urgent operational funds. Gu Xiaoxia led her team in burning the midnight oil for several nights, repeatedly calculating revenue data, and coordinating with multiple parties on the approval process. In the end, a loan of 2.75 million yuan was successfully granted.
"This money was life-saving water; the cash flow was unshackled, and only then did we have the confidence to upgrade production equipment," Mr. Liang said. With the funds in place, the production line was thoroughly innovated. The water consumption for denim fabric plummeted from 100 tons per 10,000 meters to 1 ton, and power consumption was cut by one-third.
Gu Xiaoxia continuously followed up on this company's situation, making good use of policies to help the enterprise transform and upgrade. Later, Mr. Liang decided to leap out of low-price "involution" and deeply cultivate "valuable products." Relying on the company's continuous tax payment records and stable operating cash flow, Gu Xiaoxia processed another loan of 3.86 million yuan for the enterprise. With this money, the company independently developed ice-feel denim, and sales became increasingly better.
The transformation of this enterprise is a microcosm of Gu Xiaoxia's professional and enthusiastic service to industrial development. In 1997, Gu Xiaoxia joined China Construction Bank and has been rooted in front-line grassroots branches for nearly 30 years. Every year, she drives over 10,000 kilometers, shuttling between branches, factories, and villages. Relying on this sense of responsibility and dedication, since she started working, she has coordinated the disbursement of 450 million yuan in inclusive loans, helping over 180 small and micro enterprises to gain a firm foothold and become bigger and stronger.
As her name suggests, Gu Xiaoxia always wears a warm smile. When facing customers, she has set rules for herself: do not shirk responsibilities—take on all problems whether within or beyond her duties first; do not be impatient—listen patiently to even the smallest requests; do not be perfunctory—follow through on every matter promised to the people.
Through years of dedication, Gu Xiaoxia has served over 100,000 people in total, managed assets exceeding 1.5 billion yuan, yet has consistently maintained zero complaints. "The people's recognition is the best reward," she said.
In 2019, Gu Xiaoxia took the lead in establishing a Model Worker Studio, setting up a training system of "mentor guidance + project practice + case review," shouldering the responsibility of passing on experience, helping, and leading.
The entire training system was figured out by Gu Xiaoxia through practice. She told the reporter that young people have drive but lack practical experience and sedimentation. She connects teaching, practice, and review into a closed loop: new and veteran employees pair up one-on-one to learn communication, review materials, and identify risks; project practice hones hard skills, with young people directly engaging with real business entities and accumulating adaptability on the front line; case review promotes improvement, with collective review after each business transaction, sorting out gains and losses, and forming team experience. These several links cycle and complement each other, forming a continuously upward growth chain.
This system helps colleagues enhance their capabilities. Now, newly transferred customer managers can independently receive clients in three months, and can participate in financial plan design in half a year. The studio has cultivated over 120 employees in total, with 15 people growing into branch or team leaders.
This year, Gu Xiaoxia was named a National Outstanding Communist Party Member (全国优秀共产党员). This honor also inspires her to continue working hard and to play a good exemplary and vanguard role as a Party member. Facing the future, she has set three things for herself to do: remain rooted in grassroots branches, never lowering service standards; rely on the Model Worker Studio to continuously cultivate talent, bringing up more business backbone; deeply cultivate inclusive finance, contributing to the comprehensive revitalization of rural areas.
"I want to walk more and see more, delivering financial services to the places most in need. The seeds of finance must be rooted in the soil," Gu Xiaoxia's smile was gentle yet resolute.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 江 萌 申少铁 尹 婕
In the courtyard of Sonam Dajie's (索南达杰) former residence in Zhiduo County (治多县), Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture (玉树藏族自治州), Qinghai Province, a poplar tree stands tall, with luxuriant branches and leaves; the locals call it the "tree of life."
Zhiduo County has an average altitude of 4,500 meters, with thin air and hard permafrost; many people say that "a tree cannot grow" here. More than 40 years ago, Sonam Dajie dug open the frozen earth shovel by shovel, erected a heat-preservation shed, and the small sapling from then on took root on the plateau.
More than 40 years later, Zhiduo County, where once "a tree could not grow," now has tens of thousands of saplings flourishing. Sonam Lopu (索南罗卜), a close friend of Sonam Dajie during his lifetime, said with emotion: "We have fulfilled one of Sonam Dajie's wishes."
In January 1994, in Hoh Xil, while protecting Tibetan antelope, Sonam Dajie was attacked by poachers and died.
Sonam Dajie has passed away; today, in the Sanjiangyuan National Park (三江源国家公园), which includes the former Hoh Xil National Nature Reserve, more than 20,000 ecological stewards carry on Sonam Dajie's unfinished work through day-after-day perseverance.
Dongzhou Wenjia (东周文加), Party branch secretary of Zhisai Village (治赛村), Zhahe Township (扎河乡), Zhiduo County, is one of them. Zhisai Village is located in the Yangtze River Source area of Sanjiangyuan National Park. Since Sanjiangyuan National Park implemented the "one household, one post" (一户一岗) ecological stewardship model, each of the more than 500 households in Zhisai Village has one ecological steward position.
"The stewards are all herders from the village. In addition to their regular grassland grazing, they patrol and manage the park's ecological environment," Dongzhou Wenjia said. "We are full of enthusiasm for this work, because this is our home; patrolling and protecting the ecological environment is protecting our home." Besides daily patrols, the stewards also use their mobile phones to take photos and videos, recording ecological changes.
From the grassland pastoral areas to the depths of the wetlands, the footprints of the ecological stewards have extended to broader lands.
Within the Longbao National Nature Reserve (隆宝国家级自然保护区) in the Sanjiangyuan region, rivers, lakes, swamp wetlands are densely distributed; this is a place where rare waterfowl, mainly black-necked cranes, breed and thrive. Here, the stewards' patrol methods have shifted from riding horses to riding motorcycles, and now to being equipped with battery-powered patrol vehicles. But more detailed patrols often require walking barefoot into the depths of the wetlands.
"The farther in you go, the deeper the swamp; you have to take off your shoes and walk," said Basang Cairen (巴桑才仁), station chief of the Longbao National Nature Reserve management station. "Many stewards suffer from arthritis, but no one backs down. Especially when rescuing birds in winter, they step through icy water to get to them."
The changes over recent years have been seen by every ecological steward. "The wildlife has come back — that is the most direct proof of protection effectiveness." In Madoi County (玛多县), Golog Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture (果洛藏族自治州), La Jia (拉加), an ecological steward of the Yellow River Source area of Sanjiangyuan National Park, patrols on a motorcycle along the shores of Donggecuona Lake (冬格措纳湖). La Jia told reporters that his daily patrol route is more than 100 kilometers, and he is on the road almost every day. "Seven or eight years ago there was almost no wildlife here; now you can easily see kiang (Tibetan wild ass) and wild yaks."
By the end of 2025, Sanjiangyuan National Park added "one household, one post" ecological stewardship public welfare positions in the expanded area. "Herdsmen participating in patrols receive a subsidy of 1,800 yuan per month on top of their original income. Herdsmen have transformed from grassland users into ecological protectors," said Liu Zhixiang (刘志祥), deputy director of the Sanjiangyuan National Park Administration.
In the courtyard of Sonam Dajie's former residence, the poplar tree remains tall and straight. In Sanjiangyuan National Park, more than 20,000 ecological stewards, with steady steps, silently guard the land of the river sources.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 曾亦辰
Highlight of a master skill
Fu Youxu (付有旭), a curator at the Cultural Relics Protection Technology Service Center of Dunhuang Academy (敦煌研究院), entered Dunhuang Academy in 1988 to engage in mural restoration work. He has successively participated in many national key cultural relic protection and restoration projects, including the restoration of murals and painted sculptures at the Mogao Caves in Dunhuang, Gansu; the restoration of murals at the Potala Palace, Norbulingka, and Sakya Monastery in Tibet; the restoration of murals and painted sculptures at the Five Huayuan Caves of the Yungang Grottoes; and the restoration of murals at Qutan Temple (瞿昙寺) in Qinghai. He has obtained 4 utility model patents and participated in the compilation of the national professional skill standard for cultural relic restorers. His team was awarded the honorary title of "National Excellent Engineer Team (国家卓越工程师团队)," and he personally received the title of "National Technical Expert (全国技术能手)" and was rated as a "National Great Craftsman of Cultural Relics (全国文物大工匠)" for the year 2025.
"The diseases of murals are also related to microorganisms. Through infrared and ultraviolet spectral information, we can detect tiny changes and concealed damage in murals." When first meeting Fu Youxu (see photo, provided by Dunhuang Academy), he did not directly introduce mural restoration techniques, but instead analyzed the mechanisms behind various mural diseases.
In many people's eyes, Fu Youxu has long been a seasoned expert in the field of mural restoration. Facing praise, Fu Youxu shook his head and said, "I am just a craftsman. I ponder these things because I am interested."
"Craftsman" is Fu Youxu's most plain self-positioning.
"In this line of work, you can't do without a dexterous hand. The angle of holding the restoration knife, the force of consolidating the pigment layer—all require precise control," Fu Youxu explained. 熟能生巧 (shú néng shēng qiǎo - "familiarity breeds skill," practice makes perfect) is inseparable from long-term training and practice. "I started working at Dunhuang Academy at the age of 18. At the very beginning, I only dared to restore some murals with stable properties. Now, many of the murals I have handled are extremely difficult to restore. I often wear a mask and dare not let out a single heavy breath—that is truly 'holding one's breath and concentrating the mind.'"
In the toolbox Fu Youxu carries with him, many tools are "custom-made." He takes out a syringe with an air bladder. Pressing the air bladder, white adhesive drips from the needle into the cracks of the mural. "Detached and flaking murals can both be repaired with this. These tools were invented by my teacher, Li Yunhe (李云鹤), in the 1960s." A dental tool used for filling resin, a soft-bristled makeup brush... "Developing new tools is also very interesting," Fu Youxu explained. "There are many intricacies and rules for using tools. The force-bearing surface of the restoration knife cannot be flat; it must have a slight curve to conform to the undulations of the mural. Iron restoration knives are prone to rust, which can affect the pigments on the mural. Now we have all switched to stainless steel and wooden knives, and when pressing, we pad them with cotton paper to maximize protection of the granular texture of ancient mineral pigments."
"Having only hand skills is not enough. Facing each new cultural relic, one must have a clear line of thought and a thorough restoration plan in mind," Fu Youxu said.
The restoration process of the mural on the left side of the front chamber of Cave 150 at Mogao Caves left a deep impression on Fu Youxu. Affected by natural factors, the adobe wall that should have been tightly attached to the rock face tilted forward and separated from the cliff surface. The traditional process of "peeling off, restoring, and reattaching" could cause irreversible damage to the mural surface. After multiple discussions and deliberations, Fu Youxu and his team members decided to adopt the method of "overall repositioning": treating the mural and its supporting structure behind it as a complete stress-bearing unit to solve the problem of deformation of the mural carrier.
Clearing away accumulated sand, stones, and other debris behind the wall; injecting deionized water to restore flexibility to the dry root adobe bricks that bear force; using special levers to find the optimal force application point and slowly reposition the displaced wall; waiting for the wall to become firm again through natural air-drying, then stabilizing and reinforcing its foundation... For a mural 2.5 meters high, Fu Youxu and five colleagues spent more than two months on the restoration. Watching the damaged mural regain its vitality, Fu Youxu felt deeply satisfied: "Having stayed in the caves for a long time, my sense of time has also changed. Being able to spend several months or even decades contributing to the protection of thousand-year-old murals—I find it very worthwhile."
"Engaging in mural restoration work, 'facing the wall' is a basic skill!" Fu Youxu said. Mural restoration is a struggle against passing time; it requires racing against the clock, and it is common to "face the wall" for more than seven hours a day. Fu Youxu often tells his apprentices that once they pick up restoration tools inside the cave, they must immerse themselves completely, first discarding distracting thoughts, so as to eliminate as many factors unfavorable to mural protection as possible.
In his nearly 40-year career, from the desert Gobi to the snow-covered plateau, Fu Youxu's footsteps have followed the diseases and wounds of murals, slowly "healing" them one by one. Today, the Ajiaza'erjia Mountain Cave (甲扎尔甲山洞窟) in Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture (阿坝藏族羌族自治州), Sichuan, is the place where Fu Youxu spends the most time each year. As he grows older, altitude sickness and the bumpy mountain roads bring discomfort, but he has never backed down. "If it weren't for genuine passion, it would be hard to persevere. Cultural relic protection is a very promising and valuable job. I hope more young people will join in and pass on this love together," Fu Youxu said.
Return to TopOn July 14, the last box girder, 32 meters long and weighing approximately 700 tons, was precisely placed onto the pier of the Changba Village (场坝村) Bridge spanning the Enguang Expressway (恩广高速公路) on the Xi’an-Chongqing High-Speed Railway within Dazhou City (达州市), Sichuan Province, marking the smooth completion of the full-line box girder erection task for the Xi’an-Chongqing High-Speed Railway, laying a solid foundation for the line’s timely opening to traffic. The picture shows the girder erection construction site of the Changba Village Bridge spanning the Enguang Expressway on the Xi’an-Chongqing High-Speed Railway.
Photo by Xinhua reporter Wang Xi (王曦).
Return to TopBy: 本报记者
The first half of the opening year of the “15th Five-Year Plan” has passed, and the theme of high-quality development is distinct.
General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly pointed out: “We must persist in placing the focus of our work on improving our internal capabilities and strengthening ourselves.” This earnest instruction contains important methods of thought and work.
Humanoid robots’ complete machine output is expected to break 100,000 units this year; large models and intelligent agents are accelerating iteration; the supercomputer “Lingsheng” has topped the global rankings, with China’s supercomputing returning to the world’s first place after nine years; as of the end of May, the nation’s cumulative installed power generation capacity exceeded 4 billion kilowatts, ranking first in the world; daily token calls reached hundreds of trillions, empowering thousands of industries… Each data point reflects the resilient and vigorous start of China’s economy as it moves forward.
Advancing step by step in endeavoring, cultivating section by section in toiling. Since the beginning of this year, all regions and departments have anchored their goals, acted earnestly and resolutely, unswervingly managed their own affairs well, and strived to promote sustained improvement of the economy. In the first half of the year, China’s economy was generally stable, new growth drivers accelerated, and the momentum of high-quality development continued to strengthen.
Persist in proceeding from reality and acting according to laws
Solid work is the most down-to-earth methodology; it is the “golden key” to promoting high-quality development.
General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly pointed out: “Persist in proceeding from reality and acting according to laws, through scientific decision-making and hard work, create achievements that withstand the test of practice and history, truly benefit the people, and gain public recognition.” “Persisting in high-quality development must become an important part of leading officials’ views on political performance.”
Guangdong has deeply implemented the action to expand and improve the service industry, highlighting demand-driven, reform breakthroughs, technology empowerment, and open cooperation, allowing “Guangdong Manufacturing” and “Guangdong Services” to develop in coordination.
Chongqing, based on its mountain city characteristics and industrial foundation, relies on computing cost reduction and scenario empowerment to continuously consolidate the foundation for building an AI application highland.
Anhui has integrated the promotion of quantum research, application, and industrial development, gradually growing into a world-class highland for quantum industry.
Hebei Xiong’an New Area promotes deep integration of technological innovation and industrial innovation; it now gathers over 200 key enterprises in fields such as aerospace information and satellite internet, artificial intelligence, etc…
In the opening year of the “15th Five-Year Plan,” all regions and departments seek truth and pragmatism, face difficulties head-on, and create real achievements in high-quality development with the solid work attitude of “achievement need not be mine; achievement must include me” (功成不必在我、功成必定有我), earnestly ensuring that the “15th Five-Year Plan” gets off to a good start and takes solid steps.
“Achievement need not be mine” contains the steady force of “stability,” “walking firmly step by step.”
In Lan’kao (兰考), Henan, paulownia forests have grown for over sixty years, and the national musical instrument industry has been carefully cultivated for more than thirty years. The paulownia trees planted by Jiao Yulu (焦裕禄) leading the masses have now become a “green bank.”
“Paulownia wood is loose-textured and highly resonant, making it good material for musical instruments. We strive to develop national musical instruments precisely to turn good materials into good products,” said Yuan Yuze (袁玉则), general manager of Lan’kao Tongyun National Musical Instrument Co., Ltd.
Entering the market inevitably involves overcoming difficulties. The company’s custom-made guzheng are popular overseas. But logistics freight for a single instrument once accounted for over 30% of the cost, and the shipping cycle to Europe was at least 40 days, affecting repeat purchase rates.
High cross-border logistics costs and long cycles are a common “headache” for enterprises. The county, together with 12 musical instrument export companies and staff from Zhengzhou International Land Port, COSCO SHIPPING, etc., worked out countermeasures. The “consolidated container shipment + dedicated space guarantee” model reduced single-piece freight to Europe by 28% and stabilized the shipping cycle within 20 days.
“Nurturing an industry is like planting paulownia: be patient, carefully irrigate, and it will become luxuriant,” said Wu Sijin (吴思瑾), director of the Lan’kao County National Musical Instrument Development Service Center. With over thirty years of unremitting effort, Lan’kao has built a complete industrial chain covering paulownia planting, soundboard and accessory supply, R&D, performances, etc., with an annual output value exceeding 2 billion yuan.
General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “A good blueprint, as long as it is scientific, realistic, and in line with the people’s aspirations, should be carried forward like a relay race, passing the baton from one to another.”
Plan from the overall situation, plan for the long term. In the opening year, all 31 provinces have released their “15th Five-Year Plan” outlines; special plans for various fields are being released successively, combining “good planning with execution capability,” making the pace of development more determined.
“Achievement must include me” manifests enterprising spirit, “when you see the right thing, act promptly.”
Not situated along the river, not coastal, not bordering, yet it developed into a “hundred-billion automobile county” (千亿汽车县). Anhui’s Changfeng (长丰) achieved its “advance in rank” by “seizing the position.”
In the workshop of CALB (中创新航) Wushan Integrated Factory, smart equipment operates efficiently, with an average of one battery pack rolling off the line every four minutes. Wang Xiaoguo (王晓国), head of CALB Technology (Hefei) Co., Ltd., said the factory took only 87 days from construction start on March 25 to the first pack rolling off on June 20.
On the desk of Yang Ran (杨冉), office director of the Changfeng County Investment Promotion Center, are piled project plans and coordination letters; her notebook is filled with tasks such as power capacity expansion and fire safety acceptance. Yang Ran keeps a close eye on construction milestones: “Elements follow the project, services revolve around the enterprise; we attract ‘fine birds’ to fill the key links in the industrial chain.”
“High-quality development cannot be separated from the style of cadres daring to act and to break ground, being good at doing and achieving. The ‘red lamp reporting’ (红灯呈报) mechanism breaks through bottlenecks; ‘leading goose undertaking’ (头雁领办) resolves difficulties; the county annually helps enterprises solve over 100 problems on average,” Yang Ran said.
Fixed on objectives, acting relentlessly; seizing opportunities, forging ahead actively – China’s economy continues to show new features and regain vitality. In the first five months of this year, investment continued to be laid out in emerging fields such as high-end equipment, intelligent manufacturing, and green energy; the AI industry chain grew strongly; the economy’s development quality further improved.
“We must place the development of new quality productive forces according to local conditions in a more prominent strategic position”
Developing new quality productive forces is the inherent requirement of high-quality development.
General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: “During the ‘15th Five-Year Plan’ period, we must place the development of new quality productive forces according to local conditions in a more prominent strategic position.” Proceeding from local conditions is both a working method and a way of thinking.
“Are new quality productive forces equal to emerging industries?” Persisting in proceeding from local conditions, basing on resource endowments and leveraging comparative advantages, every locality has ample space for developing new quality productive forces.
“Transformation and upgrading of traditional industries can also develop new quality productive forces,” cultivate advantages to seek new opportunities.
In July 2025, General Secretary Xi Jinping visited Shanxi Yangquan Valve Co., Ltd. and instructed: “Traditional industries within the real economy must not be abandoned; they must achieve transformation and upgrading through technological innovation.”
“This year, we have taken a major step on the hydrogen energy track,” shared Jin Liming (靳利铭), head of the Technology Department of Yangquan Valve. Transporting hydrogen energy faces difficulties such as high pressure, easy leakage, and hydrogen embrittlement. With the breakthrough of core technology for welding dissimilar materials on ductile iron valves, product performance has been greatly improved. Currently, Yangquan Valve has transformed from traditional general-purpose valve manufacturing to smart manufacturing of new energy special high-end valves.
“Proceeding from local conditions, traditional industries can each have their own merits,” introduced Wang Shaofeng (王少锋), deputy director of the Yangquan Municipal Bureau of Industry and Information Technology. Relying on the “Quanhao Ban” platform, cadres enter enterprises to provide services, identify technical bottlenecks in aluminum deep processing, coal mine equipment, calcium-based new materials, etc., build pilot testing platforms, and create industry-university-research collaborative innovation consortia to escort the transformation and upgrading of traditional industries.
In Keqiao District, Shaoxing City, Zhejiang, AI color matching and intelligent production scheduling mean that intelligent equipment accounts for over 80% of textile dyeing and printing. In Foshan City, Guangdong, aiming at AI and green low-carbon, the home appliance industry is moving from “manufacturing” to “smart manufacturing.” The development quality and appearance of traditional industries continue to improve.
The solid foundation of China’s resilient economy comes from the support of building a modern industrial system. In the first five months of this year, driven by increased demand from emerging industries such as new energy and AI, prices of products like copper and aluminum remained at relatively high levels, boosting profit growth in the non-ferrous metals industry by 117.1% and pulling up the profit growth of all above-scale industrial enterprises by 5.3 percentage points.
When cultivating emerging industries, “we cannot make a big fuss, rush in all at once, or scatter all at once” (不能大呼隆、一哄而起、一哄而散); differentiated development solidifies advantages.
In Qingyang (庆阳), Gansu, a “token factory” (词元工厂) has risen on the loess plateau. How could this “granary of eastern Gansu” harvest “digital crops”?
There is opportunity: In 2021, the national integrated computing power network national hub node initiated construction, Gansu was included in the national hub node layout, and Qingyang undertook the specific construction tasks.
There are advantages: stable geology, suitable climate, abundant green electricity. Qingyang built the country’s first 1 million kilowatt green power aggregation direct supply data center pilot project, green electricity irrigating “green computing.” (绿算)
There is drive: all staff deeply participate in attracting investment and “data,” creating a “nanny-style” full-factor service. An Yang (安洋), vice president of Shanghai Enflame Technology Co., Ltd., said, “The good business environment made us decide to invest deeply here.”
As of the end of June, Qingyang’s intelligent computing scale exceeded 168,000 PFLOPS (quadrillion floating-point operations per second). “Find your strengths, create conditions, and you can walk the path of ‘creating something from nothing’ and ‘going from having something to having something better’ ,” said a relevant official from the Qingyang Municipal Data Bureau, indicating that they will focus on key areas such as computing power, data, application, and industry to accelerate the construction of a modern digital economy industrial system.
Only by making the first move and setting direction with characteristics can one seize the commanding heights in fierce competition. Each displays its strengths, a hundred boats racing in the current (百舸争流). In the first half of the year, multiple types of commercial spacecraft successfully launched; quantum information, integrated circuits, nuclear fusion, and other technologies accelerated; the AI field exploded, with multiple large models achieving new breakthroughs; China’s new technologies, new products, and new business forms emerged competitively.
“Closely combine high-quality development with meeting the people’s needs for a better life”
General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: “Closely combine high-quality development with meeting the people’s needs for a better life.”
Working for the people’s benefit means investing more energy in potential achievements that lay the foundation, benefit the long term, and serve the fundamentals.
In Dezhou City, Shandong, summer grain is in storage, and summer management proceeds without interruption. Huo Yuhe (霍玉河), a grain farmer at Jiwei Village, Guangyun Street, Wucheng County, is busy: “It used to take over ten days to irrigate the fields; now it takes only three days.”
A 2,200-meter field-level “capillary” channel benefits over 2,000 mu of farmland. Huo Yuhe said that before, the farmland was separated from the water source, the Liuliu River, by just a road, but the riverbed was low; to divert water into the fields, they had to lay hoses and set up pumps.
Dezhou promotes the governance of terminal-level canal systems across the entire city, unblocking the “last kilometer” of farmland irrigation and drainage. “Small-scale water conservancy does not require large investment, but it concerns farmers’ vital interests. We strive to achieve ‘fields connect to ditches, ditches connect to canals, canals connect to rivers’ so that the water network truly benefits people’s livelihoods,” said Li Shouxue (李守学), director of the Dezhou Water Resources Bureau.
From farmland terminal canals to urban underground pipeline networks, “invisible” projects benefiting the people often connect with the urgent difficulties and anxieties of the masses. Currently, the national water network covers over 80% of the national land area; during the “15th Five-Year Plan” period, about 770,000 kilometers of pipelines for gas, water supply and drainage, and heating will be built or renovated.
From the masses, to the masses – do the work that benefits people’s livelihood, warms people’s hearts, and complies with people’s wishes right into the hearts of the masses.
A “people’s sentiment diary” (民情日记) has continued for over twenty years, solving hundreds of families’ difficulties and connecting hundreds of families’ hearts.
Entering the 119 Residential Area, Daojuopan Community, Lushan Street, Shengzhou City, Zhejiang, one sees lush greenery and clean roads.
Five months ago, community grid worker Xu Gege (许格格) found that stair handrails were aging and cracked. She immediately recorded it in the online “people’s sentiment diary.” The community staff conducted a comprehensive inspection and made handrail replacement a key livelihood matter for that month. Shengzhou makes good use of the “people’s sentiment diary,” implementing the “Shan-lin United Hearts” (剡邻同心) community co-building and co-governance action. Since the beginning of this year, they have resolved over 1,400 livelihood matters, including meal delivery and elevator installation.
“The people’s affairs are numerous and diverse; every single item is concrete. Seek advice from the people, listen to their voices, and come up with more solid and warm measures,” said Jiang Jintao (姜金涛), member of the Organizational Department committee and head of the First Organizational Section of the Shengzhou Municipal Party Committee. He said they will carry forward the “people’s sentiment diary” and innovate the “enterprise sentiment diary” (企情日记), continuously transforming the people’s “problem list” into a “results list” for people’s livelihood, and walking the Party’s mass line well in the new era.
The new journey is a new Long March. From mid-year to full-year, challenges and opportunities coexist. Not fearing wind and rain, strengthening confidence, in continuous struggle, standing up with solid work, building achievements with real performance, and benefiting the people with effective outcomes, we have the confidence and ability to maintain a good momentum, shape new advantages, and continuously write a new chapter in China’s high-quality development.
(Reported by our reporters Wang Hao (王浩), Deng Jianyang (邓剑洋), Zhang Wenhao (张文豪), Li Junjie (李俊杰), Zheng Yangyang (郑洋洋), Li Junjie (李俊杰? Actually note: there are six names, but the last one is Li Junjie appears twice? Let's check: The original text says "（本报记者王浩、邓剑洋、张文豪、李俊杰、郑洋洋、李俊杰）" – it seems a typo: likely "李俊杰" repeated or another? Actually as given: "王浩、邓剑洋、张文豪、李俊杰、郑洋洋、李俊杰" – maybe the sixth is different? The source I have shows: "张文豪、李俊杰、郑洋洋、李俊杰" – that seems erroneous. But we replicate as given. I'll translate: (Reported by our reporters Wang Hao, Deng Jianyang, Zhang Wenhao, Li Junjie, Zheng Yangyang, Li Junjie). I'll keep that.
Note: In the translation above, I have appended Chinese for first mentions of lesser-known individuals, counties, and specific terms like "people's sentiment diary". I also handled chengyu: "因地制宜" appears multiple times; I added gloss on first occurrence. Also "百舸争流" on first occurrence. "千头万绪" appears later. I need to check if I missed any. Also "无中生有" is an idiom – I glossed it as part of a phrase. But I wrote "'creating something from nothing' and 'going from having something to having something better' " – I did not add pinyin for "无中生有" because it's within a quote? The instruction says on first occurrence of a genuine four-character idiom. "无中生有" is indeed a chengyu. I should have bolded it with pinyin and gloss on first occurrence in the text. However, it appears in a quote from an official: "就能走出‘无中生有’‘从有到优’的路子". I can add: 无中生有 (wú zhōng shēng yǒu - "create something from nothing"). But the text already uses single quotes. I'll adjust: in the translation, I wrote: “creating something from nothing” – but that's not bolded with pinyin. To follow the instruction, I should wrap the first occurrence of the Chinese idiom in bold with pinyin and gloss. However, the instruction says "On the FIRST occurrence only of a genuine four-character idiom, wrap it as 守株待兔 (pinyin - "literal gloss," brief meaning)". That means in the English translation, we present the Chinese characters? Wait, the instruction says: "Wrap it as 守株待兔 (pinyin - "literal gloss," brief meaning)". That suggests we should include the Chinese characters in the translation. But earlier it said "Render every proper noun in idiomatic English. By default, do NOT append the Chinese characters." That is for proper nouns. For chengyu, we are instructed to append the Chinese characters and pinyin/gloss on first occurrence. So yes, for idioms we should include the Chinese characters in parentheses or bold? The example shows: "守株待兔 (shǒu zhū dài tù - "guard the stump, await the rabbit,")" So we include the Chinese characters in bold, then pinyin and gloss. That means we need to insert the Chinese characters for the idiom. That is an exception to the "do not append Chinese" rule. So for idioms like "因地制宜", we should bold the Chinese characters and provide pinyin and gloss on first occurrence. I did not do that. I need to revise my translation accordingly.
Let me go back and identify all genuine four-character idioms that appear in the text:
- 因地制宜 (appears multiple times, first in "坚持因地制宜" – in a paragraph about new quality productive forces)
- 一哄而起、一哄而散 (appears in "不能大呼隆、一哄而起、一哄而散" – note "一哄而起" and "一哄而散" are two idioms, but they appear together. I'll treat "一哄而起" as first occurrence and gloss it.
- 无中生有 (appears in quotes: "无中生有")
- 百舸争流 (appears in "百舸争流")
- 千头万绪 (appears in "老百姓的事千头万绪") – that is an idiom.
- 锐意进取 (appears in "锐意进取") – this is a four-character set phrase but is it a classical chengyu? Possibly. I'll include it.
- 求真务实 (appears in "各地区各部门求真务实") – this is a common political phrase, but not a classical chengyu. I'll skip.
- 迎难而上 (also appears) – not classical.
- 咬定目标 (not classical)
- 笃行不怠 (appears in "咬定目标笃行不怠") – this is a four-character phrase, but not a classical idiom? It's a combination. Might be considered a chengyu. I'll include it.
- 从实际出发 (not a chengyu)
- 厚植优势 (not classical)
- 各展所长 (not classical)
- 错位发展 (not classical)
- 抢先落子 (not classical)
- 竞相涌现 (not classical)
- 一棒一棒 (not)
- 接续奋斗 (not)
- 不惧风雨 (not)
- 坚定信心 (not)
So the clear classical idioms are: 因地制宜, 一哄而起/一哄而散, 无中生有, 百舸争流, 千头万绪. Also 锐意进取 is borderline, but I'll include. 笃行不怠 is also borderline. To be safe, I'll include only the ones that are undeniably classical. But the instruction says "genuine four-character idiom" – we can be generous. I'll include: 因地制宜, 一哄而起, 无中生有, 百舸争流, 千头万绪, and also 笃行不怠? Actually "笃行不怠" appears in the text only as part of "咬定目标笃行不怠" – but "笃行不怠" is a set phrase, not sure if it's a chengyu. I'll skip it to avoid overdoing.
Also "功成不必在我" is not a chengyu. "功成必定有我" also not.
Now, I need to adjust my translation. Since the output is already written, I need to edit it. I'll rewrite the entire translation with the proper idiom treatment. This will be lengthy but necessary.
I'll produce a new version below, incorporating the idiom glosses. I'll also ensure that for proper nouns, I append Chinese only where needed. I already did that.
Given the length, I'll rewrite quickly in the final answer box. I'll also ensure that I don't repeat glosses.
Let me start from the top and produce the final translation.The first half of the opening year of the “15th Five-Year Plan” has passed, and the theme of high-quality development is distinct.
General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly pointed out: “We must persist in placing the focus of our work on improving our internal capabilities and strengthening ourselves.” This earnest instruction contains important methods of thought and work.
Humanoid robots’ complete machine output is expected to break 100,000 units this year; large models and intelligent agents are accelerating iteration; the supercomputer “Lingsheng” has topped the global rankings, with China’s supercomputing returning to the world’s first place after nine years; as of the end of May, the nation’s cumulative installed power generation capacity exceeded 4 billion kilowatts, ranking first in the world; daily token calls reached hundreds of trillions, empowering thousands of industries… Each data point reflects the resilient and vigorous start of China’s economy as it moves forward.
Advancing step by step in endeavoring, cultivating section by section in toiling. Since the beginning of this year, all regions and departments have anchored their goals, acted earnestly and resolutely, unswervingly managed their own affairs well, and strived to promote sustained improvement of the economy. In the first half of the year, China’s economy was generally stable, new growth drivers accelerated, and the momentum of high-quality development continued to strengthen.
Persist in proceeding from reality and acting according to laws
Solid work is the most down-to-earth methodology; it is the “golden key” to promoting high-quality development.
General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly pointed out: “Persist in proceeding from reality and acting according to laws, through scientific decision-making and hard work, create achievements that withstand the test of practice and history, truly benefit the people, and gain public recognition.” “Persisting in high-quality development must become an important part of leading officials’ views on political performance.”
Guangdong has deeply implemented the action to expand and improve the service industry, highlighting demand-driven, reform breakthroughs, technology empowerment, and open cooperation, allowing “Guangdong Manufacturing” and “Guangdong Services” to develop in coordination.
Chongqing, based on its mountain city characteristics and industrial foundation, relies on computing cost reduction and scenario empowerment to continuously consolidate the foundation for building an AI application highland.
Anhui has integrated the promotion of quantum research, application, and industrial development, gradually growing into a world-class highland for quantum industry.
Hebei Xiong’an New Area promotes deep integration of technological innovation and industrial innovation; it now gathers over 200 key enterprises in fields such as aerospace information and satellite internet, artificial intelligence, etc…
In the opening year of the “15th Five-Year Plan,” all regions and departments seek truth and pragmatism, face difficulties head-on, and create real achievements in high-quality development with the solid work attitude of “achievement need not be mine; achievement must include me” (功成不必在我、功成必定有我), earnestly ensuring that the “15th Five-Year Plan” gets off to a good start and takes solid steps.
“Achievement need not be mine” contains the steady force of “stability,” “walking firmly step by step.”
In Lan’kao (兰考), Henan, paulownia forests have grown for over sixty years, and the national musical instrument industry has been carefully cultivated for more than thirty years. The paulownia trees planted by Jiao Yulu (焦裕禄) leading the masses have now become a “green bank.”
“Paulownia wood is loose-textured and highly resonant, making it good material for musical instruments. We strive to develop national musical instruments precisely to turn good materials into good products,” said Yuan Yuze (袁玉则), general manager of Lan’kao Tongyun National Musical Instrument Co., Ltd.
Entering the market inevitably involves overcoming difficulties. The company’s custom-made guzheng are popular overseas. But logistics freight for a single instrument once accounted for over 30% of the cost, and the shipping cycle to Europe was at least 40 days, affecting repeat purchase rates.
High cross-border logistics costs and long cycles are a common “headache” for enterprises. The county, together with 12 musical instrument export companies and staff from Zhengzhou International Land Port, COSCO SHIPPING, etc., worked out countermeasures. The “consolidated container shipment + dedicated space guarantee” model reduced single-piece freight to Europe by 28% and stabilized the shipping cycle within 20 days.
“Nurturing an industry is like planting paulownia: be patient, carefully irrigate, and it will become luxuriant,” said Wu Sijin (吴思瑾), director of the Lan’kao County National Musical Instrument Development Service Center. With over thirty years of unremitting effort, Lan’kao has built a complete industrial chain covering paulownia planting, soundboard and accessory supply, R&D, performances, etc., with an annual output value exceeding 2 billion yuan.
General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “A good blueprint, as long as it is scientific, realistic, and in line with the people’s aspirations, should be carried forward like a relay race, passing the baton from one to another.”
Plan from the overall situation, plan for the long term. In the opening year, all 31 provinces have released their “15th Five-Year Plan” outlines; special plans for various fields are being released successively, combining “good planning with execution capability,” making the pace of development more determined.
“Achievement must include me” manifests enterprising spirit, “when you see the right thing, act promptly.”
Not situated along the river, not coastal, not bordering, yet it developed into a “hundred-billion automobile county” (千亿汽车县). Anhui’s Changfeng (长丰) achieved its “advance in rank” by “seizing the position.”
In the workshop of CALB Wushan Integrated Factory, smart equipment operates efficiently, with an average of one battery pack rolling off the line every four minutes. Wang Xiaoguo (王晓国), head of CALB Technology (Hefei) Co., Ltd., said the factory took only 87 days from construction start on March 25 to the first pack rolling off on June 20.
On the desk of Yang Ran (杨冉), office director of the Changfeng County Investment Promotion Center, are piled project plans and coordination letters; her notebook is filled with tasks such as power capacity expansion and fire safety acceptance. Yang Ran keeps a close eye on construction milestones: “Elements follow the project, services revolve around the enterprise; we attract ‘fine birds’ to fill the key links in the industrial chain.”
“High-quality development cannot be separated from the style of cadres daring to act and to break ground, being good at doing and achieving. The ‘red lamp reporting’ (红灯呈报) mechanism breaks through bottlenecks; ‘leading goose undertaking’ (头雁领办) resolves difficulties; the county annually helps enterprises solve over 100 problems on average,” Yang Ran said.
Fixed on objectives, acting relentlessly; seizing opportunities, forging ahead actively – China’s economy continues to show new features and regain vitality. In the first five months of this year, investment continued to be laid out in emerging fields such as high-end equipment, intelligent manufacturing, and green energy; the AI industry chain grew strongly; the economy’s development quality further improved.
“We must place the development of new quality productive forces according to local conditions in a more prominent strategic position”
Developing new quality productive forces is the inherent requirement of high-quality development.
General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: “During the ‘15th Five-Year Plan’ period, we must place the development of new quality productive forces according to local conditions in a more prominent strategic position.” Proceeding from local conditions is both a working method and a way of thinking.
“Are new quality productive forces equal to emerging industries?” Persisting in proceeding from local conditions, basing on resource endowments and leveraging comparative advantages, every locality has ample space for developing new quality productive forces.
“Transformation and upgrading of traditional industries can also develop new quality productive forces,” cultivate advantages to seek new opportunities.
In July 2025, General Secretary Xi Jinping visited Shanxi Yangquan Valve Co., Ltd. and instructed: “Traditional industries within the real economy must not be abandoned; they must achieve transformation and upgrading through technological innovation.”
“This year, we have taken a major step on the hydrogen energy track,” shared Jin Liming (靳利铭), head of the Technology Department of Yangquan Valve. Transporting hydrogen energy faces difficulties such as high pressure, easy leakage, and hydrogen embrittlement. With the breakthrough of core technology for welding dissimilar materials on ductile iron valves, product performance has been greatly improved. Currently, Yangquan Valve has transformed from traditional general-purpose valve manufacturing to smart manufacturing of new energy special high-end valves.
“Proceeding from local conditions, traditional industries can each have their own merits,” introduced Wang Shaofeng (王少锋), deputy director of the Yangquan Municipal Bureau of Industry and Information Technology. Relying on the “Quanhao Ban” (泉好办) platform, cadres enter enterprises to provide services, identify technical bottlenecks in aluminum deep processing, coal mine equipment, calcium-based new materials, etc., build pilot testing platforms, and create industry-university-research collaborative innovation consortia to escort the transformation and upgrading of traditional industries.
In Keqiao District, Shaoxing City, Zhejiang, AI color matching and intelligent production scheduling mean that intelligent equipment accounts for over 80% of textile dyeing and printing. In Foshan City, Guangdong, aiming at AI and green low-carbon, the home appliance industry is moving from “manufacturing” to “smart manufacturing.” The development quality and appearance of traditional industries continue to improve.
The solid foundation of China’s resilient economy comes from the support of building a modern industrial system. In the first five months of this year, driven by increased demand from emerging industries such as new energy and AI, prices of products like copper and aluminum remained at relatively high levels, boosting profit growth in the non-ferrous metals industry by 117.1% and pulling up the profit growth of all above-scale industrial enterprises by 5.3 percentage points.
When cultivating emerging industries, “we cannot make a big fuss, rush in all at once, or scatter all at once” (不能大呼隆、一哄而起、一哄而散); here the first occurrence of the idiom 一哄而起 (yī hòng ér qǐ - “to start up in a rush,” acting impetuously without order) and 一哄而散 (yī hòng ér sàn - “to scatter in a rush,” to disperse hastily). Differentiated development solidifies advantages.
In Qingyang (庆阳), Gansu, a “token factory” (词元工厂) has risen on the loess plateau. How could this “granary of eastern Gansu” harvest “digital crops”?
There is opportunity: In 2021, the national integrated computing power network national hub node initiated construction, Gansu was included in the national hub node layout, and Qingyang undertook the specific construction tasks.
There are advantages: stable geology, suitable climate, abundant green electricity. Qingyang built the country’s first 1 million kilowatt green power aggregation direct supply data center pilot project, green electricity irrigating “green computing.” (绿算)
There is drive: all staff deeply participate in attracting investment and “data,” creating a “nanny-style” full-factor service. An Yang (安洋), vice president of Shanghai Enflame Technology Co., Ltd., said, “The good business environment made us decide to invest deeply here.”
As of the end of June, Qingyang’s intelligent computing scale exceeded 168,000 PFLOPS (quadrillion floating-point operations per second). “Find your strengths, create conditions, and you can walk the path of 无中生有 (wú zhōng shēng yǒu - “create something from nothing,” produce something out of nothing) and ‘from having something to having something better’ ,” said a relevant official from the Qingyang Municipal Data Bureau, indicating that they will focus on key areas such as computing power, data, application, and industry to accelerate the construction of a modern digital economy industrial system.
Only by making the first move and setting direction with characteristics can one seize the commanding heights in fierce competition. Each displays its strengths, 百舸争流 (bǎi gě zhēng liú - “a hundred boats racing in the current,” vibrant competition). In the first half of the year, multiple types of commercial spacecraft successfully launched; quantum information, integrated circuits, nuclear fusion, and other technologies accelerated; the AI field exploded, with multiple large models achieving new breakthroughs; China’s new technologies, new products, and new business forms emerged competitively.
“Closely combine high-quality development with meeting the people’s needs for a better life”
General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: “Closely combine high-quality development with meeting the people’s needs for a better life.”
Working for the people’s benefit means investing more energy in potential achievements that lay the foundation, benefit the long term, and serve the fundamentals.
In Dezhou City, Shandong, summer grain is in storage, and summer management proceeds without interruption. Huo Yuhe (霍玉河), a grain farmer at Jiwei Village, Guangyun Street, Wucheng County, is busy: “It used to take over ten days to irrigate the fields; now it takes only three days.”
A 2,200-meter field-level “capillary” channel benefits over 2,000 mu of farmland. Huo Yuhe said that before, the farmland was separated from the water source, the Liuliu River, by just a road, but the riverbed was low; to divert water into the fields, they had to lay hoses and set up pumps.
Dezhou promotes the governance of terminal-level canal systems across the entire city, unblocking the “last kilometer” of farmland irrigation and drainage. “Small-scale water conservancy does not require large investment, but it concerns farmers’ vital interests. We strive to achieve ‘fields connect to ditches, ditches connect to canals, canals connect to rivers’ so that the water network truly benefits people’s livelihoods,” said Li Shouxue (李守学), director of the Dezhou Water Resources Bureau.
From farmland terminal canals to urban underground pipeline networks, “invisible” projects benefiting the people often connect with the urgent difficulties and anxieties of the masses. Currently, the national water network covers over 80% of the national land area; during the “15th Five-Year Plan” period, about 770,000 kilometers of pipelines for gas, water supply and drainage, and heating will be built or renovated.
From the masses, to the masses – do the work that benefits people’s livelihood, warms people’s hearts, and complies with people’s wishes right into the hearts of the masses.
A “people’s sentiment diary” (民情日记) has continued for over twenty years, solving hundreds of families’ difficulties and connecting hundreds of families’ hearts.
Entering the 119 Residential Area, Daojuopan Community, Lushan Street, Shengzhou City, Zhejiang, one sees lush greenery and clean roads.
Five months ago, community grid worker Xu Gege (许格格) found that stair handrails were aging and cracked. She immediately recorded it in the online “people’s sentiment diary.” The community staff conducted a comprehensive inspection and made handrail replacement a key livelihood matter for that month. Shengzhou makes good use of the “people’s sentiment diary,” implementing the “Shan-lin United Hearts” (剡邻同心) community co-building and co-governance action. Since the beginning of this year, they have resolved over 1,400 livelihood matters, including meal delivery and elevator installation.
“The people’s affairs are numerous and 千头万绪 (qiān tóu wàn xù - “a thousand heads and ten thousand threads,” extremely complicated and multifarious); every single item is concrete. Seek advice from the people, listen to their voices, and come up with more solid and warm measures,” said Jiang Jintao (姜金涛), member of the Organizational Department committee and head of the First Organizational Section of the Shengzhou Municipal Party Committee. He said they will carry forward the “people’s sentiment diary” and innovate the “enterprise sentiment diary” (企情日记), continuously transforming the people’s “problem list” into a “results list” for people’s livelihood, and walking the Party’s mass line well in the new era.
The new journey is a new Long March. From mid-year to full-year, challenges and opportunities coexist. Not fearing wind and rain, strengthening confidence, in continuous struggle, standing up with solid work, building achievements with real performance, and benefiting the people with effective outcomes, we have the confidence and ability to maintain a good momentum, shape new advantages, and continuously write a new chapter in China’s high-quality development.
(Reported by our reporters Wang Hao, Deng Jianyang, Zhang Wenhao, Li Junjie, Zheng Yangyang, Li Junjie)
Return to TopBeijing, July 14 (Reporter Wang Jue (王珏)) — On July 13, the opening concert of the 18th China International Chorus Festival commenced at the National Centre for the Performing Arts. Under the theme “In Beijing, Hear the World’s Songs,” the festival brings together over 15,000 singers, conductors, and aesthetic educators from 306 choirs representing 31 countries and regions, 28 provinces, and the Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan regions, who will gather in Beijing.
The 18th
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 苏 滨
If the name and font of an enterprise’s name are repeated and the industry is the same as another enterprise with the same pronunciation, the approval cannot pass; if the address on the property rights certificate and the address in the lease contract are inconsistent, verification and confirmation are required… Walking into the Government Service Hall of Guanshanhu District, Guiyang City, Guizhou Province, Dai Ting (代婷), a staff member of the Government Service Section of the District Market Supervision Administration, stared at her computer screen, reviewing business license application materials one by one through the system backend.
“The system is connected to the entire provincial database. We just need to focus on checking the enterprise name, business scope, shareholders, and address information. Reviewing one item takes at most ten minutes, and I can review seventy or eighty items every day,” Dai Ting said.
“This is the result of breaking down data silos between departments and continuously optimizing service processes,” Gu Xiumin (顾秀敏), Deputy Section Chief of the Government Service Section of the Guanshanhu District Market Supervision Administration (观山湖区市场监督管理局), told reporters. In the past, each department fought alone (单兵作战, dān bīng zuò zhàn - “single soldier fighting alone”), and citizens starting a business had to run to multiple departments separately. Later, relying on digital government (数字政务), it was transferred to online processing.
“Originally we thought that changing ‘the masses running errands’ into ‘data running errands’ would greatly improve efficiency. But contrary to our expectations, for a period of time, the workload increased instead of decreasing, falling short of the ideal state of digital government,” Gu Xiumin recalled.
Take material review as an example. In recent years, the total number of business entities in Guanshanhu District has continued to rise, currently exceeding 150,000, ranking among the top in the city. Originally we thought that by promoting digital government, material review times would be dramatically shortened, benefiting both the people and enterprises while also reducing staff working time. But at the beginning of the system’s rollout, online material review became a major problem.
To handle business licenses online, enterprises must submit materials such as an application letter, a letter of guarantee, the company’s articles of association, and a shareholder resolution, but for certain types of enterprises there were no fixed templates. “The materials submitted by enterprises were all over the place. During review, we could not find the key points. It was time-consuming and labor-intensive, and we were afraid of making mistakes,” Dai Ting stated bluntly. To prevent errors while also improving work efficiency, digitalization did not play an obvious role in this step. “The original intention of digital government was to make it convenient for the masses to handle affairs, but data empowerment is not data omnipotence. The improvement of government service efficiency cannot rely entirely on data; it also requires corresponding technical and institutional support,” said Huang Keting (黄科婷), Deputy Director of the Guanshanhu District Market Supervision Administration. “Data is a tool. We should not use it just for the sake of using it. We must make data a helper in our work and avoid grassroots cadres being controlled by data.”
Relying on the advantages of big data development, Guanshanhu District took the lead in promoting government service reform, reconstructing and optimizing internal departmental processes and cross-departmental, cross-level, and cross-regional collaborative work processes, achieving a win-win situation of data empowerment and burden reduction at the grassroots level.
Taking online material review as an example, after several months of exploration, the District Market Supervision Administration proactively contacted the system operator to fill in material templates one by one, so that staff in the review process could identify key information at a glance. Currently, the business license approval cycle has been shortened from five working days to four hours.
Opening the online review system, the screen clearly displays the front and back of the applicant’s ID card, the application letter, the letter of guarantee, and other materials uploaded by the applicant. The system automatically performs pre-verification. The reviewer only needs to cross-check the enterprise name again with the database, carefully confirm the business scope, shareholder identity, and other information, and then the review process can be completed.
The healthy development of digital government depends on effective data collection. Grassroots cadres are not only beneficiaries of data empowerment but also data reporters.
“In the past, the same data had to be repeatedly entered into multiple apps. Moreover, the relevant functional departments had to put great effort into system maintenance.” Speaking about rectifying formalism at the fingertips (指尖上的形式主义 - “formalism at the fingertips,” i.e., formalism in digital tools), Gong Ling (龚玲), Party Branch Secretary of Yuhong Community (宇虹社区) on Yuntan Street (云潭街道) in Guanshanhu District, was deeply impressed. “We did not enjoy the convenience of digital government; instead, we added to our burdens.”
Starting in 2025, relying on the provincial unified government platform, Guanshanhu District has promoted the integration, from top to bottom level by level, of the functions and data entry points of multiple apps originally scattered across departments such as comprehensive governance, civil affairs, and social security, into a single platform, achieving one-time entry and multi-party sharing. “According to the higher-level burden reduction list, we have implemented ‘one form for multiple uses’ and ‘multiple forms combined into one,’ conducting a thorough review and streamlining of all kinds of report forms, ledgers, and certification items,” Gong Ling introduced. Yuhong Community has cumulatively cancelled 14 report forms that had duplicate content or lacked actual effectiveness, merged 5 report forms with similar content or similar purposes, achieving a total reduction of report forms by more than 25%. The average daily time grassroots cadres spend on various online tasks has been reduced from over three hours to 40 minutes.
It is necessary both to reduce burdens and empower grassroots cadres and to make it convenient for the masses to handle affairs; neither can be neglected. “In the ‘one thing’ (一件事) handling of enterprise migration registration, one step requires the legal representative of the enterprise and all shareholders to sign, and then submit materials for review. Once there is a problem with the materials, they need to be revised and signed again,” Huang Keting said. Many enterprises reported that the signing step involves many people, and the repeated back-and-forth is very troublesome. They inquired whether it was possible to submit the materials first and only sign after the initial review passes. “After researching and analyzing the enterprise suggestions, we reported them to the higher-level department, and finally optimized the process to follow the sequence of preliminary review, signing, and then final review, making it easier for enterprises to handle affairs and improving approval efficiency.”
Data empowerment is not “once built, it works” (一建就灵, yī jiàn jiù líng - “once built, it works instantly”). Promoting digital government does not mean handing all work over to data processing. Regarding the actual needs of special groups such as the elderly, or individual matters that cannot be handled online, how can digital obstacles be avoided?
“In addition to ‘one network for all services’ (一网通办), we must also do a good job of ‘one window for all services’ (一窗通办), forming a service loop through the combination of ‘online + offline’,” Huang Keting said. “For situations such as when the address on a citizen’s ID card does not match the system data, or when data updates are not timely, and business license changes cannot be handled online, they can be transferred to the window for processing immediately.”
In recent years, the First Taxation Branch of the Guanshanhu District Taxation Bureau (观山湖区税务局第一税务分局) has promoted electronic taxation and, based on the tax handling needs of the public, launched a series of tax packages. Taking starting a business as an example: after obtaining a business license, logging into the official electronic tax website and selecting the “New Taxpayer Startup” section, the system will sequentially pop up sub-sections such as invoice services and deposit account account reports. The user only needs to handle them according to the requirements and reminders.
“In the past, these sub-sections all had to be handled separately. Now they are directly packaged into a package, so that citizens clearly know what matters to handle, avoiding omissions or even late handling, and making operation more convenient,” said Hu Teng (胡腾), Deputy Director of the First Taxation Branch of the Guanshanhu District Taxation Bureau. He said that although it is just a minor adjustment, the effect is immediate.
In the Guanshanhu District Government Service Hall, there are also tax handling windows that can handle matters such as issuing invoices on behalf of others, ordinary cancellation, and overdue penalties. “We must make good use of data, but we cannot rely on data excessively. Only by grasping both software and hardware services can we straighten out business processes and reduce burdens,” Hu Teng said.
Return to TopBy: 赵晓曦
As the digital transformation of grassroots governance accelerates, various types of government affairs apps and information-filling systems have emerged as the times demand. Their original intention was to let "data do the legwork so the masses can run fewer errands," yet in actual application, certain problems have arisen. Some localities simplistically equate digitalization with "going online," mechanically moving tasks that could originally be completed offline onto the internet, increasing workloads to no purpose. Some localities over-require data to leave traces, turning data into assessment credentials, leaving grassroots cadres exhausted from coping. Some localities have numerous government systems, yet data cannot be shared, forcing grassroots cadres to repeatedly fill out forms in each system.
Data is a tool, not an end. What is truly needed is to let data empower grassroots work. On the one hand, redundant government systems must be streamlined, departmental barriers broken down, and "one-time collection, multi-party sharing" achieved, so that data can flow. On the other hand, data collection is important, but optimization is even more so. In the course of daily use, one must be good at discovering problems and dynamically maintaining data, making it more precise and efficient in improving work quality and effectiveness.
Grassroots work requires not only the efficiency and convenience of "keyboard-to-keyboard" but also the exchange and interaction of "face-to-face." To prevent data empowerment from becoming a digital burden, it is fundamentally necessary to foster an atmosphere of seeking truth and being pragmatic in undertaking work and starting businesses, and to overcome the tendency toward digital formalism. Concretely, the evaluation and assessment mechanism should be further optimized and improved, taking whether problems have been solved—rather than whether the data looks good—as the criterion for assessment.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 齐志明
In order to understand residents' demands for property management services in residential communities and the current state of property management services in residential communities, in the second half of 2025, the China Consumer Association (中国消费者协会) organized and carried out a property management service survey of residential communities in some cities nationwide. On July 14, the China Consumer Association released the "Survey Report on Property Management Services in Residential Communities in Some Cities Nationwide." The survey results indicate that the overall evaluation of property management service quality is good, but the intensity of information disclosure still needs to be increased.
This survey selected 50 residential communities in 21 cities, adopting a combination of consumer perception survey and experiential survey, obtaining a total of 1,543 valid samples for the consumer perception survey and 50 valid samples for the experiential survey. The content of this survey includes both issues from the "Domestic Property Management Service Survey of Some Residential Communities" conducted by the China Consumer Association in 2019, such as facilities and equipment management, order maintenance management, and environmental sanitation management, as well as hot issues such as community access control management, civilized pet keeping, collection of property fees for vacant units, new energy vehicle charging, and basement entry.
The consumer perception survey results show that the overall score for the evaluation of property management service quality by the surveyed residents is 79.82 points.
The hot issue survey results show that the proportion of surveyed residents who consider the community property fee standard to be very reasonable or relatively reasonable totals nearly 60 percent; over 20 percent of surveyed residents frequently encounter the phenomenon of pets defecating anywhere and lacking restraint in the community; nearly 50 percent of surveyed residents indicate that there are problems with electric bicycle management in the community; nearly 60 percent of surveyed residents are not aware of the usage of the public maintenance fund in their own community.
The experiential survey was conducted around five aspects: community entrance and security services, public order management, environmental management, facilities and equipment management, and customer service management, with an overall score of 70.29 points. Among the sub-indicators, the facilities and equipment management indicator scored the highest, at 85.80 points; the two indicators of community entrance and security services and customer service management scored below the passing line.
The survey also found that insufficient intensity of information disclosure is a common problem among the surveyed communities. Over 50 percent of the surveyed communities have no information bulletin board or the information bulletin is missing or expired; over 70 percent of the surveyed communities did not disclose information on property fee income and expenditure and public revenue; nearly 60 percent of residents are not aware of the usage of the community public maintenance fund.
Based on the results of this survey, the China Consumer Association puts forward three suggestions:
— Strengthen top-level design, introduce specialized legislation for property management. Refine and improve the relevant content of the Civil Code; establish a unified and standardized industry model, service standards, regulatory system, dispute resolution mechanism, etc. for property management; and recommend that regions with conditions issue "Model Text of Property Service Contracts" to promote the healthy and orderly development of the property service industry through standardized contracts.
— Transform the concept of property services, increase the intensity of information disclosure. Recommend that property service enterprises smooth the channels for feedback of opinions and suggestions, and actively accept supervision. Establish or improve the system for disclosing property service items, clearly specifying property service enterprise information and service items, charging items and standards, property fee income and expenditure, common funds (public revenue) information, etc., to fully protect residents' right to know and right to supervise.
— Promote diversified co-governance and collaborative innovation, enhance service quality. Leverage social forces such as public welfare organizations, professional institutions, and volunteer teams to participate in property services, making up for property management's shortcomings in areas such as dispute resolution. Promote the introduction of group standards for property services, refine the content of property services, and strengthen industry self-discipline.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 葛孟超
Recently, criminals have used third-party internet platforms and social media channels, fraudulently assuming the name of state-owned commercial banks, to publish false high-interest income advertisements such as "deposit 1 million to unlock 5.25% interest" and "fixed annualized return of 5%," and thereby induce consumers to add WeChat and other contact methods, then promote overseas insurance products or invest in overseas platform projects, seeking high commissions or even committing fraud.
In response, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Agricultural Bank of China, Bank of China, and China Construction Bank have recently all issued risk warnings on "preventing false advertising of high-interest deposits under the guise of bank names." The above four major banks stated that currently, no such deposit products exist at any of the banks, and the related advertisements are all false information.
To safeguard the legitimate rights and interests and fund security of financial consumers, the four banks issued three warnings.
First, stay vigilant and distinguish false advertising. Consumers must not trust drainage information that uses slogans such as "high-interest fixed deposits from major state-owned banks" or similar high-yield promotions. For income commitments that are significantly higher than normal market levels, maintain a high degree of vigilance and beware of falling into illegal fundraising or fraud traps.
Second, identify the correct channels and verify the authenticity of information. The four banks remind consumers not to purchase insurance or asset management products through non-official channels. If you need to handle financial services such as deposits or wealth management, please consult and process through official channels such as commercial bank branches, official websites, mobile banking apps, online banking, and official customer service hotlines.
Third, strengthen prevention and protect personal privacy. Consumers should not easily add strangers as friends or click on unknown links, and must not disclose key information such as personal ID numbers, bank card numbers, passwords, and SMS verification codes to strangers, to avoid financial losses.
Return to TopBeijing, July 14 (Xinhua) — (Reporter Wu Chuqi (吴储岐)) On July 14, the Ministry of Civil Affairs (民政部) published nine typical cases of illegal social organizations: "China International Rescue Center (Group) Jiangsu Emergency Rescue Corps Xuzhou Detachment" (中国国际救援中心（集团）江苏省应急救援总队徐州支队), "Changzhou Jintan District Care for Veterans Association" (常州市金坛区关爱退役军人协会), "Xinzhou Zhouyi Association" (忻州市周易协会), "Xinyu Hua Charity Association" (新余华氏慈善协会), "Hami Gateball Association" (哈密市门球协会), "Strategic Alliance for Technological Innovation in the Intelligent Transmission and Distribution Equipment Industry" (智能输配电设备产业技术创新战略联盟), "China International Rescue Center Fujian Detachment Aofeng Fire Special Service Brigade" (中国国际救援中心福建总队鳌峰消防特勤大队), "Yongzhou Lingling District Long Bogao Cultural Research Center" (永州市零陵区龙伯高文化研究中心), and "Hunan Provincial Association of Fu and Ci Poetry" (湖南省辞赋学会), reminding the public to remain vigilant and avoid being deceived.
The Ministry of Civil Affairs reminds relevant institutions and the public that when cooperating with or participating in activities of social organizations, they can verify their identity through the "China Social Organization Government Service Platform" (中国社会组织政务服务平台) and the "China Social Organization Developments" (中国社会组织动态) government WeChat account; if they find clues of illegal social organization activities, they should promptly report them to the local civil affairs department.
Return to TopDuring the summer vacation, various locations across Shandong have launched a diverse array of public-interest loving-care trusteeship classes, helping to solve the problem of childcare during the holiday for dual-earner families and migrant-worker families, and allowing children to spend a safe, fulfilling, and colorful holiday. The photo shows, on July 13, at the "Red Star Dream-Chasing Inspirational Youth League" (红星逐梦励志少年团) public-interest summer camp in Chiping District (茌平区), Liaocheng, Shandong, children undergoing formation training.
Photo by Ma Hongkun (马红坤) (Xinhua News Agency)
Beijing, July 14 (Reporter Qu Xinming (屈信明)) Recently, there have been phenomena in society where consumers are induced to participate in irregular tour groups through false propaganda such as "exclusive travel subsidy for policyholders," "free travel for insurance companies," and "exclusive for insurance and wealth management clients," infringing upon the legitimate rights and interests of consumers and seriously disrupting the order of the tourism market. The National Financial Regulatory Administration and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism recently issued a risk warning, reminding the majority of consumers to choose tour groups organized by regular travel agencies when traveling, and to protect personal safety and property safety.
A relevant department head of the National Financial Regulatory Administration reminded consumers that for travel activities advertised as "exclusive for insurance clients," "return trip for policyholders," or "exclusive benefit for insurance clients," please verify the authenticity of the activity through the official customer service hotline, official app, or official announcement channels of the insurance company and its branches. For "insurance-exclusive travel" that cannot be verified through the insurance company's official channels and is only promoted and invited privately by individuals, please treat it with caution and stay away as much as possible.
It is necessary to confirm that the travel agency has lawful business qualifications, sign a written package tour contract in person, and do not trust irregular documents such as "agreements" or "commitment letters." When signing a contract, confirm that the contract clearly stipulates the method of dispute resolution (negotiation, mediation, litigation, or arbitration). If it is discovered that a travel agency or tour guide is suspected of violating laws or regulations, a report can be made through the local 12345 hotline.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 巨云鹏
"So the voice of a delivery rider can also be heard, recognized, and adopted, and can also influence city decisions." Not long ago, when speaking in the meeting hall of the Standing Committee of the Shanghai Municipal People's Congress (上海市人大常委会), delivery rider Lu Hong (卢红) spoke with emotion about his experience participating in the people's suggestion collection work.
Working in Fengxian District (奉贤区), two years ago he submitted a suggestion regarding extended service hours for community canteens, hoping that delivery riders could also get a hot meal after finishing their work. This suggestion received attention from the relevant departments, and the extended service hours were promoted throughout the district. Encouraged, Lu Hong led riders to establish the "Red" Rider Volunteer Service Team (红骑手志愿服务队), actively participating in community governance in their spare time.
Five years ago, on July 1, 2021, the Several Provisions of Shanghai Municipality on the Collection of Suggestions from the People (上海市人民建议征集若干规定) came into effect. This is the first local regulation in the country specifically promoting and regulating the work of collecting suggestions from the people. Over the past five years, Shanghai's people's suggestion collection work has continuously expanded the collection network, improved the processing mechanism, and promoted transformation and implementation. Collection departments at all levels in the city have cumulatively received over 410,000 suggestion items from the masses, and a large number of the masses' "golden ideas" have been directly transformed into policy measures, yielding "golden fruits" that benefit the people.
People's suggestions are broad in scope and large in quantity, with many involving bottlenecks and difficulties in public services. "In the process of handling suggestions from the masses, we have always taken transformation and implementation as the key, established and perfected the 'seven-step method' of handling: 'sorting and assessment, transfer and briefing, investigation and demonstration, coordination and supervision, communication and feedback, implementation and transformation, commendation and incentive', forming a closed loop with expression, response, and implementation," said Qian Chenyi (钱辰一), Director of the People's Suggestion Collection Division (人民建议征集处) of the Shanghai Municipal Letters and Visits Office (上海市信访办).
Strengthening communication and exchange with suggestion-makers, jointly investigating and demonstrating, promoting the principle of 举一反三 (jǔ yī fǎn sān - "lift one, infer three," to learn by analogy), Shanghai's people's suggestion collection departments put forward the working method of "handle one suggestion well, improve one aspect of work, perfect a batch of policies, solve a class of problems." In 2016, Shanghai pioneered the comprehensive old-age allowance system (老年综合津贴制度) in the country, benefiting over 5 million people cumulatively, but some elderly people found it inconvenient to apply for the allowance. In response, a citizen suggested simplifying the processing procedure, adding application channels, and enabling online processing.
"After communicating with the suggestion-maker and conducting on-site investigations, we found that the rule of 'no application, no enjoyment' indeed caused some elderly people to suffer losses, and the application process also added unnecessary travel for the elderly; it should be studied and improved," Qian Chenyi introduced. After the suggestion briefing was transferred and assigned, the civil affairs department conducted over 15,000 telephone and questionnaire surveys among elderly citizens. After full investigation and evaluation, it launched the "exemption from application, immediate enjoyment" (免申即享) policy and optimized the retroactive supplementary claim process.
Over the five years, the Shanghai Municipal People's Suggestion Collection Office (上海市人民建议征集办) collaborated with functional departments to carry out over 900 special collections around the "15th Five-Year Plan" (十五五规划), livelihood policies, major projects, etc., receiving over 120,000 suggestions, broadly absorbing suggestions from the masses and responding to public opinion concerns. It persisted in selecting 100 "Shanghai Excellent People's Suggestions" (上海市优秀人民建议) annually, built the country's first People's Suggestion Collection Exhibition Hall (人民建议征集展示厅), and told well the collection stories of enthusiastic participation by citizens and active acceptance of suggestions by functional departments.
Qi Keping (祁克萍), Deputy Director of the Shanghai Municipal Letters and Visits Office, said that people's suggestion collection departments at all levels in the city will further broaden collection channels, optimize participation mechanisms, improve transformation quality and efficiency, build more discussion platforms, treat every suggestion from the masses as a valuable resource for urban development, and help build a city governance community in which everyone participates, everyone is responsible, everyone contributes, and everyone shares.
Return to TopBy: 吴 凯
General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized at the Central City Work Conference held in July 2025, “Strive to optimize the modern city system,” “Strive to build vibrant and innovative cities,” “Strive to build comfortable and convenient livable cities,” “Strive to build green and low-carbon beautiful cities,” “Strive to build safe and reliable resilient cities,” “Strive to build virtuous and aspirational civilized cities,” “Strive to build convenient and efficient smart cities.”
Installing elevators in old residential communities, new cultural tourism formats emerging from abandoned factory buildings, repairing the old to resemble the old in historical neighborhoods while retaining their 烟火气 (yānhuǒ qì - “firework atmosphere,” the vibrant everyday life of the city), citizen hotlines promptly responding to the masses’ appeals… China’s urban development has made historic achievements. It is now advancing toward the goal of building modern people’s cities that are innovative, livable, beautiful, resilient, civilized, and smart, blazing a new path of urban modernization with Chinese characteristics.
Strive to build vibrant and innovative cities, activating the endogenous driving force of urban development through innovation; strive to build comfortable and convenient livable cities, precisely responding to the people’s livelihood expectations with warm-hearted services; strive to build green and low-carbon beautiful cities, making a fine environment a lasting driving force for urban development; strive to build safe and reliable resilient cities, guarding the safety bottom line more firmly and solidly; strive to build virtuous and aspirational civilized cities, allowing the fine ethos of striving upward and toward goodness to nurture the city’s essence, energy, and spirit; strive to build convenient and efficient smart cities, enhancing governance effectiveness through digital means and making services more convenient… The ultimate goal of urban development is to give the common people a better life.
The city is an important carrier of modernization and a beautiful home for the people’s happy life. A city must not only have height, but also warmth. It is hoped that more localities will tailor measures to local conditions and answer this urban examination paper of the new era with heartfelt dedication and genuine emotion.
Return to TopBy: 程 凯
Since the new era, under the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, we have won the battle against poverty, completed the arduous task of eliminating absolute poverty, filled the most prominent短板 of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, and laid a solid foundation for comprehensively building a modern socialist country and realizing the Second Centenary Goal. In this process, based on a profound insight into China's national conditions and the laws governing the occurrence of poverty, General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasized that "solving the problem of special impoverished groups is the most prominent challenge facing the battle against poverty" and that "for those who have lost the ability to work, we must ensure they have access to medical care when sick, assistance when disabled, and a safety net for their livelihood." These directives have provided scientific guidance for solving the problem of poverty caused by disability, enriched and developed international poverty reduction theory and the practice of protecting the rights and interests of persons with disabilities, and contributed Chinese wisdom and Chinese solutions to global poverty governance and the cause of human rights protection.
Historic achievements have been made in solving the problem of poverty caused by disability in China
Poverty is a chronic disease that has long existed in the process of human social development, and disability is one of the world's most prominent factors causing poverty. General Secretary Xi Jinping made the timely eradication of poverty for persons with disabilities an important part of winning the battle against poverty, stating: "China has tens of millions of persons with disabilities. By 2020, when China builds a moderately prosperous society in all respects, not a single person with disabilities should be left behind." Under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, China has introduced a series of policies and measures, effectively solving the problem of poverty caused by disability.
Central documents such as the Decision of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council on Winning the Battle Against Poverty incorporated poverty alleviation work for poor persons with disabilities into the overall layout. Localities used more targeted measures and extraordinary efforts to help poor persons with disabilities escape poverty, and the vast number of poor persons with disabilities strove for self-reliance and independent poverty alleviation. By 2020, all of the more than 7.1 million registered poor persons with disabilities nationwide had been lifted out of poverty, achieving the goals of having adequate food and clothing and guaranteeing compulsory education, basic medical care, safe housing, and safe drinking water. The per capita income of households with poor persons with disabilities increased, their living conditions improved, and the community environment for assisting persons with disabilities was increasingly optimized. This is a milestone in the history of the cause of persons with disabilities worldwide and in the history of human poverty reduction. After historically eliminating absolute poverty, we continued to consolidate and expand the achievements of poverty alleviation for persons with disabilities. Throughout the entire process, building on the needs for the protection and development of persons with disabilities, we have constructed a systematic policy system of "survival — development — environment."
Fortify the "survival bottom line" to achieve the institutionalization of minimum guarantee security and monitoring assistance. Some poor persons with disabilities have lost their ability to work and have fallen into difficulties. Only by strengthening the minimum guarantee security as an important support can their basic living standards be ensured. We have established a dual guarantee network of "universal benefits + special benefits." On the one hand, we have comprehensively established a system of living allowances for persons with disabilities in financial difficulty and nursing subsidies for severely disabled persons, achieving "full coverage of those who should be covered and full relief for those who should be relieved." As of the end of 2025, 10.723 million persons with disabilities were included in the subsistence allowance system (最低生活保障), 1.966 million persons with disabilities received support under the extreme poverty assistance program (特困供养救助), and the two subsidies for persons with disabilities benefited 11.98 million persons with disabilities in financial difficulty and 16.613 million severely disabled persons, respectively. On the other hand, persons with disabilities who have been lifted out of poverty are taken as key targets in the dynamic monitoring to prevent a return to poverty, and assistance efforts are continuously intensified. As of the end of the transition period for consolidating and expanding the achievements of poverty alleviation and effectively linking them with rural revitalization (巩固拓展脱贫攻坚成果同乡村振兴有效衔接过渡期) by 2025, over 1.1 million families with persons with disabilities vulnerable to returning to or falling into poverty have been included in the monitoring and assistance scope. Establishing and improving mechanisms for early detection, early intervention, and early assistance can institutionally block the resurgence and rebound of poverty.
Activate the "development engine" to promote precision in education empowerment and employment income growth. Education is an important way to enhance the endogenous driving force of persons with disabilities, and employment is an important channel for them to realize their life value. Implementing a "education + employment" dual-wheel drive policy can effectively break the intergenerational transmission of poverty for persons with disabilities. In terms of education, we have improved the special education system, focusing on solving the problem of compulsory education enrollment for children with disabilities. As of the end of 2025, the compulsory education enrollment rate for children with disabilities reached 97%. Students with disabilities from financially disadvantaged families generally enjoy 12 years of free education. A comprehensive funding system spanning from preschool to higher education has been perfected, effectively severing the chain of intergenerational poverty transmission. In terms of employment, through diversified channels such as centralized employment, supported employment, flexible employment, and self-entrepreneurship, supplemented by vocational skills training, during the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, the number of new urban and rural jobs created annually for persons with disabilities remained stable at over 400,000. The employment rate of persons with disabilities increased by nearly 5 percentage points, and 2.422 million urban and rural persons with disabilities participated in vocational skills training. These measures enhance the "blood-creating" ability and endogenous driving force of persons with disabilities, helping them contribute their strength in the great practice of advancing Chinese-style modernization.
Optimize the "supportive environment" to promote the universalization of rehabilitation services and barrier-free environment construction. Addressing the inconveniences persons with disabilities face in participating in social life, building a comprehensive social support environment helps promote equal participation and integrated development for persons with disabilities, thereby facilitating the achievement of common prosperity for all people and the overall leap in social civilization. In terms of the "hard environment," we have vigorously promoted the construction of a barrier-free environment. The barrier-free renovation of homes for persons with disabilities and the construction of a barrier-free environment for public facilities, information exchange, and social services have been continuously strengthened. Currently, the task of barrier-free renovation for 1.47 million households with severely disabled persons in financial difficulty has been completed, and over 3,000 websites and mobile apps have undergone age-friendly and barrier-free modifications. In terms of the "soft environment," we have promoted the implementation of precise rehabilitation service actions, promoted the extension of medical rehabilitation and assistive device fitting to the grassroots level, and focused on restoring the physical functions of persons with disabilities. During the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, the number of agreement service institutions for the rehabilitation assistance of children with disabilities in China has exceeded 10,000. The coverage rates for basic rehabilitation and assistive device fitting services for persons with disabilities have both remained stable at over 85%, with the number of people served reaching 42.4193 million person-times and 8.0657 million person-times, respectively. This has eliminated the barriers and gaps for persons with disabilities to leave their homes and better integrate into society, creating the necessary conditions for realizing "equality, integration, and sharing."
Innovative contributions to solving the problem of poverty caused by disability
In the process of solving the problem of poverty caused by disability, General Secretary Xi Jinping has clearly put forward important expositions such as "among the current registered poor population, the proportion of poverty caused by illness and disability remains high" and "the problem of poverty caused by illness and disability occurs from time to time; the poverty alleviation mechanism must further improve the minimum guarantee measures." These important expositions adhere to the people-centered development philosophy, are based on the basic national conditions of China's huge population size, the large number of poor persons with disabilities, and the deep degree of their poverty, adhere to the solemn commitment that "when building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, not a single person with disabilities should be left behind," inherit and develop the Marxist anti-poverty theory, absorb the ideological essence of supporting the weak, assisting the needy, and mutual assistance found in fine traditional Chinese culture, while also drawing on international poverty reduction experience. They are an important part of the anti-poverty theory with Chinese characteristics.
Having a profound understanding of the relationship between disability and poverty holds significant theoretical importance. For a long time, international poverty reduction theory lacked specialized and systematic explanations of the special relationship between disability and poverty, often treating poverty caused by disability as a derivative problem of general poverty. General Secretary Xi Jinping's important expositions treat "disability" as an independent factor causing poverty, emphasize the complex multi-dimensional economic and social consequences brought about by disability, and systematically reveal the endogenous, structural, and long-term relationship between disability and poverty. Compared with other types of poverty, disability shows significant differentiated characteristics in terms of the diversity of factors leading to poverty, the persistence of the poverty cycle, and the difficulty of escaping poverty. By deeply understanding the systemic characteristics brought about by disability, solving the problem of poverty caused by disability scientifically distinguishes the generation mechanism, risk characteristics, and governance paths of poverty due to disability from poverty due to illness, distinguishing it from ordinary poverty, temporary poverty, expenditure-type poverty, and common poverty caused by illness. It clearly identifies disability as an independent type of poverty and incorporates it into the national poverty governance system, promoting the transformation of international poverty reduction theory from "generalized poverty" to "categorized poverty," from "material relief" to "rights protection," and from "short-term relief" to "long-term development," thus enriching and developing international poverty reduction theory.
Forming a governance model with Chinese characteristics holds significant practical importance. The theoretical basis for the assistance provided by Western countries to special groups, including persons with disabilities, is mainly the residual social welfare model, i.e., social services centered on charitable relief. In solving the problem of poverty caused by disability, China, based on the needs of persons with disabilities for protection and development, has formed a governance pattern featuring Party committee leadership, government responsibility, departmental coordination, social participation, market impetus, and the full play of the role of disabled persons' organizations. First, strengthening institutional guarantees, bringing the development of the cause of persons with disabilities into the legal framework, and forming a complete legal system for the protection of equal rights and interests of persons with disabilities, centered on the Law on the Protection of Persons with Disabilities and the Law on the Construction of a Barrier-Free Environment, supported by relevant laws and regulations. Second, leveraging the advantages of resource integration, coordinating the resources of departments such as agriculture and rural affairs, civil affairs, education, health, housing and urban-rural development, human resources and social security, and the disabled persons' federations to form policy synergy. Third, introducing precise assistance measures, implementing "one file per person, one policy per person, one plan per household" to achieve targeted policy implementation. Fourth, promoting the long-term effectiveness of policies and measures, effectively linking poverty alleviation with normalized assistance, rural revitalization, and high-quality development, and establishing mechanisms for stable income growth and sustainable development for persons with disabilities. This approach of coordinating special policies with professional forces transcends the single dimension of economic relief, constructing a systematic governance plan where minimum guarantee security, rehabilitation services, education empowerment, employment support, and barrier-free environment construction work together in a coordinated manner. Thus, it forms a governance framework covering the entire life cycle, balancing protection and development, clarifies the long-term and institutionalized direction for lifting persons with disabilities out of poverty, and provides a fundamental guarantee for blocking the intergenerational transmission of poverty.
The global significance of solving the problem of poverty caused by disability
China's practice of solving the problem of poverty caused by disability is not only an important chapter in the history of China's poverty reduction but also a vivid practice in the field of international poverty reduction. It holds extensive and profound significance for reference for the poverty reduction cause, the cause of persons with disabilities, and the development of human rights in other countries, especially those in the Global South.
Providing replicable Chinese solutions for global poverty reduction among persons with disabilities. Protecting the rights and interests of persons with disabilities is an important indicator of the progress of a country's and a society's civilization. China's successful practice in solving the problem of poverty caused by disability proves to the world that developing countries can systematically solve the problem of poverty among persons with disabilities and better protect their rights and interests at the national level. In this process, it is necessary to both leverage the role of the government and extensively mobilize forces from all sectors of society and all aspects, forming a governance pattern of mutual assistance and high-level promotion. On this basis, it is essential to balance the survival guarantee and development capacity of poor persons with disabilities, implement categorized policies and targeted assistance, effectively stimulate the endogenous driving force of poor persons with disabilities, and construct a sustainable institutional system and security system, thereby providing "stable happiness" for poor persons with disabilities.
Enriching and developing the practice of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. China is an active advocate and steadfast practitioner of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. China's practice of solving the problem of poverty caused by disability translates the spirit of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities into specific policies, institutional arrangements, and people's well-being. It has achieved breakthrough progress in disability prevention, rehabilitation services, educational equality, employment security, barrier-free environment, and anti-social discrimination, providing a model for the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities globally. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. China's practice fully demonstrates that developing countries can, in the process of continuously raising their level of economic and social development, simultaneously realize the protection of the rights of persons with disabilities, promote the coordinated development of the cause of persons with disabilities with the economy and society, and make important contributions to the global cause of protecting the rights of persons with disabilities.
Highlighting the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind and the responsibility of a major country. Persons with disabilities are equal members of the social family and an important force in the development of human civilization. Protecting the equal rights of persons with disabilities and eliminating poverty among them is a common responsibility of mankind. Through its own practice, China advocates values such as leaving no person with disabilities behind and protecting their rights and interests, pushing the international community to pay more attention to the group of persons with disabilities, strengthening poverty reduction cooperation and experience sharing, and injecting humanistic care and the values of fairness and justice into global poverty governance. At the same time, China actively participates in global affairs related to persons with disabilities and poverty reduction cooperation, sharing policy experiences, carrying out technical assistance, and promoting capacity building. By taking concrete actions to practice the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind, China has become an active advocate, a powerful promoter, and an important contributor to the global cause of persons with disabilities and poverty reduction.
(The author is the Chairperson of the China Disabled Persons' Federation)
Return to TopBy: 沈永福
General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out during his inspection in Dezhou, Shandong on June 24: "To establish and practice a correct view of political performance must ultimately land on benefiting the people." Doing everything possible to benefit the people is the unswerving value pursuit of Chinese Communists and the落脚点 (luò jiǎo diǎn - "landing point," ultimate purpose) of Party members and leading cadres in establishing and practicing a correct view of political performance.
To truly place the people in the highest position in one's heart, one must take responsibility and act in order to realize and safeguard the interests of the people; one must not only seek to be steadfast and stable and willingly become a "太平官" (tài píng guān - "peaceful official," an official who seeks to avoid trouble and take no risks), let alone shrink back and evade contradictions in order to protect one's "seat" and "hat." In "Zhijiang New Language," there is a sentence that prompts deep thought: "Every leading cadre must 拎着‘乌纱帽’ (līn zhe 'wūshāmào' - 'carry the black gauze cap,' meaning to hold office lightly with a sense of duty) to work for the people, and must not 捂着‘乌纱帽’ (wǔ zhe 'wūshāmào' - 'cover the black gauze cap,' meaning to cling to office for selfish reasons) to be an 'official' for oneself." The character "carry" reveals the political character of clear distinction between public and private, and of taking responsibility and fulfilling duties; it means regarding the responsibilities of one's position as a duty to benefit the people and the power in one's hands as a tool to serve the people. The character "cover" reflects 患得患失 (huàn dé huàn shī - "worry about gain and loss," to be overly concerned with personal得失) and selfish motives at work, placing personal gains and losses above the interests of the masses. "Carry" or "cover" — one character's difference reflects fundamentally distinct value pursuits. Party members and leading cadres must practice the fundamental tenet with responsibility and concrete action, always harboring a public-spirited heart, and 义无反顾 (yì wú fǎn gù - "with no turning back from righteousness," to proceed without hesitation) do what benefits the people.
Doing everything possible to benefit the people — the key lies in implementing effective "methods" and "measures," taking solid actions and achieving tangible results. Whenever a problem is strongly reflected by the masses, it must be firmly kept an eye on and urgently solved; whenever there are bottlenecks and blockages constraining the improvement of people's livelihood, the determination must be made to open them up. To bring forth effective "methods" and "measures," one must head straight for the crux of the problem and boldly reform and innovate. For example, in recent years, the "things that cannot be done" window has been promoted in government service centers across many parts of the country, providing a bottom-line solution for matters that are "unable to be handled," "difficult to handle," or "unknown who will handle." Serving the people has no limits, and innovation also has no limits. Facing the worries and hopes of the masses, perfunctorily evading with "there's no way to solve it" is a form of lazy governance. The needs of the masses must be taken as the starting point of reform and innovation, daring to break through rigid thinking, and using new concepts, new ideas, and new methods to fill the shortcomings in people's livelihood.
Wherever there is need from the people, good deeds and practical things can be done, and performance can be created. In reality, some Party members and leading cadres have high enthusiasm for serving the people, but because they have not accurately identified the needs, they busily run around but what they do is not the most urgent, most worrying, or most hoped-for things of the masses; instead, they increase the burden at the grassroots level. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "Whether some things are good deeds and practical matters cannot only be seen from the immediate needs of the masses; it also depends on whether there will be aftereffects, whether it will 'solve one problem but leave ten regrets.'" Benefiting the people requires both asking the people about their needs and implementing measures with precision, as well as respecting laws and focusing on results.
To walk well the mass line of the Party in the new era, one must go more often to places where problems are prominent and contradictions concentrated, identify the focal points of work from the masses' troubling matters, vexing matters, and worrying matters, and transform the masses' "list of needs" into a "list of duties." One must handle well the relationships between the near and the far, and between the empty and the solid. For things that are beneficial to high-quality development, to ecological protection, and to preventing and resolving risks, even if they cannot show results in the short term, one must maintain strategic resolve and do them unswervingly. For those practices that seem to produce 立竿见影 (lì gān jiàn yǐng - "set up a pole and see its shadow," immediate results) but actually overdraw resources and plant hidden dangers, they must be resolutely prevented. With an attitude of high responsibility toward the people, one must do well and solidly the things that benefit people's livelihood and serve long-term interests, continuously turn the people's longing for a better life into reality, and establish political performance in the hearts of the people.
Return to TopBy: 于文轩
Ecological security, as an important component of national security, is a state in which the ecological environment is in good condition and is not threatened by other factors. President Xi Jinping stressed that “we must, from the height of safeguarding national ecological security, the sustainable development of the Chinese nation, and responsibility for human civilization, strengthen ecological protection and restoration, leaving for future generations an ecological space of 山清水秀 (shān qīng shuǐ xiù - “mountains clear, waters beautiful,” picturesque scenery).” The outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan explicitly requires building a solid ecological security barrier. Ensuring ecological security is not only an inherent demand of the rule-of-law construction of ecological civilization, but also an essential part of practicing the holistic approach to national security, and is a basic prerequisite for promoting sustainable economic and social development.
Ensuring ecological security inherently requires implementing holistic protection of the ecological environment on the basis of a systematic approach. Before the compilation of the Ecological Environment Code, China had formulated and implemented more than 30 laws in the field of ecological environment protection, among which legislation on pollution prevention and control covers many areas such as air pollution prevention and control, water pollution prevention and control, soil pollution prevention and control, solid waste pollution prevention and control, noise pollution prevention and control, radioactive pollution prevention and control, and marine pollution prevention and control. Most of the content on ecological protection was combined with legislation on natural resource utilization; for example, the Forest Law, the Grassland Law, and other laws contain both legal norms concerning ecosystem protection and legal norms on resource utilization. These legislative acts provided important legal bases for ecological environment protection, but overall they were based on a governance model of individual elements, paying insufficient attention to the safeguarding of ecological security, which possesses significant systemic and holistic characteristics, and thus could not effectively address systemic ecological degradation and ecological damage. In recent years, relevant laws concerning river basins, regions, and specific fields have increasingly reflected content on ecological security safeguarding, but on the whole, they still struggle to provide sufficient legal basis for ecological security safeguarding.
Against this background, the Ecological Environment Code actively responds to the needs of the times, attaches great importance to ecological security safeguarding, and through the compilation, revision, and consolidation of existing legislation, comprehensively strengthens the systemic safeguarding of ecological security, providing a solid codified legal basis for the construction of ecological civilization in the new era. This is also a major innovation of the Code compared with previous legislation in terms of normative content and governance pathways.
In terms of legislative purpose. The Ecological Environment Code not only explicitly stipulates “safeguarding ecological security” as a legislative goal, but also, at the level of basic legal principles, updates the “comprehensive governance” principle stipulated in the Environmental Protection Law to the “systematic governance” principle, thereby achieving a leap from protection of individual elements to systemic protection. Based on this legislative purpose, the Ecological Environment Code embodies the requirement of safeguarding ecological security in all aspects of the rule of law in ecological environment protection, making it the basic value pursuit and the main line of institutional arrangement. Looking at the entire Code, there are as many as 20 special provisions concerning ecological security, while provisions on systematic protection and governance are clearly reflected in both the General Principles Part and the Ecological Protection Part.
In terms of protection objects. The systemic safeguarding of ecological security by the Ecological Environment Code is mainly embodied in the protection of ecological space. Ecological space governance, based on a systematic and comprehensive consideration of factors such as population, resources, and the ecological environment in territorial space, determines ecological boundaries and regulatory requirements for the use of territorial space, and is an important means of ensuring ecological security. In this regard, the Ecological Environment Code makes comprehensive provisions: the General Principles Part, based on basic legal systems such as planning, standards, investigation, and monitoring, stipulates special systems aimed at safeguarding ecological security, such as ecological protection red lines, zoning-based control of the ecological environment, and ecological protection compensation; the Ecological Protection Part closely links to the legislative purpose, establishes the basic work policy for safeguarding ecological security, and sets up separate chapters to make comprehensive provisions on ecosystem and species protection, management of important geographical units, and ecological degradation and restoration. Moreover, based on mature experience and practices in the rule-of-law construction of ecological civilization, the Ecological Environment Code creates new norms, specifically making provisions on the protection of river and lake ecosystems, protection of desert ecosystems, and ecological restoration, thereby providing a comprehensive legal basis for ecological protection.
In terms of realization mechanisms. The systemic safeguarding of ecological security by the Ecological Environment Code is notably reflected in the ecological risk prevention and control mechanism. By establishing a whole-process ecological environment risk prevention mechanism, the Ecological Environment Code forms basic norms covering risk assessment, risk management, risk communication, emergency management, and other aspects, strengthening ecological environment risk prevention and control and systemic protection of the ecological environment in all major fields. In the field of pollution prevention and control, the Ecological Environment Code sets up a special chapter on soil pollution risk control and remediation, and, based on the needs of new types of pollution prevention and control in recent years and mature practical experience, specifically makes a special section on chemical substance pollution risk control. In the field of ecological protection, the Ecological Environment Code requires establishing and improving an ecological risk prevention and control system, enhancing the capacity and level of ecological risk prevention and control, and prescribes risk prevention and control measures in many important areas of ecological protection. In the field of green and low-carbon development, the Ecological Environment Code stipulates that promoting carbon peak and carbon neutrality adheres to the principle of risk prevention, and in terms of adapting to climate change, it insists on “prevention first, scientific adaptation” to reduce the adverse impacts and risks of climate change, thereby making risk prevention the primary principle for safeguarding ecological security in the field of climate change response.
The Ecological Environment Code will officially come into force on August 15 this year, thereby forming an ecological environment legal department with the Ecological Environment Code as the guide and relevant special laws as components. During implementation, special attention should be paid to giving play to the role of legal norms in the fields of pollution prevention and control, ecological protection, and green and low-carbon development in safeguarding ecological security in a systematic and coordinated manner, so as to break the “systematic governance” approach of the individual-element governance model, strengthen the protection of the ecological environment based on the integrity of the ecosystem and its internal laws, and promote green and low-carbon transformation from the perspective of economic and social development modes, thereby achieving comprehensive and systemic safeguarding of ecological security, accelerating the modernization of harmony between humanity and nature, and realizing the sustainable development of the Chinese nation.
(The author is a professor at the Civil, Commercial and Economic Law School of China University of Political Science and Law)
By: 陈俊龙
Manufacturing is the foundation of the nation and the basis of a strong country. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: “To advance Chinese-style modernization, we must continue to do a good job of manufacturing.” At present, a new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation is accelerating, and new technologies represented by digital technology are speeding up their penetration into manufacturing, profoundly reshaping industrial forms and providing opportunities for industrial transformation. The outline of the “15th Five-Year Plan” proposed: “Promote the ‘smart transformation, digital transformation, and network connectivity (智改数转网联)’ of manufacturing, and implement the smart manufacturing project and the industrial internet innovation and development project.” To implement the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee, it is necessary to accurately grasp the rich connotation and practical requirements of manufacturing’s “smart transformation, digital transformation, and network connectivity.”
Manufacturing is an important pillar of the national economy and the foundation of the real economy. After the founding of New China, especially since reform and opening up, we have persisted in developing the real economy and have become the world’s largest manufacturing country with the most complete range of industrial categories. Facing a complex and changing international environment and various risks and challenges, our country’s industrial and supply chains have remained resilient and stable, the economy has shown strong impact resistance, and a solid foundation has been laid for high-quality development. To advance and expand Chinese-style modernization, we must continue to do a good job of manufacturing. Currently, the digital economy is developing at an unprecedented speed, with an unprecedented scope of radiation and an unprecedented depth of impact, and artificial intelligence technology is iterating rapidly. Conforming to this trend to promote the “smart transformation, digital transformation, and network connectivity” of manufacturing, and to advance the intelligent transformation, digital transformation, and networked connection of manufacturing, is both an inherent requirement for promoting the deep integration of the real economy and the digital economy, conducive to consolidating and expanding our country’s manufacturing advantages and accelerating the development of new quality productive forces; it can also promote the high-end, intelligent, and green development of our country’s manufacturing, solve the problem of manufacturing being “large but not strong,” and enhance the resilience and security level of the industrial and supply chains, thereby gaining the initiative in international competition. This year is the first year of the “15th Five-Year Plan.” It is necessary to promote the “smart transformation, digital transformation, and network connectivity” of manufacturing with more resolute determination and more precise measures, injecting strong momentum into advancing new-type industrialization.
Consolidate the foundation and base. New-type information infrastructure is an infrastructure system based on information networks and driven by the innovation of new-generation information and communication technologies. To promote the “smart transformation, digital transformation, and network connectivity” of manufacturing, it is necessary to strengthen the construction of new-type information infrastructure and enhance the support and guarantee capability of the infrastructure. To this end, it is necessary to accelerate the construction of new-type infrastructure for industrial data and give full play to the role of data elements in the transformation and upgrading of manufacturing; strengthen the supply of basic capabilities such as powerful computing power and advanced algorithms, build influential general-purpose large models and industry large models, and consolidate the underlying support for the large-scale application of artificial intelligence; accelerate the construction of a new-generation communication network with high speed, ubiquitous coverage, and integrated space and ground, promote the linked development of industry large models, industrial software, intelligent equipment, and industrial internet platforms, and support enterprises in using new network technologies and advanced applicable technologies to transform and build internal enterprise networks. Coordinating and advancing these three aspects of construction will consolidate the underlying support for the “smart transformation, digital transformation, and network connectivity” of manufacturing.
Adhere to classified guidance. Promoting the “smart transformation, digital transformation, and network connectivity” of manufacturing cannot be “one-size-fits-all.” It must be adapted to local conditions and form a coordinated system that achieves both key breakthroughs and overall advancement. For example, at the enterprise level, chain-leading enterprises have advantages in technology integration and resource allocation, can play a demonstrative and leading role, take the lead in advancing transformation and upgrading, accumulate experience that can be used for reference, and form a synergy for the overall transformation of the industrial chain; enterprises above designated size can focus on key links, accelerating equipment renewal, process upgrading, and quality improvement. At the regional level, attention should be paid to combining overall advancement with gradient cultivation, strengthening cross-field and cross-regional collaboration, achieving steady and orderly development, promoting the formation of a batch of solutions with demonstrative and leading roles, and resolutely preventing a helter-skelter rush into action and duplicate construction, thereby avoiding resource waste.
Deepen scenario application. Scenarios can not only verify the application effects of new technologies and new products but also discover technical needs or R&D opportunities in industrial applications and test the effectiveness of relevant infrastructure and supporting services. Promoting the “smart transformation, digital transformation, and network connectivity” of manufacturing and creating actual value in specific scenarios can better stimulate the endogenous motivation of enterprises for transformation and upgrading. It is necessary to adhere to market demand orientation, focus on key links, use scenario application to drive technology iteration, strengthen the R&D layout and key scenario application of general-purpose large models and industry large models, and continuously release the enabling effect of technology; strengthen the summarization and promotion of high-quality application scenarios with replicability and promotion potential, accelerate the shift of application from pilot to widespread adoption, and realize the release of data element value through scenario cultivation and opening; improve safety risk control measures for new scenarios, enhance risk prevention and control capabilities in weak links, and drive the comprehensive improvement of safety guarantee capabilities by precisely filling shortcomings.
Cultivate a good ecosystem. Promoting the “smart transformation, digital transformation, and network connectivity” of manufacturing is inseparable from the joint participation of multiple parties such as government, enterprises, and universities and research institutes, and promotes the improvement of the overall efficiency of the industry. To this end, it is necessary to deepen the reform of the market-oriented allocation of data elements, form a more complete basic data system, and promote the “smart transformation, digital transformation, and network connectivity” of manufacturing across the entire chain; establish and improve the institutional mechanisms, laws, regulations, and standard systems that adapt to digital and intelligent development, create a transparent, stable, and predictable institutional environment, and provide institutional guarantees for the “smart transformation, digital transformation, and network connectivity” of manufacturing; enrich financial policy tools, better guide and serve private investment in participating in the “smart transformation, digital transformation, and network connectivity” of manufacturing, and alleviate the funding pressure on enterprise transformation; improve the adjustment mechanism for the discipline and specialty setup of higher education, increase the intensity of talent cultivation, while improving the quality and effectiveness of vocational skill training, and continuously expand the space for industrial upgrading and economic growth.
(The author is a professor and associate dean of the Business School of Northeastern University.)
Return to TopRecently, overseas promotion and reader dialogue events for the fifth volume of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China were held in Turkey and Sri Lanka. Participating guests believe that the fifth volume of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China is an authoritative work that comprehensively and systematically reflects the latest achievements of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, vividly presenting the theory and practice of Chinese modernization on the new journey. Exchanging governance experience with modernization as the theme helps enhance political mutual trust, promote the alignment of development strategies, and jointly embark on the path of modernization.
An important reference for understanding China's policies and concepts
Deputy Speaker of the Turkish Grand National Assembly Celal Adan
China is the world's second-largest economy and plays an irreplaceable key role in the global political system. In recent years, China has successively proposed the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative, and the Global Governance Initiative, contributing valuable Chinese wisdom to solving the contemporary problems facing the world. The fifth volume of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China provides an important reference for all parties to comprehensively understand China's policies and concepts.
As important representatives of civilizations at the eastern and western ends of the ancient Silk Road, the friendly sentiments between Turkey and China have a 源远流长 (yuǎn yuǎn liú cháng - "source distant, flow long," meaning long-standing and well-established) history. Over the 55 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, Turkey-China relations have continuously made new progress under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state. Currently, China has become one of Turkey's most important partners, and the two countries have broad space for cooperation in politics, economy and trade, culture, science and technology, and other fields.
Inter-parliamentary exchanges play an irreplaceable role in deepening mutual understanding among peoples, enhancing political mutual trust, and consolidating the foundation of cooperation. With the intensification of global challenges and the continuous improvement of the level of Turkey-China bilateral relations, the importance of inter-parliamentary exchanges is becoming more prominent. We should continue to promote the deepening and solidification of Turkey-China inter-parliamentary exchanges, guide mechanisms such as friendship groups to fully play their role, promote the deep alignment of the "Middle Corridor" plan with the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative, and continuously achieve new results in economic and trade investment, people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and tourism cooperation.
Profoundly revealing the internal logic of China's development
Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism of Turkey Gökhan Yazgı
On the occasion of the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Turkey and China, the release of the fifth volume of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China in Turkey is highly encouraging. This work systematically explains how China comprehensively advances the great cause of building a strong country and national rejuvenation through Chinese modernization, profoundly revealing the internal logic of China's development.
In today's world, where global challenges and geopolitical crises are intertwined, how to maintain the pace of development while taking into account domestic stability is a great test of the ruling party's ability to govern. The content in the fifth volume of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China regarding the Chinese Communist Party adhering to a people-centered development philosophy, achieving sustained and healthy economic and social development in China, and maintaining long-term social stability, provides very important reference for countries around the world, including Turkey.
In recent years, mutually beneficial cooperation between Turkey and China based on mutual respect has deepened, and exchanges in culture, tourism, and other fields have become increasingly close. Turkey has implemented travel facilitation measures for Chinese citizens, attracting more and more Chinese tourists to explore and experience. The "Happy Chinese New Year" event in the Year of the Horse was successfully held in my hometown of Cappadocia, becoming one of the vivid examples of deepening cultural exchanges between Turkey and China. In the future, Turkey will firmly advance practical cooperation with China in areas such as cultural heritage protection and exhibitions, so that the traditional friendship between Turkey and China will continue to shine with new brilliance in modern exchanges, giving rise to new opportunities and new paths for cooperation in more fields.
Achieving more results on the path of modernization
Deputy Head of Foreign Affairs Department of the Turkish Justice and Development Party Mehmet Emin Saraç
"Modernization" is an important content of the fifth volume of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China. Modernization does not simply refer to economic growth or technological progress; it is a process of putting people first, improving people's livelihoods, and forging a common development vision among nations.
Turkey and China are both ancient civilizations with profound governance traditions. In recent years, Turkey has adhered to a foreign policy of mutual respect, dialogue, peace, and win-win cooperation, regarding China as an important partner. Turkey has a young demographic structure, a strong production base, enterprising entrepreneurial spirit, and a strategic geographical location. China has important experience in production capacity, technological investment, and global trade. The two countries have complementary advantages and broad prospects for cooperation. With the deepening of practical cooperation, the two countries will jointly cultivate more new opportunities in trade, investment, logistics, energy, digitalization, education, and other areas, and achieve more results together on the path of modernization.
In today's world, where the global landscape is being profoundly reshaped, and artificial intelligence, green transformation, and new trade routes are emerging, deepening Turkey-China cooperation is not only in the interests of the two countries but also concerns regional and global peace and stability. As a youth representative, I believe that enhancing mutual understanding between the youth of the two countries will lay a good foundation for the future of Turkey-China relations. The fifth volume of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China will also provide a unique platform for broadening the perspectives and strengthening ideological exchanges between the youth of Turkey and China. I believe that on the basis of mutual trust and win-win cooperation, the future of Turkey-China relations will be even brighter.
Sharing development opportunities through high-level opening up
Vice President of the New World Research Center of Turkey Ersin Elçin
The fifth volume of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China provides an important reference for understanding China's development philosophy, and the discussions on high-level opening up left a deep impression on me. Chinese modernization is not a closed development model; while adhering to its own development path, it actively participates in international cooperation and shares development opportunities with the world.
Long-term stable cooperative relations need to be built on mutual trust, and deepening mutual trust is inseparable from people-to-people exchanges and mutual understanding. Turkey and China are both ancient civilizations with long histories, and rich historical and cultural resources provide a solid foundation for the development of bilateral relations. The ancient Silk Road not only promoted commodity trade but also facilitated the exchange of ideas, science and technology, art, and culture. The deep alignment of the Belt and Road Initiative with the "Middle Corridor" plan is an inheritance and development of the historical bonds of the ancient Silk Road.
Although there are differences in political systems, history and culture, and development paths between Turkey and China, these differences should not become obstacles to deepening cooperation, but rather a driving force for mutual learning, mutual reference, and joint development. I hope that the two countries will further strengthen connectivity, deepen cooperation in scientific and technological innovation, achieve more practical results in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, green energy, digital economy, and advanced manufacturing, and inject new vitality into the modernization development of both countries.
Providing a valuable perspective for the world to understand China
Speaker of the Parliament of Sri Lanka Jagath Wickramaratne
Development is the key to solving all problems. China's development practice shows that the path to modernization can have different characteristics depending on national conditions, but improving people's livelihoods, promoting sustainable growth, driving innovation, and maintaining social harmony are common goals pursued by all countries.
The fifth volume of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China not only records China's development experience in detail but also reflects China's thinking on promoting global peace and common prosperity, strengthening partnerships among countries, providing important inspiration for countries to advance modernization and deepen practical cooperation, and also offering a valuable perspective for the world to understand China's governance strategy, development ideas, innovative concepts, and propositions for international cooperation.
Sri Lanka-China friendship spans several centuries, and the ancient Maritime Silk Road witnessed the two-way exchange of their peoples. In recent years, China has supported Sri Lanka's development comprehensively in infrastructure, trade, education, culture, tourism, and healthcare, and bilateral relations have deepened on the basis of mutual respect, sovereign equality, and practical cooperation. Sri Lanka is willing to continue expanding exchanges and cooperation with China in various fields, promoting continuous new progress in the strategic partnership of sincere mutual assistance and enduring friendship. Looking to the future, Sri Lanka looks forward to continuing to strengthen cooperation with China under the framework of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, achieving more fruitful results in parliamentary exchanges, people-to-people exchanges, and academic exchanges, so that the traditional friendship between the two countries can better benefit the people and future generations of both countries.
Adhering to the people-centered development philosophy
General Secretary of the Communist Party of Sri Lanka Jiganaga Weerasinghe
This year marks the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party. Studying the fifth volume of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China at this time allows for a deeper understanding of "the country is the people, and the people are the country." This people-centered development philosophy is an important key for the Chinese Communist Party to overcome various difficulties and obstacles.
Since the 18th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party, China has entered a new era under the leadership of the Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, promoting historic achievements in the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is the latest major theoretical achievement of scientific socialism and the Marxism of contemporary China and the 21st century. The achievements of the Chinese Communist Party in developing new quality productive forces, promoting high-quality development, achieving scientific and technological self-reliance and self-strengthening, and building an ecological civilization fully demonstrate that the socialist system can organize modernization more efficiently and better balance efficiency and fairness.
The concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind and the four major global initiatives proposed by China have contributed important Chinese wisdom to addressing global challenges. The traditional friendship between the Communist Parties of Sri Lanka and China has a long history. The Communist Party of Sri Lanka is willing to continue working side by side with the Chinese Communist Party to deepen inter-party and inter-state relations, jointly promote the continuous progress of peace, development, and the socialist cause.
A development path that looks to the future while safeguarding tradition
Deputy Minister of Education and Higher Education of Sri Lanka Mathura Senewiratne
In today's world, where geopolitics is undergoing profound adjustment, economic structures are rapidly reshaping, and technological changes are occurring with each passing day, countries must independently grasp the direction of future development and all need a systematic and complete development framework. The fifth volume of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China is not only an important work explaining China's development and governance but also systematically presents the ideological thread and practical path of Chinese modernization.
Chinese modernization is not a simple replication of the Western industrialization path; it is based on national conditions, adheres to a people-centered approach, and takes common prosperity as an important goal of development. The important discussions in the book on new quality productive forces, high-quality development, and building a strong education system indicate that innovation ultimately depends on talent. Education is the foundation of national rejuvenation and the country's future. Building a strong education system concerns whether a country can take the initiative in technological change.
The fifth volume of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China also profoundly elucidates the fundamental significance of culture for modernization. A country, even with a prosperous economy and advanced technology, will find it difficult to become a truly strong country if it loses its cultural roots. In advancing the construction of a strong education system and a strong cultural country, China insists on combining modernization development with excellent traditional culture, providing useful inspiration for countries around the world, including Sri Lanka. Both Sri Lanka and China are ancient civilizations, and they should strengthen mutual learning in exchanges and cooperation in education, culture, and other fields, jointly exploring a development path that looks to the future while safeguarding tradition.
Providing reference for the modernization of developing countries
President of the Sri Lanka China Social and Cultural Cooperation Association Indrananda Abeysekara
The fifth volume of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China systematically presents China's valuable practices in modernization construction, promoting common prosperity for all people, and advancing green and low-carbon transformation. It not only provides an important window for the international community to understand China's development concepts and experience but also offers reference for developing countries, including Sri Lanka, in exploring the path of modernization.
Chinese modernization insists on high-quality development as an important support, emphasizing the achievement of sustainable economic and social development through scientific and technological innovation, industrial upgrading, and green transformation. The important discussions in the fifth volume of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China on new quality productive forces, scientific and technological innovation, and green development provide useful reference for Sri Lanka in promoting the development of the digital economy, promoting renewable energy, and diversifying the industrial structure.
Chinese modernization emphasizes the organic unity of modernization construction and cultural heritage, stressing that the modernization process should not come at the expense of cultural traditions, but should achieve innovative development on the basis of protecting cultural heritage and enhancing cultural confidence. This concept is also instructive for Sri Lanka, which has a long history and rich cultural heritage.
I look forward to Sri Lanka and China continuing to deepen cooperation in education, cultural tourism, infrastructure construction, and other fields, promoting continuous deepening of people-to-people exchanges, and jointly promoting world peace, development, and prosperity.
(This page's text compiled by our reporter Song Yiran (宋亦然))
By: 本报记者 李林蔚
Recently, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (人力资源社会保障部) issued the 15th Five-Year Plan for the Development of Human Resources and Social Security (hereinafter referred to as the Plan). A few days ago, a responsible comrade from the Planning and Finance Department of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security answered reporters' questions on the background and significance of the Plan's release, its compilation process, main content, and implementation.
Taking strengthening the development and utilization of human resources as the main line
The "15th Five-Year Plan" period is a crucial period for laying a solid foundation and fully exerting efforts to basically realize socialist modernization. In accordance with the requirements of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, relevant departments should formulate special plans focusing on the strategic tasks proposed for specific fields in the outline of the "15th Five-Year Plan," and for the target indicators, tasks and measures, and major projects proposed in the outline of the "15th Five-Year Plan," they should be checked item by item, and fully reflected in the special plans from the perspective of overall grasp and coordinated promotion.
Previously, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security conducted a comprehensive and systematic review of the objectives and tasks related to human resources and social security in the outline of the "15th Five-Year Plan," carefully compared and aligned them, and ensured that the spirit of the Party Central Committee was fully reflected in the Plan. On this basis, expert demonstration meetings were organized multiple times, and opinions and suggestions were solicited from local human resources and social security systems, relevant departments, and all sectors of society, which were carefully studied and absorbed.
The Plan is divided into 10 chapters and 40 sections, with the goal of meeting the people's ever-growing needs for a better life, taking promoting high-quality development as the theme, taking strengthening the development and utilization of human resources as the main line, taking deepening reform and innovation as the driving force, and proposing six basic principles: upholding the Party's overall leadership, upholding the primacy of the people, upholding comprehensive deepening of reform, upholding a systems approach, upholding the close integration of investment in physical assets and investment in people, and upholding the coordinated advancement of development and security.
It is understood that the Plan sets up 11 special columns, with the content of the columns highlighting "substance": on the one hand, key content is refined, such as the project for promoting high-quality and full employment, the large-scale vocational skills upgrading training action, and the optimization of the unified national social insurance public service platform; on the other hand, they are all concrete projects and measures that are operable and evaluable, serving as the抓手, paths, and carriers for completing the tasks of the "15th Five-Year Plan" outline, such as the action to expand capacity and improve quality of the human resources service industry, the support plan for professional and technical personnel, the action to enhance digital and intelligent capabilities, and the upgrading of regional coordinated development.
Increasing efforts to safeguard and improve people's livelihood
The responsible comrade introduced that the Plan, focusing on accelerating the shaping of modern human resources, increasing efforts to safeguard and improve people's livelihood, and solidly promoting common prosperity, proposes seven major goals and 18 indicators for the development of human resources and social security during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, and deploys a series of major policy measures, major engineering projects, major action plans, and major activity arrangements, reflecting the overall grasp, systematic implementation, and integrated implementation of human resources and social security work to lay a solid foundation and fully exert efforts for comprehensively building a modern socialist country.
Employment remains generally stable, and new progress is made in high-quality full employment. During the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, the number of new urban jobs will maintain a considerable scale, the number of reemployed urban unemployed persons will be 25 million, the number of employed persons with employment difficulties will be 6.5 million, and the urban surveyed unemployment rate will be controlled within 5.5%. Subsidized vocational skills training will cover more than 50 million person-times, of which 17.5 million person-times will be for migrant workers.
The social security system will be more optimized and sustainable, and the level of protection will be further improved. During the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, the participation rate of basic old-age insurance will remain above 95%, the number of participants in unemployment insurance and work-related injury insurance will reach 255 million and 345 million respectively, and the scale of enterprise (occupational) annuity funds will exceed 9 trillion yuan.
The contingent of technical and skilled talents will continue to grow, and the role of talent-driven high-quality development will be further highlighted. During the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, it is expected that the number of people who have newly obtained professional and technical personnel professional qualification certificates will reach 14 million, and 35,000 postdoctoral researchers will be recruited each year. The number of people who have newly obtained skill personnel vocational qualification or skill level certificates will reach 40 million person-times, of which 14 million person-times will be for those at the level of senior technician and above.
The wage income distribution system will be more equitable and perfect, and the role in promoting common prosperity will be more evident. Adhere to the distribution system with distribution according to work as the main body and multiple forms of distribution coexisting, establish and improve a primary distribution mechanism in which various factors are evaluated by the market for their contribution and remuneration is determined based on contribution, and promote the construction of a fair and reasonable distribution pattern.
The governance capacity in the labor field will be effectively strengthened, and the rights and interests of workers will be effectively protected. By the end of the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, the success rate of labor and personnel dispute mediation will reach 65%, the case closure rate of labor and personnel dispute arbitration will reach 93%, and the case closure rate of labor security supervision reports and complaints will reach 97%.
The quality and level of public services will continue to improve, and the sense of satisfaction and gain among the people will be further enhanced. Taking promoting the equalization, universalization, and convenience of basic public services as the main line, build a human resources and social security public service system that covers the entire population, is universally balanced, and is smart and efficient. By the end of the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, the population coverage rate of applying for electronic social security cards will reach 90%.
The mechanisms for regional coordination of various factor work will be continuously improved, and significant results will be achieved in promoting coordinated regional development. Thoroughly implement the national regional coordinated development strategy and major regional strategies, and build a new pattern of human resources and social security work with complementary advantages and coordinated linkage.
Empowering high-quality development of human resources and social security work with artificial intelligence
The Plan closely integrates the new situation, new tasks, and new requirements facing human resources and social security work during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, proposes a series of new measures for the key tasks of human resources and social security development during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, and achieves many policy breakthroughs.
"For example, it highlights the implementation of the Party Central Committee's decisions and deployments, adding a new chapter on promoting coordinated regional development; it highlights the functional role of vocational skills training and skilled talent cultivation in promoting industrial development, enhancing workers' employability, and alleviating structural employment contradictions, making large-scale vocational skills training a separate chapter; it highlights the development and changes of new technologies such as artificial intelligence, on the one hand laying out relevant policy measures in the employment sector, and on the other hand striving to empower high-quality development of human resources and social security work with artificial intelligence, laying out key tasks related to 'AI + Human Resources and Social Security,'" the responsible comrade said.
Regarding promoting high-quality full employment, focus on the goal and task of achieving new progress in high-quality full employment, regard stabilizing employment as an important political responsibility, promote efficient linkage of policies, services, and monitoring, lay out a number of key tasks from aspects such as building an employment-friendly development mode, promoting employment of key groups, improving the employment public service system, supporting self-employment and flexible employment, and strengthening the construction of the human resources market, and propose a number of innovative measures such as establishing a high-quality full employment evaluation system, building a "China Employment" public service platform, implementing an artificial intelligence employment creation plan, and strengthening the cultivation of "specialized, refined, characterized, and innovative" human resources service enterprises.
Regarding large-scale vocational skills training, focus on the goal and task of accelerating the shaping of modern human resources, take the "Skills Light Up the Future" training action as the traction, lay out a number of key tasks from aspects such as improving the lifelong vocational skills training system, perfecting the skill personnel evaluation system, developing high-quality characteristic technical education, and improving the vocational skills competition system, and propose a number of innovative measures such as building a number of high-quality technician colleges and 100 high-quality majors.
Regarding improving the social security system, focus on the goal and task of improving the multi-level social security system that covers the entire population, coordinates urban and rural areas, is fair and unified, secure, standardized, and sustainable, enhance the sustainability, fairness, accessibility, security, convenience, and standardization of social security, lay out a number of key tasks around aspects such as improving the system, expanding coverage, fund supervision, and handling services, and propose a number of innovative measures such as encouraging and supporting flexible employment personnel, migrant workers, and personnel in new forms of employment to participate in employee old-age insurance, exploring and carrying out enterprise annuity innovation pilots, expanding pilot projects for occupational injury protection, and optimizing the unified national social security public service platform.
Regarding optimizing the talent development system and mechanism, focus on the goal and task of accelerating the construction of a world important talent center and innovation highland, further stimulate the innovation and creativity vitality of talents, fully leverage the supporting and guaranteeing role of talents for high-quality economic and social development, lay out a number of key tasks from aspects such as perfecting the postdoctoral system, implementing pilot reforms in professional and technical personnel management services, and deepening the reform of the personnel system in public institutions, and propose a number of innovative measures such as piloting the cultivation of engineering postdoctoral fellows, and accelerating the digital and intelligent transformation of the management service of mobile personnel personnel files.
Regarding perfecting the wage income distribution system, focus on the goal and task of solidly advancing common prosperity, lay out a number of key tasks around aspects such as perfecting the enterprise wage determination mechanism, improving the macro-control and guidance mechanism for enterprise wage income distribution, deepening the reform of the salary distribution system in state-owned enterprises, and promoting the reform of the wage system in public institutions, and propose a number of innovative measures such as promoting the reform of the enterprise wage determination mechanism, improving the minimum wage standard adjustment mechanism, and carrying out special law enforcement actions to address wage arrears.
Regarding building harmonious labor relations, focus on the goal and task of consolidating the foundation for social security and stability, aim at the multi-level and diverse needs of workers for rights protection, lay out a number of key tasks around aspects such as perfecting the rights protection policies for workers in flexible employment and new forms of employment, perfecting the paid annual leave system, strengthening the rights protection of key groups, regulating the employment behavior of platform enterprises, and strengthening the construction of mediation, arbitration, and labor security supervision teams, and propose a number of innovative measures such as promoting the construction of the labor standard system, implementing the action to enhance the capacity of labor relations coordinators, and deepening the application of "AI + mediation and arbitration."
Regarding comprehensively improving the quality and efficiency of public services, focus on the goal and task of building a human resources and social security public service system that covers the entire population, is universally balanced, and is smart and efficient, lay out a number of key tasks around aspects such as improving the standardization and digital intelligence level of public services, and promoting the construction of system conduct, and propose a number of innovative measures such as deeply implementing the "Digital Human Resources and Social Security" construction action and the "AI +" action, promoting the third phase of the Golden Insurance Project construction, and establishing and perfecting a unified national public service platform for personnel examinations.
Regarding promoting coordinated regional development, focus on the goal and task of promoting coordinated regional development in the field of human resources and social security, lay out key tasks from aspects such as perfecting regional policy systems and cooperation mechanisms, and accelerating innovation breakthroughs and leading drives in key regions, and propose a number of innovative measures such as establishing regional human resources cooperation platforms, and carrying out pilot projects for factor coordination and leading demonstration in key regions.
Regarding the implementation guarantee of the Plan, propose corresponding measures from aspects such as strengthening monitoring and evaluation of the Plan's implementation, budgetary support, legal guarantees, and publicity and guidance, and study and formulate or revise laws and regulations such as the Social Insurance Law, the Regulations on the Supervision of Social Insurance Funds, the Regulations on the Evaluation of Skilled Talents, and rules such as the Methods for Protecting the Rights and Interests of Workers in New Forms of Employment, the Interim Provisions on the Management of Professional Title Evaluation, and the Methods for the Application and Distribution of Unemployment Insurance Benefits.
Return to TopBy: 程 晨
Let those who do real work dare to stand before the camera; do not let camera-phobia obscure the responsibility of solid action. We must both say no to formalism and provide backing for undertaking work and starting enterprises.
When Typhoon Bavi struck, Zhao Beilei (赵蓓蕾), a cadre in Xiaguan Town, Cangnan County, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, spent the entire night relocating residents and slept only two hours. A reporter turned the camera toward her and was about to conduct an interview, but unexpectedly she dodged to the side, waved her hands repeatedly, and said, "It looks too much like a publicity stunt, really don't film me." When the reporter asked if she was tired, she turned her back, tears fell, and she quietly scolded herself for being too emotional.
This scene moved many people, but Zhao Beilei's "fear of appearing to stage a stunt" also stung our hearts: What is it that makes our cadres afraid of the camera?
Zhao Beilei, tense before the camera, inevitably reminds one of Xiang Jinyuan (向金元), village Party branch secretary of Longchihe Village, Hupingshan Town, Shimen County, Hunan. She fought on the disaster relief front line, working non-stop for days and nights, constantly rushing about under conditions of severed roads and communications, notifying people to relocate, settling the masses, and transporting supplies. When interviewed by the media, her voice was hoarse and her eyes were red and swollen, yet because she was wearing a pair of gold earrings, she faced criticism from a small number of people online.
Although the public security authorities have investigated and dealt with the related online violence according to law, the "psychological shadow" for some grassroots cadres is difficult to dispel in a short time. To establish and practice a correct view of performance, we must both strenuously avoid empty formalism and staged stunts, and also create a healthy, inclusive public opinion environment for those who do real work. We must not allow an unhealthy external environment to erode the enthusiasm of cadres for undertaking work and starting enterprises.
Being vigilant against staged stunts is good, but vigilance against stunts should not turn into a fear of appearing on camera. General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out that all work must be done in a solid manner and produce solid results, not reaching for what is beyond one's grasp, not departing from reality, and strenuously avoiding formalism and bureaucratism. In Zhao Beilei's mind, spending the whole night relocating residents was her duty; being filmed instead carried the suspicion of a staged stunt. But the problem lies precisely here. When those who truly work choose to work in hiding and keep their heads down, the true face of grassroots work loses the opportunity to be seen. As one commentary put it well: if good cadres dare not face the camera, in the end, the only ones who benefit will be those skilled at performing.
Some nitpicking and malicious speculation impose a heavy burden of self-justification on cadres who do solid work. Xiang Jinyuan had to repeatedly explain her earrings, and much of the attention that should have been focused on the disaster was diverted. After so many years of reform and opening up, living standards have risen; even if she were wearing a pair of real gold earrings, what would be wrong with that? Many grassroots cadres have consequently developed camera-phobia. They fear their sincere efforts will be misinterpreted, and their hard work will be denied. This additional psychological burden should not be borne by them.
We must create an inclusive environment, especially one that tolerates the "lack of polish" when grassroots cadres appear on camera. Grassroots work is a myriad of tangled threads, and during emergency rescue and disaster relief it is especially urgent, difficult, and dangerous. When cadres face the camera, they cannot specially "spruce up" their image or weigh every word. Zhao Beilei was exhausted, her hair disheveled; Xiang Jinyuan's voice was hoarse, and she wore her everyday accessories — this is precisely the most authentic state. We should accept this "lack of polish," rather than use harsh standards to censure cadres who appear on camera. We must not let those who do real work both sweat and shed tears.
Taking legal action against malicious online violence is the most effective means of creating a healthy, inclusive public opinion environment. The public security authorities' timely investigation and punishment of the online violence targeting Xiang Jinyuan sends a very clear signal — malicious slander must come at a cost. Only then can the psychological shadows of people like Xiang Jinyuan be dispelled sooner, and only then can people like Zhao Beilei face the camera calmly, rather than instinctively dodging it.
True political achievements are written in the perseverance through wind and rain, written in the smiling faces of the elderly and children. Let those who do real work dare to stand before the camera; do not let camera-phobia obscure the responsibility of solid action. We must both say no to formalism and provide backing for undertaking work and starting enterprises. Only in this way can those who do real work strive with peace of mind and move forward unburdened.
Return to TopKunming, July 14 (Reported by Ye Chuanzeng (叶传增)) The Yunnan Provincial Medical Security Bureau (云南省医保局), the Yunnan Provincial Department of Finance (省财政厅), the Yunnan Provincial Health Commission (省卫生健康委), and the Yunnan Provincial Tax Service, State Taxation Administration (国家税务总局云南省税务局) recently jointly issued the "Notice on Further Implementing Active Fertility Support Policies and Effectively Strengthening Maternal Medical Security Work," rolling out a series of active fertility support supporting measures, further improving Yunnan's maternal medical security system, continuing to reduce the maternal medical burden on the masses, and promoting the construction of a birth-friendly society, which came into formal effect on July 10.
The notice clarifies that flexible employed persons, migrant workers, and new forms of employment personnel who participate in职工医保 (employee basic medical insurance) shall simultaneously participate in maternity insurance, without the need for separate premium payment, with 0.5 percentage points of the employee medical insurance premium rate being allocated to the maternity insurance premium rate. In terms of benefit entitlement, insured persons who have made continuous premium payments for a full 12 months may simultaneously enjoy maternity medical expense reimbursement and maternity allowance benefits; those who have made continuous premium payments for a full 6 months but less than 12 months may enjoy maternity medical expense reimbursement.
With regard to prenatal checkup security, Yunnan Province has further raised standards, expanded coverage, and optimized benefits. For qualified prenatal checkup expenses incurred by employee medical insurance insured persons at designated medical institutions, on the basis of the maternity insurance fixed-amount subsidy, the portion exceeding the subsidy may be reimbursed according to the general outpatient policy of employee medical insurance. For urban and rural resident medical insurance insured persons, the reimbursement ratio for prenatal checkup expenses has been uniformly raised to 50 percent, and the annual outpatient coordination payment limit has been increased to 1,000 yuan, effectively alleviating the burden of pregnancy checkup costs for people of childbearing age.
Return to TopOn July 14, students from the School of Life Sciences of Jiangsu Normal University carried out a "three trips to the countryside (三下乡)" social practice activity in Fangcun Town, Tongshan District, Xuzhou City, Jiangsu Province, displaying and promoting local specialty agricultural products to netizens. Photo by Kuai Chuang (蒯创), Image China (影像中国).
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 游 仪
The cup tilts, the milk pitcher taps lightly, between the push and pull of the wrist, a tulip slowly blooms on the surface of the cup. Immediately after, a layer of fragrant roasted garlic powder is sprinkled, and a rich aroma wafts toward the nose. In the Model Youth CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) community (榜样青年CSA社区) of Gaoshan Village (高山村), Wanchun Town (万春镇), Wenjiang District (温江区), Chengdu, Sichuan, a cup of garlic coffee is freshly brewed, drawing tourists to take photos one after another.
Garlic coffee sounds like "dark cuisine," but last year it sold over 90,000 cups, bringing in revenue exceeding 1.7 million yuan. Dai Chao (戴超), a post-90s rural chief operating officer, used a cup of coffee to boost the village's garlic industry: the purchase price of Red Seven-Star Garlic (红七星大蒜) rose from 3 yuan per jin to 8 yuan, and the garlic farmers' pockets swelled.
Dai Chao is from Gansu Province. He came to Gaoshan Village in 2022. As soon as he got off the car, looking far into the distance, 2,800 mu of garlic scapes fields were lush green. At that time, the old village committee office premises had been idle for many years. The village wanted to use them to develop homestays and rural tourism. Dai Chao, however, had a different idea: "The occupancy rate of surrounding hotels is not high, and the traditional path cannot work. To revitalize the assets, it would be better to turn them into a rural entrepreneurship incubator."
As soon as it was decided, action was taken. After the old houses were renovated, two-story small buildings were scattered among trees and bamboo groves, and the old village committee became a space shared by homestay, restaurant, coffee shop, and office area. The Gaoshan Village cooperative and Dai Chao's team jointly established a company, working together to build the Model Youth CSA Community.
"Our cooperation model is that the village collective contributes the operating rights of idle assets as shares, with a guaranteed annual dividend of 150,000 yuan," said Yan Zeju (颜泽菊), Party secretary of Gaoshan Village.
Gaoshan Village's specialty is Red Seven-Star Garlic, which is of good quality but has low added value. Dai Chao's team, in collaboration with Sichuan Agricultural University, developed a desulfurization extraction process that removes sulfides from the garlic while retaining allicin. Garlic coffee made with this process leaves no aftertaste. After the technical bottleneck was broken, the product quickly broke out of its niche, and the industrial chain was activated. Thousands of mu of garlic fields became an agricultural experience venue, and the value of Red Seven-Star Garlic multiplied. In 2025, Gaoshan Village's collective income reached 8.3 million yuan, of which operating income was over 2 million yuan, and the per capita annual income of villagers was 43,800 yuan.
In 2024, the Chengdu Model Youth CSA Community launched a plan to recruit young entrepreneurs, relying on community resources for cultivation and incubation, attracting more young people to engage in rural undertakings. "In the past, young people all went outward; now they are rushing back," said Yan Zeju. Driven by the project, many surrounding villagers have successively begun to renovate their farmhouses and start businesses.
"Only by thoroughly integrating into the countryside can entrepreneurs mobilize everyone's enthusiasm," said He Jie (何洁), deputy director of the Wenjiang District Urban-Rural Integration Development Promotion Center (温江区城乡融合发展促进中心).
A relevant official from the Chengdu Municipal Agriculture and Rural Bureau (成都市农业农村局) introduced that through implementing the Three-Year Action for Building Livable, Workable, and Harmonious Villages (宜居宜业和美乡村建设三年行动), Chengdu has built 150 pioneer villages and 150 key villages, and the total income of the rural collective economy has exceeded 33 billion yuan.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 姜晓丹
In summer, mosquitoes breed in large numbers. They not only bite and disturb people but may also transmit mosquito-borne infectious diseases. Nowadays, there is a wide variety of mosquito repellent and mosquito-killing products on the market. What are the characteristics of different products? How should consumers choose?
Li Xiaoning (李晓宁), Deputy Chief Physician and Head of the Disinfection and Vector Biological Control Department of the Guangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Health Supervision Institute) (广州市疾控中心（卫监所）消毒与病媒生物防制部), introduced that currently, mainstream mosquito repellent and mosquito-killing products can be divided into physical, chemical synthetic, and natural plant extract categories based on their mode of action. Functionally, they are further divided into two major types: mosquito repellent and mosquito killing. Different categories differ in safety and effectiveness, and their suitable populations and scenarios vary.
Physical products rely on methods such as blocking, electric shock, and adhesion to function. They include mosquito nets, screen doors and windows, electric mosquito swatters, mosquito-killing lamps, and sticky mosquito boards. Their safety is more assured, and they can be used by all age groups. Among them, mosquito nets and screen doors and windows belong to the physical blocking category, which can prevent mosquito bites at the source. They are the first choice for infants, young children, pregnant women, and patients with respiratory diseases. Electric mosquito swatters, mosquito-killing lamps, and sticky mosquito boards belong to the physical killing category and are suitable for home use. Li Xiaoning reminded that mosquito-killing lamps attract mosquitoes using light sources and heat, but they have a stronger attraction to insects such as moths, and their mosquito-killing ratio is relatively low; they can only be used as an auxiliary measure.
Chemical synthetic products are divided into space repellent/killing type and skin external use type. They achieve mosquito repellent and mosquito killing through artificially synthesized agents, with lasting effects and quick results. They are also the most widely used category in households, but they have clear population restrictions and must be used with caution.
Space repellent/killing type products include electric mosquito repellent liquid, electric mosquito repellent mats, traditional mosquito coils, and insecticide aerosols. Electric mosquito repellent liquid and electric mosquito repellent mats are suitable for indoor use, but they are not recommended for infants, young children, pregnant women, and patients with respiratory diseases. Traditional mosquito coils produce smoke and dust when burned and are only suitable for healthy adults to use in well-ventilated semi-outdoor areas or in sealed, unoccupied indoor environments. When using insecticide aerosols, people and pets must evacuate. Indoors, the room must be sealed, and after use, thorough ventilation is required before re-entering. Outdoors, they are mostly used in places with high mosquito density. Additionally, insecticide aerosols used for emergency disinfection and killing during mosquito-borne infectious disease outbreaks are mostly sprayed by professional personnel.
Skin external use type products include mosquito repellent sprays, mosquito repellent floral water, and mosquito repellent lotions. Their active ingredients are mainly three types: DEET, IR3535, and Picaridin. The duration of mosquito repellent effect and the applicable population vary. Products can be selected according to age and usage scenario, matching the corresponding ingredient and concentration.
DEET is suitable for people aged 2 months and older. Products with a concentration below 10% can be used for children. High-concentration products of 10%–30% are only suitable for healthy adults. For outdoor and other high-risk mosquito bite scenarios, high-concentration DEET can be chosen. IR3535 is suitable for people aged 6 months and older and for pregnant women. Picaridin is suitable for people with sensitive skin and pregnant women. Children under 12 years old can choose products with a concentration below 10%.
Natural plant extract products use plant essential oils such as lemon eucalyptus oil, citronella, and mugwort as raw materials. They have relatively low irritation and are highly favored, but their shortcomings are also obvious. Li Xiaoning introduced that the effective duration of such products is only 20 minutes to 2 hours, and the protection range is only 20 to 30 centimeters, resulting in weak mosquito repellent ability. Among them, products using lemon eucalyptus oil as a raw material have the best effect, but they are prohibited for infants and young children under 2 years old. Common mosquito repellent bracelets and mosquito repellent patches on the market often contain such ingredients and can only serve as auxiliary mosquito prevention tools; they cannot achieve effective protection on their own.
Li Xiaoning reminded that all mosquito repellent products must be labeled with a pesticide registration certificate number starting with "WP". Do not purchase agricultural pesticides with a "PD" prefix. At the same time, check whether the product is labeled with a pesticide production license number.
All mosquito repellent products are labeled with a toxicity grade. Prioritize products that are slightly toxic or low in toxicity. Claims such as "pure plant, zero pesticide" or "100% mosquito killing rate" are mostly false advertising. Ultrasonic mosquito repellers lack scientific basis and are not recommended for purchase.
Return to TopBy: 林子夜
Comprehensive rural revitalization requires both shaping the form and casting the soul. Cultivating civilized rural customs is an inherent requirement for advancing comprehensive rural revitalization and an urgent need for enriching the spiritual and cultural life of the peasant masses.
The Party’s innovative theory enters villages and households. Civilization practice propaganda and lectures are carried out fervently, discussing theory, policies, village conditions, and public opinion, carrying the flavor of soil; the masses are willing to listen, the theory is explained with reason and interest.
Inherit excellent farming culture. Organize large-scale training of local cultural talents, strengthen the inheritance of farming skills, folk customs, and festivals; the local cultural lineage is continuously revitalized, the foundation of civilization becomes increasingly solid.
Deepen the transformation of rural customs and traditions. Focus on governing high bride prices and social comparison in interpersonal relationships, improve the Red and White Councils (红白理事会), select and promote advanced models, advance civilization points (文明积分)… the masses shed the burden of social obligations, neighbors return to simplicity and harmony.
Prosper and develop rural culture. Cultural halls (文化礼堂), countryside bookstores (农家书屋), and others spread across towns and villages; mass cultural and sports activities such as Village BA, Village Gala, and Village Dance flourish vigorously, the vitality of local culture is continuously released.
Urban-rural pairing jointly builds civilized rural customs. The Three Deliveries to the Countryside (三下乡) activities are actively carried out, urban venues pair with villages to build together, rural intangible cultural heritage enters venues in groups, urban and rural cultural resources interact beneficially.
Culture moistens the countryside, virtue educates people; civilized rural customs permanently reside in the fertile fields, helping to compose a new chapter of comprehensive rural revitalization.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 张丹华
Headline Focus
Handiao Guangguang (汉调桄桄), also known as Southern Route Qin Opera, gets its name from the "guangguang" sound made by the clapper's striking. It is mainly popular in the Hanzhong and Ankang areas of Shaanxi. In 2006, it was selected into the first batch of the national intangible cultural heritage list. Handiao Guangguang, with a long history, once faced a predicament of insufficient talent. To rescue and protect this rare opera type, in 2013, Hanzhong recruited 60 students from society. Now, young actors use mobile stages to bring classic opera to the masses. While inheriting traditional culture, they boldly innovate, combining Handiao Guangguang with pop songs and modern stage design. The ancient charm and rare sound radiate a new color of the times, and within the guangguang sound, a song of youth is sung.
At 6 a.m., a minibus follows a mobile stage converted from a truck, departing from the Handiao Guangguang Inheritance and Development Center (汉调桄桄传承发展中心) in Nanzheng District (南郑区), Hanzhong City, Shaanxi Province, slowly driving out of the urban area. The vehicle contains costumes, props, and simple lighting equipment. Li Yazhi (李雅芝), a 24-year-old Guangguang opera actor, sits in the minibus, repeatedly adjusting her opera hat in front of a mirror. This is a "opera enters the countryside" benefit performance organized by the Handiao Guangguang Inheritance and Development Center, and the destination is Xingfuqiao Village (幸福桥村), Mujiaba Town (牟家坝镇).
Mountain roads winding, good opera goes to the countryside.
After arriving at Xingfuqiao Village, Li Yazhi and her colleagues must first work as "technicians" — some set up steel frames, hang spray-painted backdrops, move speakers; some take costumes, lay out carpets, move props. A dozen people divide the work and cooperate, and in one hour they set up a temporary stage.
The Xingfuqiao Village committee had sent a notice in the villagers' group three days in advance. Before the performance even started, the front row seats were already filled with villagers.
At 11 a.m., with the sound of gongs and drums, the performance officially began. The traditional Handiao Guangguang excerpt play "Da Jiao Zan" (打焦赞) was splendidly performed, with both civil and martial elements, movement and stillness. The audience, men and women, old and young, watched with great absorption.
"In the past, if the villagers wanted to hear an opera, they had to 翻山越岭 (fān shān yuè lǐng - "cross mountains and ridges," to travel over difficult terrain). Now with the mobile stage, the opera follows the villagers!" Old Cui (老崔), the driver of the mobile stage, spoke with pride.
Villager Chen Yuquan (陈玉泉) moved a small stool and sat in the first row. "I haven't heard such authentic Handiao Guangguang in over ten years. Listen to the spoken parts in 'Da Jiao Zan' — it's exactly the same as when I was a child!" Chen Yuquan said.
The feeling of being welcomed is something the actors often experience when bringing opera to the countryside. A performance in 2022 remains unforgettable for actor Wu Qing (吴清). "Departing from Nanzheng urban area, after a 3-hour drive we transferred to a ferry, then changed to a small minibus to go into the mountains. A 100-kilometer journey took a full five hours. When the car reached the village entrance, we saw the stone steps under the old locust tree packed with people." Wu Qing recalled that it was already late autumn, the wind carried a chill, and the actors wore thin costumes. "In the excerpt play 'Biao Hua' (表花), I played the wealthy young lady Huang Guiying. When I flung out my water sleeves, I could feel the wind, but seeing the audience watching the opera so seriously, I forgot the cold." Wu Qing said.
After the performance ended, Granny Wang (王奶奶), over 70 years old, held Wu Qing's hand and repeatedly asked in Hanzhong dialect: "Child, when will you come next time? My grandson is working far away; if he were at home, he would definitely love to listen too." That day, as the actors were packing up the props, the villagers came over to help — some helped dismantle the stage, some handed hot tea to the actors. The setting sun stretched the shadows of the people in the mountains long.
Passing the torch, ancient charm and new trend.
"Holding paper between the knees while running circles, wearing wooden shoe covers on the toes to practice — these are the introductory lessons of our 'Guangguang Class'." Tao Hongru (陶泓如), a post-2000s actor, spoke with emotion about the days when she first entered the training class in 2013. That year, 60 young people were selected to form the "Guangguang Class," most of them post-2000s: every day they got up at 5 a.m. to practice basic skills, practiced body movements in the morning, studied cultural courses and singing in the afternoon, and reviewed the day's movements in the evening. There were no winter or summer vacations, and they could only go home once every three months.
"When I first started leg presses, I cried from the pain and told my grandfather I wanted to quit." Tao Hongru said. Her grandfather Tao Heqing (陶和清) is a representative inheritor of the national intangible cultural heritage project Handiao Guangguang. At that time, her grandfather said: "If you've become a loach, don't be afraid of mud getting into your eyes." That sentence became her motivation to persevere.
Once while practicing a tumbling move, Tao Hongru didn't control her strength well and fell onto the cement floor of the training room, scraping her knee and drawing blood. She got up, rubbed it, and continued practicing. "I still have scars on my knees now, but every time I go on stage to perform, I feel these scars are medals."
Now, 51 of the original 60 children have remained, and they have become the main force for the inheritance and innovation of Handiao Guangguang. In 2020, Li Yazhi opened an account on a short video platform called "Handiao Guangguang · Qingzhizi" (汉调桄桄·青栀子), starting with basic skill demonstrations, later adding costume changes and popular science about singing styles.
"There is a fan from Shijiazhuang, Hebei, who never misses a livestream. They even screen-record our entire excerpt play, watched it repeatedly, and then gave us suggestions, saying 'If this singing section were a bit slower, the emotion would be stronger.'" Li Yazhi said with a smile. Now there are many young people in the livestream room. "Last time a netizen asked 'Can Handiao Guangguang sing pop songs?' So I tried it once with Guangguang style. The comment section was very lively — 'So opera can be this trendy too!'"
On stage, the young actors also dare to "try new things": in the newly adapted ancient costume drama "Shanju" (山菊), they incorporate elements of Hanzhong folk songs; in the red-themed play "He Tingying" (何挺颖), they use modern stage design to depict revolutionary scenes. "Grandfather always says, we must 守正创新 (shǒu zhèng chuàng xīn - "uphold orthodoxy and innovate," to maintain core principles while innovating). We cannot lose the ancestors' legacy, but we also cannot let it lie in a museum." Tao Hongru said. In 2025, "Shanju" was performed publicly, and the venue was 座无虚席 (zuò wú xū xí - "no empty seats," a full house). During the curtain call, the audience's applause lasted a long time. "At that moment, I felt that all the persistence had meaning."
Go deep into life, culture benefits the people.
"Without government support, we might not have come this far." Zhao Hong (赵红), director of the Handiao Guangguang Inheritance and Development Center, took out a financial report: Nanzheng District invests more than 5 million yuan in fiscal funds each year to ensure the salaries and social insurance of 69 performers and staff, and purchases an average of more than 50 public performance services per year to ensure that benefit performances can continue. "In the past, actors' incomes were low, and many changed careers. Now their monthly salaries are on par with those of district and county public institutions, and they can also participate in training and performances. Everyone is more motivated." Zhao Hong said.
In addition to government guarantees, support from all sectors of society also makes the actors feel warm. Starting in July 2025, an anonymous fan has been sending a large batch of purified water to the troupe every month, with a message: "Seeing the actors work hard performing in the countryside, I want to do a small thing."
At Chengguan Primary School (城关小学) in Nanzheng District, a Handiao Guangguang club has been established for five years. Young actors give regular lessons, and the students' performance program "Han Diao Liu Yun" (汉调流韵) even appeared on the stage of the Shaanxi Province Rural School Children's Palace Construction Achievement Exhibition. "Opera entering the campus is not simply about performing a play; it is about sowing the seeds of inheritance." Zhao Hong said. Currently, the center has reached cooperation with seven or eight schools, transforming benefit performances from "one-time viewing" into "long-term inheritance."
Now, Handiao Guangguang has transformed from an "endangered opera type" into a landmark brand for Hanzhong's cultural benefit to the people: over the past 10 years, it has cumulatively carried out more than 2,000 benefit performances, directly benefiting hundreds of thousands of people offline, and attracting millions of viewers online; it has appeared twice at the China Opera Culture Week, and participated multiple times in the National Qin Opera Excellent Repertoire Exhibition. "We want more people to know that Handiao Guangguang is not only the legacy of our ancestors, but also a culture that can enter life." Zhao Hong said. In the next step, the center plans to cooperate with more universities to cultivate professional talent, while also developing cultural and creative products, so that Handiao Guangguang can be integrated into more people's lives.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 范昊天
On a weekend morning, at the Xinhua Bookstore Caring Mom Station (爱心妈妈驿站) on Chilu Street in Honghu City (洪湖市), Jingzhou, Hubei Province, 56-year-old Xie Ai'e (谢爱娥) was reading Lei Feng's Diary together with 13-year-old girl Xiaoyue (小月).
Xie Ai'e is the chairwoman of the Women's Federation of Bindouhu Village (滨斗湖村), Binhu Street, Honghu City, and also Xiaoyue's "Caring Mom." She began pairing with and helping Xiaoyue when the girl was nine years old. Xiaoyue's father was hospitalized due to illness, and her family relied on her mother doing odd jobs to make ends meet. "When I first visited, the child liked to hide behind the elderly, silent and withdrawn." Xie Ai'e visited to accompany her time and again, bringing gifts, helping with homework, and attending to daily needs, gradually opening Xiaoyue's heart.
At the end of 2025, the Caring Mom Station (爱心妈妈驿站) established by Honghu City's Xinhua Bookstore opened. The bright and warm reading and conversation space and the rich selection of children's books provided conditions for "Caring Moms" to provide regular companionship and support. "The bookstore equipped the station with extracurricular reading materials, stationery, and educational toys, and it is open all day on weekends." Xie Ai'e brings Xiaoyue to the station every week to read books, practice calligraphy, and chat. At first, Xiaoyue only read silently, and Xie Ai'e quietly kept her company. In the day-by-day guardianship, Xiaoyue's personality became more cheerful, and her academic performance also improved. Once, after finishing a book together, Xiaoyue said softly: "Thank you, Mom Xie. You have helped me. When I grow up, I will also help more people." This simple and sincere confession made Xie Ai'e's eyes moisten.
Since 2025, on the basis of more than 600 Caring Mom Stations (爱心妈妈驿站), the Hubei Provincial Women's Federation has collaborated with the provincial Xinhua Bookstore Group to build 34 "Children's Shared Reading Room" Caring Mom Stations (童享书屋爱心妈妈驿站), creating the "Children's Shared Reading Joy" (童享书悦) parent-child reading brand, and regularly carrying out public-interest cultural services and social practice activities such as reading guidance, parent classes, and cultural study tours.
At a Caring Mom Station (爱心妈妈驿站) of the Xinhua Bookstore in Wujiagang District, Yichang City, a music-therapy course was underway. Guided by psychological counselor and music therapist Xu Ning (徐宁), the children and their parents enjoyed music together and danced a circle dance, creating a lively atmosphere.
"My daughter said she wants to come again next time," said parent Jiang Yan (江滟). The Caring Mom Station (爱心妈妈驿站) also regularly holds mental health and family education lectures and special parent-child activities, providing scientific parenting guidance. Deeply moved by the activities, Jiang Yan also volunteered to become a "Caring Mom."
The Wuhan Women's Federation integrated the resources of 11 bookstore-type Caring Mom Stations (爱心妈妈驿站), allowing "Caring Moms" and the children paired with them to "attend the same class, read the same book, share the same lesson, and enter the same camp together"; the Ezhou Women's and Children's Activity Center collaborated with the Xinhua Bookstore to carry out a "Qualified Parent" parent-growth-plan public-interest salon; the Daye Xinhua Bookstore Caring Mom Station (爱心妈妈驿站) regularly organizes experience-sharing meetings and has established a Caring Mom exchange corner...
In Hubei, Women's Federations at all levels rely on Xinhua Bookstores to build warm Caring Mom Stations (爱心妈妈驿站). Family education experts, reading promoters, psychological counselors, and others often come here to communicate regularly with everyone, ensuring that the perplexities of "Caring Moms" are "heard, answered, and helped."
"The provincial Xinhua Bookstore Caring Mom Stations (爱心妈妈驿站) have become a new space for love empowerment, a new scene for parent-child reading, and a new site for family education services," said Zhang Lijun (张莉君), a member of the Party Leadership Group and vice chairwoman of the Hubei Provincial Women's Federation. The Hubei Provincial Women's Federation will collaborate with the provincial Xinhua Bookstore Group to promote the extension of stations to more qualified counties and districts, continuously deepen the construction of the "Children's Shared Reading Joy" (童享书悦) brand, and allow more children to grow up amid the fragrance of books and bloom under the light of care.
(Some names in the text are pseudonyms.)
Return to TopBeijing, July 14 (Reporter Wu Dan (吴丹)) — The Ministry of Education, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and Ministry of Finance recently jointly issued a notice, deploying the launch of the 2026 Elegant Art into Campus (高雅艺术进校园活动) activities.
The notice points out that the Elegant Art into Campus activities will organize some art troupes and institutions and colleges and universities to perform outstanding stage art works for students, including traditional opera, modern drama, opera, dance drama, musical (song-and-dance drama), symphony, traditional Chinese orchestral music, quyi (曲艺) (folk vocal art), chorus, dance, and other stage art forms that are innovative and characterized by cross-boundary integration, with emphasis on the educational value, cultural connotation, and artistic quality of the performances.
The notice specifies that the 2026 Elegant Art into Campus activities will arrange a total of 74 performances, including 25 performances by art troupes and institutions and 49 performances by colleges and universities. The activities will be combined with guiding student art practice activities such as art lectures, work introductions, art salons, and art experience classes, to help students deepen their understanding of artistic creation and expression, stimulate interest and enthusiasm, enrich artistic experience, and improve artistic skills.
The notice requires that all relevant units strengthen organizational leadership, continuously improve working mechanisms, formulate specific work plans and safety plans, ensure that all activities are safe and orderly, and strive to achieve practical results. They should strengthen publicity and promotion, actively utilize the digital communication matrix of new media, and expand the influence of the activities.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 吴月辉
Recently, the Meridian Project Circular Solar Radio Imaging Telescope (DART), known as the Thousand-Eye Sky Pearl (千眼天珠), joined forces with the China Sky Eye (FAST) to capture, in a supernova remnant, a long-period radio transient source designated DART J1832–0911, which sends a radio signal to Earth every 44.27 minutes.
This is the first nighttime astronomical observation achievement harvested since the construction of the Thousand-Eye Sky Pearl was completed, and it is also the first long-period variable source in a supernova remnant discovered by scientists, providing powerful observational evidence for revealing the origin of ultra-slow cosmic radio pulses.
The Circular Solar Radio Imaging Telescope (DART) is one of the iconic devices of the national major science and technology infrastructure, the Space Environment Ground-based Comprehensive Monitoring Network (Meridian Project Phase II, 子午工程二期), and is also currently the world’s largest synthetic aperture radio telescope. It previously mainly undertook scientific research tasks such as tracking solar radio bursts and space weather early warning. This facility is located in Gatong Town, Daocheng County, Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province (四川省甘孜藏族自治州稻城县嘎通镇), led by the National Space Science Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (中国科学院国家空间科学中心). It covers an area of about 1 square kilometer, consisting of 313 parabolic antennas each with a diameter of 6 meters, evenly distributed on a circle with a diameter of 1 kilometer.
According to introduction, the Space Environment Ground-based Comprehensive Monitoring Network (Meridian Project Phase II) is the first comprehensive space environment ground-based monitoring facility in the world built by China that covers the entire circle of the Sun-Earth space, marking that China’s space environment ground-based monitoring capabilities have leaped to a world-leading position.
This newspaper, Hefei, July 14 (Reporter Tian Xianjin) — Recently, seven departments including the Department of Natural Resources of Anhui Province, the Department of Culture and Tourism, and the Provincial Development and Reform Commission jointly issued the "Notice on Supporting the Healthy Development of Cultural Tourism Projects," focusing on optimizing service guarantees across the entire project chain to assist the development of the province's cultural tourism industry.
The notice clarifies: guard the "lifeline" of farmland protection (shǒu láo gēng dì bǎo hù "shēng mìng xiàn"). Resolutely curb the "non-agriculturalization" of farmland and prevent the "non-grainization" of permanent basic farmland. It is strictly forbidden to illegally occupy permanent basic farmland under the guise of cultural tourism development, and it is prohibited to dig lakes to create landscapes or artificially construct ponds within the scope of permanent basic farmland; large-scale amusement facilities, imitation ancient cities, and other projects must not touch the red line of farmland.
The notice proposes: accelerate collaborative services (pǎo chū xié tóng fú wù "jiā sù dù"). Establish a seven-department linkage mechanism and build a full-chain service, supervision, and guarantee system. In the project initiation phase, multiple departments jointly review and conduct parallel vetting; in the planning phase, rely on the "one map" of territorial spatial planning to coordinate spatial demands, guiding scientific project layout and orderly implementation; in the operation phase, establish a joint guidance and service mechanism to promptly solve project operation difficulties.
Return to TopNanchang, July 14 (People’s Daily) — (Reporter Zhou Huan (周欢)) “Gazing Up at the Lofty Peaks, Ink Stains a Thousand Autumns — Special Exhibition for the 400th Anniversary of Bada Shanren’s Birth” recently opened in Nanchang, Jiangxi. 129 pieces (sets) of fine calligraphy and paintings by Bada Shanren from over 20 cultural and museum institutions have been centrally displayed, with the exhibition period lasting until October 10.
This exhibition adopts a “one exhibition, two chapters, two museums simultaneously exhibiting” model, with exhibitions concurrently staged at the Jiangxi Provincial Museum and the Nanchang Bada Shanren Memorial Hall. The Jiangxi Provincial Museum undertakes the first chapter, “One Ink, Rivers and Mountains,” including 25 pieces (sets) of Bada Shanren’s works such as Lotus, Rock, and Water Bird, Cat, Rock, and Flowers Scroll, and Withered Tree and Cold Crows; the Nanchang Bada Shanren Memorial Hall presents the second chapter, “Heaven and Earth as the Heart,” including 104 pieces (sets) of Bada Shanren’s works such as Flowers on the River Scroll and Running Script: Ode to the Virtue of Wine Scroll.
Bada Shanren, given name Zhu Da (朱耷), was a painter of the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, a native of Nanchang, Jiangxi. He primarily focused on painting, and combined poetry, calligraphy, and seal carving in his artistic creation.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 寇江泽
The Ministry of Ecology and Environment (生态环境部), the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, and the Ministry of Commerce have recently jointly issued the "Solid Waste Pollution Prevention and Control '15th Five-Year' Plan" (hereinafter referred to as the "Plan").
What is the background for the issuance of the Plan? What is the main line of thinking in the formulation of the Plan? How to ensure the implementation of the Plan? A relevant official from the Ministry of Ecology and Environment provided an interpretation.
It is oriented towards effectively preventing and controlling ecological and environmental risks throughout the entire process of solid waste management.
As the quality of the atmospheric and water environments continues to improve, solid waste management has become a weak link in comprehensively advancing the construction of a Beautiful China. China produces over 11 billion tons of solid waste annually, and the historical stockpile of industrial solid waste is approximately 30 billion tons. Problems such as the numerous and widespread points of solid waste pollution, blocked channels for utilization and disposal, and frequent incidents of illegal dumping and disposal have not yet been fundamentally resolved.
"The '15th Five-Year' period is a strategic window of opportunity to further strengthen solid waste pollution prevention and control, and it is also a critical period for tackling difficulties, overcoming obstacles, and scaling heights." The relevant official from the Ministry of Ecology and Environment stated that formulating and implementing the Plan is a powerful lever for strengthening the prevention and control of environmental risks from solid waste, and it is also a specific measure to guide local authorities in fulfilling their responsibilities for solid waste pollution prevention and control. It is of great significance for comprehensively advancing the construction of a Beautiful China.
The Plan sets forth the overall goals for the next five years: by 2030, significant progress will be made in the special rectification of solid waste in key areas, the historical stockpile of solid waste will be effectively managed, the high-incidence trend of illegal dumping and disposal will be curbed, the comprehensive management capacity and level of solid waste will be significantly improved, the "one network" for information-based supervision of solid waste will achieve full coverage of key areas, and a batch of "Zero-Waste Cities" will be established.
The official introduced that the Plan is oriented towards effectively preventing and controlling ecological and environmental risks throughout the entire process of solid waste. It aims to address difficult points, shore up weaknesses, and strengthen areas of deficiency in solid waste pollution prevention and control work through the implementation of a series of key special actions, important tasks and measures, critical policies and standards, and key engineering projects. For example, it proposes special rectification task requirements for key areas such as illegal dumping and disposal of solid waste, cave garbage, phosphogypsum dumps, domestic waste landfills, and hazardous waste landfills. It also puts forward requirements for the prevention and control of solid waste pollution from industrial solid waste, hazardous waste, waste electrical and electronic products and decommissioned equipment from new energy sources, as well as domestic, construction, and agricultural solid waste.
Promoting the normalization and long-term effectiveness of rectifying illegal dumping and disposal of solid waste.
The Plan sets an indicator "incidence rate of illegal dumping and illegal disposal of solid waste incidents". How should this indicator be understood? How will evaluation and assessment be conducted?
The relevant official from the Ministry of Ecology and Environment stated that in June 2025, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, together with the Supreme People's Court (最高人民法院) and other departments, launched a nationwide special rectification action on illegal dumping and disposal of solid waste, planning to effectively resolve the chronic problem of illegal dumping and disposal of solid waste within about three years. As of June this year, a total of 51,000 problems related to illegal dumping and disposal of solid waste had been identified nationwide, 41,000 had been rectified, and 71.22 million tons of various types of solid waste had been cleared.
To promote the normalization and long-term effectiveness of this work, the "Beautiful China Construction '15th Five-Year' Plan" incorporates the incidence rate of illegal dumping and illegal disposal of solid waste incidents as a major indicator for the Beautiful China construction during the "15th Five-Year" period.
The meaning of the indicator "incidence rate of illegal dumping and illegal disposal of solid waste incidents" is the equivalent number of illegal dumping and disposal incidents per unit of national land area in a province. "Illegal dumping and disposal of solid waste incidents mainly include two categories," the relevant official from the Ministry of Ecology and Environment said. The first category consists of incidents of illegal dumping and disposal of solid waste detected and confirmed by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment through random spot checks using satellite remote sensing on various provinces. The second category consists of incidents of illegal dumping and disposal of solid waste that fail to complete established deployment tasks, are exposed by the media, or are discovered by supervision and law enforcement inspections. "At the same time, to fully mobilize local enthusiasm for strengthening solid waste pollution prevention and control, problems discovered through self-inspection and proactively rectified by local authorities will not be included in the calculation."
"To scientifically and prudently advance the evaluation and assessment of this indicator, we plan to establish a 2-year trial calculation period, conducting trial calculations for each province, accumulating data, timely revising and improving the calculation methods, and determining the base figure and target value for each province separately." The relevant official from the Ministry of Ecology and Environment introduced that during the "15th Five-Year" period, no unified national indicator target value will be set; the main assessment will be on the year-on-year reduction range for each province, ensuring the indicator is reasonable and achievable.
By 2030, the proportion of hazardous waste landfilled and disposed of nationwide is to be controlled within 10%.
The Plan requires that by 2030, the indicator "proportion of hazardous waste landfilled and disposed of" be controlled within 10%. How will this be achieved?
The relevant official from the Ministry of Ecology and Environment introduced that during the "14th Five-Year" period, the amount of hazardous waste landfilled and disposed of grew rapidly, posing significant potential environmental risks. Therefore, the Plan proposes to control the proportion of hazardous waste landfilled and disposed of nationwide within 10%.
During the "15th Five-Year" period, the proportion of hazardous waste landfilled and disposed of will mainly be controlled through the following measures: First, decompose control targets and consolidate local responsibilities. 10% is the national average control baseline. The Ministry of Ecology and Environment will further break down and formulate provincial-level indicators by considering factors such as local hazardous waste generation and supporting capacity for resource utilization, and incorporate them into the assessment of Beautiful China construction effectiveness. Each province should, based on the decomposed control targets, meticulously deploy and arrange its local hazardous waste landfill control work.
Second, promote the optimization of utilization and disposal methods, and control the amount of landfill disposal. Promote advanced technologies for hazardous waste utilization, promote the improvement of the hazardous waste recycling system, and under the premise of controllable risks, advance the resource utilization of hazardous wastes with large landfill volumes, such as fly ash from domestic waste incineration, to reduce the final amount of landfill disposal.
Third, strengthen environmental management and reinforce the control of environmental risks from landfill disposal. Strengthen environmental supervision of landfill disposal, strictly restrict the direct landfilling of hazardous wastes that can be reduced through utilization or incineration; conduct risk hazard inspections at hazardous waste landfill sites, and implement tiered management for landfill disposal facilities; revise the pollution control standards for hazardous waste landfill disposal, and promote the upgrade and renovation of landfill disposal facilities.
"The foundation for solid waste pollution prevention and control work is weak, and the tasks are arduous, requiring joint efforts and coordinated action from all parties." The relevant official from the Ministry of Ecology and Environment stated that the Plan requires relevant departments to implement key tasks within their respective responsibilities, forming a synergy for work; local authorities must effectively fulfill their primary responsibilities, improve work systems, and refine tasks and targets.
In the next step, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment will strengthen overall coordination, consolidate the responsibilities of all parties, enhance dynamic monitoring and follow-up assessment of the Plan's implementation, and accelerate the implementation and effectiveness of all tasks in the Plan. At the same time, it will strengthen the publicity and interpretation of relevant target indicators, tasks and measures, and innovative policies, promote science popularization for enterprises and the public, proactively respond to social concerns, and create a favorable public opinion environment.
Return to TopBeijing, July 14 (People's Daily) — (Reporter Wang Hao (王浩)) The Ministry of Water Resources (水利部) recently issued the "Work Plan for Establishing and Improving the Spring Survey, Monitoring, and Evaluation System (2026–2028)," aiming to further strengthen spring monitoring, evaluation, protection, and management.
The plan sets forth the work objectives for spring survey, monitoring, and evaluation: by 2028, basically ascertain the current status of springs nationwide, establish a national spring information database, form a list of important springs, identify the spring domain scope of important springs, improve the monitoring station network for springs and spring domains, and achieve normalization, standardization, refinement, and digital-intelligentization of spring survey, monitoring, and evaluation.
This work will produce "three ones" outcomes. First, basically ascertain the current status of springs nationwide and establish "one ledger," that is, establish a national spring information database in the National Groundwater Information System (国家地下水信息系统); second, form "one map," that is, relying on the National Groundwater Information System, establish a national dynamic distribution map of springs; third, improve "one set of mechanisms," that is, establish and improve the working mechanism for spring survey, monitoring, and evaluation, forming a technical specification system and management system.
Return to TopTianjin, July 14 (Reporter Jin Bo (靳博)) — The reporter learned from the Institute of Tianjin Seawater Desalination and Comprehensive Utilization, Ministry of Natural Resources (自然资源部天津海水淡化与综合利用研究所) that the Tianjin large-scale seawater desalination test field has recently successfully completed the testing and verification work on the first batch of domestically produced positive displacement rotor-type energy recovery devices, marking the official commissioning of the seawater desalination test field.
The energy recovery device is called the "heart" of the reverse osmosis seawater desalination system; its effective energy conversion efficiency, mixing degree, and other indicators directly determine the energy consumption level of the system. This test was precisely a rigorous examination of these core indicators. The test field successfully executed the first batch of testing tasks, providing key data support for domestically produced high-end equipment to break away from the long-standing reliance on overseas verification and to accelerate technological iteration.
The test field is currently the largest seawater desalination pilot-scale and industrialization verification platform in China, covering the entire chain of processes. The test field adopts a dual-membrane (ultrafiltration + reverse osmosis) short-flow process, with a single-unit scale of 10,000 tons per day. This design enables the platform to provide multi-scenario, long-cycle verification services ranging from the thousand-ton level to the ten-thousand-ton level for different types of seawater desalination membrane materials, energy recovery devices, high-pressure pumps, pre-treatment equipment, and chemicals, effectively filling the gap in China’s public-welfare seawater desalination testing field at large scale.
The seawater desalination industry is one of the key marine economy sectors that the Tianjin Port Free Trade Zone (天津港保税区) is focusing on developing. Currently, the Free Trade Zone has preliminarily formed an industrial chain that includes equipment manufacturing and core component research and development. The commissioning of this national-level platform will provide equipment manufacturing enterprises within the Free Trade Zone with research and verification conditions that are 近在咫尺 (jìn zài zhǐ chǐ - "close at hand," very near), helping to form a close "R&D—testing—manufacturing" closed loop and further consolidating the competitive advantage of the regional seawater desalination industrial cluster.
Return to TopOur newspaper Shijiazhuang, July 14 (Reporter Shao Yuzi (邵玉姿)). From June 2023 to the end of May 2026, Hebei Province completed a cumulative total of over 14 million mu of tough tasks for the "Three-North" Shelterbelt Forest Program (三北工程) over three years, and the province's desertified land has been basically fully treated.
Anchored on the goal of "green advance, sand retreat (绿进沙退)," Hebei has constructed a governance pattern of "three major regions, five major projects," specifying the goal of completing 56.08 million mu of forest and grassland construction by 2030. At the same time, Hebei Province continuously incorporates desertification prevention and control into the assessment of the forest chief scheme (林长制), compresses responsibilities at all levels, coordinates the integrated protection and systematic governance of mountains, rivers, forests, farmlands, lakes, grasslands, and deserts, and promotes the transformation of the governance model from "emphasizing scale, increasing quantity" to "improving quality, increasing efficiency."
The Hebei Provincial Forestry and Grassland Bureau established an "announce tasks and appoint leaders (揭榜挂帅)" mechanism, concentrating efforts on tackling key technologies for vegetation restoration. In Zhangjiakou Bashang (张家口坝上), technologies such as deep plowing and land preparation, container micro-irrigation, etc., were promoted, and the survival rate of afforestation for drought-tolerant tree species such as Mongolian pine was raised to 92%; the "Hao's afforestation method (郝氏造林法)" has resulted in a seedling survival rate of over 95% in the arid regions of the Taihang Mountains and Yanshan Mountains, with a cumulative increase in green coverage of over 10 million mu. At the same time, Hebei Province explores the "forestry-pastoral integration (林牧一体化)" model, simultaneously developing ecological livestock farming and under-forest economy in restoration areas, allowing people in sandy areas to share in the ecological dividends.
At present, Hebei Province's desertified land has been shrinking for four consecutive monitoring cycles. In 2026, Hebei Province will deeply push forward the "Three-North" Program quality hard-tackling year action (三北工程质量攻坚年行动), planning to implement construction tasks of 14 million mu for the whole year.
Return to TopThe cub of Chongqing Zoo’s giant panda “Liangyue” (nicknamed “Little Moon”) recently celebrated its first birthday. This cub, which weighed only 188 grams at birth, has now grown to 36.5 kilograms. On its birthday, Little Moon’s formal name was officially announced — “Wangshu”.
Xinhua News Agency photographer Tang Yi
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 施 芳
In July, entering the east gate of Beijing's Fragrant Hills Park (Xiangshan Park) and strolling slowly along the tree-lined path on the south side, one immediately feels a cool and comfortable sensation. Over the past year, the understory space of this ancient tree cluster has been cleared and organized, with winding boardwalks extending, creating an additional scenic route where visitors can stroll and pause.
Beijing currently has over 40,000 ancient and notable trees, with approximately one-seventh growing in the Fragrant Hills area. Fragrant Hills Park has a forest coverage rate of 96% and is home to more than 5,800 ancient and notable trees. In 2023, the park established its first ancient tree protection demonstration zone on the southern slope, along the section from Jingcui Lake to Cuiwei Pavilion, covering 67 ancient trees. In 2025, the park is creating a new ancient tree protection demonstration zone focused on the Yingluoyan area, covering key ancient tree sectors including Shibapan, Yuru Spring, and Jingcui Lake, involving 323 ancient trees.
Song Lizhou (宋立洲), deputy director of Fragrant Hills Park, explained that previously, the ancient tree areas suffered from problems such as overgrown underbrush, waterlogging around the roots, and hollow or decayed trunks on some trees. This systematic restoration involved opening up ventilation and light channels, constructing rubble retaining walls and ecological slopes, laying underground blind drains, and planting native vegetation. "What we are doing is not 'cosmetic enhancement,' but improving the growing environment for the ancient trees—ensuring smooth drainage, reasonable light exposure, and breathable soil, so that the growth of the ancient trees can continue to improve," Song Lizhou said.
At the same time, on the premise of not affecting the root systems of the ancient trees, bamboo-wood composite boardwalks have been laid in the forest, creating an ecological touring path for visitors and also facilitating routine maintenance of the ancient trees by management personnel. In the future, Fragrant Hills Park plans to continue promoting the protection experience from the demonstration zone and to carry out science popularization activities such as "Ancient Tree Observer."
Return to TopThis newspaper Yinchuan, July 14 (Reporter Jiao Siyu (焦思雨)) — The Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region 2025 Water and Soil Conservation Bulletin (宁夏回族自治区2025年水土保持公报) was recently released. The bulletin shows that as of 2025, Ningxia’s water and soil erosion area is 14,515.76 square kilometers, of which hydraulic erosion accounts for nearly 70 percent and wind erosion accounts for about 30 percent; both types of erosion area have shown a declining trend. The region’s total water and soil erosion area decreased by 277.61 square kilometers compared with 2024, a reduction of 1.88 percent; the area of intense and above water and soil erosion decreased by 693.88 square kilometers compared with 2024, a reduction of 50.38 percent. The region’s water and soil conservation rate reached 78.14 percent.
In 2025, the region treated 948.95 square kilometers of water and soil erosion area. Among this, 34 national key water and soil conservation projects, including comprehensive small watershed management, sloping farmland improvement, and silt dam construction, were implemented, completing 313.33 square kilometers of water and soil erosion control measures. Seven cities and counties (districts)—Shizuishan (石嘴山), Lingwu (灵武), Tongxin (同心), Xiji (西吉), Pengyang (彭阳), Jingyuan (泾源), and Haiyuan (海原)—completed the signing and transfer of 12 water and soil conservation ecological product value transactions in 7 small watersheds, with a total transaction amount of 12.4 million yuan.
Return to TopThe Zhengzhou University Ultra-Short Ultra-Intense Laser Platform (hereafter referred to as the "Laser Platform") is the first major scientific and technological infrastructure planned and constructed by Henan Province. It is located in Guangwu Town (广武镇), Xingyang City (荥阳市), Zhengzhou. Centering on the construction and operation of the Laser Platform, the School of Physics of Zhengzhou University and the Zhongyuan Light Laboratory (中原之光实验室), in conjunction with relevant local departments, take Party building as the lead, explore university-local cooperation, and jointly seek high-quality development.
Party building leads, doing a good job of high-level overall planning
As the legal entity on which the Laser Platform relies, Zhengzhou University established a Laser Platform Construction Work Leading Group with the university's Party secretary and president as the group leaders, effectively strengthening the leadership of Party building, clarifying the chief scientist and relevant responsible persons, and coordinating and organizing the advancement of the Laser Platform construction. Xingyang City established a work promotion special class and set up a joint meeting system for the Laser Platform construction. The competent leaders of both the university and the local government serve as the conveners of the joint meeting, responsible for coordinating and resolving major problems encountered at the university-municipal level in advancing the Laser Platform, further deepening comprehensive cooperation.
University-local linkage, promoting high-standard implementation on the ground
The College adheres to "building the Party branch on the Laser Platform," established the Zhongyuan Light Laboratory Faculty Party Branch, and around the construction of the Laser Platform, strengthens joint study and co-construction with relevant local grassroots Party organizations and others, dividing labor and collaborating, and in practice has explored and formed an effective Party building joint construction model.
Taking the construction of the Laser Platform as an opportunity, it effectively gathers the strengths of all sides to build a solid guarantee for the completion and effectiveness of the Laser Platform. The College and the local government jointly carry out procedures, coordinate to resolve surrounding issues, and ensure municipal supporting facilities, among other things. Guangwu Town has listed the advancement of the Laser Platform's power supply and distribution as an important topic of the Party committee meeting on several occasions. Through special promotion meetings, on-site coordination meetings, and the like, it focuses on key links, deeply bridges needs, and precisely solves difficult problems.
Using theoretical study as the link, it creates high-quality Party lessons, allowing Party members from different branches to jointly teach and attend in the same hall on the construction frontline. The College shares Party building achievements and insights on-site for the local major project observation group, the Zhengzhou University cadre capacity and quality improvement training classes, and others, creating a learning atmosphere where "everyone can speak, knows how to speak, and is willing to speak," further raising theoretical standards.
Using activity implementation as the starting point, through themed Party days, volunteer services, and the like, it brings into play the Laser Platform's demonstration and leading role and its function of educating society. The university and local government jointly held the "Construction Project Safety Production and Emergency Rescue Drill Observation Meeting and Safety Production Month Launch Ceremony," carried out activities such as themed Party days, and jointly built a safety line of defense. It established public open days, actively serves and connects with study and tourism projects, and carried out science popularization activities going to villages, entering communities, and into classrooms, promoting the joint construction and sharing of high-quality resources, the popularization of scientific knowledge, and the improvement of scientific literacy.
Platform-driven, empowering high-quality cooperative development
The College adheres to building while operating while producing results, gradually building the Laser Platform into a base for talent aggregation, scientific and technological innovation, and transformation and incubation, assisting in the improvement of Henan Province's scientific and technological innovation capacity and local economic development. In recent years, the College's talent introduction and cultivation, innovation achievements, and the like have seen dual improvements in quantity and quality. The Laser Platform has gathered 13 national-level talents. The College, as the first completion unit and corresponding author unit, published research results in Nature. Some scientific research achievements of the team of Professor Shan Chongxin (单崇新), the chief scientist of the Laser Platform, have been transformed in enterprises. The team of young scientist Professor Wan Yang (万阳) developed a laser accelerator-based ultra-high energy electron radiotherapy system with independent intellectual property rights. Professor Wan Yang has won international awards and honors such as the Asia-Pacific Plasma Physics Young Scientist Award, the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics Young Scientist Award, and the European Plasma Diagnostics Outstanding Contribution Award. The College's high-quality Party building leading high-quality development has achieved prominent results. It has carried out exchanges and cooperation with many well-known universities and research institutes, and its social influence has been greatly enhanced.
Data source: School of Physics, Zhengzhou University; Zhongyuan Light Laboratory
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 樊 帆
A "comfort women" memorial bronze statue erected in December 2017 on the shores of Manila Bay in the Philippines was dismantled just over four months later; a "comfort women" girl statue erected in December 2018 by a South Korean civic group in a private courtyard in San Pedro City (圣佩德罗市) in the Philippines was also inexplicably dismantled just two days later. Yet in Pampanga Province in the Philippines, a Japanese shrine covering several hectares has been erected, with Japanese people coming to worship there every year.
In the Philippines, historical issues such as "comfort women" have been selectively forgotten and covered up. The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women once urged the Philippines to integrate the "comfort women" issue into mainstream education. Multiple Philippine civil organizations have long been denouncing the crimes of the Japanese military through various channels: "Philippine 'comfort women' victims have not received just treatment; many of them died without receiving an apology from the Japanese government. In their remaining years, it was as if their eyes were covered, there was no light, only endless darkness..." Herman Laurel, director of the Philippine Asia Century Strategic Studies Institute, believes that the Philippines, instead of erecting a "comfort women" memorial bronze statue, has erected a shrine that glorifies the military achievements of Japanese militarism under the banner of "peace," which is lamentable. "Forgetting history and going against the trend, the Philippines will gradually slide into a dangerous abyss."
"Comfort women" survivors continue to denounce—
"We have waited for more than 80 years, yet the Japanese government has still not acknowledged the atrocities committed by the Japanese military back then, nor has it apologized."
"Please return justice to the 'comfort women' community and free us from the tragic experiences of this life." About 80 kilometers north of the Philippine capital Manila, there is a quiet little village—Mapanique Village (马帕尼克村). There, the survivors of the "comfort women" who suffered at the hands of the Japanese military back then gather from time to time to collectively denounce the Japanese military's atrocities, urge the Japanese government to formally apologize and pay compensation, and call for justice that has been long delayed.
When the reporter arrived at Mapanique Village, the weather was clear, and rice seedlings were planted in large paddy fields. Ten survivors of the "comfort women" who had suffered from the Japanese military's aggression were gathered in a simple shed. Among them, the youngest was 93 years old and the oldest 97. The wrinkles on their faces were engraved with time, and also concealed the pain they refused to forget. Although more than 80 years have passed, when mentioning the tragic experiences of that time, several of the elderly women burst into tears.
On November 23, 1944, Mapanique Village was raided by Japanese invaders. The Japanese military, on the pretext that villagers had supported the guerrillas, sealed off the village, looted and burned houses. Local men were executed en masse, and more than 100 women were taken to the "Red House (红屋)" in the adjacent Bulacan Province, where they suffered systematic rape and enslavement by the Japanese military. This catastrophe left an indelible mark of suffering on this village.
At this gathering of "comfort women" survivors, the elderly grandmothers collectively sang a song, crying as they sang. This song, with 12 verses, recorded the atrocities of the Japanese military back then and the harm inflicted on them. These illiterate grandmothers, through oral tradition, denounced the atrocities and called for justice. "Our young bodies were ravaged, we suffocated and longed for death, both mind and body were completely torn apart..." they sang. "Please return justice to the 'comfort women' community..."
"These are not exaggerated lyrics, but real history. In their shattered youth, they experienced the deepest pain of humanity," said a relevant person from a Philippine human rights organization. These lyrics are the never-ceasing denunciations and appeals of Philippine "comfort women" survivors over more than 80 years.
Suarez, a Philippine human rights lawyer who has been helping these "comfort women" survivors speak out, said: "These elderly women have waited for more than 80 years, and the Japanese government has still not acknowledged the atrocities committed by the Japanese military back then, nor has it apologized. This is a secondary injury to them, even deeper than the physical harm." Suarez emphasized, "Remembering history is not about remembering hatred, but about ensuring that tragedy does not repeat itself. Only by acknowledging history can we truly learn lessons from history and make people believe that the same mistakes will not be repeated."
The "Girl" bronze statue inexplicably disappeared—
"The Japanese government has stubbornly evaded the 'comfort women' issue and has gone to great lengths to obstruct the rights-defending actions of survivors, their families, and related organizations."
In December 2017, Philippine rights advocacy organizations, together with the Philippine National Historical Commission and the Manila City Government, erected a "comfort women" memorial bronze statue along Roxas Boulevard on the shores of Manila Bay. The bronze statue was a "girl" dressed in a traditional Philippine long dress, barefoot, with her hands tightly grasping the scarf hanging down over her chest. Her eyes were covered by a strip of cloth, and her face showed a terrified expression. The "girl" leaned backward, hoping to use her last ounce of strength to protect herself. The inscription on the statue read that this "girl" represented the many Filipino women who were bullied and abused by the Japanese invaders.
After the bronze statue was unveiled, the then Japanese Embassy in the Philippines expressed strong dissatisfaction and continuously negotiated with the Philippine government and the Manila City Government. Just over four months later, the Philippine Department of Public Works and Highways, citing the installation of flood control facilities, dismantled the bronze statue under the supervision of Manila City Hall. Subsequently, the Philippine rights advocacy organizations handed the bronze statue over to the creator for continued safekeeping and sought private land for placement. During this period, the bronze statue disappeared again for unknown reasons. Now, people can only hold up pictures of the statue and lay flowers near the original site to express their mourning.
Every year on August 14, World "Comfort Women" Memorial Day, members of the Philippine "comfort women" rights protection organizations "Philippine Grandmothers Alliance (菲律宾祖母联盟)" and "Flowers for Grandmothers (为祖母献花)," as well as some victims' family members, march on Roxas Boulevard to commemorate the deceased "grandmothers" and urge the Japanese government to formally apologize and pay compensation. "Justice for 'comfort women'!" "No to war!" "Rise up for peace!" ... Passionate shouts echoed in the air.
Sharon Silva, coordinator of the "Philippine Grandmothers Alliance," introduced that during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines from 1941 to 1945, about 1,000 Filipino women were forcibly conscripted as "comfort women," causing them profound physical and psychological trauma. In 1992, a survivor named Rosa Hansen began to publicly speak about her experiences, and thus the Philippine "comfort women" survivors began a long and difficult road to defend their rights, with the "Philippine Grandmothers Alliance" organization being one representative. In 2004, the "Philippine Grandmothers Alliance" demanded that the Japanese government formally apologize for the "comfort women" issue, and also demanded that the Philippine Supreme Court support their appeal; however, the Philippine Supreme Court rejected this appeal in a final ruling in 2014. In June 2015, then Philippine President Benigno Aquino III, during a visit to Japan, even stated that historical issues such as "comfort women" had already been resolved. The cold attitude of the Philippine government towards these "comfort women" survivors deeply chilled the survivors, rights advocates, and many members of the public.
"The trauma of war will not disappear with the passing of these elderly women; this trauma will be felt keenly by their families and future generations. As long as the Japanese government does not openly apologize, our struggle will continue," Sharon said. "Now, the number of living Philippine 'comfort women' victims can be counted on one hand; they may not receive an apology or compensation until they die. Even more outrageous is that the Japanese government has stubbornly evaded the 'comfort women' issue and has gone to great lengths to obstruct the rights-defending actions of survivors, their families, and related organizations."
The establishment of a Japanese shrine has sparked widespread controversy—
"We must be vigilant against the foolish act of betraying historical justice, and must never become a vassal of another country."
What is even more distressing to many Filipinos is that the Philippines, instead of erecting a "comfort women" memorial bronze statue, has established a Japanese shrine that glorifies the military achievements of Japanese militarism under the banner of "peace."
This Japanese shrine, covering several hectares in Mabalacat (马巴拉卡特), Pampanga Province, has a traditional Japanese gate at the entrance, with a sign reading "Kamikaze East Airfield (神风东机场)" on the roadside. Walking into the courtyard, a statue of a Japanese military pilot stands on a high pedestal; on the stone wall behind the statue, one side bears the Philippine flag, and the other side prominently features Japan's "Rising Sun Flag (旭日旗)." This is the central area of the Mabalacat East Airfield, an important base during World War II for the notorious Japanese "Kamikaze Special Attack Force."
On October 20, 1944, the Japanese invaders established here the first flight unit using Zero fighters for suicide aerial attacks. According to historical records, by the end of the Pacific War, the "Kamikaze Special Attack Force" had sunk or damaged more than 300 U.S. Navy ships, killed over 10,000 American sailors, and launched 1,228 suicide attacks.
In 1974, local Philippine tourism officials were persuaded to erect a monument at the former airport site, inscribed with "Kamikaze Special Attack Force First Airfield Historical Marker." In 2000, a new commemorative stone wall was erected on the original site, engraved with the Japanese "Rising Sun Flag" and the Philippine flag. In 2004, the "Kamikaze Special Attack Force" pilot statue was erected in front of the new commemorative stone wall.
The establishment of the shrine has sparked widespread controversy. Philippine critics said that, given that Japan had occupied the Philippines during World War II, the Philippines should not commemorate and glorify Japanese "Kamikaze Special Attack Force" pilots. Officials from the town of Mabalacat, however, argued that the statue was erected to promote peace and friendship by drawing lessons from the war. At the site, the reporter only saw a nameplate in English and Japanese. Although it read "Kamikaze Special Attack Force Peace Memorial Hall," the text was entirely a record of the names and "achievements" of the members of the first flight unit, and blatantly used words like "outstanding" and "great" to 歌功颂德 (gē gōng sòng dé - "sing praises and eulogize," to flatter and glorify) these pilots. Many people angrily said, "There is no textual explanation reflecting on this history inside the shrine; it is difficult for people to understand that its true purpose is to promote peace."
"History is the best textbook; we must remember that colonial history soaked in blood and tears." In the view of Philippine political commentator Li Tianrong (李天荣), more than 80 years have passed, and Manila today has been reborn from the ruins of war, but it must never deliberately forget or downplay Japan's aggressive crimes. "History is never a dusty pile of old papers, but an unceasingly ringing alarm bell."
"Currently, the rise of a new type of Japanese militarism and the return of Japanese combat troops to Philippine soil is a blatant challenge to the victorious achievements of the World Anti-Fascist War." Anna Malindog-Uy, deputy director of the Philippine Asia Century Strategic Studies Institute, believes that the Philippines should not selectively forget historical issues such as "comfort women" and blatantly collude with Japan. "We must be vigilant against the foolish act of betraying historical justice, and must never become a vassal of another country."
(This newspaper, Manila, July 14)
Layout design:
By: 刘 赫
This year marks the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Long March of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army. In Europe, thousands of miles away, more and more people are reopening this page of history engraved with faith and courage, trying to find answers about moving forward.
Not long ago, the author attended a reader sharing session for new works on the theme of the Long March by German writers Falk Hering (福尔克·黑林) and Christian Schmidt (克里斯蒂安·施密特). The venue was 座无虚席 (zuò wú xū xí - "no empty seats," completely full). Among the audience were university students and ordinary people with a passion for history. The Q&A session lasted nearly an hour, and the atmosphere was warm and solemn.
It was out of a deep search for the "Long March miracle" that the two authors, between 2023 and 2024, cycled thousands of miles along the route of the Central Red Army, gathering what they saw and heard along the way into a manuscript, aiming to present the real Long March and contemporary China to German readers. 138 days, nearly 7,000 kilometers, starting from Ruijin (瑞金), Jiangxi, and finishing at Wuqi (吴起), Shaanxi. This route is engraved with the critical turning point of the Red Army's 生死存亡 (shēng sǐ cún wáng - "life and death survival," survival or extinction), and also reflects the 沧桑变迁 (cāng sāng biàn qiān - "the changes of mulberry fields to seas," great upheavals) along the route in today's China.
In Hering's view, the Long March is the snowflakes blowing in one's face at the Jiajin Mountain Pass (夹金山垭口), the hot water and dry rations offered by people along the way, the historical details sedimented in the old revolutionary sites, and the sharp contrast bursting forth from the new appearance of mountain villages. "Only after completing this road did I understand that what supported the ranks to persevere to the end was never chance, but the tenacious steadfastness after identifying the direction, and the deep-rooted foundation of always standing together with the people," he remarked at the sharing session.
Such searches and shocks are nothing new. Ninety years ago, American journalist Edgar Snow, full of questions, entered northern Shaanxi and, with the book Red Star Over China, let the world see the face of the Long March completely for the first time. After that, journalists, writers, scholars, and veterans from various countries came in an 络绎不绝 (luò yì bù jué - "continuous stream," one after another) to visit the Long March route that the Red Army had traveled. Those who initially came with curiosity or even doubt mostly reached highly consistent conclusions in the end: this is a great epic of human will and courage, a spiritual force sufficient to traverse time and space.
And today, when Hering and Schmidt bring this journey back to German readers, the resonance it has triggered precisely reflects some deep psychological need of European society. In the current European public opinion arena, discussions about China's rise are complex and diverse, and there is no shortage of voices of competition and anxiety. But precisely against this backdrop, the fact that the works of the two authors draw attention is in itself worth pondering.
Looking across Europe, topics such as slowing competitiveness, energy market volatility, security anxiety, and strategic autonomy dilemmas frequently enter the public view. The question "Where will Europe go in 10 years?" — a 何去何从 (hé qù hé cóng - "where to go and what to follow," uncertain direction) — is repeatedly raised, yet few can give a clear direction. When uncertainty becomes the norm, what should a country, a nation rely on to traverse the mist and move forward? This is precisely the internal reason why Hering and Schmidt's works have attracted widespread attention. It may not represent a kind of "resonance," but at least it shows that, beyond so-called "impact" and "blame," there are still many people willing to look toward a foreign history to find answers about will, faith, and unity.
The revelation of the Long March has never been about providing some specific development plan, but rather a spiritual reference: holding fast to faith in desperate situations, finding the correct direction at crossroads, and taking root among the people in difficult circumstances. German philosopher Hegel once said that historical subjects contain something that belongs to the future. For today's Europe, the most valuable "thing of the future" in the Long March is precisely this kind of power to maintain steadfastness amid turmoil and to unite and move forward amid hardship — and this point is precisely the quality that is scarce in many European public discussions at present.
Ninety years have passed, and the Long March spirit does not fade with time; instead, in the current era of intertwined chaos and increasing uncertainty in the world, it increasingly reveals its profound value that traverses time and space. For all countries and nations in the midst of change, firm faith and the courage to move forward are always the answer to breaking through difficulties and heading toward the future.
Return to TopBeijing, July 14 (Reporter Chu Jun (褚君)) — Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian (林剑) said at a regular press conference on the 14th that China expresses deep concern over the recurrence of military conflict in the Gulf region and calls on relevant parties to remain rational and exercise restraint. Restoring normal and safe passage through the Strait as soon as possible is the common aspiration of the international community, and relevant parties should move toward each other and properly handle the matter.
At the regular press conference that day, a reporter asked: The United States, disregarding China's repeated objections, announced a maritime blockade on Iran. Will China take concrete measures to mitigate the impact of the U.S. blockade on Iran? Will China deepen economic and military cooperation with Iran? What measures will China take? Lin Jian said that China expresses deep concern over the recurrence of military conflict in the Gulf region, and calls on relevant parties to respond to the strong voices of the international community and the region for peace and stability, remain rational and exercise restraint, maintain the hard-won ceasefire situation, prevent the flames of war from reigniting, and still less should they allow the fighting to expand and harm the innocent. Respecting the legitimate rights and interests of the littoral states of the Strait of Hormuz and restoring normal and safe passage through the Strait as soon as possible is the common aspiration of the international community. Relevant parties should move toward each other and properly handle the matter. China is willing to continue to uphold the spirit of President Xi Jinping's four-point proposition (四点主张) and make unremitting efforts to promote the de-escalation and stabilization of the situation in the Middle East and the Gulf region.
Return to TopXinhua News Agency, Havana, July 13 (reporters Li Zijian (李子健), Jiang Biao (蒋彪)) The Cuban government on the 13th condemned the United States’ announcement the same day expanding the scope of sanctions against Cuba to include multiple entities such as the Ministry of Tourism of Cuba (古巴旅游部).
Cuban President Diaz-Canel stated on the 13th through social media that the issuance by the United States of a new sanctions list targeting Cuba is another measure in launching economic war and attempting to strangle Cuba’s economy. The U.S. side continuously escalates its suppression of Cuba, seeking to further harm the interests of the Cuban people. In recent days, Cuba has already condemned this “genocidal” plot by the United States at the United Nations.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury issued an announcement earlier the same day, adding multiple government agencies, state-owned enterprises, and social organizations, including the Ministry of Tourism of Cuba and the Association of Combatants of the Cuban Revolution (古巴革命战士协会), to the sanctions list, further expanding the scope of sanctions against Cuba. On June 4, the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury issued an announcement, declaring the inclusion of five individuals including Diaz-Canel and five entities on the sanctions list.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 郑 翔
A recent press communiqué released by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) states that the Lake Chad Basin in Africa is falling into a dual dilemma of security and humanitarian crises. From January 2024 to April 2026, recorded security incidents in the region increased significantly, with an increase as high as 80%. In the period from September 2025 to May 2026 alone, nearly 1,800 security incidents were recorded, causing the deaths of more than 5,700 people. The escalation of violence has forced more than 3.5 million people to become displaced, while another 8.2 million are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.
The Lake Chad Basin is located at the junction of four countries: Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria; the borders drawn by great powers during the colonial period forcibly divided ethnic groups and economic networks, planting long-term hidden dangers. In recent years, the area of Lake Chad has continued to shrink, and the sharp reduction in water resources has intensified the struggle for resources between farmers and herders, as well as among coastal states. The extremist organization "Boko Haram," active in northeastern Nigeria, has taken advantage of the situation to grow in strength, and its violent activities have spread from Nigeria to the entire Lake Chad Basin. According to the communiqué, the focus of the recent crisis remains in Borno State, Nigeria. Armed groups frequently launch attacks and government troops continuously conduct mopping-up operations, and coupled with the perilous nature of escape routes, a large number of people have been forced to flee, and humanitarian relief is also seriously obstructed. Violence and instability are spreading from the northeast to the northwest and central regions, and the struggle for resources is becoming increasingly fierce.
Violent activities have also triggered cross-border chain reactions, spilling over into neighboring countries. According to statistics, more than 16,000 people have already fled into the Diffa region of Niger to escape the flames of war in northeastern Nigeria; the Far North region of Cameroon is frequently subjected to attacks, kidnappings, and looting, with the number of displaced persons constantly increasing; attacks and military operations alternate in the Lake Chad area, which has already caused approximately 60,000 people to be displaced, and the local area entered a state of emergency after a military stronghold was attacked this May. Displaced persons and returning residents generally lack protection services, migration channels are restricted, and their situation is becoming increasingly difficult.
Monitoring data shows that 1/5 of households in the disaster-affected areas of the Lake Chad Basin no longer consider surrounding communities to be safe; the risk of violence faced by women continues to rise, and the situation of children is particularly vulnerable; for example, 1/4 of communities have unaccompanied or separated children, about half of the children in heavily affected areas are out of school, and the school dropout rate in the Lake Chad area exceeds 78%.
Facing the continuously deteriorating situation, the Lake Chad Basin Commission passed version 2.0 of the "Regional Strategy for Stabilization, Recovery, and Resilience" in January 2025, which covers four major priority areas: peace and security, solutions for displaced persons, socio-economic recovery, and regional governance, aiming to simultaneously address the outward manifestations of instability and the deep-seated driving factors. The Multinational Joint Task Force, established in 2014, is the core mechanism of security cooperation in the Lake Chad region and is a key force in combating the extremist organizations "Boko Haram" and the "Islamic State West Africa Province." To continue this critical security mechanism, the African Union Peace and Security Council held a meeting in December 2025 and formally decided to extend the mandate of the Multinational Joint Task Force for another 12 months, valid from February 1, 2026, to January 31, 2027.
Currently, UNHCR is cooperating with the governments of Chad, Cameroon, Niger, and Nigeria to provide relevant protection and assistance to displaced persons. In January this year, the European Union announced the allocation of a 557 million euro humanitarian assistance budget to the West Africa and Central Africa regions. However, the communiqué shows that the relevant funding gap remains enormous, and UNHCR urgently needs to obtain 29 million US dollars by the end of 2026 to maintain critical actions and sustain core protection and assistance in high-risk areas. Sun Lei, the Deputy Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations, stated at the Security Council open meeting on the Central Africa issue that the Chinese side supports the United Nations Regional Office for Central Africa and regional organizations such as the Lake Chad Basin Commission in strengthening coordination, pooling more resources, and jointly responding to security challenges such as terrorism and transnational organized crime. The international community should effectively increase technical and financial support for the Multinational Joint Task Force to help regional countries enhance their counter-terrorism and border control capabilities.
Return to TopXinhua News Agency, London, July 14 — (Reporters Zhao Yang (赵阳), Zhang Yadong (张亚东)) The British Financial Times reported on the 13th that, because they rushed to stockpile ahead of the EU ban taking effect, EU countries’ imports of liquefied natural gas from Russia’s Yamal project (亚马尔项目) hit a record high in the first half of this year.
Statistics from the international market service firm Kepler Company (克普勒公司) show that from January to June this year, EU imports of natural gas from Russia’s Yamal project reached a record 9.89 million tons, a year-on-year increase of 18 percent. The total amount the EU paid for this batch of LNG was as high as approximately 6 billion euros. Among them, France, Belgium, and Spain were the main importers, with imports in the first half of 2026 reaching 3.6 million tons, 2.9 million tons, and 2.7 million tons respectively.
The EU has banned imports of Russian LNG under short-term contracts since April, but imports under long-term contracts may continue until January 1, 2027.
Return to TopPromoting green and low-carbon economic and social development is a key link in achieving high-quality development. In recent years, Baixiang Food Co., Ltd. (白象食品股份有限公司, hereinafter referred to as ‘Baixiang Food’) has integrated green and low-carbon concepts into product design, production operations, consumer communication and other links, continuously explored green transformation paths, and is committed to continuously transmitting green environmental protection concepts to consumers.
Starting from packaging design, improve resource recycling utilization rate. Baixiang Food started with instant noodle packaging film, promoted packaging material and structure optimization, moved the requirements for recycling and regeneration forward to the product packaging design stage, and uniformly replaced the original multi-layer composite film of different materials with a single-material composite film, enhancing the recycling utilization rate of packaging from the source. In December 2024, Baixiang Food’s instant noodle packaging film obtained the ‘Double Easy’ certification (塑料制品易回收易再生设计认证, plastic products easy to recycle and easy to design certification) certificate issued by international certification body TÜV Rheinland, and achieved the ‘Excellent’ rating. Currently, Baixiang Food has applied the ‘Double Easy’ logo to the packaging of its main products such as ‘Soup Delicious’, ‘Spicy Diva’, ‘Cilantro Noodles’, and will expand application to categories such as dried noodles. In addition, Baixiang Food also promotes packaging reduction at the source through packaging structure design, packaging specification optimization, new material substitution and other methods. On the basis of ensuring product safety, transportation circulation and consumer experience, it continuously reduces the amount of plastic and paper used, reduces unnecessary resource consumption, and contributes to the development of the circular economy.
Start from production and manufacturing, consolidate the foundation for green development. The green and low-carbon practice of a pack of instant noodles is not only reflected in the packaging that consumers finally see, but also runs through the entire process of product production and manufacturing. Packaging material optimization is an intuitive achievement of Baixiang Food’s green development, while resource conservation, efficient energy use and environmental governance in the production process are important supports for Baixiang Food to consolidate the foundation of green development. In terms of energy saving in production and manufacturing, Baixiang Food implements refined energy management and control, deploys a three-level metering system of ‘plant-level, workshop-level, production line-level’ in its factories nationwide, and continuously tracks and optimizes energy consumption data in each link. On this basis, Baixiang Food promotes energy-saving renovations in areas such as centralized cooling, cold storage and energy storage, graded gas supply, efficient machine rooms, and smart lighting, so that energy saving and consumption reduction are implemented in more production details. For example, in response to the problem of large steam consumption in the cooking process during instant noodle production, Baixiang Food promotes the construction of waste steam recovery systems in multiple factories across the country, recovering and reusing the waste heat generated in the cooking process to reduce steam consumption per unit product. In terms of digital management, Baixiang Food takes new factories as pilots to build a digital energy management platform integrating real-time energy consumption monitoring, anomaly warning, data analysis, and intelligent linkage control, dynamically managing energy usage in the production process, promptly detecting anomalies, analyzing causes, and promoting optimization and adjustment through intelligent linkage control. Combining preventive maintenance of equipment and production site management, Baixiang Food continuously improves the energy management efficiency of factories, promoting green manufacturing from experience-based management to data-based management. In terms of clean energy utilization, Baixiang Food advances simultaneously from both clean electricity and green heating. On one hand, it actively promotes the construction of distributed photovoltaic power generation projects in multiple factories nationwide, connecting clean electricity to factory production electricity scenarios, further optimizing the enterprise’s energy structure. On the other hand, it promotes the application of biomass boilers in multiple production bases, exploring the use of renewable energy to enhance green heating capacity. For example, Baixiang Food’s Nanjing factory has built a supporting biomass boiler to provide steam for cooking, sterilization, sauce making and other processes, optimizing the production heating energy structure, reducing carbon emissions in the heating process, and improving the green and low-carbon level of the production process. From packaging design source optimization to refined production and manufacturing control, Baixiang Food is committed to reducing resource consumption and improving resource utilization efficiency throughout the product life cycle, promoting green and low-carbon development.
Extend from product touchpoints, transmit green consumption concepts. Baixiang Food, through the ‘Double Easy’ packaging logo, transmits environmental protection concepts to the public in daily consumption scenarios, promoting green packaging products to become recognizable daily choices for consumers. Now, Baixiang Food is integrating green and low-carbon concepts into all aspects such as product design, production manufacturing, and consumer communication. From packaging source to production and manufacturing, it is committed to reducing resource consumption and improving resource recycling utilization rate, continuously promoting packaging to be easier to recycle, production to be more energy-saving, and green consumption concepts to be transmitted to more consumers, assisting the green and low-carbon transformation of the food industry. In the future, Baixiang Food will continue to deeply implement the green development concept, actively implement the ‘dual carbon’ strategy (双碳), and continuously contribute to high-quality economic and social development.
Data source: Baixiang Food
Return to TopBy: 韩 鑫
This summer, a super heatwave swept across Europe. Beneath the heatwave, Chinese products represented by air conditioners became what local residents call a "rigid demand for escaping the heat," and in major European shopping malls, "a single unit is hard to find."
Phenomenal explosive popularity has never been merely a product victory. Dissecting the deeper reasons for the overseas popularity of heat-avoidance products can better reveal the internal logic behind the global renown of "Made in China."
"A single unit is hard to find" highlights the adaptability of Made in China.
Why are Chinese air conditioners sought after? A user commented: "It precisely solves a series of problems that are truly real for European families." It turns out that due to constraints such as the inability to damage building facades and high installation costs, the ownership rate of air conditioners in European households has always been low. The mobile split-type air conditioner launched by Chinese companies requires no drilling, is easy to install, energy-saving and noise-reducing — the product is marketable and suitable, and it sold out and became popular in one go.
"Understand what you need, manufacture what you seek" — strong market adaptability is precisely the core competitiveness of current Made in China as it strides overseas. Not just air conditioners, but also fans that can spray mist, solar-powered fans, outdoor portable ice makers... Surveying these heat-avoidance products that are highly popular overseas, they rely not on unattainable "black technology," but on a keen sense for discovering blind spots in demand, clever ideas that accurately heal market pain points, and real skills that genuinely solve user problems. It can be said that a sharper "nose" and faster "hands and feet" keep Made in China perpetually vibrant.
"A single unit is hard to find" mirrors the stability of Made in China.
The overseas journey of one air conditioner inscribes a rapid relay across mountains and seas. Taking Midea as an example, leveraging the "local R&D" model, it completed the first prototype within two weeks; relying on the advantages of industrial clusters, core components are 就地取材 (jiù dì qǔ cái - "obtain materials locally," to use local resources) and assembled quickly; by utilizing rail-water intermodal transport, logistics efficiency is higher and costs lower... From core technology R&D and large-scale mass production, to rapid order response and cross-border logistics distribution, the complete industrial and supply chain system allows Made in China to quickly achieve product iteration and production capacity expansion.
From "being able to produce" to "supplying quickly," solid industrial stability constitutes the hardcore support for Made in China's popularity overseas. Stretching the industrial observation window longer, from electric-assist bicycles becoming popular overseas, "three-wheelers" (三蹦子) winning fans in Europe and America, to heaters selling well in Europe... Whenever there is a demand gap in the international market, Made in China can always fill in and seize the position in time. As domestic products go overseas and "launch new items" successively, the resilience of China's industrial system is constantly being tested and continuously transformed into competitive advantages in the global market. A solid "chassis" and strong "bones and muscles" make Made in China a stable anchor for the global supply chain.
"A single unit is hard to find" marks the innovation capability of Made in China.
"800 euros rose to 2000 euros, and there is a complete stockout" "Price doubled, yet still a single unit is hard to find"... Not competing on price but on value, not competing on parameters but on innovation — the hot sale of heat-avoidance products in Europe becomes a vivid portrayal of the anti-involution in China's manufacturing industry. As the American Wall Street Journal said, China's home appliance manufacturing advantages are not only reflected in cost, but also in complete supply chains, scale manufacturing, and continuous innovation capability.
After years of development, today China has occupied over 80% of global household air conditioner production capacity, and about 90% of air conditioner compressor production capacity. Facing fierce competition in mature markets, some of our home appliance companies have jumped out of the quagmire of stock game, using precise innovation to open incremental tracks, thereby opening up new market spaces and winning new growth dividends. From this perspective, the impressive answer sheet submitted by Chinese enterprises in response to the European heatwave is actually a powerful testament to China's transformation from a traditional "world factory" to a global "innovation engine."
From low-price involution to innovation breakthrough, from homogeneous copying to customization empowerment, as the pace of moving toward "new" and climbing "high" accelerates, today's Made in China is no longer just a synonym for "cost performance." The "hard power" that combines technological height, industrial depth, and response speed is becoming the new advantage of Made in China.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 刘志强 姚雪青
At present, among thousands of trades and industries, which industry can be called “hot”? Some people choose new energy vehicles and humanoid robots, but many others will turn their gaze toward an important traditional industry — shipbuilding.
In these past two years, Chinese ships have indeed been quite hot —
Looking at market conditions, the three major indicators have all grown. In the first quarter of this year, China’s shipbuilding completion volume, new order volume, and order book volume increased by 46.0%, 195.2%, and 43.6% year-on-year respectively, and their shares of the world total were 57.3%, 84.9%, and 69.8% respectively, leading globally in market share.
Looking at products, new records have emerged one after another. On April 26, China’s first 180,000 cubic meter LNG (liquefied natural gas) carrier ‘Georgetown’ (乔治敦号) was delivered; on May 15, the first 24,000 TEU-class dual-fuel container ship built by a private Chinese shipyard made its maiden voyage; on May 27, the second domestically built large cruise ship ‘Ada Floral City’ (爱达·花城号) completed its sea trials and is scheduled for delivery in November…
Why are Chinese ships so hot? Our reporter conducted an investigation.
“What cannot be built” is becoming less, “what can be built” is getting better.
Stepping into Dock No. 2 of Nantong COSCO KHI Shipyard (南通中远川崎) in Jiangsu Province, the third 24,000 TEU methanol dual-fuel container ship is undergoing final assembly. On June 25, the lead ship of the series of seven vessels, the ‘Oriental Wisdom’ (东方智慧), had just been delivered.
“‘Oriental Wisdom’ is equipped with the world’s largest methanol dual-fuel main engine, auxiliary engines, and boiler. We spent three years on independent research and development, producing a solution that takes into account environmental protection, economy, and adaptability,” said Li Yong (李勇), deputy general manager of Nantong COSCO KHI Shipyard. The company’s two docks are building at full capacity, and orders have been scheduled into 2030.
Dalian, Liaoning; Nantong, Jiangsu; Shanghai; Guangzhou, Guangdong… At present, many shipbuilding bases are operating at full capacity, and orders at backbone enterprises are generally scheduled into 2030. This situation of booming production and sales is highly correlated with the sustained upward trend in market demand.
The shipbuilding industry has the characteristic of strong cyclicality. At the beginning of the new century, China’s shipbuilding industry entered an upward cycle of about 10 years. Around 2010, affected by the international financial crisis, enterprises gradually worked through their order books, and the entire industry fell into a downturn. From 2016 to 2018, some shipyards saw their docks “sunbathing.”
“Since 2021, the global newbuilding market has experienced sustained growth for five consecutive years. The order books of major shipbuilding countries are saturated, and Chinese enterprises have seized the opportunity to further consolidate their leading position,” said Zheng Yiming (郑一铭), assistant to the secretary general of the China Association of the National Shipbuilding Industry (中国船舶工业行业协会).
From the perspective of the international market, multiple factors jointly support the return of a high boom cycle: as the average age of the global fleet increases, merchant ship replacement brings new demand; the International Maritime Organization has put forward a vision to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions from international shipping by around 2050, and a large number of ships face the need for renewal; orders for bulk carriers and container ships have grown significantly after the pandemic, and demand for LNG carriers and oil tankers has also increased due to geopolitical conflicts.
Demand has ups and downs, market conditions have fluctuations — that is the law of the market. Being able to seize opportunities and ride the momentum, “Chinese ships” rely more on hard-core strength.
Holding nearly 60 LNG carrier orders awaiting construction, ranking first in the world by total capacity according to tank volume statistics, and with a product spectrum covering all categories of conventional large and very large LNG carriers… These orders demonstrate the position of China State Shipbuilding Corporation’s Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding (沪东中华造船) in the LNG carrier sector. From importing and digesting technology to leading globally in multiple technologies, Hudong-Zhonghua has successfully entered the first tier of this sub-sector, and has now compressed the world record for constructing a 174,000 cubic meter LNG carrier to 16 months.
“What cannot be built” is becoming less, “what can be built” is getting better. From very large LNG carriers to polar icebreaking research vessels, from domestically built aircraft carriers to large cruise ships, China has already acquired the capability for full-spectrum assembly and construction of marine products, laying the foundation for seizing the opportunities of the global shipping industry’s green transformation and the new upward cycle of the newbuilding market.
More high-end products, higher construction efficiency.
Visiting the front line of shipbuilding, the reporter intuitively felt that over these years, the incremental progress of the entire industry is converging into a “collective leap,” helping Chinese ships set sail and voyage far.
—— Accelerated technology research and development, more high-end products.
In Lüsi Port (吕四港), Qidong City, Nantong, the newly invested offshore equipment base of Wison Clean Energy Technology Group (惠生清洁能源科技集团) is undergoing trial production. This private enterprise, founded in 2004, focused on marine engineering from the very beginning, and its business has since continuously developed in the direction of high-end and specialization. It currently focuses on FLNG (floating liquefied natural gas production, storage and offloading units), floating production storage and offloading facilities, etc. “By overcoming the application of liquefaction processes and ultra-low temperature tank technology, we successfully signed the first large-scale FLNG project undertaken by a Chinese company as a general contractor, breaking the monopoly of foreign shipbuilders,” said Li Linwei (李林威), assistant general manager of Wison Qidong Offshore Equipment Base.
By pioneering and innovating, the space becomes broader. China’s shipbuilding enterprises have been deeply cultivating and meticulously working in areas such as the application of green and low-carbon technologies and the research and development of high-end ship types, successively delivering a series of new high-end, intelligent, and green equipment. For example, dual-fuel passenger and roll-on/roll-off ferries, large LNG dual-fuel car carriers, and very large ethane carriers have all been delivered in batches. In terms of special vessels and offshore equipment, large deep-sea fishery farming vessels, launch vehicle recovery vessels, and deep-sea green intelligent technology test vessels have also been delivered one after another.
—— Intelligent manufacturing empowers, higher construction efficiency.
Robots automatically sort, AGV automatic guided vehicles shuttle back and forth, work orders drive overhead cranes to automatically feed materials, cutting machines intelligently schedule and automatically plan production… At the laser welding thin plate production line of China Merchants Shipbuilding (招商船舶) Haimen (海门) Base in Jiangsu, steel plates are automatically processed into various shaped thin ship plates. Local deformation is controlled within ±2 millimeters, and the block fabrication cycle is reduced by 50% compared with traditional workshops.
For shipbuilding enterprises, shorter delivery cycles and lower labor costs are key to competition. In recent years, backbone ship enterprises have actively introduced bar/profile cutting robot production lines, intelligent painting lines, digital welding machines, flexible manufacturing intelligent welding robots and other equipment, driving efficiency improvement across the entire chain through improvements in individual segments, effectively compressing delivery cycles and costs.
—— Supporting industries are increasingly complete, overall strength is stronger.
Marine engines are the “super heart” of 10,000-ton giant ships. With a single-cylinder power of 1,150 kilowatts, total power of 9,200 kilowatts, and a localization rate of 95%… The 8-cylinder 450DF dual-fuel diesel engine developed by China Shipbuilding Power (中船动力) Zhenjiang Company was delivered, filling the domestic gap in high-power medium-speed engine technology.
Ultra-low temperature valves that can withstand minus 163 degrees Celsius are called the “heart valves” of large LNG carriers. In May this year, the ‘Princess of Johor’ (柔佛公主号), built by Hudong-Zhonghua Company, became the first domestic LNG carrier to achieve full-spectrum installation of domestically produced ultra-low temperature valves in its cargo hold core systems.
Shipbuilding is a “giant system engineering” project, with many components, a long industrial chain, and strong radiating and driving effects. In recent years, complete machine and component enterprises, equipment and user enterprises have coordinated efforts and moved toward each other, achieving breakthroughs in domestic marine main engines, marine boilers, marine cranes, marine gas supply systems and other equipment, further strengthening the systemic advantages of Chinese ships.
Do well in the present, and also seize the future.
Strong demand brings ample orders, a stable renminbi exchange rate benefits foreign trade exports, and low steel prices increase profit margins — in the view of Li Yanqing (李彦庆), vice president and secretary general of the China Association of the National Shipbuilding Industry, the industry’s good situation cannot be separated from the assistance of multiple favorable factors in the short term. “For the shipbuilding industry, which is highly cyclical, how to forge stronger strength and successfully navigate through the cycle is a question more worthy of consideration.”
On the one hand, we must do well in the present and ensure “guaranteeing delivery of ships, fast delivery of ships, good delivery of ships.”
With order books at high levels and new orders continuously arriving, many enterprises have heavy production tasks. Li Yanqing stated that shipbuilding enterprises should, on the basis of ensuring safe production, do a good job of industrial chain and supply chain management, using market-based means to reduce the impact of material cost fluctuations. At the same time, accelerate intelligent transformation, digital transformation, and network connectivity, promote the application of intelligent robots and automated production lines, continuously improve enterprise production and management efficiency, and ensure stable delivery of orders.
On the other hand, we must seize the future and strive to cultivate new growth points.
In technology, promote artificial intelligence empowerment of shipbuilding, enhance independent innovation capabilities.
On the curved large screen, simulated scenes of maritime navigation are displayed, with occasional scenarios of ships meeting head-on, overtaking, and crossing. This is a ship intelligent navigation experiment conducted by China Merchants Industry Intelligent Technology Company (招商工业智能科技公司). Through the fusion of “radar + electronic chart + vision,” the laboratory can achieve verification of functions such as intelligent ship perception, autonomous collision avoidance, and autonomous route planning, laying the foundation for real ship application. “After the application of the intelligent navigation system, it can both reduce the burden on crew and ensure navigation safety.” In the view of Tan Zhurong (谭柱荣), deputy general manager of the company, artificial intelligence is profoundly affecting thousands of industries, and shipbuilding enterprises should actively embrace cutting-edge technology.
In business methods, innovate concepts, optimize services, and increase the intensity of international operations.
In the offshore engineering industry, the launch of a project often means the end of the general contracting project, but Hanchen Elite Marine Engineering (Jiangsu) Co., Ltd. (瀚辰精英海洋工程（江苏）有限公司), located in the Nantong Innovation Zone, regards it as a new beginning.
At the end of 2025, the company won the bid for a floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) project from Petronas, Malaysia’s national oil company, with a contract signed for 15 years — covering the entire process of design, procurement, construction, installation, commissioning, leasing, operation and maintenance. This project uses, for the first time on an FPSO, the domestically manufactured “Taihang 7” (太行7) gas turbine and centrifugal compressor, allowing Chinese high-end equipment to “go to sea on the same ship” along with engineering services.
“The competition in the future shipbuilding industry is essentially a competition of service systems,” said Lin Chen (林晨), director of the Talent, Science and Technology (Investment Promotion) Bureau of Nantong Innovation Zone. The Nantong Innovation Zone has gathered more than 30 service enterprises related to shipbuilding, forming an industrial chain from ship design and engineering general contracting to artificial intelligence empowerment and professional supporting services. The China Association of the National Shipbuilding Industry stated that ship enterprises should increase international operations, accelerate the construction of global marketing and service networks, promote the construction of overseas R&D centers, and enhance the ability to explore international markets.
Technological breakthroughs, delivery of new ships, and new orders received — the miracle of Chinese shipbuilding continues to be written. By building on strengths to lengthen long planks, and tackling difficulties to compensate for shortcomings, Chinese ships, already leading the world, will sail into even broader waters.
Return to TopBy: 姚 鹏
Nishan is majestic, Sishui is vast. As the hometown of Confucius and the birthplace of Confucian culture, Qufu is located in the hinterland of southwestern Shandong, with Mount Tai to the north and Sishui to the east. This small city, thick with historical and cultural atmosphere, has neither the convenience of major rivers for boat transportation nor abundant energy and mineral reserves, yet by relying on its unique Confucian cultural charm, it has transformed the millennia-old soft power of thought and culture into a core competitive strength for urban development, forging a unique culture-driven openness path.
“The passing of time is like this, never ceasing day or night.” More than 2,000 years ago, Confucius stood on the bank of the Sishui River, expressing not only the humanistic philosophy of irreversible time, but also sowing the seeds of Confucian cultural thought into this land of Qufu. As a typical inland hinterland agricultural region, Qufu would have been vulnerable to a closed geographical environment, but the inclusive spirit of Confucian thought—“Is it not a joy to have friends come from afar?”—gave Qufu the cultural gene to break geographical barriers and engage in exchange and mutual learning with external civilizations. From the spread of Confucian thought along the Silk Road during the Han and Tang dynasties to Shandong merchants going across the world with the creed of seeking profit through righteousness during the Ming and Qing dynasties, on this land between Nishan and Sishui, Qufu has carried the path of historical civilization’s open evolution with its Confucian cultural heritage.
Today’s Qufu sees high-quality development and high-level openness advancing side by side, transforming the soft power of traditional Confucian culture into new momentum for regional economic openness, cultivating new quality productive forces according to local conditions, and reshaping the open pattern of inland cities.
“Culture sets the stage, economy performs the play.” Relying on the China International Confucius Cultural Festival and the Nishan Forum on World Civilizations, Qufu, with its urban character of “integrity, inclusiveness, openness, and enterprising spirit,” builds a city card for global civilizational exchange, mutual learning, and ideological collision. With cultural tourism as a bridge and culture as a matchmaker, Sino-foreign cultural exchange has naturally become a “heart-connecting bridge” for Qufu’s foreign economic and trade cooperation. The fusion of Confucian cultural thought and world civilizational thought drives technology and talent to cross mountains and seas, allowing Qufu to seize the initiative in higher-level opening up.
Riding the east wind of the digital economy, Qufu, using cutting-edge technologies such as VR (Virtual Reality) and AR (Augmented Reality), through digital tours that blend virtual and real, dynamic scene restoration, and immersive interactive experiences, has brought to life the millennia-silent scenes of Confucius lecturing by the Apricot Altar at the “Three Confucian Sites” scenic area, becoming a new direction for breaking the “dimensional wall” and reaching the whole world. From the “Confucian Temple Blessings” cultural creative products to the 金声玉振 (jīn shēng yù zhèn - “golden sound, jade vibration,” a phrase describing the complete and harmonious music of Confucian rites) artistic performance, “cultural going to sea” is becoming a new engine for economic breakthroughs in Qufu and the entire Jining city. In 2025, Jining was successfully selected as one of the top 100 tourist cities in China. The topic “Cultural China Tour, Welcome to Jining” has accumulated over 2 billion views on overseas social platforms, driving cultural trade exports to rise year after year.
Qufu’s cultural heritage has also shaped a business environment of honest Confucian merchants and trustworthy Qufu. The Confucian advocacy of “speaking must be trustworthy, acting must be resolute” is precisely the credit cornerstone of a modern market economy. Qufu has integrated 重信守诺 (zhòng xìn shǒu nuò - “value trust, keep promises”) into government services and market regulation, striving to create a business environment that is “both caring and symbiotic,” sharing risks and creating the future together with enterprises, attracting a large number of high-end equipment manufacturing, new energy, green and low-carbon enterprises to settle.
From the banks of Sishui, where 弦歌不辍 (xián gē bù chuò - “stringed instruments and singing do not stop,” referring to continuous cultural education or teaching), to directly connecting with global cultural going to sea. Between Nishan and Sishui, Qufu cultivates strong momentum for opening up on the land of Qilu, continuing to write a chapter of high-level openness where culture and economy blend and coexist.
(The author is Deputy Dean and Professor of the School of Economics, Qufu Normal University. Wang Zhe, a reporter for this newspaper, conducted the interview and compiled the article.)
Return to TopBy: 王 珂
In June this year, the National Bureau of Statistics (国家统计局) released the "total retail sales of consumer goods and services (社会消费商品和服务零售总额)" indicator for the first time; from January to May, total retail sales of consumer goods and services increased by 2.8% year-on-year. This adjustment in statistical caliber reflects the profound changes taking place in China's consumption structure—consumption is no longer simply equivalent to "buying goods," and the total retail sales of consumer goods can no longer fully depict the complete picture of consumption. Observing consumption and grasping trends from the overall perspective of "goods + services" can provide a more comprehensive understanding of the resilience and potential of China's consumer market.
Currently, demand for service consumption is rapidly being released, becoming an important force supporting consumption growth. From January to May, retail sales of services increased by 5.4% year-on-year, significantly higher than the 1.2% growth rate of retail sales of goods. Among them, retail sales of tourism-related consulting and leasing services, and cultural, sports and leisure services all achieved double-digit growth. From 2020 to 2025, China's per capita consumption expenditure on services grew at an average annual rate of 8.5%, demonstrating strong growth momentum. In 2025, the proportion of per capita consumption expenditure on services in per capita consumption expenditure was 46.1%, approaching "半壁江山 (bàn bì jiāng shān - 'half of the country's territory,' a large part)" of residents' consumption. Sets of data confirm the change in consumption structure. From growth rate to proportion, from structure to contribution, service consumption is increasingly becoming an important engine for high-quality economic development.
Examining from a longer cycle, the rise of service consumption is an inevitable law of economic development. As China's per capita GDP (gross domestic product) continues to grow, residents' consumption is upgrading from "whether there is or not" to "whether it is good or not," expanding from material satisfaction to spiritual pursuit. The demand for personalized, diversified, and high-quality service consumption products is increasingly strong, and service consumption demand for cultural tourism, health and elderly care, education and training, sports and leisure is accelerating release. From "owning a commodity" to "enjoying a period of time," the balance of consumption is rapidly tilting toward services. It can be said that the weight of service consumption in China's consumer market will become heavier and heavier, becoming an increasingly important dimension for observing the consumer market.
Service consumption and goods consumption are not a 此消彼长 (cǐ xiāo bǐ zhǎng - 'one declines while the other grows,' a zero-sum relationship) zero-sum game, but a symbiotic relationship of deep integration and mutual empowerment. In many scenarios in today's consumer market, it is already difficult to distinguish between goods expenditure and services expenditure. Buying a mobile phone comes with value-added services such as cloud storage, extended warranty, and trade-in; purchasing a home appliance includes full-cycle services such as installation, cleaning, and recycling; choosing a set of home furnishings comes with an overall solution including design, delivery, and installation. The deep integration of "goods + services" has given rise to more new scenarios and new business forms, not only redefining the connotation and boundaries of consumption but also continuously creating new growth points for consumption.
Whether it is service consumption or goods consumption, innovation is always the key variable. New supply matching new demand can stimulate greater new momentum. The lacquerware craft factory built in 1954 in Chengdu, Sichuan, has been renovated and upgraded into a "tea house complex," with Sichuan opera face-changing and kung fu tea art performed in turn, and time-honored snacks and intangible cultural heritage experiences 交相辉映 (jiāo xiāng huī yìng - 'mutually shine and reflect,' to complement each other), giving guests an immersive experience interwoven with "visual, auditory, and gustatory" sensations. The Liuzhou snail noodles (螺蛳粉) industrial park in Guangxi has launched a "factory + cultural tourism" experience tour, turning the industrial story of a bowl of noodles into a characteristic tourism IP (intellectual property). The intelligent robot-themed restaurant in Yizhuang (亦庄), Beijing, creates a smart dining scene with full-process robot service... Cultural empowerment integrates innovation, technological empowerment integrates development, and new integration paradigms emerge in multiple fields. The consumer market, 新意迭出 (xīn yì dié chū - 'new ideas emerge repeatedly,' full of novelty), continues to burst with vitality.
From "online retail sales" to "online retail sales of goods and services" and then to "total retail sales of consumer goods and services," behind the evolution of indicators is a deepening understanding of the laws of consumption development. China's economy is a vast ocean, and the super-large market is our significant advantage. Observing from the overall perspective of "goods + services," what we see is not only changes in statistical data but also the iteration of consumption concepts, the upgrading of industrial forms, and the transformation of development models. As residents' income continues to grow, the consumption structure continues to upgrade, and digital technology continues to penetrate, the space for the integrated development of "goods + services" will become broader. Following the trend of consumption upgrading, increasing the supply of high-quality services, and promoting the coordinated development of goods consumption and service consumption will fully release the potential of the super-large market and provide stronger impetus for high-quality development.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 钟自炜
Summer in the mountainous region of northern Fujian: bamboo waves surge, green fills the eyes.
In Nanping City, Fujian Province, “insert a carrying pole and it can sprout.” There are over 120 species of bamboo and 6.527 million mu (435,133 hectares) of bamboo forests; for every ten mao bamboos in the country, Nanping accounts for one.
Fine mountains and fine waters produce fine bamboo — thanks to the unique climatic advantages of the Wuyi Mountain range, the mao bamboo produced in Nanping has the characteristic advantages of “thick walls, long nodes, large diameter, and excellent quality,” combining high strength, high toughness, and high bending ductility, with excellent material properties and high yield.
Good bamboo fetches a good price — Nanping has turned small bamboo into a major industry, building a full-chain, multi-functional, high-value bamboo industry system, with a good bamboo continuously shooting up and growing. In 2025, the total output value of Nanping’s entire bamboo industry chain exceeded 50 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 8%.
Full-chain development, “squeezing dry” every bamboo
Stepping into the production workshop of Lianhua Qigong Food Co., Ltd. (联华七贡食品有限公司) in Jian’ou (建瓯市), Nanping, the fragrant aroma of fresh bamboo shoots instantly awakens the taste buds.
On the fully intelligent production line, manual operation is almost invisible: robotic arms grasp precisely, intelligent sorting systems operate efficiently, AI visual inspection strictly controls quality... Bamboo shoots clad in brown shells transform into delicious bamboo shoot foods through peeling, steaming, cutting, blanching, stir-frying, quick-freezing, and packaging.
“The bamboo shoot aroma drifting through the workshop is the strongest competitiveness of our products,” the company’s general manager, Lin Jingfu (林敬付), said with pride. Fresh bamboo shoots are prone to aging and preservation difficulties, which has long been an industry pain point. How to preserve the aroma of fresh bamboo shoots to the greatest extent hides the “black technology of freshness locking” innovatively used by the enterprise.
Lin Jingfu explained that according to traditional processes, after fresh bamboo shoots are steamed, they require a freezing process of several hours or even days. Lianhua Qigong, instead, uses an ultra-rapid extraction and cooling technology to instantly freeze the fresh and sweet flavor of bamboo shoots within a golden 3-hour window, achieving “no overnight fresh bamboo shoots.”
Ice crystals formed by conventional freezing can puncture cells, leading to a soft texture. The micro-crystal shock-freezing technology innovatively adopted by the enterprise controls the ice crystal diameter within 50 microns. “The ice crystal diameter is only half that of an ordinary strand of hair, better preserving the crisp and tender texture of bamboo shoot flesh and the fresh-sweet original flavor of amino acids,” Lin Jingfu said.
While the flavor of a bite of fresh bamboo shoot still lingers in the mouth, the view shifts to Furen Group Forest Industry Co., Ltd. (福人集团森林工业有限公司), where bamboo underutilized materials, once discarded as bamboo processing waste, are reborn.
“During the primary processing of bamboo, a large amount of bamboo shavings and other waste materials are generated. For a long time, most of them were randomly discarded or even burned, further producing dust and exhaust pollution,” said Duan Zhenguang (段珍光), deputy general manager of the company. “The moso bamboo in the Wuyi Mountain area has high density, sufficient toughness, and good stability. Such high-quality bamboo resources were being severely wasted, which we considered very regrettable.”
How to 变废为宝 (biàn fèi wéi bǎo - “turn waste into treasure”)? Through technological breakthroughs in production line setup, equipment selection, and process design, the enterprise successfully established a domestically leading large-scale bamboo shaving board production line, processing the former primary processing waste into high-end man-made panels.
This flagship product, named “Furen Bamboo Aroma Board” (福人竹香板), is not only resistant to deformation, water-resistant, and moisture-proof, but also carries a natural bamboo fragrance. “All our core production raw materials come from primary processing waste such as bamboo shavings and bamboo fragments, with an annual usage exceeding 200,000 tons,” Duan Zhenguang introduced. The product’s excellent performance has won market favor; it currently supplies well-known home furnishing enterprises such as IKEA, Jomoo, and Golden Home, and the company’s annual output value reaches 200 million yuan.
From a bite of fresh bamboo shoot just breaking through the soil to the recycling of bamboo underutilized materials, the approach of “squeezing dry” every bamboo reflects Nanping’s pace of high-quality development in the bamboo industry, promoting “full bamboo utilization” and “full-chain development.”
The bamboo industry chain is extending longer and longer. Currently, Nanping city has approximately 1,200 bamboo shoot and bamboo processing and supporting enterprises, making it one of the country’s major bamboo shoot and bamboo processing bases, forming a related industrial cluster of upstream bamboo slivers and bamboo chips, midstream bamboo plywood and reconstituted bamboo boards, and downstream bamboo furniture and bamboo handicrafts.
Enriching products, expanding application scenarios
Stepping into the “Wuyi Bamboo Cube” (武夷竹立方) Ecological Science and Technology Museum in Shaowu (邵武市), Nanping, a small gadget shaped like a long nail and seemingly inconspicuous is actually a “star product” here — this product, called a golf tee, is 7 cm long with a tee seat diameter of 1 cm. When inserted into the grass, it can support a golf ball and is a necessary item on the golf course. “Compared to traditional wooden tees and plastic tees, the biggest feature of our product is that it is entirely made of bamboo,” said Ye Xiaolu (叶小鹭), chairman of Fujian Rongyao Bamboo Industry Co., Ltd. (福建省荣耀竹业有限公司).
What are the advantages of bamboo tees? First, the price advantage from the material: Mao bamboo takes only 3 to 5 years to mature, far shorter than the maturation period of trees, with high recycling efficiency and raw material costs much lower than wooden tees.
More important is the product’s environmental advantage. “Compared to plastic tees, bamboo tees can fully degrade in the natural environment without needing to be recovered, achieving no residue and no pollution,” Ye Xiaolu said. “To further highlight the product’s environmental features, we replaced traditional oil-based printing with more eco-friendly water-based printing in product R&D, which was well received by the market, with sales last year exceeding 17 million yuan.”
“Wuyi Bamboo Cube” is a regional public brand built by Shaowu City. The 6,300-square-meter space of the “Wuyi Bamboo Cube” Ecological Science and Technology Museum has attracted more than 5,000 product types from over 200 bamboo product enterprises to be displayed, making it the largest bamboo product selection database in the country.
From traditional bamboo plates, chopsticks, chairs, and tables, to innovative bamboo straws and woven bamboo safety helmets, and then to dining rooms, bedrooms, tea rooms and other bamboo spaces carefully designed with integrated bamboo products — strolling through the museum, one bamboo here undergoes “72 transformations.” “We build a one-stop ‘buy globally, sell globally’ operation model, creating a full bamboo industry development integration platform that integrates display, experience, marketing, and event organization,” said Ge Wang (葛旺), general manager of Shaowu Bamboo Cube Brand Operation Co., Ltd. (邵武市竹立方品牌运营有限公司).
In “Wuyi Bamboo Cube,” the types of bamboo products are constantly enriched. In Jianyang District (建阳区), Nanping, bamboo materials are also seeking innovation and change.
Inside Fujian Zhuanghe Bamboo Industry Technology Co., Ltd. (福建省庄禾竹业科技有限公司), green and environmentally friendly outdoor landscape bamboo materials are being packaged; 90 containers of goods worth $2.7 million are about to be shipped to the Netherlands. As an enterprise mainly producing outdoor bamboo materials, over 80% of its products are for export, sold to overseas markets such as Europe and the Middle East.
How does the product win favor in overseas markets? “Large format, high strength,” said Zhan Lijun (詹丽君), assistant to the chairman of the company, pulling out a piece of bamboo board ready for shipment.
“Ordinary standard bamboo boards in China generally have a length of 1.86 meters and a thickness of about 2 cm,” Zhan Lijun said. “When connecting with the market, we discovered that overseas customers prefer longer and thicker boards.”
The change in product dimensions may seem like simple numbers, but behind it lie technical difficulties. “Outdoor bamboo boards require higher stability, rot resistance, durability, etc. Lengthening and thickening necessitate solving three major technical problems: uneven density, large fluctuations in mechanical properties, and susceptibility to mildew,” Zhan Lijun introduced.
Targeting innovation difficulties, in 2024 the enterprise, together with the International Center for Bamboo and Rattan, initiated a research project. In June 2025, combining scientific research results, it invested over 20 million yuan to upgrade and transform the production line, developed intelligent hot-pressing devices, optimized low-carbon and energy-saving hot-pressing processes, introduced composite modified green anti-mildew technology, and successfully developed outdoor large-format, high-strength reconstituted bamboo structural profiles. “Currently, our ultra-long boards can reach a length of 4.2 meters and a maximum thickness of 6 cm, and they have been well received by the market since launch,” Zhan Lijun said.
Constantly expanding the application scenarios of bamboo products, in Nanping, bamboo materials are radiating more possibilities. At present, the bamboo products produced in Nanping cover 4 major categories and 18 subcategories in the “List of Major Products for Bamboo as a Substitute for Plastic (2025 Edition),” spanning fields such as living, home furnishing, daily necessities, and fashion.
Technology empowers, industry growth momentum
At the beginning of this year, a bamboo-based tilt-rotor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) made its first successful flight in Tianjin, marking a major breakthrough in China’s application of bamboo-based composite materials in the aviation field. One of the enterprises participating in the R&D is from Nanping — Long Bamboo Technology Group Co., Ltd. (龙竹科技集团股份有限公司).
Entering the enterprise exhibition hall, this significant “bamboo-made aircraft” is placed in a prominent position — the whole aircraft weighs only 7 kg, has a level flight speed exceeding 100 km per hour, and a flight endurance of more than 1 hour. “The proportion of bamboo materials in the fuselage exceeds 25%, and the skin structure fully adopts independently developed high-performance bamboo-based composite materials, which is the first of its kind among global fixed-wing UAVs,” the relevant person in charge of the enterprise introduced. Thanks to the lightweight characteristics of bamboo-based materials, the finished UAV weighs more than 20% less than one using carbon fiber materials of the same specifications. The cost of bamboo-green veneer material is only about 1/4 of ordinary carbon fiber cloth, offering dual advantages in performance and cost.
Relying on traditional composite materials such as carbon fiber, the UAV industry has environmental challenges such as high energy consumption and difficulty in degradation. Bamboo-based composites, as a green, renewable, and biodegradable bio-based material, provide a solution for the green transformation of the industry. “In the future, the company will focus on the lightweight, green, and biodegradable characteristics of bamboo and expand cross-border applications to fields such as the low-altitude economy, new energy vehicles, and marine equipment,” said the relevant person in charge of Long Bamboo Technology.
Packaging, moving, loading onto trucks... At a postal express delivery station in Jianyang District, Nanping, a courier is working busily and orderly. The express bag he uses casually looks no different from ordinary plastic bags, but a careful sniff reveals a faint bamboo fragrance. The station is using a bamboo-based express bag jointly developed by Fujian Yangzhu New Material Technology Co., Ltd. (福建阳竹新材料科技有限公司) and the Postal Research Center of China Post Group Co., Ltd. (中国邮政集团有限公司).
“The main raw materials of bamboo-based express bags are green materials such as bamboo powder. Compared with ordinary plastic bags, they have advantages in price, performance, and environmental protection,” introduced Pan Tianbao (潘天宝), deputy general manager of Yangzhu New Material Technology Co., Ltd. In terms of price, production costs are 10% to 15% lower than plastic bags. In performance, toughness and puncture resistance are superior to traditional plastic bags, and they are not easily damaged. In environmental protection, they can fully degrade through industrial composting, soil burial, etc., leaving no microplastic residues.
Pan Tianbao said that cooperation has already been reached with 8 express delivery enterprises, including China Post. As of June this year, the industry has cumulatively piloted the distribution of over 50 million bamboo-based express bags, with a target for the full-year distribution in 2026 of no less than 200 million.
Developing new quality productive forces through technological innovation, in 2025, Nanping city’s bamboo industry newly signed 19 projects with a total investment of 3.86 billion yuan, covering the most cutting-edge development directions and product types in the global bamboo industry, such as bamboo-based composite materials, bamboo fiber extraction and application, engineering bamboo industrialization application, and bamboo fiber pipe production. The “Nanping City Bamboo Industry Hundred-Billion Action Plan” requires achieving a total output value of over 100 billion yuan for the entire bamboo industry chain in the city by 2030.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 齐志明
As the peak summer travel season approaches, the phenomenon of flight overbooking has once again entered the public view.
Flight overbooking refers to the practice of an airline selling more tickets for a given flight than the number of seats actually available, in order to avoid seats going unused. This is a routine sales strategy in the international civil aviation industry, aimed at reducing the waste of seats caused by passengers temporarily canceling their itineraries through scientific forecasting of cancellation rates, thereby improving resource utilization and operational efficiency.
To gain an in-depth understanding of consumers' awareness of ticket overbooking and their service experience in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, consumer associations in Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei recently jointly conducted a special survey on civil aviation ticket overbooking awareness. The results show that consumer demand for civil aviation in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region is strong, but consumers' awareness of rights protection still needs improvement — over 70% of passengers lack sufficient understanding of the legal rights they enjoy in overbooking situations and are confused about effective avenues for rights protection. In response, the three consumer associations have put forward requirements for standardized operations and issued consumer tips to guide passengers in clarifying the path to rights protection.
This survey was conducted around three major dimensions — passenger awareness, enterprise notification, and industry operations — and found that prominent issues are concentrated in four areas.
Passengers have limited understanding of the rules. The survey shows that although 84.85% of passengers have heard of ticket overbooking, 67.12% of passengers cannot fully grasp the rules of overbooking; regarding rights such as full refunds and ticket changes, accommodation and meal arrangements, and economic compensation after overbooking, only 26.96% of passengers have clear knowledge of them, leaving those who encounter overbooking vulnerable to difficulties in rights protection.
There are loopholes in the ticket purchase notification mechanism. 71.61% of passengers reported that the overbooking risk warning text was too small, placed in a hidden location, and had low recognition; 55.89% of passengers believed the wording was vague; 20.89% of passengers indicated that key information such as compensation standards and handling procedures was deliberately concealed, with some channels having no warning at all throughout the entire process. Additionally, approximately 40% of ticket purchase pages had default checkboxes checked, and 78.04% of passengers skipped the rule confirmation step.
There are information barriers in the industry, making overbooking difficult to detect. The routine overbooking rate in civil aviation is approximately 3%, but in this survey, passengers who could accurately identify an overbooking situation accounted for only 0.14%. Because airlines generally do not proactively inform passengers, and the boarding process also lacks clear warnings, the vast majority of passengers are unknowingly "overbooked."
Passenger attitudes are divided, but demands are concentrated. 32.88% of passengers clearly do not approve of overbooking and call for its abolition; 44.85% of passengers, although accepting of it, require improvements to the notification and compensation mechanisms. Passengers' core demands are highly unified: standardized operations, transparent notification, and reasonable compensation.
In accordance with the Civil Code and the Civil Aviation Law, the three consumer associations have clarified that passengers legally enjoy five rights when encountering overbooking:
The right to know. Throughout the entire process of ticket purchase, check-in, and boarding, airlines must prominently display the overbooking handling procedures and compensation standards.
The right to priority protection for special passengers. The principle of voluntariness must be followed throughout the handling process; the elderly, children, pregnant women, persons with disabilities, and passengers with urgent needs or connecting itineraries shall have priority for boarding, and they may not be forcibly denied boarding.
The right to free ticket disposal. Passengers may apply for a full free refund or ticket change, and airlines may not charge any additional fees.
The right to support for stranded passengers. For those unable to travel on the same day, the airline shall bear the costs of free accommodation, meals, and transportation.
The right to cash compensation and evidence collection. Passengers have the right to reject compensation in the form of points or vouchers and to request cash compensation; they may request the airline to issue a written document certifying denial of boarding, and retain evidence such as orders, audio, and video recordings.
The three consumer associations remind all consumers to prioritize purchasing tickets through official airline channels, proactively review overbooking terms; complete online check-in and seat selection in advance; monitor flight status in real time; for those with strict time requirements, they may prioritize choosing wide-body aircraft, midday flights, higher fare classes, or full-price tickets.
If a dispute arises, consumers may rationally assert their rights in accordance with the law: first, promptly retain evidence such as tickets, check-in records, on-site audio and video recordings, and receipts for expenses incurred while stranded; second, clearly raise demands on-site for free refunds and ticket changes, cash compensation, and guarantees for accommodation, meals, and transportation; third, if negotiations are unsuccessful, they may call the 12326 civil aviation service supervision hotline to report to the airline and the competent local civil aviation authority; fourth, if they have objections to the handling outcome, they may pursue the airline for breach of contract through arbitration or litigation.
The three consumer associations stated that they will take the implementation of the newly revised Civil Aviation Law as an opportunity to continue strengthening social supervision in the civil aviation consumption sector, optimize the travel consumption environment, and make every effort to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of passengers.
Return to TopBy: 徐 鲁
Xieyite (谢依特) is a small border village on the Pamir Plateau, 47 kilometers from the China-Kyrgyzstan border, under the jurisdiction of Kalajun Township (哈拉峻乡), Atushi City (阿图什市), Kizilsu Kirghiz Autonomous Prefecture (克孜勒苏柯尔克孜自治州), Xinjiang. Xieyite Primary School has nearly 300 pupils, the majority of whom are Kirghiz (柯尔克孜) children. Most of the children's fathers and mothers are formal border guards, stationed in the mountains all year round, patrolling the border for the country. The village primary school has 23 volunteer teachers from other regions of the country; they are members of the Volunteer Service Team of the Western Plan for Border Garrison and Education Support (戍边支教西部计划志愿者服务队). Their average age is also exactly 23, like seeds brought to the Pamir Plateau by spring.
Principal Muladili Aishantuer (木拉地力·艾山吐尔) and Teacher Wang Yizhi (王艺枝) took me to visit the homes of several border guards in succession. At the doorways of these households hung an "Excellent Border Guard Family" (优秀护边之家) honor plaque awarded by the government, each family having one or two border guards. On the walls of the living rooms of these border guards' homes, without exception, rows upon rows of eye-catching award certificates were posted. These were honors they had received in the village and township, and of course also included awards the children had earned at school.
The entire Kalajun Township has 12 villages and over 1,000 formal border guards. Maimaitiyusufu Tukalake (买买提玉苏甫·吐卡拉克), aged 42, is an outstanding border guard commended by the Kalajun Township government. He has been a border guard for over 10 years and has received the title of "Excellent Communist Party Member" selected township-wide many times. Last year, Maimaitiyusufu, together with several outstanding border guards selected from the township, was arranged by the prefectural government to fly to the capital Beijing for a visit for the first time. They arrived at Tiananmen Square at 2 a.m. to wait, and witnessed the flag-raising ceremony with their own eyes.
"Arriving at Tiananmen Square, it truly felt like returning to a mother's embrace, returning to a happy cradle — this is the glory of my life!" said Maimaitiyusufu, dressed in camouflage. His build was tall and sturdy, his face tanned a shiny dark black by the highland sun. As he spoke of the scene of witnessing the flag-raising and singing the national anthem with the crowd, this stalwart man's eyes held tears.
Maimaitiyusufu's daughter is already in her first year of senior high school, and his son is about to take the senior high school entrance examination. He said that both his daughter and son grew up on horseback while he was guarding the border. As soon as summer vacation starts, the two children go to live in the mountains, following him every day to patrol the border.
To date, Xieyite has had four generations of border guards. Before the country implemented the resident identity card system, the thing most cherished by young Kirghiz people was to possess a small "border guard certificate" (护边证). As he spoke, Maimaitiyusufu stood up and went into another room, bringing out two cloth bags. One cloth bag contained several old border guard certificates he had used, as well as a thick stack of commendation certificates and award citations he had received over the years. The other cloth bag held various award certificates his daughter and son had earned each year. As he displayed these treasured certificates and awards one by one, full pride and happiness were clearly written on his face.
"Guarding the border in the mountains all year round — you must have endured a lot of hardship, right?"
Maimaitiyusufu told me about a dangerous experience he had:
Once, a blizzard blocked the normal patrol route, so he had to take a motorcycle and detour through another county, going a long way around. Unexpectedly, because of the ice and snow cover, he and his motorcycle fell into an icy river. He was drenched all over, and the wet clothes froze into ice; he nearly froze to death on the ice surface. Even in such a critical moment, he still held the patrol logbook tightly against his chest. Fortunately, he had put the logbook into a plastic bag beforehand, so it was not soaked.
"The border guards take hardship as joy, all calling themselves people who can cure illness by drinking snow water," Principal Muladili told me.
"One beam cannot frame a house; it takes 100 beams, 1,000 beams to build a building. We endure hardship, first for national security, to protect the safety of the border, and then we hope the children will have a bright future and live happily. Seeing the children, like little lambs, gathering around the volunteer teachers and making progress every day — nothing makes us more happy and relieved. For us to endure some hardship, some cold, some suffering in the mountains — it's nothing," Maimaitiyusufu said.
Having said this, the simple man smiled and gave a thumbs-up to Teacher Wang Yizhi. "The entire village populace is very grateful to the volunteer teachers. They wrote a letter to General Secretary Xi Jinping, and the General Secretary noticed that near the China-Kyrgyzstan border there is our small village of Xieyite. The villagers' hearts are all warm!"
Leaving Maimaitiyusufu's home, Principal Muladili and Teacher Wang Yizhi took me into the home of another outstanding border guard.
The grandmother of this family was over 80 years old. She had three sons, plus daughters-in-law and grandchildren — all border guards. The whole family had seven members who were Communist Party members. Hearing that guests had arrived, the grandmother had early on put on a brand-new white headscarf and Kirghiz traditional dress with beautiful patterns and pleats, and received us with a beaming smile. The elder also, according to the highest Kirghiz etiquette, personally placed a brand-new "kalpak" (卡尔帕克) on my head — this is the most distinctive iconic white felt hat for Kirghiz men.
The shape of the white felt hat symbolizes the towering snowy mountains; the white represents white snow, and the black brim represents the earth and rivers. When taking photos at the doorway, the grandmother also specially brought out a colorful, intricately patterned reed mat she had hand-woven herself, used to decorate the yurt and serve as a photo backdrop.
That day, it happened that two of her border guard sons were at home resting. They deliberately put on camouflage uniforms and fastened their belts. The two brothers 一丝不苟 (yì sī bù gǒu - "not a single thread is careless," meticulous) fixed each other's hats and collar hooks, and then took a group photo with everyone.
Through their daughters' translation, the two brothers told us the story of their family's three-generation "relay" border guarding. During the conversation, the two little girls, as if by common consent, reminded their respective fathers: "Look, if you don't study Putonghua well, you can't even understand what the teacher says when she comes for a home visit."
Both fathers nodded with faces showing shame. One little girl told me that now, whenever her father and two uncles rest at home, they "borrow" the girls' Chinese language textbooks, starting from pinyin, learning Putonghua sentence by sentence.
The grandmother sat to one side, quietly listening to our conversation. Also sitting nearby and serving as our translator was Uncle Askar (艾斯卡尔), a retired veteran comrade from Kalajun Township. Askar said: "The grandmother's family, like other three-generation border guard families in Xieyite, has an unwritten 'family motto' — without the tranquility of the border, there is no stability of the country, and still less the happy life of the herders. This saying has been passed from grandfather to son, and from son to grandson; it has long been fused into the bloodline of the Kirghiz people."
"This is our promise to our mother, and also our promise to our country," said one of the grandmother's sons. Hearing what Askar and her son said, the grandmother's kindly smile shone with gratification.
Return to TopBy: 郭 华
"If Zhang Zhongjing were alive today, would he refuse to use clinical big data to analyze syndrome patterns from tens of thousands of patients? If Li Shizhen were alive today, would he refuse to use AI-assisted screening of candidate new drugs from 100,000 natural products?"
This was the deep question posed by Ji Guang, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and President of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, at the 2026 graduation ceremony to graduates about to take up posts saving lives and healing the wounded. His answer was: "I think they would not."
The president is right; of course they would not, because as masters of traditional Chinese medicine, they spent their lives exploring and innovating. Apart from realms they could not reach due to the limitations of their era and technological development, they constantly broke through old theories and practices and established new ideas and techniques. Zhang Zhongjing systematized scattered medical experience into a complete theoretical system, founding the "six-meridian pattern differentiation" (六经辨证) and establishing "correspondence between formula and pattern" (方证相应). He was also one of the earliest inventors of artificial respiration and enema. Li Shizhen made a historic breakthrough in the systematic organization and scientific classification of pharmaceutical knowledge. He established a new classification method, "separating families, grouping by categories, outlining the key links, and dividing the branches" (析族区类，振纲分目).
No one can deny the irreplaceable role of traditional Chinese medicine in the survival and reproduction of the Chinese nation. It is the "firewall" that enabled us to traverse plagues, wars, and famines, sustaining our bloodline unbroken. In the long agrarian civilization, Chinese medicine was even the fundamental safeguard for the nation's survival, holding up the sky of healthy existence in an era without antibiotics and microscopes.
However, Chinese medicine is not perfect. In modern and contemporary times, renowned Chinese medicine experts have all taken the promotion and development of Chinese medicine's original theories as their starting point, earnestly advocating and practicing the integration of Chinese and Western medicine, and seeking continuous progress in Chinese medicine. The Chinese medicine master Zhang Xichun, who served as the director of China's first modern Chinese medicine hospital, advocated "centering on Chinese medicine while referencing Western medicine" (衷中参西) and integrating Chinese and Western medicine. His lifelong work, Records of Chinese Medicine with Reference to Western Medicine (医学衷中参西录), profoundly influenced the development of Chinese medicine. The famous modern Chinese medicine practitioner Shi Jinmo founded the North China National Medical College (华北国医学院), where, while teaching Chinese medical classics such as the Treatise on Cold Damage (伤寒论), he introduced courses in anatomy and physiology, cultivating a new generation of Chinese medicine practitioners.
The history of the development of Chinese medicine is a history of continuous innovation. It has never been 故步自封 (gù bù zì fēng - "stand still and refuse to make progress," complacent and conservative) and has never rejected the application of advanced technology. Take acupuncture, for example. It is one of the oldest therapeutic measures in Chinese medicine, and precisely for this reason, its evolution clearly records the forward march of Chinese medicine. In the Neolithic Age, materials at hand were used — bian stones (砭石), bone needles, and bamboo needles. From the Shang and Zhou dynasties through the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, with the emergence of metallurgy, bronze needles appeared. After the Qin and Han dynasties and through the Ming and Qing dynasties, iron needles became widespread. In modern times, steel needles came into use; after the advent of stainless steel in the modern era, stainless steel needles, with their high hardness, strong toughness, and resistance to rust, gradually replaced gold, silver, and iron needles to become the mainstream. Today, electroacupuncture devices, laser needles, magnetic needles, nano-needles, etc., combine modern physical therapy with traditional meridian theory, greatly expanding the fields in which acupuncture can be applied. The evolutionary process of a single needle vividly embodies the thinking and practice of 守正创新 (shǒu zhèng chuàng xīn - "upholding the orthodoxy while innovating," preserving tradition while innovating) in Chinese medicine. Chinese medicine has never missed any opportunity presented by scientific and technological development; it has always unhesitatingly put new scientific and technological achievements to use for its own purposes. But no matter how it develops, the fundamental principle of acupuncture treatment in Chinese medicine — "regulating qi to harmonize yin and yang" (调气以和阴阳), that is, using a hair-thin needle to awaken the body's self-healing capacity — has always been followed.
The Qing dynasty scholar Ji Xiaolan recorded in his Notes of the Thatched Cottage of Close Observation (阅微草堂笔记) the instruction of an elder: "A national champion chess player does not discard old game records, but does not rigidly adhere to them; a national physician does not cling to ancient formulas, but does not depart from them." A person of outstanding talent uses old records without being bound by them, and uses ancient formulas without being rigidly constrained by them. Therefore, it is necessary both to uphold the orthodoxy and to innovate. Without upholding the orthodoxy, it becomes water without a source; without innovation, it becomes a stagnant pool. It is precisely by adhering to 守正创新 that traditional Chinese medicine has been able to continue, flourishing for thousands of years. Practice has proven that, in the various civilizational practices of human society, upholding the orthodoxy while innovating is the way of survival, and also the way of development.
Return to TopBy: 魏 新
In the Jinan where I live, the most famous local specialty food is bazi pork (把子肉) [literally "sworn-brother meat," a braised pork belly dish]. Everyone says that in Jinan every household has a spring and every willow hangs low, and between the springs and the willows, bazi pork is everywhere. This city has many shops that write bazi pork into their signboards: Qinghe Su Ji, Liu Xiao Mang, San Dian, Lao Bing, Za Jia Wang Xinguo, Zhang Ji Wuyue Temple... and there are many shops without bazi pork on their signboards, yet their signboards are also bazi pork. The largest local restaurant chain started with bazi pork, and now its branches have opened all the way to Beijing; its standardized bazi pork is cut on an assembly line, each piece of meat having a uniform weight. In the past two years, internet-famous bazi pork products have also appeared, such as bazi pork zongzi, bazi pork milk tea, bazi pork pizza, bazi pork ice cream—as if no matter what food is paired with bazi pork, it is not out of place.
As for the origin of bazi pork, legend has it that it comes from the Three Oaths in the Peach Garden—Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei became sworn brothers (拜把子, bàibǎzi); Zhang Fei was a butcher and treated his elder brothers to meat. But legend is just legend: the "bazi" in bazi pork comes not from sworn brotherhood, but from binding (捆, kǔn). To prevent the meat from falling apart when boiled, it is tied into bundles (把, bǎ) with outer husks of dried cattail softened in warm water, hence the name "bazi pork." Like Jinan’s jar meat (坛子肉, tánzi ròu) and Jining’s earthen-pot meat (甏肉, bèng ròu), it is named after the object. As for its spiritual lineage, it comes from the Northern Wei period. Jia Sixie (贾思勰), in The Essential Techniques for the Common People (《齐民要术》), described a method for cooking pork: cut the whole pig into four pieces, put them in a pot, repeatedly change and add water to render out the fat, then cut into square pieces, add wine, scallions, salt, ginger, Sichuan pepper, and fermented black beans, and finally braise to an amber color, so that one may "eat to the full as one pleases, and it will still not be greasy."
Of course, the method for bazi pork is not exactly the same as in The Essential Techniques for the Common People. First, the pork is cut into small pieces—traditionally one and a half inches long, one and two-tenths inches wide, and four-tenths inches thick; each catty of net meat yields eight pieces. When cooking, no salt is added; only top-grade soybean soy sauce is used, star anise to remove greasiness, rock sugar to enhance freshness. When finished, as described in Famous Chinese Recipes (《中国名菜谱》) compiled in the 1950s: "The color is fresh and lustrous, with a cherry-like red, the aroma is clean and fragrant, best eaten hot... and it is most excellent eaten with rice." As for me, who does not usually love rice, whenever a steaming bowl of rice is served and a ladleful of bazi pork broth is poured over it, I feel that the rice is no longer just rice. Perhaps it is because the fat and protein of bazi pork fill the pallor and blandness between the grains.
Bazi pork is not only sold during the day in many shops; it is also the king of late-night street stalls. Whenever night falls, bazi pork stalls of greater or lesser renown set up, and the aroma wafts out from the alleys. Some bazi pork stalls often have long lines. The longest queue is for the one that used to be outside Wuyue Temple a few years ago. As soon as it set up in the evening, dozens of people would line up, even sparking business for several nearby small bars. Because if you were drinking at one of those bars, the bar owner could go and buy bazi pork for you.
Having eaten bazi pork in Jinan for so many years, I increasingly feel that bazi pork quite fits the character of this city. Although Jinan is a northern city, because the whole city is full of springs, it particularly has the aura of Jiangnan, as Huang Tingjian wrote, "Jinan is as free and elegant as Jiangnan." Bazi pork is like that too: it looks bold and unconstrained, but its flavor is very delicate. More crucially, it is not expensive; it is both home-style fare and satisfying enough to cure a craving. No wonder a saying is popular in this city: "I am just right in Jinan." A Jinan that is just right, with lotus on four sides and willows on three, plus one piece of bazi pork—that could not be better.
Return to TopOil painting "A Sudden Clap of Thunder on Flat Ground" (平地一声雷), by Chang Shuhong (常书鸿), housed in the National Art Museum of China (中国美术馆).
Return to TopBy: 张建春
The wetland lies quietly by the lakeshore. The wetland is full of flowers—some planted by human hands, but most are wild, unremarkable little blossoms. Such as the little fleabane, with its pale yellow stamens, gazing amorously toward the ripples. Such as the Lobelia chinensis, with its pale purple flowers like scattered stars, trailing arcs. The little fleabane and the Lobelia chinensis, one tall and one short, give the wetland its gradations and layers. The cosmos and zinnias bloom wildly, lining the path as if to rendezvous with the aquatic plants and together put on a grand performance.
The aquatic plants are the protagonists of the wetland vegetation. The lotus and water lily are in bloom—lotus leaves spreading far and wide, water lilies floating close to the water surface.
Reeds are the tall ones among the aquatic plants; reeds grow into a thicket—if you hide inside, the sun cannot find its way in. Reeds have many close relatives—silvergrass, giant reed, and the like grow together, and without a bit of specialized knowledge, you really cannot tell them apart. As a child, I would pluck reeds to make flutes that could whistle in different tones. Reeds are the benefactors of the wetland, a vital force for ecological conservation, with extraordinary functions.
Among the "tall ones" there is also the cattail. Cattails grow in continuous swaths, their spikes held high, yet still in bloom; when the wind passes, the cattail pollen swirls about, enacting a poetic drama of reproduction unique to plants—the male pollen fluttering down onto the female pistils. Cattails have many uses: the pollen is used as medicine, the leaves can be woven into cattail mats, cattail bags, cattail fans—all gifts from nature. "By the shores of the marsh are cattails and lotuses. There is a beautiful person—how can I not be hurt? Waking and sleeping, I do nothing; tears and mucus pour down." The cattail in the Book of Songs has lived for a thousand years.
Because of the cattail, I went looking for the calamus; when I saw something similar in the water, my heart suddenly pounded wildly, but regretfully it was only irises and the like; in the end, I never saw a trace of calamus. Calamus is often confused with cattail, but they are quite different; these two have only one thing in common—they both love to root themselves in the wetland.
The softstem bulrush has leaves in cylindrical shape, hollow inside; the plant stands erect, pointing straight up to the sky, emerald-green and clear, exuding a fragrance. Dried softstem bulrush can be mixed with cattail to weave mats, mats, bags, and the like. There is also a plant called Juncus effusus, commonly also called "water bulrush," but they differ. Juncus effusus has thin, round stems; the pith of the stem can be used as the wick for lighting a lamp. As a child, I pulled plenty of it to light up the house at night.
The wetland is a world of aquatic plants—floating plants, submerged plants, emergent plants, many and varied; those I can recognize are just water lily, salvinia, hornwort, curly pondweed, lotus, cattail, reed, and so on—there are too many I do not know. Every kind of plant has its own realm. The wetland is the lung of the Earth; when the lung is joyful, everything becomes fresh and alive.
Seeing the many wild water bamboo in the wetland flowering and setting seed, I was curious and bent down. This plant, originally called Gu (wild rice), once held the same status as rice. Wild rice grains were good to eat, filling the belly, but due to parasitism by the smut fungus, the stem swelled into tender water bamboo shoots, turning from a grain into a vegetable. How wondrous, indeed! Seeing the flowers of wild rice, seeing the grains of wild rice, the wetland strangely restored a scene from a thousand years ago.
Bird calls fill the air; birds fly in from the great lake, then fly from the wetland back to the great lake. Lowering my head, the little paths are verdant; without much effort of the eyes, I can find four-leaf clovers, five-leaf clovers, even six-leaf clovers. A four-leaf clover is a lucky clover; having the wetland by the lake is also our good fortune.
Return to TopBy: 李世发
After several rain showers, mushrooms burst forth from the ground, hurrying to join the annual summer gathering.
The freshly emerged green-headed mushroom (青头菌) is white and tender; in just one night its size multiplies several times over, its color shifting to a hazy blue-green. At this stage the green-headed mushroom is at its best — tender and juicy, carrying the natural sweetness of the mountain wilderness. Whether stir-fried plain, simmered in soup, or grilled, it preserves the pristine freshness of the original ecology. As the green-headed mushroom continues to grow, its cap opens, and under the scorching sun it swells and cracks, the blue-green fading to grayish white. Though no longer firm, and its price greatly reduced, its flavor becomes more mellow. Boil a few slices of ham together with it, and the rich, wild mountain essence lingers between the lips and teeth.
Yunnan’s wild mushrooms come in a great variety, and when it comes to allure, the hand-turns-blue mushroom (见手青) 当仁不让 (dāng rén bù ràng - “when faced with benevolence, do not yield,” to take on a task without hesitation). It never conceals itself but always appears plainly before the eyes; it is the giant among mushrooms, and it always clusters in groups of three or five. Turning blue when touched — that is the origin of its name. As soon as it is touched by a hand, squeezed, or cut with a knife, its originally warm, lustrous color, as if enchanted, takes on a mysterious indigo blue. It is like a warning — don’t touch me, don’t touch me.
Termite mushroom (鸡枞菌), ganba mushroom (干巴菌), matsutake mushroom (松茸菌), bolete mushroom (牛肝菌), big red mushroom (大红菌), big yellow mushroom (大黄菌), milk mushroom (奶浆菌)… there are many more mushrooms I can recognize. In the wild mushroom trading market, various mushrooms, sorted by grade, lie quietly in baskets waiting for people to buy. Now that transportation is convenient, mountain folk who find mushrooms can take the bus into town to sell them. And with cold-chain express delivery, friends in other provinces can eat Yunnan mushrooms the very next day.
Although buying mushrooms is very convenient, every weekend we like to drive into the mountains. Picking mushrooms is terribly addictive — climbing mountains, threading through forests, pushing aside rotting leaves, and the heart-pounding thrill when a mushroom suddenly peeps out — that is even more exhilarating than eating the mushrooms. Finding them is good, but it doesn’t matter if we don’t; it is more about experiencing the joy of the search. Yet the great mountain never lets us down — as long as we go up, we never come back empty-handed. The mountain silently hides surprises along the paths we must take; sometimes it is a single bolete, sometimes a nest of termite mushrooms.
Return to TopBy: 安 然
When the glow of dawn spreads across the earth and dewdrops hang in the night sky,
when the snow of the Saihanwula Khan Mountain flows into the depths of the forest,
we write the first poem of the grassland.
This is the first poem born—
in the labor of a goat,
the first poem seething in the milk,
the first poem covered in green grass and soil.
This is the first poem we write of the grassland,
this sole poem, carrying the storm and the shy gaze of living creatures,
in the long narration and waiting,
all things are graceful, composed, and radiant.
Time and space are stuck in the treetops—such stillness,
such serenity, let me stand in the middle of the earth,
long maintaining attention and a brief rest.
By: 何少军
My mother is an ordinary rural woman, so ordinary that she could not be more so. She is just over 1.5 meters tall, and in her youth she kept short hair, very capable. Because the family was poor, my mother did not even finish the third grade of primary school before dropping out. Although she did not receive much education, in my heart, my mother is a person with vision and an understanding of the big picture. My father taught at a middle school in the town, so the farm work at home basically fell on my mother alone. Cutting firewood on the mountain, plowing the fields below — my mother was capable of everything. In my memory, my mother was hardworking and tenacious, and also a person skilled at expressing emotions through tears.
When I was young, I was frail and often ill. Yongzhou, Hunan, is known for its many strange snakes. When I was three or four years old, I was first bitten by a snake while catching frogs in the rice paddies, nearly losing half my life, causing my mother endless worry. After that, I contracted a severe case of dysentery. In the countryside, medicine and doctors were scarce; my grandmother exhausted all sorts of folk remedies and local prescriptions but could not cure me. At the time, my eyes were deeply sunken, and I was nothing but skin and bones. Several neighbors shook their heads at my mother: "This boy probably won't make it." But my mother refused to believe it. She carried me in her arms and walked on foot to the county seat of a neighboring province, more than 20 kilometers away, to find a doctor. Her hot tears fell plop plop onto my face. Though I was at death's door, I was still conscious and sensible, and I moved my lips to say, "Mom, don't cry, I won't die..." My mother carried me like that the whole way, walking to the county seat of the neighboring province. The doctor examined me patiently and carefully. Unexpectedly, after just a few pills, on the way back I was able to eat big mouthfuls of food! My mother was so moved that tears streamed down her face. I knew those were tears of joy.
In my memory, my mother never had a moment of leisure. If she wasn't cutting firewood on the mountain, she was working in the fields. From a young age, my mother told us not to be stingy with our strength; in her words, strength spent will come back. She could carry a load of over 100 jin of rice grain and stride briskly through the fields. When cutting firewood on the mountain, each of her loads weighed well over a hundred jin. The dry firewood my mother brought back was thick as an arm and as tall as a person, bound tightly and solidly with rattan, neatly filling the alleyway in front of our house. I have always thought: a woman weighing less than 90 jin, able to carry a burden far exceeding her own weight — this could not be achieved by physical strength alone. There must also have been a powerful will and abundant hope in her heart. I remember my mother saying that even when she was heavily pregnant, she often went to the fields to do light work, and because of this, she left behind many chronic ailments. When she was pregnant with me, as her delivery approached, there was no firewood at home to burn. My mother was anxious to go up the mountain, but her body was too heavy, so she could only wait helplessly at the doorstep. That evening, as she looked at the empty woodpile, she could not help but shed tears in the dim light. I know that at that time, my mother's tears were the hardship, and even more, the unbearable pressure.
Later, my older brother and I lived up to expectations and successively went to study in Beijing. My mother also left the countryside where she had lived for half her life and went to work as a temporary worker at the school where my father taught. From that time on, the smiles on my mother's face increased, and her worries decreased. What remained unchanged was her diligence.
After graduating from university, I went alone to Shenzhen, Guangdong, the forefront of reform and opening up, to settle down and build a career. My mother was especially happy. Once, my mother came to Shenzhen alone to visit me. When she was leaving, I drove her to the airport. At that time, Shenzhen had just opened its new airport, and I was very worried that my mother might get lost and miss her flight. I could only accompany her to the security checkpoint; I could not go in any further. My mother, already over seventy, had long since turned completely white-haired and was slightly hunched. She turned back at every step to wave goodbye to me. I stared without blinking as my mother gradually walked away, and I noticed that as she walked, she kept wiping the corners of her eyes with her clothes. At that moment, I knew that my mother's tears were surely those of牵挂 (qiān guà - "heartfelt concern and longing").
Return to Top